Top News:
Associated Press:
Gannett says it has received Digital First Media's $1.36B takeover bid and that its board will evaluate the offer — DENVER (AP) — The publisher of USA Today has received a $1.36 billion takeover bid from a media group with a history of taking over struggling newspapers and slashing costs.
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Cara Lombardo / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Alden Capital's Digital First Media plans to bid for Gannett after quietly acquiring a 7.5% stake, will offer a 23% premium over Friday's closing price — A hedge-fund-backed media group known for buying up struggling local papers and cutting costs is planning to make an offer …
Discussion:
Press Gazette, CNN, MediaPost, @jcstearns, @brettkelman, The Wrap, @cararlombardo, @tauhidchappell, @mattdpearce, @usatoday, @keachhagey, @jbenton, @romenesko, @1cardsfan, @marybschneider, @loctastic, @sulliview, @mattsebastian, @bruce_arthur, @reidepstein, @ryanmartin, @dankennedy_nu, @marshallramsey, @nicoleauerbach, @jonathanvswan, @johnrobinson, @duanemarsteller, @jcstearns, @seandkennedy, @melaniesill, @kira_media, @nickreisman, @jcstearns, @terry_casey, @brianstelter, @charlesapple, @raju, @willlesterphoto, @tonyapb3, @bmarimow65, @mattsebastian, @robtornoe, @williams_paige, @blmohr and Reuters
Ken Doctor / Nieman Lab:
37% of Gannett's revenue is from digital, but its print ad revenue plummeted nearly 20% in 2018, and it has a duty to its shareholders to consider DFM's bid — Alden Global Capital, the most reviled newspaper owner in the business, now wants to buy Gannett, the United States' largest daily newspaper company.
Discussion:
USA Today
Mark Armstrong / WordPress:
WordPress has launched Newspack, a publishing platform aimed at small and medium-sized news outlets and backed by Google, ConsenSys, Lenfest, Knight, and others — Over the past 15 years, WordPress has grown to become the world's most popular publishing platform for the open web — and it's especially true for news organizations.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, @wordpressdotcom, PR Newswire, TechCrunch, The Keyword, VentureBeat, @ckrewson, @raju, @fundjournalism and @kinseywilson, more at Techmeme »
Ellen Cranley / INSIDER:
A lack of black reporters in an announcement about CBS journalists covering the 2020 election sparked debate on Twitter from writers, politicians, and others — - “Scandal” actress Kerry Washington and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were among Twitter users who criticized CBS for seemingly …
Discussion:
@aoc, The Wrap, @hotlinejosh, @hotlinejosh, @bfmitchell, Mediaite, @aoc, TVSpy, @hotlinejosh, @coribush, @jelani9, @hannahdrake628, @thetattooedprof, @cortez4prez2020, @mariatcardona, @bess_buy, @markos, @combatcavscout, @karaswisher, @saulgarzamedia, @aoc, @kathygriffin, @sifill_ldf, @rolandsmartin, @errollouis, @ciphersankofa, @slaughteram, @rgay, @emarvelous, @asteadwesley, @thisisinsider, @karenattiah, @ericka4cmsboard, @senatormgraham, @rgay, @aoc, The Independent, Yahoo, The Hill and News One
Sarah Mervosh / New York Times:
In a tweet, Stephen King urged his local paper The Portland Press Herald not to drop book reviews, so the paper asked for 100 new subscribers to help fund them — When the largest daily newspaper in Maine decided it was going to stop publishing regional book reviews, it caused …
Discussion:
Press Herald, Media Nation, Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, The Wrap, The A.V. Club, @ericawgnr, @amandamilkovits, @pressherald, @chasingray, @craigtimes, @nytimesbooks, @nickpacilio, @yvonnemintz, @ehernandez, @pressherald, @ilanaslightly, @mccanner, @lilykingbooks, @dankennedy_nu, @eringraceowh, @pamelapaulnyt and @b52malmet
Nicole LaPorte / Fast Company:
Netflix is spending big on a Hollywood-focused campaign to win a Best Picture Oscar for Alfonso Cuarón's film Roma, hosting parties, buying ads and promo items — It's no secret that winning awards in Hollywood goes beyond how good a movie or TV show is. There is a sophisticated art to a so-called awards campaign.
Discussion:
Observer, Hollywood Reporter, @nicolelaporte1 and @fastcompany
Andrew Albanese / Publishers Weekly:
Vermont-based indie publisher is suing Netflix for allegedly infringing its Choose Your Own Adventure trademark with the release of film Bandersnatch — Netflix has scored big with its interactive feature Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. But on January 11, Vermont-based indie publisher Chooseco LLC …
Discussion:
Bookseller News and Vanity Fair
James Walker / Press Gazette:
RSF: Afghan citizen journalist Javid Noori becomes first journalist to be killed in 2019, after the Taliban executed him on January 5 — Afghan citizen journalist Javid Noori has been executed by the Taliban, making him the first journalist to be killed in 2019.
BBC:
Scooter rental company Bird backs down and apologizes to Cory Doctorow after issuing him legal threats over a blogpost about modifying Bird scooters — A scooter firm has apologised after issuing a journalist with legal threats over a blogpost about its scooters.
Discussion:
Deadline, more at Techmeme »
Jessica Davies / Digiday:
In 2018, Politico Europe had $23M in revenue, a 50% increase in revenue YoY, with just under half of that coming from subscriptions — Politico Europe is hitting its stride with subscriptions revenue. — The publisher rolled out six paid-for products in 2018, leading to 50 percent growth in revenue compared to 2017.
Tim Ingham / Music Business Worldwide:
Report: Norway launches a criminal investigation over potential data fraud after claims that big stars' streaming numbers were inflated on Tidal — In an explosive story last year, TIDAL was placed at the center of a major alleged ‘fake streams’ scandal. — Norwegian financial newspaper …
Discussion:
Variety, The Verge, Engadget and hypebot, more at Techmeme »
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