Mediagazer: Seven foreign journalists fired from USAGM during former CEO Michael Pack's term sue the agency for breach of contract and wrongful termination (Daniel Lippman/Politico)

11:25 AM ET, October 5, 2021

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: @todayshow, New York Times, Nieman Lab, @benyt, @sarafischer, Axios, CNN, @sarafischer, @brianstelter, @mccarthyryanj, Defector, The Hollywood Reporter, @alexweprin, MarketWatch, Los Angeles Times, TODAY.com, @sarafischer, Poynter, @sarafischer, @sarafischer, @alexweprin, @sarafischer, @digitalshields, @bmorrissey, @jason_kint, @brianstelter, @alexyoung, @film_girl, @andrewpauljoyce, @jbarro, @craigsilverman, @benyt, @sherman4949, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @jayrosen_nyu, @cnbc, @craigsilverman, @sherman4949, @nycjim, @maxwelltani, @squawkcnbc, @jeremymbarr, @_cingraham, @chrislhayes, @goldietaylor, @neontaster, @marisakabas, @sarafischer, @phkeane, @danprimack, @alexweprin, @kaidiekmann, @tomgara, @mathewi, @noahshachtman, @juddlegum, Ad Age, @joefav, @digitalshields, @kerrymflynn, Variety, Substack, @millie, @sarafischer, Quartz, @brianstelter, Vanity Fair, The Wrap, TVNewser, bookforum.com, RAIN News, Forbes, Variety and Insider

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, Columbia Journalism Review, @craigsilverman, Mediaite, TODAY.com, @craigsilverman, @benyt, @craigsilverman, Bloomberg, @justinjm1, @talkopan, @ketanj0, @youngsinick, @byjoelanderson, @benyt, Today in Tabs, The Commercial Experience, @heerjeet, insideradio.com, @lyssaslounge, @rameeztase, @trungtphan, @jamesrbuk, @nkulw, The Wrap, New York Magazine, @sarafischer, Newser, @benyt, @rolandsmartin, @craigsilverman, @reckless, Boing Boing, @mattwelch, Media Voices, @jduffyrice, @jdesmondharris, @chrisecrowley, @jeremymbarr, @craigsilverman, @craigsilverman, @craigsilverman, YouTube, @craigsilverman, @craigsilverman, @craigsilverman, @craigsilverman, @jodyavirgan, @geedee215, @amlwhere, @gentlemanstimes, @lpolgreen, @daveweigel, @jeremymbarr, @felixsalmon, @jessicalessin, @donlday, @akbarth3great, @jswatz, @annehelen, @jswatz, @bendwalsh, @escarry, @sharonwaxman, @aymanm, @oliverdarcy, @sonnybunch, @davepell, @ccadelago, @vivian, @benyt, nexttv.com and Tourist Trapp

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, @matthaber, @byjoelanderson, @brosandprose, @jdesmondharris, @isabelslone, @razibkhan, @delecewrites, @blakehounshell, @annamerlan, @imgarysuarez, @mjrobbins, @kausmickey, @rachelsklar and @seamushughes

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: New York Times, Mediaite, @espiers, @craigsilverman, @jayrosen_nyu and @pomeranian99

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

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: MediaPost, @mattbelloni, @mattbelloni, @masasoncap, @richlightshed, @benmullin, @mattbelloni, @jbflint, @laceyvrose, C21Media, Deadline, nexttv.com, Hollywood Reporter and Adweek

Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Kelly Campbell was upset about losing some oversight, including over Hulu's scripted content, amid Disney's restructurings and cost-saving measures

Discussion: The Wrap, @mattbelloni, @jbflint, @wsj and Variety

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 …

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 …

Daniel Lippman / Politico:

Seven foreign journalists fired from USAGM during former CEO Michael Pack's term sue the agency for breach of contract and wrongful termination — Seven foreign journalists working for the U.S. Agency for Global Media who were fired by the Trump administration have sued the agency for breach of contract and wrongful termination.

Discussion: @ewong, @dlippman, @dlippman and @dlippman

Defector:

In annual report, Defector says 80%+ of subscribers are on annual plans, of which ~85% renewed subscriptions, and advertising on Twitter was “very unpleasant” — Purpose of this report — Annual reports are usually created to provide insight into a company's business operations …

Discussion: @scottbrodbeck, @_claireconnelly, @saksappeal, @saahil_desai, @jameslfredrick, @choire, Boing Boing and @jeremylittau

Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:

In a deposition, Rudy Giuliani says OANN reporter Christina Bobb, who also volunteered for the Trump legal team, had to run any stories she had by the campaign — The ex-New York City mayor said in a deposition that Christina Bobb, who volunteered for the Trump legal team after the election, had to run her stories by the campaign.

Elizabeth A. Harris / New York Times:

The disruption of global supply chains has reached the publishing industry, causing shipping delays and printer backups, exacerbated by worker shortages — Shipping delays, printer backups and worker shortages are forcing publishers to postpone new titles and leaving booksellers in a lurch for some old ones.

Discussion: @nicolesjchung, @benjysarlin, @vermontgmg, @johnghendy and @likaluca

Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:

Q&A with Endeavor chairman Patrick Whitesell on the transition to streaming, HBO Max's success, which services pay the most, and more — If there's one thing Patrick Whitesell knows how to do, it's cut a deal. — Whitesell, the executive chairman of Endeavor, represents …

Discussion: @lucas_shaw, @business and @lucas_shaw

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