Top News:
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Opinion columnist Jennifer Rubin leaves WaPo to launch The Contrarian on Substack, to combat the “authoritarian threat” with the tagline “Not owned by anybody” — New York CNN — — Veteran opinion columnist Jennifer Rubin is becoming the latest in a long list …
Discussion:
The Hill, TVNewsCheck, The Contrarian, New York Post, RedState, @bluthrunthru.bsky.social, Newsbusters, The Mahablog, freebeacon.com, CNBC, @glegum.bsky.social, acecomments.mu.nu, @jeffjarvis, @benmullin, Instapundit, @dcboy.bsky.social, Raw Story, @brianstelter, Newser, Mediaite, @tribelaw.bsky.social, @brianstelter, @leahmcelrath.bsky.social, The Post Millennial, @brianstelter, The Gateway Pundit, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @milesklee.bsky.social, The Daily Caller, @robertpjones.bsky.social, @fiona-webster22.bsky.social, @passantino.bsky.social, @benmullin, @ianbassin.bsky.social, @jik@federate.social, Townhall, @brianstelter, @gtconway.bsky.social, Breitbart, @benmullin, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @brianstelter.bsky.social, Twitchy, Fox News and Diane Ravitch's blog
Dominic Preston / The Verge:
Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko plans to transfer Mastodon's ownership to a new non-profit, saying it “should not be owned or controlled by a single individual” — Mastodon says the decentralized network ‘should not be owned or controlled by a single individual.’
Discussion:
Mastodon Blog, Ars Technica, TechCrunch, @m474.bsky.social, @GuyNamedBrian@mastodon.social, @Mastodon@mastodon.social, @zeldman@threads.net, @nevillehobson.xyz, @faraiwe@beige.party, @Johannab@wandering.shop, @jeffgreco.com, @JMarkOckerbloom …, @Ascendor@social.tchncs.de, @cliffwade@infosec.exchange, @digiphile@mastodon.social, Magdalena Hai on LinkedIn, Esra'a Al Shafei on LinkedIn, BetaNews, @john@vyrse.social, @mszll@datasci.social, @kissane@mas.to, @matt@oslo.town, @aardrian.bsky.social, @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social, @webology@mastodon.social, Anil Dash on LinkedIn, @Edent@mastodon.social, Hannah Aubry on LinkedIn, @thegibson@hackers.town, @mhoye@mastodon.social, @icesheetmike.bsky.social and @tilvids@mstdn.social, more at Techmeme »
Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
UK's Daily Mirror gives journalists individual online page-view targets; some print reporters covering more serious news fear the targets will affect quality — Mirror journalists have been given individual targets for online page views in a move that has raised concerns for some about the potential impact …
Ben Smith / Semafor:
Tech reporter Ashlee Vance has left Bloomberg to start a media company called Core Memory, with documentaries, a YouTube show, podcast, and newsletter planned — The Scoop — The prolific Bloomberg tech journalist Ashlee Vance has left to start a new media company around his curious …
Discussion:
Core Memory, CNN, @alanjeffries, @jamescham, @davidramli, @nearcyan, @ashleevance, @johncoogan, @bznotes, @ashleevance, @markmilian, @gaurabc, @ashleevance, @urbanistvc, @dadiomov, @fleetwood___ and Talking Biz News
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Rachel Maddow, who scaled back anchoring duties to Mondays in 2022, will return to five nights a week as part of MSNBC's plans for Trump's first 100 days — Maddow, who scaled back anchoring duties after the spring of 2022, holding forth only on Mondays, will return to five nights a week …
Discussion:
New York Times, Deadline, Forbes, Associated Press, USA Today, acecomments.mu.nu, CNN, One America News Network, @tabithaspeaks.bsky.social, The Hill, Barrett Media, Daily Caller News Foundation, The Wrap, RedState, Los Angeles Times, TV Insider, @micheil.bsky.social, @brianstelter, @barbarasobel.bsky.social, Adweek, Raw Story, Mediaite and @garymlevin
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence is leaving following a botched app revamp that upset customers and stymied growth; Sonos names board member Tom Conrad as interim CEO — - 'We've let far too many people down,' company tells staffers — Former Snap and Pandora executive Tom Conrad named interim CEO
Max Tani / Semafor:
Sources: This American Life has discussed staff cuts; last year, the podcast quietly changed its “about” page, revising its listenership from 4M per week to 3M — The venerable podcast This American Life is poised to reduce staff for one of the few times since its founding in 1995, Semafor has learned.
Discussion:
@matthewkeys.net, @mjosephlc.bsky.social, @dannygroner.bsky.social and @romanmars.bsky.social
Richard Nieva / Forbes:
Jimmy Wales, Mark Ruffalo, others debut Free Our Feeds to raise $30M by 2028 to “billionaire-proof” AT Protocol, by making it easier for users to leave Bluesky — Free Our Feeds, which includes support from the Mozilla Foundation, is working with Bluesky to make sure …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Social Web Foundation, The Desk, The Verge, @taylorlorenz.bsky.social, @davewiner, @marcfaddoul.com, @aiforensics.org, @richardnieva.bsky.social, @dmeyer.eu, @robin.berjon.com, @shoqv4@threads.net, Fortune, @william_fitz, User Mag, @ben.werdmuller@threads.net, @newpublic.substack.com, @johnhatchard.bsky.social, @taylorlorenz.bsky.social, @freeourfeeds.com, @bmlto, @jordanuhl.com, @taylorlorenz and @taylorlorenz.bsky.social, more at Techmeme »
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Will Cain will replace Neil Cavuto on Fox News, aiming to bring his “signature podcast style” to the 4pm slot — The ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ co-host will take over the 4 p.m. time slot with ‘The Will Cain Show’ on Jan. 21.
Discussion:
Inside Radio, Talking Biz News, The Desk, Newsbusters, Daily Kos, The Gateway Pundit, Associated Press, Barrett Media, Los Angeles Times, Adweek, Washington Examiner, RedState, Fox News, TV Insider, Awful Announcing, The Wrap, TVNewsCheck, The Hill, The Independent, @jeremymbarr, Mediaite, TVLine, The Daily Caller and Deadline
Ben Smith / Semafor:
Facing a Trump lawsuit, The Pulitzer Board based its decision to stand by Russiagate coverage awards on a confidential review by ex-Reuters EIC Stephen Adler — The View From The First Amendment Bar — THE SCOOP — The Pulitzer Board, facing a lawsuit from Donald Trump over its Pulitzer Prize …
Discussion:
Media Nation and @semaforben
Matthew Martin / Bloomberg:
Sources: SURJ Sports, the sports investment arm of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, is in advanced talks to invest $1B+ in sports streaming platform Dazn — The deal between SURJ Sports Investment, a unit of the $925 billion Public Investment Fund, and Dazn could be announced as soon as this month …
Discussion:
The Streamable and @kennysmith.bsky.social
Max Tani / Semafor:
Sources: Chuck Todd has told top editors and leaders from other media organizations that he plans to leave NBC when his contract is up this year — Chuck Todd has quietly been meeting with Washington media organizations about his post NBC-future. The former host of Meet The Press …
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