Top News:
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
As Sinclair seemed to waver briefly on support of Boris Epshteyn's views, a look at some other political segments that have aired on its 191 stations — For months, Sinclair Broadcast Group fed a steady stream of news stories and commentaries favorable to conservatives and critical …
Discussion:
Poynter, @jeremymbarr, @farhip, @jayrosen_nyu, @wearesinclair, NAHJ, @andrewmseaman, @jayrosen_nyu and @jbillinson
Carl Meyer / National Observer:
Vice reporter Ben Makuch loses his case at the Supreme Court of Canada, which upholds an order to turn over his conversations with a source to the police — #87 of 87 articles from the Special Report: — Vice Media reporter Ben Makuch has lost his case at the Supreme Court of Canada …
Sheila Dang / Reuters:
AT&T says it's considering selling its Hulu stake to help reduce its $183B debt and that WarnerMedia's streaming service will have three price tiers — (Reuters) - AT&T Inc (T.N) said on Thursday it has committed to cutting its heavy debt load next year through a variety of measures …
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, Variety, MediaPost, @thr, @memles, @loudmouthjulia, @awolk, @nitrateville, @disneytva, @mcastimovies, /Film, Bloomberg, Engadget, Deadline, Variety, Business Wire and CNN, more at Techmeme »
Max Read / New York Magazine:
How the “Content Cycle” mirrors the infinite and sustaining water cycle, as content moves from social networks to bloggers to cable TV, and then back to social — On Thursday night, Tucker Carlson, his brow furrowed in a perfect imitation of a human facial expression …
Discussion:
@max_read, @paulblu, @max_read, @sternbergh, @selectall, @adamgurri, New York Post, The Daily Caller and Fox News Insider
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Facebook is streaming Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly for free starting today in the US in an effort to drive adoption of its Watch Party feature — Facebook is playing the nostalgia card in its latest bid to drive up video viewing — and video ad sales.
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, Fidji Simo, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Vanity Fair, USA Today and The Wrap
Dan Kennedy / WGBH:
Proposed FCC rule would cut the budget of community TV stations by allowing cable providers to deduct the cost of local programming from franchising fees — The Federal Communications Commission has opened a new front in its war on behalf of corporations and against the public it purportedly serves.
Discussion:
@wgbhnews
Jon Lafayette / Broadcasting & Cable:
PQ Media report: worldwide spending on digital and traditional media content, access, and technology will average ~$325 per year, up 5.1% YoY — Global consumer spending on media content and technology is expected to grow 6% to $1.842 trillion this year, boosted by the Winter Olympics and World Cup, according to PQ Media.
Tavi Gevinson / Rookie:
Rookie magazine is folding, writes Editor-in-Chief Tavi Gevinson, though the site will remain up for a few more months — It is with a very full heart that I write that this is the last post on Rookie. The site will stay up for at least a few months, the shop will stay up until the end of the year, but the publication is folding.
Discussion:
@jennygzhang, @tavitulle, @mmasnick, @fuggirls, @sadydoyle, @lindaholmes, @brodielancaster, @agentlover, @joecoscarelli, @tywrent, @stgramophone, NPR, Boing Boing, The Verge, Fashionista, The Daily Beast and PAPER
Monica Hunter-Hart / Bustle:
Through Flint Beat, the outlet she founded, Jiquanda Johnson has become both journalist and activist as she covers the water crisis, discrimination, and poverty — The world knows Flint, Michigan, as the site of a four-year-long water crisis that's exposed more than 100,000 people to lead toxins …
Kyle Pope / Columbia Journalism Review:
CJR partners with Galley, a platform for discussing journalism through Q&As, AMAs, articles, and conversation threads — For years now, we've been looking for a way to open up CJR, to invite people in to talk, to debate, to think things through. — It is one of the biggest frustrations …
Discussion:
@mathewi
Peter Kafka / Recode:
Mic has laid off a majority of its 100-person staff ahead of Bustle acquisition; publisher Cory Haik has already left, sources say the cofounders will remain — The publisher is trying to sell the remainder of the company to Bustle Digital Group. — Mic is laying off the majority off …
Discussion:
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Benjamin Mullin / Wall Street Journal:
Source: Mic Network has agreed to sell to Bustle Digital Group for about $5M, a fraction of Mic's valuation of $100M based on its investment round in April 2017
Source: Mic Network has agreed to sell to Bustle Digital Group for about $5M, a fraction of Mic's valuation of $100M based on its investment round in April 2017
Discussion:
@ryanchittum, @benmullin, @jeremysliew, @mikkipedia, @mikeisaac, @oneunderscore__, @oneunderscore__, The Real Deal New York, @mikeisaac, @jeremysliew, @benmullin, @trengriffin, @mattdpearce, @mattdpearce, The Wrap, @mikkipedia, @daviduberti, @ahylton26, @mathewi, @chrstphr_woody, @karnythia, @angryblacklady, @awolfeful, @kelseymsutton, @davidsrudin, @dfnssr, @sophiekleeman, @abu_zafar, @dmedin11, @ptrmsk, @noahshachtman, @clarajeffery, @yashar, @shanedkavanaugh, @johndiesattheen, @rafat, @zzzzaaaacccchhh, @maxwellstrachan, @shaig, @alexisohanian, @emilybell, @rafat, @kylepope, New York Post, Variety and Adweek
Jon Lafayette / Broadcasting & Cable:
VAB report: 73% of adults who stream video watch ad-supported OTT video, 90% of adults 25-34 stream video, up 18% since 2016, but only 10% of homes are OTT only — New report points to added reach and improved outcomes — With over-the-top becoming the shiny new thing catching advertisers' eyes …
Day One: The Amazon Blog:
Apple Music will be available on Amazon Echo devices beginning the week of December 17 — Apple Music is coming to Echo devices in the coming weeks. — Music has always been one of Alexa's most popular features and today we're excited to announce that Apple Music will be available on Echo devices beginning the week of December 17.
Keith J. Kelly / New York Post:
AMI is trying to raise $450M to refinance multiple loans, including a $100M loan that was used to buy Bauer Publishing's celebrity titles — National Enquirer and Us Weekly publisher American Media Inc. is attempting for a second time in four months to refinance its mountain of debt.