Axios PM: Ditching downloads

Plus: Inside the NCAA bubble | Thursday, March 18, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Facebook   Axios PM By Mike Allen ·Mar 18, 2021 Good afternoon: Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 445 words, a 2-minute read.     1 big thing: Biden's multifront response to Atlanta rampage A makeshift memorial outside the Gold Spa in Atlanta honors victims of this week's shootings. Photo: Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP   President Biden and Vice President Harris have responded swiftly to the massacre earlier this week, including restructuring tomorrow's previously planned trip to Atlanta: They scrapped an event celebrating the COVID stimulus and instead will meet with Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders. The White House has lowered flags in memory of the eight killed, including six Asian women, and administration officials have reached out to the AAPI community. Margaret Talev, Axios' managing editor for politics, said the response reflects both Biden's instincts and his engagement with the community during last year's campaign. Biden looked to AAPI voters to help put him over the top in the final weeks of his race against Donald Trump — and exit polling suggested they supported Biden over Trump by roughly 1 to 2. Biden acknowledged the hate and fear many in the community were experiencing around bogus COVID-related messaging. "These racist acts must stop," he said, vowing to address the targeting "with urgency and seriousness."      2. Data of the day: Ditching downloads Reproduced from RIAA. Chart: Axios Visuals The overwhelming majority of music revenues now comes from streaming, with less than 6% coming from digital downloads, Felix Salmon writes in Axios Capital. Artists and genres appealing to a younger audience see almost no downloads at all.     A message from Facebook It's time to update internet regulations     The internet has changed a lot in the 25 years since lawmakers last passed comprehensive internet regulations. It's time for an update. See how we're making progress on key issues and why we support updated regulations to set clear rules for addressing today's toughest challenges.     3. Catch up quick Cover:  Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya for TIME TIME writes in its cover package that amid the wave of anti-Asian racism, "Rather than turning to additional policing, community leaders have stressed the importance of grassroots organizing at this time, as well as the need for cross-community solidarity." Keep reading. 🎙️ Dan Bongino is joining the scramble for the late Rush Limbaugh's radio audience: Cumulus Media's Westwood One said that on May 24, Bongino will begin a three-hour show from noon to 3 p.m. (the Rush slot). — AP 🇫🇷 Paris will enter a month-long lockdown tomorrow as coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths spike. Go deeper. Apple plans to announce new iPads as early as April, adding a better processor and improved cameras to iPad Pro. — Bloomberg     4. 🏀 1 hoop thing: Inside the NCAA bubble The Florida basketball team is escorted to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis yesterday. Photo: Darron Cummings/AP 2,000 players and coaches have entered the NCAA's "controlled environment" in Indianapolis "for the three weeks of March Madness" beginning this evening, The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription). No one is sharing a hotel room and no two teams are on the same floor, measures ... the NCAA adopted to spread humans out as much as possible to limit the number of people who can be identified as close contacts in the event of a positive result. There won't be any team meals this year, as rules prohibit players from eating anywhere outside of their hotel rooms. No-contact delivery, however, is allowed and there's been a near constant flow of take-out until as late as 3 a.m. The teams' 34-person parties had to travel on 168-seat planes or via a fleet of three coach buses, The Journal reports.     A message from Facebook Facebook supports updated internet regulations     It's been 25 years since comprehensive internet regulations passed. But a lot has changed since 1996. See how we're taking action and why we support updated regulations to address today's challenges—protecting privacy, fighting misinformation, reforming Section 230, and more.     Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: