Top News:
Hollywood Reporter:
Nexstar confirms it is acquiring Tribune Media Co. for $4.1B; the deal will make it the biggest operator of local TV stations in the US — The deal, worth $6.4 billion when including debt, will make the company the largest operator of local U.S. television stations.
Discussion:
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Broadcasting & Cable, CNBC, Variety, Ad Age and Multichannel News
RELATED:
Cynthia Littleton / Variety:
Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook says he has already spoken with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai about Tribune acquisition, as company seeks federal approval — Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook is taking a friendly approach to the FCC and other regulators as he begins the PR effort …
Hannah Ellis-Petersen / The Guardian:
Rappler's Maria Ressa, charged with tax evasion after coverage critical of Philippine gov't, says she'll surrender to police after an arrest warrant was issued — Editor of independent news website Rappler has been released on bail over charges she says are being used to intimidate her
Discussion:
@karaswisher, CNN, @kippenbergj, @fcchk, @kathleencarrll, @ewong, @dangillmor, @raju, @voltairetupaz, @kenroth, @amlwhere, @karaswisher, @davidakaye, @hannahep, @greta, @simonostrovsky, @danapriest, RAPPLER and Peter O'Kelly's Reality Check
RELATED:
Camille Elemia / RAPPLER:
Rappler CEO Maria Ressa posts bail of 60K Philippine Pesos, after court finds probable cause that Rappler's parent company failed to disclose tax info — (3rd UPDATE) The case at the Pasig court is just one of the 5 tax cases the Department of Justice has filed against Rappler Holdings Corporation and its president Maria Ressa
Discussion:
@mariaressa, @daveyalba and Financial Times
Warren P. Strobel / Wall Street Journal:
CIA intercepts show MbS sent at least 11 Whatsapp messages to his closest advisor, who oversaw the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, before and after the murder — Conclusion that Prince Mohammed bin Salman ‘probably ordered’ killing relies in part on 11 messages he sent to adviser who oversaw hit squad around time it killed journalist
Discussion:
New York Times, @jimsciutto, @amyfiscus, @pierrebri, @gregolear, @tribelaw, Press Gazette, The Week and Politico
RELATED:
Simon Owens / What's New in Publishing:
When BuzzFeed relied on native ads it praised Facebook, but after failing to scale that business, it's now alarmed by Facebook/Google like any other publisher — I can't be the only person who was genuinely perplexed by the interview BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti gave to The New York Times last week.
Discussion:
The Drum
Sarah Krouse / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Oath executives are exploring subscriptions for HuffPost news and Yahoo Sports content after digital ad sales miss revenue targets — Oath media unit at the wireless carrier to focus on e-commerce and paid subscriptions to content — Verizon Communications Inc.'s VZ 1.43% Oath unit …
Discussion:
@benmullin, @maxwellstrachan and @mdudas
Paul Bond / Hollywood Reporter:
Glenn Beck's TheBlaze and Mark Levin's CRTV are to merge, creating a conservative-media entity called Blaze Media which they say will reach 165M people — The homes of Glenn Beck and Mark Levin are combining to create Blaze Media, which insiders say will reach 165 million people via television, digital platforms and social media.
Discussion:
Newser, CNN, @benshapiro, CNBC, Mediaite, The Wrap, @owillis, @billyhallowell, @crtv, @glennbeck, @saragonzalestx and @heckyessica
Aimee Rinehart / First Draft:
How collaborative verification project in Brazil, Comprova, used WhatsApp for Business API and Zendesk to fact-check ~70K questions during the latest elections — First DraftBlockedUnblockFollowFollowing — The collaborative journalism project was the first to have special access to one of Brazil's most popular apps
Jason Wilson / The Guardian:
Far-right activist and ex-Breitbart journalist Milo Yiannopoulos is $2M+ in debt, with creditors including his employees and Breitbart writer Allum Bokhari — Cache details deterioration in relationship between far right activist and his former Gold Coast-based promoters
Jon Levine / The Wrap:
Speaking at UBS media conference, New York Times COO Meredith Levien said some print subscribers are paying upwards of $1000/year for the paper — The New York Times has long been the gold standard of journalism in the United States, but for an unknown number of print subscribers …
Discussion:
@sarafischer
Washington Post:
The Washington Post is adding reporters in West Africa and Brazil from 2019, bringing total number of foreign correspondents to 30 in 22 locations — With this latest step in its international expansion, The Post will have its largest foreign-based staff in its history. — By WashPostPR