Top News:
Lydia Moynihan / New York Post:
Sources: in the Group Nine-Vox Media 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:
Insider, Axios, @larakiara, @digitalshields and @kerrymflynn
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:
RAIN News, @johnkoetsier, @richlightshed, @cbalfe, Sounds Profitable, @ashleyrcarman, Podcast Movement, @ahhensel, @russellbrandom, @mkadin, @gerryconway, @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 war between Hallmark and GAC Family, an upstart cable channel run by Hallmark's former boss that 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
Politico:
Some organizations with legislative interests are running print ads in Delaware's The News Journal to get their message in front of Biden — Interest groups trying to influence the president of the United States will often fork over millions of dollars in order to do so.
Discussion:
@maxwelltani, @owillis, @jonlemire, @politico, @samstein, @erickleefeld, @susanpage and The Week
Rachel Connolly / Financial Times:
Listeners flock to “friendship podcasts” built on rapport among hosts, who are monetizing them via live shows, merchandising, and even album releases — The podcast, with its associations with talk radio, political wonkery and overproduced true crime, can seem a dorky medium.
Discussion:
@rachelconnoll14 and @donetodeath
Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
Australia nominates Gina Cass-Gottlieb, a lawyer with strong ties to Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, for new chairwoman of its competition watchdog agency — The nomination of a respected lawyer with strong ties to Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch to head Australia's powerful competition watchdog agency is drawing scrutiny.
Discussion:
@ljayes, @megjameslat, @strom_m, @latimes, @mrkrudd, @megjameslat, @jeffjarvis, @jbenton, The Guardian and The Wrap
Joe Easton / Bloomberg:
LadBible parent LBG Media closes up 12.59% in its trading debut on London's Aim market, giving it a £360M 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:
Financial Times, @jimwaterson, The Guardian, @canders_daniels, @martinsfp and City A.M.
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, Techdirt, Politico, Reason, @zachsdorfman, @ap, @penamerica, @jpritchardap, @spj_tweets, @mendozamartha and Freedom of the Press …
Paul Takahashi / Houston Chronicle:
Hearst names Miami Herald President Nancy Meyer as the next publisher of the Houston Chronicle; she starts January 10 as the Chronicle's first female publisher — Nancy Meyer, a veteran newspaper leader and president of the Miami Herald, has been named the next publisher of the Houston Chronicle.
Discussion:
@loritodd and @lomikriel
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:
Google makes five-year commitments on news payments 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 …
Discussion:
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