Top News:
Ben Smith / New York Times:
Ozy built a TV interview show for CEO Carlos Watson based on false claims it was for A&E and that it would then be a YouTube Original, its ex-producer says — Producers say they were led to believe they were making a talk show for A&E, which said no to the program.
Discussion:
@choire, @jonathanvswan, @zachstafford, @thegarance, @jduffyrice, @edmundlee, @briancgrubb, @jbouie, @kimberlynfoster, @arthur_affect, @arlenparsa, @simonowens, @byjoelanderson, @stuartathompson, @byjoelanderson, @mattzeitlin, @awprokop, @kfile, @dannygroner, @ismat, @ashleyfeinberg, @byjoelanderson, @justinbaragona, @mtill50, @davidfolkenflik, @cliffordlevy, @carlquintanilla, @devlinbarrett, @sonnybunch, @byjoelanderson, @benyt, @thrasherxy, @franklinleonard, @kevinmaddendc, @jakesherman, @albertburneko, @byjoelanderson, Forbes and NPR
Discussion:
Jonathan Swan / @jonathanvswan: Bananas from top to bottom https://twitter.com/...
Zach Stafford / @zachstafford: Okay who's making the podcast series about the rise (???) and dramatic fall of OZY media bc my coins are ready https://twitter.com/...
Garance Franke-Ruta / @thegarance: House of cards https://twitter.com/...
Josie Duffy Rice / @jduffyrice: i am just built diff-e-rent than these people. even imagining telling this lie is making me hyperventilate https://www.nytimes.com/...
Edmund Lee / @edmundlee: The bait-and-switch at Ozy Media — how it got big-name guests to appear on a show few would watch. Another @benyt special https://www.nytimes.com/...
Brian Grubb / @briancgrubb: running an ad in a newspaper and then using your own language from that ad as the pullquote for another ad that you attribute to the first newspaper is... maybe the funniest thing I've ever heard? https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
B-Boy Bouiebaisse / @jbouie: @byjoelanderson you are...not wrong
Kimberly Nicole Foster / @kimberlynfoster: I'm, frankly, amazed by the level of scamming this Black man has been able to pull off. Seems unprecedented. https://twitter.com/...
Arthur Chu / @arthur_affect: This feels like a sitcom plot, one of those cynical meta shows about “the industry” https://twitter.com/...
Arlen Parsa / @arlenparsa: Incredible. This whole @ozy media company seems like a cross between Fyre Fest and Enron... https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Simon Owens / @simonowens: So how many VCs were lied to about OZY having a show on A&E before they made their investments? https://www.nytimes.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: Anyway. At this point, I need some hard proof that Carlos went to Harvard and worked at MSNBC and that his name is indeed Carlos.
Stuart Andrew Thompson / @stuartathompson: god this saga is like if Theranos founded Vice https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: I wish I looked better in a suit, because I have no idea how I'm ever gonna get enough money for a down payment on a house.
Matthew Zeitlin / @mattzeitlin: If you've seen an Ozy ad, you're at least geographically proximate to the media and marketing elite https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Prokop / @awprokop: Mental health crisis or business model? https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Kaczynski / @kfile: In awe of the level of grift here. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Danny Groner / @dannygroner: “It's common for companies to pay YouTube to place ads that pop up automatically onscreen before videos, which drives up the number of views. Tubular Labs suggests that Ozy may be using that tactic with its videos.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Ismat Sarah Mangla / @ismat: @byjoelanderson I also had several back and forth convos with recruiters and editors at Ozy around 2017 and my spidey sense was like...erm, this is not for me.
Ashley Feinberg / @ashleyfeinberg: all I can think about is how the fuck the Ozy guy managed to not have a panic attack every single minute of the day https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: An observation: no offense to white people, but if a black man has attended the right school, can codeswitch, flatter y'all enough, and look nice in a non-shiny suit, he — and it's almost always dudes — can really finesse the hell out of y'all. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Justin Baragona / @justinbaragona: “In a farewell email to Mr. Watson and Mr. Rao, which he shared with The Times, he wrote, 'You are playing a dangerous game with the truth. The consequences of offering an A&E show to guests when we don't have one to offer are catastrophic for Ozy and for me.'” https://twitter.com/...
Morgan Till / @mtill50: Just a blistering read. An apparent, giant fraud; and continually exposed by @benyt https://www.nytimes.com/... https://www.nytimes.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: To date, Watson has refused my requests for an interview. His credibility is crucial. Many false and inflated claims cited by @benyt & by later reporting involve assertions by or about Watson. Claims on traffic, newsletters, shows and more. //con't https://www.nytimes.com/...
Cliff Levy / @cliffordlevy: “You are playing a dangerous game with the truth.” Another executive says he was duped by Ozy Media, which promised him repeatedly that an Ozy show was headed to the A&E cable channel. But that was false, he told @benyt. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Carl Quintanilla / @carlquintanilla: “Another quote described Mr. Watson as ‘Anderson Cooper meets Oprah.’ That line, attributed to The Los Angeles Times, was drawn from an advertising supplement that Ozy ran in that newspaper.” (via @benyt) https://www.nytimes.com/...
Devlin Barrett / @devlinbarrett: The Merv Griffin set wasn't a tipoff? https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: Jenee had a 15-minute interview with Ozy 5 years ago and by the time she came back to the car we were able to deduce that this was all a massive fraud.
Ben Smith / @benyt: New from me, with a lot of insight from former producers: Ozy Built a TV Show on a False Claim, Says Its Former Producer https://www.nytimes.com/...
Dr. Steven W. Thrasher / @thrasherxy: “Another warning sign, Mr. Bessey said, was that one of the other producers pointed out that A&E had already scheduled “Hoarders” for the time slot that was supposedly meant for “The Carlos Watson Show."" https://twitter.com/...
Franklin Leonard / @franklinleonard: I am dumbfounded. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Kevin Madden / @kevinmaddendc: Amazing how closely Ozy followed the Jukt Micronics playbook. https://twitter.com/...
Jake Sherman / @jakesherman: Incredible story. https://twitter.com/...
Albert Burneko / @albertburneko: the most darkly fascinating part of every fraud story is trying to imagine what kind of psycho has the energy and motivation for that shit https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: A conversation that I have had a thousand times, professionally: “Joel, do you know [black man in a suit]? He's a friend of a friend and I think you'd really like him. I should connect y'all!”
Jemima McEvoy / Forbes: Sources detail how 2019's Ozy Fest would have exposed Ozy's untruths, before it was canceled due to a heatwave and gave the company a large insurance windfall
David Folkenflik / NPR: The Alleged Deceit Behind Ozy Media's Public Meltdown
RELATED:
Kerry Flynn / CNN:
Some former Ozy employees say they were overworked to the point of exhaustion: “They brought in very talented, motivated, excited people and just used them up” — New York (CNN Business)Around midnight one Saturday late last year, Eva Rodriguez, 24, had trouble breathing.
Discussion:
@benyt, @sarafischer, @eevasita, @shannonpareil, @brosandprose, @ahess247, @ktbenner, @moorehn, @mattbelloni, @eevasita, @priaribi, @monicatorrr, @caleweissman, @kidnate, @peterhamby, @shortformernie, @anhaiphung, @alextweeting, @shortformernie, @chaykak, @ahhensel, @elenainzafrica, @danprimack, @keitholbermann, @charukasturi, @bartlettkate, @bobpickard, @phil_rosenthal, @kerrymflynn, @fka_tabs, @parismartineau, @eevasita, @remynuma, @tonyajoriley, @eevasita, @clarajeffery, @davidgura, @bartlettkate, @nick4iezos, @heynottheface, @mslopatto, @lollardfish, @gnagesh, @nick4iezos, @jman23j, @mediaevan, Gawker, Forbes, Today in Tabs, Puck, @robaeprice, @chronotope, Boing Boing, Insider and @parismartineau
Discussion:
Ben Smith / @benyt: Ozy chairman Marc Lasry just resigned: “I believe that going forward Ozy requires experience in areas like crisis management and investigations, where I do not have particular expertise.”
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: 🚨🚨🚨Marc Lasry steps down from Ozy's board — Statement from PR flak https://twitter.com/...
@eevasita: When I read that they decided to chalk up the impersonation incident to mental health I was absolutely appalled knowing that many of my former colleagues suffered mental health implications from working FOR THEM.
Shannon Bond / @shannonpareil: now remembering when i wrote about Ozy's launch back in 2014 and Carlos Watson told me he was interested in branching out into Airbnb-style home swaps and ... dating? https://www.ft.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Ella Dawson / @brosandprose: “In the publication's early days Watson seemed to expect a full-time editorial staff of about four writers and two editors to produce 40 high-quality magazine articles per week.” So many eye-popping moments in the latest OZY news: https://www.cnn.com/...
Katie Benner / @ktbenner: I thought Lasry was on the board of the Weinstein company during the several months that NYT reporters were reporting and frantically calling everyone remotely related to the company regarding Harvey Weinstein's misconduct... https://twitter.com/...
Heidi N. Moore / @moorehn: This is the minimum Lasry should do after supporting Samir Rao's attempt to defraud potential investors. Imagine trying to get away with that wild quote about standing behind Rao. https://twitter.com/...
Matthew Belloni / @mattbelloni: Hall of Fame resignation statement... https://twitter.com/...
@eevasita: I hope that the stories coming out about OZY will put an end to the lies and unacceptable mistreatment of talented, passionate individuals who dedicate their lives to their work — at this company and at others like it.
Priyanka Aribindi / @priaribi: Lmao this company is 8 years old, how is their team just now figuring out it was a scam!!!! https://twitter.com/...
Monica Torres / @monicatorrr: This Ozy story on its cultish, toxic company culture shows the harm that these “charismatic” leaders can wreck on the lives on journos just at the start of their careers. Upsetting! https://www.cnn.com/...
Cale G Weissman / @caleweissman: these expectations are both insane and impossible https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Nate Wilcox / @kidnate: So glad this is finally coming out. Anyone who had friends at OZY knew it was an abusive atmosphere. https://cnn.com/...
Peter Hamby / @peterhamby: RIP Carlos Watson's obvious and long-planned run for office as a neolib Dem https://twitter.com/...
Ernie Smith / @shortformernie: @eevasita You are incredibly brave to speak out—and I hope it sparks an industrywide conversation about work/life balance.
An Phung / @anhaiphung: Pushing your workers to the brink of mental health collapse is surefire way to get them to blow the whistle to reporters. Appreciate the people who spoke to @kerrymflynn about their experiences for this story: https://twitter.com/...
Alex Washburn / @alextweeting: @eevasita Eva, I have never met you but I really admire your courage to speak out. I hope you are in a better place now and proud of your voice. <3
Ernie Smith / @shortformernie: When your employee has a mental breakdown due to overwork, if your first instinct upon getting a doctor's note confirming this is to call the doctor's office and ask for their medical records ... you might be a bad person. https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Kyle Chayka / @chaykak: lol Ozy's Samir Rao also pretended to be the HR director? https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Anna Hensel / @ahhensel: It was obvious after reading the NYT story, but you can tell how toxic a workplace is by how quickly current and former employees will talk to a reporter after one critical story initially breaks. Great details here from Kerry https://twitter.com/...
Elena W / @elenainzafrica: Kudos to brilliant SA-based journo @bartlettkate for living by her ethics and values. Ethics and values in themselves don't pay the rent, so I hope she finds another role soon 🙏🏿 https://twitter.com/...
Dan Primack / @danprimack: NEW: Marc Lasry, who just resigned as chair of Ozy Media, was referred to by Carlos Watson as “lead investor” in a $35 million round in 2019. But, learning now that Lasry's investment in that round was only $1 million, and he didn't invest subsequently.
Keith Olbermann / @keitholbermann: Also: “if you need me I'll be in the Caymans” https://twitter.com/...
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: It's been a pleasure, an honor, working with @bartlettkate . She's a fine, fine journalist who has worked in most parts of the world, consistently delivering top quality work. Wishing you all the best, Kate. https://twitter.com/...
Kate Bartlett / @bartlettkate: Earlier this week I was on holiday when I found out about the wrongdoing by management. I resigned. So I'm now an unemployed journalist for the 2nd time this year 😥 But ethics have always been and will always be paramount to me. Any job tips appreciated. 2/2
Bob Pickard / @bobpickard: Extraordinary. The lack of this kind of experience - so valuable at a premium in a social media age - is a widespread challenge for many senior executives, but I have never seen one of them candidly admit it on the public record like this. via @josh_wingrove ht @RoyNorton1 https://twitter.com/...
Phil Rosenthal / @phil_rosenthal: And now we have the answer as to when #Bucks owner Marc Lasry would cut and run from his role at chairman at media mirage #Ozy ... https://twitter.com/...
@kerrymflynn: @eevasita Thank you for speaking out about what you went through and sharing it with me. In addition to seeing the public tweets, I've also received texts and emails admiring and commending you
@fka_tabs: Ben Smith poked it with a pin and now all of Ozy is just zooming around the room going plblblblblblblblblblblblbl and getting smaller and smaller
Paris Martineau / @parismartineau: honestly great breakup line https://twitter.com/...
@eevasita: (THREAD) I spoke on record about the darkest moments of my life because I felt that sharing my personal experiences will shed light on the abominable work culture at #OZY ...
Rémy Numa / @remynuma: @sarafischer Lasry's first job out of college was in bankruptcy law... certainly feels like relevant expertise to me.
Tonya Riley / @tonyajoriley: This is why this generation of media is so utterly broken and disillusioned https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@eevasita: Thank you @kerrymflynn for capturing our stories and to my former colleagues for empowering me to tell mine.
Clara Jeffery / @clarajeffery: Theranos of media (ok, sure, nobody was going to die. and no wolf dog, yet.) https://twitter.com/...
Kate Bartlett / @bartlettkate: What a year. In December I lost my job as DPA's Africa correspondent when the wire closed down the English language service. I was pleased to get a job quite quickly, joining OZY in March and excited to transition to digital and work for a minority-owned US Media company. 1/2
@nick4iezos: Kate is a great writer and journalist, and an even better person. Complete joy to work with, anyone would be lucky to have her. https://twitter.com/...
John S. Nash / @heynottheface: “[I was] trying not to lose my mind and avoiding the blast zone of Carlos' frequently expressed ire,” Robinson told CNN Business. “While the outside world he faced saw glib and charming, those who had to work with him saw a very different face.” https://cnn.com/...
Elizabeth Lopatto / @mslopatto: huge week for ozy fulfilling its mission (the mighty looking on its works and despairing) https://twitter.com/...
David M. Perry / @lollardfish: again, I had a positive experience in my one interaction with Ozy, but ... this is crap. https://twitter.com/...
Gautham Nagesh / @gnagesh: So apparently Samir Rao of Ozy doesn't just impersonate Google execs; he also pretended to be in HR in order to gain access to an employee's medical records(!) https://www.google.com/...
@nick4iezos: God bless @eevasita for telling her story (and @kerrymflynn for writing it). Sadly, while it was one of the most egregious cases, situations like this one were all too common. https://www.cnn.com/...
Eferighe / @jman23j: This was my life for 1.5 years. Still recovering. Still finding myself. Former Ozy staffers say it was like a ‘cult’ that used people up - CNN https://www.cnn.com/...
Evan DeSimone / @mediaevan: The worst part of the Ozy story is that a lot of these people will lose their jobs and the people responsible for the whole mess will just drift off into the sunset with plenty of severance and eventually slide into new senior roles when the dust settles. https://www.cnn.com/...
Jenny G. Zhang / Gawker: No End to Ozy Shitfest in Sight as Chairman of the Board Resigns
Jemima McEvoy / Forbes: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns Amid Mounting Scandal
Rusty Foster / Today in Tabs: Will You Commit To Ending Finsta?
Theodore Schleifer / Puck: Laurene Powell Jobs' Bizarre Week in the Headlines
Rob Price / @robaeprice: just totally normal c-suite behaviour https://www.forbes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Aram Zucker-Scharff / @chronotope: It's wild to discover that I'm not the only one with a ‘WTF is going on at OZY?’ folder in my notes and I'm enjoying seeing everyone open their's up.
Lara O'Reilly / Insider: Ozy draws advertiser scrutiny
Axios:
Ozy Media chairman Marc Lasry resigns and steps down from Ozy's board, saying he lacks expertise in crisis management and investigations; he remains an investor — Marc Lasry, the billionaire businessman and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, said in a statement provided that he has stepped down from Ozy Media's board.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @schwartzbcnbc, @craigsilverman, @retheauditors, @danprimack, @russellbrandom, @schwartzbcnbc, @danprimack, @rjcc, @mslopatto, @jeffjarvis, @katierosman, @janinegibson, @blackamazon, @nycsouthpaw, Mediaite, midrange.tedium.co, Variety, The Hill, CNBC, Hollywood Reporter and @readdanwrite
Discussion:
Brian Schwartz / @schwartzbcnbc: Scoop: Carlos Watson, the CEO of OzyMedia,came on CNBC in 2019 to claim that Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne were investors into his company after a year-long legal battle. He said they were friends. Sharon Osbourne tells me none of that is true https://www.cnbc.com/...
Craig Silverman / @craigsilverman: This is significant — it was not long ago that Lasry was trotted out to press as being totally personally and financially committed to Ozy. He could easily appoint a board committee and hire experts to help with these issues. Instead, he walked. https://twitter.com/...
Francine McKenna / @retheauditors: @benyt Ha. “Ozy requires experience digging out of a pile of sh*t instead of just shoveling it and I don't have that temperament or skill set.”
Dan Primack / @danprimack: Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry steps down from Ozy Media's board following scandal https://www.axios.com/...
Russell Brandom / @russellbrandom: “My experience is mostly in sowing, so it's better if someone else takes over the reaping” https://twitter.com/...
Brian Schwartz / @schwartzbcnbc: NEW: Osbourne said that while they were in a legal fight with OzyMedia Watson attempted to intimidate her over the phone and then once tried to offer her shares of the company. She was not interested. NEW details of their legal settlement with OzyMedia 👇 https://www.cnbc.com/...
Dan Primack / @danprimack: More on Ozy: Lasry is off the board. Axel Springer says it no longer has a board seat. @laurenepowell left the board too. From what I can tell, the only *possible* outside director is GSV Ventures' Michael Moe.
Richard Lawler / @rjcc: @russellbrandom Lasry's actually rich from other stuff, I think he just liked being able to tell people he was a media mogul and had no idea what they did there
Elizabeth Lopatto / @mslopatto: you should have heard the noise I made when @dcseifert showed this to me https://www.cnbc.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: Congratulations to @benyt for harpooning his Tronc, his white whale, his Moby — nay, Ozy — Dick. https://twitter.com/...
@blackamazon: Lord , we need to have ways to do these that don't rely on leaks alone https://twitter.com/...
Leia Idliby / Mediaite: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns as Firm Faces Accusations of Misconduct and Fraud
Ernie Smith / midrange.tedium.co: More Thoughts on Ozy 🗞 — The problem with Ozy is that it existed to raise up one man's career …
Michael Schneider / Variety: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns, as Company Faces More Scrutiny
Steve Kovach / CNBC: Marc Lasry resigns as chair of Ozy Media after 3 weeks, following reports of alleged misconduct at firm
Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns
Daniel Roberts / @readdanwrite: I had a very similar experience with Ozy years ago. they reached out about a sports editor role. but none of the people running it could answer any of my Qs about strategy or the site's most successful posts— beyond repeatedly citing a viral chocolate chip cookies recipe post. https://twitter.com/...
Brian Schwartz / CNBC:
Sharon Osbourne says Carlos Watson lied in a 2019 TV interview when he said Ozzy and Sharon invested in Ozy Media, after the Osbournes settled a trademark suit — - Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson boasted on CNBC in 2019 that Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne had invested in his company.
Discussion:
@dcseifert, @davidfolkenflik, The Wrap, @parismartineau, @jeffihaza, @levynews, @dougheye, @thedextriarchy, @jenn_elias and @mattrosoff
Discussion:
Dan Seifert / @dcseifert: i'm SCREAMING this is the best Ozy media story this even beats the guy pretending to be the owner of youtube in the investor call https://www.cnbc.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: @schwartzbCNBC now reports Watson wrongly told cnbc viewers Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne had become investors. https://www.cnbc.com/... Media outlets are generally built on a foundation of credibility. Doesn't work when that unravels. My talk from last night: https://www.npr.org/...
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap: Sharon Osbourne Says Ozy Media Founder Lied That She and Ozzy Were Investors
Paris Martineau / @parismartineau: inject this into my veins https://www.cnbc.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Ihaza / @jeffihaza: Seems weird that no one at CNBC looked into this for **two years** despite someone telling a flat out lie on live TV https://www.cnbc.com/...?
Ari Levy / @levynews: Was only a matter of time before the Ozy Osbourne jokes were no longer ... jokes https://www.cnbc.com/...
Doug Heye / @dougheye: Sharon Osbourne nails what everyone who had been anywhere near Ozy asked themselves, “What do you do?” https://twitter.com/...
Adi Robertson / @thedextriarchy: @dcseifert @TonyRomm well, it wasn't a conference call but i got pretty close https://www.cnbc.com/...
Jennifer Elias / @jenn_elias: “This guy is the biggest shyster I have ever seen in my life,” Osbourne said, referring to Watson. 🥴 https://www.cnbc.com/...
Matt Rosoff / @mattrosoff: Ozy meets Ozzy: https://www.cnbc.com/...
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Ford, Airbnb, Goldman Sachs, and Target are among advertisers that froze their ad campaigns with Ozy Media
Sources: Ford, Airbnb, Goldman Sachs, and Target are among advertisers that froze their ad campaigns with Ozy Media
Discussion:
Evan McMurry / @evanmcmurry: The upshot of @benyt's piece was it was likely few real readers were seeing these ads to begin with. https://www.wsj.com/...
Mark Gongloff / @markgongloff: OZY struggles to understand why its overworked employees don't want stock options instead of actual money - @gerryfsmith and @ClaraMolot https://www.bloomberg.com/...
New York Times:
Katty Kay, a former BBC anchor who recently joined Ozy, resigns, citing NYT's reporting on the company
Katty Kay, a former BBC anchor who recently joined Ozy, resigns, citing NYT's reporting on the company
Discussion:
Insider, @kattykay_, New York Post, The Rebooting, The Fix, @chomskybartlett, Fox News, @iwriteok, @bmorrissey, @dudejohan, New York Magazine, Bloomberg, @benyt, The Wrap, @dceiver, @kantrowitz, @film_girl, @heoj, @stephenfhayes, @ckrewson, @jeffjarvis, @nprinskeep, @katie_robertson, @bmorrissey, @nick4iezos, @nick4iezos, @sonia_26, @sonia_26, @danielpmalloy, @danielpmalloy, @rolandsmartin, @joenbc, @benlabolt, @cliffordlevy, @willoremus, @jackmirkinson, @bbcjonsopel, @daveweigel, @silviakillings, @jimwaterson, @gregorynyc, @edwardgluce, @keitholbermann, @biannagolodryga, @mikebarnicle, @brianstelter, @benyt, @sarafischer, Digiday, Vanity Fair, Today in Tabs, Axios and Ad Age
Discussion:
Insider: 18 current and former Ozy employees say there've been widespread internal doubts about the company's stated audience, 80-hour work weeks, and a ‘cult of Carlos’
Katty Kay / @kattykay_: Yesterday morning I handed in my resignation to Ozy Media. I was looking forward to working with the talented young reporters but I did not expect this! https://twitter.com/...
Brian Morrissey / The Rebooting: The media business has a bigger Ozy problem
Anton Protsiuk / The Fix: Weekly Digest: Ozy Media Scandal, More News From Russia
Susan Bartlett / @chomskybartlett: @KattyKay_ My daughter has worked for them for 7 months doing 12 hour days and resigned yesterday. She doesnt have your profile unfortunately and so begins a lengthy and depressing job hunt. Whilst the media pile in on the CEO and COO spare a thought for the hardworking journos
Robert Evans / @iwriteok: the funniest thing about Ozy is how the co-founder bragged that our times were so tumultuous that the people NEED an interviewer like Carlos Watson to bring them the fresh, world-changing perspective of people like *checks notes* ...Condoleezza Rice https://twitter.com/...
Brian Morrissey / @bmorrissey: The reason the Ozy story has resonated so much with “media people” is the details are cartoonish versions of the vacuousness and dishonesty regularly peddled as a normal course of business. https://therebooting.substack.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Johan Moreno / @dudejohan: I just wanted to amplify this tweet — from what I've heard, tons of @OZY staffers are genuinely talented people who were sold into a lie — and worked under unfavorable conditions. Many working overtime without pay. And almost all are under very strict NDAs... https://twitter.com/...
Matt Stieb / New York Magazine: Look Upon Ozy's Mess and Despair
Ben Smith / @benyt: A&E had taped a mental health special, co-produced with Ozy, and hosted by Carlos Watson. The pulled it soon before it was to air Monday night. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jason Linkins / @dceiver: since I stopped watching the Sunday shows I sort of lost track of Katty Kay but I learned today she was working for Ozy, which is still 20,000 leagues better than being on a Sunday show; anyway, cancel MEET THE PRESS https://www.nytimes.com/...
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: “Underpinning all of this is the fuel of digital media: the expectation to show hockey-stick growth. But publishing doesn't work like that. Building sustainable brands, built on trust and habit, takes a long time.” https://therebooting.substack.com/ ...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: Kudos to Katty on her integrity here. https://twitter.com/...
Holly Ojalvo / @heoj: 🧵 notable for news hiring managers who may see reporter & editor applicants who have Ozy on their resumes (the separation we all prize between newsroom & business side applies) https://twitter.com/...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: Is anyone else weirded out how much of Ozy's content is really about Carlos Watson https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: At Ozy Media, a Star Journalist (Katty Kay) Quits, and a Key Investor Backs Away https://www.nytimes.com/...
Steve Inskeep / @nprinskeep: The speed of this implosion after the @benyt story is striking. https://twitter.com/...
Katie Robertson / @katie_robertson: New from @benyt and me: A&E canceled the second part of a series on mental health hosted by Ozy Media's Carlos Watson as the fallout continues https://www.nytimes.com/...
Brian Morrissey / @bmorrissey: New edition of The Rebooting is about how Ozy is an inevitable result of the media industry's high tolerance for complete bullshit at every possible level. https://therebooting.substack.com/ ...
@nick4iezos: There are too many people and pieces to mention. OZY was plagued by unethical leadership, yet somehow its staff produced meaningful journalism from across the globe, about people and places many outlets glossed over. I am incredibly grateful for my colleagues' work under duress.
@nick4iezos: OZY should cease to exist. But the journalism — by some of the smartest, most ethical, hardworking reporters I've met under intense pressure — should live on. Here is some of it, in case you aren't one of the thousands of people (or millions of bots) that read us.
Sonia Sarkar / @sonia_26: Having filed almost 8 stories for @ozy - from India, Vietnam and Singapore- and having worked with its many editors including @CharuKasturi & @DanielPMalloy, I can say, this platform gave solid space to reporters who had a convincing story to tell. https://twitter.com/...
Sonia Sarkar / @sonia_26: I wish the best to all editors and reporters working there and I sincerely feel that their reputation should not be tarnished because of this one controversy.
Daniel Malloy / @danielpmalloy: I hope the journo world embraces the reporters and editors who pulled off this strong work the same way it has others who have been part of mismanaged or now-defunct newsrooms. The work was real, even if trendy media types didn't see it in the moment.
Daniel Malloy / @danielpmalloy: I am trying to stay out of the @ozy fray this week but just want to say that regardless of some decisions at the top, the journalism pulled off there was real, and often good. (1/7)
@rolandsmartin: Wow. @KattyKay_ resigns from @carloswatson's @ozy. This is huge. Guess what's next? Advertising agencies demanding an independent forensic audit of all of their platform numbers. They spent a ton of dough with @Ozy. I guarantee there is major blowback at ad agencies from clients. https://twitter.com/...
Joe Scarborough / @joenbc: Katty, Mika and I are proud to be your friends. Your work at the @BBC and building The Confidence Code for women and girls has been inspiring to watch. We hope to see you much more on MJ! @KattyKay_ https://twitter.com/...
Ben LaBolt / @benlabolt: Good for Katty, who is as smart and experienced as they come, and who didn't deserve this craziness https://twitter.com/...
Cliff Levy / @cliffordlevy: NEW: Embattled digital media company Ozy lost one of its biggest stars when Katty Kay, former BBC anchor, announced her resignation. “The allegations in the NYT, which caught me be surprise, are serious and deeply troubling.” By @katie_robertson https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jack Mirkinson / @jackmirkinson: love the irony of resigning from an imploding digital scam company by posting a picture of a printed out statement https://twitter.com/...
Jon Sopel / @bbcjonsopel: A predictably classy and principled response from you @KattyKay_ The allegations are beyond crazy. But - if I may say - your integrity shines even brighter https://twitter.com/...
Dave Weigel / @daveweigel: Watching this sweater unravel after @benyt pulled a few threads is amazing https://twitter.com/...
Silvia Killingsworth / @silviakillings: phone pic of a printout is a brave new genre and I'm here for it https://twitter.com/...
Jim Waterson / @jimwaterson: Ooooofph, longstanding BBC correspondent Katty Kay quit this summer to join Ozy. Now has quit. https://twitter.com/...
Gregory Schmidt / @gregorynyc: BREAKING: Katty Kay, one of Ozy Media's biggest stars, resigned from the company after a Times report raised questions about its business practices, reports @katie_robertson. https://www.nytimes.com/... @nytimesbusiness
Edward Luce / @edwardgluce: More bad news for Ozy but good decision by Katty, who will have no trouble finding a better outlet for her talents. https://twitter.com/...
Keith Olbermann / @keitholbermann: The most gullible person in international media just found out she did another gullible https://twitter.com/...
Bianna Golodryga / @biannagolodryga: You're a class act and incredible journalist, @KattyKay_. https://twitter.com/...
Mike Barnicle / @mikebarnicle: It would be hard for any legit media outlet to find anyone with more experience, a smarter, more current-outlook or a more insightful global perspective than @KattyKay_ https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: “I had no choice but to end my relationship with the company” 👇🏼 https://twitter.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: As a side note, OZY was recruiting for a new COO last fall, per a pitch-deck obtained by Axios. No word on what happened with that process. https://twitter.com/...
Caleb Ecarma / Vanity Fair: Ozy's Digital Media Meltdown Is Just Getting Started
Rusty Foster / Today in Tabs: America Never Had a Core
Dominic Patten / Deadline:
Scarlett Johansson and Disney settle the lawsuit over her pay for Black Widow, released on Disney+ at the same time as in theaters; source: deal is worth $40M+ — (Updated with more details) Just days after the first court hearing in Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow profits mega-bite lawsuit …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Wall Street Journal, TechRadar, UPROXX, CNET, @variety, @eriqgardner, The Verge, The Wrap, Engadget, @patrickadougall, E! Online, @zernerlaw, @johncampea, @ooccouchgags, @filmupdates, Gizmodo, ScreenRant, @chris_notcapn, Rolling Stone, @kjpurneii, TVLine and Vanity Fair
Discussion:
Andrew Pulver / The Guardian: Scarlett Johansson settles Black Widow lawsuit with Disney
Steven Musil / CNET: Scarlett Johansson, Disney settle Black Widow lawsuit
@variety: “I am happy to have resolved our differences with Disney. I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team,” Johansson said in a statement. https://variety.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Eriq Gardner / @eriqgardner: BREAKING: Disney settling Scarlett Johansson's explosive lawsuit over the ‘Black Widow’ release, @THR has learned. Very huge. Disney bowing to reality it can't lose top stars as it charts its streaming future. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...
Mitchell Clark / The Verge: Disney and Scarlett Johansson have settled their lawsuit
Jeremy Fuster / The Wrap: Scarlett Johansson Settles ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit With Disney
Mariella Moon / Engadget: Disney settles Scarlett Johansson lawsuit over ‘Black Widow’ streaming strategy
Patrick Dougall / @patrickadougall: Looks like Disney finally just paid her off! Good for her... https://twitter.com/...
Corinne Heller / E! Online: Scarlett Johansson's Lawyer Slams Disney After Company Seeks to Push Lawsuit to Private Arbitration
Larry Zerner / @zernerlaw: I really want to know how much BW had to gross for Scarjo to get a box office bonus, but the fact that Shang-Chi only made $17 million more domestically made it very hard for her to plausibly argue that the streaming was that big a factor https://twitter.com/...
John Campea / @johncampea: Bob Chapek's humiliating defeat also happens to be the first smart thing he's done since becoming CEO at Disney. https://variety.com/...
@ooccouchgags: Disney is probably like: Fine, you win. Besides, you won't be back for another Marvel movie anyways. https://twitter.com/...
@filmupdates: Disney's upcoming ‘TOWER OF TERROR’ film is moving forward with Scarlett Johansson set to star. (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...) https://twitter.com/...
Cheryl Eddy / Gizmodo: The Black Widow Lawsuit Between Scarlett Johansson and Disney Has Been Settled... in Private
Chris Evans / @chris_notcapn: Disney blinked. They should've never let it get to this point. Should've done what other studios did and re-negotiated deals with the talent when you decided to do an at-home release. https://deadline.com/...
Daniel Kreps / Rolling Stone: Scarlett Johansson, Disney Settle ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit
Kristofer Purnell / @kjpurneii: But in the end, Disney settled, and for a LOT of money (over $40M). This better be lesson for Disney and other studios—pay your talents and respect their contracts. https://deadline.com/...
Matt Webb Mitovich / TVLine: Scarlett Johansson, Disney Settle Breach of Contract Lawsuit Over Disney+ Release of Black Widow
Anthony Breznican / Vanity Fair: Scarlett Johansson Ends Black Widow Lawsuit Against Disney
Aislinn Keely / The Block:
TikTok launches Top Moments, an NFT collection featuring six “culturally significant TikTok videos” from creators including Lil Nas X — TikTok is launching a non-fungible token (NFT) collection that will see its top content creators partner with top NFT creators.
Discussion:
TikTok, Insider, Variety, @larakate, @carnage4life, @blackamazon, Transistori, @chipzel, @nbtjacklyn, @rrhoover, @rtfktstudios, @jowyang, @producthunt, The Verge, GeekWire, Rolling Stone, Ad Age, Decrypt, TechCrunch, Adweek, Tubefilter, Bloomberg and CoinDesk, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Camomile Shumba / Insider: TikTok launches an NFT collection of six of its best viral videos, featuring singers Lil Nas X and Bella Poarch
Todd Spangler / Variety: Lil Nas X Will Be First Artist to Drop Official TikTok NFTs
Lara Cohen / @larakate: This WHOLE space is going to be fascinating to watch. New revenue streams for artists, new ways for fans to connect w the stars they love AND a new way of intro-ing mainstream consumers to the future of tech https://variety.com/...
Dare Obasanjo / @carnage4life: TikTok is going to start selling NFTs of popular videos on @Immutable. It's interesting the tack various apps are taking. Twitter will verify ownership of NFT pfps. TikTok will sell videos as NFTs. As I've said before NFTs are here to stay. https://variety.com/...
Robert / Transistori: Facebook-kuuleminen USA:n senaatissa, Zoomin ja Five9:n kauppa peruuntuu ja TikTok julkaisee NFT-kokoelman
Jacklyn / @nbtjacklyn: lil Nas seems to have an incredible understanding of the Internet and how to harness attention https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Hoover / @rrhoover: TikTok is dabbling with NFTs: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ... Will they go as far as turning every video into an NFT? Should they?
RTFKT Studios / @rtfktstudios: We are doing a collab with @tiktok_us 👌. What could it be? https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Jeremiah Owyang / @jowyang: Every social network will launch, house, and offer an exchange for NFTs. Here comes TikTok https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ...
Product Hunt / @producthunt: TikTok is experimenting with NFTs which will be powered by Immutable X, a Layer-2, carbon-neutral solution for Ethereum. Full details: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Ian Carlos Campbell / The Verge: Lil Nas X, Bella Poarch, Grimes, and more are releasing TikTok NFTs
Kurt Schlosser / GeekWire: Seattle cutout artist Rudy Willingham teaming with singer Lil Nas X for TikTok's first foray into NFTs
Samantha Hissong / Rolling Stone: Lil Nas X Wants You... To Own the Next Viral TikTok Moment
Garett Sloane / Ad Age: TikTok explores NFTs as new way to compensate creators
Andrew Hayward / Decrypt: TikTok to Release Ethereum NFTs With Lil Nas X, Gary Vee, Grimes
Lucas Matney / TechCrunch: TikTok starts flirting with NFTs
Geoff Weiss / Tubefilter: TikTok Dropping First Official NFT Collection With Lil Nas X, Bella Poarch, Brittany Broski
Luke McGrath / Bloomberg: TikTok Wades Into NFTs With Lil Nas X Headlining Collection
Will Gottsegen / CoinDesk: Lil Nas X, Grimes Featured in TikTok NFT Collection
Tony Arnold / WBEZ Chicago:
Chicago Public Media names Matt Moog as new CEO, as its board votes to pursue an acquisition of the Chicago Sun-Times — URL Copied! — In an unprecedented maneuver to try and “secure the future” of one Chicago's two daily newspapers, Chicago Public Media's board of directors voted Wednesday …
Discussion:
@lenfestinst, Columbia Journalism Review, Robert Feder, Chicago Business, @michaelsobrien, @ckrewson, @fuscochris, @justinkaufmann, @imleor, @royalpratt, @newsjennifer, @lenfestinst, What Works, New York Times, @lenfestinst, @chicagoel, @scribeguy, @danielkayhertz, @mukhtaryare, @beckycarroll7, @timakimoff, @markjacob16, @jimfriedlich, @vwpickard, Nieman Lab, insideradio.com, @palewire, Three Things, American Press Institute, The Hill, Current, @dicktofel, Editor and Publisher and Robert Feder
Discussion:
Lenfest Institute / @lenfestinst: The merger is a win for @chicagosuntimes, @WBEZ, and, most importantly, the people of Chicago, who will benefit from unparalleled public-service journalism. The Lenfest Institute was proud to serve as an advisor and support this important step. https://twitter.com/...
Ally Marotti / Chicago Business: WBEZ board OKs Sun-Times acquisition plan
Michael O'Brien / @michaelsobrien: Big news at the workplace. Maybe we can get No Shot Clock a 6 am Saturday morning radio slot or something? Fun times. I think this is owner number seven for me, but kinda lost count. https://chicago.suntimes.com/ ...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: The Chicago Sun-Times, post-bankruptcy, was losing $4.5M per year in May 2017. It later sold to local investors for $1... three years before Covid took roughly a quarter of most newspapers' circulation. “This isn't a fire sale,” though. https://www.wbez.org/...
Chris Fusco / @fuscochris: The Bright One. The Hardest-Working Paper in America. And a new one: Chicago's Brawny Tabloid. Regardless it's @suntimes. And it's good to see so many people in America paying attention to its potential deal with the parent company of @WBEZ https://www.nytimes.com/...
Justin Kaufmann / @justinkaufmann: The best merger news since they put KFC and Taco Bell together under one roof. https://twitter.com/...
Leor Galil / @imleor: Not the top news story here, but it's interesting that the former Trib editorial board editor, who once wrote a column wishing for an epic hurricane to hit Chicago, is now VP of a PR company whose clients have included Live Nation and Lolla https://www.robertfeder.com/ ...
Gregory Pratt / @royalpratt: Media consolidation is always a concern — we need more journalism, not less. Whatever happens between @WBEZ and @Suntimes, I hope both entities have long, vibrant futures, whether it's in some form together or not https://chicago.suntimes.com/ ...
Jennifer Schulze / @newsjennifer: Hoping this @WBEZ takeover not only helps keep the @Suntimes afloat but also inspires it to continue working on diversity. As others have pointed out, white men still make most of the editorial decisions there while WBEZ has a team that better represents the city it covers. https://twitter.com/...
Lenfest Institute / @lenfestinst: @JimFriedlich says the Institute's non-profit status has been a helpful model, and that the deal can serve as an example for other public media and local newspapers to follow. https://www.wbez.org/...
Dan Kennedy / What Works: In Chicago, public radio steps up to fill the gap created by hedge-fund ownership
Lenfest Institute / @lenfestinst: “(Chicago's) news capacity has been ravaged over the years by out-of-town hedge fund owners, the secular decline of print, and a failure to invest in the digital transformation of local news products,” said @JimFriedlich. https://www.wbez.org/...
Elliott Ramos / @chicagoel: I really hope details of how content sharing and workflows get ironed out soon for both newsrooms' sake. Each create unique and vital content. The pre-Zell era of Tribune “synergy” was supposed to share content for Trib, WGN, others. https://www.wbez.org/...
Michael Hawthorne / @scribeguy: What a remarkable turn of events. These same foundations/financiers rejected pleas to save the @chicagotribune from a job-destroying hedge fund. https://twitter.com/...
Daniel Kay Hertz / @danielkayhertz: Whoa. Are there other instances of public radio entity taking over a daily newspaper? https://twitter.com/...
Mukhtar M. Ibrahim / @mukhtaryare: The two brands would “create one of the largest local nonprofit news organizations in the nation and be a national model for the future of local journalism.” https://twitter.com/...
Becky Carroll / @beckycarroll7: As a lifelong Chicagoan who happily grew up in a two newspaper town and now works daily with every news outlet in Chicago, I'd say this is the best damn news that Chicago journalism has had in a long time. Bravo @Suntimes and @WBEZ https://www.wbez.org/...
Tim Akimoff / @timakimoff: Today in shit I could've never possibly imagined. WBEZ was my old stomping grounds for a few years. https://twitter.com/...
Mark Jacob / @markjacob16: One of my first questions about this proposed deal to make WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times sister news orgs is whether the Sun-Times will reduce print frequency. Seems to me that has to be considered. https://www.wbez.org/...
Jim Friedlich / @jimfriedlich: GREAT NEWS FOR LOCAL NEWS: On the heels of sharp cutbacks at @chicagotribune, today's @Suntimes @wbez announcement is wonderful news & a model for other public media and local newspapers to emulate. https://twitter.com/...
Victor Pickard / @vwpickard: Another intriguing public media/local newspaper partnership. Will hopefully see more of these happen. https://twitter.com/...
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab: Chicago Public Media is exploring a deal to acquire the Chicago Sun-Times
Ben Welsh / @palewire: Reporting here suggests MacArthur and Pritzer foundations provided some kind of cash bail out to seal the deal. https://twitter.com/...
Tim Eby / Three Things: Three Things for September 30, 2021
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Public Media exploring merger as nonprofit
Richard Tofel / @dicktofel: Fascinating development out of Chicago (and h/t to @RobertFeder on the scoop) Can't imagine @WBEZ agreeing to absorb future print losses, so wonder if @Suntimes might go all digital? https://www.wbez.org/...
Ally Marotti / Editor and Publisher: WBEZ board OKs Sun-Times acquisition plan
Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian / Axios:
LinkedIn blocks the profiles of several US journalists on its Chinese platform, citing “prohibited content” without specifying what it was — LinkedIn blocked the profiles of several U.S. journalists from the company's China-based platform this week, citing “prohibited content.”
Discussion:
@bethanyallenebr, @repjimbanks, @ewong, @politicalmath, @aymanm, @bethanyallenebr, @rlheinrichs, @davidafrench, @votemarsha, @bethanyallenebr, @bethanyallenebr, @film_girl, Forbes, @yair_rosenberg, @sanverde, @hotlinejosh, @kasparov63, @rlheinrichs, @niccijsmith, @logan_ratick, @jonathanvswan, @elson_tong, @danielkorski, @prchovanec, @tanyalokot, @axios, National Review, Editor and Publisher and Insider, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
B. Allen-Ebrahimian / @bethanyallenebr: I woke up this morning to discover that LinkedIn had blocked my profile in China. I used to have to wait for Chinese govt censors, or censors employed by Chinese companies in China, to do this kind of thing. Now a US company is paying its own employees to censor Americans. https://twitter.com/...
Jim Banks / @repjimbanks: I sent a letter to @LinkedIn about this last week. Waiting to hear back... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Edward Wong / @ewong: This thread raises the persistent issue of American media / internet companies bowing to censorship pressures from China. Meanwhile, Chinese intel agencies have been using LinkedIn to try to recruit assets “on a mass scale,” as one US official said: https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
PoliMath / @politicalmath: This makes sense and, actually, it's good. LinkedIn is a private company and has to best serve their customers. Some of their customers are Chinese, so they need to make sure they can work well with China. They have every right to block anti-China advocates. https://twitter.com/...
Ayman / @aymanm: Absolutely incredible. The censorship by internet companies to placate governments - in this case China - continues. https://twitter.com/...
B. Allen-Ebrahimian / @bethanyallenebr: But LinkedIn went through a thorough “rectification” earlier this year, after Chinese authorities decided its censorship was too lax. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Rebeccah Heinrichs / @rlheinrichs: The PRC squeezed Microsoft's LinkedIn and it worked. https://www.axios.com/...
David French / @davidafrench: Inexcusable. One of the great strategic and moral tasks of the next decade will be disentangling corporate America from dependence on Chinese markets. If corporations are concerned about morality, the monstrousness of the Chinese communist regime should awaken their consciences. https://twitter.com/...
Marsha Blackburn / @votemarsha: Make no mistake: Big Tech cares more about appeasing Communist China than Americans' free speech. https://www.axios.com/...
B. Allen-Ebrahimian / @bethanyallenebr: The first public example of LinkedIn censoring a profile in China, that I'm aware of anyway, was Zhou Fengsuo's profile in 2019. The resulting media outcry resulted in his profile being almost immediately reinstated. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ...
B. Allen-Ebrahimian / @bethanyallenebr: A few months later, LinkedIn starting prolifically blocking the profiles of researchers, academics, and journalists with “prohibited” content (LinkedIn's own term). https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: For not the first time, I have to ask, WTAF @LinkedIn?! This is grotesque. https://twitter.com/...
Andy Meek / Forbes: LinkedIn Profiles Of US Journalists Censored In China, As A Troubling Trend Continues
Yair Rosenberg / @yair_rosenberg: This is obscene. @LinkedIn, a US company, is censoring a US journalist and her ability to reach Chinese readers at the bidding of China's censorious regime. @BethanyAllenEbr's reporting is essential, and I hope this backfires and draws even more attention to her work. https://twitter.com/...
RF Parsley / @sanverde: This has been happening for the better part of a decade. Glad everyone's finally getting caught up about now~ https://twitter.com/...
Josh Kraushaar / @hotlinejosh: Wake up and smell the coffee. The influence that Communist China is holding over American corporations is only deepening. https://twitter.com/...
Garry Kasparov / @kasparov63: More consequences of engagement with dictatorships, training US companies and employees how to censor to satisfy the Chinese Communist Party. Engagement doesn't liberalize authoritarians, it spreads corruption and totalitarianism the other way. https://twitter.com/...
Rebeccah Heinrichs / @rlheinrichs: Well this is awful and- if there is any bipartisan agreement to be found!- there shld be bipartisan condemnation of this https://twitter.com/...
Nicola Smith / @niccijsmith: “If LinkedIn's behavior is normalized, it sends a message to companies across the globe that it is business as usual to enforce Beijing's censorship demands globally,” PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said. @BethanyAllenEbr on LinkedIn's censorship in China https://twitter.com/...
Jonathan Swan / @jonathanvswan: US company LinkedIn now works as a censor on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, blocking my Axios colleague's profile because of her critical reporting on the CCP. You should follow Bethany. She is a diligent, ethical reporter and we are lucky to have her at Axios. https://twitter.com/...
Elson Tong / @elson_tong: One of the most lucid threads - considering the incentives and lack of deterrence of acting in Beijing's interests against US citizens, LinkedIn is acting 100% rationally here https://twitter.com/...
Daniel Korski / @danielkorski: Is there value in requiring companies to be up-front and open when you sign up to their services and continuously about which jurisdictions they only offer a partial or government-mandated service? A sort of ‘Values of Use’ rather than only a Terms of Use. https://twitter.com/...
Patrick Chovanec / @prchovanec: Happening to a lot of people I know. https://twitter.com/...
Tanya Lokot / @tanyalokot: More fascinating adventures in corporate responses to internet sovereignty and online censorship. Lots of great questions here that I've also been pondering re Google/Apple recent actions in Russia. https://twitter.com/...
@axios: LinkedIn is one of the only large American social media platforms to agree to the Chinese government's demands to censor content, and is tasking its own employees with restricting what users in China can see. https://www.axios.com/...
Zachary Evans / National Review: LinkedIn Blocks American Journalists' Accounts in China, Citing ‘Prohibited Content’
Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian / Editor and Publisher: LinkedIn blocks U.S. journalists' profiles in China
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
MyPillow ads return to Fox News after CEO Mike Lindell pulled them because the network blocked his ad for an event to “prove” the U.S. 2020 election was stolen — MyPillow, the direct-response sleep-support company led by entrepreneur Mike Lindell, has made a new bed for itself on Fox News Channel.
Discussion:
Alexa Corse / Wall Street Journal: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Expects Ads to Appear on Fox News Again
Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast: MyPillow Guy Returns to Fox News With Ad Whining About ‘Cancel Culture’
Katherine Huggins / Mediaite: MyPillow Ads Are Back on Fox News After a Messy Break-Up
Angelique Jackson / Variety:
Profile of Agnes Chu, president of Condé Nast's multimedia arm, Condé Nast Entertainment, who aims to transform the unit into a full-fledged production company — On the second Monday of September, just one week ahead of her one-year anniversary as president of Condé Nast Entertainment …
Discussion:
@kerrymflynn: Agnes Chu's senior leadership team is largely composed of women and people of color: “I'm not leaving it to other people to handle it.” Great profile by @angelique814 on the president of Condé Nast Entertainment https://variety.com/...
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Clubhouse announces several features, including Clips, letting listeners snip 30 seconds of audio, and Replay, which lets hosts record a room — Plus clips and a search feature — Clubhouse is getting a bunch of new features next month, including one many people have wanted: in-app recording.
Sebastian Murdock / HuffPost:
Judge issues default judgments against Alex Jones in two Sandy Hook cases for routinely failing to comply with requests, making him liable for all damages — A judge issued default judgments — a rarity in the legal world — against Jones and Infowars after the conspiracy theorist failed to produce discovery records.