Top News:
Sean Hollister / The Verge:
Roku pulls Fox apps, including Fox Sports, which is airing the Super Bowl, from its devices due to a carriage dispute as Fox's distribution deal expires Friday — It's a carriage dispute, Roku tells us — If you were hoping to watch the Super Bowl on your Roku TV or set-top box …
Discussion:
@rokusupport, CNET, MediaPost, Variety, The Streamable, Bloomberg, Gizmodo, Bloomberg, Awful Announcing, @richlightshed, @dkatzmaier, @cnbcnow, The Wrap, @jbflint, Bring Me The News, @loudmouthjulia, USA Today, @eriqgardner, @karlbode, @felixgillette, @parkermolloy, The Streamable, @reckless, Fast Company, Engadget, Adweek and Broadcasting & Cable, more at Techmeme »
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Sahil Patel / Wall Street Journal:
Super Bowl ad prices: Fox charged up to $5.6M for 30 seconds of TV ad time during the game and, sources say, sought $300K-$400K for streaming-only ads — Fox's streaming-only ads for the Super Bowl were priced between $300,000 and $400,000 for 30 seconds of ad time
Discussion:
Washington Post, Digiday and @sportstvratings
Tim Baysinger / The Wrap:
Hulu CEO Randy Freer is leaving the streaming service as Disney continues the reorganization of its direct-to-consumer business — Hulu CEO Randy Freer will leave the streaming service amid a reorganization under Disney's direct-to-consumer chief Kevin Mayer.
Julia Alexander / The Verge:
Carlos Maza is leaving Vox to focus on his YouTube channel full time, talking about topics like Fox News and the election and using Patreon to find supporters — Maza is leaving Vox to pursue being a full time YouTube creator — Last year, after setting off a firestorm around YouTube's harassment policies …
Discussion:
YouTube, @gaywonk, @timcast, @civicscience, @sheaserrano, @robynkanner, @chrislhayes, @gaywonk, @zackford, @kevinroose, @gaywonk, @colemanlowndes, @kerrymflynn, @beccalew, @gaywonk, @gaywonk, @owillis, @loudmouthjulia, @snazzyq, @brianhines, @ambiej and @brosandprose
Jill Goldsmith / Deadline:
AT&T's John Stankey says TNT and TBS will shift to more unscripted programming: “we all know that general entertainment is not performing as well” — AT&T COO John Stankey said programming at Turner's TNT and TBS will shift to more unscripted programming as general entertainment networks suffer in the ratings.
Discussion:
Variety, @cnschedules and Broadcasting & Cable
Cynthia Littleton / Variety:
CBS CEO Joe Ianniello is leaving ViacomCBS and will be replaced by NBCU's George Cheeks, effective March 23 — NBCUniversal alum George Cheeks is set to take the reins of CBS as longtime CBS corporate leader Joe Ianniello departs after 22 years with the company.
Discussion:
Radio & Television …, CNBC, MediaPost, Adweek, Los Angeles Times, Ad Age and Fortune
Melynda Fuller / MediaPost:
Daily newsletter Morning Brew says it has grown revenue from $3M to $13M in 2019 and expects to hit 2M subscribers in the spring — Media email newsletter Morning Brew is reporting a surge in revenue, new subscribers and a slate of key new hires as it enters its fifth year.
Discussion:
@buslnessbarista, @hcuccinello, @rafat, @austin_rief, @erikaalpern, @kerrymflynn, @iankar_, @jschulweis, @whatthebit and Talking Biz News
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
Maryland's 165-year-old Montgomery Sentinel has shut down; circulation of the editions serving the state's two largest counties fell from 200K in the 90s to 5K — They're closing up the office now, with its musty odor of moldering newsprint and decrepit bound copies stacked neck-high.
Discussion:
@oliverdarcy, @jrovner and @domdifurio
Cynthia Littleton / Variety:
Netflix's Ted Sarandos says the company aims to produce four to six animated movies a year, following the success of Klaus, its first venture into the medium — Netflix is in the movie business for the long haul as it looks to fill creative voids left by the focus at the major studios …
Discussion:
5ish from M.G. Siegler, The Streamable and @tvgrimreaper
Tim Dams / Variety:
A look at the effects of Brexit on the UK film and TV industry's access to talent and funding; UK films and TV will count towards European content quotas — After more than three years of rancour and political infighting, the U.K. finally leaves the European Union at 11PM tonight …
Discussion:
Press Gazette
Anya Schiffrin / Columbia Journalism Review:
In Finland, France, Peru, and South Africa, journalists have used defamation laws against online harassers, though lawsuits can be costly and time consuming — Journalists have generally opposed defamation laws because they so often are used against news organizations to stifle free expression.
Discussion:
@jillian_bell and @cjr
Drew Harwell / Washington Post:
How iHeartMedia's job cuts affected hundreds of on-air DJs, and how the company is using music-mixing AI tech built by startup Super Hi-Fi — The radio conglomerate said its mass ‘employee dislocation’ was necessary as it pivoted to AI. But others say it's the company's human leaders who deserve the blame.
Discussion:
@drewmikepodcast, @rachsieg, @markseibel, @reedalbergotti, @drewharwell, @jamescornsilk, @mollykinder and @drewharwell