Top News:
Marc Tracy / New York Times:
NYT Q4: profit up 4.4% YoY to $78M on revenue of $502.7M, up 1.1% YoY, ad rev fell 10.7% YoY, digital subscriptions grew 30.8% YoY to ~4.4M of 5.25M total subs — The company hit a key milestone in the fourth quarter of 2019, passing $800 million in annual digital revenue, an amount that came more from readers than advertisers.
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Hannah Zhang / CNN:
NYT to raise its digital subscription price for the first time, from $15 to $17 every four weeks, effective March 8 — New York (CNN Business)The New York Times will raise the price of its digital subscription from $15 every four weeks to $17, its first ever price bump.
Discussion:
Ad Age, MediaPost, @tripgabriel and AdExchanger
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Sources: ViacomCBS is building a new ad-supported streaming service that will build on CBS All Access, and an ad-free version that includes Showtime — - ViacomCBS is preparing to throw its hat into the streaming wars after consummating a merger on Dec. 31.
Bloomberg:
Sources: ViacomCBS is weighing options for CNET after receiving takeover interest in the site; CBS paid $1.8B for CNET in 2008 — - CEO Bob Bakish is looking for $500 million in cost savings — CBS paid $1.8 billion for CNET but it's probably worth less
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Warner Music Group files for an IPO; the company went private in 2011 when Len Blavatnik's Access Industries bought it for $3.3B — Warner Music Group today announced that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its common stock.
Discussion:
The Wrap
Nieman Lab:
Protocol, billed as “Politico, but for tech”, launches as a sponsor-supported outlet with journalists who have worked at Wired, NYT, WSJ, and The Information — “Technology is no longer just a sector of the economy or an industry — it's a global power center akin to any nation's capital.
Discussion:
Adweek, @jayrosen_nyu, @robinwauters, @stuartathompson, @joemfbrown, @mattdrange, @timgrieve, @rgogel, @harrispolitico, @tomkrazit, @sarahscire, @digiphile, @r_allbritton, @pierce, THEFUTURE, protocol, Washingtonian, Politico and MediaPost
Karlene Lukovitz / MediaPost:
605 launches web-based app for TV measurement and analysis across linear, over-the-air, DVR and set-top-box VOD, with Discovery and AMC piloting the platform — 605 has launched a web-based application designed for measurement and analysis of TV programs and ads — including time-shifted viewership …
Discussion:
FierceVideo, Associated Press and Radio & Television …
Justin Ray / Columbia Journalism Review:
Q&A with the editor of American Atheist magazine on the media's disproportionate attention to faith leaders, what it can do to better serve atheists, and more — In 1963, Madalyn Murray O'Hair, a woman from Baltimore, sued her son's school district after learning that it required students to read the Bible.
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
Tribune Publishing employees, amid buyouts, are still seeking to avoid further decimation of journalism now that Alden Global Capital owns 32% of the company — In its mission to squeeze the last profits out of newspapers, Alden Global Capital has eliminated the jobs of scores of reporters and editors …
Discussion:
Poynter, New York Post, @adater, @margotroosevelt, @newsguild, @kimjnews, @mcallguild, Virginia Mercury, DFM Workers, @marcela_elisa, @omackson, @karlmondon, @chaseneil, @ctguild, @williamhoup, @rynk, @amlwhere, @katchicago, @crepeau, @leighgiangreco, @maryknitspdx, Editor & Publisher Magazine, @chasejohn, @thomas_peele, @joepompeo, @joepompeo, @sulliview, @mmckinne17, @mlcalderone and @kdoctor
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Kimberly Pierceall / Virginian-Pilot:
Tribune Publishing has accepted buyouts from 20 people in news operations at The Virginian-Pilot, Daily Press, and related community publications
Discussion:
American Press Institute, Washingtonian, @pierceall, @pierceall, @pierceall, @pierceall, @pierceall, @pierceall, @pierceall, @pierceall, @pierceall, @vpjedwards, @ethartley, @virginianpilot, @pierceall, @alissaskelton, @tylerjuranovich, @kenwardjr, @haltman, @joeyerardi, @havana58, Talking Biz News, @oversharinerin, @oversharinerin, @gragonews, @danlamothe, @brockvergakis, @heettweets, @journomurph, @mike_hixenbaugh, @pdavis_llc, @gragonews, @brockvergakis, @bypetercoutu, @aileen__devlin, @aileen__devlin, @briancolligan, @robynsidersky and @saragregory
Ryan Faughnder / Los Angeles Times:
Warner Bros. and HBO Max to launch Warner Max, a division specializing in making movies for streaming, with plans to make 8-10 films a year for HBO Max — Movie studio Warner Bros. and HBO Max are launching a new division that will specialize in making movies specifically for streaming, the companies said Wednesday.
Discussion:
@franklinleonard, @latimesent and Deadline
Radio & Television Business Report:
Report: radio's digital ad revenue crosses $1B for the first time, making up 10% of total ad revenue; local radio station revenue grew 25% in 2019 — Radio's digital ad revenue blasted through the billion-dollar plateau for the first time, now accounting for 10% of total advertising revenue for the industry.
Discussion:
MediaPost
Kali Hays / WWD:
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter has laid off about a dozen staffers affecting its web team, styles coverage, and international correspondents — Last year, the publication cut a number of non-edit staffers. — The Hollywood Reporter is making some staff cuts.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Reddit partners with Tagboard, enabling TV networks to easily display its content; Tagboard helps clients curate and produce stories with social media content — Reddit, a site that refers to itself as the “front page of the internet” is today announcing a new deal that will see its posts and conversations extend beyond the web page.
Discussion:
Adweek, MediaPost, @nathanjtweets, @wfederman, Upvoted and GeekWire
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