Mediagazer: MuckRock announces merger with Outlier Media, a text message-based housing news service in Detroit, to address freedom of information gaps across the US (Christine Schmidt/Nieman Lab)

12:15 AM ET, February 1, 2020

Top News:

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

Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:

MuckRock announces merger with Outlier Media, a text message-based housing news service in Detroit, to address freedom of information gaps across the US — Two nimble but powerful organizations are joining forces to continue reimagining journalism as a public service.

Discussion: Crain's Detroit Business, Muckrock News, @coreyhutchins, @charlierybak, @whimsicalinds, @thensim0nsaid, @simoncarless, @nicktheandersen, @jcstearns, @niemanreports, @jbenton, @froomkin, @newsbyschmidt and @ylichterman

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, @civicscience, @sheaserrano, @robynkanner, @chrislhayes, @gaywonk, @zackford, @kevinroose, @gaywonk, @timcast, @colemanlowndes, @kerrymflynn, @beccalew, @gaywonk, @gaywonk, @owillis, @loudmouthjulia, @snazzyq, @brianhines, @ambiej, @_waleedshahid and @brosandprose

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.

Discussion: Business Insider, Variety, Engadget, Ad Age, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Hollywood Reporter, Adweek, Los Angeles Times, Broadcasting & Cable, Deadline, The Verge, MediaPost, Axios and The Streamable, more at Techmeme »

Ryan Broderick / BuzzFeed News:

Zero Hedge posted a scientist's personal info and claimed the scientist created the coronavirus as a weapon; its Twitter account has been permanently suspended — A popular pro-Trump website has released the personal information of a scientist from Wuhan, China, falsely accusing them of creating …

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 …, Ad Age, MediaPost, Adweek, CNBC, Los Angeles Times 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: @neal_freyman, @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, @donaldluzzatto and @domdifurio

Jason Gurwin / The Streamable:

Roku says it has settled its carriage dispute with Fox to distribute Fox channels on the Roku platform ahead of the Super Bowl — At midnight tonight, it was expected that Roku would remove the FOX Now, FOX Sports, FOX News, FOX Business, FOX Nation, Big 10 Network, and FOX Soccer apps from the Roku Channel Store and existing devices.

Discussion: Cord Cutters News, Engadget, @jasonlynch and @roku, more at Techmeme »

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

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

Archived Page Info:

This is a snapshot of Mediagazer at 12:15 AM ET, February 1, 2020.

View the current page or another snapshot:

Who's Hiring in Media?

Accounting Specialist Editor, Remote US — Reuters

Senior Correspondent - Wealth, NY — WSJ

Asia Credit Reporter, Seoul — Bloomberg

Senior Editor, DC — National Geographic

Sr. Social Media Specialist, NC — espnW

Associate Editor - Aviation, TN — Firecrown

Assistant Editor - Digital, NC — SBJ

Video Producer - YouTube, NY — Morning Brew

Senior Managing Ed. - Daily Desk — The Athletic

Content Managing Editor — Freedom Forum

Editor, MA — Nieman Reports

Team Editor - Breaking News, ON — Toronto Star

Senior Reporter & Event Host, NY/CA — Newcomer

Associate Editor, Remote — Tech Policy Press

Retail Reporter, MN — Star Tribune

Senior Data Editor, DC — U.S. News

Managing Ed. - Berks County, PA — Spotlight PA

News Editor - UK, Remote — The Verge

Staff Writer, TX — Dallas Observer

Multimedia Journalist, PA — Observer-Reporter

Service Journalism Editor, CA — Sacramento Bee

Content Director, Remote — Campaigns & Elections

Sports Reporter, ME — Bangor Daily News

Los Angeles Issues Reporter, CA — CalMatters

Reporter - Middle East — Rest of World

Executive Editor, OR — Lookout Local

California Playbook Writer, CA — Politico

Senior Media Editor — Digiday

National Investigative Reporter, NY — HuffPost

Lexington County Reporter, SC — The State

Reporter - Offshore Wind — Canary Media

General Assignment Reporter, FL — County Record

Staff Reporter, CA — Daily Kos

Data Editor, NY — ProPublica

Add your company here

See Also:

Mediagazer: site main

Mediagazer River: reverse chronological Mediagazer

Mediagazer Mobile: for phones

Mediagazer Leaderboard: Mediagazer's top sources

Subscribe:

Mediagazer RSS feed

Mediagazer on X

Mediagazer on Mastodon

More News:

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

Discussion: @cjr and @jillian_bell

Kate Oh / @kathoh:
[Thread] Severe media restrictions at the Senate impeachment trial created artificial distance between the public and the event and blocked historic images

Discussion: @connieschultz, @kimmasters, @andreawnyc, @badastronomer and @sulliview

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

Discussion: @tvgrimreaper, 5ish from M.G. Siegler and The Streamable

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
A look at the evolution of morning shows as they figure out how to balance hard news with their hallmark lighter tone and their anchors take on more roles

Discussion: @bristei, @melissahoyer and @variety

Brian X. Chen / New York Times:
Americans spent $170 on average on streaming TV services in 2019, a 30% increase since 2017, when they spent $130

Discussion: @dsilverman and @karlbode

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
After Mike Pompeo berated NPR's Mary Louise Kelly and the State Department removed another reporter's credentials, NPR member stations see a bump in donations

Discussion: @jackshafer, @chuckatwbhm, @nprmontagne, NPR and The Hill

Earlier Picks:

New York Times:
The government's prepublication review system, which is checking John Bolton's book, needs reform because it gives agencies unchecked power to suppress speech

Discussion: @jameeljaffer, @jameeljaffer, @publisherslunch, Just Security, @jameeljaffer, @karengreenberg3, @jameeljaffer, @jameeljaffer, @jameeljaffer, Washingtonian, @nytopinion, @donmoyn, @jameeljaffer, @jameeljaffer, @john_w_warren, @jameeljaffer and @jameeljaffer

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
The Atlantic ended an honorary “contributing editor” list on its masthead after some black staffers objected to adding Rahm Emanuel's name to the list

Discussion: @thewaywithanoa, @dceiver, Politico, @bernardharcourt, @daniecal, @stacydavisgates, @_johnbyrne, @poolcar4, @chasejohn, @micahuetricht, @ryangrim, @jbouie, @sarahlazare, @adamjohnsonnyc, @andrewperezdc, @daviduberti, @mattbors and @davidklion

Hollywood Reporter:
China has shut down its ~70K movie theaters due to the coronavirus outbreak, leading to a potential $1B loss in the global box office and delayed release dates

Discussion: @tedgioia and @thrmattbelloni

Mike Barnes / Hollywood Reporter:
Fred Silverman, the longtime TV programmer who was president of ABC Entertainment and NBC and also worked at CBS, has died at 82

Discussion: New York Times, Deadline, @jimmykimmel, The Wrap, @sualums, @dherzog77, @tedstew, @richardpbacon, @zeitchikwapo, @jimmiller, @thrmattbelloni, @mikebarnes4, @samontv, @ehl, Broadcasting & Cable, Variety and TVWeek.com

Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy:
Memo: WaPo Editor Marty Baron encourages staff to seek feedback on social media posts and says the newsroom is reviewing its social media policy from 2011

From Techmeme:

Richard Lawler / The Verge:
Okta fixes a flaw present since July 23, 2024, that let users log in under specific circumstances with any password if the account's username had 52+ characters

David Pierce / The Verge:
Amazon's plan to rearchitect Alexa around LLMs could finally help Alexa understand what users actually want and reduce the awkward syntax needed to use Skills

Stephen Groves / Associated Press:
US House Speaker Mike Johnson says the GOP “probably will” try to repeal the CHIPS Act, but then walks it back, saying the GOP may “further streamline” the bill

Sister Sites:

Techmeme
Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web

memeorandum
What US political commentators are discussing online right now

WeSmirch
The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page