Top News:
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Filing: Disney now owns 100% of streaming tech company BAMTech after paying $900M for MLB's 15% stake in November 2022; Disney acquired a majority stake in 2017 — Disney acquired a majority stake in the tech company in 2017, and has used it to power its streaming services.
Discussion:
Variety, Digital TV Europe, CNET, @2xaught7, @scottgustin, @billkuchman, @injuryexpert, TechCrunch and Awful Announcing, more at Techmeme »
Lydia Polgreen / New York Times:
People can help protect democracy by supporting their local news outlets, rather than spending time on platforms and TV networks that deepen partisan divides — Like a lot of folks, I have been thinking quite a bit lately about how to shore up our democracy. We voted in November, and that seems to have gone pretty well.
Discussion:
@jere_hester, @lpolgreen, @susanmcp1, @lionpubs, @ylichterman, @matthewkeyslive, @rachelsklar, @mollyjongfast, @bupbin, @apantazi and @jeffplatsky
Elaine Díaz Rodríguez / LION Publishers:
LION Publishers' sustainability audits show more independent news founders are focusing on revenue and audience research to deal with some industry challenges — Takeaways from the LION-GNI Sustainability Audits and Funding program — Independent news founders are seeing …
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap:
Memo: Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke will oversee MGM effective immediately, including scripted TV and film, distribution, and creative marketing — Shocking no one, on Tuesday night Amazon informed employees that Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke will now also oversee MGM …
Discussion:
Deadline, Digital TV Europe, Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and MediaPost
Semafor:
Sources: CoinDesk, which has ~$50M in annual revenue, attracts takeover interest from PE firms, rivals, and others; a party offered $300M which was deemed low — for Semafor Business: Follow the money (and the memes.) Your Email addressSign Up — THE SCOOP
Discussion:
@jhweissmann, @jdale_shoemaker, @inkbacker, @buttcoin, @ledgerstatus, @mdc, @ericbalchunas, @mdc, @iwriteok, @jbarro, @bitfinexed, @kantrowitz, @bennetttomlin, @breathtkinan, @thejustinyost, @mikeburgersburg, @sawickipedia, @jeffjohnroberts, @ofnumbers, @bmorrissey, @mdudas and Talking Biz News
Wall Street Journal:
AMC Networks plans to lay off 20% of its staff, or around 200 people, and CEO Christina Spade steps down abruptly, after joining in September 2022 — Company has been under pressure from cord-cutting as Americans turn to streaming services — AMC Networks Inc. said it is planning to lay off …
Discussion:
@sherman4949, CNBC, Deadline, Broadband TV News, CNN, UPI, The Desk, @carlquintanilla, @ourand_sbj, @trengriffin, @awallenstein, New York Post, @great_katzby, @aagave, Observer, Gizmodo, AMC Networks Inc., The Wrap, Next TV, IndieWire, CNN, MediaPost, Los Angeles Times, IndieWire, WORLD SCREEN, Ad Age, Media Play News, Adweek, Next TV, Variety, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
Ariel Shapiro / The Verge:
Spotify releases Wrapped 2022 for users, adding a “music personality” feature, and says Joe Rogan, Emma Chamberlain, and others were its top podcasters — Spotify Wrapped is here, and with it, a slew of year-end charts, data, and graphics ripe for sharing.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Billboard, Ad Age, Adweek, TechCrunch, Forbes, The Drum, Music Ally, Engadget, E! Online, @anthony, The Hollywood Reporter, PRWeek, Spotify, All This Is True, ScreenRant and CNET, more at Techmeme »
Deccan Herald:
Indian news outlet NDTV says founders Radhika Roy and Prannoy Roy have resigned from the board of its holding company RRPR, as the Adani Group nears a takeover — The Roys, however, still hold a 32.26% stake in NDTV as promoters and have not resigned from the board
Discussion:
BBC, Reuters, DailyBrief, Tribuneindia News Service, Bloomberg and Newslaundry
Mark Kennedy / Associated Press:
Apple's 2022 listener data shows the rise of non-English-language songs: 21 non-English songs were in the global Top 100, more than double the number in 2021 — “Stay,” the smash hit by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber topped Apple Music's global song chart in 2022 as the giant music streamer released …
Discussion:
Apple, @parkerortolani, Digital Music News, Gizmodo, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Engadget, Forbes, Variety and AppleInsider
Platformer:
Internal messages: Twitter's EMEA ad revenue dropped 15% YoY and weekly bookings are down 49%; source: Blue is delayed as Twitter seeks to skirt App Store fees — Revenues are in free fall, employees say. Can Musk turn the tide? — and Zoë Schiffer
Discussion:
Insider, @caseynewton, The Register, @chrchristensen, @jamesrbuk, @gergelyorosz, @carnage4life, @golub, @zoeschiffer, @rhymestyle, @jenntakahashi, @markyzaguirre, @mattnavarra, @rowlsmanthorpe, Fortune, @chrisyandle, @arawnsley, @scottnover, @hamburger, @edzitron, @zaackhunt, The Verge and The Information, more at Techmeme »
The Intercept:
Some prominent antifascist organizers and journalists have had Twitter accounts suspended in the past week, after right-wing operatives appealed to Elon Musk — Elon Musk claims to be “fighting for free speech in America” but the social network's new owner appears to be overseeing a purge of left-wing activists from the platform.
Discussion:
Insider, Semafor, @matthew_d_green, @dulhunty, @robertmackey, @coderincrisis, @wrkclasshistory, @robertmackey, Engadget, @coloradotravis, @brandondarby, @davethomas5150, @micahflee, @penenberg, @roddikinsathome, @jkarsh, @journalistjg, @espiers, @esqueer_, @micahflee, UPI and HuffPost, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Research: women of color are “completely locked out” of the UK news industry and face “extraordinary exclusion” in the US, both in leadership and news coverage — Women of colour are “almost completely locked out” of the UK news industry making them “effectively invisible”, a new report has found.
Discussion:
The Guardian, @akannampilly and @raju