Mediagazer: Roku's ad sales boss Alison Levin on how the company steered through the pandemic, seeing mass cancellations at first but then rebounding with a record quarter (Megan Graham/CNBC)

4:20 PM ET, May 3, 2021

Top News:

Steve Kovach / CNBC:

Verizon says it will sell Yahoo and AOL to PE firm Apollo Global Management for $5B, keeping a 10% stake in the company, which will be rebranded as just “Yahoo” — - Verizon will sell its media group, which includes brands from AOL and Yahoo, to private equity firm Apollo Global Management.

Discussion: CNBC, Verizon, New York Times, Nieman Lab, Awful Announcing, Hollywood Reporter, Financial Times, CNN, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, Axios, CNBC, Variety, Ad Age, Financial Times, @sarafischer, @davidgura, Today in Tabs, @karaswisher, The Desk, Protocol, TechCrunch, Tubefilter, New York Post, The Verge, Gizmodo, @joshsteimle, @matthewkeyslive, @noisyhuevos, @m4tt, @jonrussell, @stevekovach, The Desk, @carlquintanilla, @evleaks, @pkafka, @alex, @sherman4949, The Wrap, AdExchanger, @milwaukeebonds, The Under60 Daily, @craigcalcaterra, @taralach, @lanceulanoff, @martinsfp, @jshieber, @ronandunnevz, Insider, Ad Age, @tomwarren, @megreenwald, @alex, @ashkan, @paulandstorm, @yaserbi, @hamburger, @ceciliakang, @briangaar, @annaforflorida, @zjemptv, @dailydirtnap, WWD, @dannycrichton, @sarafischer, @davidclinchnews, @harrymccracken, @devindra, Protocol, @evleaks, Associated Press, @digitalshields, FierceVideo, @smashdawg, @joshsternberg, @mattsmithkiro7, Adweek, @profcarroll, @amykremer, TV Technology, The Hill, PRWeek, Fast Company and AllAccess.com, more at Techmeme »

Meg James / Los Angeles Times:

The Los Angeles Times names Kevin Merida as its executive editor; Merida has previously been the EIC of ESPN's Undefeated — The Los Angeles Times has named veteran journalist Kevin Merida as its top editor and tasked him with transforming the storied 139-year-old newspaper into a digital powerhouse that thrives for decades to come.

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Twitter to launch ad campaign to promote local journalism, starting with 28 full-page ads in local papers across the Gannett/USA Today and McClatchy networks — Twitter on Monday will launch a major advertising and social media campaign urging people to follow local journalists and support their work.

Discussion: Columbia Journalism Review, @sarafischer, @vermontgmg, @wolfejosh, @scottnover, @ericzuck, @thischrishorne, @raju, @parkermolloy, @evelyndouek, @kerrymflynn, @mollybeck, @ofirahy, @niketa, @stphnfwlr, @larakate, @donlday, @kerryleary and Insider

David Folkenflik / NPR:

Upstart digital news site The Colorado Sun says it acquired 24 suburban newspapers around Denver, with the backing of the National Trust for Local News — group of disheartened former Denver Post editors and reporters launched an upstart news site two-and-a-half years ago, called it The Colorado Sun …

Max Tani / @maxwelltani:

Internal WaPo memo outlines the “festivals and parades” that staff are permitted to participate in, but prohibits displaying support for DC statehood — Memo from Washington Post managing editors to employees today outlining the “festivals and parades” staff are permitted to participate in, as well as the events they are prohibited from participating in. https://twitter.com/...

Discussion: @gilmored85, @meredithshiner, @dispositive, @reedfrich, @russbengtson, @timothypmurphy, @maryemilyohara, @wesleylowery, @chick_in_kiev, @jbillinson, @thrasherxy, @juddlegum and @dellcam

Cynthia Littleton / Variety:

Gray Television says it will acquire Meredith's local media group for $2.7B in cash; Meredith's National Media Group will be spun out as a standalone company — Atlanta-based Gray Television has reached a deal with Meredith Corp. to acquire 17 TV stations for $2.7 billion.

Discussion: MediaPost, TVSpy, Bloomberg, GlobeNewswire News Room, Radio & Television …, The Streamable, The Wrap, The Hill, @sarafischer, Bloomberg, @dangriffinwlwt, @greta, @variety_cynthia, TV Technology and TheStreet

Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter:

Amazon strikes deal for exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football starting in 2022, one year earlier than first planned, buying out games set to air on Fox — Fox will drop ‘Thursday Night Football’ starting in 2022, with the tech giant set to take over exclusive video rights.

Megan Graham / CNBC:

Roku's ad sales boss Alison Levin on how the company steered through the pandemic, seeing mass cancellations at first but then rebounding with a record quarter — - Roku saw a massive hit with cancellations in March at the beginning of the pandemic, letting businesses out of deals as they saw fit.

Discussion: @megancgraham, @chalozin, @digitalshields, The PARQOR Substack, Protocol, AdExchanger and @megancgraham

Oliver Darcy / CNN:

WaPo, NYT, and NBC News issue significant corrections, retracting earlier reporting that said Giuliani and OAN had been warned by the FBI about Russian disinfo — New York (CNN Business)The Washington Post, The New York Times, and NBC News on Saturday issued significant corrections …

Dade Hayes / Deadline:

Fox's free streaming service Tubi says it will launch 140 hours of original programming in the fall, and its total view time in Q1 grew by 54% YoY — Tubi, Fox Corp.'s free, ad-supported streaming service, will enter the original programming arena this fall.

Discussion: Variety, Hollywood Reporter, @loudmouthjulia, @animatedplus, @richlightshed, @xpangler and @thecartooncrave

Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:

As big Sunday news shows continue to invite Republicans who tried to overturn the election, some local outlets regularly remind their audience during news items — The journalists at WITF, an all-news public radio station in Harrisburg, Pa., made a perfectly reasonable decision a few months ago.

Discussion: @sulliview, @pamelabrowncnn, @tvietor08, @timelywriter, @scottdetrow, @jayrosen_nyu, @jaketapper, @jayrosen_nyu, @blackamazon, @oliverdarcy, @kristoncapps, @soledadobrien, @jonfavs, @dangillmor, @soledadobrien, @pamelabrowncnn and @brfreed

Chris Young / The Reporters Committee …:

RCFP's 2020 US Press Freedom report: police were responsible for 80% of assaults at protests, affecting 324 reporters, with 195+ seemingly deliberately targeted — The fourth annual report reveals the startling extent of police violence against journalists during a year of protest.

Discussion: Twitter, @rcfp, @joshuahol, @pressfreedom, euronews, @freedomofpress, @uspresstracker, GOV.UK, @rcfp, @digiphile, @froomkin, @elizlanders, @digiphile and South China Morning Post

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