Earnings Decline at Gannett:
Gannett reported a fourth-quarter loss of $95.1 million Thursday after reporting a profit in the same period last year. The media company, which became the largest newspaper chain in the United States after completing a merger with New Media Investment Group in November, closed trading at $4.89/share Wednesday.
Tampa Bay Times Implements Temporary Pay Cuts:
The Tampa Bay Times announced Wednesday that all full-time staffers will have their pay cut by 10 percent from next week through June 5. Five executives (including Chairman/CEO Paul Tash and Executive Editor Mark Katches) will take a 15 percent cut during the period, while staffers will also receive five compensatory vacation days. "This step is regrettable but necessary because revenues are falling short, a little in circulation and more seriously in advertising," a note to staff said. "Our sales teams are working diligently to preserve that business while finding new customers. But the growth of new accounts has not made up for the losses."
Report for America, NAJA Partner on Jobs:
A new partnership between Report for America and the Native American Journalists Association will offer funding and training to 19 journalists covering Indigenous beats over the next year, according to Hanaa' Tameez of NiemanLab. "The history of U.S. journalism is largely a history of neglecting and even harming Indigenous communities," said Maggie Messitt, a Report for America senior adviser, while NAJA President Tristan Ahtone emphasized the intricate nature of the specialty: "The Indigenous community requires a pretty strong knowledge of everything, from some fairly obscure federal laws to how different healthcare systems work. It's just a massive amount of information that reporters really, really need to know to be able to do their jobs effectively."
Senators Seek To Attenuate Section 230:
According to Brian Fung of CNN, proposed legislation from Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) "promise[s] to dramatically reshape Section 230," a component of the Communications Decency Act that absolves tech platforms of culpability in cases involving illegal content. Graham's bill would "withhold Section 230's legal protections from tech companies unless they agree to implement 'best practices' that would be designed by a commission and ultimately approved by the attorney general."
Thomson Reuters Names New CEO:
Thomson Reuters announced Tuesday that former Nielsen Holdings President Steve Hasker will succeed Jim Smith as CEO of the multinational media company. Operating profit rose 60 percent in the first quarter to $216 million following the 2018 sale of a controlling stake in its financial data business, which now operates as Refinitiv. According to Smith, Hasker will "focus on ... accelerating the growth rate and new plans."
Assange Defense: DNI Grenell Interfered in Case:
Defense attorneys for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange plan to argue in his U.S. extradition hearings that Acting Director of National Intelligence and U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell interfered in his case on behalf of President Trump, Natasha Bertrand of Politico reported Monday. According to Bertrand, Grenell promised Ecuadorean officials in 2018 that the U.S. would not seek the death penalty for Assange if they allowed British police to raid the Latin American republic's London embassy, where Assange sheltered for several years. Assange is facing several life sentences on 18 charges, including violations of the Espionage Act.
U.S. Considers Expulsions of Chinese Journalists After WSJ Flap:
The Trump administration is considering the expulsion of unspecified Chinese journalists after the country removed three Wall Street Journal reporters last week over an inflammatory op-ed, Nick Wadhams, Jennifer Jacobs and Saleha Mohsin of Bloomberg reported Monday. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin "are among those arguing for a more moderate approach," citing the need for cooperation amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Foreign Press Association condemned the potential expulsions as "counterproductive and ultimately damaging to First Amendment principles for the entire press community in the United States."
Young Turks Debate Unionization:
According to Dave Jamieson of HuffPost, Young Turks co-founder Cenk Uygur allegedly urged employees not to form a union at a contentious February 12 meeting, "arguing that a union does not belong at a small, independent outlet." A staffer confirmed to Jamieson that "a solid majority" of the progressive media company's workforce continues to support an open-ballot union election.
Condé Nast Ends Use of NDAs:
In a company-wide note to staff, Condé Nast announced the elimination of non-disclosure agreements related to harassment and discrimination. Existing NDAs will be reconsidered and released on a case-by-case basis. Prompted by journalists' coverage of NDAs as tools for silencing victims — for example, in Ronan Farrow's Pulitzer-winning coverage in The New Yorker — Condé Nast management was encouraged to "reconsider the role of NDAs at [their] own company."
Three Fact-Checkers Partner To Assess Fake News:
Full Fact, Africa Check, and Chequeado collaborated on fact-checking experiments that analyzed the effect of fake news and developed creative ways to address misinformation. Notable findings included the importance of jargon-free stories and the positive influence of fact-checking on both audiences and journalists.
