State-owned Radio Kraków shuts down a channel run by AI "presenters" after less than a week, citing "the level of emotion that accompanied this experiment" (Agata Pyka/Notes From Poland)
Mediagazer: State-owned Radio Kraków shuts down a channel run by AI “presenters” after less than a week, citing “the level of emotion that accompanied this experiment” (Agata Pyka/Notes From Poland)
Top News:
Washington Post:
Jeff Bezos says presidential endorsements “create a perception of bias” and WaPo ending them is a “principled decision”, but wishes the change was made earlier— The credibility gap can be bridged by independence. — Jeff Bezos is the owner of The Washington Post.
Discussion: Status, Forbes, The Wrap, Newser, Associated Press, The Daily Beast, Fox News, @vwpickard, Axios, @dick_nixon, @neilweinberg44, Raw Story, @jimlaporta, Mediaite, @ericnewcomer, @jamesrbuk, @peterbakernyt, @jyarow, @clarajeffery, DNyuz, Deadline, @brianstelter, @jbillinson@threads.net, @conorsen, The Hill, Daily Caller News Foundation, @benjamintoff, Bloomberg, @jhweissmann, Daily Press, @sarafischer, @farhip, @jragazzo, @benmullin, @matthewstoller, @joshrudes, @michaelbishop.me, The Guardian, @bcmerchant, HuffPost, @corbinbolies, @hannahgais, @jason_kint, NBC News, @a_mendelson, @ruthbenghiat, @sriramk, Business Insider, @matthewstoller, HotAir, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @ktmboyle, The Hollywood Reporter, @jamesrbuk, @tim@phire.place, New York Post, @_sandywest, @adrianweckler, KDFX-TV, @carolleonnig, @randolphduke7, @emily_hoeven, @jamesrbuk, @garymarcus, @jason_kint, RedState, @etzioni, @stevemullis, Lawyers, Guns & Money, @cherylejackson, @bradbaumn, @aodespair, @ernie@writing.exchange, @papapishu, @matthewboedy, @dylanbyers, CNBC, Variety, @tysonbrody, @mattgertz, @bcmerchant, @ike_saul, Twitchy, Benzinga, Daring Fireball, Politico, Just Jared and Matt Pearce
Discussion:
Siladitya Ray /
Forbes: Jeff Bezos Says Presidential Endorsements ‘Create A Perception Of Bias’ As He Defends Washington Post The Wrap: Washington Post's TikTok Team Head Roasts Jeff Bezos - on TikTok - Over Axed Kamala Harris Endorsement | Video
Evann Gastaldo /
Newser: Bezos Pens 909-Word Defense of WaPo Decision Associated Press: Newspaper non-endorsements at Washington Post, LA Times fit a trend, but their readers aren't happy
Corbin Bolies /
The Daily Beast: Desperate Jeff Bezos Defends Censoring WaPo Endorsement Fox News: Jeff Bezos addresses Washington Post endorsement fiasco, cites distrust in media led to ‘principled decision’
Victor Pickard /
@vwpickard: Small silver lining to WaPo episode: It shatters whatever illusion we might have that we could trust billionaires to rescue journalism. Such abuse of power underscores the dangerous political economy of media oligarchy, recenters class politics & highlights need for alternatives.
Rebecca Falconer /
Axios: Bezos breaks his silence on ending WaPo endorsements
Richard M. Nixon /
@dick_nixon: I agree with him on the first two points and even the third in a legal sense. But they've lost 8% of subscribers and counting. When you're explaining you're losing.
Neil Weinberg /
@neilweinberg44: Ah yes, the principled stance of ending presidential endorsements (not other endorsements) in the third election after you purchase a newspaper. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Daniel Hampton /
Raw Story: ‘Wish we had made the change earlier’: Bezos doubles down on nixing endorsements
Jim LaPorta /
@jimlaporta: Setting aside the issue of WaPo editorial, it's hard to square this graf: “I wish we had made the change earlier than we did, in a moment further from the election and the emotions around it.” Reminder: Mr. Bezos has owned the @washingtonpost for 11 years https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Michael Luciano /
Mediaite: Jeff Bezos Writes Rare Op-Ed Defending Washington Post Non-Endorsement Amid Subscriber Exodus
Eric Newcomer /
@ericnewcomer: This is a good piece at the wrong time from @JeffBezos re @washingtonpost editorials. It's way too close to a high-stakes, democracy-at-risk election to say you're not going to endorse for the first time in a long time, over the strenuous objections of your staff. but there
James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: The piece would have been *much* better if it had acknowledged mistakes in the process more clearly and more sincerely. As an example, the Post's early statements did not say the decision came from Bezos: that was obviously a mistake for everyone.
Peter Baker /
@peterbakernyt: Thinking of Don Graham and Kay Graham. So proud to have worked for them. Like the Sulzbergers, they exemplified the best in newspaper publishers. They understood what journalism is all about and supported it even at the sacrifice of their own interests. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jay Yarow /
@jyarow: A bit late to win back those 200,000 subs, but directionally a pretty good essay. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Clara Jeffery /
@clarajeffery: Jeff Bezos spews a bunch of double talk to cover for his terrible decision. “It was made internally” is a classic non-denial denial. A phrase that Washington Post reporters (or at least the actor playing them) made famous re Watergate: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Jeff Bezos Defends Washington Post Decision To Not Endorse In 2024 Presidential Race, Says “No Quid Pro Quo Of Any Kind Is At Work Here”
Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: In an op-ed for his @washingtonpost, Jeff Bezos says “declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it's a meaningful step in the right direction.”
Josh Billinson /
@jbillinson@threads.net: I think this could have been a pretty convincing argument for why his newspaper shouldn't endorse a presidential candidate if it had been published a few months ago
Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Bezos breaks silence, defends move to drop Washington Post presidential endorsements
Mariane Angela /
Daily Caller News Foundation: 'Americans Don't Trust The News Media': Bezos Speaks Out After WaPo Chose Not To Endorse Harris
Benjamin Toff /
@benjamintoff: As someone who has spent a lot of time studying the erosion of the public's trust in news, I'd like to suggest to the @WashPost's billionaire owner that he rethink his strategy of dressing up his editorial interference as a (sudden) matter of principle. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jordan Weissmann /
@jhweissmann: This is the sort of explanation that might have been compelling in January of 2024, but not Oct. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... Daily Press: Owner Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post's decision not to endorse as the right, ‘principled’ one
Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: NEW: Bezos in @washingtonpost defending his call to kill endorsements —"Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election" —"What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias" —"no quid pro quo of any kind is at work here"
Paul Farhi /
@farhip: From the column: “...declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it's a meaningful step in the right direction. I wish we had made the change earlier than we did...That was inadequate planning, and not some strategy.”
Joe Ragazzo /
@jragazzo: This op-ed from Bezos just digs the hole deeper. 1. The fact it was published at all proves Bezos had no clue how this decision would be received. 2. Has this weird tone where he is telling the public (his own readers) a hard truth about....themselves? https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: Bezos: “I wish we had made the change earlier than we did, in a moment further from the election and the emotions around it. That was inadequate planning, and not some intentional strategy.”
Matt Stoller /
@matthewstoller: Most of the country probably agrees with Jeff Bezos that newspapers shouldn't endorse. Most of the country probably doesn't agree with Bezos that newspapers shouldn't endorse so Jeff Bezos can get government contracts.
Josh Rudolph /
@joshrudes: No, @JeffBezos, the way to build trust in the news media is not for a billionaire owner to interfere in editorial decisions to curry favor with a would-be autocrat hours before he meets your aerospace company that seeks multi-billion-dollar govt. contracts.https://www.washingtonpost.co m/ ... @michaelbishop.me: So principled that he didn't tell the editorial board about it until they'd already written one. [embedded post]
Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: Does Jeff Bezos honestly think people will buy the line that he killed his editorial board's endorsement of Harris because he suddenly became gravely concerned about newspapers' credibility and decided that not publishing an op-ed will right the ship lol [image]
Taiyler S. Mitchell /
HuffPost: Jeff Bezos Responds To Backlash Over Washington Post Non-Endorsement
Corbin Bolies /
@corbinbolies: “When it comes to the appearance of conflict, I am not an ideal owner of The Post,” Jeff Bezos writes in WaPo. “I once wrote that The Post is a “complexifier” for me. It is, but it turns out I'm also a complexifier for The Post.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Hannah Gais /
@hannahgais: Translation: I could've breached editorial independence those other times, but I only did it this once. But it's okay, because it was so principled. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Jason Kint /
@jason_kint: Hey fwiw, I thought this was a solid answer from Bezos. I've been silent but my main issue was the timing of WaPo's announcement. It was the only real screw-up in my mind and a major one for sure. But that said.... 1/5 [image]
Daniel Arkin /
NBC News: Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post's decision to stop presidential endorsements days before election
Aaron Mendelson /
@a_mendelson: Bezos making a blanket, totally unsupported claim here — something any good reporter, editor or editorial board member would know to avoid https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Ruth Ben-Ghiat /
@ruthbenghiat: I see: the “trust” he wants is that of the authoritarian right. Bezos naively thinks staying “neutral” will make him “whole” with MAGA. He is not understanding how authoritarians operate.
Sriram Krishnan /
@sriramk: The Bezos op ed is fantastic writing and true “founder mode” ( sorry!) A lesser owner would have written a mealy mouthed piece on reevaluating internal policies. Bezos cuts to the chase - “the verification/belief of a process is as important as the process itself” - “people
Kelsey Vlamis /
Business Insider: Jeff Bezos speaks on WaPo drama: We have to ‘increase our credibility’
Matt Stoller /
@matthewstoller: The comments on Jeff Bezos's oped are BRUTAL. “So you clearly reasoned this decision out carefully, which means Will Lewis, your Publisher and CEO, was lying when he said it wasn't your decision and he made the decision himself without your input.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Dan Gillmor /
@dangillmor@mastodon.social: Jeff Bezos can't hide his betrayal of trust behind pious words like these. However much he says that is true here — and much of it is — he's avoiding the real issues. — Not least is a total lack of transparency about what was promised in the conversation his space company henchmen had with Trump on the very day Bezos ordered his editorial page editor to kill the Harris endorsement. …
Katherine Boyle /
@ktmboyle: Kudos to @JeffBezos for telling the newsroom the hard, bitter truth: there's nothing wrong with the readers. [image]
Zoe G. Phillips /
The Hollywood Reporter: Jeff Bezos Says “Presidential Endorsements Do Nothing” Amid Washington Post Subscriber Exodus
James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: Had the Post said from the get-go that the decision was from Bezos, and included an op-ed like this from him then, there would surely have still been a backlash - but I'd bet it wouldn't have cost them 200,000 subscribers. And they're harder to win back than to keep.
Tim Carmody /
@tim@phire.place: The funny thing about this essay (well, one of them) is that the principle that made Bezos rich with Amazon was an unrelenting focus on the customer. Not independence or the appearance of independence: the customer, at all costs. He just lost 200,000+ customers, and doesn't seem to get why. …
David Propper /
New York Post: Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos defends paper's decision to not back 2024 candidate, claims presidential endorsements ‘create a perception of bias’
Sandy West /
@_sandywest: Had he written this months ago, it might have mattered. This entire situation has been so incredibly mishandled - and his staff, especially the journalists, are paying the price. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Adrian Weckler /
@adrianweckler: Feisty op-ed that's worth reading, whatever political side you come down on. There's more than a grain of truth in what he says about a trust crisis in media. (Although some of the language he uses in the column is borderline insulting to his own WP staff.) [image] KDFX-TV: Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post non-endorsement after subscribers flee and staffers resign
Carol Leonnig /
@carolleonnig: NEW @JeffBezos writes that his decision to end @washingtonpost prez endorsements was based solely on principle — and no quid pro quo or financial stake . https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Randolph Duke /
@randolphduke7: Agree with Bezos. WaPo getting out of the endorsement game is important for journalistic integrity and trust. They did this late probably due a ton of internal disagreement on this. Eugene Meyer, father of later owner Kay Graham, agreed with this stance https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Emily Hoeven /
@emily_hoeven: did Jeff Bezos just refer to journalists as “we” and journalism as “our profession”? in other words, did he call himself a journalist? 😵 💫🥴 https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: The “our” and “we” in this opening paragraph lands very strangely. Owning a newspaper doesn't make Jeff Bezos a journalist. It's not his profession. [image]
Gary Marcus /
@garymarcus: Ha ha ha ha - Jeff Bezos think that by blocking his editorial board from publishing their chosen endorsement he is going to INCREASE the trust in the Post. Instead of making it seem like the capricious plaything of a billionaire. Hilarious! 😂 “By itself, declining to endorse
Jason Kint /
@jason_kint: I also appreciate Bezos owning it (and answering on Blue Origin). And yes, WashPost is one of our 50+ members that equally pay us to research, think, advocate about trust in the future of media. It's not a ton of money but I'm certainly an interested and conflicted party. 2/5
Bob Hoge /
RedState: Jeff Bezos Weighs in on WaPo Endorsement Drama: ‘Our Profession Is Now the Least Trusted of All’
Oren Etzioni /
@etzioni: Much as I don't like the decision, this *is* worth reading in full. I don't get why the endorsement can't be viewed as part of the opinion section, which is separate from news. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Steve Mullis /
@stevemullis: In Bezos's op-ed, I take immediate issue with him referring to “our” profession. Sir, you are not in the same profession. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Cheryle Jackson /
@cherylejackson: If the Post's decision to not endorse for prez was impartial, why make that change a week before the election & after the endorsement was written. Of all the decades of years to not endorse - on the eve of the 1st Black woman nominee becoming Prez is foul. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Brad Bauman /
@bradbaumn: I read @JeffBezos so you don't have to: “I'm a complicated billionaire so you can trust me when I tell you that not taking a principled stand in this election was actually a principled stand” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
David Simon /
@aodespair: Just read the insights of Jeff Bezos in his opinion piece in The Post. I wasn't going to join 200,000 others and cancel my subscription because doing so won't hurt Bezos — he paid more for his yachts than his newspaper — and, yes, the Post newsroom where good people, and some
Ernie Smith /
@ernie@writing.exchange: No matter what he wrote, the fact that this exists at all shows that Bezos appears to have realized to some tiny degree he screwed up here. — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... @papapishu: I need to know which Podcast Jeff Bezos listened to that made him blow up The Washington Post. [image]
Matthew Boedy /
@matthewboedy: Bezos speaks. There is a HUGE difference between no endorsement and saying Trump is unfit for office. The Post can say the latter and be believed, as Bezos wants. And his reasoning undermines any opinion from the Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Dylan Byers /
@dylanbyers: BEZOS: “The Washington Post and the New York Times win prizes, but increasingly we talk only to a certain elite. More and more, we talk to ourselves.”
Dan Mangan /
CNBC: Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos says in op-ed: 'Americans don't trust the news media'
Todd Spangler /
Variety: Amid Backlash, Jeff Bezos Defends Ending Washington Post Presidential Endorsements: They ‘Create a Perception of Bias’
Matthew Gertz /
@mattgertz: An important result of the public having little trust in the news media is when an owner make drastic, unexpected changes to the outlet, the people who previously trusted the outlet have a reason to doubt.
Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: Another good part is where Jeff Bezos, the 2nd richest man in the world, bemoans ppl turning to podcasts and less credible media instead of the Post, which last I saw cost >$100 a year for full access—buddy, if you wanted folks to read more news, you could take down that paywall [image]
Isaac Saul /
@ike_saul: Bezos responds to controversy over WaPo refusing to endorse. I still think there is a lot of personal interest at stake here, but it's undeniable this is a compelling argument. [image]
Doug P. /
Twitchy: WaPo Owner's 'People Don't Trust the Media' Reality Check Is GUARANTEED to Trigger Lib Journo-Land
Ananya Gairola /
Benzinga: Jeff Bezos Says This Is Mainstream Media's Biggest Problem After Washington Post Ends Endorsement For Presidential Candidates — How He Plans To Fix It
Emmy Martin /
Politico: Marty Baron slams Bezos' endorsement decision as ‘a betrayal of core principles’ Just Jared: Jeff Bezos Defends Ending Presidential Endorsements at Washington Post, Explains Why He's Stopping the Tradition
RELATED:
NPR:
Sources: more than 200,000 people had canceled their WaPo digital subscriptions by midday Monday, or ~8% of the paper's paid circulation of 2.5M subscribers— The Washington Post has been rocked by a tidal wave of cancellations from digital subscribers and a series of resignations from columnists …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Press Watch, Law Dork, Los Angeles Times, @davidfolkenflik, Crooked Timber, @jenvalentino_nyt@threads.net, Business Insider, NBC Bay Area, @heidilifeldman@mastodon …, The Dworkin Report, @psythor, @benwansell, HotAir, @mannyfidel, New York Magazine, CNN, @lukeepplin, @grogsgamut, @christinebohan, Michael Learmonth on LinkedIn, @davidfolkenflik, The Independent, @mpdillon, @mikeisaac, MediaPost, @tom_watson, @cdarwin@c.im, Crikey, @kantrowitz, @clarajeffery, @natemcdermott, @justinbaragona, @davidfolkenflik, Daring Fireball, @daveleebbg@threads.net, Reuters, @navjotpkaur, Semafor, ZeroHedge News, Forbes, The Wrap, Daily Caller News Foundation, @iamnickreynolds, @dangoodin@infosec.exchange, CNBC, Rolling Stone, @whstancil, @oneunderscore__, GeekWire, @jhagner, Twitchy, @nickcohen4, @jbenton, @bartongellman, The Verge, @calebheeringa, @charlesarthur, @bgrueskin, @tylercoates, @bgrueskin, Reason, @froomkin, Matt Pearce, KDFX-TV, Lawyers, Guns & Money, @semaforben, @teroterotero, @alexrkonrad, The Daily Caller, INTO, Futurism, Daily Press, Variety, The Hill, Washington Post, Mediaite, Eschaton, Oh No They Didn't!, @thechaosleague@mastodon … and The Atlantic
Discussion:
Lorenzo Tondo /
The Guardian: ‘Real threat of autocracy’: Washington Post editorial staffers resign in forceful letters
Dan Froomkin /
Press Watch: Betrayed Washington Post readers leave their parting thoughts in 140,000 comments
Chris Geidner /
Law Dork: The hard truth: Americans don't trust — or need — billionaires
James Rainey /
Los Angeles Times: L.A. Times, Washington Post see subscription cancellations over not endorsing in presidential race
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: NEWS: More than 200,000 subscribers have canceled their digital subscriptions to the Washington Post after the revelation that owner Jeff Bezos blocked an endorsement of VP Harris. That's about 8 percent of WaPo's subscriber base - a staggering sum MORE https://www.npr.org/...
Eszter Hargittai /
Crooked Timber: Washington Post cancellations
Jennifer Valentino-DeVries /
@jenvalentino_nyt …: I keep hearing about people saying they're canceling The Washington Post because of decisions by Bezos, but that it's “too hard” to stop shopping at Amazon or cancel Amazon Prime. Pick a lane.
Dan Mangan /
NBC Bay Area: Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post non-endorsement, says Americans 'don't trust' media
Heidi Li Feldman /
@heidilifeldman@mastodon.social: Exactly what Washington Post deserves. https://www.npr.org/...
Scott Dworkin /
The Dworkin Report: 200,000 WaPo Subscription Cancellations Since Blocking Harris Endorsement
James O'Malley /
@psythor: This is an *astonishing* level of engagement. Perhaps not surprising given the demographics of who reads the Washington Post but still, holy shit - much larger impact than I would ever have expected.
Ben Ansell /
@benwansell: Tbh I hadn't thought that the WaPo decision - cowardly as it might be - would end up having a massive impact. Well it turns it is having one on the bottom line.
David Strom /
HotAir: WaPo Loses 200,000 Subscribers Because Liberals Are Insane
Manny /
@mannyfidel: just did some quick napkin math and depending on what portion of these subscriptions reached their second year, this is tens of millions of dollars lol
Hadas Gold /
CNN: One-third of Washington Post's editorial board steps down amid wave of canceled subscriptions over non-endorsement
Luke Epplin /
@lukeepplin: I dislike the rage-cancellations that folks do when a newspaper publishes an article they disagree with. But this is different—an editorial board has to have autonomy to call it like they see it, fearlessly and without reservation. If they can't, then what's the point?
Greg Jericho /
@grogsgamut: This was its front page today. The non-endorsement was not an outlier [image]
Christine Bohan /
@christinebohan: Wow. This actual number of cancellations is far, far higher than the estimates over the weekend. Whatever about the (overblown) power of newspaper endorsements, it shows what a terrible business decision it was for a newspaper whose slogan is Democracy Dies in Darkness
Michael Learmonth /
Michael Learmonth on LinkedIn: Two things about this: 200,000 is a huge number. If you were trying to get someone's attention at the Post, well done. …
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: “It's a colossal number,” former WaPo Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli told NPR. “People don't know why the decision was made. We basically know the decision was made but we don't know what led to it.” MORE
Josh Marcus /
The Independent: Bezos insists no quid pro quo in decision to pull Washington Post's Harris endorsement as staff and subscribers quit
Patrick Dillon /
@mpdillon: I do not, strictly speaking, know all the ins and outs of the publisher job; but I feel confident that somewhere high on Will Lewis' performance plan is “not lose almost 10% of subscribers in a week”
Rat King /
@mikeisaac: brutal. bezos himself now a liability to his own paper i imagine the acquisition came when it was en vogue for billionaires to buy legacy publications now i wonder if he decides it's not worth the hassle (as many moguls who dont understand newsrooms have done before him)
Tom Watson /
@tom_watson: American friends, google “Gerald Ratner.”
Chuck Darwin /
@cdarwin@c.im: Second Washington Post writer quits over failure to back Kamala Harris — A second high-profile Washington Post columnist has stepped down after the newspaper's decision not to support Kamala Harris for president, as more readers announced the cancellation of their subscriptions. …
Daanyal Saeed /
Crikey: Here's who American newspapers (minus The Washington Post) are backing this election
Alex Kantrowitz /
@kantrowitz: If you're a billionaire owner you can afford it, but you can't ignore it
Clara Jeffery /
@clarajeffery: 1/ I'm very torn about this. Otoh, it's a clear signal. otoh, WaPo journalists are pumping out great stuff, we need more of it, not less of it. Without subs paper becomes more, not less, dependent on Bezos' billions, and his whims.
Nathan McDermott /
@natemcdermott: An insanely large number of cancelations. And I thought the 1,600 cancelations @davidfolkenflik reported the other day were a substantial amount [image]
Justin Baragona /
@justinbaragona: Remember, Jeff Bezos brought in Will Lewis to reverse the revenue loss and subscription atrophy that the paper had experienced recently. So the big move here is to absolutely shoot themselves in the foot with this non-endorsement announcement days before the election.
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Three of top 10 stories on the Post's website Sunday were articles written by outraged staffers. The top one was humor columnist Alexandra Petri's piece, headlined, “It has fallen to me, the humor columnist, to endorse Harris for president.” More than 174Kread it online./ MORE
John Gruber /
Daring Fireball: The Washington Post Has Lost Over 200,000 Subscribers (and Counting) After Trump Bootlicker Jeff Bezos Blocked Endorsement of Kamala Harris
Dave Lee /
@daveleebbg@threads.net: Bezos can undo much of the damage he's caused in an instant: - Announce he's dipping into his wealth to plug the immediate funding loss ($3.4m a month, based on premium sub cost) from those cancellations. - Apologize, admit he misjudged the moment. - Allow his staff to endorse. … Reuters: Washington Post hit with over 200K cancellations after move to block Harris endorsement: report
Navjot Pal Kaur /
@navjotpkaur: Please support the local newspapers struggling to stay afloat. They deserve your $$$
Tyler Durden /
ZeroHedge News: “Colossal” Exodus: +200,000 WaPo Subscriber Cancellations After Bezos Blocks Harris-Walz Endorsement
Molly Bohannon /
Forbes: 200,000 People Unsubscribed From Washington Post Following Decision To Not Endorse, Report Says
Jacob Bryant /
The Wrap: Washington Post Loses Over 200,000 Subscribers After Bezos Nixes Harris Endorsement
Nicole Silverio /
Daily Caller News Foundation: Hundreds Of Thousands Reportedly Cancel WaPo Subscriptions After Decision Not To Endorse Harris
Nick Reynolds /
@iamnickreynolds: I'm not weighing in on the decision to not endorse, but it's disappointing that it's always the journalists that get hurt and not their billionaire employers. They already had buyouts last year. Did any of these people cancel their Prime memberships? Doubt it.
Dan Goodin /
@dangoodin@infosec.exchange: I'm guessing that Jeff Bozos won't care that he's killing a significant source of revenue, because making money was never the point of him owning the WaPo. — https://www.npr.org/...
Dan Mangan /
CNBC: Washington Post loses reported 200K digital subscriptions, editorial board members over endorsement veto
Charisma Madarang /
Rolling Stone: Jeff Bezos Insists That ‘No Quid Pro Quo’ Behind Blocking Harris Endorsement
Will Stancil /
@whstancil: Good. I'm very sorry for the many good people at WaPo but newspapers need to know choices have consequences. Then they can make better choices and get those subscribers back.
Tim Onion /
@oneunderscore__: Thankfully, all of them have done their democratic duty and signed up for The Onion instead. https://membership.theonion.com/
Kurt Schlosser /
GeekWire: Jeff Bezos says ‘no quid pro quo of any kind’ in decision to end Washington Post endorsements
John Hagner /
@jhagner: After Harris wins we are going to see such a heartfelt apology from Jeff Bezos, and it will be extremely genuine and not entirely cynical.
Warren Squire /
Twitchy: Democrats Inflicting Six-Figure Cancellations on Washington Post for Kamala Non-Endorsement
Nick Cohen /
@nickcohen4: Watergate was a journalistic triumph people remembered for decades. Bezos' cowardly refusal to endorse Harris is a journalistic disaster people will remember for decades.
Joshua Benton /
@jbenton: I honestly cannot remember the last time I was as shocked by a news-industry number as I was by this one: ***TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND*** @washingtonpost subscribers have canceled over Jeff Bezos' decision to block an endorsement of Kamala Harris. https://www.npr.org/... [image]
Barton Gellman /
@bartongellman: This is a stunning blow to the @washingtonpost, which is the wrong target for people angry at Bezos deciding to placate Trump. The Post is one of the finest, most aggressive newsrooms for accountability journalism. It lives or dies on subscriptions. Don't cancel.
Elizabeth Lopatto /
The Verge: Jeff Bezos is no longer relentlessly focused on customer satisfaction @calebheeringa: No skin off Bezo's back — WaPo was probably a rounding error in his balance sheet, and he got the quid pro quo he needed out of his investment. But what a huge blow to a vital American media institution, all for a billionaire's political favor.
Charles Arthur /
@charlesarthur: Normally you'd expect a publisher who lost 8% of subscribers through one obviously bad decision to, in turn, lose their job. Wonder how that'll work out for Will Lewis.
Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: Unfathomable: Washpost has lost 200,000 subscribers since Bezos pulled the Harris endorsement. That's 8% of its base in a few days. Keep in mind its net gain for most of 2024 was only 4,000 (not a typo) subscribers. Major scoop via @davidfolkenflik https://www.npr.org/...
Tyler Coates /
@tylercoates: there was no scenario in which jeff bezos's ownership of one of the most vital newspapers in the country wasn't going to shake out like this in some way
Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: The retail price for a subscription (after the introductory period runs out) is $120/year. If all of those subscribers were paying the full rate (and they're not), that'd be a loss of $24 million a year. Or, roughly, .01 percent of Jeff Bezos's net worth.
Joe Lancaster /
Reason: Smaller Government Can Protect Against a Vengeful President
Dan Froomkin /
@froomkin: New! Betrayed Washington Post readers leave their parting thoughts in 140,000 comments https://presswatchers.org/...
Hadas Gold /
KDFX-TV: Three Washington Post editorial board members step down amid wave of canceled subscriptions over non-endorsement
Shakezula /
Lawyers, Guns & Money: The wallet vote — I'm trying to write up something about this article with which I disagreed to the point of saying “Fuck.
Ben Smith /
@semaforben: I've never seen anything like this. Certainly confirms Democracy Dies in Darkness drove a lot of subs!
Tero Kuittinen /
@teroterotero: @charlesarthur I think he just bought a gem of a house in Georgetown so he can't be fired
Alex Konrad /
@alexrkonrad: Of course, this will hurt the reporters at the Post who didn't make this call quite a lot, and the paper's billionaire owner not in the slightest
Henry Giardina /
INTO: Trump's unsavory ties to this aspiring “health care czar” could spell disaster for everyone
Noor Al-Sibai /
Futurism: Jeff Bezos Reportedly Has Secretive “Personal Reasons” for Wanting to Escape to Mars
Daily Press:
Report: Washington Post loses more than 200,000 subscriptions following non-endorsement
Todd Spangler /
Variety: Washington Post Hit With 200,000-Plus Subscriber Cancelations After Jeff Bezos Nixed Presidential Endorsement: Report
Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Washington Post loses more than 200,000 subscribers over endorsement outrage: Report
Charlie Nash /
Mediaite: WaPo Loses Eye-Popping 200,000 Subscribers in Exodus That ‘Will Batter’ the Paper, Says NPR Reporter
Atrios /
Eschaton: That's A Big Number Oh No They Didn't!: Over 200,000 subscribers flee ‘Washington Post’ after Bezos blocks Harris endorsement @thechaosleague@mastodon.social: https://www.npr.org/... Thinking over the excellent reporting on the NWSL by Molly Hensley-Clancy for The Washington Post, it's really frustrating that the paper won't even acknowledge that out of the two candidates, one is especially dangerous for America. …
Ellen Cushing /
The Atlantic: Don't Cancel The Washington Post. Cancel Amazon Prime.
Semafor:
Two more Washington Post opinion writers, David Hoffman, who accepted a Pulitzer Prize last week, and Molly Roberts, resign from its editorial board— The Scoop — Two more Washington Post opinion writers resigned from its editorial board Monday as the paper reels into the US election amid an identity crisis.
Discussion:
@michele_norris, Washington Post, @mollylroberts, @benmullin, @hadas_gold, The Hill, @davidfolkenflik, @jayrosen_nyu, The Wrap, HuffPost, @davidfolkenflik, @jeff@newsie.social, @maxwelltani, Ken Klippenstein, New York Post, @knittingknots2@mstdn.social, Mediaite, @davidfolkenflik, @maxwelltani, Axios, @davidfolkenflik, @maxwelltani, @brianstelter and The Gateway Pundit
Discussion:
Michele Norris /
@michele_norris: As of yesterday, I have decided to resign from my role as a columnist for The Washington Post — a newspaper that I love. In a moment like this, everyone needs to make their own decisions. This is the reasonfor mine. 🧵
Manuel Roig-Franzia /
Washington Post: Post editorial board members step down in wake of endorsement decision
Molly Roberts /
@mollylroberts:
Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: NEWS: Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post editorial board member David Hoffman will *remain* at The Post — though he is stepping down from the editorial board. From his letter to David Shipley: “While leaving the board, I refuse to give up on The Post, where I have spent 42
Hadas Gold /
@hadas_gold: “Worse, our silence is exactly what Donald Trump wants: for the media, for us, to keep quiet.”
Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Post endorsement controversy sparks staff resignations, protests
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Hoffman says he intends to remain at the paper, saying he “refuses to give up on The Post, where I have spent 42 years.” He writes of being launched on several projects, including “the expanded effort to support press freedom around the world.”
Jay Rosen /
@jayrosen_nyu: “I find it untenable and unconscionable that we have lost our voice.” —Washington Post Pulitzer Prize winnner, David Hoffman, said that today.
Sean Burch /
The Wrap: 2 More Washington Post Writers Quit Editorial Board Over Scrapped Kamala Harris Endorsement
Ryan Grenoble /
HuffPost: Washington Post Subscriptions In Free Fall After Bezos Blocks Presidential Endorsement
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Here's a link to full letter from WaPo's David Hoffman stepping down from editorial board - letter is to editorial page editor David Shipley. [image]
Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: NEW: Washington Post ed board member Molly Roberts confirms to me that she has resigned.
Taylor Herzlich /
New York Post: More Washington Post staffers resign over paper's failure to endorse Kamala Harris
Sue Stone /
@knittingknots2@mstdn.social: Exodus from Washington Post editorial board continues | Semafor — https://www.semafor.com/...
Jamie Frevele /
Mediaite: Two More Washington Post Editorial Board Members Resign in Protest Over Refusal to Endorse In Presidential Race
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: WaPost's @DavidHoffman has stepped down from the paper's editorial board warning of appeasing tyranny. From his resignation: “For decades, the Washington Post's editorials have been a beacon of light, signaling hope to dissidents, political prisoners and the voiceless. MORE
Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Editorial board member David Hoffman is also resigning, I'm told. Hoffman accepted the Pulitzer last week for his series on “new technologies and the tactics authoritarian regimes use to repress dissent in the digital age, and how they can be fought.”
Sareen Habeshian /
Axios: Nearly a third of WaPo's editorial board stepping down
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: On Thursday, Hoffman received a Pulitzer for “a compelling and well-researched series on new technologies and the tactics authoritarian regimes use to repress dissent in the digital age, and how they can be fought.” David Shipley announced Bezos' decision the next day. MORE
David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Molly Roberts' statement resigning from WaPo editorial board 👇🏼
Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: I actually think there are some people on the Post's business side who may have a calculation of the damage
Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: “Donald Trump is not yet a dictator. But the quieter we are, the closer he comes — because dictators don't have to order the press to publish cooperatively if it wishes to go on publishing at all. The press knows, and it censors itself.”
@benmullin:
— news: Post Opinions editor David Shipley told staffers at an intense meeting earlier this afternoon that Jeff Bezos expressed reservations about an endorsement in late September. Shipley told the staff he tried hard to get Bezos to move off of that position.
Discussion:
@benmullin, @tcashmanavila and @benmullin
Discussion:
Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: Much of this afternoon's meeting was focused on how The Washington Post opinions department can rebuild trust with readers. One staffer said that the damage done was “incalculable.”
T. Cashman Avila /
@tcashmanavila: One of the things that the ‘cancelling your subscription only hurts the journalists’ crowd is missing is that these cancellations aren't just about a failure to endorse. It's about the systemic failure of journalists to hold Trump responsible for his actions for nearly a decade.
Semafor:
Guardian US received $1.1M in pledges after a note to readers highlighted its Harris endorsement, the biggest single fundraising day for its US operation— The Washington Post's competitors moved quickly to fill the space it vacated when it shifted from being a bulwark against former President Donald Trump …
Discussion:
New York Times, Steve Sachs on LinkedIn, Newser, The Wrap, @bbcrosatkins, Blaze Media, @maxwelltani, Politico and Adweek
Discussion:
Steve Sachs /
Steve Sachs on LinkedIn: After the Washington Post and LA Times decided not to make an endorsement in the US presidential race, The Guardian raised over $1 million …
Sean Burch /
The Wrap: ‘Morning Joe’ Blasts Jeff Bezos for ‘Bowing’ to Trump: ‘Anticipatory Kowtowing’
Ros Atkins /
@bbcrosatkins: If you're following the Washington Post's decision not to endorse a presidential candidate in this US election, this latest report from @maxwelltani is useful. https://www.semafor.com/...
Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: From last night's @semafor media newsletter: After sending out a note to readers on Friday noting its recent endorsement of Kamala Harris, the Guardian US received $1.1 million in pledges, the biggest single fundraising day for the Guardian's US operation https://www.semafor.com/...
Variety:
Netflix adds a Moments feature on iOS, letting users save, rewatch, and share scenes across Instagram, Snapchat, and others, and plans an Android launch soon— Netflix just added a way for you to watch that carriage scene from “Bridgerton” over and over and over again — and share it with your friends — without breaking a sweat.
Discussion:
Netflix Tudum, The Verge, Advanced Television, BGR, TechCrunch, Adweek, Gizmodo, Comic Book, Jeff Hostetter on LinkedIn, Tv Technology, Mumbrella, CNET, AV Club, Nick Brackney on LinkedIn, The Streamable, The Wrap, TVLine, Screen Rant, Broadband TV News, The Hollywood Reporter, The Sun, Deadline, Media Play News, Just Jared and Oh No They Didn't!, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Jay Peters /
The Verge: Netflix is making it easier to bookmark and share your favorite parts of a show
Nik Roseveare /
Advanced Television: Netflix rolls out Moments mobile feature
Lauren Forristal /
TechCrunch: Netflix's new ‘Moments’ feature lets you save and share clips from your favorite episodes
Brittaney Kiefer /
Adweek: Netflix Debuts Ad For New ‘Moments’ Feature, Proving Even Celebrities Obsess Over TV Shows
Dua Rashid /
Gizmodo: The Netflix Mobile App Will Now Let You Bookmark and Share Scenes With Your Friends
Cameron Bonomolo /
Comic Book: Netflix Moments: New Feature Lets Users Share Content
Jeff Hostetter /
Jeff Hostetter on LinkedIn: Clip farming is about to get way easier. — It's no secret that clips from popular TV shows and movies are everywhere on TikTok, even if it's usually not original content. …
George Winslow /
Tv Technology: New Feature Lets Netflix Mobile Users Bookmark Their Favorite Scenes
Nathan Jolly /
Mumbrella: Netflix makes social media play with new ‘Moments’ feature
Kourtnee Jackson /
CNET: Netflix Wants You to Share Unforgettable Scenes With New Feature
Nick Brackney /
Nick Brackney on LinkedIn: This is such a brilliant move by Netflix. Meme'ification of their content to create shared moments between people. …
Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Netflix Lets Users Share TV Show, Movie Clips to Social Media
Matt Webb Mitovich /
TVLine: New Netflix Feature Lets You Share Big ‘Moments’ Straight to Socials — Watch Promo ft. Simone Biles and Others
Ryan Northrup /
Screen Rant: Netflix Adds New Feature Allowing Users To Share Their Favorite Scenes From Movies & TV Shows
Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Netflix Adds New Feature That Makes It Easy to Share Clips From Shows on Social Media
Millie Turner /
The Sun: New Netflix upgrade will save you hours of shuffling with new viewing experience - and it's totally free
Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Netflix Now Allows Streamers to Share Favorite Content Scenes Across Mobile Devices
Oh No They Didn't!:
Netflix is launching a new feature which allows users to bookmark their favorite scenes
Variety:
Concord, one of the world's largest independent music companies, raised $850M in senior notes backed by its catalog of music assets that is valued at $5B— Concord, one of the world's largest independent music companies, has successfully closed a new series of $850 million in financing to “fuel strategic growth and acquisition.”
Discussion:
Digital Music News and Music Business Worldwide
Discussion:
Dylan Smith /
Digital Music News: Concord Confirms $850 Million Senior Notes Issuance, Emphasizes Status ‘As a Consequential Force in the Music Industry’
The Hollywood Reporter:
UMG partners with AI music company Klay Vision to create an “ethical” AI model for AI-generated music; Klay plans to launch out of stealth in the coming months— The music major is focused on “ethical solutions for artists and the wider music ecosystem, advancing generative AI technology …
Discussion:
UMG, AV Club, The Verge, Euractiv, DNyuz, Reuters and Music Business Worldwide, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
James Murtagh-Hopkins /
UMG: UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ENTERS INTO A STRATEGIC COLLABORATION WITH ETHICAL AI MUSIC COMPANY, KLAY
Mary Kate Carr /
AV Club: Universal Music Group partners with an “ethical A.I.” company
Wes Davis /
The Verge: Universal Music partners with AI company building an ‘ethical’ music generator
Daniel Tencer /
Music Business Worldwide: Universal Music enters into strategic partnership with AI music startup KLAY
The Hollywood Reporter:
Samsung says its FAST service, Samsung TV Plus, has 88M MAUs, on par with Roku Channel, Pluto, and Tubi, and has seen a 50%+ YoY increase in global viewership— The South Korean tech giant says that its Samsung TV Plus service now has 88 million monthly active users, on par with services like Roku Channel, Pluto, and Tubi.
Discussion:
Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Samsung TV Plus Reaches 88 Million Monthly Active Users
Asif Iqbal Shaik /
SamMobile: Samsung TV Plus has over 88 million active users globally
Bevin Fletcher /
StreamTV Insider: Samsung TV Plus has 88 million monthly active users
Emiliana Betancourt /
Variety: Watch ‘A Man on the Inside’ Trailer Starring Ted Danson; Samsung TV Plus Hits 88 Million Worldwide Users (TV News Roundup)
Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Samsung TV Plus Hits 88 Million Monthly Active Global Users
James Guttman /
Cord Cutters News: Samsung TV Plus Hits 88 Million Users: Leading the Shift Toward Free Streaming
George Winslow /
Tv Technology: Samsung TV Plus Hits 88 Million Monthly Active Users
Wayne Friedman /
MediaPost: Samsung's TV Plus FAST Platform Has 88M Monthly Active Users
Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Samsung TV Plus boasts 88 million monthly active users
Semafor:
A look at the debate inside WSJ about how management missteps in Moscow and security decisions made in New York may have put Evan Gershkovich at risk in Russia— The Scoop — The Wall Street Journal's triumphant, relieved coverage of Evan Gershkovich's release this August includes …
Discussion:
@williamsjon and @mediaevan
Discussion:
Jon Williams /
@williamsjon: No greater responsibility than safety of those you ask to go to dangerous places. So, WSJ right to review. But hindsight wonderful thing. As someone who saw colleagues detained, kidnapped, injured & worse, if mistakes made, am sure made in good faith. https://www.semafor.com/...
Notes From Poland:
State-owned Radio Kraków shuts down a channel run by AI “presenters” after less than a week, citing “the level of emotion that accompanied this experiment”— A Polish radio station that launched a channel run almost entirely by artificial intelligence …
Discussion:
Associated Press
Financial Times:
Interviews with current and former Snap employees detail Evan Spiegel's efforts to revive Snap, his divisive AR bet, high senior staff turnover, and more— Snapchat creator's ambitions in augmented reality and online advertising hit by growing strength of arch-rival Meta