Top News:


AT&T plans to sell its Xandr programmatic advertising marketplace to Microsoft; the deal would not include the ad sales business supporting DirecTV — Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed; the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory reviews.
Discussion:
Axios, Microsoft Advertising, @aripap, PR Newswire, @sarafischer, @sarafischer, @msftadvertising, @xandr, @nandoodles, @aaronwall, @bristei, @joshsternberg, @aripap, @davidclinchnews, @arctictony, @sarafischer, @aagave, @msftnews, Ad Age, PRWeek, Reuters, nexttv.com, MediaPost, Light Reading and Adweek, more at Techmeme »


Fox says Jesse Watters was speaking metaphorically when he told a conference audience to “ambush” Dr. Fauci with a “kill shot”; Dr. Fauci calls for his firing — The Fox host was referring to confrontational interviews in comments at a conservative conference but leaned hard on violent imagery: 'Boom!
Discussion:
@ronfilipkowski, @therecount, Politico, @deliacabe, @lmerritt1, @brianklaas, @ndrew_lawrence, @existentialfish, @karaswisher, @mikefreemannfl, @exavierpope, @keitholbermann, @ynb, @brianklaas, @existentialfish, @mehdirhasan, @mikelupica, @walshfreedom, @jimsciutto, @jjohnsonlaw, The Daily Beast and UPROXX


OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely steps down as CEO, naming head of communications and marketing Ami Gan as his replacement; Stokely will remain as an adviser — OnlyFans named spokesperson Ami Gan as its new chief executive officer, replacing Tim Stokely, who founded and built the media company …
Discussion:
PR Newswire, Insider, @lucas_shaw, Gizmodo, @pkafka, Observer, Billboard, CNET, Variety, Tubefilter, New York Post and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »


Source: GSV Asset Management is working on a bid to buy Forbes Media at a $620M valuation, as an alternative to Forbes' planned $630M SPAC merger — Investment firm GSV is working on a bid to buy Forbes Media at a $620 million valuation as an alternative to Forbes' announced SPAC merger, Axios has learned.
Discussion:
@sarafischer, SPAC Track, @mathewi and @michellemanafy


Meta says over half of its Bulletin newsletter platform's 115 creators have over 1,000 free subscribers, “with many having more than 5,000 or 10,000” — Six months in and there are 115 publications writing on it — A new blog post from Meta marks the six-month anniversary of its newsletter publishing platform, Bulletin.
Discussion:
Insider, @yoda, @broderick, @bmorrissey, Bulletin FYI, @perlberg and What's New in Publishing, more at Techmeme »


In an internal memo, Fox says all its NYC office staff must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination by December 27, blaming Mayor de Blasio for the vaccine mandate — Fox Corporation, the owner of Fox News, told employees on Friday that those working in New York City would have to show proof …
Discussion:
@brendannyhan, @emmabgo, @mmoyr, @ericuman, Barrett Media, @helenkennedy, @zac_petkanas, @brianstelter, @jonlis1, Breitbart, @jeremymbarr, @mollyjongfast, @bradmossesq, @mehdirhasan, @deray, @billpascrell, @jeremymbarr, @scottfeinberg, @projectlincoln, @xtrixcyclex, @maxboot, The Hill, TVNewser, Mediaite, The Daily Beast and @jeremymbarr


A look at Clubhouse and its competitors, as veteran podcast hosts and new creators decide what works best for them, based on pay, features, and their audiences — The company showed that people would flock to an audio-only social media app. Can it fend off the imitators?
Discussion:
@chrismessina and @brianmcc


Swedish video game holding company Embracer Group acquires Mike Richardson's comics publisher and production group Dark Horse Media; Richardson remains the CEO — Embracer Group, a Swedish video game holding company, unveiled plans to buy Dark Horse Media, the comic book and entertainment group founded and led by Mike Richardson.
Discussion:
Embracer, Crunchyroll!, @paultobin and Game Informer


Disney and nine others will offer feedback on the Nielsen One “cross screen” measurement framework, debuting at CES in January and launching at the end of 2022 — Don't count Nielsen out as the media industry scrambles to find new ways to tabulate audiences increasingly making …
Discussion:
AdExchanger, Digiday, insideradio.com, MediaPost, @bristei, Ad Age, nexttv.com, Deadline and Radio & Television …


NYT's Thomas Friedman favorably cited Conservation International in 20+ columns without disclosing $5.9M in family donations to the environmental organization — In two dozen opinion columns published by the New York Times over the past 15 years, Thomas Friedman has favorably cited …
Discussion:
@markseibel, @timmarchman, @w7voa, @awinston and Media Nation


China's Xinhua News Agency plans to issue news photography collectibles based on NFT tech, despite Beijing largely banning crypto transactions — China's official Xinhua News Agency is planning to issue news collectibles based on technology used in non-fungible tokens even as policy makers …


GB News will launch a radio station in the new year, becoming the UK's only broadcaster to simulcast nationally on radio and TV — GB News to launch radio station in effort to turn ‘traditional media on its head’ — GB NEWS will launch a radio channel in the new year in an effort to turn “traditional media on its head”.
Discussion:
Daily Mail