Top News:
Hadas Gold / CNN:
Netflix faced a tough balancing act when Saudi officials claimed an episode of Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Act violated local law — London (CNN Business)What's the price of censoring one episode of a Netflix show in Saudi Arabia? — Though Netflix has not released specifics on the number …
Discussion:
@krudell, @hasanminhaj, @ase, @karenattiah, @mazmhussain, @davidfrum, @akimcampbell and @arjunsethi81
Max Willens / Digiday:
Forbes is testing an AI tool that writes rough drafts of stories for contributors, which they can then edit and post — This story and its headline have been updated. — Forbes is investing in tools to make its newsroom more bionic. — Over the summer, the business publisher …
Discussion:
@digiday, @harmongreg, @lisamurphyto, VentureBeat, @roboreport and @perfectpixels
Lexi Mainland / Los Angeles Times:
Podcasts are helping news organizations increase audience engagement, reach a younger demographic, and make a profit — I get emotional watching movies on airplanes. It doesn't matter what the story line is or how many times I've viewed it stoically on terra firma. At 40,000 feet, I submit to tears.
Discussion:
@aliciahannah and KTLA
Michael Calderone / Politico:
Former NYT Editor Jill Abramson says Fox News host Howard Kurtz took her new book “totally out of context” and attempted to “Foxify” it — FORMER NEW YORK TIMES EDITOR JILL ABRAMSON SAYS Fox News host Howard Kurtz took her forthcoming book, Merchants of Truth …
Discussion:
Fast Company, American Press Institute, @klerner, Dan Froomkin's White …, @klerner, @klerner, McSweeney's, @daviduberti and @mlcalderone
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Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
Departed White House staffers, including John Kelly and Rex Tillerson, validate stories about the Trump administration, despite Trump's claims of “fake news” — The Trump White House isn't big on sharing information or answering questions asked on behalf of the public.
Discussion:
Washington Post, @hunterwalk, @saletan, @dabeard, The Daily Caller and Politico
Li Yuan / New York Times:
Inside Beijing-based Beyondsoft and its “censorship factories”, with 4,000+ staff monitoring online content for media companies eager to please China's censors — Thousands of low-wage workers in “censorship factories” trawl the online world for forbidden content …
Discussion:
Boing Boing, @panphil, @wingcommander1, @kemc, @puiwingtam, @camedwards, @sophiehrw, @ewong, @daschles, @mariancw, @altusda_ars, @dangillmor, @susanmaret, @suilee, @kevin2kelly, @b_p_sims, @ericfish85, @ephs_apcp, @puzzlereric, @jzheel, @jzheel and @kimmasters, more at Techmeme »
Jesse Damiani / The Verge:
Netflix's interactive format for films like Bandersnatch makes content harder to pirate, increases viewer engagement, and generates insightful data about users — Light spoilers for Black Mirror's interactive episode Bandersnatch ahead. — On Friday, December 28th, after months of speculation …
Discussion:
Mashable, @cheriehu42, @gloria_dgn, Marketing Dive, @onekade and Ad Age, more at Techmeme »
T.C. Sottek / The Verge:
AT&T files trademark applications for “Verge TV”, but The Verge notes its name is trademarked and highlights its existing YouTube channel — Nah, we'll keep it — Last month, AT&T filed several trademark applications for “Verge TV,” which suggests the company may be working …
Discussion:
@reckless, @davezatz, @backlon, @thedextriarchy, @chillmage and @declanganley
Tatyana Shumsky / Wall Street Journal:
Analysts say Spencer Neumann's focus as Netflix CFO will be to convince investors that expensive original content will pay off with subscriptions and profits — Spencer Neumann must convince investors that Netflix's billions of investments in original content will grow subscribers and earnings, analysts say
Discussion:
TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Lucinda Southern / Digiday:
Ahead of its launch on January 14, 42% of slow news startup Tortoise's founding members are under 30, and 25% live outside the UK — One criticism leveled at reader-funded journalism is that it can mean only the elite have access to quality information. But slow-news membership outlet Tortoise …
Washington Post:
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has launched a wave of repression against political dissidents, jailing journalists and shuttering publications — MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Reporters for an online news site are writing their stories in secret locations. Editors of the country's only 24-hour news network have been jailed.
Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch:
The US Senate confirms FCC commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks, bringing the five seats to three Republicans and two Democrats, for five-year terms — The Senate has officially confirmed the incoming FCC commissioners, Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks have been officially confirmed by the Senate for their five-year terms.
Discussion:
Radio & Television … and Multichannel News, more at Techmeme »
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