Mediagazer: When NYT reporting gets hijacked by bad-faith actors to push disinformation, the NYT often retreats behind its journalistic standards to avoid responsibility (Gabriel Snyder/Columbia Journalism Review)

1:25 AM ET, November 4, 2019

Top News:

Trump has integrated Twitter into the fabric of his administration, reshaping the presidency with 11,000+ tweets while in office, lately posting even more often — With a single tweet last fall, Mr. Trump sent his administration into a tailspin. “I must, in the strongest of terms …

Julia Carrie Wong / The Guardian:

The debate over Facebook's political ads policy has been too US-centric and the company hasn't explained how that policy will work in other countries — What do Zuckerberg's bromides about American values mean to Facebook users in Kashmir or the Philippines? — @juliacarriew Email

Discussion: Columbia Journalism Review, @axios, @carnage4life, @stevesi, @juliacarriew, @mathewi, @juddlegum, @juliacarriew, @brooklynmarie, @juliacarriew, @juliacarriew, @juliacarriew, @brooklynmarie, @juliacarriew, @edifiedlistener and @kreissdaniel

Siva Vaidhyanathan / New York Times:

Vetting political ads effectively and consistently at global scale is impossible; Congress should restrict ad targeting to the level of an electoral district — It's not about free speech. — Siva Vaidhyanathan is a professor of media studies at the University of Virginia.

Discussion: Financial Times, Washington Post, @nxthompson, @pierce, @dylanbyers, @hblodget, @jameeljaffer, @karaswisher, Mercury News and @ellenlweintraub, more at Techmeme »

Makena Kelly / The Verge:

Facebook and Google's self-imposed ban on political ads in Washington state, which led to uneven enforcement and confusing rules, is a cautionary tale for 2020 — A troubling omen for Twitter's global ban — On Wednesday, Twitter announced that it will ban all forms of political advertising starting …

Discussion: @willoremus and @kellymakena

CNN:

Facebook says it will not fact-check ads by UK political parties and candidates running in December election, but will fact-check political groups like Leave.EU — Facebook's political ad policy under pressure — London and New York (CNN Business)A controversial policy allowing politicians …

Discussion: The Guardian, @gossithedog, @nakatomitim, @theprolestar, @clare_jennifer, @tig_james, @damiancollins, @marxdeane, @marmel, @peterjukes, @jacob_montg, @nickgillespie, Engadget, The Hill, MSPoweruser, Gizmodo and OneZero, more at Techmeme »

Megan Greenwell / @megreenwell:

Former Deadspin EIC Megan Greenwell says the site no longer employs a single writer or editor — And with that, it's over. Deadspin no longer employs a single writer or editor. I am gutted but so very proud of this group of people. Deadspin was a good website.

Discussion: Digiday, @berniesanders, @barry, NPR, @shrimpalert, @mousterpiece, @manadurphy, @om, @matthew_peddie, @deadspin, @kimjnews, @jbillinson, @thebafflermag, @goldengateblond, @david_j_roth, @foldablehuman, @wrbolen, Los Angeles Times, @lindseyadler, The Wrap, @timmarchman, @jatayler, @albertburneko, @ashleyfeinberg, @thetomzone, @bjanosch, @rauchway, @michaelroston, Deadspin, @dianamoskovitz, @bubbaprog, @xpangler, @alexknobel, @palewire, @erikwemple, @lexialex, @samanthamvb, @priyakkumar, Washington Post, @theisen95, @cpoff, @labuzamovies, @dianamoskovitz, @ryanlcooper, @lukeoneil47, @lukeoneil47, @lukeoneil47, @mollieebryant, @mathewi, @justin_ling, @byjoelanderson, @ericgeller, @emptyseatspics, Vanity Fair, @jeremymbarr, @davezatz, @lindaholmes, @thrasherxy, @nick422, @dreamoforgonon, @drewmagary, @geedee215, @ryanlcooper, @maxwelltani, @maxwelltani, @maxkennerly, @patrick_hruby, Nieman Lab, @david_j_roth, @drewmagary, @harrymccracken, @bruce_arthur, @caitlin__kelly, HuffPost, CNN, Vox, @jillian_schulz, @mckinneykelsey and Axios

Bryan Curtis / The Ringer:

Deadspin is the latest site to undergo “The Mavening”, where owners hollow out trusted outlets, a trend that has been particularly deadly for sportswriting — Deadspin staffers resigned this week after a dispute with management. Like so many other publications, the future will bring an undead version of the site.

Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap:
Deadspin got a new freelance contributor, Alan Goldsher, on Friday, but then he quickly quit too following backlash to his tweet announcing his new gig

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Deadspin's entire editorial staff has now resigned; G/O Media says the company is recruiting new staff

Gabriel Snyder / Columbia Journalism Review:

When NYT reporting gets hijacked by bad-faith actors to push disinformation, the NYT often retreats behind its journalistic standards to avoid responsibility — On May 1, The New York Times carried a story on its front page, “For Biden, a Ukraine Matter That Won't Go Away,” by Kenneth P. Vogel and Iuliia Mendel.

Discussion: @iansams, @davidsrudin, @benthomases, @tcb, Columbia Journalism Review, @jayrosen_nyu and @lauraelizdavis

John McDermott / New York Times:

How journalists, academics, and opinion writers shunned for their conservative or offensive opinions publish at Quillette, and befriend each other — Depriving people of a platform works — in unexpected ways. — Katie Herzog was a largely unknown freelance journalist living in Seattle.

Rob Wells / Washington Post:

The role of National Thrift News in uncovering a corruption scandal in the '80s shows trade publications can hold the industries they cover accountable — A small trade publication broke the Keating Five scandal, offering a pathway for investigative journalism in cash-strapped times.

Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:

An explanation of “data voids” in search, based on a Data & Society report, and how understanding them is vital for journalists especially amid breaking news — One day fifteen long years ago, in 2004, some SEO consultants decided to have a contest to determine quién …

Discussion: @pizza4justice, @iconycpromo, @scribulatora, @datasociety, @datasociety, @anildash and Data & Society

Dan Kennedy / Media Nation:

GateHouse Media CEO Kirk Davis to leave upon the close of the Gannett-GateHouse merger, according to an internal memo sent from New Media CEO Mike Reed to staff — I posted this on Twitter and Facebook on Thursday, but it seems significant enough that I ought to share it here as well.

Discussion: @bosbizdon, @dankennedy_nu and Dan Kennedy

Nicole Sperling / New York Times:

Theater chain owners upset at Netflix after talks stalled over short theater run for Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, which will be weeks shorter than standard — LOS ANGELES — Netflix and the owners of the major theater chains could have made a lot of money together, if only they had seen eye to eye on the release of “The Irishman.”

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: G/O Media is in advanced talks to sell satire site ClickHole to game company Cards Against Humanity for less than $1M, amid Deadspin resignations — About 20 writers and editors at former Gawker Media sports site walk out — The sports website Deadspin lost all of its editorial staff …