Top News:
Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
In a memo to staff, Los Angeles Times Executive Editor Kevin Merida announces he is stepping down on January 12, two-and-a-half years after joining the newsroom — Los Angeles Times Executive Editor Kevin Merida announced Tuesday that he was stepping down 2½ years after joining …
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Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Sources: Kevin Merida and the Soon-Shiong family clashed over his decision to ban journalists who condemned Israel's bombing of Gaza, 2024 budgeting, and more — Kevin Merida, who took over the job in 2021, said in an internal note that his last day would be on Friday.
Discussion:
Axios, Bloomberg and @benmullin
Thomas Germain / Gizmodo:
X suspended several podcasters and journalists, including The Intercept's Ken Klippenstein and Texas Observer's Steven Monacelli, with little to no explanation — Elon Musk's “free speech” social media platform banned a number of accounts recently critical of Israel.
Discussion:
VICE, Mediaite, New Republic, @texasobserver.org, @skippyosint, @stevanzetti.bsky.social, @esqueer_, @marionumber4, @brendelbored.bsky.social, @32mbit.bsky.social, @esqueer_@threads.net, @erininthemorn, @thelincoln, @markamesexiled, @kenklippenstein, @stevanzetti, The Daily Beast, @lucas_shaw, @wolfiesmiffed.bsky.social, @tvscarlkinsella, Futurism, @elizabethbrossa, @whstancil and @themaxburns, more at Techmeme »
Kashish Tandon / Reuters:
India's Zee Entertainment remains committed to its $10B Sony India merger, calling media reports of the deal falling through “baseless and factually incorrect” — India's Zee Entertainment (ZEE.NS) on Tuesday said it was committed to its merger with Sony's (6758.T) local arm …
Discussion:
Advanced Television, Financial Times, Anto Antony on LinkedIn and Bloomberg
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Cecilia D'Anastasio / Bloomberg:
Sources: Twitch could cut 500 employees, or about 35% of its staff, as soon as Wednesday amid concerns over losses at Twitch and after several top execs left — Move is designed to stem losses after two rounds of layoffs last year. — Amazon.com Inc.'s livestreaming site Twitch is poised …
Discussion:
@lowcotv and @tunguz, more at Techmeme »
Josh Kosman / New York Post:
Source: MLB rejected a ~$150M investment by Amazon to bail out bankrupt Diamond Sports because Amazon wanted a streaming deal for more than one year — Major League Baseball rejected a proposed roughly $150 million lifeline extended by Amazon to the nation's largest regional sports network …
Sara Fischer / Axios:
On Wednesday, CNBC plans to launch a $99 paid course on job interviewing, its first, part of a new educational venture developed by its “Make It” franchise — CNBC on Wednesday will debut its first paid course as part of a new educational venture developed by the editorial team behind CNBC's …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Dylan Smith / Digital Music News:
ERA: UK music sales grew 9.6% YoY to £2.22B in 2023, the highest since 2001, with £1.87B from streaming; CD sales grew for the first time in two decades, up 2% — Following the across-the-board implementation of music streaming price increases, UK subscription revenue rose nearly 10 percent year …
Discussion:
Billboard, @drewhill, @musicweek, @eraltd, ERA Ltd, Music Ally and CMU
New York Times:
Elections and disinfo are colliding like never before in 2024, as social networks reduce protections and state influence campaigns and AI-fueled disinfo ramp up — A wave of elections coincides with state influence operations, a surge of extremism, A.I. advances and a pullback in social media protections.
Discussion:
@brennancenter, more at Techmeme »
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
X announces exclusive original programming and content deals, including shows hosted by Don Lemon, former Fox Sports host Jim Rome, and Tulsi Gabbard — The tech company also announced a 10-show deal with Range Media Partners, and a deal with Tulsi Gabbard.
Discussion:
Variety, MediaPost, Mediaite, @donlemon, Gizmodo, Bloomberg, CBS News, TVLine, Fortune, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Verge, @ken-w.us, @xbusiness, @kevinmkruse.bsky.social, @justinbaragona, @shaunmmaguire, @misterjayem.bsky.social, @apocalypticanow.bsky.social, @jzembik.bsky.social, The Daily Caller, @lulumeservey, @insidejoke.bsky.social, @earnestpettie.com, @elonmusk, @golikehellmachine.bsky.social, Deadline, @bubbaprog.ilovecitr.us, @theoneleila.bsky.social, @jimrome, @xbusiness, @tuckercarlson, @jillian.bsky.social, @dell.bsky.social, @bartenderhemry.bsky.social, @aaronvandorn.bsky.social, @russbengtson.bsky.social, @streetsajed.bsky.social, @popecrocodylus.bsky.social, @outerbororoyal.bsky.social, @daveanthony.bsky.social, Reclaim The Net, The Daily Beast, @tressiemcphd.bsky.social, @fbihop.bsky.social, @mxvh.bsky.social, @kevincollier, @tulsigabbard, @keithedwards@threads.net, Politico and The Wrap
@hou_landing:
Houston Landing, a nonprofit, digital-only news outlet, is parting ways with its EIC Mizanur Rahman; Rahman says he was fired and was not given a clear reason — We have come a long way since we launched last year. With growth comes change. Today we part ways with our editor-in-chief Mizanur Rahman. We are thankful to Mizanur for putting his talent and heart into this organization and ensuring we have everything we need to serve Houston. [image]
Discussion:
@teddyschleifer, @monicarhor, @tracidonatto, @dtohl, @alexdstuckey, @jbenton, @jbenton, @mizanur_tx, @mizanur_tx, @mizanur_tx, @mizanur_tx, @lomikriel and @jbenton
Radio & Television Business Report:
iHeartMedia partners with supply-side platform Magnite to offer advertisers a single entry point for audio ads on its radio, streaming, and podcast platforms — It's something championed and pioneered on the TV side of the linear media business by NBCUniversal.
Discussion:
Inside Radio, @magnite, Magnite and RADIO ONLINE
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Fox Corp. debuts Verify, a blockchain protocol developed with Polygon Labs for media companies to register content and grant usage rights to AI companies — Fox Corp., one of the largest media companies in the U.S., has publicly debuted a new blockchain platform called Verify …
Discussion:
Variety, The Information, The Wrap, @ryansingel@writing.exchange, TechCrunch, TVNewsCheck, CoinDesk and @bgrueskin
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