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THR editor Matt Belloni to resign; source: Belloni opposed Valence Media co-CEOs' direction not to publish stories that would negatively impact their interests — Hollywood Reporter Editorial Director Matt Belloni announced Monday he is abruptly stepping down after 14 years at the publication …
Discussion:
Variety, Hollywood Reporter, The Daily Beast, @edmundlee, @thrmattbelloni, MediaPost, @maxwelltani, @oliverdarcy, @kevinmdraper, @billsimmons, @maxwelltani, @jayrosen_nyu, @dylanbyers, @alyssarosenberg, @scottfeinberg, @matthewkadish, @marcmalkin, @maxwelltani, @noahshachtman, @edmundlee, @lucas_shaw, @harrymccracken, @benyt, @elainaplott, @tomgara, @benmullin, @erik_hayden, @laura_nelson, @dylanbyers, @maxwelltani, @mimiturner01, @jayshams, @brentalang, @akstanwyck, Talking Biz News and Los Angeles Times


Review of Quibi's launch shows: most are entertaining and the formats feel spot-on for casual smartphone viewing, but the selection needs work — Quibi? Well, if you insist . . . — It's yet another subscription service, launching Monday with two dozen TV shows (to start) …
Discussion:
Vox, @dylanmatt, @geoffreyfowler, New York Post, PAPER, @bwwmatt, @waxpancake, @jackallisonlol and The Verge
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Quibi app review: works reliably, auto-flips between landscape and portrait, but no tablet-optimized mode, no family member profiles, and lacks a TV experience — A mobile-only video app was always going to be a hard sell — After months of publicity, Quibi — the mobile phone app that's centered …
Discussion:
Engadget, Variety, The Streamable, CNN, TechCrunch, @johnkoetsier, VentureBeat, @joshconstine, @devindra, @imbrettbowman, @brotractor, @chriswelch, Broadcasting & Cable and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »


Jeffery Katzenberg and Meg Whitman's Quibi short-video streaming service launches with $1.8B in funding amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Discussion:
TechCrunch, AgencySpy, @larardavid, @jbflint, @dorseyshaw, @markharrisnyc, @fangsbites, @joshsternberg, @davidehrlich, @chrismichel, Adweek, @ryankadro and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »

To succeed, Quibi should lean into the unscripted content that works well on the platform, and not mimic prestige television
Discussion:
The Verge, @aepstein, Business Insider, Mediaite, @joshconstine, @devindra, IndieWire, @davidpoland, @scottfeinberg, @steven_aquino, @devindra and @pierce


The New York Times Company partners with Verizon to offer all students and teachers in US high schools free access to nytimes.com from April 6 to July 6 — The New York Times Company and Verizon today joined forces to offer all students and teachers in high schools within the U.S. free digital access to NYTimes.com.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, New York Times, @alanblinder, @jbenton, @niemanlab and Multichannel News


NBC, ABC, and CBS to team up for a fundraiser curated by Lady Gaga on April 18, with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert hosting the broadcast — Lady Gaga will curate the fundraiser, which will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.
Discussion:
@brianstelter, Deadline, Variety, Mediaite, Billboard, The Streamable, MTV, The Week and The A.V. Club


How Trump's obsession with TV news and focus on himself has fueled a chaotic COVID-19 response, with each day becoming an attempt to win the news cycle — President Trump began the seven-day stretch threatening — and then reneging on — a quarantine of the New York region.
Discussion:
Axios, @philiprucker, @afreedma, Law & Crime, @philiprucker, @yabutaleb7, @jonlemire, @ashleyrparker and Washington Post


In a tweet, Trump says ad revenue is down at NYT and Wapo and wonders if it is because they are “fake news” or “the Virus is just plain beating them up” — President Donald Trump took shots at The New York Times and the Washington Post on Twitter Monday …


UK publisher Reach, which operates the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, says it will furlough almost 1,000 employees and enact pay cuts — Reach, which also owns Daily Express and Daily Star, makes decision because of Covid-19 — The publisher of the Daily Mirror …
Discussion:
Press Gazette, @journomiket, @simonnread, @thattimwalker, @michael_o_regan, @aidanpwhite, @hilary_w, @liamthorpecho, @shentonstage, Reuters and CityAM


NBCUniversal says it will reduce ad loads across its networks to make room for more programming and add more entertainment and news content during the lockdown — On news broadcasts and cable news channels, the company will reduce commercial loads to allow for more programming.
Discussion:
NBCUniversal Together, Adweek, Ad Age, @whatthebit, @jboorstin, @crupicrupicrupi and @tiffkhsu


The Racial Equity in Journalism Fund at Borealis Philanthropy awards $2.3M in grants to 16 news organizations led by and serving US communities of color — The Racial Equity in Journalism (REJ) Fund at Borealis Philanthropy has awarded $2.3 million in grants to 16 news organizations serving communities of color across the country.
Discussion:
@tmpowell, @jcstearns, @sahanjournal and @craignewmark


The Atlantic says it gained 36,000 new subscribers over the past four weeks, with a third of them subscribing to both digital and print — The Atlantic had a very good March. — In an email to his staff, editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg announced: — Those traffic numbers are very impressive.
Discussion:
@kerrymflynn, @adriennelaf and @elanazak


Streaming services should thrive during the pandemic but severe job losses will tighten wallets and social media platforms offer compelling free alternatives — - Quarantines have boosted streaming video usage but spiking job losses may not bode well for subscription video services.
Discussion:
MediaPost, @sherman4949 and @sherman4949


The Poynter Institute announces a new partnership with NPR in which Poynter's Kelly McBride will serve as NPR's new public editor — The Poynter Institute announces a pioneering new partnership with NPR in which Poynter's Kelly McBride serves as public editor, strengthening NPR's mission …
Discussion:
NPR, @benmullin, @davidfolkenflik, @deggans and @froomkin