Top News:
Lorraine Mirabella / Baltimore Sun:
David Smith, executive chairman of Sinclair, acquires Baltimore Sun Media from Alden, which bought the outlet in May 2021; Sinclair wasn't involved in the deal — The Baltimore Sun, the largest newspaper in Maryland, has been acquired in a private deal by David D. Smith …
Discussion:
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Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
News outlets calling Trump as the winner of the Iowa caucuses early infuriates his Republican rivals and prompts new hand-wringing about the media and elections — No votes had been cast at some locations when The Associated Press and TV networks projected Donald Trump as the winner, half an hour after the caucuses began.
Discussion:
@andrewromeo33, Mediaite, CNN, @michaelscherer, @mattwolking, CBS News, @sonofhas, @daveweigel, The Messenger, Salon, Washington Examiner, The Messenger, Axios, Washington Post, @michaelscherer, The Hill, @tightoff, Slate, @grynbaum, Associated Press, Columbia Journalism Review, Newsweek, Breitbart, Mediaite, @conrad_aml, Heavy.com and Business Insider
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Colin Salao / TheStreet:
Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers Badan says she is stepping down after joining in 2016 and overseeing massive growth at the outlet — Ayers Badan was sentimental in a video posted to social media. — Barstool Sports is losing its CEO. — Erika Ayers Badan, the CEO of Barstool Sports posted on X …
Discussion:
Variety, New York Post, Bloomberg, The Wrap, @stoolpresidente, Daily Mail, The Messenger, @barstoolnate, @erika_, @barstoolbigcat, @joepompliano, Barrett Media and Awful Announcing
Dan Kennedy / Media Nation:
Worcester, MA-based The 016 says the news-oriented social network with no algorithmic feed had 17M email opens and 13M click-throughs over the past five years — Congratulations to Mark Henderson, a Worcester media entrepreneur who's celebrating the fifth anniversary of The 016 …
Discussion:
The 016, @henderson_mark and @dankennedy_nu@journa.host
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: Red Ventures has approached buyers about selling CNET for at least $250M, after acquiring the outlet and other sites for $500M in 2020 — Red Ventures, the digital media and marketing juggernaut based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, has approached strategic buyers about offloading tech news …
Kenneth Li / Reuters:
Thomson Reuters acquires World Business Media, a subscription-based, 25-person outlet providing news and analysis on the insurance market — said on Tuesday it acquired World Business Media Limited, a subscription-based provider of news and analysis on the insurance and reinsurance market.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News and Thomson Reuters
Chloe Mac Donnell / The Guardian:
A look at the surge of fashion content on Substack, as veteran fashion editors, stylists, and other newsletter writers give shopping recommendations — We used to look to magazines, store assistants and bloggers to help us decide what to buy. Now the publishing site has become the go-to spot for style advice
Discussion:
@simondowens@threads.net
Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
Disney and 20th Century settle a lawsuit from TSG, which accused them of withholding profits and self-dealing to boost sub numbers for their streaming services — The lawsuit also dealt with changes in distribution windows and the allegedly murky role that studios play as producers and distributors of content.
Benoit Berthelot / Bloomberg:
Netflix tests a joint subscription plan with French retailer Carrefour in a pilot project in Bordeaux and Rouen, to win more customers to its cheapest ad tier — - French retailer will offer a joint subscription with Netflix — Carrefour customers in Bordeaux, Rouen offered €5.99 plan
Discussion:
Ad Age, Seeking Alpha, ESM Magazine and Broadband TV News
Samuel Agini / Financial Times:
Sources: UK-based TV producer Box to Box raised ~£30M from NY-based Bruin Capital to help fund its expansion; Bruin is taking a minority stake in Box to Box — UK's Box to Box Films agrees fundraising with Bruin Capital as demand grows for sports documentaries
The Wrap:
Sources: the LAT suffers from its owner meddling in editorial decisions and from a lack of vision without a CEO; a former editor estimates it's losing $50M/year — Respected editor Kevin Merida abruptly resigned last week after getting fed up with owner interference in the newsroom
Discussion:
@zpleat, @ckrewson, @dicktofel, @dabeard and @jayrosen_nyu
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Google is cutting “a few hundred roles globally” on its advertising sales team, mainly affecting a unit that sells ads to large businesses — Google's most recent round of job cuts impacts a ‘few hundred roles globally.’ — After laying off about 1,000 employees last week …
Discussion:
New York Post, The Messenger, Reuters and Business Insider