Mediagazer: Analysts say Disney is underinvesting in Hulu-only original programming, as NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, and Fox prepare to pull their content from the streamer (Todd Spangler/Variety)

8:40 PM ET, August 26, 2021

Top News:

CNBC:

Axel Springer agrees to acquire Politico, the remaining 50% share in Politico Europe, and Protocol; sources say the deal is worth around $1B — - German publisher Axel Springer plans to acquire digital media site Politico. — The deal is worth about $1 billion, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Discussion: New York Times, Nieman Lab, Axel Springer SE, CNN, The Wrap, Variety, @erikwemple, Press Gazette, Wall Street Journal, Mediaite, @pilhofer, Adweek, @harrispolitico, Newser, @daphnehk, @mattdpearce, @mattdpearce, Financial Times, @timothynoah1, @sherazadesemsar, @authorkimberley, @cbudoffbrown, @stevekovach, @jasonabbruzzese, @soychicka, @kattykissem, @katie_roof, The Daily Beast, @wblau, @benyt, @mattdpearce, @cbudoffbrown, Washington Post, @sbg1, @kniggem, @rafat, @mathewi, @erikwemple, Talking Biz News, @mr_berman, @niemanlab, @sarafischer, @cjr, @alex, @dwnews, @jessicalessin, @jyarow, @danbarker, @pilhofer, @daveweigel, @erikwemple, @anthony, Washingtonian, @sherman4949, @brianstelter, @robinwigg, @benmullin, Axios, Bloomberg, New York Post, @mollyhc, @jamesvgrimaldi, @cbudoffbrown, @kerrymflynn, @robinwigg, @konsumensch, @pilhofer, @green_footballs, @tomgara, @morningbrew, @mcwm, @oliverdarcy, The Hill, @erikwemple, Mediaite, @sherman4949, Reuters, Protocol, @rasmus_kleis and MediaPost

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Apple launches News Partner Program, which lowers commissions on in-app purchases to 15% for news publishers who participate in Apple News — Apple today is launching a new program that will allow subscription news organizations that participate in the Apple News app and meet certain requirements …

Discussion: The Verge, Apple, MacRumors, 9to5Mac, CNBC and AppleInsider, more at Techmeme »

Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap:

Vice has another round of layoffs, and sources say the cuts affect Vice Digital and Refinery29 employees in North America, with fewer than 20 let go — Vice Media saw another round of layoffs Thursday, just weeks after declaring a pivot to video content. According to one source with knowledge …

Discussion: @maxwelltani, @viceunion, @__gabbymiller, @saraqdavid, @caseyjohnston, @meredithbalkus, Mediaite, HuffPost, @maxwillens, @kerrymflynn, @gordonshumway, New York Post, @joshhterry, @_arianaromero, @film_girl, Variety, @brandyzadrozny, @meredithbalkus, @kmiversen, @presgang, @rynprry, @grimkim, @caseynewton, @ashleyfeinberg, @carolinemoss, @film_girl, @parismartineau, @peterslattery3, @jesshopp, @maxberger, @thatwitchmia, @ungarino, @nkulw, @film_girl, @sherman4949, @a_w_gordon, @aaschapiro, @ashleyalese, @karlbode, @sdkstl, @kerrymflynn, @lacymb, @lemonsand, @amil, @patbits, @mindyisser, @byalexzaragoza, @wagatwe, @robzacny, @meredithbalkus, @jannwolfe, @alexeheath, @broderick, @aaschapiro, @film_girl, @aaschapiro, @alex_norcia, @jordanchariton, @imgarysuarez, @clearing_fog, @maggieofthetown, @libbycwatson, @andrewglazer, @jscros, @samitsarkar, @mcwm, @jessicaschulb, @meredithbalkus, @maxwillens, @gordonshumway, @ashleyfeinberg, @parkermolloy, @danawollman, @andrewglazer, @scottnover, @janusrose, @onionincunion, @maxwillens, @maxwillens, @ryepastrami, @shanpalus, Digiday, @blackamazon, @heyveronica, @ohheyjenna, @moorehn, @conniewang, @maxwillens, @claireefallon, @a_w_gordon, @grahamstarr, @thelincoln, @vincemancini, @ljmontello, @youngvulgarian, @oliviamesser, @jorcru, Gawker, @benyt, @noahpasaran, @the_rewm, @byalexzaragoza, @tatianatenreyro, @tvgrimreaper, @hannahsmothers_, @kevincollier, @panzer, @annamerlan, @ckrewson, @jeremypgordon and @thekimkavin

Forbes:

Forbes is going public via SPAC at a valuation of $630M; the transaction is expected to close in late 2021 or early 2022 — ● Combination will enable Forbes to further capitalize on its successful digital transformation, pursue additional growth opportunities and fully recognize …

Discussion: CNBC, TechCrunch, MediaPost, @mike_federle, @jyarow, Talking Biz News, @themediaisdying, @kerrymflynn, Insider, @kerrymflynn, @iblametom, @pkafka, @djohnson_cpa, New York Post, Reuters and The Wrap

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Analysts say Disney is underinvesting in Hulu-only original programming, as NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, and Fox prepare to pull their content from the streamer — For years, its core brand identity in a nutshell has been: Watch the TV you know and love, streamed over the internet.

Discussion: Too Much TV Newsletter

Amanda Meade / The Guardian:

News Corp outlets published 45 articles in 2 days blasting Australia's ABC after the public broadcaster aired a critical program on Fox News and Trump coverage — Fox sent letter threatening possible legal action to Australian broadcaster before two-part program on the relationship with former US president aired

Discussion: Sydney Morning Herald, ABC, @peterbale, @tamepunk, @kimmasters, @mrkrudd, @chriscarmody4 and Barrett Media

Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:

Media figures have privileged the victims of American withdrawal from Afghanistan over those of American intervention even in straight news coverage — America's withdrawal from Afghanistan has yet to cost our nation a single casualty. Evacuations of U.S. citizens and allies from Kabul's airport …

Discussion: CBS News, @herr_naphta, Raw Story, @lawrence, @danpfeiffer, @edglavin, @lizzieblove, @equoamicus, @joyannreid, @dangillmor, @binajv, @attackerman, @fawfulfan, PRESS RUN, The AfterParty, New York Post, CNBC, The Week and NBC New York

Esha Sarai / Voice of America:
US lawmakers sent a letter to Biden on Wednesday urging help for about 550 USAGM employees and their relatives who are still trying to leave Afghanistan

Discussion: Chills, @w7voa, @benyt and GovExec.com

Will Oremus / Washington Post:

Researchers say YouTube, which attracts less scrutiny than Facebook or Twitter, is a hard platform to study because video is so difficult to analyze in bulk — While Facebook and Twitter take the brunt of backlashes over misinformation and ‘censorship,’ the Google-owned video giant has often laid low.

Discussion: YouTube Official Blog, Reclaim The Net, @marklittlenews, Bloomberg, @evelyndouek, @willoremus, @tomgara, @annaedge4, @noupside and @brianstelter, more at Techmeme »

Ryan Weeks / The Block:

DJ 3LAU launches Royal, which lets users trade shares of song royalty rights as crypto tokens, with $16M in seed funding led by Founders Fund and Paradigm — Royal, a non-fungible token (NFT) investment platform focused on music, has announced a $16 million seed-stage fundraise.

Discussion: Billboard, CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, Forbes, @shaughnessy119, TechCrunch and @benkesslermusic, more at Techmeme »

Ian Burrell / inews.co.uk:

UK newspaper groups are adding local news sites and reaching places historically served by their rivals in order to attract national advertising — ANALYSISThe era of the local news monopoly is over, with publishers setting up digital operations to challenge their rivals

Discussion: @iburrell, @markdesthompson and @davidhiggerson

Matthew Gault / VICE:

Reddit CEO responds after calls from users to purge the site of COVID-19 disinformation, saying “dissent is a part of Reddit and the foundation of democracy” — The CEO of Reddit has responded to calls from users to purge the site of disinformation, saying “dissent is a part of Reddit and the foundation of democracy.”

Discussion: Reclaim The Net, Ars Technica, @motherboard and Insider, more at Techmeme »

Joan E. Solsman / CNET:

Netflix is testing games in its Android app in Poland, starting with two existing Stranger Things games — Playing on Netflix's mobile app is new, but the games themselves — two pixelated Stranger Things games — have already been available off Netflix for years.