Top News:
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press:
In a letter to the LA County Sheriff's Department, RCFP and 64 media organizations condemn the arrest of KPCC reporter Josie Huang and urge dropping of charges — Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies violently arrested the KPCC reporter while she was lawfully covering a protest on Sept. 12.
Max Willens / Digiday:
A look at Red Ventures, which bought CNET Media Group, and its portfolio of 100+ sites like The Points Guy that primarily make money from affiliate commissions — Whatever you do, don't call Red Ventures an intent media company. — The Charlotte, N.C.-based media company …
Discussion:
@redventures and @bmorrissey
Lucinda Southern / Digiday:
Insider is launching a news bureau in Singapore with four reporters and a salesperson; ~10% of its audience, or ~22M MAUs, is in the Asian Pacific Region — While a number of publishers have curbed their international expansion visions, Insider Inc. is plowing on full steam ahead.
Discussion:
@jim_edwards
J. Clara Chan / The Wrap:
California public radio station KCRW cut 28 jobs through buyouts and layoffs in the face of a 30% loss to its operating budget, despite help from PPP loan — KCRW has eliminated 28 jobs through buyouts and layoffs as the Santa Monica-based public radio station projects a whopping 30% loss to its operating budget due to the pandemic.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, @csymrl, @variety, @jenn_swann and Variety
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
UK reveals rules for its £500M film and TV production restart program, which is designed to help productions suspended by pandemic or unable to secure insurance — The U.K.'s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Treasury have revealed the rules …
Discussion:
GOV.UK, C21Media, @cat_willis, @pactuk, @filminuk_bfc and Deadline
New York Times:
Some analysts are questioning the future of the movie theater business as audiences fail to return to re-opened theaters; more releases are getting postponed — People aren't going to the movies at anywhere close to the numbers that Hollywood hoped, prompting studios to postpone more big releases.
Discussion:
@kennethturan, @kunur, Variety, @richlightshed and @dianeswonk
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
UK's Telegraph Media Group says profits grew 73% YoY to £14.3M in 2019 on revenue of £263.9M, down 5% YoY; digital subscription revenue grew 48.9% YoY to £17.8M — Telegraph Media Group grew its digital subscription revenues by half to £17.8m in 2019 …
Sara Fischer / Axios:
As part of its Vote For Your Life campaign, MTV says it will pay for printing and mailing ballot applications for voters through October 6 — MTV will pay for the printing and postage of any ballot application requested through websites linked to its new voter initiative campaign, network executives tell Axios.
Discussion:
Ad Age, The Hill, Hollywood Reporter, @aspillane and @erikasotolamb
Murad Ahmed / Financial Times:
Tencent buys digital streaming rights in China for all remaining Premier League of the 2020/21 season, replacing a contract with PPTV that ended in dispute — English football's top tier moves to replace contract with PPTV that ended in dispute — The English Premier League has secured …
Discussion:
Variety, CNBC, @muradahmed, @mjshrimper and Premier League Football News …
Pan Pylas / Associated Press:
Daniel Ellsberg testified in defense of Julian Assange in an extradition hearing Wednesday, saying Assange cannot get a fair trial under Espionage Act charges — LONDON (AP) — Daniel Ellsberg, one of the most famous whistleblowers in living memory, came to the defense of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange …
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, Press Association, @kgosztola, @kgosztola, @kgosztola, @kgosztola, The Dissenter, Reuters and Bloomberg
Joseph Cox / VICE:
Sources: at an all-hands, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek defended keeping Joe Rogan's transphobic podcasts available; Spotify passed on some other old Rogan episodes — Multiple sources inside Spotify described an all-hands meeting in which Spotify CEO Daniel Ek discussed the company's handling of the controversial podcaster.
Discussion:
@ggreenwald, @conor64, @michaelmalice, @jillkrajewski, @josephfcox, @josephfcox, @emanuelmaiberg, @josephfcox, @emanuelmaiberg, @baekdal, @baekdal, @jason_koebler, Los Angeles Times and TMZ.com
New York Times:
DOJ orders Al Jazeera's digital news network AJ+ to register as a foreign agent, saying it engages in “political activities” on behalf of Qatar's government — The Justice Department says AJ+, a media outlet backed by the royal family of Qatar, engages in “political activities.”