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Sources: Twitter is building subscription products to ease its dependence on ads, including “tipping” for exclusive content and charging for TweetDeck — - Internal groups are researching options users might pay for — Social network says ‘revenue durability’ is now top priority
Discussion:
@profgalloway, The Wrap, TechCrunch, @ajbrehm24, @darrenrovell, @profgalloway, @joelcifer, @neerajka, @samitsarkar, Gizmodo, Engadget, @mathewi, @joannastern, @tonyromm, 9to5Mac, @rafat, @mattnavarra, @mattnavarra, The Verge, @trengriffin, @kurtwagner8, @ryanlawler, @walldo, @martinsfp and @imbeccable, more at Techmeme »

Automattic's enterprise-focused WordPress VIP says it is acquiring content analytics service Parse.ly — WordPress VIP (WPVIP), the enterprise arm of WordPress.com, is acquiring Parse.ly, a content analytics platform that's used by thousands of digital publishers.

Interview with Marty Baron on some of the controversies during his tenure at WaPo, how the paper covered Bezos, and what he wanted to achieve in Washington DC — The soon-to-retire executive editor defends the idea of journalistic objectivity. “It's not neutrality, it's not both-sides-ism, it's not so-called balance,” he says.
Discussion:
@philiprucker, @ichotiner, @johnwoodrowcox, @abeaujon, @wesleylowery, @wesleylowery, @ralstonreports, @irin, @irin, @newyorker, @sarafischer, @newyorker, @loriamontgomery, @rizzotk, @kendrawrites, @michaelluo, @pvdmeersch, @vivian, Gav's Newsletter, @svdate, @froomkin, @ichotiner, @leonkrauze, @ashleyrparker and Insider

WaPo says readership of its tech coverage grew 40% in 2020 and it will add eight positions, based at its HQ and SF, growing its tech team to 27 — Added roles will be based in San Francisco and The Post's headquarters — The Washington Post today announced a significant expansion of its technology team …
Discussion:
@nitashatiku, @kerrymflynn, @edmundlee, @christinaasquit, @rachelerman, @cat_zakrzewski, @cpassariello and @cwarzel

Sources: TikTok has briefed advertisers on new e-commerce tools launching in 2021, including letting popular users add links and earn commission — Viral video app set to unveil a suite of new online shopping tools — TikTok is planning an aggressive expansion into ecommerce in the US …

Hachette Book Group last month fired Kate Hartson, one of the few mainstream editors who published Trump die-hards like Trump Jr., Lewandowski, and Pirro — Top editors at Hachette have told employees that they've learned the lessons of the Capitol siege of Jan. 6: no hate speech, no incitement to violence, no false narratives.
Discussion:
Letters from an American, Insider, @mrolmos, @mariskreizman, @benyt, @dankennedy_nu, @davecullen, @changinghands, @markszaidesq, @cgasparino, @mgroppe, @benyt, @espiers, @paulwiggins and Washington Post

Research: journalists who see the rise in misinfo as a threat to democracy are more likely to report using practices embracing transparency than accountability — Adapting to the misinformation era, journalists emphasize transparency in their daily practices — “Fake news” is an unfortunate phrase.
Discussion:
@spj_tweets, @alexptachick, @janebsinger and @niemanlab

China charges Cheng Lei, an Australian journalist who worked for a Chinese state TV channel, with leaking state secrets, six months after she was first detained — Cheng Lei worked for Chinese state television and had been held in secret for six months — Beijing has charged …
Discussion:
New York Times, The Guardian, The Indian Express, Al Jazeera, @yuanfenyang, ABC, Variety, UPI and Axios

Bustle Digital Group says it has 2M total email subscribers across 14 newsletters and plans to have 10M by the end of 2021 — Right now the conversations around newsletters are revolving around which journalist recently joined Substack and which hotshot business newsletter was recently acquired.
Discussion:
@thekenyeung and @bradesposito

Source: Jason Fine, editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone since 2018, is stepping down effective immediately to work as its director of content development — Jason Fine, a two-decade-plus veteran of the magazine, is moving into a new role. That makes Jay Penske the latest media exec with a big job search on his hands.
Discussion:
@tpcarney, @vanityfair and @joepompeo

Nexstar confirms Bill Shine is a consultant for NewsNation; sources: NewsNation news director quit because of interference by Shine and others in news decisions — After two decades as a senior executive at Fox News and a protégé of chairman and CEO Roger Ailes …
Discussion:
@robertfeder, @benyt, @jayrosen_nyu, @juliethuddytv and Daily Herald

CinemaScore, which has conducted opening-night movie surveys using poll workers in the US for studios, is hoping to expand to serving streamers like Netflix — - CinemaScore president Harold Mintz talked with Insider about how the company has adapted to the pandemic.