Top News:
Brian Stelter / CNN:
AT&T to spin off WarnerMedia and combine it with Discovery in a $43B deal; the new company will be run by Discovery CEO David Zaslav — New York (CNN Business)The streaming TV race is about to get even more competitive. — On Monday morning AT&T (T) and Discovery, Inc. (DISCA) …
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Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
Sources: Jason Kilar is negotiating his departure as CEO of WarnerMedia, after being kept in the dark about the deal with Discovery until recent days — Jason Kilar has hired a legal team to negotiate his departure as chief executive of WarnerMedia, according to two people briefed on the matter.
Discussion:
Vox, @rebeccaarubin, ScreenRant, @brooksbarnesnyt, CNN, CNN, The Streamable, @jbenton, @borys_kit, @brianstelter, @theericgoldman, @film_girl, @richardlnewby, @mchenryjd, @karaswisher, Collider, @mattbelloni, Vanity Fair, @mattzeitlin, @rolandsmartin, @panzer, The Week, @parryravi, @sherman4949, @_christopherm, The Verge, @danprimack, @sherman4949, @katierosman, @davidpoland, @grynbaum, nexttv.com, @jbflint, @richlightshed, Heroic Hollywood, Digital TV Europe, C21Media, Mediaite, The Desk, Bloomberg and Financial Times
Hollywood Reporter:
John Stankey and David Zaslav discuss their vision for the WarnerMedia deal, saying the company will have a content spend that exceeds most competitors at $20B — AT&T chief John Stankey and Zaslav, who will lead the new venture, also addressed the status of WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar and the future of CNN.
Lillian Rizzo / Wall Street Journal:
WarnerMedia-Discovery merger puts pressure on rivals without enough scale, like NBCUniversal, which sources say viewed WarnerMedia as a possible target — Deal to combine media businesses comes as competitors race to bulk up streaming content to lure viewers fleeing pay TV
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, @rasmussen_poll, @mediumbuying and Insider
Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap:
Vice News names its news director Michael Learmonth as new EIC, filling a role that has been vacant since 2019 — Michael Learmonth was named Vice News' new editor in chief Monday, filling a role that has been vacant since 2019. He was promoted from news director, a job he held since 2016.
Discussion:
@katiedrumm, @learmonth, @mccarthyryanj, @kenli729 and MediaPost
Tyler Falk / Current:
After an outside investigation, New York Public Radio has fired On the Media host Bob Garfield for violating its anti-bullying policy — New York Public Radio has fired On the Media host Bob Garfield for violating its anti-bullying policy, the organization said Monday.
Discussion:
New York Times, @benyt, Washington Post, @bobosphere, The Wrap and New York Post
The Information:
Source: Amazon is in talks to acquire MGM, in what would be its biggest move to expand into entertainment — Amazon is in discussions to acquire MGM, said a person familiar with the situation, in what would be the ecommerce giant's biggest move yet to expand in entertainment.
Discussion:
Variety, @nickwingfield, The Wrap, Los Angeles Times, Forbes, MarketWatch, Reuters, New York Times, CBR, Deadline, IndieWire, Front Office Sports, The Verge, Bloomberg, @mossanimation, @awallenstein, @richlightshed, @loudmouthjulia, @pkafka, @great_katzby and AppleInsider, more at Techmeme »
Jeremy Fuster / The Wrap:
Former Hollywood Reporter editor Matthew Belloni has become a founding member of a new media company that has raised $7M and aims to launch this summer — Matthew Belloni, former Editorial Director at The Hollywood Reporter, has joined as a founding partner for a new media company that will cover politics …
Discussion:
Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, @jimmaiella, @benyt, @sonnybunch, @mattbelloni and Variety
Apple:
Apple says it will bring lossless audio to all Apple Music subscribers for free and will support Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, available from June — The next generation of sound on Apple Music is coming to subscribers June 2021 at no additional cost — CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today …
Discussion:
ZDNet, Business Wire, TNW, 9to5Mac, MacRumors, TechCrunch, @snazzyq, @wongmjane, @richontech, @chriswelch, @talkaboutdesign, @bzamayo, @tldtoday, @film_girl, @quinnypig, @ianfogg42, @rsgnl, @micahsingleton, @micahsingleton, @caseynewton, @caseynewton, @micahsingleton, ScreenRant, Gizmodo, New York Post, @hugorifkind, The Register, @micahsingleton, Variety, @journeydan, @chrisbhoffman, @film_girl, @rayredacted, @reneritchie, Engadget, Going against the grain, @viticci, @tomwarren, @reckless, AppleInsider, @alexhern, @maxbalzer_, @reneritchie, T3, @stijndv, BGR India, @brandonbutch, The Verge, @bzamayo, The Verge, 9to5Mac and MacRumors, more at Techmeme »
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Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
NBCUniversal is acting as a power broker between stars and advertisers as part of its upfronts, hoping its pull with talent will help it strike bigger deals — Comcast unit is pitching broad partnerships with stars during this year's TV-ad-buying ritual, hoping its pull with talent helps it strike bigger deals
Discussion:
Ad Age, @lindayacc, @deggans, @bixin29 and @cloonanj
Washington Post:
Researchers detail a sprawling disinformation network in the US, including media websites such as GTV, that's pushing falsehoods about COVID-19 and the election — Guo Wengui, living in self-exile in New York City, is at the center of a digital web pushing election and covid falsehoods, according to Graphika research
Discussion:
Gizmodo, @nicpwall, @jorge_guajardo, @oliverdarcy and @scout_finch
Reuters:
Axel Springer and Facebook strike a global deal, allowing content from Bild, Welt, Insider, and others to be distributed in Facebook News at its German launch — Axel Springer and Facebook said on Monday that they had agreed on a global cooperation deal under which content from the German publisher …
Discussion:
Axel Springer SE, @fabiochiusi, @pressgazette, @gbrotman and @markscott82
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
British GQ editor Dylan Jones departs after 22 years in the role; GQ to be led globally by American GQ editor Will Welch, as Conde Nast merges editorial teams — British GQ editor Dylan Jones is leaving the men's lifestyle magazine after 22 years at the helm.
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