Mediagazer: Moody's sees “little evidence” that digital subs will help US newspapers and magazines (Jim Romenesko)

9:35 AM ET, September 23, 2014

Top News:

Los Angeles Register to immediately cease publication — The Los Angeles Register, which launched in April as part Aaron Kushner's bold bet on print newspapers, will cease publication, effective immediately. — Orange County Register co-owner Aaron Kushner announced the decision Monday night in a memo sent to employees.

Discussion: JIMROMENESKO.COM, Guardian, Media Nation, @mattdpearce, @jimbradysp, @davidfolkenflik, @hillelaron, LA Observed and @earleyoc

Peter Kafka / Re/code:

Apple won't shut down the Beats Music streaming service, but the Beats Music brand may change — Apple's Beats Music Brand May Go Away. Apple's Beats Music Service Is Sticking Around. — Earlier this year, Apple bought Beats Music and Beats Electronics for $3 billion.

Margaret Sullivan / New York Times:

An Article on Shonda Rhimes Rightly Causes a Furor — The article on the television producer Shonda Rhimes hadn't yet appeared in Sunday's paper, but the virtual world was ablaze in protest over it on Friday after it was published online. — Written by the longtime TV critic, Alessandra Stanley …

Esquire:

On Fareed Zakaria and plagiarism: anonymous media watchdogs explore CNN's lack of response — CNN DOES NOT GET TO CHERRYPICK THE RULES OF JOURNALISM — The news is evolving. Old media is not evolving with it. … Over the past month, two anonymous journalists have detailed several dozen examples …

Discussion: Poynter, The Week, Politico, The Buttry Diary, @jaredbkeller, @leducviolet, @planetoffinks, Inside Cable News and @jayrosen_nyu

J.K. Trotter / Gawker:

The (Atlantic) Wire Is Shutting Down — The Wire, formerly known at The Atlantic Wire, is shutting down, according to an internal memo obtained by Gawker. The breaking news site will be folded into the main site of The Atlantic magazine. Co-presidents James Bennett and Bob Cohn sent …

Discussion: FishbowlDC, Poynter, FishbowlNY, The New York Observer, @jbenton, @kansasalps, @mathewi, Capital New York, Talking Points Memo, LA Observed, MediaWire Daily, @mkonnikova, @jktrotter, @thestalwart, @clarajeffery, @adamclarkestes and @b_fung

The Tyee:

The Tyee Names Jane Armstrong Its New Editor-in-Chief — Veteran Canadian journalist set to steer ‘the best newsroom in British Columbia.’ — The new editor-in-chief of The Tyee is the experienced, highly decorated Canadian journalist Jane Armstrong. She will take over the day-to-day running …

Discussion: @ejanearmstrong and Rehak/Stuebing Mostly Media

Jim Romenesko:

Moody's sees “little evidence” that digital subs will help US newspapers and magazines — Moody's: ‘Our outlook for the U.S. newspapers and magazines sector is negative’ — No surprise: A new report from Moody's Investors Service says the outlook for newspapers and magazines “is negative through at least late 2015.”

Discussion: Guardian

Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times:

A Tailor-Made Publisher Taking Over Jeff Bezos' Washington Post — WASHINGTON — Frederick J. Ryan Jr. juggles black-tie invitations, while Jeff Bezos shuns the social limelight for reading about space travel. — Former colleagues of Mr. Ryan joke that for him casual Friday is a day without …

Discussion: @nytimesbusiness and @markberman

Mark Sweney / Guardian:

Mashable appoints Blathnaid Healy and Tim Chester as Editor and Deputy Editor of UK site — Mashable appoints editor for new London office as UK audience grows — Social media site's first operation outside of US to be headed by Blathnaid Healy, with Tim Chester taking deputy editor role

Discussion: Mashable

Peter Kafka / Re/code:

HBO, Amazon Prime and Broadband for $40 a Month at AT&T — It's still nearly impossible to get HBO, or any other pay-TV channel, without subscribing to a pay-TV package that gives you a bundle of channels, whether you want them or not. — But the people who sell you TV are starting to tinker with the model, at least at the margins.

Discussion: Variety, Engadget and The Verge

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Disney's Maker Studios Pacts with MiTú to Produce Latino YouTube Content — Maker Studios, the YouTube multichannel network owned by Disney, reached an exclusive deal with Latino-focused MCN MiTú to develop original and branded content aimed at the fast-growing U.S. Hispanic market.

Ilya Khrennikov / Bloomberg:

Springer, Pearson Independence in Russia Tested by Media Bill — Russia's planned amendments to media law are threatening independent publications run by companies such as News Corp. (NWSA), Pearson Plc (PSON) and Axel Springer SE in the country, according to the Moscow-based Center for Political Technologies.

Discussion: ITAR-TASS

Committee to Protect Journalists:

CPJ urges US to mitigate threats to journalism, newsgathering — Dear President Obama: The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide, is writing to express its concern about the effects of intelligence and law enforcement …

Discussion: The Huffington Post and @quintsimon