Top News:
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Filings: Roku reveals a breach that compromised 15K+ accounts between December 2023 and February 2024 and tells users hackers didn't get sensitive personal info — Hackers gained access through login credentials obtained by third-party sources and in some cases tried to buy streaming subscriptions
Discussion:
BleepingComputer, Roku, The Desk, Business Insider, The Verge, The Hollywood Reporter, BGR, UPROXX, PCMag, The Streamable, Android Authority, Variety and Next TV
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The Associated Press plans to launch AP Buyline, a product recommendations site powered by Taboola, on March 18, part of plans to attract more consumer revenue — - The company, which has historically made most of its money from licensing its content to other media organizations …
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: Apollo Global Management has reached out in recent days to a special committee formed by Paramount Global about a possible takeover or asset purchase — - That rival group, which includes private equity firms KKR and RedBird Capital Partners, is evaluating an all-cash bid for Paramount's parent …
Discussion:
The Streamable, @jyarow, @tvgrimreaper, The Wrap and Cord Cutters News
Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
In a video, Disney warns shareholders that adding Nelson Peltz and former Disney CFO Jay Rasulo to the company's board would be “disruptive and destructive” — Walt Disney Co. is stepping up its campaign against activist investor Nelson Peltz, warning shareholders in a new video that it would be …
Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
G/O Media sells Deadspin to European company Lineup, which won't keep the sports news outlet's staff; CEO Jim Spanfeller says G/O didn't actively shop Deadspin — The beleaguered media company has sold its key sports property off to a European publisher who will gut the website and replace its staff.
Discussion:
New York Post, @juliedicaro, Axios, New York Times, Front Office Sports, @sarafischer, @justinbaragona, Variety, Defector, @megreenwell, @megreenwell, Sports Media Watch, @michaelharriot, @justin_mcisaac, @dougdirt24, @jwsthomson, @jcbaggee, @williamasclarke, @biettetimmons, @joelevard, @cboehm, @ereller25, @mrmillerrussell, @justinmoris, @scott_fontana, @pnutfinger, @kevin_glueck, @jakemhs, @kthorjensen, @timothypmurphy, @mattsmusings1, @bkoo, @sarafischer, @lordravenscraft, @transgamerthink, @tomgara, @emilybell, @matttomic, @justinbaragona, @papabearstweets, @hamiltonnolan, @playmakerdavid, @tcopain, @jakegar90171920, @torqpenderloin, @xoxogossipgita, @megreenwell, @film_girl, @matthewkeyslive, @justinbaragona, @shortformernie, @sarafischer, @film_girl, @mathewi, Sara Fischer on LinkedIn, Newser, CNN, Fox News, Slate, @ernie@writing.exchange, The Hill, Adweek, @kennysmith@mstdn.social, The Desk, Awful Announcing, MediaPost and The Wrap
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Warner Bros. Discovery renews its multiyear agreement with movie distributor GKids to extend Max's exclusive US streaming rights for Studio Ghibli films — Hayao Miyazaki's “The Boy and the Heron,” which just won the Oscar for feature animated film, is streaming to Max in the U.S.
Discussion:
The Streamable, Consequence, The Wrap, UPI, Deadline, Media Play News, The Hollywood Reporter, Polygon and UPROXX
New York Times:
Puck, Semafor, and other news startups are finding success with a mix of revenue sources, as opposed to predecessors like Vice, which relied on investor money — A handful of digital start-ups are finding success — so far, at least — by learning lessons from their troubled predecessors.
Kayla Cobb / The Wrap:
Tubi report: 62% of people surveyed said they prefer ad-supported streaming over paid, 74% of Gen Z and millennials said they prefer originals to remakes — Additionally, 71% of younger people say they want to see more content from independent and smaller creators
Discussion:
Advanced Television, New York Post, WORLD SCREEN, Next TV, Forbes, IndieWire, Media Play News and The Streamable
Becky Lucas / The Hollywood Reporter:
Ireland attracts film producers by offering experienced crews, versatile locations, and tax incentives letting producers claim back 32% of spending up to $134M — Whether it's last year's Oscar champ ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ the Apple TV+ hit ‘Bad Sisters’ or this year's Berlinale opener 'Small Things …
Zach Seward:
SXSW talk: Zach Seward, NYT's editorial director of AI initiatives, catalogs some of journalism's best and worst uses of machine learning and generative AI — My talk at SXSW 2024 — I just gave this talk at SXSW. It was my first public presentation since starting my new job at The New York Times.
Discussion:
Ben Werdmuller on LinkedIn, Fergal Carr on LinkedIn, @nic221, @subbuvincent, @jeffjarvis and @zseward@threads.net
Rick Porter / The Hollywood Reporter:
Nielsen: the 96th Oscars averaged 19.5M viewers in the US, up 4% YoY, the biggest audience for any awards show since 2020, when the Oscars drew 23.64M viewers — The 96th Academy Awards draw 19.5 million viewers, the most for any awards show since 2020. — The 2024 Oscars were the most watched in four years.
Discussion:
IndieWire, Variety, World of Reel, TVLine, Media Play News, @r0bwatson, @jbflint, Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse, The Playlist, New York Times, The Walt Disney Company, IndieWire, Reuters, Vulture, CNN, Los Angeles Times, The Wrap, Adweek, Associated Press, Deadline, Next TV, TVNewsCheck and Engadget
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
A profile of Donna Langley, NBCUniversal's chief content officer and studios chairwoman, who has led Universal to creative dominance and commercial supremacy — Under Donna Langley's leadership, Universal has managed the rare feat of achieving creative dominance and commercial supremacy at the same time.
Discussion:
@thehofstatter, IndieWire, The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter