Mediagazer: Sources: Tokyo-based aggregator website and app SmartNews, valued at $2B in 2021, laid off ~120 people, or 40% of US and China staff, with more coming in Japan (TechCrunch)

8:10 AM ET, January 13, 2023

Top News:

Connie Guglielmo / CNET:

After a report that it is using AI for writing articles, CNET explains its test, changes the byline on AI-written posts, and makes disclosures more prominent — For over two decades, CNET has built our reputation testing new technologies and separating the hype from reality.

Discussion: Platformer, The Shortcut, @techledes, @raywongy, @raehodge, Talking Biz News, Shelly Palmer, Gizmodo, Engadget and Futurism, more at Techmeme »

TechCrunch:

Sources: Tokyo-based aggregator website and app SmartNews, valued at $2B in 2021, laid off ~120 people, or 40% of US and China staff, with more coming in Japan — SmartNews, a Tokyo-headquartered news aggregation website and app valued at $2 billion as of 2021, today announced a 40% reduction …

more at Techmeme »

Yuvraj Malik / Reuters:

WWE says it has retained Kirkland & Ellis as its legal adviser for a review of strategic alternatives for the company and The Raine Group as financial adviser — World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE.N) said on Thursday it has retained bankruptcy and restructuring powerhouse Kirkland & Ellis LLP …

Discussion: corporate.wwe.com, @pkafka, @sherman4949, CNBC, @chriswelch, @mattbelloni, Bloomberg Law, Sportico and Quartz

Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch:

Over 54,000 people sign a letter objecting to a new planned Dungeons & Dragons game license, saying it taxes some creators at a 25% rate and stifles innovation — More than 54,000 fans signed an open letter in protest of a new game license — Once a game on the periphery for the nerdiest of nerds …

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

Sources: Barry Diller's IAC hires an investment bank to explore the sale of The Daily Beast, which Diller launched in 2008; the sale process is in early stages — The tech mogul's company has hired Whisper Advisors, an advisory firm, to find potential buyers for the digital publication.

Anna Nicolaou / Financial Times:

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Discussion: Billboard, @theericgoldman, @mattbelloni, @vincevalholla and Cord Cutters News

Tony Stubblebine / The Official Medium Blog:

Medium launches a Mastodon instance on me.dm, promising members reliable moderation, smoother onboarding, an interesting local feed, and more — The fediverse is a breath of fresh air for writers and social media — Today, Medium is launching a Mastodon instance at me.dm to help our authors …

Discussion: @davewiner, @jlori, @medium, @asmartbear, @randfish, @tmcw, @chrismessina, @brittanyjezouit, Accidental's Newsletter, TechCrunch, @kissane@mstdn.social, @kissane@mstdn.social, @kissane@mstdn.social, @coachtony@me.dm, @dansinker@omfg.town, @coachtony@me.dm and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »

Nell Gallogly / New York Times:

A look at The New York Times' Weather Data team, formed in 2022 as part of an effort to broaden its data journalism as wilder weather becomes more frequent — Formed last year, the Weather Data team is harnessing clouds of information to share a more comprehensive forecast with readers.

Discussion: @niemanlab, @neilkatz, @dcnorg and @michellemanafy

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

TikTok is testing a Talent Manager Portal with select agencies, aiming to help creators' agents and representatives oversee, execute, and analyze brand deals — TikTok is making it easier for brands to work with its “megastar” creators with an update to its Creator Marketplace …

Discussion: @nealschaffer, @mattnavarra, Digital Music News, BGR and Glossy, more at Techmeme »

Josh Ye / Reuters:

A look at Tencent's short-video service WeChat Channels, called “the hope of the company” by founder Pony Ma, as the tech giant tries to build its own TikTok — On a hot summer's day last year, the 90's boy band Backstreet Boys clambered on to a stage in Pennsylvania and belted …

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

Nine Reach regional brands in the UK have adopted a “newsletter-led approach”, meaning their websites are no longer their “flagship” means of content delivery — At nine brands the website will support the newsletters, rather than vice versa.

Discussion: @pressgazette and HoldtheFrontPage

Bill Bradley / Adweek:

Netflix, which added a tier with ads in November 2022, says it will host its first ever upfront week event for ad buyers in May, taking Paramount's former slot — It's official: Netflix is joining upfront week. — The streaming giant exclusively told Adweek that it will host …

Discussion: Variety, Deadline, @jbflint, @tvmojoe, The Hollywood Reporter, Next TV, The Information, MediaPost and Insider

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Who's Hiring in Media?

Energy & Commodities Editor, Tokyo — Bloomberg

Politics Reporter, TX — Texas Tribune

Consumer Brands Reporter, GA — AJC

Deputy Editor - Health Care, VA — Politico

Product Editor, CA — CalMatters

Indigenous Affairs Editor, Sydney — Guardian US

China Markets Correspondent, Shanghai — Reuters

Bangor Reporter, ME — Bangor Daily News

Commerce Editor - Health, Remote US — Yahoo

Sports Editor, MI — Detroit News

Deputy Politics Editor, CA — Sacramento Bee

Alphaville Reporter, London — FT

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Jeremy Barr / Washington Post:
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Sam Kille / The GroundTruth Project:
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Saksha Menezes / Bloomberg:
Research: in the UK, vinyl sales grew 11% YoY to £150.5M in 2022, topping CD sales, which fell 17.4% YoY to £124M, the first time vinyl outsold CDs since 1987

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Elsa Keslassy / Variety:
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Max Goldbart / Deadline:
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From Techmeme:

Qianer Liu / The Information:
Sources: Intel and TSMC have reached a preliminary agreement to form a joint venture that will operate Intel's chipmaking facilities; TSMC will take a 20% stake

Kif Leswing / CNBC:
Tech stocks fall after President Trump announced new global tariffs: Amazon closed down 9%, Meta 9%, Nvidia 7.8%, Alphabet 3.9%, and Microsoft 2.4%

Will Oremus / Washington Post:
An increasingly vocal contingent of GOP leaders, some of whom attended Y Combinator's Little Tech Competition Summit, call for antitrust action against Big Tech

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