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, Business Insider, TechCrunch, @melisoncheddar, Benzinga, @adamsinger, @richbtig, @arashmassoudi, @lisahopeking, @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, Folio, Breitbart, @molly_knight, @_keithfletcher, Crain's New York Business, @tommytomlinson, Adweek, @arashmarkazi, Deadspin, @alv9n, @ddiamond, @ellabrockway, The Spun, @jackiealexander, @megreenwell, @tommytomlinson, Awful Announcing, 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: 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 …
Discussion:
Variety, @maxwelltani, @maxwelltani, @maxwelltani, @thrillistunion, @banikarim, @banikarim, @chick_in_kiev, @kashhill, @toley88, @patrick_wyman, @_zeets, @ashleyfeinberg, @gabydvj, @theseantcollins, @bobbybigwheel, @lindseyadler, @heyveronica, @jeremymbarr, @tomscocca, @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, Fast Company, Eater, 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 »
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
Discussion:
American Press Institute, Radio & Television …, The Wrap, MediaPost, Multichannel News, Awful Announcing, Adweek, TechCrunch, Engadget, 9to5Mac, Tubefilter and Deadline
RELATED:
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
Mathew Ingram / Columbia Journalism Review:
How the spreadsheet that classified job applicants, with rankings of social class, “justice seeking” traits, and more, illustrated the divide within The Markup — There are things about the recent implosion of The Markup that make it unique—in particular, that it raised $23 million …
Discussion:
@sdkstl, @mattl, @mimms, @maxwelltani, @maxwelltani and wgbh.org