Mediagazer: Free speech online has grown even as Facebook, Google, Twitter control more attention; most effective censorship now is meddling with trust, not muzzling speech (Zeynep Tufekci/Wired)

4:15 PM ET, January 16, 2018

Top News:

Alexbalk / The Awl:

The Awl announces it will end editorial operations at the end of January — It is with a mixture of disappointment and relief that we are announcing the cessation of editorial operations on The Awl at the end of this month. For nearly a decade we followed a dream of building a better Internet …

Discussion: @saramorrison, @willsommer, @jwherrman, @grahamdavida, @nishachittal, @jonesieman and @jonesieman

The Hairpin:

The Hairpin, part of The Awl network, announces it will end editorial operations at the end of January — We're sad to say that The Hairpin will cease editorial operations at the end of this month. The site started with a dream of making a space on the Internet unlike any other …

Zeynep Tufekci / Wired:

Free speech online has grown even as Facebook, Google, Twitter control more attention; most effective censorship now is meddling with trust, not muzzling speech — FOR MOST OF modern history, the easiest way to block the spread of an idea was to keep it from being mechanically disseminated.

Discussion: NBC News, @zeynep, @omerbenj, @scottnover, @annehelen, @gilgul, @shashj, @brendannyhan, @nateschenkkan, @dancharvey, @profcarroll, @tobiasrose, @jarroddicker, @eidietrich, @marklittlenews, @lekowicz, @mariekshan, @brizzyc, @emilybell, @eriqgardner, @zeynep and @anthony

Tracey Lien / Los Angeles Times:

Digital First Media announces layoffs will hit its newspapers across California, including the Mercury News and Orange County Register — Southern California News Group, which includes newspapers such as the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Daily News, will be hit with “significant” …

Discussion: LA Observed

Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:

HBO fights streaming rivals like Netflix and Hulu with heavy marketing and a focus on quality over quantity with its original programming — As other channels stockpile content, HBO is trimming its development pipeline; 'More is not better. Only better is better.'

Discussion: Forbes

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:

The Editor-in-Chief of Babe's parent company Tab Media, Joshi Herrmann, has defended the site's decision to publish the allegations against Aziz Ansari — Aziz Ansari responds to sexual assault accusation — Amid all the debate over an anonymous woman's account of a sexual encounter with Aziz Ansari …

Discussion: The Guardian, Hit & Run, thecut, The Week, Broadly, www.wnyc.org, Refinery29, TVLine, Junkee, The Daily Beast, The Wrap, Bangor Daily News, babe, Washington Post, The Daily Caller and Business Insider

Ad Age:

Sources: multiple brands are reviewing their relationship with Vice following December's NYT story, with one, Ally Financial, meeting the company this month — By Garett Sloane and Adrianne Pasquarelli. — Vice could be at risk of going from cool to creepy for brands concerned …

Bethany Biron / Digiday:

Sources: Phillip Picardi, digital editorial director of Teen Vogue, is expected to be named to run Teen Vogue following Elaine Welteroth's departure — Phillip Picardi, digital editorial director of Teen Vogue, is expected to be tapped to run Teen Vogue following the departure of editor-in-chief Elaine Welteroth last week.

Discussion: Glossy

BBC:

A man who has harassed BBC presenter Emily Maitlis for more than 20 years has been jailed for 45 months — A former friend of Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, who has harassed the BBC journalist for more than 20 years, has been further jailed. — Edward Vines, 47, inflicted …

Discussion: @kristianawrixon, @jewishwomensaid, The Guardian and Press Gazette

Alex Ritman / Hollywood Reporter:

Amazon Studios signs Sharon Horgan, creator of hit TV show Catastrophe, to a two-year overall deal alongside a separate deal with her production company — Amazon Studios has also set up a first-look deal with Horgan's Merman banner. — With the British comedy show Catastrophe having proven …

Charlie Warzel / BuzzFeed:

Twitter again disputes claims from a Project Veritas undercover video aimed at the company, saying “We do not proactively review DMs. Period.” — “We do not proactively review DMs. Period.” — On Monday, conservative activist and filmmaker James O'Keefe published undercover footage …

Discussion: Daily Mail, Project Veritas, MacRumors, BetaNews, 9to5Mac, TechCrunch, The Next Web, @johnpaczkowski, @cwarzel and @passantino, more at Techmeme »

Stephen Kalin / Reuters:

Saudi Arabia began screening feature-length films after a 35-year ban on cinemas; authorities hope to have 300 cinemas and 2K screens by 2030 — JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia began screening feature-length animated children's films this weekend in a makeshift theater …

Discussion: Deadline, Mashable, IndieWire, The A.V. Club, Fortune, The Verge, The Hill, /Film, Newsweek and EW.com

James Walker / Press Gazette:

The EU's newly established group on fake news and disinformation met for the first time as it seeks to define and develop a strategy for tackling fake news — The European Union's newly established fake news body met for the first time today, but revealed that it has yet to establish a working definition for “fake news”.

Discussion: Associated Press, DW.COM and euronews