In light of local publications suffering due to the effects of the coronavirus, two industry groups are combining forces to create an ad channel for regional media.

The Local Media Consortium (LMC) and the Brand Safety Institute, along with Scott Cunningham, consultant and founder of the IAB Tech Lab, have created the Local News Advertising Whitelist to connect national advertisers with local media properties.

Nobody puts prom in a corner. Indeed, prom is an enjoyable activity for teenagers, multiple sources told Adweek.

To help fill the void in light of the coronavirus canceling the fun, Teen Vogue is planning on offering two free virtual counterparts to these senior activities in an online prom in mid-May and commencement ceremony in early June.

“We wanted to be a place where we can bring everyone together and have a celebration and have some fun with our audience and bring some lightness into this dark time,” Teen Vogue editor in chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner told Adweek.

As the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the global economy, the travel industry—from airlines to hotels—has been hit particularly hard since people are self-isolating.

And the trickle-down effect is now starting to impact ad tech.

The second quarter is typically a peak period for brands in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry as winter turns to spring, but with an estimated 20% of the global population on lockdown, many people aren’t going anywhere this year.

In that same week of bailouts, Adara, an ad-tech outfit that specializes in the travel and tourism sector, began notifying inventory partners of an abrupt scaling back of media buys on its platforms.

Ask, and ye shall receive: A mere 12 hours after Airbnb Experiences global head of marketing Musa Tariq suggested changing the default text in Instagram’s questions sticker from, “Ask me a question,” to, “How can I help,” with the coronavirus pandemic in mind, the change was made.

Certain T-Mobile customers will get a free yearlong subscription to Quibi, the companies said Thursday, in a move that should boost early users of the ambitious streaming service debuting April 6 in a crowded streaming market.

Under the deal, T-Mobile customers who have two or more voice lines with T-Mobile will get a free yearlong subscription to Quibi’s ad-supported tier, which normally will cost $4.99 each month (the ad-free version is $7.99). Interested T-Mobile customers can sign up between April 2 and July 7 to get the offering added to their plan for no additional cost for the first year.

TripleLift, one of the leading lights of independent ad tech, has confirmed to Adweek that it shed 7% of its global headcount earlier today. The reduction in staffing was also accompanied by an unspecified number of furloughs.

News of the cutbacks emerged following a virtual all-hands where leadership informed attendees of the reduction in headcount, saying it was necessary as the company braced for an austere quarter. Advertisers across multiple industry verticals are pressing pause on campaigns, sending revenue projections plunging.

Social media giant Facebook announced Thursday evening that it would continue its support of America’s small businesses with a $40 million grant, providing new grants to 10,000 small businesses in 34 locations where Facebook employees live.

The initiative, which focuses on supporting “eligible minority and women-owned businesses,” will begin awarding money to small businesses in New York and Seattle next week, the company announced.

As the coronavirus pandemic shortens the commutes of most office workers to a matter of steps, the podcasts that would otherwise fill stretches of subway or car-bound boredom are suffering.

Data from measurement firm Podtrac shows audience growth for titles across the board dropped by about 15% through most of March—2% the first full week of the month, 8% the second and 5% for the week ended March 27—while downloads fell about 10% during the same time period.

FiscalNote, a Washington, D.C.-based tech firm, laid off more than a dozen staffers today at CQ Roll Call, a news organization that has long been a staple of reporting in the nation’s capital.

According to an email FiscalNote CEO Tim Hwang sent to staff, 30 people were fired on Thursday. Three staffers with knowledge of the layoffs told Adweek the layoffs came mostly from the editorial department. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of professional retribution.