Top News:
Ken Doctor / Nieman Lab:
Should Gannett and GateHouse merge, the resulting company would own one in six US newspapers and have increasingly regionalized reporting and business functions — A combined company would own 1 of every 6 daily newspapers in America — and a little more breathing room.
Discussion:
New York Post, @jackshafer, @mlschultze, @niemanlab, The Wrap, Bloomberg, The Rural Blog, @dangillmor, @chriscincibiz, @lalpert1, USA Today and Wall Street Journal
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Dan Kennedy / @dankennedy_nu:
Internal memo: GateHouse Media in New England will merge 50 small weekly papers into 18 new regional weeklies — Internal memo reveals that @GateHouse_Media New England will merge 50 small weekly papers into 18 new regional weeklies. https://docs.google.com/...
Discussion:
@dankennedy_nu, @bosbizdon, @colinsteele, @jbenton, @bosbizdon, @ehernandez, @natebrownnews, @colinsteele and @ko_reporter
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: DOJ is preparing an antitrust investigation into Google's practices related to search and other businesses — Probe would closely examine Google's practices related to search, other businesses — WASHINGTON—The Justice Department is gearing up for an antitrust investigation …
Discussion:
CNBC, New York Times, Fast Company, Politico, Business Insider, @garrytan, The Hill, The Verge, Engadget, 9to5Google, Axios and Reuters, more at Techmeme »
Megan Graham / CNBC:
Amazon to buy Sizmek's Ad Server and Dynamic Creative Optimization units after the adtech company filed for Chapter 11 in March — KEY POINTS — Sizmek Ad Server and Sizmek DCO will operate separately from Amazon Advertising for the time being, Amazon said.
Discussion:
Amazon Advertising, Adweek, AdExchanger, @joshsternberg, @gerritd, MediaPost, Chain Store Age and Business Insider, more at Techmeme »
Carlos Maza / @gaywonk:
[Thread] Despite policies against harassment, YouTube lets Steve Crowder videos stay up, with repeated attacks on Carlos Maza's sexual orientation and ethnicity — So, I have pretty thick skin when it comes to online harassment, but something has been really bothering me.
Discussion:
@drvox, @karaswisher, @chescaleigh, @mattbaume, @alplicable, @joshuarush, @fatnutritionist, @allanbrocka, @philjimeneznyc, @eugene_scott, @donmoyn, @neeratanden, @jason_kint, @moneyries, @justin_ling, @yoda, @brfreed, @ekp, @karenkho, @kurtbardella, @lpolgreen, @jaredlholt and @revrrlewis
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Julia Alexander / The Verge:
YouTube is investigating flagged Steven Crowder videos after Vox's Carlos Maza shared Crowder's homophobic and racist comments about Maza in a Twitter thread — Carlos Maza says this has been happening for years — A tweet thread from Vox host Carlos Maza outlining several instances …
Discussion:
@loudmouthjulia, @gaywonk, @chescaleigh, Newsweek and @gaywonk
Keach Hagey / Wall Street Journal:
Study on behavioral ad targeting finds that publishers only get about 4% more revenue for an ad impression that has a cookie enabled than for one that doesn't — Finding could affect where publishers line up in brewing privacy battles — Are creepy advertisements really necessary to support the free web?
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Fast Company, @antoniogm, @antoniogm, @antoniogm, @noahpinion, @admonstergavin, MediaPost, @robpegoraro, @realhamed, Peter O'Kelly's Reality Check, @jason_kint, @profcarroll and Marketing Dive, Thanks:@beet_tv
Hollywood Reporter:
Otter Media gets folded into WarnerMedia Entertainment, with Otter CEO Tony Goncalves reporting to Bob Greenblatt and leading work on a streaming service for Q4 — CEO Tony Goncalves will lead the product and development team of the direct-to-consumer service, reporting to Bob Greenblatt.
Discussion:
Variety, @xpangler, Broadcasting & Cable, The Streamable and Deadline
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
Sources: NYT “prefers” its reporters not appear on cable news shows that it perceives as too partisan, including Rachel Maddow's and Don Lemon's — The Times recently yanked one of its journalists from Rachel Maddow amid concerns about cable-news “bias.” Dean Baquet “thinks it's a real issue.”
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Daily Beast, @jayrosen_nyu, @jayrosen_nyu, @mlcalderone, @martydavis, Washington Post, @helenhs, @froomkin, @armandodkos, @jayrosen_nyu, @jayrosen_nyu, @heerjeet, @page88, @elienyc, @jamisonfoser, @msignorile, The Daily Caller, Broadcasting & Cable, @sdkstl, TVNewser, Fox News and Politico
Mehedi Hassan / Thurrott:
Report: Spotify is working on a new “Social Listening” feature that allows users to listen along with their friends and add songs to a shared queue — Spotify is taking its Spotify Connect features to the next level with social integration. The company is working …
Discussion:
BGR, RAIN News, Android Police, The Verge, Mashable and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Andrew Roth / The Guardian:
Russian distributors cut about 5 minutes from the Elton John biopic Rocketman, citing law against “homosexual propaganda”; John and filmmakers condemn the cuts — Elton John biopic's gay sex and kissing footage edited out in effort to play down singer's sexuality
Discussion:
The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, Press Association, Rolling Stone, The Mary Sue, @thesteventhomas, /Film, Variety, Vanity Fair, IndieWire, Mediaite and PAPER
Taylor Lorenz / The Atlantic:
A look at the terms “creators” vs. “influencers” on YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms, and how recent digital history has shaped the terms — It was 2011, and YouTube had a problem. The company, which was then a hub for low-quality cat videos and user-generated content …
Discussion:
Wired, more at Techmeme »