Top News:
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Red Ventures sells CNET, an early pioneer of online tech coverage, to Ziff Davis, which owns Mashable, PC Mag, and other brands, a source says for $100M+ — Ziff Davis is acquiring CNET for more than $100 million. Its chief executive thinks more acquisitions are on the horizon.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek, @dctrjack, @ldignan, @photomatt, Axios, @jeffjarvis, @danackerman, @saschasegan, @film_girl, @rhunwords, @benmullin, @felixsalmon, @rafat, @seangriffey, @rafat, @tsuvik, @tvgrimreaper, @rogerwcheng, @bombur, The Verge and TVNewsCheck, more at Techmeme »
Charlie Nash / Mediaite:
Jennifer Jacobs, the Bloomberg News reporter fired for allegedly breaking Russian prisoner swap story embargo, suggests she didn't decide to publish prematurely — Bloomberg News senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs shot back at the news outlet on Monday after she was fired …
Discussion:
@jenniferjjacobs, @charlottetklein, The Wrap, Media Nation, New York Times, @politicussarah, @arrowofartemis, @shiramstein, @saramorrison, @mctothstl, @genepark, @schreckreports, @scottnover, @bendreyfuss, @mattdpearce, @brianmfloyd, @neontaster, @ericnewcomer, @jim_newell, @justinbaragona, @byajperez, @eisingerj, @moorehn, @aulia@mementomori.social, @johnmcquaid@threads.net, @johnmcquaid@threads.net, The Desk and HuffPost
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Alex Griffing / Mediaite:
Bloomberg EIC John Micklethwait says he has apologized to the freed prisoners and to the Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief over breaking the embargo
Bloomberg EIC John Micklethwait says he has apologized to the freed prisoners and to the Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief over breaking the embargo
Discussion:
Poynter, The Guardian, New York Post, Talking Biz News and TVNewsCheck
Josh Dickey / The Wrap:
Email: Bloomberg EIC John Micklethwait says the outlet has taken disciplinary action against those involved in breaking the Russia prisoner swap embargo
Email: Bloomberg EIC John Micklethwait says the outlet has taken disciplinary action against those involved in breaking the Russia prisoner swap embargo
Discussion:
CNN, @jayrosen_nyu, @deggans, @parismartineau, @weareyourfek, @taliaotg, @dpd_, @jimlaporta, @dnvolz, @maxwelltani, @warondumb, @benadida, Associated Press, @dan_munz, @bgrueskin, Newser, The Hill, Fox News, Deadline and @katie_robertson
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Internal memo: Axios CEO Jim VandeHei says the company is laying off about 50 employees, or ~10% of the company, due to “changes in the media business” — Jim VandeHei, the company's chief executive, said in an email that the cuts were necessary to adapt to “changes in the media business.”
Discussion:
The Wrap, @katie_robertson, @daniellealberti, @justinbaragona, @selenesanfelice, TVNewsCheck, @jdawsey1, @sopandeb, @chrisjollyhale, @aulia@threads.net, @billygribbin, @keitholbermann, @redsteeze, @ethangach, @ethanscorey, @benkesslen, @chaykak, @brandyljensen, @chriscillizza, @mikebrice and @katie_robertson
Lauren Feiner / The Verge:
A US federal judge rules Google has a monopoly in “general search text advertising” and Google's exclusive agreements enabled it to raise prices on that product — A federal judge ruled that Google violated US antitrust law by maintaining a monopoly in the search and advertising markets.
Discussion:
US District Court for the District of Columbia, MediaPost, The Media Leader, CNN, Politico, New York Times, TechRadar, BIG by Matt Stoller, One Man & His Blog, Beyond Search, Android Central, 9to5Mac, Sportico, Engadget, Ars Technica, AV Club, Financial Times, @digitalsamiam, @jason_kint, Jill Caren on LinkedIn, @jason_kint, AdExchanger, @marie_haynes, Boing Boing, PhoneArena, The Information, UPI, @jeff@newsie.social, TVNewsCheck, ScheerPost.com, W Media Research, MediaPost, Reuters, @SomeGadgetGuy@techhub.social, Deadline, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, @parismarx@mastodon.online, MarTech, 9to5Google, BGR, CNBC, @theory@xoxo.zone, Quartz, The Wrap, @webology@mastodon.social, WTOL-TV, Ad Age, @kottke@mastodon.social, New York Post, The Drum, Fox Business, @Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and News/Media Alliance, more at Techmeme »
Financial Times:
Sources: WBD looks to avoid breaking up the company by offloading smaller assets, such as selling Polish broadcaster TVN or a stake in WBD's gaming business — Executives fear ‘years of legal challenges’ if they split its TV and movie studio businesses — Warner Bros Discovery's senior management …
Discussion:
The Wrap, @tvgrimreaper, PlayStation LifeStyle, @meowzawowza_, Broadband TV News and @annaknicolaou
Sara Fischer / Axios:
ProRata, which aims to attribute and share AI chatbot subscription revenue with content owners, raised a $25M Series A and inks deals with major media companies — A handful of major news and music companies have agreed to license their content to ProRata.ai, a generative AI startup that claims …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Gabriel Brotman on LinkedIn, @danprimack and @sarafischer
Sara Fischer / Axios:
X files an antitrust lawsuit against GARM and its members, alleging GARM abused its influence over marketers and ad agencies to discriminate unfairly against X — Members include major tech companies, advertisers, agencies, ad tech firms and advertising coalitions.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Digiday, @lindayax, Fox Business and Fox News
Kathryn Lundstrom / Adweek:
Uber says its Advertising annual revenue run-rate passed $1B in Q2, up from $650M+ in Q2 2023; Uber began selling in-app Journey Ads programmatically in June — The company broke out its ad revenue in quarterly earnings today and based the estimate on 2024 results to date
Discussion:
Business Insider, Fast Company, Uber, New York Post and @thetranscript_, more at Techmeme »
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Google unveils the $100 Google TV Streamer, with better performance than Chromecast with Google TV, Thread and Matter support, and more, shipping September 24 — Google isn't waiting for its upcoming hardware event to announce the Chromecast's successor. Alongside the new, sleeker Nest Thermostat …
Discussion:
The Streamable, TechCrunch, StreamTV Insider, The Keyword, Tech Advisor, TechRadar, 9to5Google, Cord Cutters News, The Keyword, ZDNET, Wired, Next TV, Engadget, Android Central, TechRadar, Forbes, Digital Trends, Android Faithful, LifeHacker, 9to5Google, 9to5Google on YouTube, CNET on YouTube and PhoneArena, more at Techmeme »
Bill Grueskin / Columbia Journalism Review:
Interviews with news executives and editors about running split newsrooms, as the Washington Post builds a “third newsroom” — When split newsrooms work, and when they falter — In 2011, I attended an advertising conference that seemed like a rather workaday affair …
Discussion:
@davidfolkenflik, @bgrueskin and PenguinRandomhouse.com
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Fox Corp reports Q4 revenue up 2% YoY to $3.1B, affiliate fee revenue up 5% YoY to $1.9B, ad revenue flat YoY at $1B, and $320M net income, vs. $369M in Q4 2023 — The company said that revenue rose slightly in the quarter thanks to its carriage agreements, but that the election and Super Bowl are setting it up for a big year.
Discussion:
Reuters, The Wrap, Variety, Fox Corporation, Next TV and WORLD SCREEN
Andrew Bucholtz / Awful Announcing:
FAST channels NEWSnet and SportsNewsHighlights, owned by Manoj Bhargava's Bridge Media, abruptly shuts down, resulting in the layoffs of 80 employees — Manoj Bhargava at a NewsNet desk. (NewsNet.) — The strangeness around former Sports Illustrated publisher Arena Group and its majority owner …