Media Insider: US Slips Again in Press Freedom Ranking, NYT Loses Subscribers, Twitter and Bloomberg Team Up for 24/7 News Stream
Welcome to Media Insider, PR Newswire’s round-up of media stories from the week.
Photo by Matthew and Heather, used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
THE WASHINGTON POST | CHRISTINA BARRON
On World Press Freedom Day, Student Shares Her Opinion On Why A Free Press Matters
The Washington Post asked readers in grades four through eight to share thoughts about the free-press guarantees in the Constitution. Eighth-grader Jahnavi Dave won the KidsPost essay contest — she talked about the relation between free press and technology. Dave says a free press is vital to keeping people informed about issues like climate change, terrorism, and government power. “Without having knowledge about current problems, we cannot work together to solve them,” she wrote in her essay.
Did you know? The US is ranked 43rd — down two places — in the Reporters Without Borders report on how well countries protect journalists
BUSINESS INSIDER | SONAM SHETH
People are Furiously Canceling Their New York Times Subscriptions After an Op-Ed Disputing Climate Change Was Published
The New York Times is losing subscribers after making the decision to publish an anti-global warming column by newly-hired Bret Stephens. Stephens was added to the NYT team to widen the range of views it provides to its audience. Business Insider reports that Stephens’ column was met with angry responses from subscribers — including scientists — who took to Twitter to bash the paper for the hire and announce their canceled subscriptions.
ICYMI: The New York Times has also introduced a new campaign called “Say Something Nice About Donald Trump.”
VARIETY | TODD SPANGLER
BuzzFeed’s Latest Viral Craze: Ex-Staffers Bashing the Company on YouTube
Ex-BuzzFeed staffers have taken to YouTube to do what they do best — make viral videos. This time, however, staffers are going viral for why they left BuzzFeed. Variety reports that about twenty ex-staffers have created confessional videos that have garnered millions of views. Among the reasons for leaving, ex-staffers say they sought more creative freedom and independence.
RECODE | KURT WAGNER
Facebook Has Found A Head of News Products to Help Fight Its False News Problem
Facebook named Alex Hardiman, formerly of The New York Times, as its new head of news products. Hardiman will work with news publishers to build storytelling formats and combat the spread of misinformation, according to Recode. This hire is one of several steps by Facebook to show its seriousness about “preventing false news from gaining traction on the network.”
Related: AP’s Fact Check Team Shares 6 Ways to Fight the Spread of Fake News
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL | LUKAS I. ALPERT
Twitter Teams Up With Bloomberg for Streaming News
Twitter has partnered with Bloomberg to produce a 24/7 news channel that will begin operating this fall soley on Twitter. According to The Wall Street Journal, the channel will feature live news reporting from Bloomberg’s bureaus around the world. The news is intended for an intelligent audience and supports Twitter’s efforts to attract cord-cutters to the network.
But, that’s not all: Twitter announces 16 new livestreaming partners at its first NewsFronts presentation.
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Tabresha B. Langham is a Customer Content Specialist with PR Newswire. She also is a social media junkie, foodie, music fiend and Auburn University Alumn (War Eagle!). Tune into her insights as a social curator at @PRNmedia, or follow @TabreshaL.
