Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
NYT has agreed to acquire The Athletic in an all-cash deal valuing the startup at $550M; co-founders Alex Mather and Adam Hansmann will stay on after the deal — The New York Times has agreed to acquire The Athletic in an all-cash deal valuing the sports media startup at $550 million …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, @sarafischer, @sarafischer, Wall Street Journal, @sarafischer, Adweek, @sarafischer, UPI, The Information, @sarafischer, @jessicalessin, @ckrewson, @rafat, @sarafischer, @hollyzachariah, @sarafischer, CNBC, @pkafka, @sarafischer, @dangillmor, @jeffjarvis, @sarafischer, Newser, @dskok, @nytimesguild, @sulliview, @joshsternberg, @sarafischer, @ckrewson, @paulkuharskynfl, @sarafischer, @sarafischer, @realobf, Front Office Sports, New York Post and Awful Announcing
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Peter Kafka / Vox:
The NYT-Athletic deal is a big bet with significant risk, as growth slows for The NYT and profit remains elusive for The Athletic — A big bet with real risk and reward. — The New York Times wants more subscribers. The Athletic has lots of subscribers but loses money.
Discussion:
The Ringer, New York Times, Axios, MediaPost, @pottsmark, @sizpatel, @markberman, The Information, @mathewi, @ylichterman, @rasmus_kleis, @oliviawitherite, @jessegranger_, @byscottpowers, @tvgrimreaper, @jeremylittau, @thegridkid, @gintautasd, @tybatiste, @dylanbyers, @freddiecampion, @arashmarkazi, @ken_rosenthal, @jeremylittau, @adamlefkoe, @willystaley, @travonne, @melissalockard, @jeremylittau, @jeremylittau, @bydavidgardner, @rafat, @ringer, @daryrezvani, @cnyari, @aarongleeman, @maxjrosenthal, @nichcarlson, @jeremylittau, @davidgura, @bryancurtis, @conordougherty, @rafat, @keganreneau, @jeremylittau, @rafat, @jeffveillette, @rafat, @chrisryan_nj, @jeremylittau, @zpathletic, @pkafka, @pkafka, @mikeorren, @john_p_carvalho, @katie_martin_fx, @profblackistone, @mattzeitlin, @danprimack, @rafat, @electricalwsop, @aarongleeman, @mathewi, @jeremylittau, @sbienkowski, @liam_twomey, @brettkollmann, @pkafka, @mattietk, @danprimack, Denver Post, @pkafka, @_zeets, @vosdscott, @ericliptonnyt, @nw3, @freightalley, @thegridkid, @scohensea, @jeremylittau, Defector, Sportico, Deadline, The Spun, Financial Times, Nieman Lab, The Wrap and The Hill
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify introduces Call-to-Action Cards, a visual ad format for podcasts that puts clickable cards inside show and episode pages — Spotify is today introducing is introducing a new ad format aimed at podcasters which it's calling “Call-to-Action Cards” — or CTA cards, for short.
Discussion:
Spotify, @ericmarkowitz, Adweek, Music Ally, @spotifynews, @alansoclof, @mattnavarra, ScreenRant, Gizmodo, Podnews podcasting news, MediaPost, The Drum, CNET and RAIN News, more at Techmeme »
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS are exploring selling a significant stake, or all of, CW Network; among possible buyers, Nexstar Media Group is leading — Nexstar Media Group is among the suitors for CW Network, sources say — AT&T Inc.'s WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS Inc. are exploring …
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The Hollywood Reporter:
In a memo to staff, The CW CEO confirms ViacomCBS and Warner Bros. are exploring its sale but says it's “too early to speculate what might happen” — Local TV giant Nexstar is said to be among the suitors for the broadcast network. — The CW is up for sale.
Discussion:
@alexweprin, @azalben, The A.V. Club, @srirachachau, @azalben, ScreenRant, The Wrap, Variety and MediaPost
Anna Nicolaou / Financial Times:
Justin Smith says his venture with Ben Smith is not a quick flip and they are aiming for multi-decade growth; Ben says the outlet will be “post social media” — Ex-Bloomberg executive and New York Times journalist are aiming for multi-decade growth
Discussion:
@zielina, @tomgara, @nivincent, @claireberlinski, @johngapper, @robinwigg, @bobbyallyn, @snolen, @tomgara, @kixes, @iroughol, @tomgara, @aadilbrar, @zielina, @kniggem, @emilyrauhala, @carlquintanilla, @zhaoyinfeng, @skinnylatte, @claradfmarques, @damiencave, @mathewi, @mattzeitlin, @benyt and @marklittlenews
Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
LinkedIn plans to launch interactive, audio-only live events this month in beta for some creators and a video version in the spring — LinkedIn, now with more than 800 million people listing their professional profiles to build out their careers, is taking its next steps to get them to spend more time on the platform.
Discussion:
@caseynewton, Tubefilter, @tomcoates, @pt, @far33d, @thekenyeung and Adweek, more at Techmeme »
Reuters:
Two journalists were killed in Haiti on Thursday after suspected gang members shot at a group of reporters who'd arrived to interview the leader of a rival gang — Two Haitian journalists were killed Thursday on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince after suspected gang members opened fire …
Discussion:
France 24
Reuters:
China's copyright authority bans digital music platforms from signing exclusive copyright agreements except in special circumstances — China's copyright authority said on Thursday digital music platforms are not allowed to sign exclusive copyright agreements except in special circumstances …
Discussion:
Music Ally and Plagiarism Today
Manori Ravindran / Variety:
The BBC appoints ITN chief executive Deborah Turness as CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, replacing Fran Unsworth, who is stepping down at the end of January — The BBC has appointed ITN chief executive Deborah Turness as its CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Financial Times, bbc.co.uk, @katyturnbc, @marklittlenews, @benyt, @benfenton, @pressgazette, @jake_kanter, Press Gazette, The Wrap, TVNewser, Telegraph, Deadline and Hollywood Reporter
Marianne Garvey / CNN:
HFPA will hold a ceremony for the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles, but it will not be televised and will have no red carpet — (CNN)The 2022 Golden Globe Awards are happening, but also not really happening. — There will be a ceremony thrown by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association …
Discussion:
Deadline, @goldenglobes, Forbes, LAist, The Daily Beast, New York Post and Black Enterprise
Ananya Mariam Rajesh / Reuters:
BuzzFeed names Christian Baesler as COO, filling a role vacant since Jon Steinberg stepped down in 2014; Baesler will also continue as CEO of Complex Networks — BuzzFeed Inc (BZFD.O) on Thursday named Christian Baesler as chief operating officer, filling a role that has remained vacant …
Discussion:
Variety, BuzzFeed and Hollywood Reporter
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