Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
A look at how media outlets are responding to COVID-19: remote work and interviews, shifting conferences to virtual forums, talk show tapings without audiences — Newsrooms are creating contingency plans to make sure that they can adequately inform the public about the novel coronavirus while keeping their own employees safe.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, American Press Institute, Press Gazette, Press Gazette, New York Post, The Hill, CNBC, Washingtonian, Poynter, @jamesrbuk, @jimwaterson, @allieelwell, New York Post, @rafat, @mlcalderone, Axios, @megancgraham, @rorystewartuk, @cschweitz, @thr, CNN, Hollywood Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times and Ad Age
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Jeremy Barr / Hollywood Reporter:
CBS News says a third New York-based staffer has tested positive for COVID-19; the person had worked with two other employees who previously tested positive — “Yesterday was a day where we were tested,” CBS News president Susan Zirinsky told employees in a memo on Thursday.
Discussion:
@jesspatterson, Deadline, MediaPost and Adweek
Kristen Hare / Poynter:
How local newspapers in San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Philadelphia are covering coronavirus, which has become a local story — When global becomes local: — On Thursday, Feb. 27, journalists at The Seattle Times held a meeting to talk about how they'd cover the coronavirus.
Discussion:
@kristenhare, @yamphoto, @poynter and @kristenhare
Playbill:
Broadway theaters suspend all performances starting at 5pm today through April 12, under the direction of NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo — The closure is effective at 5 PM tonight, and will last through April 12. — Broadway theatres will go dark beginning 5 PM, March 12, by order of Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Discussion:
Variety, Crain's New York Business, New York Post, @sdkstl, @stephaniejblock, @anaismitchell, @ditzkoff, IndieWire and Broadway News
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
Source: Byron Allen has made an all-cash bid on Tegna worth about $8.5B, which values the broadcaster at $4.4B — Tegna is one of the biggest broadcasters in the industry — Budding media mogul Byron Allen has made a bid for broadcaster Tegna Inc. that values the owner of 62 local television stations …
Discussion:
Broadcasting & Cable, Los Angeles Times, Deadline, Variety and MediaPost
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Comscore announces a partnership with Twitch to measure activity like minutes spent and content minutes per ad minute, starting with audiences in US and Canada — Measurement firm Comscore announced this morning a partnership with Amazon-owned game streaming site, Twitch.
Discussion:
MediaPost, Adweek and Comscore, Inc., more at Techmeme »
Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
MPA: global entertainment market reached a record $100B+ in 2019: box office hit $42.5B, digital and mobile entertainment brought in $58.8B, up 14% YoY — The global entertainment market — consisting of theatrical and home entertainment — has surpassed $100 billion in revenues …
Discussion:
The Streamable, Numlock News, Wall Street Journal, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter and IndieWire
Nicholas Quah / Nieman Lab:
Irish broadcaster RTE to release a show in five languages, following in the footsteps of Wondery and iHeartMedia, which announced similar plans in August — Welcome to Hot Pod, a newsletter about podcasts. This is issue 249, dated March 10, 2020. — Spotify's Gimlet Media hires a new head of content.
Reporters Without Borders:
RSF reveals 2020 list of the world's 20 worst digital predators, companies and government agencies that use digital technology to spy on and harass journalists — To mark this year's World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, celebrated on 12 March, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) …
Discussion:
The Guardian and @richards1052
CNN:
Univision's Jorge Ramos, possibly exposed to COVID-19, withdraws as a moderator for Sunday's Democratic debate, which has moved from Arizona to Washington, DC — (CNN)The Democratic debate scheduled for Sunday will be moved from Arizona to Washington, DC, the Democratic National Committee announced Thursday.
Discussion:
Breitbart, Axios, @mlcalderone and Vanity Fair
Peter White / Deadline:
CBS All Access to launch Tooning Out the News on March 16; animated characters will mock the news of the day in short daily segments and a weekly full episode — Animated anchor James Smartwood will start mocking the news later this month after CBS All Access set a premiere date for Stephen Colbert …
Discussion:
@_brittanyv, @davezatz and Mediaite
Variety:
A look at the unprecedented crisis that media conglomerates like Disney face because of COVID-19, as streaming companies face obstacles to producing content — The cancellation of SXSW on March 6 due to the coronavirus epidemic sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry.
Discussion:
Deadline, Variety, Variety, /Film, The Wrap, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, @brianstelter, Variety, The Wrap, New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, The Playlist, @variety, The Independent, @variety, @variety and Hollywood Reporter
Reuters:
Source: Brian Lesser has resigned as chief executive of AT&T's advertising unit Xandr, which launched a TV ad-buying tool earlier Wednesday — (Reuters) - Brian Lesser, chief executive of AT&T Inc advertising unit Xandr, has resigned, according to a source familiar with the matter …
RELATED:
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
AT&T's Xandr says AMC Networks, WarnerMedia, and Disney joined Xandr Invest, its self-serve ad-buying platform, which will be available for 2020 “upfronts”
AT&T's Xandr says AMC Networks, WarnerMedia, and Disney joined Xandr Invest, its self-serve ad-buying platform, which will be available for 2020 “upfronts”
Discussion:
AdExchanger, Ad Age, @simonjharris, @bristei, Broadcasting & Cable, Broadcasting & Cable, Beet.TV, MediaPost, Reuters and Adweek
Max Boot / Washington Post:
Never has conservative media's contempt for facts and science been more dangerous, as Fox News puts lives at risk by minimizing the danger from coronavirus — President Trump has been widely and correctly excoriated for the way he is dealing with the novel coronavirus. By minimizing the danger, he heightens it.
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Janko Roettgers / Protocol:
How Google used anti-fragmentation agreements to prevent TV manufacturers from using Amazon's Fire TV OS in smart TVs — The search giant has pressured TV manufacturers not to use Amazon's Fire TV system. — Amazon has sold millions of Fire TV streaming devices in recent years …
Discussion:
Multichannel News, XDA Developers, @verge, @jank0, @protocol, @jank0, 9to5Google and The Verge