Top News:
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Mark Thompson previews CNN's paid streaming service, says CNN plans to launch a subscription in 2025 for “lifestyle” content, and cuts ~200 jobs in its TV unit — Mark Thompson has promised to reinvent CNN since he arrived in 2023. Now, he is remaking the network's TV lineup and its work force.
Discussion:
The Verge, The Hollywood Reporter, Engadget, The Desk, Australian Financial Review, Wall Street Journal, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, CNN, @kimmasters.bsky.social, The Independent, BGR, AV Club, New York Daily News, Adweek, TVLine, @emilypasser, Deadline, @bristei, @bristei, @seanhowe.bsky.social, @sherman4949, Newser, Yahoo Finance, Adweek, The Hollywood Reporter, @bristei, TVNewsCheck, @hameturgeman, Bloomberg, Business Insider, @benmullin, Cord Cutters News, @dankennedy.net, Newsbusters, Reuters, The Wrap, Financial Times, Breitbart, @brianstelter, @benmullin, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, CNN, @dylanbyers, New York Post, The US Sun, Barrett Media, Fox Business, Eschaton, Daily Mail, MediaPost, IJR, @realDonaldTrump …, Louder With Crowder and CNBC
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Sara Fischer / Axios:
Mark Thompson says CNN aims to reach $1B in digital revenue by 2030; memo details $70M to be invested in digital plans, a modernized ad sales approach, and more — - That was an important message, considering years-long speculation that WBD may look to sell the network someday to pay down its debt.
Discussion:
al.com, RetailWire, Washington Post, Yahoo Finance and Cord Cutters News
Katie Deighton / Wall Street Journal:
A look at growth of sponsorships and ads for independent newsletters on platforms like Substack and Beehiiv: rates, formats, and management tools vary widely — Authors are using DIY methods to moonlight as media sellers as ads begin to infiltrate their newsletters
Discussion:
Press Gazette, Substack Reads, The Information, @jryedinak, @jryedinak, @kantrowitz, @mediaevan.bsky.social and Feed Me, more at Techmeme »
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Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:
Substack launches Creator Accelerator Fund to lure US creators who already have $2K+ per month in recurring revenue away from other subscription-based platforms — Substack on Thursday announced the launch of its Creator Accelerator Fund, which provides a $20 million funding guarantee aimed …
Discussion:
Substack Reads, Bloomberg, Tubefilter, The Verge and @ernie.tedium.co, more at Techmeme »
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Former Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers Badan joins Vice Media's board of directors; Vice Media launched a sports division in December 2024 — Deadline was the first to report last December on the creation of a sports division at Vice, which has a number of unscripted projects in the pipeline.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The UK ICO says publishers can use the “consent or pay” cookie model provided that users have a “genuine free choice” and data protection laws are met — The UK's information watchdog has said publisher “consent or pay” cookie models are acceptable providing users have a …
Discussion:
@martinsfp.bsky.social and City A.M.
Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune:
Chicago Public Media offers buyouts to Chicago Sun-Times journalists and WBEZ business staff; CEO Melissa Bell is aiming to shave $3M-$5M from the annual budget — Struggling with declining revenue in its groundbreaking nonprofit radio/newspaper model, Chicago Public Media is offering voluntary buyouts …
Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
Netflix scores big in Oscar nominations, as Emilia Pérez wins the most nominations for a film this year with 13; A24 received 14 nominations — Netflix scored a leading 16 Oscar nominations on Thursday, most of which were awarded to “Emilia Pérez,” a genre-spanning musical drama …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, New York Times, Washington Post, Out Magazine, Washington Examiner, Liz Spaulding on LinkedIn, New York Times, GoldDerby, Page Six, The Atlantic, AV Club, New Yorker, Deadline, @pkafka, Los Angeles Times, Global News, HuffPost, The Wrap, IndieWire, New York Times, People, Semafor, Forbes, Time, @lucas_shaw, @netflix, Associated Press, Advocate, One America News Network, What's on Netflix, Digital Trends, HOLA!, Deseret News, The Guardian, Netflix Tudum, @christress, Business Insider, DNyuz, Slate, Rolling Stone, New York Daily News, Engadget, Hollywood Life, Adweek, Associated Press, Associated Press, MickeyBlog.com, Bloomberg, WWD, The Wrap, NPR, CBS News, them., Media Play News, ABC, Just Jared and WUSA
Munir Ahmed / Associated Press:
Pakistan's parliament passes a controversial bill giving the government sweeping controls on social media, including prison terms for spreading “disinformation” — Pakistan's lower house of parliament on Thursday passed a controversial bill that will give the government sweeping controls …
Discussion:
@fariehaaziz, @fariehaaziz, @fariehaaziz, @fariehaaziz, @usamakhilji, @naofpakistan, @fariehaaziz and @ptiofficialca, more at Techmeme »
Ethan Shanfeld / Variety:
SAG-AFTRA says it has reached a tentative deal with Telemundo Television Studios to represent its Spanish-language TV performers through September 2028 — Telemundo is the largest employer of Spanish-language talent in the United States. If approved, the deal will cover the contract period from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2028.
Hannah Miller / Bloomberg:
Filing: Disney CEO Bob Iger's total pay rose by 30% YoY in FY 2024 to $41.1M, primarily as bigger stock and option awards and a bonus — Disney's CEO earned $41.1 million in the year that ended in September, up from $31.6 million in fiscal 2023, according to a filing Thursday.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, MickeyBlog.com and Deadline
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
Lionsgate renews its film licensing deal with Starz to bring ~20 studio films annually to Starz's services, ahead of the formal separation of the companies — The third installment of ‘Now You See Me,’ ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,’ the Michael Jackson biopic and 'Ballerina …
Discussion:
Deadline, TVNewsCheck and WORLD SCREEN
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