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Friday, April 17, 2020
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The chances of another newspaper megamerger just went up: McClatchy will likely go up for bidAmerica’s bankrupt No. 2 newspaper chain — owner of dailies in Miami, Kansas City, Charlotte, Sacramento, Fort Worth, and more — is subject to the same consolidation logic as the rest of the industry. By Joshua Benton. |
What We’re Reading
Poynter / Cristina Tardáguila
Spanish fact-checkers are being targeted after WhatsApp limited its forwarding feature →
“Not long after WhatsApp decided to limit message-forwarding in an effort to stem the spread of misinformation, supporters of Spain's right-wing Vox party started a campaign of digital harassment against fact-checkers from Newtral.es and Maldita.es.”
Press Gazette / William Turvill
The New York Times’ Mark Thompson says letting non-subscribers sample your coronavirus coverage is “pure gold” →
“Giving new readers a chance to sample and understand the value of what you do in a time of great need is, in many ways in terms of marketing, it's pure gold. It's 24-carat gold…You really helped someone when they really wanted to know what was going on. You were there for them. I think people remember that. I think these are defining moments for news organizations and news brands.”
Colorado Local News & Media / Corey Hutchins
The Colorado Independent is joining the COLab collaborative to strengthen local news in the state →
“We are excited to be joining forces with the Colorado Press Association, Colorado Media Project and newsrooms across the state in an unprecedented collaborative movement to strengthen local journalism.”
Fast Company / Sarah Frier
How Instagram managed to survive antitrust scrutiny when it was acquired by Facebook →
“The lawyers for Facebook and Instagram — the same ones who had worked on the deal —were now tasked with finding any evidence showing that the deal shouldn't go through. They were paid by the companies to investigate the companies….[Kevin Systrom] sat through gentle interrogation by a room of junior [FTC] employees, some of whom were clearly excited to meet the head of Instagram.”
The Hill / James P. Steyer
COVID-19 is a wake-up call to close the digital divide →
“In the long term, Congress should finish the job that was called for in the National Broadband Plan and ensure, once and for all, that we are the internet-connected United States of America.”
International Press Institute / Barbara Trionfi
The WHO refuses to grant accreditation to Taiwan journalists, limiting their access to public health experts →
“Journalists in Taiwan have been able to draw on their experience during the SARS epidemic to implement…protocols and editorial policies that ensure the dissemination of valuable news while protecting journalists' safety…Health and the right to information transcend political and geographical boundaries.”
Poynter / Rick Edmonds
Local TV stations are hurting in this pandemic →
“Trade publication Broadcasting & Cable reported Wednesday that ad sales are down 27%, according to a survey of executives…there is a saving grace as stations lose advertising: the roughly quarter to a third of local station revenue that now comes from retransmission fees.”
Digiday / Kayleigh Barber
How NowThis has adapted to remote production →
“The 130-person NowThis team has been taking a less buttoned-up approach to filming…incorporating things like filming a laptop screen with a graphic or a video playing on it in order to visualize a talking point, versus editing in the graphic or video as b-roll during post production.”
The Wall Street Journal / Benjamin Mullin
NPR is facing a budget deficit of $30-45 million from coronavirus →
“Sponsorship money is drying up amid ‘a very tough marketplace,’ he wrote, and donations could also take a hit as foundations and individuals ‘will be thinking hard about gifts as they watch the swings in the values of their own portfolios.'”
Latin America News Dispatch / Isabella Reimí
Attacks on Venezuelan press continue during a nationwide lockdown →
“The coronavirus pandemic increases the stakes for press freedom in Venezuela. As of April 16, the Venezuelan government reports only nine deaths from COVID-19 and 197 confirmed cases. But the [Nicolás] Maduro government has tightly controlled information about the spread of the virus, raising suspicions that the true number of cases has not been reported.”
Axios / Kia Kokalitcheva
Facebook is canceling all in-person events with more than 50 people though June 2021 →
A preview of what’s coming for any publisher’s event business.
Google / Jason Washing
Google is temporarily removing its ad-serving fees for some publishers →
“Over the coming days, we'll notify our news partners that meet the requirements about the details of the program, and what they can expect to see in their account statements.”
Newspack
How (and whether) to start a coronavirus newsletter →
“For many news organizations, this is actually the most sensible course of action: Instead of launching a secondary product, adjust your daily newsletter to fully cover the crisis, or build a COVID-19 section into the newsletter. This allows you to build readership for a product that will be around for years to come.”