Aug 23, 2017

Herbst: Newspapers' antitrust exemption request is a long shot

Carolyn Kaster / AP

Newseum CEO Jeffrey Herbst said Tuesday that he doesn't have high hopes for the antitrust exemption newspapers want to negotiate a better deal with Facebook and Google."First of all, I don't think it's going to happen in the current environment," Herbst told me said at the Technology Policy Institute's annual conference. "And it was bad luck for the News Media Alliance that the Democrats then just came out a few weeks later with their platform — it featured, if anything, a skepticism of concentration in all its forms."Reminder: The Democrats' "Better Deal" package contains recommendations for strengthening antitrust laws, not weakening them as an exemption would do, albeit in an minor way.Why it matters: Questions are swirling about the power that the big tech platforms have over content publishers as legacy media outlets continue to struggle. It also feeds into the larger debate over whether the biggest tech firms are too powerful overall, especially when it comes to online advertising.

Go deeper

Axios

Updated 11 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10:30 p.m. ET: 20,532,835 — Total deaths: 747,845— Total recoveries: 12,743,275 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10:30 p.m. ET: 5,193,266 — Total deaths: 165,934 — Total recoveries: 1,714,960 — Total tests: 63,252,257 — Map.
Politics: Pelosi says Mnuchin told her White House is "not budging" on stimulus position.
Business: U.S. already feeling effects of ending unemployment benefits.
Public health: America's two-sided COVID-19 response — America is flying blind on its coronavirus response.
Education: New Jersey governor allows schools to reopen — Gallup: America's confidence in public school system jumps to highest level since 2004.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)

Axios

Updated 30 mins ago - Health

World coronavirus updates

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Axios Visuals

France reported more than 2,500 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours — the largest single-day number since May. French officials said the situation was "clearly worsening," per France 24.

By the numbers: Over 745,600 people have died of the novel coronavirus globally and over 20.4 million have tested positive, per Johns Hopkins. Almost 12.7 million have recovered from the virus.

Go deeper (2 min. read)

Jacob Knutson

42 mins ago - Health

U.S. reports 1,485 coronavirus deaths in a single day

Healthcare workers handling coronavirus tests in Los Angeles on August 11. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The U.S. reported 1,485 deaths due to the coronavirus on Wednesday, COVID Tracking Project data shows.

Why it matters: It's the highest single-day COVID-19 death toll since May 15, when the country reported 1,507 deaths. The U.S. has seen a total of 157,758 deaths from the virus.