Top News:
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Sports Illustrated publisher The Arena Group announces the termination of CEO Ross Levinsohn and names 5-Hour Energy founder Manoj Bhargava as its interim CEO — - Anderson Cooper And Andy Cohen To Return For CNN's New Year's Eve Special; Sara Sidner and Cari Champion Tapped As Co-Hosts
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Arena Group, Boing Boing, Futurism, @benjstrauss, Awful Announcing, @jbenton, @weareyourfek, MediaPost, CNN, The Wrap and @2xaught7.bsky.social
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Spotify partners with Warner Bros. Discovery to host and distribute some podcasts from WBD, including CNN and HBO shows, and become a WBD monetization partner — Podcasts in the partnership include CNN's ‘All There Is with Anderson Cooper’ and HBO's ‘The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon.’
Discussion:
CNN
Anto Antony / Bloomberg:
Sources: Disney and Reliance are expected to sign a non-binding pact as early as December 18 to merge their media operations in India in a cash-and-stock deal — - Ambani's group to own majority stake in the new media entity — Non-binding deal terms likely to be signed on Monday: sources
Discussion:
Times of India, Benzinga, @amit6060, India Today, Gadgets 360, Inc42 Media, Reuters and The Economic Times
Bron Maher / Press Gazette:
Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, banned in the UK in February 2021, appears to have set up an agency to distribute free video news packages pushing China's goals — AMSP claims to have 600 partner newsrooms using its content. — Chinese state broadcaster CGTN is distributing free professional …
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
To comply with India's FDI rules, four BBC staff quit and form Collective Newsroom, which the BBC will commission to produce six Indian language services — Four BBC India staff members have quit and formed a new entity, Collective Newsroom, in order to comply with India's strict foreign direct investment (FDI) in media rules.
Discussion:
Reuters and Broadband TV News
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Apple redesigns Apple TV in iOS 17.2 and tvOS 17.2 with a sidebar that unifies content; iTunes now redirects users searching for shows and movies to Apple TV — Starting Monday, the iTunes Store app on iPhone and iPad will redirect users searching for TV and film titles to the newly redesigned Apple TV app.
David Shepardson / Reuters:
A US judge upholds Texas' TikTok ban on state devices, rejecting a lawsuit filed by The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in July 2023 — A U.S. judge on Monday upheld Texas' ban on state employees', including public university employees, using Chinese-owned short video app TikTok …
Discussion:
US District Court, @cam_langford, @joemaristela, @nateraymond, @cam_langford, Reason and The Messenger, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Nellie Andreeva / Deadline:
Disney and Netflix are finalizing a deal to share Grey's Anatomy across Disney+/Hulu and Netflix, and have Disney license 14 TV series to Netflix for 18 months — Co-Editor-in-Chief, TV — All 'Grey's Anatomy' Seasons To Be Available On Disney One-App; Netflix Gets Window On 14 Disney Series As Part of Licensing Deal
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Sources: Altice USA is in talks to sell Cheddar News to private equity firm Regent; Altice paid $200M for Cheddar in 2019 and may be compensated via an earn-out — - Altice USA is in discussions to sell Cheddar News to Los Angeles private equity firm Regent LP.
Discussion:
@bmorrissey, @timsteno, @sherman4949, Next TV, The Desk and Alex Sherman on LinkedIn
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Paramount Global plans to rebrand the linear Showtime cable network as Paramount+ With Showtime, the same name as its top streaming tier, on January 8, 2024 — The show is over for Showtime as a standalone brand. — As of Jan. 8, 2024, Paramount Global will rebrand the linear Showtime cable network …
Discussion:
The Verge, The Hill, Washington Post, The A.V. Club, SlashFilm, The Streamable, Ad Age, Media Play News, Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap
Hannah Giles / @hannahmgiles:
Discussion:
The Messenger, @willsommer, @matthewkeyslive, @ericspracklen, @dawsonsfield, @trumpstaxes, Boing Boing, HuffPost, CNN, Mediaite and The Desk
Jake Kanter / Deadline:
Sources: BBC News plans to hire its first royal editor to capitalize on soaring monarchy interest; royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell plans to retire in 2024 — - Sky Denies Hugh Bonneville Pilot ‘Forty Acres’ Is About Slavery Amid Backlash From Black Creatives
Discussion:
@phillip_thomaz, @risj_oxford, @jones_1_l, @nina_metz, @jake_kanter, @brigantia__, @jake_kanter, @nina_metz and @GreenFire@mstdn.social
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