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Local news network Patch is now profitable, with $20M in ad revenue a year, but wants to offer deeper coverage and is exploring AI, paid memberships, and more — Patch is reemerging as local newspapers decline. — Perhaps you've read that the future of media is in peril. But that's probably overstating the case.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Nieman Lab, @niemanlab, @jasonabbruzzese and @mathewi


Source: American Media sought advice from the DOJ over whether it should register as a foreign agent after working with Saudi Arabia — American Media inquired about having to register as foreign agent after publishing glossy magazine promoting Saudi Arabia and its new crown prince
Discussion:
Vanity Fair, @edbott, @edbott, @bgrueskin, @rebeccaballhaus, @natashabertrand, @edbott, @edbott, @bykowicz, @edbott, The Week, @edbott, @lrozen and Boing Boing


Bob Costas, a sports broadcasting icon, on how his criticism of the NFL and its handling of the CTE scandal led to him leaving NBC — IN DECEMBER 2015, the movie “Concussion” was set for a Christmas Day release in nearly 3,000 theaters across America. The film told the story of the NFL's attempts …
Discussion:
@espn, Poynter, @njhoopshaven, @morgfair, @walsha, @ddiamond, @tvaziri, @juang_arango, @stevecapus, @zigmanfreud, @jonheyman, @bruce_arthur, @randfish, @mathewi, @paulosophia, @janesports, CNN, Awful Announcing, @nmercad, @jeffnesbit, @bballbreakdown, @domeniconpr, @julietmacur, @markfwespn, @torrainewalker, @tjmoe28, New York Times, @vosdscott, @richarddeitsch, @markfwespn, Variety, Vanity Fair, TVNewser, Newser, Slate and The Wrap


As Fox News' opinion programming comes under scrutiny, the network's pitch to advertisers is more focused on the popularity of its news anchors and their shows — Whether or not they watch Fox News Channel regularly, a lot of people talk about its primetime hosts: Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson.
Discussion:
TVNewser


Former Tribune Publishing CEO Justin Dearborn, who resigned in January, has joined talent agency ICM Partners as its COO — Former Tribune Publishing CEO Justin Dearborn has joined ICM Partners as chief operating officer. — Dearborn comes to ICM in the newly created position after heading …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, @davidfolkenflik, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and @emilybell


A group of French Twitter personalities, called LOL League, is accused of coordinating harassment campaigns against female and LGBTQ writers and people of color — A secret group of mainly male French journalists have been accused of coordinating a sprawling, yearslong campaign …
Discussion:
The Guardian, @tomnamako, @schemaly, @drakefenton and @broderick


Thrillist has made its first content acquisition, buying “Send Foodz” from YouTube's food comedians Timothy DeLaGhetto and David So — - Thrillist Makes First Content Acquisition With Food Show From YouTube's Timothy DeLaGhetto, David So — Thrillist, the food …
Discussion:
@groupninemedia


Viacom's VidCon, a conference for online video creators, is launching in London this week as part of an expansion into international markets — “There is such a great group of creators in the U.K.,” says Jim Louderback, the CEO of the Viacom-owned events business that has been making an international push.


CICAE, a European trade body representing art house cinemas, has criticized the Berlin Film Festival for including a Netflix film in its competition line-up — In an open letter to Berlin festival director Dieter Kosslick and the German culture minister, cinema owners criticized the inclusion …


Former Marketplace reporter Lewis Wallace, fired for refusing to take a post on journalistic objectivity down, is crowdfunding a podcast exploring the subject — The American journalism community fancies itself a completely neutral estate, the poster child for objectivity. But this conceit is, at best, ahistorical.
Discussion:
@mathewi, @chasdanner, @cjr, @a_w_gordon, @will_bunch, @janebsinger, @lewispants and @jayrosen_nyu


Complex has licensed six of its shows to Netflix and another 10 to Hulu in 2019 — “QB1: Beyond the Lights” is a reality show that follows three star high school quarterbacks during their final season before they move on to play college football. Produced by Complex Networks with …
Discussion:
@digiday, @richantoniello and @sizpatel

Hearst Magazines President Troy Young has been named Vice Chairman of IAB's board for 2019, which a number of media execs have also joined — IAB today announced it has elected Rik van der Kooi, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Advertising, as Chairman of the trade organization's Board of Directors.