Top News:
Eva Mathews / Reuters:
Spotify plans to lay off ~6% of its workforce, or ~600 jobs, says content and ad head Dawn Ostroff is leaving, and reorganizes its engineering and product units — Music streaming firm Spotify Technology SA (SPOT.N) plans to cut 6% of its workforce, the company said on Monday …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Spotify, Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, The Hill, The Guardian, @sarafischer, UPROXX, UPI, CNN, NME, Gizmodo, The Wrap, @richlightshed, @carnage4life, Variety, CNBC, @carlquintanilla, RAIN News, @chrismessina, The Information, Wall Street Journal, @staronline, The Verge, Financial Times, @jillkrajewski, Deadline, TechCrunch, Music Ally, Insider, @aagave, @mitsuhiko, @according2_taz, Ad Age, @lisaabramowicz1, CNET, New York Times, MediaPost, @livemint, @kiruti, Billboard, Fast Company, Observer, AppleInsider and CBS News, more at Techmeme »
Ben Smith / Semafor:
The unprofitable Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Atlantic, and Time rely on their billionaire owners' goodwill to survive while trying new business models — Starting a decade ago, a generation of new-money billionaires rode to the rescue of American journalism:
Discussion:
CNN, Media Nation, @davidsirota, @nkulw, @richard_florida, @arimelber, @jayrosen_nyu and @tvgrimreaper
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
A look at Informed, an app that bundles curated articles from FT, NYT, WSJ, WaPo, and other partners, raised a €5M seed, and costs £51.99/year or £6.99/month — Paywalled publishers such as the Financial Times, Economist, Bloomberg and NYT are on board.
Discussion:
@informed_app, @janebsinger and @johnmcm1
BBC:
The UK Commissioner for Public Appointments William Shawcross plans to review the hiring of Richard Sharp as BBC Chair, in addition to the BBC board's review — The process of hiring BBC chairman Richard Sharp is to be reviewed by the Commissioner of Public Appointments William Shawcross.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, The Guardian, Metro.co.uk and London Evening Standard
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Max Goldbart / Deadline:
BBC chair Richard Sharp says he's asked the BBC board to review any potential conflicts of interest over his reported role in securing a loan for Boris Johnson
Discussion:
The Guardian, @gabriel_pogrund, @harryyorke1, @tomlarkinsky, @jake_kanter, Broadband TV News, @alliehbnews, Deadline, Daily Express, BBC, @peterwalker99, Variety, BBC and Sky News
Hamish Morrison / The National:
Report: BBC chairman Richard Sharp helped Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan in 2020, just weeks before the then-prime minister recommended Sharp for the job
Discussion:
The Sunday Times, The Guardian, @gabriel_pogrund, @campbellclaret, Sputnik News, @gabriel_pogrund, @gabriel_pogrund, @gabriel_pogrund, @marcusjball, @albagubrath1966, @samcoatessky, @adamrutherford, BBC, @charliebeckett, @kevin_maguire, @rorystewartuk, Broadband TV News, The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, @snellarthur, @gabriel_pogrund, @simonmccoytv, @shonamurray_, @gabriel_pogrund, @sangitamyska, @pickardje, @anna_soubry, @mikegalsworthy, @peterjukes, @greenrupertread, @annettedittert, @brucemcd23, @evansthecrime, @peterjukes, @campbellclaret, @martinsfp, Deadline, @arusbridger, @pippacrerar, @mrjamesob, @maitlis, @dianecoyle1859 and @harryyorke1
Jon Christian / Futurism:
An investigation finds extensive evidence that AI used by CNET appears to have plagiarized the work of competitors and human writers at Bankrate and even CNET — CNET's AI-written articles aren't just riddled with errors. They also appear to be substantially plagiarized.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News, MediaPost, @kantrowitz, @davidclinchnews, @davidmacredmond, @bypatrickgeorge, @firepile and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »
Janko Roettgers / Lowpass:
Sources: Samsung is considering launching its free TV Plus streaming service on third-party smart TVs and is approaching some rival manufacturers about the idea — Move FAST and make money … To grow the audience of its free TV Plus streaming service, Samsung is considering a move …
Discussion:
The Streamable, @astaniscia86, @jank0@sfba.social and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Jacob Bernstein / New York Times:
Friends and colleagues of Deadline founder Nikki Finke, who died in October 2022, recall her last years and try to make sense of Hollywood's brashest chronicler — Was Nikki Finke a genius or a monster? Friends and colleagues try to make sense of the entertainment industry's brashest chronicler.
Discussion:
@mdc, @tomgara, @imjasondiamond, @nbj914, @davidlaz, @maggienyt, @jdawsey1, @tanzinavega, @froomkin, @mediaevan and @margotroosevelt
Reuters:
Prominent Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo's mutilated body was found on January 22, five days after being abducted, showing reporting perils in the country — The mutilated body of a prominent Cameroonian journalist was found on Sunday near the capital Yaounde five days after he was abducted …
Adam Liptak / New York Times:
SCOTUS asks the Biden administration for its views on the constitutionality of Florida's and Texas' social media laws, likely putting off a decision until 2024 — The laws, enacted by Florida and Texas in response to conservative complaints about censorship, have been challenged under the First Amendment.
Ben Thompson / Stratechery:
Netflix is well-positioned due to low debt load, its investments, and first mover advantage; long-term success still requires making compelling content at scale — Netflix's moment of greatest peril is, in retrospect, barely visible in the company's stock chart:
Discussion:
@stratechery, @gibsonbiddle, @dhmontgomery and @thecompoundnews
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Jim Fitzpatrick / openDemocracy:
Hacked emails: the UK Treasury issued special licenses in 2021 to let Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, sanctioned in 2020, sue Bellingcat's Eliot Higgins — UK Treasury, then under Rishi Sunak's control, let Yevgeny Prigozhin circumvent sanctions to target Eliot Higgins
Discussion:
@michaeldweiss and @writesbright
Emily Gould / The Cut:
An interview with fitness writer Casey Johnston on amassing 21,000 subscribers for her She's a Beast newsletter, her book, rejecting Substack's deal, and more — In a TikTok video she made to promote Liftoff, her beginners' step-by-step weight-lifting manual, fitness writer Casey Johnston demonstrates …
Discussion:
@choire, @thecut, @libbycwatson and @caseyjohnston
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple has discussed making VR content with some media partners, including Disney, and is working to update Apple TV+ content to work with its headset — Apple Inc.'s long-anticipated mixed-reality headset is an ambitious attempt to create a 3D version of the iPhone's operating system …
Discussion:
Reuters, Engadget, The Verge and AppleInsider, more at Techmeme »
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