Top News:
Jessica Bursztynsky / CNBC:
Carlos Watson says Ozy Media is not shutting down after having “good conversations” with investors and advertisers and Friday's announcement was “premature” — - Ozy Media isn't shutting down, CEO and co-founder Carlos Watson told CNBC on Monday.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Axios, @sarafischer, CNN, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, @sarafischer, @mccarthyryanj, Defector, @brianstelter, New York Times, @alexweprin, TODAY.com, Quartz, @jeremymbarr, Substack, @benyt, @sarafischer, @alexweprin, @sarafischer, @squawkcnbc, @digitalshields, @bmorrissey, @alexyoung, @millie, @brianstelter, Forbes, @sarafischer, @goldietaylor, @marisakabas, @sarafischer, @sarafischer, @phkeane, @sarafischer, @sherman4949, @danprimack, @brianstelter, @alexweprin, @jayrosen_nyu, @cnbc, @craigsilverman, @tomgara, bookforum.com, @juddlegum, @joefav, @digitalshields, @sherman4949, @nycjim, @kerrymflynn, Variety, TVNewser, Insider and nexttv.com
RELATED:
Ben Smith / New York Times:
How the charm of Ozy's chief, Carlos Watson, helped persuade investors into putting millions toward a media dream before conducting sufficient due diligence — The story behind the story is about the elite investors who plowed millions into a media dream without much due diligence, persuaded by the charm of Ozy's head, Carlos Watson.
Discussion:
Axios, @craigsilverman, Columbia Journalism Review, @benyt, TODAY.com, New York Magazine, Today in Tabs, @craigsilverman, @byjoelanderson, @youngsinick, @sarafischer, YouTube, @benyt, @jduffyrice, @talkopan, @vivian, @davepell, @ketanj0, @escarry, Boing Boing, @aymanm, @reckless, @amlwhere, @jeremymbarr, @craigsilverman, @benyt, @craigsilverman, Media Voices, @jdesmondharris, @craigsilverman, @sharonwaxman, @lyssaslounge, @geedee215, @jeremymbarr, @sonnybunch, @jswatz, @jodyavirgan, @craigsilverman, @craigsilverman, @donlday, @heerjeet, @nkulw, @chrisecrowley, @rolandsmartin, @justinjm1, @gentlemanstimes, @jessicalessin, @lpolgreen, @akbarth3great, @mattwelch, @jamesrbuk, @craigsilverman, @craigsilverman, @ccadelago, @craigsilverman, @annehelen, @jswatz, @bendwalsh, @rameeztase, RAIN News, @craigsilverman, @daveweigel, @trungtphan, @felixsalmon, Newser, @benyt, @oliverdarcy, Tourist Trapp, Vanity Fair, @charukasturi, @danilic, @charukasturi, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @clarajeffery, @rafat, @sharonwaxman and @jayrosen_nyu
Craig Silverman / @craigsilverman:
[Thread] A look at why Ozy failed as a paid media company and has become a perfect, cautionary illustration of paid versus earned media — The Ozy Media meltdown has a lot of lessons. As the reporter who caught them buying junk traffic in 2017, I'm biased. But I see it as a perfect, cautionary illustration of Paid versus Earned media. So: a 🧵 on why Ozy failed as a paid media company — and why it matters.
Discussion:
Mediaite, @espiers, @craigsilverman, @jayrosen_nyu, New York Times, New York Times, @hunterw, @pomeranian99 and @om
Eugene S. Robinson / Look What You Made Me Do:
Ozy's former editor-at-large recalls Carlos Watson's abusive management style and says there was a white Ozy and a Black Ozy, where employees were treated worse — “And in regards to your little music thing...” It was both a dressing down, very possibly Dressing Down #37, and a pep talk.
Discussion:
Mediaite, @imgarysuarez, @byjoelanderson, @jdesmondharris, @isabelslone, @brosandprose, New York Magazine and NPR
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: Ozy inflated its numbers by buying most of its social media following and viewership for some shows, then used the numbers in pitches to TV networks — The downfall of Ozy Media and its charismatic founder Carlos Watson will go down as one of the most sudden media collapses of all time.
Discussion:
AdExchanger, American Press Institute, The Daily Beast, @craigsilverman, @chronotope, @sarafischer, @coopintn, @balakrishnanr, @johnqbarrett, @jrosenbaum, @ziadramley, @dabeard, @saramorrison, @martinsfp, @emilybell, @axios, @axios, @axios, @axios, @axios, @jayrosen_nyu, @sarafischer, @katie_robertson, @katie_robertson, @byronyork and @nancyromm
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Disney says Hulu president Kelly Campbell has left after less than two years in the role — Campbell's departure was announced to staff by Rebecca Campbell, Disney's chairman of international operations and direct-to-consumer. Kelly Campbell's direct reports at Hulu will report to Rebecca Campbell …
Discussion:
@mattbelloni, @mattbelloni, nexttv.com, Adweek, @laceyvrose, @benmullin, @jbflint, Deadline, @masasoncap, @mattbelloni, @richlightshed and Hollywood Reporter
RELATED:
Sarah Whitten / CNBC:
Members of the IATSE union, representing backstage movie and TV workers, authorize a strike after trying to negotiate a larger streaming revenue share and more — - Hollywood's backstage union workers voted to authorize an industry-wide strike. — This vote comes after months …
Jessica Toonkel / The Information:
Sources: The Athletic lost around $100M between 2019 and 2020, exceeding its $73M in revenue over the same period — Digital sports news firm The Athletic hemorrhaged nearly $100 million cash between 2019 and 2020, according to a presentation prepared for investors, exceeding the $73 million …
Discussion:
@amir, @amir, @sizpatel and @jessicalessin
Amitha Kalaichandran / Poynter:
How editors can better assess the credibility of experts and raise standards for op-eds, as contrarian viewpoints on COVID-19 flood opinion sections — An influx of contrarian viewpoints on COVID-19 policy in mainstream opinion journalism could have dire consequences on how the pandemic plays out.
Max Willens / Digiday:
News app Newsbreak, which claims 45M MAUs, hires Snap's Xana O'Neill as head of original content as it tries to boost its nearly 3,000-strong creator program — After about a year of trying to get into the original content business, Newsbreak is unofficially starting over.
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Filings: The Spectator doubled pre-tax profits to £1.6M in 2020, as turnover rose 15% to £16.3M and subs grew 40%, compensating for lost newsstand and ad sales — The Spectator more than doubled its pre-tax profits in 2020 as a 40% boost to subscriber numbers balanced out challenges …
Sam Shead / CNBC:
Filing: TikTok's European revenue grew 545% YoY to $170.8M in 2020 as losses soared to $644.3M, up from $118.7M in 2019; headcount grew to 1,294 from 208 — - TikTok's turnover in Europe grew 545% to $170.8 million last year as advertisers upped their spending on the platform …
Discussion:
@sam_l_shead and @joemccann, more at Techmeme »
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