Top News:


Rick Davis, a CNN staffer since its launch 40 years ago and now executive vice president of news standards and practices, retires Jan. 31 — New York (CNN Business)The longest-serving executive in the history of cable news is retiring, and CNN will never be the same. — Around the network he is known simply as Rick.


Marty Baron earned respect in WaPo's newsroom, but events in the past year showed a need to nurture new voices that differ from the white DC media establishment — After eight years leading the Washington Post—the capstone on a nearly half-century career in journalism—Marty Baron announced this week that he will soon be retiring.
Discussion:
@abdallah_fayyad, @alexaborchardt and Washington Post
RELATED:

WaPo, LAT, Reuters, Wired, Vox, and HuffPost are seeking new leadership as the pipeline from regional papers has slowed and promising stars have left the field
Discussion:
@carloslozadawp, wan-ifra.org, @hamiltonnolan, @mathewi, @jayrosen_nyu, @wesleylowery, New York Times, @benharder, @benyt, Poynter, @rasmus_kleis, @jayrosen_nyu, @sarahkaplan48, @jayrosen_nyu, @jaredbkeller, @tball, @nikkiusher, Washingtonian, The Interpreter, @sarahellison, @sulliview, @hankstuever, @mlcalderone, @jayrosen_nyu, @jeffjarvis, @rosental, @ckristofic and @enrique_acevedo


Verizon's media unit, which owns TechCrunch and Engadget, plans personalization features linked to Yahoo Mail, starting on sites like Yahoo News and Finance — - Verizon Media CEO Guru Gowrappan tells Insider the unit is preparing a “mega” product launch in the coming weeks.
Discussion:
@richlightshed, @larakiara, @kidkotok and @digitalshields


Connecticut AG has sent a letter to Alden asking for info and expressing concern about its possible takeover of Tribune and the impact it would have on CT media — HARTFORD — Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is seeking more information from the hedge fund that is the largest shareholder …
Discussion:
@agwilliamtong and @courantguild


Sources: Vivendi's Universal Music is looking to go public this year instead of in 2022; the label has been approached about going public via merger with a SPAC — World's largest record label seeks to capitalise on frothy stock market — Universal Music, the world's largest record label …


A family-owned group of 14 weekly NJ newspapers plans to convert to nonprofit ownership by the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media — In an effort to preserve and expand community journalism, the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media (CNJLM) today announced a letter of intent has been signed …


Pennsylvania public radio station WITF says stories about lawmakers who supported the effort to overthrow the election will systematically identify them as such — - Scott Blanchard/StateImpact Pennsylvania — In the weeks leading up to the 2020 election, WITF's journalists worked …


HD Media, owner of the Charleston-Gazette Mail and other WV papers, has sued Google and Facebook, saying they conspired to further their digital ads dominance — West Virginia-based HD Media has filed a lawsuit against Google and Facebook, saying the two archrivals “conspired to further …
Discussion:
Editor and Publisher


Internal memo: CBS has hired a law firm to conduct external investigations into recent allegations of racist and misogynist behavior by two senior executives — CBS has set in motion “an external investigation” into allegations of racist and misogynist behavior by senior executives at its local-TV unit …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Los Angeles Times and @bristei


UK regional publisher Archant, now owned by PE firm Rcapital, furloughs staff on its regional magazines across the country for the next month — Archant has furloughed staff on its regional magazines across the country for the next month to help ease the impact of the latest lockdown on its finances.


Facebook says it will begin testing “topic exclusion” controls that would help advertisers stop running ads next to topics they want to avoid in News Feed — - Facebook is building tools to help advertisers keep their ad placements away from certain topics in its News Feed.
Discussion:
MediaPost, @lanceulanoff, @chrisharihar, Ad Age and Adweek, more at Techmeme »


Sports leagues should explore how to co-own rights with streaming services to reach wider audiences at a price more people are willing to pay — System of selling rights to pay-TV is under threat from services that promise a vastly bigger audience — Netflix has avoided live sports for good reason.
Discussion:
@ashkan, contextisking.com and @alexebarker