Mediagazer: Sludge, the media startup focusing on money in politics, says it needs to raise significant funds this month or it will “go into hibernation on October 31” (Sludge)

Top News:

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Vice Media agrees to acquire Refinery29 in a deal expected to close before the end of 2019; source: Vice is issuing mostly stock to Refinery29's shareholders — After months of talks, Vice Media sealed an agreement to acquire Refinery29, a bet by the two digital-centric media companies …

Discussion: The Wrap, Wall Street Journal, CNN, MediaPost, Adweek, @moorehn, Wall Street Journal, Hollywood Reporter, @johnjcook, Axios, The Drum, The Cut and @andreagonram

Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap:

Fox News says radio host and commentator Todd Starnes is no longer working at the network and his show on Fox Nation has also been canceled — TheWrap has learned that Todd Starnes' contract at Fox News is not being renewed. The host will no longer be working at the network, its website …

Discussion: Mediaite, Right Wing Watch, @rightwingwatch and The Daily Beast

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Poll: 12 of the 15 most polarizing US brands are national news media; the gap between how Republicans and Democrats view CNN and Fox News has grown since 2018 — News media companies make up 12 of the 15 most polarizing brands in America today, according to a new Morning Consult poll provided to Axios.

Discussion: Morning Consult, Fast Company, @byjackkelly, @mattgrossmann, @raju, @mcrowdermeyer, The Wrap, MediaPost and New York Post

Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:

Public opinion will affect the outcome of impeachment inquiry; journalists should prepare well for interviews, stop booking liars, and avoid false equivalence — Scott Pelley of CBS pushed back hard Sunday when House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tried to spin him on Sunday's “60 Minutes.”

Discussion: @sulliview, @laurenduca, @ivanthek, @jayrosen_nyu, @jamesfallows, @oliverdarcy and @lawrence

Steve Lohr / New York Times:

Ad tech firm MediaMath debuts Source, an initiative to clean up the digital media supply chain, with 16 ad tech firms, ad agencies, and publishers participating — A group of 16 companies — including leading ad tech firms, ad agencies and publishers — is trying to help clean up the murky world of digital advertising.

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, @danr917, PR Newswire, @nytimesbusiness and Mobile Marketing Magazine

Jerry Iannelli / Miami New Times:

Employees of the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald announce they plan to unionize, while criticizing a decade of downsizing, layoffs, and consolidation — Months after reporters revealed that McClatchy News CEO Craig Forman had received a $1 million bonus and $35,000 per-month housing stipend …

Discussion: @greenhousenyt and @miaminewtimes

Jim Waterson / The Guardian:

Guardian Media Group CEO David Pemsel to leave the news publisher in spring 2020 to join the Premier League — Clubs say Pemsel hired because of his ‘straightforward style and personal integrity’ — The Premier League has appointed the Guardian's David Pemsel as its new chief executive.

Discussion: Press Gazette, Daily Mail, CityAM, @jeffjarvis, Mediatel Newsline, @henrymance, @danroan and Telegraph

Sludge:

Sludge, the media startup focusing on money in politics, says it needs to raise significant funds this month or it will “go into hibernation on October 31” — Sludge is seeking hundreds of new members as we face a potential shutdown. We need your help to stay afloat.

Discussion: @ppolitics, @mariabustillos, @larryryckman, @donnydonny, @jeffbercovici, @asherschechter, @thetomzone, @nrdavis, @crgibs, @chrislhayes, @donnydonny, @leahmcelrath, @alexkotch and @digiphile

Chris Thompson / Deadspin:

Chris Stone is stepping down as editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated after 27 years at the publication; source says layoffs are likely in the next few weeks — Sports Illustrated is currently transitioning ownership and corporate leadership, from Meredith Corp. to Authentic Brands Group …

Discussion: Awful Announcing and New York Post

Kip Dooley / NewsMatch:

NewsMatch 2019 fundraising campaign: nearly 200 nonprofit newsrooms participating, 49 for the first time, donations up to $1K matched, running Nov. 1-Dec. 31 — In 2016, 54 news organizations participated in the first NewsMatch campaign, a swiftly organized matching gift campaign created …

Discussion: @ssuttell, NewsMatch and @jcstearns

Amy Kaufman / Los Angeles Times:

The real-life journalists behind characters in three films at the recent Toronto International Film Festival talk about their stories being adapted into movies — Even as she was reporting it, Jessica Pressler had the sense that her story about a group of strippers-turned-criminals was the stuff movies are made of.

Discussion: @latimesent, @sararivae, @latimes and @jpressler

Jacob Bernstein / New York Times:

Profile of Sara Moonves, the daughter of Les Moonves, who was named W magazine's editor-in-chief in June upon its sale to Future Media — Sara Moonves, the new editor in chief of W, has been around the limelight all her life. Now the attention is on her.

Discussion: @jessicaschiffer and @media_evan

WJLA-TV:

Reporters Without Borders protested the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and Trump's indifference towards it by projecting messages on the Newseum in DC on Wednesday — Advocacy group Reporters Without Borders, a French non-profit that advocates for global press freedom, protested the murder …

Discussion: The Hill, Press Gazette, @rsf_en and The Guardian