Top News:


As expensive trial looms, Gawker releases financials: $6.52M in operating income in 2014 on $44.2M revenue — Breaking: This Is How Much Money Gawker Is Making — Despite Hulk of a lawsuit, financials show Gawker making money, moves. — In advance of the now-postponed trial between Gawker …
Discussion:
JIMROMENESKO.COM, Wall Street Journal, Quartz, @zseward, @alexweprin, @daviduberti, @danprimack and @kbsmoke
RELATED:

The Hulk Hogan versus Gawker sex tape trial delayed
Discussion:
Gawker, Tampa Bay Times, @petersterne, @brianstelter, Gawker, Poynter, 10NEWS, Reason and Poynter


On the road with teen social-media stars of DigiTour, estimated to bring in up to $20M in 2015 — On The Road With The Teen Social-Media Sensations Of DigiTour … Hayes Grier is hungry. It's well after 9 p.m., after a two-hour show and a long day, and the dinner delivery guy is running late …
Discussion:
Business Insider, The Awl and @digiphile


BBC to cut more than 1,000 jobs in cost-savings push — Managers and back office functions to be cut to make up for a funding shortfall of £150m largely due to the faster-than-expected switch to online viewing — The BBC is to cut more than 1,000 jobs, mainly by slashing layers …
Discussion:
Press Gazette, Deadline, ITV, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Plymouth Herald, Financial Times, Sky News, The Independent and Telegraph
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NUJ: BBC ‘sensible’ to target management ‘chiefs’ in latest round of job cuts
Discussion:
Variety and National Union of Journalists


Lifetime launches SVOD service, drawing on archive of movies, will charge $3.99 a month — Lifetime Digs Into Original Movie Vault to Launch SVOD Service — Lifetime is digging into its library of original movies to launch an SVOD service offering a package of about 30 vintage telepics for $3.99 a month.
Discussion:
Broadcasting & Cable, Adweek, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Consumerist and FierceCable


Salon Media Editorial Staff to Unionize With Writers Guild of America — The editorial department at Salon Media, Inc. is following in Gawker's footsteps by organizing with the Writer's Guild of America, East. — Staff writers announced the decision on Thursday with a letter …


Apple Music's Goal: Some Subscribers Now, Lots of Hardware Sales Later — Will Apple Music turn around the record business? Will Apple Music help Apple sell more iPhones and laptops? There are some guesses but little certainty to both questions. — While the music industry …
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Texas town apologizes for sending Gawker a FOIA request bill for $79K related to police abuse video, calls it a mistake — McKinney, Texas, Apologizes for “Erroneous” $79,000 FOIA Bill — Wednesday evening, a spokeswoman for McKinney, Texas, apologized to Gawker for sending a $79,000 bill …


In 2014, Fusion posted a loss of $35M, with $28.1M in revenue and $63.4M in expenses — Univision I.P.O. sheds light on Fusion's finances — Univision's upcoming I.P.O. will be the biggest media I.P.O. in years, thanks to the company's dominance among Spanish-language consumers.
Discussion:
@alexweprin, @mathewi, @steve_katz, @raju and Gawker


ESPN Denies Report on Keith Olbermann Censorship — ESPN has denied a story by the Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday that claimed the network wants host Keith Olbermann to suspend commentary from his program. — “Keith has never been told any topic is off limits for his commentary nor …
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Keith Olbermann and ESPN may be heading for another breakup
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, Deadspin, The Big Lead, Deadline, Mediaite, The Daily Caller and Sporting News Feed RSS


Spain's Citizen Security Law makes it illegal to disseminate content deemed “damaging” to police and security forces — Under Spain's gag law, covering the news could cost you — One evening last month, a police helicopter swooped over my neighborhood of mid-sized apartment blocks in Barcelona.
Discussion:
@taniel, @cjr, EL PAÍS and New York Times


Prince sends takedown requests to Spotify, Rdio, and Deezer — Prince Won't Stream 4 U (Unless You're On Tidal, Or Maybe Google Music) — Call it the Taylor effect: it looks like another high-profile musician is sharpening his arrows to take aim at how streaming music services pay artists.


MPAA paid to renovate screening rooms in at least four US embassies in 2014 as it lobbied US government on piracy and copyright rules — As Hollywood Lobbied State Department, It Built Free Home Theaters for U.S. Embassies — Four U.S. Embassies got upgraded screening rooms last year …
Discussion:
@eff, @robertfaturechi and @robertfaturechi


Facebook has held early talks with the major music labels, future plans may involve the company's video platform — Facebook is talking with music labels, but why? — Facebook has held talks with the major labels about “getting into music,” multiple sources tell The Verge.
Discussion:
Business Insider, VatorNews, RAIN News, hypebot, Guardian and @toptechticker