Top News:
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Chris Licht tells CNN staff that layoffs are underway as part of a strategy shift, starting with “a limited number of individuals”, mostly paid contributors — “It will be a difficult time for everyone,” CNN EO Chris Licht told staff in an email Wednesday.
Discussion:
CNN, New York Times, Variety, Next TV, Insider, @oliverdarcy, The Hill, Mediaite, The Wrap, @sarafischer, Axios, @sarafischer, New York Post, @paulrieckhoff, Deadline, The Information, Wall Street Journal, Breitbart, @karlbode, @jeremymbarr, IndieWire, @bristei, @bristei, @daveweigel, @jeremymbarr, @maxwelltani, @claireatki, @curtishouck, @benmullin and @elbordeaux, more at Techmeme »
David Folkenflik / NPR:
NPR says it needs to cut $10M+, or 3% of its budget, from the current fiscal year ending next September 30 and plans to nearly freeze hiring and avoid layoffs — NPR will need to cut at least $10 million from the current fiscal year ending next September 30, the network's chief executive …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, @nprkelly and @davidfolkenflik
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, Media Play News and MediaPost
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, @raju and @akannampilly
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:
Spotify, Billboard, Forbes, Vibe, New York Post, ScreenRant, Variety, & More Newsletter, Unknown Rhythms, The A.V. Club, @bysoheecho, UPI, Rolling Stone, BGR, Gizmodo, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Music Ally, PRWeek, The Drum, Ad Age, Engadget, Adweek, E! Online, @carnage4life, 9to5Mac, @anthony, TechCrunch, All This Is True, @jonnygabriel, The Hollywood Reporter, @musicstruggles1, Washingtonian and CNET, more at Techmeme »
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:
CNET, Next TV, Variety, MediaPost, @scottgustin, Digital TV Europe, @injuryexpert, @2xaught7, @billkuchman, 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, @matthewkeyslive, @rachelsklar, @inn, @bworley, @shiraovide, @jeffplatsky, @apantazi, @ylichterman, @lionpubs, @mollyjongfast and @bupbin
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 …
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:
@caseynewton, ScreenRant, Observer, Ars Technica, Gizmodo, Forbes, The Verge, The Register, @gergelyorosz, @carnage4life, @golub, @zoeschiffer, @chrchristensen, @rhymestyle, @jenntakahashi, @markyzaguirre, Insider, @mattnavarra, @rowlsmanthorpe, @chrisyandle, @arawnsley, @scottnover, @hamburger, @edzitron, @zaackhunt, @jamesrbuk, Fortune and The Information, 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, Tribuneindia News Service, DailyBrief, Newslaundry and Bloomberg
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
The BBC plans to make “lighter” dramas, sports documentaries, and crime shows to reach poorer audiences, after Ofcom said they are “persistently underserved” — Ofcom warns lower socio-economic viewers feel ‘persistently underserved’ by broadcaster
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:
Around 130,000 UK publishing businesses, covering ~1.75M websites and apps, sue Google and Alphabet for alleged anti-competitive behavior in adtech — Litigation against Google and its parent entity Alphabet being brought in the UK on behalf of thousands of digital publishers …
Discussion:
Press Gazette, Bloomberg and Reuters
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