For the Record

"Fool's Bargain":

According to The New York Times, "more than 200,000 people subscribed to Apple News Plus in its first 48 hours." Reporter Edmund Lee continued: "Some executives who said yes to the plan seemed less than sanguine, but they declined to comment publicly for fear of upsetting Apple or violating the ironclad nondisclosure agreements the news companies had signed." Vice media reporter David Uberti noted that the current subscription base amounts to "$12 million/year split between 300 publishers."

"Grotesque Crime":

In an op-ed for The Washington Post, Columbia University President and Pulitzer Prize Board member Lee Bollinger detailed a potential legal strategy for prosecuting the Saudi agents who assassinated Jamal Khashoggi. "It would be somewhat novel to prosecute the murder of a noncitizen abroad, committed by noncitizens — and there would be legal hurdles to overcome — but there are reasonable legal bases for a U.S. federal investigation and prosecution," said Bollinger. "Extraterritorial jurisdiction may be appropriate, for instance, where a crime offends the vital interests of the prosecuting state."

"I Left My Newspaper In El Segundo":

Since purchasing the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Soong-Shiong has moved the newspaper to a new facility in El Segundo, expanded the newsroom staff by nearly 100 employees and signed Executive Editor Norman Pearlstine to a multi-year contract. "If you think about [Soon-Shiong’s] ambitions and what the brand lets you do, we need to do additional hiring as we roll out some of these products that we think will induce people to pay for content," said Pearlstine. "What we've done over the last eight months has been to fill critical vacancies that had resulted from either layoff, buyouts or attrition."

New Projects:

ProPublica announced that it will expand its Local Reporting Network Thursday. According to a press release, the nonprofit newsroom is "accepting applications for six more news organizations to do investigative projects as part of our network" and hiring five staffers to work on these projects. Applications are due April 26. (ProPublica Editor-in-Chief Stephen Engelberg is a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board, and Executive Chairman Paul Steiger is a past chair of the Board.)

"The Sweetest Spot":

The Facebook Journalism Project hosted the "Accelerate: Local News" summit under Chatham House rules in Denver in conjunction with the Online News Association and the Knight Foundation. According to Ithaca College journalism student and Instagram host Malick Mercier, "Real data, finances — all the things we keep so secret — were out on the table so that everyone could offer the best, most tailored, authentic advice."

"Not Forgetting":

The Marshall Project has launched News Inside, a print iteration of its criminal justice reporting for prisoners. Since its introduction in early March, the publication has circulated in 30 facilities in 19 states. The project was the brainchild of Lawrence Bartley, a communications associate who began working for the digital newsroom following his parole last year after 27 years of incarceration.

The Final Frontier:

Axios has hired former Mashable reporter Miriam Kramer to serve as its space reporter and editor of the new Axios Space Newsletter, launching on April 9. According to Talking Biz News, Kramer "will cover the science and business of space, from the latest industry news to the wonders of the universe." Last week, Vice President Pence announced a White House mandate to send a manned mission to the moon by 2024.

"Experience and Knowledge":

High Times has struggled to gain a foothold against a new generation of competitors and is increasingly dependent upon revenue from its Cannabis Cup trade shows. According to OneZero, Editor in Chief Mike Gianakos is "prioritizing diversity in readership, staff and freelancers to include more women and minorities" while shepherding a return to the unconventional editorial approach of the magazine's heyday.

"Dynamic Newsroom":

Variety has hired Lesley McKenzie as managing editor. McKenzie has served as deputy editor of C magazine for the last five years. "Lesley comes to this job with exactly the kind of deep experience, management and organizational skills, editorial smarts, and steady demeanor that we need,” said Co-Editor-in-Chief Claudia Eller.

"Regain Trust":

During a Sunday appearance on Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter, Knight Foundation CEO Alberto Ibragüan announced three grants as part of its $300 million, five-year Future of Local News initiative. One million will be allocated to to the Local Independent Online News Publishers, along with $1.5 million to the News Revenue Hub and $3.5 million to the Institute for Nonprofit News.