Top News:
Ben Smith / New York Times:
Sources: after handing over to the new CEO, Bob Iger effectively returned to run Disney in March, as the pandemic decimated its most profitable businesses — The former C.E.O. thought he was riding into the sunset. Now he's reasserting control and reimagining Disney as a company with fewer employees and more thermometers.
Discussion:
Deadline, Business Insider, Observer, Hollywood Reporter, The Playlist, The Week, That Still, Small Voice, @benyt, @chrisbrogan, @yashar, @carnage4life, @nbj914, @misterpatches, @benyt, @mousterpiece, @benyt, @jonfriedman, @mcastimovies, @fosadam, Variety, @stevekopack, @snoodit, @richlightshed, The Wrap and New York Post, more at Techmeme »
New York Times:
Condé Nast announces pay cuts of 10%-20% for those earning over $100K and expects “some role eliminations” as it seeks government assistance in the UK and EU — The glossy magazine publisher says it is experiencing “significant financial pressure” and imposing cost-saving measures across the globe.
Discussion:
Variety, @nytimes, @joeybear85, @media_evan, @benmullin, @mradamtaylor, @kerrymflynn, @hamiltonnolan, @edmundlee, @brokenbottleboy, @annaknicolaou, @eiffeltyler, @sapna, @kerrymflynn and @maxwelltani
Lauren Feiner / CNBC:
Meg Whitman says Quibi had 1.7M downloads in its first week and is accelerating plans to enable the app to cast to TVs due to the lockdown — - New mobile streaming service Quibi saw 1.7 million downloads in its first week, CEO Meg Whitman said on CNBC's “Squawk on the Street” Monday.
Discussion:
Variety, The Streamable, @stevekovach and @stevekovach, more at Techmeme »
Peter Kafka / Vox:
In some early COVID-19 coverage by the US media, conflicting and sometimes inaccurate information from experts and officials resulted in muddled messages — President Trump speaks during a news conference with members of his Coronavirus Task Force on March 19. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Discussion:
@willoremus, @ranimolla, @sarthakgh, @ssdai, @jerylbier, @drjoehanson, @robdet, @pkafka, @dylanlscott, @benyt and @djcdiem
Andrew Bucholtz / Awful Announcing:
Sports Illustrated owner Maven has fired longtime soccer journalist Grant Wahl, following Wahl's public criticism of company plans for a permanent staff pay cut — Grant Wahl is far from the only person to criticize Maven's operation of Sports Illustrated, but he may be the first to lose his job after offering those criticisms.
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, The Ringer, @byianthomas, @grantwahl, @si_union, Poynter, @awfulannouncing, @dcsportsbog, @jeffmacke, @dcaraviello, @osasuo, @adamzagoria, @joebanner13, @nytimesguild, @bobbyburton247, @woodywhitehurst, @griffinporter97, @rwilliams1947, @dmccomasob, @dave_schilling, @thesagerbomb, @mark_j_boyle, @dannyoneil, @awfulannouncing, @grantwahl, @maggiegray, @liam_twomey, @citizen_kay, @alex_kirshner, @grantwahl, @grantwahl, @rohannadkarni, @conororr, @jessica_smetana, @jennyvrentas, @chrischavez, @lmechegaray, @jmkliegman, @grantwahl, @dave_schilling, @lfcny, @jduffyrice, @ollieholt22, @nickcarboniwcnc, @rohannadkarni, @seidelumbc, @larsanderson71, @davisjsn, @c_stillitano, @annkillion, @nwbaird, @dylanbyers, @jasongay, @itsmeglinehan, @timmarchman, @kami, @nicoleauerbach, @luisomartapia, @dyoungrivals, @lacrimes, @jasonschreier, @slmandel, @lizroscher, @pacificpdx, @gabepirlo, @bydavidgardner, @jeremymbarr, @kylecoche, @bykevinclark, @molly_knight, @maxwelltani and @jasonschwartz
Chris Stokel-Walker / OneZero:
As some YouTube advertising rates drop by as much as 50% while viewership rates are up, YouTubers say their pay has declined dramatically — Advertising rates on the platform have dropped significantly during the coronavirus pandemic — Newspapers, websites, and TV channels have all been decimated by the coronavirus.
Discussion:
Business Insider, @carnage4life, @ozm, @ozm, @baekdal, @therevmountain, @baekdal and @stokel, more at Techmeme »
Brent Lang / Variety:
Cinemark, the third largest theater chain in the US, launches a $250M debt sale as cinemas close indefinitely due to the pandemic — Cinemark is launching an offering of $250 million in senior secured notes. The theater chain said the debt securities will be used for “general corporate purposes …
Daniel Chang / Miami Herald:
The Miami Herald says FL governor's aide pressured its law firm into not filing a public records lawsuit to disclose COVID-19 data; Herald to file with new firm — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' general counsel called a representative of the Miami Herald's law firm seeking to quash …
Renée DiResta / The Atlantic:
Chinese state media is amplifying conspiracies from the internet, aimed at muddying the origin of COVID-19, through official channels, paid ads, and diplomats — The coronavirus that became a global pandemic first surfaced late last year in Wuhan, China. But according to one common narrative making …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Fox News, VICE and Breitbart
New York Times:
Hospital administrators in the US are warning doctors and nurses to not speak to the media or post online about workplace concerns, or risk suspension or firing — Hospitals have warned, disciplined and even fired staff members who went public with workplace concerns about coronavirus precautions.
Munsif Vengattil / Reuters:
Dish Network says it's cut staff, without specifying how many, and is re-evaluating its business to better cope with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic — (Reuters) - Dish Network Corp (DISH.O) has cut staff and is re-evaluating its business to cope better with the fallout …
Discussion:
Variety, Multichannel News and Hollywood Reporter
Mia Galuppo / Hollywood Reporter:
SXSW filmmakers voice concerns over SXSW's Amazon Prime Video free streaming offer, saying it may hurt their film's distribution chances and future sales — “Showing things for free isn't going to make a dent,” says one producer of a project that has opted out of the tech giant's festival collection.
Discussion:
@thr, @sarahmegant, @thr, @kimmasters, @thr, @filmcollab and @tatianasiegel27
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