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Publications dependent on revenue from event ads, like alt-weeklies, are hit hard by coronavirus; Seattle's The Stranger says it's lost ~90% of its income — In a memo to staff, The New York Times called the coronavirus “an enormous story, a once-in-a-generation crisis that inevitably touches everyone's lives.”


North American box office plunged to around $55.3M this weekend, its worst weekend since sales of $54.5M from September 15 to 17 in 2000 — Much of public life in the United States essentially ground to a halt this week. In the entertainment world, theme parks shut down, Broadway went dark …
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, MediaPost, @ecareyo, @variety, @ewagmeister, The Playlist, The Ringer, Wired, New York Times, Vanity Fair and The Guardian


Leaked docs: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts from those deemed “ugly”, poor, or disabled, and censor political speech in livestreams, to attract users — The makers of TikTok, the Chinese video-sharing app with hundreds of millions of users around the world …
Discussion:
@panzer, The Verge, @mattpostsayshi, @slooterman, @josephfcox, @theintercept, @taylorlorenz, @cindygallop and @rose_catb, more at Techmeme »


Sources: Universal Music Group chief Lucian Grainge has been hospitalized after a positive COVID-19 test — Universal Music Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge has been hospitalized after testing positive for coronavirus, multiple sources exclusively told Variety.
Discussion:
Billboard, Los Angeles Times, AppleInsider, @mattloverera, @jeff__benjamin, @thebrentsmith, @billboard, NME, UPROXX, @timlarew, The Wrap, Music Ally, @yashar, @mattdonnelly, Music Business Worldwide and The Loop


Chinese journalists, usually muzzled, are publicly pushing back against the government's positive coronavirus spin, buoyed by widespread calls for free speech — The Communist Party is trying to fill the airwaves with positive stories about its battle against the virus.
Discussion:
Fox News, @ajenglish, @hernandezjavier, @hernandezjavier, @hernandezjavier, @ewong, @hernandezjavier and @hernandezjavier


A licensed psychotherapist weighs in on how journalists can manage the stress of nonstop COVID-19 coverage — 9 ways journalists can push back against the stress of an always-on story — I have been hearing from journalists who are stressed out by this nonstop COVID-19 coverage.
Discussion:
@n_yang, @junkeranna, @jimmacmillan, @firstdraftnews and @ctardaguila


By lashing out at PBS's Yamiche Alcindor over questions about firing the Pandemic Response Team, Trump keeps trying to duck scrutiny for his own words and deeds — It's bad enough that President Trump has relentlessly minimized the coronavirus threat for nakedly political reasons …
Discussion:
@theplumlinegs and @theplumlinegs


As the COVID-19 outbreak discourages moviegoers and theatrical releases get delayed, the ascendancy of streaming services may be accelerating — Cinemas, already contending with streaming services, are now facing the prospect of no audiences and no new films because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Discussion:
@ennisnyt and @rossdawson


How Danish subscription news site Zetland, with ~15K members, achieved financial sustainability by leveraging its most loyal supporters to recruit new members — In March 2016, the Danish member-driven newsroom Zetland launched as a daily publication with the goal of adding curiosity and complexity to public conversation.


MediaRadar: TikTok is the biggest advertiser on Snapchat, with about 80% of TikTok's US ad spend between 2018 and 2019 going to Snapchat — Multiple sources indicate that TikTok has invested heavily on Snapchat — Key Insights: — While Snapchat and TikTok compete for the attention …
Discussion:
@scottnover, @scottnover and @adweek


AMC Networks says it is planning to sell ad packages that accompany its shows even when they become available on ad-supported streaming outlets like Pluto TV — AMC Networks wants to sell the ads that accompany “Walking Dead” on its flagship cable outlet and wherever the series' zombies might march.


Interview with Cristina Tardáguila, the associate director of the International Fact-Checking Network, on international efforts to fight COVID-19 misinformation — New York (CNN Business)A global network of researchers and journalists spanning 40 countries has issued …
Discussion:
@mediawise, @davidclinchnews and @donie