Top News:


Meta plans to deprecate the Facebook News tab in the US and Australia in early April 2024 and stop signing deals for traditional news content in those countries — Meta Platforms Inc. is winding down its news feature in the US and Australia, part of a broader shift away from the category for the social media giant.
Discussion:
Meta, The Guardian, The Verge, The Hill, Quartz, @markdistef, @jason_kint, @bloodiedwombat, New York Times, The Guardian, @brianstelter, UPI, @realdrbrendan, Alexandra Wake on LinkedIn, The Desk, @jeffjarvis, Fast Company, New York Post, @cameronwilson, @cameronwilson, Engadget, @joshbutler, Gizmodo, Alan Soon on LinkedIn, William Easton on LinkedIn, TechCrunch, @snurb@aoir.social, @parismarx@threads.net, Al Jazeera, NBC 7 San Diego, Reuters, Mumbrella, @alansoon73@threads.net, The Wrap and @camwilsonreporter@threads.net, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:


Australia's PM threatens action against Meta after it said it would stop paying media companies; News Corp says it threatens the viability of small media groups — Prime minister pledges to respond to move that News Corp says threatens viability of some media groups


Diamond Sports files its bankruptcy reorg plan, which includes ending its Bally naming rights deal for RSNs, and says cord-cutting led to 22M fewer subscribers — Almost a year to the day after Diamond Sports filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the operator of the 19 Bally Sports-branded RSNs …
Discussion:
Sportico, @crupicrupicrupi, Awful Announcing and Puck


Spotify launches the Audiobooks Access Tier, which lets free US users stream 15 hours of audiobooks from its 200K+ catalog every month for $9.99 per month — After adding 15 hours of free audiobooks listening to its subscription plan late last year, Spotify today is introducing …
Discussion:
Spotify, The Hill, BGR, Publishers Weekly, Engadget, @ashleycarman@threads.net, The Verge, 9to5Mac and Digital Trends, more at Techmeme »


A US district judge holds Catherine Herridge in civil contempt for refusing to divulge her source for Fox News stories about a scientist investigated by the FBI — A federal judge held veteran investigative reporter Catherine Herridge in civil contempt on Thursday for refusing to divulge …
Discussion:
SPJ News, Washington Post, New York Times, Mediaite, @eyelessgame.bsky.social, @kenwhite.bsky.social, @chrisgeidner.bsky.social, @kenwhite.bsky.social, Voice of America, The Wrap, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, BizPac Review, Newser, @kyledcheney, CNN, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Caller, Raw Story and Deadline


Threads says it will make its API broadly available to developers by June and is currently testing it with some partners, including Techmeme and Hootsuite — Meta-owned social network Threads said today that it will make its API broadly available to developers by June.


An interview with Chris Moran, the Guardian's head of editorial innovation, about its new “Deeply Read” list, which uses an “active time spent” ranking metric — The No. 1 most-clicked story on The Guardian's U.S. site right now: “Alabama IVF ruling leaves Republicans stuck between …
Discussion:
MediaPost, @chrismoranuk, @davidclinchnews, @chrismoranuk and Media Voices


At a Feb. 13 all-hands in London, CNN staff pressed EIC Mark Thompson and others about Israel-Gaza coverage; Christiane Amanpour criticized “double standards” — Amanpour expressed “real distress” over Israel stories being changed, while other staffers described a climate that is hostile to Arab journalists.
Discussion:
Mediaite, @jkdamours, @prem_thakker, @wajahatali, @benjamingoggin and @kenklippenstein


To stem the tide of AI-generated work, Amazon starts limiting the publication of “summaries” and “workbooks” that claim to be companions to human-authored books — Authors decry an “explosion” of knockoff books on Amazon as the company struggles to keep up.
Discussion:
The Decoder, @willoremus@mastodon.social and @karaswisher, more at Techmeme »

Canada's heritage minister announces CA$58.8M to extend the Local Journalism Initiative for three years; the program funded 400+ journalism jobs in 2023-2024 — News release — Local journalism reflects our day-to-day realities, informs us about issues that might affect us and …
Discussion:
@caj, @jenstden, Broadcast Dialogue and @michelle_gamage


FuboTV reports a $71M Q4 net loss, down 26% YoY, global revenue up 28% YoY to $410.2M, $370M from subscriptions, 1.61M subscribers in North America, up 12% YoY — David Gandler called out the upcoming Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery venture as his sports streamer hit 1.61 million subscribers and shrank its fourth-quarter loss.
Discussion:
The Streamable, Advanced Television, The Wrap, Deadline, Sportico.com, The Desk and MediaPost


Amid a market correction in podcasting, the biggest stars still get eight- and nine-figure contracts, while rank-and-file employees push for union protections — While mega-deals come roaring back, rank-and-file podcasters are seeking basic labor protections — Welcome back to Soundbite.
Discussion:
Podnews, @fionasturges, @lucyj_ford and The Information


Sources: NYT managers launched a leak probe after The Intercept revealed internal debate over a yet-to-air episode of The Daily about Hamas and sexual violence — Management has questioned staffers, including Daily producers, after The Intercept revealed internal debate over a yet-to-air episode on Hamas weaponizing sexual violence.
Discussion:
New York Post, The Nation, @snmrrw, @nickrmanes, @keithdorejel, @mbullobullo, @bondhack, @dceiver, @gregmitch, @joshua_eaton, @ethanscorey, @bgrueskin, @nkulw, @wireracing, @ericdharvey, @nicolefroio, @mollytaft, @adrianmorrow, @crashandmemes, @markamesexiled, @scottnover, @jwsthomson, @hanaatameez, @assuss, @willmenaker, @jeffbercovici, @charlottetklein, @niubi, @ryangrim, The Wrap, Jacobin, @jeffgreco.com and Eli Erlick
RELATED:

A controversial NYT report claiming Hamas weaponized sexual violence on Oct. 7 relied heavily on an ex-Israeli intelligence officer with no reporting experience
Discussion:
The Wrap, @anatschwartz, Defector, CNN, @jeremyscahill, @arnorosenfeld, @joshmeyerdc, @somervilleny, @speechboy71, Amal Ghandour on LinkedIn, Paul Biggar on LinkedIn, Ish Aderonmu on LinkedIn, @denny@boing.world, @sababausa.bsky.social, @elizabethviolet.bsky.social, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @Migueldeicaza@mastodon.social, Don Juan in Hell, @Sherifazuhur@sfba.social, @gwensnyder.bsky.social, @gwensnyder.bsky.social, @elizabethviolet.bsky.social, @chargrille@progressives … and @peter@thepit.social