Mediagazer: A look at Disney+ Hotstar's and JioCinema's strategy to beat Netflix and Prime Video in India, including by focusing on sports content and affordable pricing (Ananya Bhattacharya/Rest of World)

12:35 AM ET, March 27, 2024

Top News:

Memo: NBCU News Group Chair Cesar Conde tells staff NBC dropped Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor and apologizes for hiring the former RNC chair — NBC has dropped Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor, NBCU News Group Chair Cesar Conde confirmed in a memo to staff following backlash from some of the network's journalists.

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, CNN, Mediaite, Reuters, Semafor, The Hill, @brianstelter, The Nation, @kylegriffin1, CNN, Raw Story, Howard Pulchin on LinkedIn, @jbflint, The Bulwark, @oliverdarcy@threads.net, Wall Street Journal, Media Nation, HuffPost, TVNewsCheck, Washington Post, The Guardian, Newsmax, @allanschlosser, New York Times, @david_darmofal, Variety, CBS News, TVLine, Breitbart, New York Daily News, Bloomberg, New Republic, Vanity Fair, @emptywheel, The Daily Beast, @emmagoldman.bsky.social, @mbkplus.bsky.social, @mrpresident1776.bsky.social, Newser, @mastodonmigration …, @mikec415.bsky.social, @yolanda7712.bsky.social, @jd123.bsky.social, @jvlast@threads.net, @nslayton.bsky.social, @ninkendo.bsky.social, @daycathy.bsky.social, @ronhogan.bsky.social, @jayrosen_nyu, @greenlightening.bsky.social, Fox News, @newsjennifer, @michaelcalifra, @henchman21.bsky.social, @evilangela.bsky.social, Marty Davis on LinkedIn, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @bubbaprog.ilovecitr.us, @mattnegrin.bsky.social, @yashar, @friendoflwaxana.bsky.social, @sulliview, @ashleysays.bsky.social, Forbes, @ogmcduck.bsky.social, @maxwelltani, Frank Scafidi on LinkedIn, @dylanbyers, @chrisswartout.bsky.social, @nabbp.bsky.social, @liberalwombat.com, Boing Boing, @rudell.bsky.social, @nickfleisher.bsky.social, @tiffanyleigh.bsky.social, @markjacob16, New York Post, The Wrap, @kdzwierzynski.bsky.social, @bdomenech, @golikehellmachine.bsky.social, @snipy.bsky.social, @ronhogan.bsky.social, Rolling Stone, @sarafischer, @ryanlcooper.com, @andreagrimes.bsky.social, @brooklynmarie.bsky.social, @3vansutton, @davelevitan.bsky.social, @juliaioffe, @Jonathanglick@mstdn.social, @drewmelbourne.com, @nycsouthpaw, @rickywlmsbong.bsky.social, @chickenpuppet.bsky.social, @petefrasermusic.bsky.social, @amandasmith.bsky.social, @blockhead13.bsky.social, @maver42.bsky.social, @wallace.bsky.social, @ronhogan.bsky.social, @fancycwabs.bsky.social, @newleaf.bsky.social, @jxsxpx.bsky.social, @theonlyjdb.bsky.social, @cfidd.bsky.social, @nberlat.bsky.social, @msnbc, @keithjoyce.bsky.social, New York Times, @evilgalprods.bsky.social, @plessinger.com, @kelyetar.bsky.social, @perfectorb.bsky.social, Los Angeles Times, @emptywheel, @sidhra.bsky.social, @michaelharriot, @oliverdarcy@threads.net, @mistyksnow.bsky.social, @rjonesing.online, @saltcreekbrews.bsky.social, @mgrady69.bsky.social, @yarrriv.bsky.social, @madrid_mike, @tranniehall.bsky.social, @dylanbyers, @baileymcc.bsky.social, @sulliview, @brendelbored.bsky.social, @bsdtectr.bsky.social, @bibliofishy.bsky.social, @robpegoraro.com, @mostlymartha.bsky.social, @farhip, Next TV, NPR, Deadline, Business Insider, Associated Press and Poynter

Axios:

Analysis: 16 of the White House's 31 press secretaries since 2000 have gone on to become paid contributors, commentators, or hosts on TV news programs — - Multiple networks scrambled to sign McDaniel when she left the RNC last month, despite her role in former President Trump's efforts …

Discussion: The Guardian, The Hill, The Desk, Mediaite, Newser, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, The Detroit News, Los Angeles Times, Politico, Reason and Today's Edition Newsletter

Ananya Bhattacharya / Rest of World:

A look at Disney+ Hotstar's and JioCinema's strategy to beat Netflix and Prime Video in India, including by focusing on sports content and affordable pricing — Mukesh Ambani's Reliance and The Walt Disney Company have joined forces creating a hard-to-beat streaming entity in the country.

Discussion: @_ananyaaa and @_ananyaaa

Washington Post:

A member of Qatari royal family invested ~$50M in Newsmax in 2019, 2020; sources: before and after the deal, staffers were urged to soften coverage of Qatar — Before and after the investment, senior newsroom leaders urged Newsmax staff to soften coverage of Qatar, current and former employees said

Discussion: @cdarwin@c.im, The Daily Beast, The Hill, @sarahellison, The Wrap, @washingtonpost, @GottaLaff@mastodon.social, @sarahellison, @sarahellison, Mediaite, New Republic, @dougsaunders, @sarahellison and @jeffjarvis

Daria Mosolova / Financial Times:

BBC Director General Tim Davie calls for license fee reform as part of a broader strategy to turn the national broadcaster into a more commercial operation — Director-general says ‘fundamental questions’ need to be asked as corporation battles flagging demand

Discussion: BBC, Digital Journal, The Guardian, @ben@werd.social, Advanced Television and Press Gazette

Bailey Lipschultz / Bloomberg:

Trump Media & Technology Group closed up 16% at $57.99 per share in its Nasdaq debut, valuing the unprofitable company at $7.9B, following the merger with DWAC — - Trump Media & Technology Group operates Truth Social — Deal provides a windfall on paper for the former president

Cynthia Littleton / Variety:

Audible partners with Amazon MGM Studios to co-produce TV series based on Audible Originals content; the titles will be shopped to Prime Video, MGM+, and others — Kerry Washington, James Patterson, Aaron Korsh are among the notables on board for new iterations of ‘The Prophecy,’ ‘Daniel X: Genesis,’ ‘Nut Jobs’ and others

Discussion: Karen Appathurai Wiggins on LinkedIn, Ben Rolleston on LinkedIn, Jolise Beaton on LinkedIn, The Verge, Mumbrella, Deadline, James Finn on LinkedIn, Rhonda Adams Medina on LinkedIn and Barry Poznick on LinkedIn

Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post:

Source: G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller told staff The A.V. Club and The Takeout have been sold; Paste bought The A.V. Club and Static Media bought The Takeout — G/O Media, the struggling company that recently sold Deadspin, is shopping popular humor site The Onion and continued its fire sale …

Discussion: The Daily Beast, @kennysmith@mstdn.social, @thedailybeast.bsky.social, @alexsteigrad, @ryanvailbrown, Adweek and The Wrap

Wall Street Journal:

The NFL says the opening week Friday night game will be exclusive to NBC's Peacock, and Prime Video secured exclusive rights for a 2024-2025 season playoff game — Brazil game is part of league's effort to expand international presence, have more games not played on Sunday afternoons

Discussion: The Verge, NBC Sports Pressbox, New York Post, Deadline, The Desk, Awful Announcing, Media Play News, BGR, Sports Media Watch, Next TV, Business Insider, Decider, Reuters and Cord Cutters News

A.J. Perez / Front Office Sports:

Sources and a lawsuit by ex-Arena Group CEO Ross Levinsohn detail The Arena Group's chaotic handling of Sports Illustrated and a messy transfer to Minute Media — - Sources say 5-Hour Energy tycoon Manoj Bhargava threatened to destroy the archives in a meeting with the new publishers of ‘SI.’

Discussion: Awful Announcing, The Wrap, MediaPost, Business Insider and Adweek

Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:

Adobe launches GenStudio to let brands create content and measure its performance using generative AI, underpinned by promises of brand safety — Brands want to use generative AI to personalize their marketing efforts — but they are also deathly afraid of AI going off message and ruining their brand.

Discussion: The Drum, Microsoft, The Verge, Mumbrella, ZDNet, Quartz and WWD, more at Techmeme »

Sam Meredith / CNBC:

A UK court grants Julian Assange permission to appeal his US extradition, unless the US provides “satisfactory assurances” on certain issues within three weeks — WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange leaves Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Britain.

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More News:

Murray Stassen / Music Business Worldwide:
UMG strikes a 10-year distribution deal with K-pop management agency Hybe; UMG also will invest in and further collaborate with Hybe's superfan platform Weverse

Discussion: Billboard, Bloomberg, Digital Music News, Variety, Deadline and Wall Street Journal

Aidan Ryan / The Boston Globe:
Boston public radio station WBUR is offering employees buyouts in an effort to cut ~10% of its budget; CEO says WBUR expects to also cut jobs or freeze hiring

Discussion: WBUR and Media Nation

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Kevin Systrom says AI news app Artifact will stay online for now due to taking “a lot less to run it than we had imagined”, reversing a February shutdown date

Discussion: The Verge, The Information, @mikalfm.bsky.social and @lucasdickey4, more at Techmeme »

Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Political news site Splinter relaunches, three months after it was acquired by Paste Magazine from G/O Media; Splinter has been dormant since November 2019

Max Goldbart / Deadline:
The BBC has “no plans” to use AI again to promote Doctor Who, after the marketing team used AI “as part of a small trial” to help draft emails and notifications

Discussion: Gizmodo, @mistressofnull, @carnage4life, Times of India, Observer, CBR, @amadmannotabox, Variety, @carnage4life@mas.to, Screen Rant, BBC, r/technology, r/television and Slashdot, more at Techmeme »

Reuters:
Bertelsmann reports 2023 revenue down 0.4% YoY to €20.2B, meeting est., profit up 26% YoY to €1.3B, and lowers its 2026 outlook, as it slims down its business

Discussion: Financial Times, @bertelsmann_com, Dow Jones Newswires, Wall Street Journal, Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and The Hollywood Reporter

Earlier Picks:

Axios:
Snap strikes a deal with Integral Ad Science to develop more brand safety tools and to use IAS's Total Media Quality, which analyzes content frame by frame

Discussion: Patrick Harris on LinkedIn, Lisa Utzschneider on LinkedIn, Travis DeLingua on LinkedIn, Gareth Jordan on LinkedIn, @kerrymflynn, Snapchat Advertising, Integral Ad Science and Advanced Television

Aisha S Gani / Bloomberg:
The UK FCA's new guidance warns influencers they face up to two years in prison if they don't give risk warnings when pitching financial products

Discussion: Financial Times and New York Post

Bibek Bhandari / South China Morning Post:
A look at the YouTube series Herne Katha, which became one of Nepal's most popular journalistic endeavours in recent years by focusing on “unexplored” regions

Discussion: Bibek Bhandari on LinkedIn

Max Goldbart / Deadline:
Ampere Analysis: the BBC greenlit 129 of the 256 scripted TV shows in the UK in 2023, as production cuts mainly impacted cheaper-to-produce unscripted programs

Discussion: @brekkietweets, @gary_kevinson, WORLD SCREEN, The Hollywood Reporter and Advanced Television

Selome Hailu / Variety:
Golden Globes and CBS sign a deal to air the awards on CBS and livestream on Paramount+ for five years, starting from the January 2025 telecast

Discussion: @blowryontv, @tim_bays, @ewagmeister, @mychiller, @tvmojoe, Billboard, The A.V. Club, Forbes, The Hollywood Reporter, Fox News, Adweek, IndieWire, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Playlist, The Wrap, TVLine, Next TV and Deadline

Reuters:
Al Jazeera says Egypt has freed the last two Al Jazeera journalists who were in detention in the country, following a thaw in Egypt's relations with Qatar

Discussion: @nadiaglory

From Techmeme:

Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple has renewed discussions with OpenAI about using its technology to power some features in iOS 18; talks with Google on using Gemini remain ongoing

Ryan Vlastelica / Bloomberg:
Alphabet closes above a $2T market cap for the first time, reaching a valuation of $2.15T after rising 10% on April 26, its biggest one-day jump since July 2015

Leah Nylen / Bloomberg:
Filing: FTC says Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, and other Amazon execs used Signal's disappearing messages to conceal evidence in FTC's antitrust case against Amazon

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