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:
Nieman Lab, New York Times, Columbia Journalism Review, @erikwemple, Axel Springer SE, @pilhofer, @harrispolitico, Press Gazette, Wall Street Journal, Adweek, @sarafischer, @mathewi, @niemanlab, @dwnews, @pilhofer, @daveweigel, Financial Times, @gintautasd, @pilhofer, @green_footballs, @wblau, @daphnehk, @mattdpearce, @mattdpearce, @richsignorelli, Digiday, @wblau, @authorkimberley, @soychicka, Newser, @benmullin, @katie_roof, @cbudoffbrown, @cbudoffbrown, @kattykissem, @jessicalessin, @sarafischer, The Daily Caller, @erikwemple, @kerrymflynn, @erikwemple, @erikwemple, @mattdpearce, @konsumensch, @mr_berman, @cbudoffbrown, @sherman4949, @danbarker, @jasonabbruzzese, @timothynoah1, @kniggem, @stevekovach, @sherman4949, @jamesvgrimaldi, @alex, @mcwm, @rafat, @morningbrew, @cjr, @benyt, @robinwigg, @tomgara, @anthony, @robinwigg, @mollyhc, @jyarow, @sherazadesemsar, @sbg1, Mediaite, @brianstelter, @oliverdarcy, @rasmus_kleis, Financial Times, Washington Post and New York Post
Discussion:
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab: Politico is being sold for more than $1 billion; here are some of the smart moves it made to get there
Erik Wemple / @erikwemple: One staffer asked whether Axel Springer would institute a paywall over the free portion of Politico's offerings, and AS CEO Mathias Döpfner responded, “We're from Berlin. We don't like the concept of walls.” 3/
Julia Sommerfeld / Axel Springer SE: Axel Springer to acquire POLITICO
Aron Pilhofer / @pilhofer: Politico is a niche publication that serves a moneyed audience whose voices have never needed amplification, as I said earlier today. It is not a general-interest news site, and never pretended to be. Comparing it to your local https://newspaper.com/ is apples to oranges.
John F. Harris / @harrispolitico: Well, this is interesting....big day for @politico and big day for @R_Allbritton my friend and partner for 15 years. https://www.businesswire.com/ ...
William Turvill / Press Gazette: Media Deals Tracker: Latest on M&A and other deals in news and media sector
Dave Sebastian / Wall Street Journal: Axel Springer to Acquire Politico
Mark Stenberg / Adweek: Axel Springer Announces Acquisition of News Site Politico
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: Another reason Beltway media market so hot right now is timing. Odd years, but especially odd years after a major presidential, are v lucrative for advocacy ads, which is how they all make their $. Bonus points for Congress w divided chambers and a few hot button issues. https://twitter.com/...
Mathew Ingram / @mathewi: Great thread from Aron here. Politico is also well known for its enthusiastic both-sidesism, the kind of horse-racing style coverage that cleverly avoids any discussion of whether one side is racist, lying, etc. No surprise that there's money in that https://twitter.com/...
@niemanlab: “Politico is still free to all. How? It recognized early on something airlines have known for a long time: It's a lot easier to make a lot of money from a few of your customers than a little from everyone.” @jbenton on where Politico went right: https://www.niemanlab.org/...
@dwnews: Politico, a prominent US media outlet, was already a longstanding business partner for the German digital media company. https://www.dw.com/...
Aron Pilhofer / @pilhofer: I think we can learn some things from them: The value of voice. The value of focus, and understanding your business model. The value of writing SHORT. The value of really good targetted newsletters. But we ought to be careful trying to copy that success in different contexts..
Gintautas Dumcius / @gintautasd: “In the past decade, traditional political reporting has become more like Politico than Politico has become more like traditional political reporting.” https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Aron Pilhofer / @pilhofer: I don't want to sound too much like a downer. It's a great story. Politico elbowed its way into a crowded market and found a lane. That is a good thing. But if you are focused on local news, and you're looking for a template somewhere in all this, not sure you'll fine one.
Charles Johnson / @green_footballs: The New York Times doesn't think it's important to note that Axel Springer is the Murdoch of Germany, a far right propaganda organization. Not a word about this in the article. https://twitter.com/...
Wolfgang Blau / @wblau: If you look at where the true decisions are being made, this is barely a ‘German’ take-over and rather a US company (KKR) buying another US company (Politico) through their majority-owned German vehicle Axel-Springer. All makes a lot of sense but is barely a ‘German’ take-over. https://twitter.com/...
Daphne Keller / @daphnehk: Major partisan in policy fights acquired news source relied on by policy makers. https://twitter.com/...
@mattdpearce: We are all a family here and need flexibility, in the sense that I just sold my flexible family to Axel Springer for a certain sum of money.
Richard Signorelli / @richsignorelli: They paid too much. Politico Is Sold to Axel Springer for More Than $1 Billion https://www.nytimes.com/...
Kayleigh Barber / Digiday: Cheat Sheet: Axel Springer continues quest for premium audiences with $1 billion acquisition of Politico
Wolfgang Blau / @wblau: Yes, Axel-Springer's acquisition of Politico gives another German media company signficant leverage in the US, next to Bertelsmann. Worth mentioning, though: Axel-Springer's own majority owner is the US firm KKR. https://www.axelspringer.com/ ...
Kimberley Johnson / @authorkimberley: More reason to block and ignore @politico. https://twitter.com/...
Random Facts Girl / @soychicka: I really can't understand this - how can foreign outlets even be permitted to own US media publications that shape political debate? https://twitter.com/...
Bob Cronin / Newser: German Publisher Reaches Agreement to Buy Politico
Ben Mullin / @benmullin: Axel Springer CEO Matias Dompfner is not ruling out a deal for Axios, telling me he intends to “very carefully watch their development.” https://www.wsj.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Carrie Budoff Brown / @cbudoffbrown: As a founding editor of @POLITICOEurope, I worked up close with @axelspringer and know it will be a strong steward during this next chapter of @politico's amazing success story. 4/4
Carrie Budoff Brown / @cbudoffbrown: “Together we have built what is without a doubt the most impressive and most enduring of the many experiments in new publications over the past generation. Particularly in recent years, we have put the emphasis on doing rather than boasting ... 2/4
Jessica Lessin / @jessicalessin: .@politico selling to @axelspringer will be seismic for journalism. But right now I just want to say thanks to everyone at @politico. Since day 0 at @theinformation, I've admired you tremendously. A rare combo of journalistic dominance + biz savvy. Bravo. I'm sure it will go on.
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: Politico sold for ~$1B, per sources. The Hill sold for $130M. Morning Consult valued at $1B+. FiscalNote eyeing SPAC IPO. Influence among DC opinion leaders has always been valuable, but given avalanche of advocacy issues (chaotic election, pandemic, etc) bigger premium on it now
Harry Wilmerding / The Daily Caller: European Publishing Giant To Acquire Politico, Deal Could Cost $1 Billion
Erik Wemple / @erikwemple: Döpfner pointed out that one time, Volkswagen pulled advertising from an AS property, at which point the outlet just kept covering VW as it normally would. It eventually came back as an advertiser. The point being: Just cover the news and things will take care of themselves. 4/
Erik Wemple / @erikwemple: According to a source familiar with the deal, there was a “general agreement” between the parties that there'd be no layoffs. 2/
Erik Wemple / @erikwemple: A few notes on the sale of Politico to German publishing house Axel Springer: In a call with staff today, execs from both outlets assured staffers that there would be no change for them, and that the goal would be to expand, not shrink, Politico. 1/
Matt Pearce / @mattdpearce: I, the owner of Politico, simply love to send personalized anti-union manifestos to the newsroom about how We're All A Family Here while I cash out the company to a faceless European corporate conglomerate. https://twitter.com/...
@konsumensch: German FoxNews equivalent Axel Springer buys Politico. Sorry for your loss America, these guys are the absolute worst of the German media landscape and will turn this outlet into a partisan, conservative rag like BILD and Welt. https://www.axelspringer.com/ ...
Matt Berman / @mr_berman: $1 billion may sound like a lot, but that's actually seven Pro subscriptions
Carrie Budoff Brown / @cbudoffbrown: Endlessly proud of what @politico grew into — from a scrappy, constantly-underestimated startup to a $1 billion media company with true global strength. @R_Allbritton is right ... 1/4 https://www.axelspringer.com/ ...
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: @JasonAbbruzzese There does appear to be some general consensus that there's a light at the end of the tunnel if you can just roll up enough players. There are a handful of digital media players that want to be the roller-uppers now. Maybe that's desperation, but Axel isn't on a total island.
Dan Barker / @danbarker: Politico is apparently being acquired by Axel Springer for *$1 billion*. Similarweb estimates https://politico.com/ receives >50m visits per month, and they of course have other domains & apps. Still, a billion seems a lot. https://www.axios.com/...
Jason Abbruzzese / @jasonabbruzzese: I mean this in a skeptical way but also a genuinely inquisitive one. Axel clearly sees some major upside in U.S. digital media and subscriptions! Which is good!
Timothy Noah / @timothynoah1: Axel Springer buys Politico for $1b. That's four times what Jeff Bezos paid to buy the Washington Post. Ergo: a.) The WaPo was foolish not to let John Harris and Jim VandeHei start it up in-house. b.) Axel Springer overpaid. or c.) Both. Discuss.
Michael Knigge / @kniggem: 🇩🇪🇺🇸 Germany's Axel Springer group buys US outlets Politico & Protocol, expanding its American media footprint. The group's US portfolio already includes Insider & Morning Brew. In Germany, Axel Springer owns the largest tabloid Bild & daily Die Welt. https://www.axelspringer.com/ ...
Steve Kovach / @stevekovach: Axel-Axios deal dead for now https://twitter.com/...
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: I can add this little scooplet to the Politico news — Axel Springer is no longer in talks to acquire Axios, according to people familiar with the matter. https://www.cnbc.com/...
@jamesvgrimaldi: Sold: Politico. German publisher Axel Springer is acquiring Politico. Editorial and management leadership teams of Politico in the U.S., Politico Europe and Protocol will stay in place (for now). https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ
@rafat: Congrats to all including @R_Allbritton, you built a pioneering high metabolism digital media company that others — including us at @skift — learned a lot from, and smart of Axel to build it out globally. I would suggest India is ripe for it. https://www.businesswire.com/ ...
@cjr: ICYMI: “The third-largest media company in Germany has apparently lost faith in the profitability of journalism.” @spoke32 on Axel Springer, from 2019 https://www.cjr.org/...
Ben Smith / @benyt: @tomgara @RobinWigg Huge investment from KKR
Robin Wigglesworth / @robinwigg: @benyt @tomgara I'm still surprised KKR bankrolling these kinds of glamour purchases at 5x revenues. Even Amazon trades at under 4x revenues.
Anthony DeRosa / @anthony: Axel Springer is acquiring Politico. @BenMullin broke news of their talks over a week ago: https://www.wsj.com/...
Robin Wigglesworth / @robinwigg: What is don't get is where Axel Springer gets the money from to buy Business Insider, Politico, Morning Brew etc etc. Are German newspapers still *that* profitable? https://twitter.com/...
Molly Hensley-Clancy / @mollyhc: Do you guys remember when the owner of Politico told employees two weeks ago that they shouldn't unionize because there was no “clash of economic interests” lol https://twitter.com/...
Jay Yarow / @jyarow: The Axel Springer-KKR deal could end up working out really well. Axel doing a solid roll up job. Plenty more targets out there. https://www.axelspringer.com/ ...
Sherazade Semsar / @sherazadesemsar: wonderful news. A dream come true. @axelspringer_EN @politico @POLITICOEurope @protocol we are one family! https://www.axelspringer.com/ ...
Susan Glasser / @sbg1: Winning the morning. https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: And here's the confirmation: “Axel Springer signed an agreement to acquire POLITICO, including the remaining 50 percent share of its current joint venture POLITICO Europe, as well as the tech news website Protocol from Robert Allbritton.” https://www.businesswire.com/ ...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: “Allbritton will continue as publisher of POLITICO & Protocol. The editorial and management leadership teams of POLITICO in the U.S., POLITICO Europe and Protocol will remain in place, and will continue to operate their publications separately from Axel Springer's other brands...” https://twitter.com/...
Rasmus Kleis Nielsen / @rasmus_kleis: A sentence like “future of the media lies in services that deliver real benefits for their users or readers” does make one wonder what media did in the past? (And “offers entry into the power centers” as part of value proposition not without complications) https://thefix.media/...
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post: Politico sold to German publisher Axel Springer
Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post: German publisher Axel Springer strikes deal to buy Politico
Liena Zagare / Bklyner:
Liena Zagare, the editor and publisher of local news site Bklyner, announces the site will stop publishing on Sept. 10; archives will remain online — Friday, September 10, will be the last day of Bklyner. Or at least Bklyner as we know it. — For the last almost 10 years …
Discussion:
@lienazagare, @evgrieve, @meganmcgibney, @salazarsenate, @nickrizzo, @goodiehey, @mr_berman, @kadiagoba, @jonathanrosenbr, @sulliview, @kyleconstable, @radbrowndads, @planetzainab, @loud_socialist, @mlevnews, @megmcgold, @mkkaishian, @laurenveganyc, @cwebcruzer, @supriyayelimeli, @rachelholliday, @billyrichling, @walexandram, @nydiavelazquez, @leoniehaimson, @scottbrodbeck, @eugeneresnick, @brooklyn11211, @bradlander, @sambojarski, @ayreport, @harrysiegel, @benyt, @keirarenee, @agounardes, @nberke, @benbrachfeld, @shahanafrombk, @alykatzz, @noah_gardy, @cliffordlevy, @maggienyt, @koviebiakolo, @jonahallon, @rachelsilby, @ndhapple, @stevenvolynets, @ckrewson, @michaelelsenroo and @andy_keatts
Discussion:
Liena Zagare / @lienazagare: It is with great sadness that I let you know that Bklyner will stop publishing on September 10, with no immediate date or plans for resuming. It has been an honor to serve the best borough, and I hope our reporting has made a difference. ❤️ 🗞💔 https://bklyner.com/...
Megan McGibney / @meganmcgibney: Liena has been an amazing journalist, editor, and mentor. I've learned so much from her, and it's been an honor working with her over the years. Many thanks and much love @lienazagare https://twitter.com/...
State Senator Julia Salazar / @salazarsenate: The @bklyner has always been a go to source for local news on important issues. Their coverage of our diverse borough of Brooklyn has always been thorough and concise, and they will truly be missed. https://twitter.com/...
@nickrizzo: The hyperlocal situation in New York City news media (covering, in this case, an area with more people than almost any American city) just keeps getting worse https://twitter.com/...
Matt Berman / @mr_berman: This is a real bummer and a sad reminder of how hard it is to make local news work, even in a giant market. https://bklyner.com/...
Kadia Goba / @kadiagoba: Sadly my old gig @bklyner will stop publishing after Sept 10 and this is particularly heartbreaking when a Brooklynite will likely be the next mayor of NYC. Thanks for all your effort @lienazagare. PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS! https://bklyner.com/...
Jonathan Rosen / @jonathanrosenbr: This is a big loss for Brooklyn and NYC overall. @lienazagare and her team put together an amazing news organization that will be deeply missed. https://twitter.com/...
@sulliview: Sorry to hear this. Thanks for all you and your team have done, Liena. https://twitter.com/...
Kyle Constable / @kyleconstable: I wish people could grasp just how fragile online news is. @bklyner was well established — nearly a decade old — but it's going away next month. The reason? “People do not, generally, pay for news.” Don't 👏 take 👏 your 👏 news 👏 for granted 👏 https://bklyner.com/...
Ahmed Ali Akbar / @radbrowndads: god dammit. what a brutal day https://twitter.com/...
Zainab Iqbal / @planetzainab: bklyner and liena mean so much to me, and my heart hurts deeply. bklyner is where i got my start in journalism; it's where my neighbors believed in me and trusted me with their stories, and i will be forever grateful. local news is vital and there needs to be a better way. https://twitter.com/...
Miranda Levingston / @mlevnews: It has! This is a huge loss for the local news world. BKLYNER will be sorely missed https://twitter.com/...
Meaghan McGoldrick / @megmcgold: Hard to find the right thing to say when so much of this hits so hard. All I've got is it's a sad day for local news. Thank you, @lienazagare. Thank you, @bklyner ❤️ https://twitter.com/...
MK Kaishian / @mkkaishian: This is genuinely sad news. Thanks to Bklyner for the solid reporting, and hope to read work from all of you elsewhere soon. https://twitter.com/...
Lauren Vega / @laurenveganyc: Devastating news. We are failing our communities and the journalists who cover them by letting local news die, or increasingly get gobbled up by massive corporations, which can be the same thing. There has to be a better way. I refuse to believe there isn't. 💔 https://twitter.com/...
David Cruz / @cwebcruzer: Liena poured her whole heart into this publication. What a loss for the city. https://twitter.com/...
Supriya Yelimeli / @supriyayelimeli: 😥 https://twitter.com/...
Rachel Holliday Smith / @rachelholliday: this is such incredibly sad news for local news. I love Bklyner, and the borough was better for it. what a loss. https://twitter.com/...
Billy Richling / @billyrichling: liena is a superhero. grateful to have a been a very small part of this team and dream https://twitter.com/...
Alex Williamson / @walexandram: We have got to find a better way to fund local news. Our city doesn't function without it. https://twitter.com/...
Rep. Nydia Velazquez / @nydiavelazquez: Gutting. Outlets like @bklyner are a public good that keep the community informed and hold institutions accountable. My heart goes out to all the staff. https://twitter.com/...
Leonie Haimson / @leoniehaimson: This is very sad. @bklyner did the best stories on our successful lawsuit to keep PS 25 open — one of the best schools in the borough —& always covered the news in ways worth reading. I hope @lienazagare stays in the biz somehow... https://twitter.com/...
Scott Brodbeck / @scottbrodbeck: This is sad. Liena really fought the good fight, tried a bunch of interesting stuff, and cared about the community she serves. Local news is a really tough business. https://twitter.com/...
Eugene Resnick / @eugeneresnick: A sad day for local journalism in Brooklyn. A key pillar of a strong democracy is good local journalism — we need more of that. Thank you for everything you did for our borough @bklyner @lienazagare @planetzainab and many more! https://twitter.com/...
@brooklyn11211: This is really sad. I've a subscriber for a number of years and a huge fan. Local news is hard, financially and in many other ways. Thanks Liena and everyone else @bklyner Bklyner's Last Day: Sept. 10 https://bklyner.com/...
Brad Lander / @bradlander: .@bklyner will truly, truly be missed. Thank you @lienazagare for thousands of stories that were worth telling & no else did. And for a kind of journalism that makes communities better. https://twitter.com/...
Sam Bojarski / @sambojarski: I've enjoyed reading the brilliant journalism of @billyrichling and the @bklyner staff since moving to BK last year. Thank you for your service to the borough https://twitter.com/...
Norman Oder / @ayreport: Very unfortunate to see more shrinking of local news ecosystem, especially an independent publication @bklyner edited by @lienazagare did important work (yes, and published me occasionally) https://twitter.com/...
Harry Siegel / @harrysiegel: I'm thankful for all the great work @bklyner has done, and this is a real loss for local reporting here https://twitter.com/...
Ben Smith / @benyt: The responses to this tweet make me so proud of @lienazagare & @bklyner, and so frustrated at how hard it is to build a sustainable local news outlet. https://twitter.com/...
Keira.R.W / @keirarenee: Interning here brought me great experience and I am forever grateful for the chance to work for such a rewarding local newspaper. Sad day for news. ☹️ https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Gounardes / @agounardes: As a reader, subscriber, public official, and Brooklyn resident, this is a big loss. I'm sorry to see @bklyner close it's doors. Thank you @lienazagare and the whole @bklyner family, last & present, for telling Brooklyn's stories. https://twitter.com/...
Ned Berke / @nberke: Heartbroken. Ive got much to say about local news ecosystem in BK, but thats for another today. Right now, just gratitude for the tenacity and service of @lienazagare @benyt, @billyrichling @MeganMcGibney @raspberryjones and the Bklyner/Corner/Sheepshead Bites team past & present https://twitter.com/...
Ben Brachfeld / @benbrachfeld: This is awful. What a loss for Brooklyn and local news. And for scores of journalists, myself included, who have counted Liena as an editor, mentor, and friend. https://twitter.com/...
Shahana Hanif / @shahanafrombk: Thank you to @lienazagare and the @bklyner team for representing Brooklyn so well. It was @bklyner's @planetzainab who wrote the exclusive when I announced my run. I didn't want it anywhere else. @Bklyner has a special place in my heart—there's no Brooklyn without @bklyner. 📰 https://twitter.com/...
Alyssa Katz / @alykatzz: This is heartbreaking. Liena & co. have done extraordinary service for our Brooklyn communities and their work will be missed. Thank you for everything. And yes, your reporting has made a difference. https://twitter.com/...
Noah Gardy / @noah_gardy: There is a direct connection between the atrophying of local media and the monopolization of optic-heavy, substance-light punditry-porn https://twitter.com/...
Cliff Levy / @cliffordlevy: “It is with great sadness that I let you know that Bklyner will stop publishing on September 10, with no immediate date or plans for resuming.” A tough day for local journalism. @bklyner, under the brilliant leadership of @lienazagare, has been terrific. https://bklyner.com/...
Maggie Haberman / @maggienyt: This really stinks. @lienazagare did a great job https://bklyner.com/...
Kovie Biakolo / @koviebiakolo: Oooof, this is another sad update for the industry, especially local journalism. https://twitter.com/...
Jonah Allon / @jonahallon: This is such upsetting news. @bklyner has produced invaluable reporting over the years, and their loss will leave a huge void in Brooklyn's local news landscape. https://twitter.com/...
Rachel Silberstein / @rachelsilby: 💔💔 https://twitter.com/...
City Nolan / @ndhapple: Real bad news for Brooklyn (pop: 2.7 million) as one of the Borough last remaining news orgs/watchhdog's folds up shop. A news desert in a place the size of Chicago. https://bklyner.com/...
@stevenvolynets: I'd chased the NYPD radio across Southern Brooklyn and reported for Sheepshead Bites/Bensonhurst Bean, working with @nberke. Ned set the highest standard for accuracy, which continued under the @bklyner umbrella, sourced time and again by the big guys. A bad day for local news. https://twitter.com/...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: Damn. Sorry to see this. https://bklyner.com/...
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:
@viceunion, @maxwelltani, @__gabbymiller, @saraqdavid, @caseyjohnston, @meredithbalkus, @maxwillens, HuffPost, @gordonshumway, Digiday, @joshhterry, bookforum.com, @_arianaromero, @kerrymflynn, @film_girl, @kerrymflynn, Variety, @kerrymflynn, @meredithbalkus, @a_w_gordon, @moorehn, @kmiversen, @caseynewton, @parismartineau, @jesshopp, @baddestmamajama, @alex_abads, @ashleyalese, @lacymb, @garywhitta, @broderick, @doctoryasmin, @clearing_fog, @themaxburns, @onionincunion, @ryepastrami, @ohheyjenna, @conniewang, @claireefallon, @a_w_gordon, @brandyzadrozny, @garywhitta, @oliviamesser, What's New in Publishing, @byalexzaragoza, @kevincollier, @thekimkavin, @aaschapiro, @peterslattery3, @byalexzaragoza, @imgarysuarez, @the_rewm, @tatianatenreyro, @gordonshumway, @thatwitchmia, @jorcru, @meredithbalkus, @meredithbalkus, @maxwillens, @maxwillens, @maxwillens, @ckrewson, @maxwillens, @jordanchariton, @ljmontello, @tvgrimreaper, @rynprry, @ungarino, @nkulw, @jannwolfe, @alexeheath, @alex_norcia, @jscros, @samitsarkar, @scottnover, @janusrose, @panzer, @andrewglazer, @andrewglazer, @sherman4949, @parkermolloy, @film_girl, @film_girl, @maxberger, @aaschapiro, @jessicaschulb, @grimkim, @film_girl, @aaschapiro, Mediaite, @sdkstl, @benyt, @wagatwe, @thelincoln, @maggieofthetown, @mcwm, @presgang, @carolinemoss, @parismartineau, @lemonsand, @patbits, @mindyisser, @libbycwatson, @danawollman, @shanpalus, @blackamazon, @heyveronica, @grahamstarr, @hannahsmothers_, @youngvulgarian, @jeremypgordon, @vincemancini, @karlbode, @annamerlan, @robzacny, @amil, @noahpasaran, @kerrymflynn, @ashleyfeinberg, @ashleyfeinberg, New York Post and Gawker
Discussion:
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: Vice chief digital officer Cory Haik's email to staff today announcing “organizational changes” following layoffs at the company https://twitter.com/...
Gabby Miller / @__gabbymiller: BREAKING: Less than a month after Vice announced it's pivoting to video to the NYT, mass layoffs are happening today. I'm hearing they're firing several desk heads. https://twitter.com/...
Sara David / @saraqdavid: layoffs at vice, on this, the day of our union election? another devastating reminder that all workers—including digital media ones who face layoffs every few months—deserve a union contract with just cause, fair severance, and so much more 💔
Casey Johnston / @caseyjohnston: VICE laid me off today, but I did what I came to do: great work with my beautiful team. We all die (pivot to video) but not all of us truly live, and by god the life team lived
@meredithbalkus: well, lads: they finally got me. after 4.5 years, i was laid off from @VICE today. if you're looking for an experienced writer, editor, translator, and/or newsroom operations manager, i'm your gal.
Max Willens / @maxwillens: Vice's layoffs today are part of a broader reorganization that has been coming for a while. The company has been leaning into vertical video ("stories"), following advertiser and audience interest. [1/x]
Jenna Amatulli / HuffPost: Vice Media Lays Off Staff Members At Vice, Refinery29 In Pivot To ‘Visual Storytelling’
Jelisa Castrodale / @gordonshumway: My five years at @VICE came to an end, like, 10 minutes ago. I was laid off today, along with a lot of my incredibly talented coworkers. If anyone hears about any opportunities for a now less-employed pop culture writer, please let me know. I'm at jacastrodale [at] gmail.
Max Willens / Digiday: ‘Less cutting and pasting’: Vice reshuffles its ranks to prioritize publishing fewer words, more vertical video
Josh Terry / @joshhterry: So, I have a lot more free time now. I got laid off from @VICE this morning. My last day is today. I'm fine and excited about whatever is next. It's been a dream thanks to all the amazing people I worked with there. My email is in bio (the vice one doesn't work anymore lol)
Ariana Romero / @_arianaromero: To quote a meeting I had, I'm an “eliminated position” today. I'm heartbroken and shocked, but I'll always be proud of the work I've done over the last four and half years as R29's (senior) TV critic. Open to any and all opportunities going forward ❤️ https://twitter.com/...
@kerrymflynn: The Refinery29 team has been through so much That includes a 2015 pivot to video when they hired (mostly contracted) a bunch of people to produce videos with little direction It was one of the themes I covered in my feature on the toxic work culture: https://www.cnn.com/...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: I should teach a class on how to write corporate memos with empathy since apparently this is a skill that media executives do not have. God. I'm still mad about that Vice memo.
@kerrymflynn: The Vice layoffs were positioned as < 1% of staff. But I'm seeing Refinery29 was heavily impacted, at least 8 staffers cut More talented people to hire: https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@meredithbalkus: i'm grateful for the opportunity to have learned so much and worn a variety of different hats. but it's been really hard to watch a revolving door of incompetent, out-of-touch executives repeatedly fuck up, and see hard-working, brilliant writers and editors suffer as a result.
Aaron W. Gordon / @a_w_gordon: If I was starting a new media company—one that didn't pivot to video so often it merely spun around in profitless circles—Meredith would be the first person I'd try to hire. She's the person who makes the place work. https://twitter.com/...
Heidi N. Moore / @moorehn: I literally cannot believe that pivoting to video is a thing again. Did I not, in the year of our Lord 2017, write a whole Columbia Journalism Review article about how the pivot to video is a grift based on falsified metrics? https://twitter.com/...
Kristin Iversen / @kmiversen: Today was a bloodbath at my company; some of the most incredible people with whom I've ever worked (and ever known) are now casualties of a pivot. I remain forever grateful for the work the union and committed to the fight for a better work environment for everyone. Solidarity. https://twitter.com/...
Casey Newton / @caseynewton: If Vice wants to lean harder into video it should make all of its executives do the Milk Crate Challenge. Just think of the views
Paris Martineau / @parismartineau: this is textbook corporate brain worms speak. the only acknowledgement of layoffs is 2 sentences in graf 16 it's incredibly depressing to see all of the great digital journalism Vice has done described dismissively as mere “text consumption” under the header “STORIES RISING” https://twitter.com/...
Jessica Hopper / @jesshopp: TODAYS METRICS ARE TOMORROWS PUNCHLINES is 100% true and a lava hot scorcher. Love/condolences/solidarity with everyone that got laid off today, Love/Condolences/Solidarity with the 71? 89? 103? people who still have jobs in media. https://twitter.com/...
Jessica Ellis / @baddestmamajama: In the history of the internet, has this ever worked https://twitter.com/...
Alex / @alex_abads: the way this person keeps getting jobs for ostensibly helping make calls that get journalists fired 🙃🙃🙃 https://twitter.com/...
Ashley Alese Edwards / @ashleyalese: what a craven, yet unsurprising, way to announce layoffs during an ongoing pandemic. https://twitter.com/...
Lacy Baugher Milas / @lacymb: No one ever wanted to watch more videos and it's such a shame that we allowed this lie to decimate the entire media industry. https://twitter.com/...
Gary Whitta / @garywhitta: Semi-related: saw a @GameSpot link on Apple News yesterday for @AliensFireteamE tips and tricks; I'm into that game currently so was interested to read. Clicked on the link, saw it was a video, immediately clicked off. https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Broderick / @broderick: I freaking love living in a 360 surround sound media environment https://twitter.com/...
Dr. Seema Yasmin / @doctoryasmin: How is PIVOT TO VIDEO a thing in 2021??!! https://twitter.com/...
ClearingTheFog / @clearing_fog: Laying off staff so you can publish fewer print stories and make more videos. This trend in journalism brought to you by investors, ad executives, and “business” savants. https://twitter.com/...
Max Burns / @themaxburns: Vice is celebrating their YouTube hitting 14 million subscribers, and they marked that huge success by laying off a bunch of folks. https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Khosravi / @ryepastrami: so you can have a idea like pivot to video, have it fail sooooooo terribly that people make fun of you for it for years, and just get another job and execute the same plan — I need a three word, half baked idea to shop around for the next decade, what should it be https://twitter.com/...
Jenna Amatulli / @ohheyjenna: Media layoffs are horrible and relentless. After 155 people were let go last year, a source familiar w/ Vice Media Group happenings told me the layoffs today were solely from Vice digital or Refinery29 and included fewer than 20 people. More: https://www.huffpost.com/...
Connie Wang / @conniewang: My time in the @R29Union and @viceunion will always be a highlight of my career. https://twitter.com/...
Claire Fallon / @claireefallon: solidarity with those laid off by vice and r29 today, in a remarkably dumb decision executed with zero grace or sensitivity https://twitter.com/...
Aaron W. Gordon / @a_w_gordon: The disrespect our management has shown to our colleagues today by barely even acknowledging their layoffs while trying to trumpet meaningless metrics and lateral managerial “promotions” would be even more enraging if it wasn't so predictable. https://twitter.com/...
Bindy Zodrazzny / @brandyzadrozny: Craven, heartless, but also incredibly dumb and try-hard. Imagine thinking a “360 ‘surround sound’ media environment,” makes any sense at all. https://twitter.com/...
Gary Whitta / @garywhitta: This would have been a good scene in the movie: HUDSON: They're coming out of the goddamn walls, man! HICKS: I got a link here for info on how to kill these fucking bugs! APONE: Click that shit! HICKS: Fuck! It's a video with a 30-second pre-roll! *aliens kill everybody* https://twitter.com/...
Olivia Messer / @oliviamesser: Why are the people leading this industry the dumbest ones, who repeat the same fucking mistakes on a loop at the cost of the livelihoods and careers of the smartest ones https://twitter.com/...
Tijuana Maxx / @byalexzaragoza: I'm beyond disgusted by the actions of @VICE leadership today. My colleagues and I have been pawns in their half-brained, poorly planned, inhumane “pivots” and “restructurings” lord knows how many times. I can assure that we @viceunion will be fighting back hard. https://twitter.com/...
Kevin Collier / @kevincollier: Remember when Mic News was a thing? Then three years ago they pivoted to video, laid off a ton of staff, and you never saw a Mic story again? This is the same person. https://twitter.com/...
Kim Kavin / @thekimkavin: Tell me again how I'd be better off in a “good union job.” #NoPROAct #FightForFreelancers https://twitter.com/...
Avi Asher-Schapiro / @aaschapiro: Has anyone considered....a pivot to good journalism?
Peter Slattery / @peterslattery3: Meredith always makes things work. Tireless workflow general, and comrade— legend https://twitter.com/...
Tijuana Maxx / @byalexzaragoza: I cannot begin to tell you how exceptional of a talent Meredith is. The countless ways she has kept VICE operating on a day-to-day basis in spite of constant shit. She's a beautiful genius and is the oil that keeps any machine running smoothly. Hire her. https://twitter.com/...
@the_rewm: Just three days ago Meredith singlehandedly ensured that one of our freelancers received their overdue payment, and it's not the first time she's gone to bat like this. I truly don't know what VICE will do without her incredible and often thankless behind the scenes work. https://twitter.com/...
Father John Mitski / @tatianatenreyro: when I met meredith IRL she made me want to work at vice and I love her writing so please snatch her up! https://twitter.com/...
Jelisa Castrodale / @gordonshumway: I also don't know how to feel about the fact that my final VICE piece was about people who have Billy Joel tattoos. Alexa, play “Say Goodbye to Hollywood.” https://www.vice.com/...
Amelia E. / @thatwitchmia: If at first the business model doesn't succeed, lay off and lay off again. :/ Thinking of all the Vice folks today. If there's anything I can do from my small corner of the web, please hit me up. DMs are open. https://twitter.com/...
Jordan Crucchiola / @jorcru: NO! NOT AGAIN!! https://twitter.com/...
@meredithbalkus: which is why i'm the most grateful for @viceunion. i simply cannot imagine working in this hellscape of an industry without the protections of a CBA and workers who actually look out for one another. i'd be way more scared of what comes next if i wasn't at a union shop!
@meredithbalkus: hence why it's SO important to vote for the solidarity slate in today's @WGAEast elections! the incumbent council wants to stop organizing digital media, which puts ALL OF US at risk. please vote for the solidarity slate TODAY—it's my dying/layoff wish! https://www.solidarityslate.com/
Max Willens / @maxwillens: Distribution challenges informed that slide. The number of search keywords Vice was competitive on (i.e. ranking in the top 10 of Google) has fallen by more than 50% in the past two years [5/x]
Max Willens / @maxwillens: Within a year of its launch, the company was producing more “stories” content than text content. Three months later, overall stories output had already grown another 30% [3/x]
Max Willens / @maxwillens: They built an internal tool last year designed to make it easier for everybody at the company to make more content that's easily consumed as stories on platforms like IG, FB, Google, Snap, etc. [2/x]
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: A “pivot to video” if you will Even the layoff reason cliches are coming faster, it's journalism's version of Moore's Law https://twitter.com/...
Max Willens / @maxwillens: Vice ALSO did this because the audience to lots of its text-based content was sliding. The audience for its text-focused content on brands like Noisey and Munchies is down 75% [4/x]
Jordan / @jordanchariton: This is what will keep happening since corporations & plutocrats hijacking media has been normalized in society. This is why we launched @StatusCoup funded by viewers through small-dollar subscriptions. Sorry for those affected at VICE https://twitter.com/...
@ljmontello: Vice laying off a bunch of workers as people go to vote for a union has all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop. https://twitter.com/...
TV Grim Reaper / @tvgrimreaper: When you work for a business without a sustainable business model, every payday you're still employed is a lucky day. https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Perry / @rynprry: imagine confidently typing the words “360 surround sound media environment” https://twitter.com/...
Rebecca Ungarino / @ungarino: beyond parody of an email after layoffs “by the way, congrats to vice indonesia for reaching 1 million subscribers (??) on tiktok! anyway, we are making some organizational changes” like did a single human thought cross the mind of the team who reviewed this before sending https://twitter.com/...
Jan Wolfe / @jannwolfe: They buried the layoffs in the 12th paragraph, with the euphemistic “we unfortunately have to say goodbye to some friends...” https://twitter.com/...
Alex Heath / @alexeheath: “What is undeniable is that youth audiences are gathering on visual Stories platforms” - an actual line in this truly bad media company memo 16 paragraphs down, oh btw we laid off a bunch of people https://twitter.com/...
Alex Norcia / @alex_norcia: One time, covering an event as a writer at VICE, I was told we needed video, so I was handed some equipment I had never used before at the last minute and told to “get some footage.” https://twitter.com/...
Jack Crosbie / @jscros: it's always “organizational changes” or “restructuring” and not “our executives are incompetent and you will pay the price.” wrote about this the last time vice had layoffs https://discourseblog.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Samit Sarkar / @samitsarkar: what an incredibly shitty thing to do, starting a restructuring memo with hundreds of words of stuff that leads into two sentences mentioning layoffs https://twitter.com/...
Scott Nover / @scottnover: One of the worst, most tone deaf media emails I've ever read and that's saying something. https://twitter.com/...
@janusrose: how many more “pivots to video” before the media industry gains centrifugal force and collapses into a massive death spiral singularity https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Glazer / @andrewglazer: I believe all the @vice execs mentioned in today's layoff missive previously presided over the implosion, destruction or failure (including mass layoffs) of other media companies. Conventional wisdom: There's something wrong with “the industry”...
Andrew Glazer / @andrewglazer: I ask: Maybe the people in charge are unimaginative and bringing bad habits and bad ideas with them wherever they land.
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: There were no layoffs affecting Vice News, Vice World News or i-D, I'm told
Parker Molloy / @parkermolloy: What a broken industry. Ugh. https://twitter.com/...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: Like, to be clear, this is how corporate America writes memos. But a media company, ostensibly one who employs journalists, should do better than the typical shitty reorg email with layoffs buried within.
Christina Warren / @film_girl: You have a staff of writers, FFS. You should be able to do a better memo acknowledging layoffs than this. And maybe save the promo announcements for tomorrow or Monday.
Max Berger / @maxberger: We need to fund high quality public media. The market-based media is never going to satisfy the public's need for reporting and information. https://twitter.com/...
Avi Asher-Schapiro / @aaschapiro: Like, a job offer from VICE is basically: “Want a job for 6-18 months? and then, no matter how good you are at your job, there's a strong chance we'll lay you off, because we'll decide to pursue another business model? Are you in?!??!
Jessica Schulberg / @jessicaschulb: seeing my colleagues at vice get laid off today makes me even more livid that some members of my union want to exclude digital media workers from union protection WGAE members, Council elections open TODAY! Plz vote for these pro-worker/pro-organizing ppl https://www.solidarityslate.com/ https://twitter.com/...
Kim Kelly / @grimkim: “Friends” don't strip friends of their livelihoods in the middle of a global pandemic with zero warning and bury the news in a wall of soulless corporate-speak, Cory. https://twitter.com/...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: This is such a shitty email. One paragraph near the end about layoffs amidst a bunch of self-congratulatory bullshit numbers on “growth” that are actually meaningless and without context. Oh, and an appeal for congratulations on new promotions as the ender. https://twitter.com/...
Avi Asher-Schapiro / @aaschapiro: I got laid off from Vice in 2015...during the first pivot to video. You'd think these executives would come up with something new by now? https://twitter.com/...
Jackson Richman / Mediaite: Vice Deletes Tweet About Neo-Nazis in the Marine Corps Amid Heavy Backlash: ‘Terrible Timing’
Staci D Kramer / @sdkstl: Sadly sharing again in light of today's Vice layoffs. Journalists: if you work for someone else, be prepared for the day when they pivot to a newsroom without you. https://twitter.com/...
Ben Smith / @benyt: Vice laying off some great reporters and repositioning itself fully as a TV company https://twitter.com/...
Wagatwe Wanjuki / @wagatwe: Lol. I think pivot to video is just an excuse execs use to get rid of people. Bc that's def what upworthy did to us https://twitter.com/...
Lincoln Michel / @thelincoln: Literally how many times can a single company “pivot to video”? https://twitter.com/...
Maggie Lovitt / @maggieofthetown: My heart goes out to the VICE peeps that were laid off today. https://twitter.com/...
Graham Isador / @presgang: I have absolutely loved Casey's writing on weight lifting, body image, and health. This industry is so brutal. https://twitter.com/...
Caroline Moss / @carolinemoss: friendship with VICE over for me https://twitter.com/...
Paris Martineau / @parismartineau: casey is an incredible editor and one of the funniest people i've ever worked with. scoop her up before someone else does!! https://twitter.com/...
Angela Lashbrook / @lemonsand: Casey is a legend-level editor. I have learned so much from her the times I've written for her. Anyone who hires her is lucky https://twitter.com/...
Patrick Lucas Austin / @patbits: If you're not an idiot you'll hire @caseyjohnston and let her write about whatever the hell she wants https://twitter.com/...
@mindyisser: this is so sad and such a loss, casey's column got me more comfortable with the idea of lifting heavier weights and also with having a body that i am not trying to constantly make smaller. down with the bosses and up with the workers https://twitter.com/...
Libby Watson / @libbycwatson: I love casey, whose work has changed my life, and I am learning to Become Strong simply so I can physically fight her enemies. fuck vice! https://twitter.com/...
Dana Wollman / @danawollman: What a short-sighted move. Also, if they think Casey can't pivot to video they're not watching her Insta Stories. https://twitter.com/...
@blackamazon: Pivoting to video in teh age of racist platforms .... The ouruborus of bad decisions and fake inclusivity https://twitter.com/...
Veronica de Souza / @heyveronica: Casey rules and you should be smart and hire her https://twitter.com/...
Hannah Smothers / @hannahsmothers_: working for Casey fucking rocked and this sucks. I can't possibly link all the good shit she edited because it would break my rule against doing 10000000-tweet threads. and that's to say NOTHING of her perfect slacks!!!!!!! https://twitter.com/...
Marie Le Conte / @youngvulgarian: layoffs of full-time staff is obviously v v grim but also worth remembering that lots of freelancers (myself included) wrote a lot for Vice outlets - increasingly hard to see how full-time freelancing can be viable if all these places stop commissioning https://twitter.com/...
Jeremy Gordon / @jeremypgordon: Mildly sick of watching my peers and friends get routinely laid off by a company that pivots every 2-3 years based on the size of the investment it thinks it's about to get, and sells the promise of a new job to a labor pool that has fewer options every year
Vince Mancini / @vincemancini: No one on the internet watches video for “storytelling.” it's a place to watch people falling off milk crates and getting kicked in the nuts. No human being on Earth has ever clicked on a news story and thought “Boy I wish this was a video.” https://twitter.com/...
Karl Bode / @karlbode: just replace all cogent reporters with dancing AI-generated brand influencers and be done with it https://twitter.com/...
Anna Merlan / @annamerlan: I actually think a good business model would be to not lay off rounds of highly skilled and sought-after journalists every six months
Rob Zacny / @robzacny: The story of today's VICE layoffs starts here, in the midst of another mass layoff. The cycle continues. https://discourseblog.substack.com/ ...
Gatling Gun Kelly / @noahpasaran: these layoffs at Vice are absolutely fucking ridiculous and if you're in the WGA-E you should vote to ensure that the people running the WGA stand in solidarity with you instead of leaving you to the wolves https://twitter.com/...
@kerrymflynn: Newsroom hiring managers, here's a list of some talented journalists affected by the Vice layoffs who you should reach out to: https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Ashley Feinberg / @ashleyfeinberg: never cross the swole woman https://twitter.com/...
Ashley Feinberg / @ashleyfeinberg: Some people have asked why it's so bad to just “pause” digital organizing and part of the answer is that, even if you do believe it's just a pause, this sort of shit is happening on a near monthly basis—every single day counts https://twitter.com/...
Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post: Vice begins a new round of layoffs as company shifts to video
Tarpley Hitt / Gawker: Vice Media Lays Off 17 Writers and Editors
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, @mike_federle, @jyarow, @rafat, @djohnson_cpa, @themediaisdying, @pkafka, @iblametom, @kerrymflynn, @kerrymflynn, MediaPost, Insider, New York Post, Reuters and The Wrap
Discussion:
Jessica Bursztynsky / CNBC: Forbes announces plan to go public via SPAC
Mike Federle / @mike_federle: Big day at @Forbes. We're planning to go public via a business combination with Magnum Opus Acquisition, a SPAC. Through this transaction, Forbes will become a public company listed on the @NYSE and will be better equipped to pursue growth opportunities. https://www.forbes.com/...
Jay Yarow / @jyarow: Buy a share of Forbes and you can be a part of the contributor network. https://www.forbes.com/...
@rafat: Much as I & others have snarked at @Forbes through years, the *only & only* reason it has kept relevance vs peers like Fortune/BW & vs new players is this slide from its SPAC deck: it is business world's leading “validation platform.” Perfect for hyper narcissistic digital age. https://twitter.com/...
Daniel Johnson / @djohnson_cpa: #SPAC Deal - $OPA DA w/ @Forbes, the “iconic business information brand” '21 proj. - $211M rev. / 15% ⬆️ '22 proj. - $237M rev. / 13% ⬆️ $630M EV / $400M PIPE Presentation - https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/ ... Press - https://www.businesswire.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: Reminder that for the last 7 years Forbes has been owned by something called Integrated Whale Media. https://twitter.com/...
Thomas Brewster / @iblametom: Forbes, my employer, is going public on the NYSE via a SPAC. https://www.forbes.com/...
@kerrymflynn: “Forbes' existing management team... will continue to manage the combined company upon completion of the transaction under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Mike Federle.” — Forbes will list on NYSE under ticker symbol $FRBS https://www.businesswire.com/ ...
@kerrymflynn: Big morning in media biz news: Forbes is going public via SPAC with Magnum Opus Acquisition Limited (NYSE: OPA) “The transaction values the combined company at an implied pro forma enterprise value of $630 million, net of tax benefits.” https://www.businesswire.com/ ...
Isabelle Lee / Insider: Forbes is going public via $630 million SPAC merger with Magnum Opus Acquisition
Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post: Forbes to become public company through $630M SPAC merger
Niket Nishant / Reuters: Forbes to go public through $630 mln SPAC merger
Sean Burch / The Wrap: Forbes to Go Public in $630 Million SPAC Deal
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:
MediaPost, Apple Developer, Associated Press, Talking Biz News, Business Wire, MacRumors, The Verge, CNBC, 9to5Mac and AppleInsider
Discussion:
Karlene Lukovitz / MediaPost: Apple Offers News Publishers A Commission Break... If They Join New Partner Program
Mariam Ahmed / Talking Biz News: Apple launches news partner program
Joe Rossignol / MacRumors: Publishers Who Adopt Apple News Now Qualify for Reduced Commission on In-App Subscriptions
Ian Carlos Campbell / The Verge: Apple will take a smaller cut of publishers' sales if they join Apple News
Kif Leswing / CNBC: As it faces more scrutiny, Apple will reduce App Store fees if publishers provide Apple News content
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.
Daniel Garcia / AAJA Voices:
Of 73 EICs at award-winning college newsrooms in spring 2021, less than 6% were Black, ~10% were Latinx, much less than the share of the colleges' population — Of the 73 editors-in-chief at award-winning college newsrooms in the Spring 2021 semester, less than 6 percent were Black …
Discussion:
@nabjprez2011, @tybatiste, @anniema15, @jireh_deng, @jireh_deng, @annemattea, @hexpositive, @kronayne, @therealsanjna, @maiphoang, @karenkho, @ronlin, @anyamashita, @davidaldridgedc, @asteadwesley, @marissaaevans, @brookeobie, @kenyathehunter, @hbecerralatimes, @wyche89, @gabemschneider, @evegue12, @marissaaevans and @kenyathehunter
Discussion:
Gregory Hampton Lee Jr / @nabjprez2011: The lack of diversity at the top of college papers does not surprise me. I have heard from POC students who were in the running for top posts, only to be turned away. If this is supppsed to be our pipeline, the attitudes start here. Good work @aajavoices https://voices.aaja.org/...
Tyler Batiste / @tybatiste: I was @lsureveille's third Black editor-in-chief in 2008 ... and I'm not sure whether there's been another one since. https://twitter.com/...
Annie Ma / @anniema15: 1/ What I think about a lot is how opportunity leads to more opportunity, and who is shut out of the first steps on the path in this industry. When newsrooms constantly recruit from the same student newsrooms for internships, they're replicating the same power dynamics. https://twitter.com/...
@jireh_deng: Just tweeting to link the fantastic work that was done through @aajavoices this year on student newsroom diversity. Well researched and impactful. Having this data and identifying the problem is the first step to a solution https://voices.aaja.org/...
@jireh_deng: It starts with who is selecting leadership at student papers which is mainly faculty. If you're wondering why the student papers aren't diverse, look no further than who's teaching the classes. @aajavoices with this fantastic work again 👏🏼 https://twitter.com/...
Annie Mattea / @annemattea: “The one, and only, Black editor of the (Marquette) Tribune held the job a generation ago — in 1988 — a decade before many of today's college students were born.” https://twitter.com/...
Suzy Exposito / @hexpositive: I was a journalism student but I wasn't even allowed to write for my alma mater's paper, The New School Free Press. This was a supposedly progressive school in New York City where only white people were trusted to be “objective.” I didn't let that deter me though. https://twitter.com/...
Kathleen Ronayne / @kronayne: Really impressive work from @aajavoices students looking at lack of diversity in student newsrooms: https://voices.aaja.org/...
Sanjna / @therealsanjna: ALSO important to note that the levels of emotional exhaustion and harassment that poc student editors face from public readers are unparalleled to white student editors. the latter is not exempt from receiving critiques, of course, but rarely do those critiques get personal. https://twitter.com/...
Mai P. Hoang / @maiphoang: If you're wondering why it remains challenging to recruit diverse job candidates, give this a read: https://voices.aaja.org/...
White Guy Confidence / @karenkho: This is a really comprehensive, well-reported investigation and is important for every hiring manager and editor to read. https://twitter.com/...
Ron Lin / @ronlin: The reporters made some startling findings: • At Marquette Tribune, founded in 1916, there has been only one Black editor-in-chief in its history, back in 1988 • Daily Northwestern was recently led by its first Black woman editor-in-chief—just last year https://voices.aaja.org/...
Andy Yamashita / @anyamashita: I'll never forget @andrewcgolden senior goodbye because of how it spoke to this exact topic Give it a read if you've got the time https://dailynorthwestern.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
David Aldridge / @davidaldridgedc: No, it does not. I was the first Black EIC ever at my school's paper. In 1985. It first published in 1925. The first Black female EIC was...in 2020. https://twitter.com/...
Astead / @asteadwesley: my journo classes only understood objectivity as performative nonpartisanship, never interrogated how that is shaped by whiteness of legacy press, and didn't teach legacy of poc journalists who long challenged that do that, you get all white school papers https://voices.aaja.org/...
Marissa / @marissaaevans: Not being picked to lead my college newspaper at @MarquetteU was life changing. Being twice (in this case triple) as good wasn't enough. But it strengthened my resolve to elevate newsroom diversity. Thanks @janicekchen @aajavoices for talking to me. https://voices.aaja.org/...
@kenyathehunter: I remember at Emerson College, there were less than 15 Black students out of around 400 in the undergrad j-school. I don't recall many, if any, of us being on the newspaper's staff. They especially weren't leading the outlets there. https://voices.aaja.org/...
Hector Becerra / @hbecerralatimes: Have to give credit to @CalStateLA. I was editor in chief of the college paper and I was preceded by an Asian American editor. A Latina and a Black editor followed shortly after me. Of course, CSULA is very diverse and mostly serves working class students https://twitter.com/...
Steve Wyche / @wyche89: So glad I went to @HowardU. Was fortunate to be the EIC of The Community News and that my entire leadership staff was equipped to join the workforce and likely diversify those workplaces. #HBCUsPRODUCE https://twitter.com/...
Gabe Schneider / @gabemschneider: We created our own student newspaper, @Triton_News, for this exact reason. The students with @aajavoices do some of the best media reporting available. https://twitter.com/...
Evelia Guerrero / @evegue12: One time the wire told musg they had no bias and didn't need implicit bias training or to connect with the office of institutional diversity 💕 https://twitter.com/...
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:
@attackerman, The Hill, @herr_naphta, Fox News, @lizzieblove, @equoamicus, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, @fawfulfan, New York Post, @binajv, @dangillmor, @lawrence, @edglavin, @joyannreid and @danpfeiffer
Discussion:
Spencer Ackerman / @attackerman: As it happens, the US wiped 3 Afghan villages off the face of the earth in 2010. They were called Tarek Kolache, Khosrow Sofia and Lower Babur. These are the details of a 20-year war that don't get remembered, let alone discussed. This barbarism was not hypothetical. It was fact. https://twitter.com/...
Niall Stanage / The Hill: The Memo: Horror in Kabul is political disaster for Biden
@herr_naphta: Now that US soldiers have died in the course of th Afghanistan withdrawal, the media is going to get even more insane. If you haven't been reading Eric Levitz, he's done the best job pushing back against the imperial delusions. https://nymag.com/...
Brie Stimson / Fox News: Afghanistan evacuation flights resume day after deadly Kabul airport attack
Elizabeth for Humanity / @lizzieblove: “Until America's bleeding-heart correspondents reckon with their field's endemic biases, their reporting will routinely devolve into advocacy, if not rationalizations, for future bloodshed.” This article gives a healthy dose of perspective. It's worth the read. https://twitter.com/...
Mesanjar / @equoamicus: “Simply put, there is no proud way to lose a war to a cult of heroin-dealing child rapists (especially when your side in that war featured no small number of men who fit a similar description).” https://twitter.com/...
Matthew Chapman / @fawfulfan: The more I read this article, the angrier I get. The coverage of Afghanistan has been nothing short of complete journalistic malpractice. https://nymag.com/...
Bina Venkataraman / @binajv: Important read. As disastrous as the US exit operation was, it pales in comparison to the ongoing failures of the war. Journalists bear responsibility for covering wars as mostly acute events, lacking context and with amnesia. l https://newrepublic.com/...
Dan Gillmor / @dangillmor: Re Afghanistan: “The abysmal coverage of the U.S. withdrawal is a sharp reminder of how two decades of failure were foisted on us in the first place.” https://newrepublic.com/...
Lawrence O'Donnell / @lawrence: “the media has rendered itself objectively pro war.” I know tweeted controversial articles are reacted to without reading them. This one really deserves to be read. https://nymag.com/...
Ed Glavin / @edglavin: If you are as upset as I am about how mainstream media has covered the Afghanistan story, this is a good read. Thank you @Lawrence for sharing. https://twitter.com/...
Dan Pfeiffer / @danpfeiffer: This excellent piece by @EricLevitz will likely cause zero self-reflection in a media that advocates for military intervention abroad while remaining assiduously and naively neutral about democracy at home, but it perfectly captures the dynamics at play https://nymag.com/...
RELATED:
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:
Ben Smith / @benyt: More on the “madness” of leaving the US Agency for Global Media staff behind https://chills.substack.com/ ...
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, @tamepunk, @kimmasters, @peterbale, @brucerguthrie, @mrkrudd, @chriscarmody4, The Desk and ABC
Discussion:
Zoe Samios / Sydney Morning Herald: Murdoch's Fox News issues ABC with legal threat over ‘Four Corners’ Trump episode
Grace Tame / @tamepunk: Dogged attempts by the sly Fox to suppress the truth. Actions indicative of a guilty conscience. And we now know about the NDAs forced upon Murdoch employees to hide alleged sexual harassment. We need to hear their stories on their terms. Evil is bred in silence and secrecy. https://twitter.com/...
Kim Masters / @kimmasters: Come on. “Fox News headquarters in New York sent a legal threat, saying the ABC had ‘clearly violated’ its own standards by ‘exhibiting bias and a failure to maintain any level of impartiality in the presentation of news and information.’” https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
@peterbale: Phenomenal bullies: Murdoch empire strikes back at ABC Four Corners documentary on Fox News' championing of Trump https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Bruce Guthrie / @brucerguthrie: In any other industry this would surely constitute a misuse of market power. Using your dominance to intimidate and potentially damage a smaller competitor to reinforce that dominance would have the ACCC at your door. The Murdoch empire does it regularly. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Kevin Rudd / @mrkrudd: 45 articles in 2 days attacking the ABC! Murdoch's failed legal attempt to stop #4Corners shows they have much to hide. Now this abuse of monopoly power from the mob the Press Council recently ruled against & YouTube banned for covid lies. We await Pt 2. https://gu.com/...
Chris Carmody / @chriscarmody4: A great effort Sarah Ferguson: you are an excellent journalist Murdoch empire strikes back at ABC's documentary on Fox News' championing of Trump | News Corporation | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Matthew Keys / The Desk: Fox News Channel declares war on Australian broadcaster
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab:
Canopy Atlanta, a nonprofit community news project, trains local fellows and pairs them with seasoned journalists to tell stories reflecting local concerns — In the last year in the city of Atlanta, the story about “water boys” — teenagers who sell water at intersections — has become a hot-button issue.
Discussion:
Joseph Lichterman / @ylichterman: Each issue of @canopyatl covers a different Atlanta community. Once a community is selected, they follow this three-step process to develop coverage. Insightful @HanaaTameez story: https://www.niemanlab.org/... https://twitter.com/...
Rick Edmonds / Poynter:
McClatchy is expanding Wednesday and Sunday print editions, hiring more journalists, and improving its e-editions at the Kansas City Star and three other papers — Could the reinvestment prove to be contagious all through McClatchy publications and to other companies, other titles, other places?
Discussion:
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Twitter starts rolling out Ticketed Spaces for some iOS users; hosts can charge between $1 and $999 for their ticketed rooms and set a room size cap — The beginning of paid live audio rooms — Twitter is beginning its rollout of Ticketed Spaces, or paid live audio rooms.
Discussion:
Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch: Twitter starts to roll out paid Ticketed Spaces on iOS
Geoff Weiss / Tubefilter: Twitter Is Starting To Roll Out Monetization For Its Clubhouse Clone ‘Spaces’
@alex: everyone is invited to my $999 twitter space entitled “how to hustle your linkedin to the top of the substack leaderboard by leveraging NFTs and memes on your local Discord” https://twitter.com/...
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:
@motherboard, @vivekgramaswamy, @carnage4life, Reclaim The Net and Ars Technica, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
@motherboard: CEO Steve Huffman's response doesn't grapple with the fact that antivax content is all over Reddit. https://www.vice.com/...
Vivek Ramaswamy / @vivekgramaswamy: I hope they mean it. https://twitter.com/...
Dare Obasanjo / @carnage4life: Reddit declines calls from users to take down anti-vaccine communities with the response “Dissent is a part of Reddit and the foundation of democracy.” Misinformation is now such a permanent part of our social media landscape it's like spam is to email. https://www.vice.com/...
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