Mediagazer: How WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey, a long-time AT&T executive and no-nonsense manager, is remaking WarnerMedia, trying to bridge the culture gap with Time Warner (Variety)

Deadspin, owned by G/O Media, is planning a story on company CEO Jim Spanfeller; Spanfeller reacts publicly with plans for an outside editor to review the story — A friendly piece of advice for whomever ends up buying the former Gawker Media sites: Don't try to tell them what to write.

Discussion: New York Post, @benmullin, @benmullin, @pblest, @erikwemple, @megreenwell, @erikwemple, @albertburneko, @nbj914, @ourand_sbj, @joannelipman, @libbycwatson and @erikwemple

Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post:

Bustle Digital Group, which had planned to relaunch Gawker in September, has laid off Gawker's staff and postponed the relaunch — A planned relaunch of snarky news and gossip web site Gawker is on hold indefinitely, The Post has learned. — Bustle Digital Group, which owns Gawker …

Discussion: @timmarchman, @lyzl, @libbycwatson, @rafat, @jon_christian, @kevinmdraper, Variety and The Wrap

Jon Marcus / Nieman Reports:

A look at the debate behind the journalistic practice of strategic silence when it comes to naming shooters, addressing lies, and covering extremist ideologies — Journalists often withhold details of mass shooters and suicides to discourage copycats. Should that “strategic silence” …

Discussion: @mathewi and @niemanreports

Variety:

How WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey, a long-time AT&T executive and no-nonsense manager, is remaking WarnerMedia, trying to bridge the culture gap with Time Warner — Months after AT&T agreed to buy Time Warner, senior leaders from HBO, Warner Bros. and Turner flew out to the telecom giant's headquarters …

Discussion: Observer

Tom Jones / Poynter:

Internal memo says LA Times is nowhere close to meeting its goal of doubling digital subs from 150K in 2018 to 300K in 2019, having only netted 13K this year — Troubling news at one of the nation's top newspapers. — Digital subscriptions at the Los Angeles Times are way below expectations …

Jodi Jacobson / Rewire.News:

Nonprofit publication Rewire.News to restructure due to funding shortfalls, laying off five employees, and the EIC is stepping down in the fall — Rewire.News is restructuring in an attempt to maintain our capacity for long-term sustainability, including making painful cuts in staff. — TRENDING

Discussion: @rewirenewsunion, @cindella204, @jessealejandro, @amylittlefield, @debbierachlis and @c_stroop

Natalie Jarvey / Billboard:

Apple's services business, a division that includes revenue from subscriptions like Apple Music, iTunes, Apple Pay and iCloud, brought in sales of $11.46B in Q3 — Han Haidan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images — The division that includes revenue from subscriptions like Apple Music …

Discussion: AdExchanger, Fortune and The Streamable, more at Techmeme »

Greg Dool / Folio:

London-based Future acquires online publisher and B2B newsletter specialist SmartBrief for $45M and up to $20M in deferred payments — Future plc has reached an agreement to acquire online publisher and B2B newsletter specialist SmartBrief, the London-based firm announced Monday …

Discussion: CityAM, Press Gazette, MediaPost, @gregdool, Future, Business Times and Radio World

Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter:

AMC Networks beats Q2 earnings expectations with $129M profit on $772M in revenue, up 1.4% YoY; US ad revenue fell 11.1% YoY — The cable networks company, led by CEO Josh Sapan, beat Wall Street earnings expectations, but fell short of revenue estimates. — AMC Networks, the cable networks company …

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, The Wrap, The Wrap and @thr

Reis Thebault / Washington Post:

Less than a year after Khashoggi's murder, Saudi Arabia says it will host a Saudi Media Forum in 2019 to “cement Riyadh's name as the Arab Media Capital” — Saudi Arabia, one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, will host a media forum and award ceremony …

Discussion: @angelafritz

Kristina Monllos / Digiday:

In a new era of political polarization, ad agencies like Ogilvy, which remains committed to its CBP contract, face internal turmoil over controversial clients — The internal turmoil at Ogilvy over its contract with the Customs and Border Protection has meant new questions for agencies …

Discussion: @patrickcoffee

Tim Peterson / Digiday:

Streaming service BritBox focuses on older audiences with its content as 60% of its 650K subscribers are 45+, which has helped keep churn low, says president — Traditional TV has clung to older audiences as younger viewers increasingly switch to streaming.