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Facebook finally delivers on its promise to label ‘state-controlled’ media
Beginning today, Facebook will label media outlets that are wholly or partially under the editorial control of their government.
Facebook lets users in the US and Canada move media to Google Photos
Facebook users in the US and Canada can now transfer their photos and videos to Google Photos thanks to a new data portability tool. The feature is part of the Data Transfer Project, an agreement between Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter to simplify data transfers. Facebook introduced the tool late last year, and it is already available in several other countries.
Windows 10 preview adds COVID-19 info to the search box
The latest Windows 10 preview build includes more coronavirus info and Your Phone media controls.
Facebook's plan to label state media is taking longer than expected
Facebook's effort to label state-backed media has hit some snags. The social network was due to start labeling outlets in November, but CNN Business found that the company clearly missed the target, and didn't have a specific answer as to when the transparency move might be ready. A spokesperson would only say that Facebook will "begin [labelling] soon," and that there would be a gradual rollout as the firm worked with publishers and third-party advisors to ensure it "get[s] this right."
Apple commits to making new media apps for Windows
It seems that Apple is finally turning its attention to its Windows users. A new Apple job listing reveals that the company is hiring software engineers to build "the next generation of media apps for Windows," with the blurb suggesting the company could be looking to introduce Windows apps akin to those already offered on Mac.
Tap Strap 2 adds gesture control to any Bluetooth-enabled device
Tap made a name for itself with its futuristic wearable keyboards, now it's introduced a new Minority Report-style feature guaranteed to make you feel like you're in a sci-fi movie. The Tap Strap 2's new AirMouse feature lets you control any Bluetooth-connected device with a simple, untethered wave of the hand.
Gnarbox 2.0: Portable media management for the outdoor crowd
The original Gnarbox was intriguing. On the one hand, it was a rugged portable drive. On the other, it was a mini PC without a display. Via the companion app, you could connect to the device wirelessly and edit 4K video and high-resolution photos. Today, Gnarbox 2.0 is ready for prime time, and it's a very different proposition.
Twitter outage takes down Tweetdeck, affects images and DMs
Be nice to any journalists you see on Twitter right now -- Tweetdeck is down and it's a headache for everyone. While the company has said it's aware of issues and investigating, problems have also hit regular users, who aren't seeing new DMs at the moment, or may have trouble adding extra stuff to tweets like images, videos and polls. In a tweet, the company said it's working on a fix and that things "should be back to normal soon."
FCC approves Nexstar’s $6.4 billion acquisition of Tribune Media
The long, drawn out saga over Tribune Media Company's fate could soon come to an end. Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the sale of Tribune to Nexstar Media Group. The $6.4 billion deal will create the nation's largest local TV broadcaster and local media company, Nexstar said previously.
Turkey requires broadcast licenses for online media providers
Turkey is extending its internet clampdown to media providers. The country now requires that all online content companies obtain broadcast licenses from TV regulator RTUK, which will also watch over their content. If they run afoul of RTUK's rules, they'll have 30 days to alter their content or risk losing their licenses for three months, or indefinitely if they don't mend their ways. The move will dictate the content for both streaming services like Netflix as well as news outlets.
Google Files gets better playback controls for offline media
Google says 100 million people are using the Files app for Android each month, and it has just revealed some quality-of-life improvements that'll benefit people beyond helping them free up 8 GB of space every second. Offline playback for music and video is getting a boost with controls to skip, rewind and fast-forward your media. It's a minor, albeit surely welcome update for those who manage tunes or MP4s in Files.
Researchers find Twitter is good for amplifying lies
When it comes to spreading President Trump's false and misleading remarks, Twitter is a perfect storm. A study by Media Matters found that when tweeting about Trump's statements, major news outlets include false information 30 percent of the time. And 65 percent of the time, news outlets fail to provide corrections or context in the body of those tweets. That's especially troublesome given that so many people get their news via tweets and headlines and do not fully read most stories, where they might find more context.
Burn FilmStruck, spoil UltraViolet, but you can’t take my DVDs
I haven't watched a DVD in a while. Long enough that I've thought about donating all of my discs to goodwill. But when I Kondo'd my possessions, the bulk of my media remained in place as they kinda/sorta sparked joy. (That's a lie, I was deep into the sunk cost fallacy to just toss a small fortune's worth of DVDs, which is a bit like joy, right?) Now, however, the recent news in the digital media makes me want to hold my discs and never ever let them go.
Apple may relaunch its Netflix for magazines service in the spring
Apple may launch a new version of Texture, a magazine subscription app it bought in March, in the spring. However, publishing executives are reportedly wary of including their products in the service and potentially losing revenue to Apple's all-in-one model.
Music streaming is fueling vinyl's resurgence
Streaming has been blamed for killing off the CD, but industry experts agree it's helping bolster the growth and quality of another physical music format: vinyl. Since 2015, streaming income has eclipsed CD sales, and the likes of Apple Music and Spotify have become major players in the music industry. This year the Recording Industry Association of America reported that 75 percent of music revenue in the United States came from streaming services. In the past three years, vinyl sales in the US have steadily risen about $2 million annually.
Google adds more media and messaging options to Android Auto
Google is rolling out media playback and messaging updates on Android Auto to make it more convenient while keeping safety at the forefront. The refreshed media interface should quickly help you find something you want to listen to , while the system can display short previews of texts -- but only when the car is stopped.
Facebook won't require political ad labels for news outlets
Earlier this year, Facebook announced and enacted a plan to require all political advertisements to carry a "Paid for by" label and be listed in an ad archive. Now the company is granting an exemption for those requirements to legitimate news publications. Promoted posts and ads run by approved news outlets will once again able to appear in the News Feed without undergoing Facebook's transparency protocol. The exemption will start in the UK (today also marks the start of ad transparency enforcement in the region) and will come to the US and other countries next year.
Facebook donates £4.5 million to help train UK newspaper reporters
Facebook is extending another olive branch to the news industry in the form of a £4.5 million ($5.8 million) donation to subsidize 80 trainee journalists at local newspapers in the UK. It's the first time Facebook has offered such a pledge, which it's making as part of its new Community News Project.
Snapchat is opening up your shared Stories to media partners
Snapchat is opening up public, user-submitted videos to the "Our Stories" feature to its media partners. Soon, the likes of CNN and NBC News will pull from public videos to supplement their own stories. Deadline writes that media companies using Snapchat will likely overlay graphics and text to the videos for context. For example, folks attending a late-season baseball game and adding it to the Our Stories for the game could see their footage in a post from ESPN.
Viacom acquires youth-focused AwesomenessTV
AwesomenessTV, an online video company owned by Comcast, Dreamworks, Hearst and Verizon, began as a YouTube channel aimed squarely at millennials and teens. It expanded into more traditional media and was the driving force behind DreamWorksTV on YouTube. Now, Nickelodeon-owner Viacom has acquired the company; CNBC reports the purchase price to be $300 million.
