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Tuesday, May 28, 2019
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Want to feel less anxious about the state of the world? Try diversifying your online news sources“Participants who reported actively trying to diversify their online news streams by interacting with people and content espousing different points of view also reported lower levels of anxiety related to current events.” By Laura Hazard Owen. |
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The Chinese “podcast” industry isn’t really podcasting as Americans think of it, but it is fascinatingPlus: Third Coast is getting a new leader, Vox Media ties podcasts into events, and Podtrac fiddles with its numbers. By Nicholas Quah. |
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One year in, GDPR fines haven’t hit publishers — or very many other companies, actuallyMore than a dozen EU countries haven’t issued a single GDPR fine yet, and the those that have have generally been small. (Unless your name is Google.) By Joshua Benton. |
What We’re Reading
Twitter / Joshua Benton
Apologies for the blank email yesterday →
Too much time barbecuing on Memorial Day, apparently.
The Guardian / Jim Waterson
CNN is preparing to make cuts at its London-based news operation →
CNN boss Jeff Zucker said in a surprise meeting at the company’s London office that “the international channel was losing $10m (£8m) a year, according to those present.”
Media Matters / Madelyn Webb and Natalie Martinez
Study: Right-wing sources dominate abortion-related news on Facebook →
“A Media Matters study of top-engaged U.S. abortion-related coverage on Facebook in the month of April found that 63% of links with the most Facebook interactions came from right-leaning websites, and 72% of the Facebook page posts with the most interactions came from right-leaning pages.”
The Guardian
Is BBC News broken? And if so, how do we fix it? →
“Are things really as bad as the BBC's critics say, or are they unwittingly playing into the hands of its enemies at a time when cool, impartial, public service journalism needs our support? Here, the Observer asks five well-placed commentators whether something really is rotten inside the Beeb — and if so, how to put it right again.”
MEL Magazine / Eddie Kim
After 15 years, The Pirate Bay still can’t be killed →
“Despite widespread legal scrutiny, blockages in multiple countries, millions of dollars in fines and beyond, the site with the iconic mahogany pirate ship logo sails on, supported by an anonymous crowd of diehard pirates who revive the site every time it seems down for good.”
Columbia Journalism Review / Maria Danilova
Independent Russian journalists look for ways to succeed despite government control →
“Those who are determined to stay in journalism are experimenting with online platforms to report on problems that the government doesn't want exposed and tell stories from alternative angles. Meduza, an online outlet, is renowned for quality news and strong investigative journalism. Another site, the Insider, partnered with the British investigative outlet Bellingcat to investigate last year's poisoning of a former Russian spy in England. The Bell is an e-mail newsletter that provides an overview of the day's top news in Russia and the world with a business focus. Proekt (Project), an investigative site, recently published a series of reports on Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon who was indicted in the United States for his alleged role in using social media trolls to meddle in the 2016 presidential election.”
Variety / Brian Steinberg
Meredith sells Sports Illustrated to Authentic Brands Group for $110 million →
“Under terms of the deal, Authentic Brands acquires the rights to market, develop and license Sports Illustrated and its kids' edition as well as its swimsuit and ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ franchises, along with the magazine's photo archive. Meredith will pay a licensing fee to operate the editorial operations of Sports Illustrated in print and in digital for a minimum of two years.”
RNZ / Colin Peacock
In New Zealand, publishers, public broadcaster, and the public purse back new local news scheme →
“The Local Democracy Reporting Service will generate news and content available to media outlets including RNZ, the country's biggest newspaper publishers — Stuff, NZME and South Island publisher Allied Press — and small local publishers too. “
Digiday / Lucinda Southern
In the UK, BuzzFeed pins commercial plans on commerce and video →
“The publisher has focused its U.K. strategy around creating more local video content and commerce-related advertising partnerships, after restructuring and cutting staff globally in January.”
Journalism.co.uk / Daniel Green
“Brexit bump” drives millions of UK readers to news websites →
For Bloomberg, for instance, “Brexit-related stories are now among the most-read content that it produces, amounting to a third of the organization's overall coverage in the UK.”
Popular Information / Judd Legum
10 million fake views: Facebook and Twitter’s botched response to fake Nancy Pelosi videos →
“Facebook acknowledged the videos were ‘false’ but refused to remove them. (The company said it was taking unspecified actions to ‘limit’ the reach of the Pelosi videos.) Twitter, Trump’s social network of choice, took no action at all.”