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, Altice USA, Inc., @lilliannnn, @felixsalmon, Fast Company, CNN, Crain's New York Business, @melisoncheddar, Benzinga, @adamsinger, TechCrunch, @richbtig, @arashmassoudi, @lisahopeking, Business Insider, @rafat, @gitagovinda, @edmundlee, @adamsinger, The Wrap and Talking Biz News, 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, Breitbart, Folio, @tommytomlinson, Adweek, @arashmarkazi, @molly_knight, @_keithfletcher, Deadspin, @alv9n, @ddiamond, @ellabrockway, The Spun, @jackiealexander, @megreenwell, @tommytomlinson, Awful Announcing, Crain's New York Business, The Big Lead and Chicago Sun-Times
@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, @laurahazardowen, @natesilver538, @tomgara, @jayrosen_nyu, @aodespair, @tasneemraja, @newsbyschmidt, @ckrewson and @baratunde
Maxwell Tani / The Daily Beast:
Sources: top editorial staffers Susie Banikarim, Alex Dickinson, and Tim Marchman are out at G/O Media amid a restructuring that could affect 25+ staffers — As part of a major restructuring effort that could affect 25 staffers. — Several of the top editorial employees at the company formerly known …
Discussion:
@maxwelltani, @maxwelltani, @maxwelltani, Variety, @timmarchman, @timmarchman, @nicka_martin, @nicka_martin, @thrillistunion, @banikarim, @banikarim, @chick_in_kiev, @kashhill, @toley88, @patrick_wyman, @_zeets, @ashleyfeinberg, @gabydvj, @theseantcollins, @bobbybigwheel, @lindseyadler, @heyveronica, @tomscocca, @jeremymbarr, @ashleyfeinberg, @katiedrumm, @maxwelltani and @jeremymbarr
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, Eater, Fast Company, Talking Points Memo and The Week
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 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 …, Variety and PR Newswire, more at Techmeme »
Scott Soshnick / Bloomberg:
YouTube gets exclusive rights to stream 13 MLB games in the 2nd half of the season in the US and Canada on MLB's YouTube channel and a new YouTube TV channel — - Package of 13 games will run through second half of MLB season — YouTube TV has been World Series presenting sponsor since 2017
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Multichannel News, Variety, The Verge, Engadget and 9to5Google
RELATED:
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 announces live streaming content deals with Univision, WSJ, and Time and new initiatives with previous partners including Viacom, the NFL, and ESPN
Discussion:
American Press Institute, Radio & Television …, The Wrap, Awful Announcing, Adweek, Multichannel News, MediaPost, TechCrunch, Engadget, 9to5Mac, Tubefilter and Deadline
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
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Viacom to launch 14 free, ad-supported channels on Pluto TV on May 1 with content from BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV — - Twitter Expands Live-Streaming Video Lineup, Sets Content Deals With Viacom, ESPN, Live Nation, Univision, and More — For Viacom, the future of television has an increasingly online sheen.
Discussion:
Beet.TV, Deadline, NickALive!, TechCrunch, MediaPost, Adweek, The Wrap and Broadcasting & Cable
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.
Joseph Lichterman / The Lenfest Institute …:
The Detroit Free Press created a unique social media voice by using a sassy persona that makes jokes and tackles serious issues to connect with its community — A few months ago, a hoax Twitter account purporting to be Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib made some waves online.
Discussion:
American Press Institute, Thanks:@steverubel
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