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Thursday, July 27, 2017
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DocumentCloud will start asking some users to chip in as it leaves IRE for its own nonprofit“We need to address the sustainability question — like now — and we can’t wait any longer to do it.” By Christine Schmidt. |
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Two years in, the hyperlocal Worcester Sun questions whether Sunday print is still in its futureOther options include going nonprofit or launching a free, ad-supported site. By Laura Hazard Owen. |
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What sort of limited Internet does Facebook’s Free Basics offer? Not much local content, but plenty of corporate services from the U.S.“Some internet is better than none — but not on Facebook’s terms.” By Shan Wang. |
What We’re Reading
Reynolds Journalism Institute / Joy Mayer
Who trusts — and pays for — the news? Here’s what 8,728 people said →
According to a study from the Reynolds Journalism Institute’s Trusting News Project: News brands mentioned often as “trusted” included BBC, public television, Reuters, the Guardian, and the Economist. Brands mentioned as “not trusted” included BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post along with “social media,” “Internet,” and “Trump.”
Journalism.co.uk / Madalina Ciobanu
Otherworld uses beacon technology to send people news and push alerts about what’s happening near them →
By turning on the Bluetooth function on their mobile devices and walking by one of these beacons, users will receive news in the context of their location through silent push notifications that just appear on screen without any noise. The service is working with more than 50 content partners in Manchester, from the Greater Manchester Police to the Trinity Mirror to local businesses.
The Verge / Adi Robertson
A San Diego newspaper is partnering with GoFundMe to launch campaigns based on its own articles →
“Publisher and editor Jeff Light said that it's supposed to be an alternative for readers who email reporters to ask how they can help someone in a Union-Tribune story. The two organizations split the 5 percent fee that GoFundMe charges, with the Union-Tribune donating its share to unspecified charitable programs.”
The Guardian / Samuel Gibbs
Google is testing autoplay videos directly in search results →
Because that’s just what users want, right?
YouGov / Kathy Frankovic
Another poll: Democrats approve of the media, Republicans approve of Trump, and independents disapprove of both →
More than half of Republicans are in favor of fining news outlets for “biased” or “inaccurate” reporting, and 45 percent approve of allowing them to be shut down, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll.
Recode / Peter Kafka
BuzzFeed is selling a $149, Bluetooth-enabled hot plate →
“The other part is more important: The One Top is meant to work in sync with the new Tasty mobile app, which is where BuzzFeed thinks it can make real money.”
Business Insider / Seth Archer
Facebook brought in $9.32 billion in revenue in Q2, mostly from mobile ads →
While other social companies’ user bases stall (cough Twitter cough), Facebook’s rose to more than 2 billion monthly active users in the second quarter. The company also reported 1.32 billion daily active users. Revenue was high this quarter, but CFO Dave Wehner tempered expectations for future growth, saying that Facebook is pushing up against the ad load limit in its news feed. The company is looking toward Messenger and WhatsApp for future revenue growth.
Digiday / Max Willens
Slate uses podcasts to drive paid memberships →
A recent pledge drive worked surprisingly well.
The New York Times / Farhad Manjoo
How BuzzFeed’s Tasty conquered online food →
"Really what we're seeing is how to make a business out of massive intellectual property that was built digital-first. It's the same model as old-media networks — you make a movie that people love, and then you build a theme park and extend that to products and everything else.”
Medium / Stephane Cambon
Personalized newsletter company Ownpage raises €400,000 to expand globally →
Around 20 publishers now use Ownpage services, including Euronews, Les Echos, BFM TV, L'Express, Le Parisien, LCI, 20 Minutes, as well as B2B media such as Electronic Business Group. With the new funding, the company will continue to find clients outside Europe and launch new services for publishers.
Bloomberg and / Lucas Shaw and Sarah Frier
First Facebook TV episodes are said to be ready for mid-August →
The company has been asking its partners to turn in the first episodes of their spotlight shows, the people said. Some already have finished these short-form, inexpensive programs. Facebook is also funding higher-end TV-style shows, which will be launched later on the site, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren't public.
The New York Times / Sydney Ember
New York Times earnings: Digital-only revenue > print ad revenue for the first time →
The Times also added 93,000 net digital subscriptions in the second quarter.
Medium / Michael Sippey
Medium is acquiring the company that made Talkshow →
Michael Sippey plus Ev Williams is a high-powered early-blogosphere union.