Top News:


Sources: ESPN in talks with sports leagues and media partners about offering a live sports guide with direct links, possibly in exchange for a subscription cut — - ESPN has talked with major sports leagues and media partners about launching a feature that would link users directly …


The Dallas Morning News fired a reporter for violating its social media policy after she called the mayor “bruh” on Twitter; her union filed a NLRB complaint — Meghan Mangrum moved to Dallas to cover education. — Meghan Mangrum moved to Dallas last summer to cover education …


Sources: CNET lays off around a dozen people, or ~10% of its staff, including several longtime employees, after revelations the outlet used AI to write articles — Just weeks after news broke that tech site CNET was quietly using artificial intelligence to produce articles …
Discussion:
Variety, @vikkie, @scottnover, @zemotion, @jessicalessin, @sdw, @klawls, @chrishayner, @chrishayner, @bcmerchant, @jaredbkeller, @stevenewing, @karlbode, @karlbode, @karlbode, @jake_k, @paleofuture, @miarsato, @miarsato, @miarsato and Futurism


African pay TV company MultiChoice signs a deal with Comcast to create a pan-Africa streaming service built on Showmax, MultiChoice's streaming service — Africa's biggest pay TV company, MultiChoice Group (MCGJ.J), said on Thursday it had entered into an agreement with U.S.-based media conglomerate Comcast …
Discussion:
Light Reading, WebWire, Deadline and Broadband TV News


Ozy Media halts operations due to “operational and legal challenges”, after the arrest and indictment of founder and CEO Carlos Watson on federal fraud charges — Ozy Media on Wednesday said it was suspending operations, days after founder Carlos Watson was indicted on federal fraud charges.
Discussion:
Variety, @sharonwaxman and Deadline


The Center for Public Integrity acquires The Accountability Project, which lets journalists search and organize 1.8B public records on campaign finance and more — The Center for Public Integrity will steward and grow a powerful tool that puts public records at the fingertips of journalists across …
Discussion:
@publicintegrity, @mattderienzo, @pennyriordan1, @publicintegrity and @jinkding


An analysis of 461 CPB-funded stations' FY 2021 reports: nonfederal financial support peaked at nearly $2.2B, surpassing 2019's prepandemic total by $118M — To understand how the disruptions of COVID-19 affected public media's financial health, Public Media Company analyzed CPB's station revenue data …
Discussion:
@eaxlr


Netflix dominates in subscriptions and ARPU, followed by Disney+/Hulu, and WBD's HBO Max/Discovery+; Amazon and Apple don't disclose Prime Video and TV+ numbers — Netflix continues to dominate but Disney, Paramount, Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery all expect big DTC growth this year and next
Discussion:
Wine Binge TV and Slate


ITV reports 2022 revenue up 7% YoY to £4.3B, external revenue up 8% YoY to £3.7B, ITV Studios revenue up 19% YoY to £2B, and digital revenue up 18% YoY to £411M — U.K. commercial broadcaster ITV's annual results for 2022 were revealed Thursday and the picture is robust.
Discussion:
The Drum, ITV, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
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Chartbeat, acquired by Cuadrilla in July 2022, acquires social video analytics company Tubular Labs and digital revenue management company Lineup Systems — Chartbeat, a digital publishing software company, has acquired Tubular Labs, a social video analytics company, and Lineup Systems, a digital revenue management company.
Discussion:
@bradrstreicher, @saroff_nyc and Cuadrilla Capital


Report: Comcast rejected a proposal to run the regional sports networks Warner Bros. Discovery plans to close; MLB hired three executives for a local media unit — Leagues seeking ways to keep regional sports network revenue flowing — Comcast is not interested in running …


In a memo, Daily Mail editor Ted Verity says DMGT is proposing layoffs at the print titles and bringing the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday “much closer together” — Mail Newspapers editor-in-chief Ted Verity said future growth would come from digital.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Telegraph and Bloomberg