Top News:
Dylan Byers / NBC News:
EIC Ben Smith is leaving BuzzFeed in early March to join NYT to write the Media Equation column made famous by David Carr — Smith will serve as the writer of the publication's “Media Equation” column, which became a must-read for media industry insiders under the David Carr, who died in 2015.
Discussion:
@buzzfeedben, @raju, @erinleecarr, @sulliview, @thegarance, @juliareinstein, @jimrutenberg, @jscros, @theferocity, @lapresmidi, @streetsblognyc, @nickconfessore, @joshgerstein, @shani_o, @peretti, @janinegibson, @jayrosen_nyu, @pfpicardi, @rolandsmartin, Mediaite, @kantrowitz, @yashar, @mitrakalita, @goldietaylor, @nicksallon, @tasneemn, @kevinroose, Variety, @micahgrimes, CNN, @freedlander, @donie, @exjon, @rudoren, @josh_emerson, @rmac18, @carrasquillo, @perlberg, Breitbart, @brianstelter, @jimwaterson, @austinhunt, @lpolgreen, @gaberivera, @matthewkeyslive, @markdistef, @jaspjackson, @katienotopoulos, @annehelen, @justinhendrix, @elcush, @lolacoaster, @alexis_levinson, @samdolnick, @joeconchatv, @eramshaw and @stuartmillar159
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Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
Ben Smith turned BuzzFeed News, once seen as a clickbait factory, into an outlet that was twice a Pulitzer finalist and a winner of the George Polk Award — His name is so closely associated with BuzzFeed News that his Twitter handle is BuzzFeedBen. — But Ben Smith — who turned …
Peter Kafka / Vox:
Jonah Peretti says he expects BuzzFeed to turn a profit this year, but BuzzFeed News would still be operating in the red: “We don't need news to be profitable” — What Ben Smith's move to the paper of record says about digital media in 2020. — Ben Smith spent eight years …
Discussion:
@mattmittenthal and @pkafka
Mary Louise Kelly / New York Times:
Journalists don't interview senior government officials to score political points, but rather to share the answers to tough questions when the stakes are high — Journalists are supposed to ask tough questions, then share the answers — or lack thereof — with the world.
Discussion:
@nprkelly, The Hill, Axios, @caseyriankelly, @nytopinion, @johnlansing, @ailsachang, @kylegriffin1, @attorneynora, @nprextra and @cirincione
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Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Trump praises Pompeo for his behavior with NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly: “That was very impressive....I think you did a good job on her, actually.” — At a White House ceremony with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump noted the presence of Pompeo and said, “That was very impressive.
Discussion:
@thekatiecoop, @atrupar, @anniekarni, The Hill, @evanmcmurry, NBC News, @sdkstl, Mother Jones, @npr, @donmoyn, @delavegalaw, @mallory_yu, @mollyjongfast, @juliettekayyem, @mm_schill, @marmel, @nancycbarnes, @csymrl, @johnlansing and Vanity Fair
Bill Chappell / NPR:
NPR's CEO announces the outlet is asking the State Department to explain why it denied credentials for an NPR reporter to travel with Mike Pompeo to Europe — NPR is asking the State Department to explain its decision to deny an NPR reporter press credentials to travel with Secretary …
Discussion:
The Hill, The Week, @jeremylittau, @npr, Washington Post and @rcmcbride
Brian Stelter / CNN:
NPR's Michele Kelemen has been removed from Mike Pompeo's press pool for a trip to UK and Ukraine, a few days after Pompeo responded angrily to an NPR interview
Discussion:
@jakesnyt, Breitbart, @nickschifrin, @mitchellreports, The Week, Vox, @jameeljaffer, @whca, The Hill, @spj_tweets, @joaquincastrotx, @javierblas, @amyreports, @samseaborn, @brianstelter and @davidmihm
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
WaPo reinstates reporter Felicia Sonmez after her suspension following her tweets about a rape allegation against Kobe Bryant and her response to backlash — The Washington Post said it has reinstated political reporter Felicia Sonmez, who was suspended for a series of tweets about Kobe Bryant …
Discussion:
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Peter Kafka / Vox:25 minutes ago
Casino operator Penn National Gaming buying 36% stake in Barstool Sports; deal values Barstool at $450M and lets Penn National buy a controlling stake later — Barstool Sports co-founder Dave Portnoy in 2018 | Penn National Gaming is buying the online publisher — which can thank sports betting, and the Supreme Court for the deal.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, @tomkrazit, @m_sunderland, @pkafka and @pkafka
Hollywood Reporter:
Sources: Netflix is expected to lay off 15+ people from its marketing department this week, a small portion of its overall employee count of around 6,900 — Sources say at least 15 people are expected to exit this week as the company moves to better advertise the service rather than its individual shows.
Discussion:
Variety, @theericgoldman, @jbflint, The Wrap, @blakemccoydc, @jlbarrow, @alexweprin and @kimmasters
Jennifer Elias / CNBC:
Chair of US House climate committee sends Sundar Pichai letter requesting a plan by February 7 to address climate misinformation, specifically on YouTube — - Climate Committee Chair Kathy Castor penned a letter to Google, requesting the company take action against disinformation related to climate change.
Discussion:
@baekdal, more at Techmeme »
Keith J. Kelly / New York Post:
Xana Antunes, a top editor at Quartz and former editor at NY Post, Fortune/CNN Money, Crain's New York Business, and CNBC, has died at 55 after cancer battle — Former New York Post chief Xana Antunes, who was an executive editor at Quartz for the past six years, passed away on Monday following a battle with pancreatic career.
Discussion:
CNBC, Quartz, @mflamm_reporter, Talking Biz News, @jandersonqz, @fvogelstein, @lisagibbs954, @zseward, @lattif, @bencasselman, @adamlashinsky, @jimzarroli and @ostaley
Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:
News startup Scroll debuts today with ad-free access to ~300 partners, including BuzzFeed News, BI, and Vox, for $2.49/mo. for first six months then $4.99/mo. — After a long period of invite-only beta testing, Scroll is officially launching today, offering ad-free access to sites like BuzzFeed News …
Discussion:
Digiday, Nieman Lab, @tryscroll, The Verge, Vox, Axios, @pkafka, @mayarodale, @juliabeizer, @martinsfp, @francescook, @editrixjen, @pinboard, @pkafka, @arctictony, @alexjamesfitz, @arctictony, @marklittlenews, @mcwm, Neowin, @tuckerkristen, @nathanblawrence and @arctictony
Geoffrey Fowler / Washington Post:
Facebook says its Off-Facebook Activity tool, which lets users clear all the data passed onto Facebook by other apps and sites, is now available globally — The new ‘Off-Facebook Activity’ tool reminds us we're living in a reality TV program where the cameras are always on.
Discussion:
About Facebook, CNET, @mikemadden, @mohammadfarooq_, Gizmodo, @annmarlowe, @rmsherman, The Atlantic, @ngreenberg, @profcarroll, @philmoscovitch, @joshelman, @aral and @thedavidmurphy, more at Techmeme »
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