Top News:
Ben Smith / New York Times:
Ozy built a TV interview show for CEO Carlos Watson based on false claims it was for A&E and that it would then be a YouTube Original, its ex-producer says — Producers say they were led to believe they were making a talk show for A&E, which said no to the program.
Discussion:
@choire, @caro, @zachstafford, @thegarance, @jduffyrice, @edmundlee, @briancgrubb, @jbouie, @kimberlynfoster, @arthur_affect, @arlenparsa, @simonowens, @byjoelanderson, @stuartathompson, @byjoelanderson, @mattzeitlin, @awprokop, @kfile, @dannygroner, @ismat, @ashleyfeinberg, @byjoelanderson, @justinbaragona, @mtill50, @davidfolkenflik, @cliffordlevy, @carlquintanilla, @jonathanvswan, @devlinbarrett, @sonnybunch, @byjoelanderson, @benyt, @thrasherxy, @franklinleonard, @kevinmaddendc, @jakesherman, @albertburneko, @byjoelanderson, @espiers and Forbes
Discussion:
Caroline Mccarthy / @caro: One of the grossest parts of all of this is the extent to which Ozy seems to have flagrantly exploited social justice trends and the industrywide push (especially in the ad industry) for support of Black-owned businesses and media companies. https://twitter.com/...
Zach Stafford / @zachstafford: Okay who's making the podcast series about the rise (???) and dramatic fall of OZY media bc my coins are ready https://twitter.com/...
Garance Franke-Ruta / @thegarance: House of cards https://twitter.com/...
Josie Duffy Rice / @jduffyrice: i am just built diff-e-rent than these people. even imagining telling this lie is making me hyperventilate https://www.nytimes.com/...
Edmund Lee / @edmundlee: The bait-and-switch at Ozy Media — how it got big-name guests to appear on a show few would watch. Another @benyt special https://www.nytimes.com/...
Brian Grubb / @briancgrubb: running an ad in a newspaper and then using your own language from that ad as the pullquote for another ad that you attribute to the first newspaper is... maybe the funniest thing I've ever heard? https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
B-Boy Bouiebaisse / @jbouie: @byjoelanderson you are...not wrong
Kimberly Nicole Foster / @kimberlynfoster: I'm, frankly, amazed by the level of scamming this Black man has been able to pull off. Seems unprecedented. https://twitter.com/...
Arthur Chu / @arthur_affect: This feels like a sitcom plot, one of those cynical meta shows about “the industry” https://twitter.com/...
Arlen Parsa / @arlenparsa: Incredible. This whole @ozy media company seems like a cross between Fyre Fest and Enron... https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Simon Owens / @simonowens: So how many VCs were lied to about OZY having a show on A&E before they made their investments? https://www.nytimes.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: Anyway. At this point, I need some hard proof that Carlos went to Harvard and worked at MSNBC and that his name is indeed Carlos.
Stuart Andrew Thompson / @stuartathompson: god this saga is like if Theranos founded Vice https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: I wish I looked better in a suit, because I have no idea how I'm ever gonna get enough money for a down payment on a house.
Matthew Zeitlin / @mattzeitlin: If you've seen an Ozy ad, you're at least geographically proximate to the media and marketing elite https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Prokop / @awprokop: Mental health crisis or business model? https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Kaczynski / @kfile: In awe of the level of grift here. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Danny Groner / @dannygroner: “It's common for companies to pay YouTube to place ads that pop up automatically onscreen before videos, which drives up the number of views. Tubular Labs suggests that Ozy may be using that tactic with its videos.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Ismat Sarah Mangla / @ismat: @byjoelanderson I also had several back and forth convos with recruiters and editors at Ozy around 2017 and my spidey sense was like...erm, this is not for me.
Ashley Feinberg / @ashleyfeinberg: all I can think about is how the fuck the Ozy guy managed to not have a panic attack every single minute of the day https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: An observation: no offense to white people, but if a black man has attended the right school, can codeswitch, flatter y'all enough, and look nice in a non-shiny suit, he — and it's almost always dudes — can really finesse the hell out of y'all. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Justin Baragona / @justinbaragona: “In a farewell email to Mr. Watson and Mr. Rao, which he shared with The Times, he wrote, 'You are playing a dangerous game with the truth. The consequences of offering an A&E show to guests when we don't have one to offer are catastrophic for Ozy and for me.'” https://twitter.com/...
Morgan Till / @mtill50: Just a blistering read. An apparent, giant fraud; and continually exposed by @benyt https://www.nytimes.com/... https://www.nytimes.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: To date, Watson has refused my requests for an interview. His credibility is crucial. Many false and inflated claims cited by @benyt & by later reporting involve assertions by or about Watson. Claims on traffic, newsletters, shows and more. //con't https://www.nytimes.com/...
Cliff Levy / @cliffordlevy: “You are playing a dangerous game with the truth.” Another executive says he was duped by Ozy Media, which promised him repeatedly that an Ozy show was headed to the A&E cable channel. But that was false, he told @benyt. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Carl Quintanilla / @carlquintanilla: “Another quote described Mr. Watson as ‘Anderson Cooper meets Oprah.’ That line, attributed to The Los Angeles Times, was drawn from an advertising supplement that Ozy ran in that newspaper.” (via @benyt) https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jonathan Swan / @jonathanvswan: Bananas from top to bottom https://twitter.com/...
Devlin Barrett / @devlinbarrett: The Merv Griffin set wasn't a tipoff? https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: Jenee had a 15-minute interview with Ozy 5 years ago and by the time she came back to the car we were able to deduce that this was all a massive fraud.
Ben Smith / @benyt: New from me, with a lot of insight from former producers: Ozy Built a TV Show on a False Claim, Says Its Former Producer https://www.nytimes.com/...
Dr. Steven W. Thrasher / @thrasherxy: “Another warning sign, Mr. Bessey said, was that one of the other producers pointed out that A&E had already scheduled “Hoarders” for the time slot that was supposedly meant for “The Carlos Watson Show."" https://twitter.com/...
Franklin Leonard / @franklinleonard: I am dumbfounded. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Kevin Madden / @kevinmaddendc: Amazing how closely Ozy followed the Jukt Micronics playbook. https://twitter.com/...
Jake Sherman / @jakesherman: Incredible story. https://twitter.com/...
Albert Burneko / @albertburneko: the most darkly fascinating part of every fraud story is trying to imagine what kind of psycho has the energy and motivation for that shit https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: A conversation that I have had a thousand times, professionally: “Joel, do you know [black man in a suit]? He's a friend of a friend and I think you'd really like him. I should connect y'all!”
Elizabeth Spiers / @espiers: This story just keeps getting crazier but all the craziness appears to revolve around one thing: the co-founders have lied repeatedly—about everything. https://twitter.com/...
RELATED:
Kerry Flynn / CNN:
Some former Ozy employees say they were overworked to the point of exhaustion: “They brought in very talented, motivated, excited people and just used them up” — New York (CNN Business)Around midnight one Saturday late last year, Eva Rodriguez, 24, had trouble breathing.
Discussion:
@benyt, @sarafischer, Bloomberg, @eevasita, @shannonpareil, @gerryfsmith, @ktbenner, @mattbelloni, @priaribi, @markgongloff, @keitholbermann, @clarajeffery, @davidgura, @lollardfish, @moorehn, @peterhamby, @bobpickard, @parismartineau, @mslopatto, @remynuma, @phil_rosenthal, @danprimack, @ahess247, @caleweissman, @tonyajoriley, @brosandprose, @anhaiphung, @chaykak, @ahhensel, @heynottheface, @gnagesh, @fka_tabs, @bartlettkate, @elenainzafrica, @nick4iezos, @bartlettkate, @charukasturi, @shortformernie, @eevasita, @eevasita, @eevasita, @alextweeting, @kerrymflynn, @shortformernie, @monicatorrr, @kidnate, @haleaziz, @nick4iezos, @jman23j, @mediaevan, @crayton_h, Gawker, Forbes, Today in Tabs, Puck, @robaeprice, @chronotope and Boing Boing
Discussion:
Ben Smith / @benyt: Ozy chairman Marc Lasry just resigned: “I believe that going forward Ozy requires experience in areas like crisis management and investigations, where I do not have particular expertise.”
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: 🚨🚨🚨Marc Lasry steps down from Ozy's board — Statement from PR flak https://twitter.com/...
@eevasita: When I read that they decided to chalk up the impersonation incident to mental health I was absolutely appalled knowing that many of my former colleagues suffered mental health implications from working FOR THEM.
Shannon Bond / @shannonpareil: now remembering when i wrote about Ozy's launch back in 2014 and Carlos Watson told me he was interested in branching out into Airbnb-style home swaps and ... dating? https://www.ft.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Gerry Smith / @gerryfsmith: Ozy Media employees felt pressure from management to accept stock options instead of higher salaries. They describe a workplace culture of long hours and unrealistic demands that left them vulnerable to burnout. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Katie Benner / @ktbenner: I thought Lasry was on the board of the Weinstein company during the several months that NYT reporters were reporting and frantically calling everyone remotely related to the company regarding Harvey Weinstein's misconduct... https://twitter.com/...
Matthew Belloni / @mattbelloni: Hall of Fame resignation statement... https://twitter.com/...
Priyanka Aribindi / @priaribi: Lmao this company is 8 years old, how is their team just now figuring out it was a scam!!!! https://twitter.com/...
Mark Gongloff / @markgongloff: OZY struggles to understand why its overworked employees don't want stock options instead of actual money - @gerryfsmith and @ClaraMolot https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Keith Olbermann / @keitholbermann: Also: “if you need me I'll be in the Caymans” https://twitter.com/...
Clara Jeffery / @clarajeffery: Theranos of media (ok, sure, nobody was going to die. and no wolf dog, yet.) https://twitter.com/...
David M. Perry / @lollardfish: again, I had a positive experience in my one interaction with Ozy, but ... this is crap. https://twitter.com/...
Heidi N. Moore / @moorehn: This is the minimum Lasry should do after supporting Samir Rao's attempt to defraud potential investors. Imagine trying to get away with that wild quote about standing behind Rao. https://twitter.com/...
Peter Hamby / @peterhamby: RIP Carlos Watson's obvious and long-planned run for office as a neolib Dem https://twitter.com/...
Bob Pickard / @bobpickard: Extraordinary. The lack of this kind of experience - so valuable at a premium in a social media age - is a widespread challenge for many senior executives, but I have never seen one of them candidly admit it on the public record like this. via @josh_wingrove ht @RoyNorton1 https://twitter.com/...
Paris Martineau / @parismartineau: honestly great breakup line https://twitter.com/...
Elizabeth Lopatto / @mslopatto: huge week for ozy fulfilling its mission (the mighty looking on its works and despairing) https://twitter.com/...
Rémy Numa / @remynuma: @sarafischer Lasry's first job out of college was in bankruptcy law... certainly feels like relevant expertise to me.
Phil Rosenthal / @phil_rosenthal: And now we have the answer as to when #Bucks owner Marc Lasry would cut and run from his role at chairman at media mirage #Ozy ... https://twitter.com/...
Dan Primack / @danprimack: NEW: Marc Lasry, who just resigned as chair of Ozy Media, was referred to by Carlos Watson as “lead investor” in a $35 million round in 2019. But, learning now that Lasry's investment in that round was only $1 million, and he didn't invest subsequently.
Cale G Weissman / @caleweissman: these expectations are both insane and impossible https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Tonya Riley / @tonyajoriley: This is why this generation of media is so utterly broken and disillusioned https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Ella Dawson / @brosandprose: “In the publication's early days Watson seemed to expect a full-time editorial staff of about four writers and two editors to produce 40 high-quality magazine articles per week.” So many eye-popping moments in the latest OZY news: https://www.cnn.com/...
An Phung / @anhaiphung: Pushing your workers to the brink of mental health collapse is surefire way to get them to blow the whistle to reporters. Appreciate the people who spoke to @kerrymflynn about their experiences for this story: https://twitter.com/...
Kyle Chayka / @chaykak: lol Ozy's Samir Rao also pretended to be the HR director? https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Anna Hensel / @ahhensel: It was obvious after reading the NYT story, but you can tell how toxic a workplace is by how quickly current and former employees will talk to a reporter after one critical story initially breaks. Great details here from Kerry https://twitter.com/...
John S. Nash / @heynottheface: “[I was] trying not to lose my mind and avoiding the blast zone of Carlos' frequently expressed ire,” Robinson told CNN Business. “While the outside world he faced saw glib and charming, those who had to work with him saw a very different face.” https://cnn.com/...
Gautham Nagesh / @gnagesh: So apparently Samir Rao of Ozy doesn't just impersonate Google execs; he also pretended to be in HR in order to gain access to an employee's medical records(!) https://www.google.com/...
@fka_tabs: Ben Smith poked it with a pin and now all of Ozy is just zooming around the room going plblblblblblblblblblblblbl and getting smaller and smaller
Kate Bartlett / @bartlettkate: What a year. In December I lost my job as DPA's Africa correspondent when the wire closed down the English language service. I was pleased to get a job quite quickly, joining OZY in March and excited to transition to digital and work for a minority-owned US Media company. 1/2
Elena W / @elenainzafrica: Kudos to brilliant SA-based journo @bartlettkate for living by her ethics and values. Ethics and values in themselves don't pay the rent, so I hope she finds another role soon 🙏🏿 https://twitter.com/...
@nick4iezos: Kate is a great writer and journalist, and an even better person. Complete joy to work with, anyone would be lucky to have her. https://twitter.com/...
Kate Bartlett / @bartlettkate: Earlier this week I was on holiday when I found out about the wrongdoing by management. I resigned. So I'm now an unemployed journalist for the 2nd time this year 😥 But ethics have always been and will always be paramount to me. Any job tips appreciated. 2/2
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: It's been a pleasure, an honor, working with @bartlettkate . She's a fine, fine journalist who has worked in most parts of the world, consistently delivering top quality work. Wishing you all the best, Kate. https://twitter.com/...
Ernie Smith / @shortformernie: @eevasita You are incredibly brave to speak out—and I hope it sparks an industrywide conversation about work/life balance.
@eevasita: (THREAD) I spoke on record about the darkest moments of my life because I felt that sharing my personal experiences will shed light on the abominable work culture at #OZY ...
@eevasita: I hope that the stories coming out about OZY will put an end to the lies and unacceptable mistreatment of talented, passionate individuals who dedicate their lives to their work — at this company and at others like it.
@eevasita: Thank you @kerrymflynn for capturing our stories and to my former colleagues for empowering me to tell mine.
Alex Washburn / @alextweeting: @eevasita Eva, I have never met you but I really admire your courage to speak out. I hope you are in a better place now and proud of your voice. <3
@kerrymflynn: @eevasita Thank you for speaking out about what you went through and sharing it with me. In addition to seeing the public tweets, I've also received texts and emails admiring and commending you
Ernie Smith / @shortformernie: When your employee has a mental breakdown due to overwork, if your first instinct upon getting a doctor's note confirming this is to call the doctor's office and ask for their medical records ... you might be a bad person. https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Monica Torres / @monicatorrr: This Ozy story on its cultish, toxic company culture shows the harm that these “charismatic” leaders can wreck on the lives on journos just at the start of their careers. Upsetting! https://www.cnn.com/...
Nate Wilcox / @kidnate: So glad this is finally coming out. Anyone who had friends at OZY knew it was an abusive atmosphere. https://cnn.com/...
Hamed Aleaziz / @haleaziz: “Ozy's reporters were expected to produce three to four in-depth features each week, a pace that many said they found to be unsustainable.” https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@nick4iezos: God bless @eevasita for telling her story (and @kerrymflynn for writing it). Sadly, while it was one of the most egregious cases, situations like this one were all too common. https://www.cnn.com/...
Eferighe / @jman23j: This was my life for 1.5 years. Still recovering. Still finding myself. Former Ozy staffers say it was like a ‘cult’ that used people up - CNN https://www.cnn.com/...
Evan DeSimone / @mediaevan: The worst part of the Ozy story is that a lot of these people will lose their jobs and the people responsible for the whole mess will just drift off into the sunset with plenty of severance and eventually slide into new senior roles when the dust settles. https://www.cnn.com/...
Crayton Harrison / @crayton_h: “You can't buy gas or groceries with stock options.” Former Ozy employees felt pressure to forgo cash raises. Now they can't figure out how much their options are worth, @gerryfsmith & Clara Molot report. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Jenny G. Zhang / Gawker: No End to Ozy Shitfest in Sight as Chairman of the Board Resigns
Jemima McEvoy / Forbes: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns Amid Mounting Scandal
Rusty Foster / Today in Tabs: Will You Commit To Ending Finsta?
Theodore Schleifer / Puck: Laurene Powell Jobs' Bizarre Week in the Headlines
Rob Price / @robaeprice: just totally normal c-suite behaviour https://www.forbes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Axios:
Ozy Media chairman Marc Lasry resigns and steps down from Ozy's board, saying he lacks expertise in crisis management and investigations; he remains an investor — Marc Lasry, the billionaire businessman and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, said in a statement provided that he has stepped down from Ozy Media's board.
Discussion:
@schwartzbcnbc, The Wrap, Newser, @sarafischer, @schwartzbcnbc, @danprimack, @mslopatto, @nycsouthpaw, @rjcc, @blackamazon, @russellbrandom, @jeffjarvis, @janinegibson, @retheauditors, @danprimack, @katierosman, @craigsilverman, The Hill, midrange.tedium.co, Mediaite, Variety, CNBC and Hollywood Reporter
Discussion:
Brian Schwartz / @schwartzbcnbc: Scoop: Carlos Watson, the CEO of OzyMedia,came on CNBC in 2019 to claim that Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne were investors into his company after a year-long legal battle. He said they were friends. Sharon Osbourne tells me none of that is true https://www.cnbc.com/...
Jenn Gidman / Newser: Bombshell Report About Ozy Media Was Just the Start
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: Looking back on Ozy $35m 2019 Series C: — Axel this AM says it only gave $300k —Carlos Watson referred to Lasry as “lead investor” in what he said was a $35m round, but source says Lasry only invested $1m in that deal and never put in subsequent money https://www.axios.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Brian Schwartz / @schwartzbcnbc: NEW: Osbourne said that while they were in a legal fight with OzyMedia Watson attempted to intimidate her over the phone and then once tried to offer her shares of the company. She was not interested. NEW details of their legal settlement with OzyMedia 👇 https://www.cnbc.com/...
Dan Primack / @danprimack: More on Ozy: Lasry is off the board. Axel Springer says it no longer has a board seat. @laurenepowell left the board too. From what I can tell, the only *possible* outside director is GSV Ventures' Michael Moe.
Elizabeth Lopatto / @mslopatto: you should have heard the noise I made when @dcseifert showed this to me https://www.cnbc.com/...
Richard Lawler / @rjcc: @russellbrandom Lasry's actually rich from other stuff, I think he just liked being able to tell people he was a media mogul and had no idea what they did there
@blackamazon: Lord , we need to have ways to do these that don't rely on leaks alone https://twitter.com/...
Russell Brandom / @russellbrandom: “My experience is mostly in sowing, so it's better if someone else takes over the reaping” https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: Congratulations to @benyt for harpooning his Tronc, his white whale, his Moby — nay, Ozy — Dick. https://twitter.com/...
Francine McKenna / @retheauditors: @benyt Ha. “Ozy requires experience digging out of a pile of sh*t instead of just shoveling it and I don't have that temperament or skill set.”
Dan Primack / @danprimack: Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry steps down from Ozy Media's board following scandal https://www.axios.com/...
Craig Silverman / @craigsilverman: This is significant — it was not long ago that Lasry was trotted out to press as being totally personally and financially committed to Ozy. He could easily appoint a board committee and hire experts to help with these issues. Instead, he walked. https://twitter.com/...
Ernie Smith / midrange.tedium.co: More Thoughts on Ozy 🗞 — The problem with Ozy is that it existed to raise up one man's career …
Leia Idliby / Mediaite: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns as Firm Faces Accusations of Misconduct and Fraud
Michael Schneider / Variety: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns, as Company Faces More Scrutiny
Steve Kovach / CNBC: Marc Lasry resigns as chair of Ozy Media after 3 weeks, following reports of alleged misconduct at firm
Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter: Ozy Media Chairman Marc Lasry Resigns
Brian Schwartz / CNBC:
Sharon Osbourne says Carlos Watson lied in a 2019 TV interview when he said Ozzy and Sharon invested in Ozy Media, after the Osbournes settled a trademark suit — - Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson boasted on CNBC in 2019 that Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne had invested in his company.
Discussion:
@dcseifert, @davidfolkenflik, The Wrap, @parismartineau, @jeffihaza, @levynews, @dougheye, @thedextriarchy, @jenn_elias and @mattrosoff
Discussion:
Dan Seifert / @dcseifert: i'm SCREAMING this is the best Ozy media story this even beats the guy pretending to be the owner of youtube in the investor call https://www.cnbc.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: @schwartzbCNBC now reports Watson wrongly told cnbc viewers Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne had become investors. https://www.cnbc.com/... Media outlets are generally built on a foundation of credibility. Doesn't work when that unravels. My talk from last night: https://www.npr.org/...
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap: Sharon Osbourne Says Ozy Media Founder Lied That She and Ozzy Were Investors
Paris Martineau / @parismartineau: inject this into my veins https://www.cnbc.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Ihaza / @jeffihaza: Seems weird that no one at CNBC looked into this for **two years** despite someone telling a flat out lie on live TV https://www.cnbc.com/...?
Ari Levy / @levynews: Was only a matter of time before the Ozy Osbourne jokes were no longer ... jokes https://www.cnbc.com/...
Doug Heye / @dougheye: Sharon Osbourne nails what everyone who had been anywhere near Ozy asked themselves, “What do you do?” https://twitter.com/...
Adi Robertson / @thedextriarchy: @dcseifert @TonyRomm well, it wasn't a conference call but i got pretty close https://www.cnbc.com/...
Jennifer Elias / @jenn_elias: “This guy is the biggest shyster I have ever seen in my life,” Osbourne said, referring to Watson. 🥴 https://www.cnbc.com/...
Matt Rosoff / @mattrosoff: Ozy meets Ozzy: https://www.cnbc.com/...
Axios:
Axel Springer says it gave up its Ozy board seat after investing $300k in its Series C, but Ozy listed Axel's rep as an active director in a July 2021 filing — Good people quit good jobs to join Ozy Media. They believed in its mission, its leadership and its potential for wealth creation.
Discussion:
Tom Gara / @tomgara: I've read a lot of unflattering things about Carlos Watson over the last week, but having a “penchant for Sunday meetings” is absolute sicko stuff https://www.axios.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: 1/2 NEW, OZY: Axel Springer says person who was attending board mtgs in observing capacity for Axel was Jens Müffelmann, but “In light of current developments and accusations against Ozy, he has decided and informed the CEO of Ozy yesterday that he steps down from this function”
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: NEW w @danprimack: — Axel Springer, an early Ozy investor, tells Axios that it gave up voting rights/board seat after only investing $300k in Series C, but Ozy continued to list Axel's rep as an active director in a July 2021 filing w the state of Florida https://www.axios.com/...
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Ford, Airbnb, Goldman Sachs, and Target are among advertisers that froze their ad campaigns with Ozy Media
Discussion:
Evan McMurry / @evanmcmurry: The upshot of @benyt's piece was it was likely few real readers were seeing these ads to begin with. https://www.wsj.com/...
Danny Gold / @dgisserious: the fact that they even had major advertising campaigns that generated $5 million in revenue...how are any businesses still in existence https://twitter.com/...
Glen Dixon / @glenrdixon: What OZY is saying: Nothing. At least not to Axios. OZY co-founder and CEO Carlos Watson did set up a call with us for yesterday morning, and said that chairman Marc Lasry would also participate. But the scheduled time came and went, and our follow-up messages went unanswered. https://twitter.com/...
New York Times:
Katty Kay, a former BBC anchor who recently joined Ozy, resigns, citing NYT's reporting on the company
Discussion:
Insider, @lmoses, @kattykay_, New York Post, @chomskybartlett, The Fix, @perlberg, @larakiara, Fox News, @jbarro, @iwriteok, @bmorrissey, The Rebooting, @dudejohan, New York Magazine, @benyt, @dceiver, @kantrowitz, @film_girl, @heoj, @stephenfhayes, @ckrewson, @jeffjarvis, @nprinskeep, @katie_robertson, @bmorrissey, @nick4iezos, @nick4iezos, @sonia_26, @sonia_26, @danielpmalloy, @danielpmalloy, @rolandsmartin, @joenbc, @benlabolt, @cliffordlevy, @willoremus, @jackmirkinson, @bbcjonsopel, @daveweigel, @silviakillings, @jimwaterson, @gregorynyc, @edwardgluce, @keitholbermann, @biannagolodryga, @mikebarnicle, @brianstelter, @benyt, @sarafischer, Digiday, Axios and Vanity Fair
Discussion:
Insider: 18 current and former Ozy employees say there've been widespread internal doubts about the company's stated audience, 80-hour work weeks, and a ‘cult of Carlos’
Lucia Moses / @lmoses: new from @BusinessInsider: details from 18 current and ex staffers shed light on how how Ozy gaslit so many people and got away with it so long. great reporting by @perlberg @JPManga @aprjoy @claireatki https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Katty Kay / @kattykay_: Yesterday morning I handed in my resignation to Ozy Media. I was looking forward to working with the talented young reporters but I did not expect this! https://twitter.com/...
Susan Bartlett / @chomskybartlett: @KattyKay_ My daughter has worked for them for 7 months doing 12 hour days and resigned yesterday. She doesnt have your profile unfortunately and so begins a lengthy and depressing job hunt. Whilst the media pile in on the CEO and COO spare a thought for the hardworking journos
Anton Protsiuk / The Fix: Weekly Digest: Ozy Media Scandal, More News From Russia
Steven Perlberg / @perlberg: “I have never once told someone that I worked at Ozy and they've known what it is. Not once. That was concerning to me.” Inside the “cult of Carlos” with @aprjoy @JPManga @claireatki https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Lara O'Reilly / @larakiara: “Another former employee's doubts began early, after a staff meeting in which Watson and Rao shared a pitch deck touting the company's diverse readership. Among the featured photos of six readers was one of Rao's relatives.” So many astonishing details in this account. https://twitter.com/...
Josh Barro / @jbarro: It's particularly galling to make your employees do a standing Sunday afternoon conference call when your publication is essentially fake anyway. Isn't one upside of being fake supposed to be that it's less work? https://twitter.com/...
Robert Evans / @iwriteok: the funniest thing about Ozy is how the co-founder bragged that our times were so tumultuous that the people NEED an interviewer like Carlos Watson to bring them the fresh, world-changing perspective of people like *checks notes* ...Condoleezza Rice https://twitter.com/...
Brian Morrissey / @bmorrissey: The reason the Ozy story has resonated so much with “media people” is the details are cartoonish versions of the vacuousness and dishonesty regularly peddled as a normal course of business. https://therebooting.substack.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Brian Morrissey / The Rebooting: The media business has a bigger Ozy problem
Johan Moreno / @dudejohan: I just wanted to amplify this tweet — from what I've heard, tons of @OZY staffers are genuinely talented people who were sold into a lie — and worked under unfavorable conditions. Many working overtime without pay. And almost all are under very strict NDAs... https://twitter.com/...
Matt Stieb / New York Magazine: Look Upon Ozy's Mess and Despair
Ben Smith / @benyt: A&E had taped a mental health special, co-produced with Ozy, and hosted by Carlos Watson. The pulled it soon before it was to air Monday night. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jason Linkins / @dceiver: since I stopped watching the Sunday shows I sort of lost track of Katty Kay but I learned today she was working for Ozy, which is still 20,000 leagues better than being on a Sunday show; anyway, cancel MEET THE PRESS https://www.nytimes.com/...
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: “Underpinning all of this is the fuel of digital media: the expectation to show hockey-stick growth. But publishing doesn't work like that. Building sustainable brands, built on trust and habit, takes a long time.” https://therebooting.substack.com/ ...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: Kudos to Katty on her integrity here. https://twitter.com/...
Holly Ojalvo / @heoj: 🧵 notable for news hiring managers who may see reporter & editor applicants who have Ozy on their resumes (the separation we all prize between newsroom & business side applies) https://twitter.com/...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: Is anyone else weirded out how much of Ozy's content is really about Carlos Watson https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: At Ozy Media, a Star Journalist (Katty Kay) Quits, and a Key Investor Backs Away https://www.nytimes.com/...
Steve Inskeep / @nprinskeep: The speed of this implosion after the @benyt story is striking. https://twitter.com/...
Katie Robertson / @katie_robertson: New from @benyt and me: A&E canceled the second part of a series on mental health hosted by Ozy Media's Carlos Watson as the fallout continues https://www.nytimes.com/...
Brian Morrissey / @bmorrissey: New edition of The Rebooting is about how Ozy is an inevitable result of the media industry's high tolerance for complete bullshit at every possible level. https://therebooting.substack.com/ ...
@nick4iezos: There are too many people and pieces to mention. OZY was plagued by unethical leadership, yet somehow its staff produced meaningful journalism from across the globe, about people and places many outlets glossed over. I am incredibly grateful for my colleagues' work under duress.
@nick4iezos: OZY should cease to exist. But the journalism — by some of the smartest, most ethical, hardworking reporters I've met under intense pressure — should live on. Here is some of it, in case you aren't one of the thousands of people (or millions of bots) that read us.
Sonia Sarkar / @sonia_26: Having filed almost 8 stories for @ozy - from India, Vietnam and Singapore- and having worked with its many editors including @CharuKasturi & @DanielPMalloy, I can say, this platform gave solid space to reporters who had a convincing story to tell. https://twitter.com/...
Sonia Sarkar / @sonia_26: I wish the best to all editors and reporters working there and I sincerely feel that their reputation should not be tarnished because of this one controversy.
Daniel Malloy / @danielpmalloy: I hope the journo world embraces the reporters and editors who pulled off this strong work the same way it has others who have been part of mismanaged or now-defunct newsrooms. The work was real, even if trendy media types didn't see it in the moment.
Daniel Malloy / @danielpmalloy: I am trying to stay out of the @ozy fray this week but just want to say that regardless of some decisions at the top, the journalism pulled off there was real, and often good. (1/7)
@rolandsmartin: Wow. @KattyKay_ resigns from @carloswatson's @ozy. This is huge. Guess what's next? Advertising agencies demanding an independent forensic audit of all of their platform numbers. They spent a ton of dough with @Ozy. I guarantee there is major blowback at ad agencies from clients. https://twitter.com/...
Joe Scarborough / @joenbc: Katty, Mika and I are proud to be your friends. Your work at the @BBC and building The Confidence Code for women and girls has been inspiring to watch. We hope to see you much more on MJ! @KattyKay_ https://twitter.com/...
Ben LaBolt / @benlabolt: Good for Katty, who is as smart and experienced as they come, and who didn't deserve this craziness https://twitter.com/...
Cliff Levy / @cliffordlevy: NEW: Embattled digital media company Ozy lost one of its biggest stars when Katty Kay, former BBC anchor, announced her resignation. “The allegations in the NYT, which caught me be surprise, are serious and deeply troubling.” By @katie_robertson https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jack Mirkinson / @jackmirkinson: love the irony of resigning from an imploding digital scam company by posting a picture of a printed out statement https://twitter.com/...
Jon Sopel / @bbcjonsopel: A predictably classy and principled response from you @KattyKay_ The allegations are beyond crazy. But - if I may say - your integrity shines even brighter https://twitter.com/...
Dave Weigel / @daveweigel: Watching this sweater unravel after @benyt pulled a few threads is amazing https://twitter.com/...
Silvia Killingsworth / @silviakillings: phone pic of a printout is a brave new genre and I'm here for it https://twitter.com/...
Jim Waterson / @jimwaterson: Ooooofph, longstanding BBC correspondent Katty Kay quit this summer to join Ozy. Now has quit. https://twitter.com/...
Gregory Schmidt / @gregorynyc: BREAKING: Katty Kay, one of Ozy Media's biggest stars, resigned from the company after a Times report raised questions about its business practices, reports @katie_robertson. https://www.nytimes.com/... @nytimesbusiness
Edward Luce / @edwardgluce: More bad news for Ozy but good decision by Katty, who will have no trouble finding a better outlet for her talents. https://twitter.com/...
Keith Olbermann / @keitholbermann: The most gullible person in international media just found out she did another gullible https://twitter.com/...
Bianna Golodryga / @biannagolodryga: You're a class act and incredible journalist, @KattyKay_. https://twitter.com/...
Mike Barnicle / @mikebarnicle: It would be hard for any legit media outlet to find anyone with more experience, a smarter, more current-outlook or a more insightful global perspective than @KattyKay_ https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: “I had no choice but to end my relationship with the company” 👇🏼 https://twitter.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: As a side note, OZY was recruiting for a new COO last fall, per a pitch-deck obtained by Axios. No word on what happened with that process. https://twitter.com/...
Axios: Sources: in an extremely rare move, SV Angel, led by VC Ron Conway, informed Ozy that it will give up stock acquired in 2012
Caleb Ecarma / Vanity Fair: Ozy's Digital Media Meltdown Is Just Getting Started
Dominic Patten / Deadline:
Scarlett Johansson and Disney settle the lawsuit over her pay for Black Widow, released on Disney+ at the same time as in theaters; source: deal is worth $40M+ — (Updated with more details) Just days after the first court hearing in Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow profits mega-bite lawsuit …
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, The Streamable, ScreenRant, Collider, Wall Street Journal, The Playlist, 101.9fm The MIX, Decider, TechRadar, @theericgoldman, @variety, @eriqgardner, Engadget, @patrickadougall, @zernerlaw, @johncampea, @ooccouchgags, @filmupdates, @chris_notcapn, @kjpurneii, CNET, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, E! Online, Gizmodo, TVLine, The Verge and The Wrap
Discussion:
Andrew Pulver / The Guardian: Scarlett Johansson settles Black Widow lawsuit with Disney
Michael King / The Streamable: Scarlett Johansson & Disney End Lawsuit Over ‘Black Widow’ Streaming Release
Christopher Marc / The Playlist: Scarlett Johansson & Disney Reach Settlement On ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit
Abby Monteil / Decider: Scarlett Johansson and Disney Settle ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit
Eric Goldman / @theericgoldman: Heh, and their statements not only talk about working together again but Disney's specifically mentions she's still producing Tower of Terror. So there you go. Hollywood, baby!
@variety: “I am happy to have resolved our differences with Disney. I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team,” Johansson said in a statement. https://variety.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Eriq Gardner / @eriqgardner: BREAKING: Disney settling Scarlett Johansson's explosive lawsuit over the ‘Black Widow’ release, @THR has learned. Very huge. Disney bowing to reality it can't lose top stars as it charts its streaming future. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...
Mariella Moon / Engadget: Disney settles Scarlett Johansson lawsuit over ‘Black Widow’ streaming strategy
Patrick Dougall / @patrickadougall: Looks like Disney finally just paid her off! Good for her... https://twitter.com/...
Larry Zerner / @zernerlaw: I really want to know how much BW had to gross for Scarjo to get a box office bonus, but the fact that Shang-Chi only made $17 million more domestically made it very hard for her to plausibly argue that the streaming was that big a factor https://twitter.com/...
John Campea / @johncampea: Bob Chapek's humiliating defeat also happens to be the first smart thing he's done since becoming CEO at Disney. https://variety.com/...
@ooccouchgags: Disney is probably like: Fine, you win. Besides, you won't be back for another Marvel movie anyways. https://twitter.com/...
@filmupdates: Disney's upcoming ‘TOWER OF TERROR’ film is moving forward with Scarlett Johansson set to star. (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...) https://twitter.com/...
Chris Evans / @chris_notcapn: Disney blinked. They should've never let it get to this point. Should've done what other studios did and re-negotiated deals with the talent when you decided to do an at-home release. https://deadline.com/...
Kristofer Purnell / @kjpurneii: But in the end, Disney settled, and for a LOT of money (over $40M). This better be lesson for Disney and other studios—pay your talents and respect their contracts. https://deadline.com/...
Steven Musil / CNET: Scarlett Johansson, Disney settle Black Widow lawsuit
Daniel Kreps / Rolling Stone: Scarlett Johansson, Disney Settle ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit
Anthony Breznican / Vanity Fair: Scarlett Johansson Ends Black Widow Lawsuit Against Disney
Corinne Heller / E! Online: Scarlett Johansson's Lawyer Slams Disney After Company Seeks to Push Lawsuit to Private Arbitration
Cheryl Eddy / Gizmodo: The Black Widow Lawsuit Between Scarlett Johansson and Disney Has Been Settled... in Private
Matt Webb Mitovich / TVLine: Scarlett Johansson, Disney Settle Breach of Contract Lawsuit Over Disney+ Release of Black Widow
Mitchell Clark / The Verge: Disney and Scarlett Johansson have settled their lawsuit
Jeremy Fuster / The Wrap: Scarlett Johansson Settles ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit With Disney
Sebastian Murdock / HuffPost:
Judge issues default judgments against Alex Jones in two Sandy Hook cases for routinely failing to comply with requests, making him liable for all damages — A judge issued default judgments — a rarity in the legal world — against Jones and Infowars after the conspiracy theorist failed to produce discovery records.
Discussion:
CNN, The Wrap, Mediaite, The Hill, The Guardian, @sebastianmurdoc, UPROXX, @katiephang, @willsommer, Boing Boing and Rolling Stone
Discussion:
Aya Elamroussi / CNN: Infowars host Alex Jones is responsible for damages triggered by his false claims on the Sandy Hook shooting, judge rules
Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap: Alex Jones Legally Responsible for Damages From His False Claims About Sandy Hook, Judge Says
Jackson Richman / Mediaite: Alex Jones Found Liable for Statements Regarding Sandy Hook School Mass Shooting
Natalie Prieb / The Hill: Alex Jones found liable in two Sandy Hook cases
Jessica Glenza / The Guardian: Infowars' Alex Jones liable for damages in Sandy Hook lawsuits, judge rules
Sebastian Murdock / @sebastianmurdoc: This isn't the end of Jones' legal woes either. Seven other Sandy Hook families are currently suing him for the lies he spread about their dead children. https://www.huffpost.com/...
Jennifer Wood / UPROXX: Alex Jones Has Been Trounced In Two Lawsuits (By Default) For Spreading Lies And Conspiracy Theories About The Sandy Hook Shooting
Katie S. Phang / @katiephang: “Jones has lost multiple legal battles in his many lawsuits and was ordered to pay nearly $150,000 in legal fees in 2020 for failing to provide discovery documents for the plaintiffs.” https://www.huffpost.com/...
Will Sommer / @willsommer: InfoWars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones just lost two lawsuits filed by Sandy Hook relatives by default — a rare punishment reserved for parties who consistently flout court orders. https://www.huffpost.com/...
Rob Beschizza / Boing Boing: Alex Jones loses big in Sandy Hook lawsuits
Peter Wade / Rolling Stone: Alex Jones Lost Two More Sandy Hook Lawsuits
Aislinn Keely / The Block:
TikTok launches Top Moments, an NFT collection featuring six “culturally significant TikTok videos” from creators including Lil Nas X — TikTok is launching a non-fungible token (NFT) collection that will see its top content creators partner with top NFT creators.
Discussion:
TikTok, Insider, Variety, Klever News, @larakate, Transistori, @chipzel, @nbtjacklyn, @rrhoover, @rtfktstudios, @producthunt, @blackamazon, @carnage4life, @jowyang, The Verge, GeekWire, Rolling Stone, Ad Age, Decrypt, TechCrunch, Adweek, Tubefilter, Bloomberg and CoinDesk, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Camomile Shumba / Insider: TikTok launches an NFT collection of six of its best viral videos, featuring singers Lil Nas X and Bella Poarch
Todd Spangler / Variety: Lil Nas X Will Be First Artist to Drop Official TikTok NFTs
Maluh Bastos / Klever News: TikTok launches creator-curated NFTs with collabs by Lil Nas X, Gary Vaynerchuck and more
Lara Cohen / @larakate: This WHOLE space is going to be fascinating to watch. New revenue streams for artists, new ways for fans to connect w the stars they love AND a new way of intro-ing mainstream consumers to the future of tech https://variety.com/...
Robert / Transistori: Facebook-kuuleminen USA:n senaatissa, Zoomin ja Five9:n kauppa peruuntuu ja TikTok julkaisee NFT-kokoelman
Jacklyn / @nbtjacklyn: lil Nas seems to have an incredible understanding of the Internet and how to harness attention https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Hoover / @rrhoover: TikTok is dabbling with NFTs: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ... Will they go as far as turning every video into an NFT? Should they?
RTFKT Studios / @rtfktstudios: We are doing a collab with @tiktok_us 👌. What could it be? https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Product Hunt / @producthunt: TikTok is experimenting with NFTs which will be powered by Immutable X, a Layer-2, carbon-neutral solution for Ethereum. Full details: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Dare Obasanjo / @carnage4life: TikTok is going to start selling NFTs of popular videos on @Immutable. It's interesting the tack various apps are taking. Twitter will verify ownership of NFT pfps. TikTok will sell videos as NFTs. As I've said before NFTs are here to stay. https://variety.com/...
Jeremiah Owyang / @jowyang: Every social network will launch, house, and offer an exchange for NFTs. Here comes TikTok https://newsroom.tiktok.com/ ...
Ian Carlos Campbell / The Verge: Lil Nas X, Bella Poarch, Grimes, and more are releasing TikTok NFTs
Kurt Schlosser / GeekWire: Seattle cutout artist Rudy Willingham teaming with singer Lil Nas X for TikTok's first foray into NFTs
Samantha Hissong / Rolling Stone: Lil Nas X Wants You... To Own the Next Viral TikTok Moment
Garett Sloane / Ad Age: TikTok explores NFTs as new way to compensate creators
Andrew Hayward / Decrypt: TikTok to Release Ethereum NFTs With Lil Nas X, Gary Vee, Grimes
Lucas Matney / TechCrunch: TikTok starts flirting with NFTs
Geoff Weiss / Tubefilter: TikTok Dropping First Official NFT Collection With Lil Nas X, Bella Poarch, Brittany Broski
Luke McGrath / Bloomberg: TikTok Wades Into NFTs With Lil Nas X Headlining Collection
Will Gottsegen / CoinDesk: Lil Nas X, Grimes Featured in TikTok NFT Collection
William Turvill / Press Gazette:
An in-depth look at Google's News Showcase deals; sources: Australian outlets got better offers than outlets in other countries due to political pressure — It is one year this week since Google launched News Showcase, an aggregation service with a $1bn budget to spend with the global journalism industry.
Discussion:
@risj_oxford, @heidilegg, @domponsford, @wturvill, What's New in Publishing, @pressgazette, @simonowens and @bmorrissey
Discussion:
@risj_oxford: A @pressgazette investigation into Google News Showcase finds Australian publishers are being offered better deals than others, that traffic in many cases is minimal and that bugs make it difficult to work with -@wturvill https://pressgazette.co.uk/...
Heidi Legg / @heidilegg: Don't miss this detail: “Most significantly, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp - a long-standing and vocal critic of the tech giant @Google - has signed a deal thought by rivals to be worth around $50m a year. At least Murdoch plays hardball for news...his news. https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/ ...
Dominic Ponsford / @domponsford: Press Gazette has investigated Google's $1bn network of deals with the global news industry. It is a story I don't think you will read anywhere else! https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/ ...
William Turvill / @wturvill: Google News Shh-owcase: My @pressgazette investigation into Google's aggregation tool with a $1bn budget for news. We reveal: - Details of the payment formula - Individual deal figures - Claims Oz pubs are getting the best deals - US launch likely delayed https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/ ...
What's New in Publishing: Is there a funding formula behind Google's News Showcase? — The Media Roundup
@pressgazette: The US launch of Google News Showcase looks set to be delayed as publishers push for better deals, reports @wturvill. “The biggest publishers in the US are the most attractive to Google, but also the biggest pain in the ass,” says a senior industry source https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/ ...
Simon Owens / @simonowens: An in-depth overview of Google Showcase, a product in which Google pays publishers to display their content. It doesn't send much traffic to publishers, and many industry watchers believe it's just a way for Google to pay off publishers to keep them happy https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/ ...
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Clubhouse announces several features, including Clips, letting listeners snip 30 seconds of audio, and Replay, which lets hosts record a room — Plus clips and a search feature — Clubhouse is getting a bunch of new features next month, including one many people have wanted: in-app recording.
Discussion:
Ethan / Waivly: 👨💻 US gov is regulating crypto?
J. Clara Chan / Hollywood Reporter: Clubhouse Launches Audio Recording Features
Joyce Lee / Reuters:
South Korean ISP sues Netflix over costs for traffic surge from hit shows, after a court said Netflix should “reasonably” pay ISPs for network usage — South Korean Internet service provider SK Broadband has sued Netflix (NFLX.O) to pay for costs from increased network traffic …
Tony Arnold / WBEZ Chicago:
Chicago Public Media names Matt Moog as new CEO, as its board votes to pursue an acquisition of the Chicago Sun-Times — URL Copied! — In an unprecedented maneuver to try and “secure the future” of one Chicago's two daily newspapers, Chicago Public Media's board of directors voted Wednesday …
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @lenfestinst, New York Times, Robert Feder, Chicago Business, @michaelsobrien, @fuscochris, @ckrewson, @royalpratt, @justinkaufmann, @imleor, @newsjennifer, @lenfestinst, @lenfestinst, @chicagoel, @scribeguy, @danielkayhertz, @mukhtaryare, @beckycarroll7, @timakimoff, @markjacob16, @jimfriedlich, @vwpickard, What Works, Nieman Lab, @palewire, Three Things, American Press Institute, The Hill, Current, insideradio.com, @dicktofel, Editor and Publisher and Robert Feder
Discussion:
Lenfest Institute / @lenfestinst: The merger is a win for @chicagosuntimes, @WBEZ, and, most importantly, the people of Chicago, who will benefit from unparalleled public-service journalism. The Lenfest Institute was proud to serve as an advisor and support this important step. https://twitter.com/...
Ally Marotti / Chicago Business: WBEZ board OKs Sun-Times acquisition plan
Michael O'Brien / @michaelsobrien: Big news at the workplace. Maybe we can get No Shot Clock a 6 am Saturday morning radio slot or something? Fun times. I think this is owner number seven for me, but kinda lost count. https://chicago.suntimes.com/ ...
Chris Fusco / @fuscochris: The Bright One. The Hardest-Working Paper in America. And a new one: Chicago's Brawny Tabloid. Regardless it's @suntimes. And it's good to see so many people in America paying attention to its potential deal with the parent company of @WBEZ https://www.nytimes.com/...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: The Chicago Sun-Times, post-bankruptcy, was losing $4.5M per year in May 2017. It later sold to local investors for $1... three years before Covid took roughly a quarter of most newspapers' circulation. “This isn't a fire sale,” though. https://www.wbez.org/...
Gregory Pratt / @royalpratt: Media consolidation is always a concern — we need more journalism, not less. Whatever happens between @WBEZ and @Suntimes, I hope both entities have long, vibrant futures, whether it's in some form together or not https://chicago.suntimes.com/ ...
Justin Kaufmann / @justinkaufmann: The best merger news since they put KFC and Taco Bell together under one roof. https://twitter.com/...
Leor Galil / @imleor: Not the top news story here, but it's interesting that the former Trib editorial board editor, who once wrote a column wishing for an epic hurricane to hit Chicago, is now VP of a PR company whose clients have included Live Nation and Lolla https://www.robertfeder.com/ ...
Jennifer Schulze / @newsjennifer: Hoping this @WBEZ takeover not only helps keep the @Suntimes afloat but also inspires it to continue working on diversity. As others have pointed out, white men still make most of the editorial decisions there while WBEZ has a team that better represents the city it covers. https://twitter.com/...
Lenfest Institute / @lenfestinst: @JimFriedlich says the Institute's non-profit status has been a helpful model, and that the deal can serve as an example for other public media and local newspapers to follow. https://www.wbez.org/...
Lenfest Institute / @lenfestinst: “(Chicago's) news capacity has been ravaged over the years by out-of-town hedge fund owners, the secular decline of print, and a failure to invest in the digital transformation of local news products,” said @JimFriedlich. https://www.wbez.org/...
Elliott Ramos / @chicagoel: I really hope details of how content sharing and workflows get ironed out soon for both newsrooms' sake. Each create unique and vital content. The pre-Zell era of Tribune “synergy” was supposed to share content for Trib, WGN, others. https://www.wbez.org/...
Michael Hawthorne / @scribeguy: What a remarkable turn of events. These same foundations/financiers rejected pleas to save the @chicagotribune from a job-destroying hedge fund. https://twitter.com/...
Daniel Kay Hertz / @danielkayhertz: Whoa. Are there other instances of public radio entity taking over a daily newspaper? https://twitter.com/...
Mukhtar M. Ibrahim / @mukhtaryare: The two brands would “create one of the largest local nonprofit news organizations in the nation and be a national model for the future of local journalism.” https://twitter.com/...
Becky Carroll / @beckycarroll7: As a lifelong Chicagoan who happily grew up in a two newspaper town and now works daily with every news outlet in Chicago, I'd say this is the best damn news that Chicago journalism has had in a long time. Bravo @Suntimes and @WBEZ https://www.wbez.org/...
Tim Akimoff / @timakimoff: Today in shit I could've never possibly imagined. WBEZ was my old stomping grounds for a few years. https://twitter.com/...
Mark Jacob / @markjacob16: One of my first questions about this proposed deal to make WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times sister news orgs is whether the Sun-Times will reduce print frequency. Seems to me that has to be considered. https://www.wbez.org/...
Jim Friedlich / @jimfriedlich: GREAT NEWS FOR LOCAL NEWS: On the heels of sharp cutbacks at @chicagotribune, today's @Suntimes @wbez announcement is wonderful news & a model for other public media and local newspapers to emulate. https://twitter.com/...
Victor Pickard / @vwpickard: Another intriguing public media/local newspaper partnership. Will hopefully see more of these happen. https://twitter.com/...
Dan Kennedy / What Works: In Chicago, public radio steps up to fill the gap created by hedge-fund ownership
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab: Chicago Public Media is exploring a deal to acquire the Chicago Sun-Times
Ben Welsh / @palewire: Reporting here suggests MacArthur and Pritzer foundations provided some kind of cash bail out to seal the deal. https://twitter.com/...
Tim Eby / Three Things: Three Things for September 30, 2021
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Public Media exploring merger as nonprofit
Richard Tofel / @dicktofel: Fascinating development out of Chicago (and h/t to @RobertFeder on the scoop) Can't imagine @WBEZ agreeing to absorb future print losses, so wonder if @Suntimes might go all digital? https://www.wbez.org/...
Ally Marotti / Editor and Publisher: WBEZ board OKs Sun-Times acquisition plan
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