Top News:
Lydia Moynihan / New York Post:
Sources: as part of the merger, Group Nine was valued at $225M, down from $585M in 2016, and Vox was valued at ~$672M, down from $1B in 2015 — Vox Media and Group Nine are keeping the value of their merger private — and that may be because the number isn't as eye-popping …
Discussion:
Axios, @digitalshields and @kerrymflynn
Ben Fox / Associated Press:
AP Executive Editor Julie Pace urges DHS to say why it investigated reporter Martha Mendoza and assure that the “apparent abuse of power” will not continue — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use …
Discussion:
American Press Institute, Politico, Reason, @ap, @zachsdorfman, @penamerica, @jpritchardap, @spj_tweets, @mendozamartha and Freedom of the Press …
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
With podcasts selling for millions of dollars, smaller advertisers say they're getting priced out as ad costs soar and relationships become more impersonal — This story is part of a group of stories called — Füm is the type of product that traditionally sells well through podcast ads.
Discussion:
@mkadin, @cbalfe, @ashleyrcarman, @ahhensel, @russellbrandom, @bergmayer, @matt and @mattbrownep
Sara Guaglione / Digiday:
Q&A with Sara Silverstein, TheStreet's new EIC, on plans to broaden the audience of investors for The Arena Group's financial publication, and more — Last week, former Business Insider (now Insider) editor at large Sara Silverstein headed to TheStreet, the financial publication owned by The Arena Group …
Discussion:
@ichartny
Lillian Rizzo / Wall Street Journal:
A look at the Christmas TV movie battle between Hallmark and upstart channel GAC Family, which is run by Hallmark's former boss and often hires the same actors — GAC Family, a channel run by Hallmark's former boss, also makes Christmas fare, often hiring the same actors; ‘definitely confusing’
Discussion:
@johnjurg, @digitalshields and @lilliannnn
The Guardian:
Soe Naing, a freelance photojournalist in Myanmar, dies in military custody after being arrested last week while covering protests — Soe Naing was arrested in Yangon while taking photos of a ‘silent strike’ protest against military rule — A freelance photojournalist in Myanmar has died …
Discussion:
Committee to Protect …, Reuters, @jm_beck, @niccijsmith and @hninyadanazaw
Joe Easton / Bloomberg:
LadBible parent LBG Media closes up 12.59% in its trading debut on London's Aim market, giving it a ~£400M valuation after raising £30M in its IPO — - Viral content publisher's shares rise in trading debut — Company was started by two university students in 2012
Discussion:
The Guardian, Financial Times, @martinsfp and City A.M.
Politico:
Some organizations with legislative interests are running print ads in Delaware's The News Journal to get their message in front of Biden — In the Biden era, the pages of The News Journal have become a way to reach a new audience of one. — Interest groups trying to influence the president …
Discussion:
@maxwelltani, @owillis, @jonlemire, @politico, @samstein, @erickleefeld, @susanpage and The Week
Axios:
The Guardian has 1.6M+ paying readers, of which 1M make recurring payments for digital content, 100K are print subscribers, and 500K make one-off donations — The Guardian now has 1 million people that pay for its digital content on a recurrent basis, Axios has learned.
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:
Google offers news payment commitments to France's antitrust watchdog in a bid to end antitrust litigation, including to “negotiate in good faith” — In its latest move to placate European competition regulators, Google has offered a set of commitments to France's antitrust watchdog …
Discussion:
Autorité de la concurrence
Sara Fischer / Axios:
UBS: Tubi, the free ad-supported streaming service Fox bought in March 2020, is expected to hit $700M in 2022 revenue, up from $145M annual revenue at purchase — Tubi, the free ad-supported streaming service that was acquired by Fox last year, is expected to hit $700 million in revenue in 2022, according to a new UBS analysis.
Discussion:
The Streamable, MediaPost and @tomgara
Sarah Ellison / Washington Post:
Joe Nocera sues former employer Bloomberg News, seeking earnings from The Shrink Next Door, an Apple TV+ series based on his podcast of the same name — Joe Nocera seemed to be living a journalist's dream, with a story turned hit podcast bought by Hollywood.
Discussion:
@michellelegro, @amyargetsinger, @sarahellison, @jeremymbarr, @opinion_joe, @alderlaneeggs and The Wrap