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Tuesday, January 22, 2019
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Google is threatening to kill Google News in Europe if the EU goes ahead with its “snippet tax”This is a battle that’s been fought in Europe before, most notably in Spain in 2014. But for a variety of reasons — shifts in publisher business models and the move to mobile highest among them — the power dynamics are a little different this time around. By Joshua Benton. |
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Kids podcaster Pinna is leaving the crib and ready to take its first steps soloPlus: NPR bets on life hacks and productivity guides, a toothbrush company doesn’t like where its podcast ad ended up, and how a side project turned into 4 million downloads. By Nicholas Quah. |
What We’re Reading
The New Yorker / Isaac Chotiner
Isaac Chotiner interviews Jill Abramson →
“I had a fact checker. Every interview that I did I transcribed right away and, no, I didn't call back everyone that I interviewed. There just wasn't time to do that, but the book was fact-checked.”
TechCrunch / Mike Butcher
Stung by criticism, Facebook’s Sandberg outlines new plans to tackle misinformation →
“She said Facebook was now cracking down on fake accounts and misinformation, blocking ‘more than one million Facebook accounts every day, often as they are created.'”
Editor & Publisher / Matt DeRienzo
Niche publishers pursue an “everything about something” approach to local news →
“Local independent online niche sites are springing up around the country, from Sioux Falls Business, to Eco Rhode Island, North Carolina Health News, and Spokane Faith and Values.”
Axios / Sara Fischer
Vox Media is acquiring The Coral Project →
The price was not disclosed. Vox will also take on The Coral Project’s six full-time staffers.
Bloomberg / Natalia Drozdiak
Google is considering pulling Google News from Europe →
“The European Union's Copyright Directive will give publishers the right to demand money from the Alphabet Inc. unit, Facebook Inc. and other web platforms when fragments of their articles show up in news search results, or are shared by users. The law was to supposed to be finalized this week but was delayed by disagreement among member states.”