Top News:
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
Memo: Channel 4 plans to merge commissioning departments, including TV drama and film, leave a London premises, and more, part of a five-year Fast Forward plan — Channel 4 is merging several commissioning departments including TV drama and film and leaving its Horseferry Road premises …
Discussion:
The Guardian, @scottygb, @bectu, Broadband TV News, @halalltakeaway, BBC, The Guardian, @jake_kanter and Sky News
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Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Channel 4 plans to lay off 18% of its staff, impacting ~200 jobs and closing ~40 unfilled roles, to become a “digital-first public service streamer by 2030”
Discussion:
Mediaite, Broadband TV News, @scottygb, Variety, CampaignUK, WORLD SCREEN, @joshoewaa and Financial Times
Bloomberg:
Sirius XM acquires rights to SmartLess, a podcast by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, sources say for $100M+; Amazon previously paid $60M-$80M — - The popular interview program has spent three years at Amazon — Actors Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes host the show
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, Sirius XM Holdings Inc., @frankyarriola, @johnjedwards3, @shaun_obanion, @variety, The Hollywood Reporter, @lucas_shaw and @lucas_shaw
Chris Roush / Talking Biz News:
Bloomberg starts providing AI-generated summaries of companies' earnings calls on its terminal; the company has more than 310,000 subscribers to its terminal — Bloomberg is now providing artificial intelligence summaries of company's earnings calls on its terminal.
Ben Strauss / Washington Post:
Sports Illustrated's union files an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, alleging retaliation and union-busting after the mass layoffs this month — The union representing the staff of Sports Illustrated filed an unfair labor practice charge against the magazine's publisher …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, The Wrap, nyguild.org and Columbia Journalism Review
Wall Street Journal:
How Penguin Random House started actively challenging the removal of books from US school libraries, including through an “Intellectual Freedom” task force — A fiery board meeting inspired Penguin Random House to actively challenge the removal of books from school libraries
Alex Barinka / Bloomberg:
TikTok is testing a feature that could make all posts shoppable, by identifying objects in videos and prompting users to “find similar items on TikTok Shop” — - Feature links products to any posts, not just influencers — TikTok is testing a feature that could make all posts shoppable …
Discussion:
@carnage4life, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
An interview with Mail Online executives on rolling out its new £4.99 per month Mail+ tier to all UK users, the £12.99 per month Mail+ Editions app, and more — Mail Online is building on a “great position of strength” from its “huge, loyal, engaged, direct audience” …
Kyle Orland / Ars Technica:
In response to the George Carlin estate's lawsuit, Dudesy says its YouTube video and podcast with an “AI” George Carlin were “created by two human beings” — Creators still face “name and likeness” complaints; lawyer says suit will continue.
Reuters:
German state broadcaster ARD says Israel was blocking two of its long-term Palestinian workers from leaving Gaza, citing security concerns that don't make sense — German state broadcaster ARD on Friday said Israel was blocking two of its long-term Palestinian workers from leaving Gaza …
The Intercept:
Sources: the NYT pulled a The Daily episode about sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, after an internal debate on the strength of its reporting — The New York Times pulled a high-profile episode of its podcast “The Daily” about sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 amid …
Discussion:
CBS News, @markamesexiled, @evanhill, @zei_squirrel, @maryamsaleh, @drboguslaw, @snarwani, @ggreenwald and @kenklippenstein
Hollywood Reporter:
Sources: former MGM executive Jonathan Glickman is in talks to join Miramax as its CEO, following Bill Block's departure last year — The former MGM executive, known for his work on ‘No Time to Die’ and ‘Creed,’ would step into a role vacated by Bill Block. — Miramax may have found its new leader.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @borys_kit and Deadline
Suzanne Vranica / Wall Street Journal:
Amazon expects Prime Video's average hourly ad load to be 2 to 3.5 minutes, below traditional TV and most streaming services, and to reach 159M monthly viewers — Move prompts longtime subscribers to cancel Prime altogether, forgoing free shipping; ‘There is only one way to show them that this is not OK’
Discussion:
CNN, Insider Intelligence, Fast Company, The Streamable, New York Post and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »
Patrick Frater / Variety:
CNN Philippines plans to close on January 31, impacting up to 300 jobs; the outlet launched in 2015 under a brand licensing deal and, a source says, lost $89M+ — CNN Philippines is to close down on Wednesday, the company announced on Monday local time. The move means up to 300 jobs will be lost.
Discussion:
@cnnphilippines and Deadline
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