Mediagazer: A look at what went wrong at Univision since its $13.7B acquisition in 2007, as it explores a sale; execs depict a dysfunctional org hobbled by internal clashes (Meg James/Los Angeles Times)

4:30 PM ET, July 18, 2019

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Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:

McClatchy-grown, Google-funded Compass Experiment, a project to build new local news sites, selects Youngstown, OH as its first site with four local journalists — Youngstown, Ohio has become kind the beat-up poster child for industrial decline, the opioid crisis, the Trump phenomenon, and, most recently, the loss of local journalism.

Discussion: The Keyword, Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Poynter, 9to5Google, Engadget, Mandy Jenkins, @sulliview, @newsbyschmidt, Business Journal Daily and @compasslocal

Julia Alexander / The Verge:

In some ways, Netflix's Q2 results were a disaster, highlighting the weakness of its US market, limits of international growth, and pain of losing huge shows — As US growth slows, executives look to international markets — Netflix reported earnings on Wednesday night, and the results were disastrous.

Discussion: Business Insider, @karlbode, Variety, @loudmouthjulia and The Week, more at Techmeme »

Todd Spangler / Variety:

In Q2, Netflix lost US subscribers for the first time since Q3 2011, dropping 130,000, and added fewer global subs than expected, citing a weak Q2 content slate — For the first time, Netflix lost streaming subscribers in the U.S. — dropping a net 130,000 for the second quarter of 2019 …

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, Breitbart, Vox, Quartz, Multichannel News, The Wrap, The Daily Caller, MediaNama, @natjarv, @natjarv, @natjarv, @natjarv, @kevinwildes, @pkafka, Fast Company, Hollywood Reporter and TVWeek.com, more at Techmeme »

Netflix:
Netflix reports Q2 revenue of $4.9B, up 26% YoY, and total paid membership of 152M, up 22% YoY, but it added 2.7M new subs, down from 5.5M YoY; stock down 10%+

Jennifer Miller / New York Times:

As podcast service Blubrry says there are now over 700,000 podcasts, with 2,000 to 3,000 launching every month, a look at whether we have reached “peak podcast” — If past experience (cough, blogs) is any indication, a shakeout is nigh. — In 2016, Morgan Mandriota and Lester Lee …

Discussion: @samsanders, @penzeymoog, @biblioracle, @zblay, @fionasturges, @ricsanchez, @andrewwrites, @mediageek, @mvzelenks, @ohonestly, @matthewrmoore and @ricsanchez, more at Techmeme »

Maxwell Tani / The Daily Beast:

Sources: G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller is out of touch with the company's editorial voice and current media practices as he pushes listicles and programmatic ads — High-level staffers at the company that now owns ex-Gawker sites like Jezebel and Deadspin complain their new leader is destroying a famously freewheeling culture.

Discussion: @mccarthyryanj, @petersterne, @jragazzo, @heyveronica and @daviduberti

Arriana McLymore / Reuters:

Spotify says it will devote a prominent spot in its app to Disney's music library, a feature called Disney Hub — NEW YORK (Reuters) - Spotify Technology SA said on Wednesday it will devote a prominent spot in its music streaming app to Walt Disney Co's extensive music library with songs like “Let It Go” and “A Whole New World.”

Alistair Smout / Reuters:

DAZN makes a deal with Discovery to stream Eurosport in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Austria, enabling it to offer the Olympics and Grand Slam tennis — LONDON (Reuters) - Sports streaming service DAZN said on Thursday its subscribers would be able to receive Eurosport in Germany and three …

Emily Tamkin / Columbia Journalism Review:

Why CNN shouldn't have given screen time to white supremacist Richard Spencer for reaction to Trump's racist tweets: normalization of racism, diversion of focus — On Tuesday evening, a segment on Jake Tapper's CNN show The Lead featured an interview with Richard Spencer, a white supremacist.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, @thelaurenchen, @cboomervazquez, @eli_reichman, @swmstn2, @ksurana6, @emilyctamkin, The Daily Beast, @jaketapper, @stevekrak, The Hill and The Independent

Meg James / Los Angeles Times:

A look at what went wrong at Univision since its $13.7B acquisition in 2007, as it explores a sale; execs depict a dysfunctional org hobbled by internal clashes — When Haim Saban and billionaire-led private equity firms acquired Univision Communications for $13.7 billion in early 2007 …

Paul Farhi / Washington Post:

CNN didn't reveal that the pro-Trump women it interviewed, which seemed to represent a cross-section of opinion, were actually members of an organized group — There's no question that the panel of women CNN interviewed about President Trump liked him a lot and don't think he's a racist …

Discussion: @crislopezg, @crislopezg, @crislopezg, @crislopezg, @joshuahol, @bungdan, @dangillmor, @karaswisher, Mediaite, CNN and VICE

Jem Aswad / Variety:

Internal Universal Music memo details its investigation into losses from a 2008 fire: 22 lost assets could have been original masters linked to five artists — Ahead of an expected motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed last month by several artists over damage in the 2008 fire that destroyed hundreds …

Discussion: Variety, Music Business Worldwide and Billboard

Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:

How the Free Press advocacy group convinced New Jersey to allocate $2M in public money for rehabilitating local news — “I really believe in the power of people to organize and advocate from the bottom up to create some solutions to this. I don't think these solutions are going to come out of commercial media."

Discussion: @centercoopmedia and @rispolimike

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

Sky News has appointed Hannah Thomas-Peter as its first dedicated climate change correspondent, the first UK title to do so — Sky News has appointed its first dedicated climate change correspondent to “continue to set the agenda” on what it described as a “crisis”.

Discussion: Sky