Top News:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Disney beats Q1 estimates with 129.8M Disney+ subscriptions worldwide, up 37% YoY, and $21.82B in revenue, up 34% YoY; stock up 7%+ — Disney Plus powered to a strong year-end finish, with the media giant's flagship streaming business blowing past expectations to hit almost 130 million users.
Discussion:
CNBC, ScreenRant, Fast Company, The Streamable, Wall Street Journal, The Wrap, Business Wire, @cnbc, @domsplaying, @scottygb, Digiday, @fedprom, MediaPost, @ldignan, @xpangler, Junghoon's Direct Media …, @xpangler, Deadline, Axios, ABC7, Decider, Ad Age, Digital Trends, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter and New York Post
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
The bitcoin-related arrest of a writer who posted 47 times on Forbes.com highlights earlier use of Forbes' contributor network for scams, PR, or bad journalism — That “rapper” accused of billions in crypto fraud was also a Forbes contributor. Is it finally time to move past the contributor network?
Discussion:
@jbenton, @jppullen, @kantrowitz, The Muffin por Mauricio …, @bgrueskin, @scottnover, @jackmarshall, @sir_ruffy, @jbenton, @lpolgreen, @josh_emerson, @brosandprose, @jeremy_borden, @dangillmor, @annatarkov, @bryanrolli, @pearseanderson, @paulbradleycarr, @niemanlab, @technollama, @lyssaslounge, @netculture, @anthony, @ckrewson, @caseynewton, @stephenbeck, @ckrewson, @kateconger, @mmasnick, @byrontau, @tprice504, @charliebeckett, @erinahennessy and @robinwigg
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Sarah Emerson / BuzzFeed News:
One of two people charged with conspiring to launder ~$3.6B in stolen bitcoin has been a consistent contributor at Forbes since late 2017 and at Inc. since 2016
Discussion:
Bloomberg, U.S. Department of Justice, Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, @sarahnemerson, @petersterne, @saradietschy, @dcseifert, Slate, @erenbali, @sheilahbirgen, @seldo, @malwaretechblog, @susanlitv, @blakersdozen, Metacurity, @vickerysec, @dex_eve, @karlbode, @nktpnd, @aaschapiro, @johnatron4000, @szmarsupial, @kscottz, @stevekovach, @lalpert1, @sarahnemerson, @paldhous, @katienotopoulos, @alexdemling, @justinhendrix, CNET, Shelly Palmer, The Sun, Reuters, The Verge, MarketWatch, Boing Boing, TechCrunch and BroBible, more at Techmeme »
Hugh Son / CNBC:
Binance is investing $200M in Forbes to help the publisher with its plan to merge with a SPAC in Q1 — - Binance, the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange, is making a $200 million strategic investment in Forbes, the 104-year old magazine and digital publisher, CNBC has learned.
Discussion:
Financial Times, @aaberwick, @cz_binance, @wublockchain, @hugh_son, @alex, @thedomino and @binance, more at Techmeme »
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, EatingWell, Health, Parents, and People en Español will cease printing after April, becoming digital brands and cutting ~200 jobs — The publications, which IAC's Dotdash acquired when it bought Meredith last year, will live on as digital-only brands
Discussion:
New York Times, Variety, Axios, Poynter, The Wrap, Protocol, Digiday, @jeffjarvis, @danpriceseattle, @jensantamaria, @dabearsblog, @ml_boardman, @rgay, @jensantamaria, @jensantamaria, @film_girl, @ambernoelle, @kasie, @kod, @marcatracy, @jmrivera02, Nieman Lab, @tinajordannyt, @daniellenuss, @thehrh, @shanellegenai, @casey_mink, @chrisvfeil, @jeffjarvis, @markstenberg3, @hiattb, @jaredbkeller, @natalieabrams, @sarahjaeleiber, @jessewashington, @mikeroe, @jmdornbush, @richardlnewby, @tvmojoe, @heykmenz, @terri_schwartz, @ericrennerbrown, @jowrotethis, @azalben, @samontv, @froomkin, @benpershing, @lmoses, @jbflint, Too Much TV Newsletter, Daily Front Row, Los Angeles Times, MediaPost, Ad Age, Christopher Six's Pick Six, The Hill, TheStreet, WWD, New York Post, Al Jazeera, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline
Jordan Rose / Complex:
Snoop Dogg acquires Death Row Records from Blackstone-controlled company MNRK Music Group — Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records from the Blackstone-controlled company MNRK Music Group. — According to a press release via Business Wire, the rap legend will be leading the brand for the coming years as its new owner.
PR Newswire:
Twitter reports Q4 net income dropped to $182M on $1.57B in revenue, up 22% YoY; ad revenue rose 22% YoY to $1.41B; mDAUs hit 217M, up from 192M YoY — Annual Revenue Growth of 37% to $5.08 Billion and Average Monetizable Daily Active Usage (mDAU) Growth of 13% to 217 Million in Q4
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, The Verge, CNBC, @twitterir, @brianstelter and @twitterir, more at Techmeme »
Nieman Lab:
A study of 430 local Seattle journalists from 2015-2021 finds ~40% had the same job after six years, ~30% left the industry, and 16% advanced in their careers — A bleak look at journalism careers in one U.S. city — It's been almost an entire generation since the recession …
Discussion:
@andrewgiambrone and @shirishmm
Kate Briquelet / The Daily Beast:
Vicky Ward disputes Isaac Chotiner's article about her 2003 Jeffrey Epstein profile and blames Graydon Carter for omissions; Carter calls her a serial liar — Ward released what she said were transcripts of conversations with Jeffrey Epstein and the Vanity Fair editor-in-chief, who called her a “serial liar.”
Reuters:
Mexico says it has arrested the three alleged perpetrators of the murder of journalist Lourdes Maldonado in January — Mexico has arrested the alleged perpetrators of the murder of journalist Lourdes Maldonado, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday, following the killing of four media workers this year.
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Sources: Discovery sees Zucker's departure as an opportunity for a reset at CNN to make it less opinionated; ratings have declined noticeably in recent months — Ever since Jeff Zucker seized the reins at CNN in early 2013, the cable-news network has been one of loudest voices in media circles.
Discussion:
@jayrosen_nyu, @soledadobrien, @emilytvproducer, @froomkin, @bristei, @bristei, @bristei, Mediaite and Poynter
RELATED:
Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter:
Filing: Discovery says its merger with AT&T's WarnerMedia received US antitrust clearance, following European Commission approval in December
Discussion:
Axios, Variety, C21Media, Digital TV Europe, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @dcnorg, @roncharles, @axios, @alexweprin, @alexweprin, The Week, CNN, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Deadline, Media Play News, New York Times, The Verge, The Hill and The Wrap
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
In a deposition, James Bennet says that he included a direct apology to Sarah Palin in a response to CNN's questions, but the apology didn't make it past NYT PR — “America's Lethal Politics,” the June 14, 2017, editorial at the center of Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit, is cause for apology.
Discussion:
Politico, @erikwemple, BuzzFeed News, Nieman Lab, Washington Post, @froomkin, @julie_kelly2, Slate, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, New York Post, @oliverdarcy, @mboorstein, Deadline, The Daily Beast, CNN, Poynter and NPR
Andrew Kersley / Press Gazette:
The BBC will launch a new live team with 31 journalists to expand coverage beyond COVID-19, after its live pages collectively saw 1B+ visits during the pandemic — The pandemic has attached “rocket boosters” to news live blogs and led to more investment from publishers as sites try …
Discussion:
What's New in Publishing, @jasminecoleman, @ponniahkevin, @davidclinchnews, @stuartmillar159 and Talking Biz News
Nilay Patel / The Verge:
Interview with Capital B co-founder and CEO Lauren Williams on fundraising, the value of social platforms and search, the new Atlanta newsroom, and more — Lauren Williams is the co-founder and CEO of Capital B, a new nonprofit media company dedicated to news for Black audiences.
Discussion:
@reckless, @laurenwilliams, @annalysagayle and NPR Fangirl
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