Top News:
New York Post:
Sources: GateHouse Media, owned by Fortress Investment Group, is nearing a deal to buy Gannett, which would create the biggest newspaper chain in the US — GateHouse Media is deep in talks to buy USA Today owner Gannett — a merger that would create America's biggest newspaper chain, The Post has learned.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, @jbenton, @jbenton, @jbenton, @jsodonoghue, @brynstole, @byrickbrown, @aethefranchise, @jbenton, @chriscincibiz, @kmtorralva, @charlesornstein, @johnnewsomnr, @dbarkin, @dbarkin, @dbarkin, @johnnewsomnr, @johnnewsomnr, @jpelzer, @_davidelman, @austinbureau, @dkiesow, @ethanmayj, @dkiesow and @dylan_segelbaum
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:
Medium, Yahoo Finance, The Keyword, Poynter, CNBC, @valerieroyzman, @reptimryan, @mjenkins, @ckrewson, @sulliview, @newsbyschmidt, @compasslocal, Engadget, Business Journal Daily and 9to5Google
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:
NBC News, @dylanbyers, Variety, Business Insider, @loudmouthjulia, @karlbode, The Week and CNET, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
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
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
Discussion:
Broadcasting & Cable, Vox, Breitbart, Quartz, The Daily Caller, The Wrap, MediaNama, @natjarv, @natjarv, @natjarv, @natjarv, Multichannel News, @kevinwildes, @pkafka, Fast Company, Hollywood Reporter and TVWeek.com
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%+
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%+
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, The Wrap, CNBC, Multichannel News, @nageshduvvuri, Bloomberg, Ad Age, @dkthomp, VICE, CNBC, TechCrunch, The Wrap, The Atlantic, The Week, Mashable, AdExchanger, @jank0, @tedgioia, @lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw, @lanceulanoff, @dawnc331, @stevekopack, @pkafka, Breitbart, Los Angeles Times, Gizmodo, NBC News, 9to5Mac, Quartz, The Verge, Business Insider, USA Today, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Radio & Television … and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
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, @locatora_radio, @penzeymoog, @biblioracle, @zblay, @tqbf, @henereyg, @fionasturges, @ricsanchez, @tauriqmoosa, @andrewwrites, @lindaholmes, @mediageek, @mvzelenks, @rungomez, @seanmcarroll, @ohonestly, @matthewrmoore, @roseveleth, @ricsanchez and @eatpraythot, more at Techmeme »
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Documents show phone calls among Michael Cohen, Hope Hicks, and AMI's David Pecker and Dylan Howard as Stormy Daniels' claims emerged; Trump was on some calls — President Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen is in jail today, having pleaded guilty last year to violating a number of federal laws.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, USA Today, @bradheath, Boing Boing, @pbump, @pbump, @pbump, emptywheel and Fortune
Freddy Mayhew / Press Gazette:
Huffpost UK to open Huffpost Centre for Journalism at Birmingham City University, offering tutorials, events, and experience for journalism students — Huffpost UK is partnering with Birmingham City University to set up a centre for journalism within the university's media department …
Discussion:
HuffPost UK, Journalism.co.uk, @lpolgreen and @louiseridley
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:
@kylebrussell, @mccarthyryanj, @petersterne, @jragazzo, @thedailybeast, @heyveronica, @kenli729 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 …
Maria Bustillos / Columbia Journalism Review:
CJR's public editor for MSNBC says the channel has become more willing to condemn Trump's administration more explicitly after framing earlier stories as spats — Before the House voted to condemn Donald Trump's racist tweets on Tuesday, Republican Doug Collins of Georgia issued a formal objection …
Discussion:
@cjr, Vox, BuzzFeed News and Vanity Fair
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, @jaketapper, @stevekrak, The Daily Beast, 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 …