Top News:
Wall Street Journal:
Cable operator Altice USA agrees to acquire streaming-video network Cheddar for $200M; Cheddar founder Jon Steinberg to become president of the Altice News unit — Cheddar founder and CEO Jon Steinberg is set to become president of Altice News, overseeing Cheddar, News 12 and i24News
Discussion:
Adweek, Fast Company, Altice USA, Inc., CNN, @lilliannnn, @felixsalmon, TechCrunch, Business Insider, The Wrap, Crain's New York Business, Talking Biz News, @gitagovinda, @melisoncheddar, Benzinga, @adamsinger, @richbtig, @arashmassoudi, @lisahopeking, @rafat, @edmundlee and @adamsinger, more at Techmeme »
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
ESPN announces plans to shut down ESPN The Magazine in September after 21 years; the company is considering publishing standalone print issues — ESPN, the sports-media giant with an influence that extends across several types of media, is getting out of one particular venue: print.
Discussion:
Sports Business Daily, Ad Age, Folio, Breitbart, Adweek, Awful Announcing, @molly_knight, @_keithfletcher, Crain's New York Business, @megreenwell, @alv9n, @arashmarkazi, @ddiamond, @ellabrockway, @jackiealexander, @tommytomlinson, Deadspin, The Spun, @tommytomlinson, Chicago Sun-Times and The Big Lead
Maxwell Tani / The Daily Beast:
Sources: editorial director Susie Banikarim and executive managing editor Alex Dickinson are out at G/O Media amid a restructuring that may affect 25+ staffers — As part of a major restructuring effort that could affect 25 staffers. — Several of the top editorial employees …
@the_corres:
The Correspondent apologizes for creating the impression its expansion would be US focused, says it will share plans for the $2.6M it raised in coming weeks — We screwed up: http://twitter.com/...
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, The Guardian, @natesilver538, @tasneemraja, @ckrewson, @baratunde, @jayrosen_nyu and @aodespair
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Twitter announces live streaming content deals with Univision, WSJ, and Time and new initiatives with previous partners including Viacom, the NFL, and ESPN — - Twitter Expands Live-Streaming Video Lineup, Sets Content Deals With Viacom, ESPN, Live Nation, Univision, and More
RELATED:
Sara Guaglione / MediaPost:
At NewFronts, The New York Times says The Daily podcast has reached 2M listeners per day, talks ad targets, smart speakers, and its upcoming food festival — The New York Times announced new ad target offerings and events, as well as an emphasis on its TV-film commitment at its NewFront this morning.
Discussion:
WWD
Alex Kantrowitz / BuzzFeed:
On paid email newsletter platforms, small audiences are translating to dollars for writers, such as on Substack, where the 12 top earners make $160K+ on average — As writers gravitate toward paid email newsletters, small audiences translate to meaningful dollars.
Discussion:
@tonyajoriley, @rachelysanders and @elizabethminkel
Alex Weprin / MediaPost:
Former Roku executives launch Tetra TV, an advertising network that aims to connect buyers to ad inventory from 100+ streaming video channels across platforms — A pair of veterans of the OTT platform Roku are launching a new advertising network, focusing on connected TV.
Discussion:
Broadcasting & Cable, Radio & Television …, PR Newswire and Variety
John Koblin / New York Times:
The Obamas' new production company, Higher Ground Productions, announces seven projects for Netflix, including an adaption of NYT's “Overlooked” obituary series — Eleven months after striking a deal with Netflix, the Obamas have a slate of programming.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @brianstelter, Fast Company, Broadcasting & Cable, Talking Points Memo and The Week
Lloyd Grove / The Daily Beast:
New York Times ends relationship with CartoonArts, the cartoon syndication service that supplied the anti-Semitic cartoon — A ‘Times’ spokesperson told The Daily Beast exclusively about the paper's decision to stop using syndicated cartoons, including those from the syndicator of the offensive cartoon.
Discussion:
Breitbart, Religion News Service, Poynter, Newser, New York Post and New York Times
Ed O'Keefe / Shorenstein Center:
Legacy media and native streamers should focus on live news because now, as before, it will help attract and retain subscribers though it can be controversial — Searching for a way for streaming to save the news (and for the the news to save streaming) — Additional Research & Interviews: Andrew J. Zucker
Discussion:
@aobaoill
Jeremy Barr / Hollywood Reporter:
Salem Media Group, home to RedState, bought PJ Media in March for $100K, though radio is the company's primary revenue source with 116 stations in 39 markets — The California-based broadcaster's digital acquisitions have turned heads, but the company's revenues primarily come from 116 radio stations in 39 markets.