Top News:
Marc Tracy / New York Times:
NYT says it has added 669K new digital subscribers in Q2 and its digital revenue, at $185.5M, exceeded print revenue, at $175.4M, for the first time — The pandemic squeezed advertising for the web as well as print, but subscription growth was the best ever for a quarter.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Poynter, The Wrap, @niemanlab, @scribeguy, @cliffordlevy, @pilhofer, @dsamuelsohn, @jimwaterson, @ericcrawford, Axios, @palewire, @jessekblum, @sarafischer, @niemanlab, @emilybell, @jason_a_w, @juliehdavis, @jbenton, AdExchanger, @marcatracy, @mattzeitlin, @kerrymflynn, @palafo, @jodikantor, @jimhansondc, @edmundlee, @yeselson and bookforum.com
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Business Wire:
NYT reports Q2 net income of $23.7M, down 6% YoY, revenue of $403.8M, down 7.5% YoY, with ad revenues down 43.9%, and has a total of 6.5M subscribers — NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) announced today second-quarter 2020 diluted earnings per share …
Discussion:
@gerryfsmith, CNN, The Hill, @mattyglesias, @mattietk, @them_l_g, @bgrueskin, @kerrymflynn, @andybcampbell, @justin_b_smith, @kerrymflynn, @dicktofel, @kncukier, @thestalwart, @boydhilton, @gerryfsmith, @yousefmunayyer, @brandonetc, @sarthakgh and @aexm
Robert D. McFadden / New York Times:
Pete Hamill, the celebrated reporter who worked as a columnist and the top editor of The New York Post and The Daily News, and authored many books, dies at 85 — He was, among other things, a celebrated reporter, columnist and the top editor of The New York Post and The Daily News and the author of numerous books.
Discussion:
New York Daily News, @danbarrynyt, New York Post, MediaPost, @stengel, abc7NY, @joelmsiegel, Hollywood Reporter, @cliffordlevy, @howardkurtz, @om, @lisa_olson1, @aodespair, @mikebarnicle, @senschumer, @edokeefe, @nytimesbooks, @devlinbarrett, @nycspeakercojo, @ejdionne, Rolling Stone, @sydbrownstone, @sarahhepola, @vurnt22, @dgisserious, @clauirizarry, @rachelking, @tonymess, @coreykilgannon, @nytmedia, @davidlat, @stanleycohenlaw, @craigtimes, @thestevenweber, The Wrap, The Hill and Gothamist
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Roku beats analyst estimates with Q2 revenue of $356.1M, up 42% YoY, and says it has 43M active streaming accounts with streaming hours rising 65% YoY — Roku, helped again by stay-at-home streaming during the coronavirus pandemic, topped Wall Street earnings estimates for the second quarter …
Discussion:
Roku, The Streamable, CNBC, @xpangler, Hollywood Reporter, @loudmouthjulia and @megancgraham, more at Techmeme »
Craig Chamberlain / Illinois News Bureau:
Study of 2,000 journalists' Twitter use: Beltway journalism may be “even more insular than previously thought” with journalists talking too much to each other — CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Journalists in Washington, D.C., have long been accused of living in a “Beltway bubble,” …
Discussion:
@amlwhere, @jamiejbartlett, @katerinareports, @katiebowill, @loganclarkhall, @chuckrossdc, Washingtonian, @davejorgenson, @mattwolfab, @jbflint, @natsfert, @noahcrothman and @pkafka
Sara Fischer / Axios:
TikTok tightens policies against manipulated content, expands fact-checking partnerships, and is working with DHS's Countering Foreign Influence Task Force — TikTok announced new rules for its users on Wednesday to curb misinformation and manipulation ahead of the 2020 election.
Discussion:
@mosseri, Newsroom | TikTok, @xsparkage, TechCrunch, @sibu_mpanzasa, NBC News, @mattnavarra, @shook_yt, @taylorlorenz, @alexsalvinews, @sarafischer, @sonnybunch, Engadget and Mashable, more at Techmeme »
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Facebook launches Instagram Reels, its TikTok competitor that lets users create and publish 15-second videos, in 50+ countries, including the US, UK, and Japan — Instagram Reels, the company's significant effort in challenging TikTok on short-form creative content, is launching globally, starting today.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Axios, The Verge, Wall Street Journal, Android Police, Vox, Mumbrella, @karaswisher, Transmission, Engadget, MacRumors and MediaPost, more at Techmeme »
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Discovery reports Q2 earnings of $271M, down 71% YoY, on revenue of $2.54B, down 12% YoY; US ad revenues were down 14% and distribution revenues were down 2% — Discovery said it planned to unveil a new direct-to-consumer streaming service even as its said its second-quarter net income fell 71% …
Discussion:
@bristei, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, @xpangler, @thr, The Streamable and Multichannel News
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Priyanjana Bengani / Columbia Journalism Review:
Study finds 700 more “pink slime” sites, partisan outlets masquerading as local news orgs, have been activated ahead of US election, up from 450 in Dec. 2019 — The run-up to the 2020 November elections in the US has produced new networks of shadowy, politically backed …
Discussion:
American Press Institute, @alenamaschke, @andrewliptak, @mrdenmore, @jtmstream, @rap30, @spj_tweets, @emilybell, @jessamahone and @mikeorren
Politico:
The death of independent media in Hungary exposes how EU lacks the political will and the legal tools to help preserve a vibrant free press in member states — Viktor Orbán's opponents want Brussels to use competition law in the media sector, but it's a long shot.
Discussion:
@kenroth, @politicoeurope and Politico
Tribune Publishing Company:
Tribune Publishing reports Q2 net income of $1.6M on revenue of $183.1M, which is down 26.9% YoY; ad revenue fell 48.1% YoY and digital-only subs rose 39.7% YoY — Exceeded previous guidance for 2nd Quarter Revenues and 2nd Quarter Adjusted EBITDA — Digital content revenues and subscribers increased 40% year-over-year
Discussion:
@byjonharris and @byjonharris
Julia Alexander / The Verge:
Quibi seems to be testing a free ad-supported tier in Australia and New Zealand — Sounds like a testing phase — Quibi is beginning to offer a completely free tier to subscribers in Australia and New Zealand as the struggling streaming company tries to build its subscriber base.
Discussion:
Engadget, Gizmodo, @loudmouthjulia and Cord Cutters News
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
Ofcom study: Disney+, with 16% of online adults subscribing, surpassed Now TV to become UK's third most subscribed streamer after Netflix's 45% and Amazon's 39% — The lockdown months in the U.K., from late March to early July, saw U.S. streaming giants Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus …
Julia Alexander / The Verge:
Disney says it plans to launch a general entertainment streaming platform internationally in 2021 under its Star brand, would include content from ABC, FX, more — The big question now is what it means for Hulu — Disney plans to launch a new general entertainment streaming platform overseas …
Discussion:
IGN, @theericgoldman and @loudmouthjulia
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Joan E. Solsman / CNET:
Disney says Disney+ grew to 57.5M subs as of June 27, up from 54.5M three months ago
Disney says Disney+ grew to 57.5M subs as of June 27, up from 54.5M three months ago
Discussion:
PYMNTS.com, Variety, TechCrunch, Engadget, @vijayshekhar, @sherman4949 and Engadget
Julia Alexander / The Verge:
Disney's Mulan, originally to be released in March but delayed due to COVID-19, will be released on Disney+ on Sept. 4 as a premium on-demand offering for $30
Disney's Mulan, originally to be released in March but delayed due to COVID-19, will be released on Disney+ on Sept. 4 as a premium on-demand offering for $30
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Streamable, @gerryconway, @blessedsouthpaw, @otherehm, @wonderwaffle93, @reneritchie, @alexandraerin, @eugenedaniels2, @scalzi, @cynical_cj, @jimwaterson, @gameonysus, @constar24, @paultassi, @thekenyeung, @schaffrillas, @curtmega, @briantong, @cynical_cj, @itsandyyybitch, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, The Wrap, Vox, Adweek and The Week