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While ad and event revenue declines due to COVID-19 may wound the news industry, choices by hedge funds and private equity in a recession could be catastrophic — Declines in ad revenue and all those canceled events might prove manageable. But the real risk would come with a virus-inspired recession …
Discussion:
Poynter, @ylichterman, @darrendcarroll, @netaustin, @ellenroseman, @rickedmonds, @jbenton, CNN and CBC News

In a memo to staff, WaPo is encouraging all of its employees to work from home until the end of the month, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak — The arrangement is in response to the coronavirus crisis. — The Washington Post has sent a memo to all its employees encouraging them to work …
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Adweek, New York Post, @oliverdarcy, @timaeppel, @hcjewell, @dataeditor, @bcrodriguez, @abeaujon, @abtran, @donnacassata, Washington Post, The Hill, @abeaujon, @abeaujon, @abarnardnyt, Vanity Fair, Talking Points Memo and Deadline

AT&T's Xandr says AMC Networks, WarnerMedia, and Disney joined Xandr Invest, its self-serve ad-buying platform, which will be available for 2020 “upfronts” — Battle lines are being drawn in the ongoing quest to lure advertisers to new kinds of TV commercials.
Discussion:
Broadcasting & Cable, AdExchanger, Ad Age, Adweek, Reuters and Business Wire
Doug Haddix / IRE:
An attendee of IRE's NICAR conference in New Orleans has tested presumptively positive for COVID-19, has mild symptoms, and is self-quarantining for 14 days — A person who attended the NICAR20 conference in New Orleans last week tested presumptively positive today with COVID-19.
Discussion:
@ire_nicar, @miyashay, @ryanfamuliner, @juliangillmusic, @danahull, @conarck, @nlinphoto, @katereports, @a_l, @mtdukes, @carla_astudi, @lisasorg, @mtdukes, @corbettsmithdmn, @jenny8lee, @ddpan, @doughaddix, @doughaddix, @dataeditor and @joeleastwood

Due to COVID-19, Sunday's debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders will be held without an in-person audience, and CNN won't host a press center or spin room — The debate will still be held, though there won't be a “spin room” or filing center for the press.
Discussion:
@cnnpr, Mediaite, USA Today, Newser, @yashar, @connieschultz, @jeneps, @jonlovett, @jbarro, @carloslozadawp, @rachelnpr, @kiminsley, @kellyaucoin77, TVNewser, Variety and Wall Street Journal

Disney launches Disney+ in India, weeks ahead of its scheduled launch date, through Hotstar; Hotstar gets rebranded to Disney+ Hotstar with a new logo — Disney+ has arrived in India — weeks ahead of its scheduled launch date. The American giant revamped Hotstar app and populated …
Discussion:
Livemint, Hindustan Times, The Financial Express, XDA Developers, YourStory.com, NDTV Gadgets 360, The Next Web, The Wire and TechCrunch

Vox Media launches Concert Local, a local ad network pooling local news sites' ad inventories and funded, source says, by $1M+ from the Google News Initiative — Vox Media, the parent company to brands like The Verge, SB Nation, GrubStreet and more, is partnering with Google to create …
Discussion:
@clockwerks, @hilmonstah, @clockwerks, @bankoff and @simonowens

French data protection watchdog CNIL says it is investigating the adtech company Criteo, following Privacy International's complaints against seven companies — Adtech giant Criteo is under investigation by the French data protection watchdog, the CNIL, following a complaint filed …
Discussion:
Privacy International and Digiday

TikTok to launch a Transparency Center in LA, to let external experts evaluate its content moderation, to be followed by providing insights into its source code — (Reuters) - Social media app TikTok is launching a content moderation center in a bid to boost transparency …
Discussion:
Newsroom | TikTok and Engadget, more at Techmeme »

Recount Media, the short-form political video startup founded by journalists John Battelle and John Heilemann, raises $13M Series A — Recount Media, a short-form political video startup created by veteran journalists John Battelle and John Heilemann, has raised $13 million its Series A funding round, executives tell Axios.

Study of 400 people finds that people pay for news because it reinforces their social identities, not because it's good for democracy — This piece is part of API's Research Review series, which highlights academic research that could be relevant and useful to the news industry.

Trusted Media Brands, formerly Reader's Digest Association, has seen 98% digital revenue growth since rebranding in 2015 and is reaching 60M+ consumers monthly — - In 2013 Reader's Digest Association was going through its second bankruptcy in five years and was on life support, having failed to adapt to advances in technology.
Discussion:
@raju and @mediavoicespod

Sources: Disney+ executives are still struggling to define its brand identity, as several original series in development have been dropped in the past year — In his new role “getting everything right creatively,” the former CEO is likely to tackle the streaming service, which …
Discussion:
@ashkan, Business Insider, io9, Engadget, The A.V. Club, Dark Horizons, The Playlist, @aaroncouch, Bleeding Cool and /Film
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