Top News:
Reuters:
Sources: Netflix is exploring a bid for WBD's studio and streaming business and has tapped investment bank Moelis & Co to evaluate a prospective offer — - Netflix hires Moelis & Co for Warner Bros Discovery bid evaluation — Sarandos confirms no interest in legacy media networks like CNN
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, Bloomberg, Cord Cutters News and @keepitweird.bsky.social
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John Melloy / CNBC:
Netflix announces a 10-for-1 stock split, after its shares boomed over the last three years to above $1,000 a share — Netflix announced a 10-for-1 stock split, a move that changes nothing fundamentally about the company, but could make the pricey individual shares more accessible to the retail investor.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Variety, The Wrap, TheDesk.net, Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, Kiplinger, Blockchain.News, Channel NewsAsia, Shacknews, TipRanks Financial, Investing.com, Yahoo Finance, The Hollywood Reporter, Benzinga, Business Insider, Deadline, ir.netflix.net, Motley Fool, MarketWatch, Bloomberg, Media Play News and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »
Bill de Blasio / The Nation:
Ex-NYC mayor Bill de Blasio says people must demand better journalism after The Times of London failed to meet basic standards of confirming identity — The Times of London failed to meet even the basic standards journalism. We should demand better from our media.
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Brendan Ruberry / Semafor:
A man named Bill DeBlasio, quoted in a Times story as ex-NYC mayor de Blasio, says he just played along in response to Times' email and used ChatGPT to respond — The Scoop — The man at the heart of a high-stakes mix-up that rippled through global political journalism in the final days …
Discussion:
RedState, The A.V. Club, CNN, Deadline, Salon, @semafor, The Bulwark, @brigidbergin, @andizeisler.bsky.social, New York Sun, @mattlech, @willmenaker, @semafor, @emilyngo, @armanddoma, The Guardian, @pablotorre, @jbillinson, @_vectorist, @semaforben, Mediaite, The Wrap, Daily Caller News Foundation, @armanddoma, @arifcrafiq, @alex_shephard, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @mannyfidel, @semaforben, @semafor, @bengoggin.bsky.social, @sturgeons_law, WTOP News, @jbarro, @adamjohnsonchi, @tommorris@mastodon.social, @timhenke.bsky.social, The Hill, @evanurquhart.bsky.social, @maxwelltani, @astromikemerri.bsky.social, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, Althouse, @joshuaholland.bsky.social, @caitlingilbert.bsky.social, @semafor.com, @atherton.bsky.social, Associated Press and The New World
Variety:
Sources: Gayle King, who has anchored CBS News' morning show for over a decade, is expected to leave the program next year; her existing contract expires in May — Mainstay of network's morning show may shift to different role as contract expiration approaches in May
Jonathan Vanian / CNBC:
Reddit reports Q3 revenue up 68% YoY to $585M, vs. $546M est., and daily active uniques up 19% to 116M, vs. 114M est.; RDDT jumps 5%+ after hours — Reddit reported third-quarter earnings on Thursday in which the company beat on the top and bottom, but the company saw its user growth for logged-in users slow down once again.
Discussion:
Social Media Today and Reddit Upvoted, more at Techmeme »
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Amazon reports Q3 ad revenue up 24% YoY to $17.7B and subscription services revenue up 11% YoY to $12.6B — Sales for subscription services, which includes Prime Video, grew 11% to $12.6 billion during the quarter — Amazon shares surged 9% on Thursday as the tech giant smashed Wall Street expectations …
Discussion:
Adweek, TheDesk.net, CNBC, TVNewsCheck, Variety, Barchart.com, GeekWire, Amazon, The Hollywood Reporter and Media Play News, more at Techmeme »
Loree Seitz / The Wrap:
Apple reports Q4 revenue from Services, which includes the App Store, Apple Pay, Apple TV, Apple Music, and iCloud, up 15% YoY to $28.75B, vs. $28.17B est. — Services revenue grew 15% in the period, outpacing iPhone sales — Apple posted fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue …
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Puck acquires Air Mail, the startup founded by Graydon Carter; source: Carter and co-editor Alessandra Stanley will step down as part of the stock-and-cash deal — Subscription newsletter company Puck has acquired Air Mail, the digital media startup founded by magazine veteran Graydon Carter, Puck confirmed to Axios on Thursday.
Discussion:
New York Times, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Breaker and @benmullin
Katherine Sayre / Wall Street Journal:
Audiochuck signs a deal, a source says worth $150M, with Fox to put the Crime Junkie video podcast on Tubi; Fox One and Tubi will distribute Audiochuck podcasts — The true-crime podcast maker Audiochuck has signed a deal with Fox Corp.'s FOXA 4.57%increase; green up pointing triangle Tubi Media Group …
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Max Goldbart / Deadline:
Lachlan Murdoch says Tubi hit profitability for the first time during the past quarter, its revenue grew 27% YoY, and viewing time rose 18% YoY
Discussion:
Cord Cutters News, The Streamable, TheDesk.net, TVNewsCheck, Reuters and Media Play News
Liam Scott / Columbia Journalism Review:
Q&A with Isaac Chotiner, who has been called the “interview assassin”, on why he likes Q&A's, how he structures them, why he points out contradictions, and more — If Isaac Chotiner comes calling for an interview, is it best to just hang up?
Discussion:
New Yorker, NewsMax.com, @shivambhatt.bsky.social, @bendreyfuss, @alexthomp, @ichotiner, @davidafrench, @joshuaeaton.bsky.social, @joemurph.bsky.social, @eric-reinhart.com, @mitchellepner.bsky.social, @reckless.bsky.social, @joshuaeaton.bsky.social, @ldlewiswrites.blacksky.app, New York Times, @justinhendrix.bsky.social, @deniseschipani.bsky.social, @jayrosen.bsky.social, @annabower.bsky.social, @alaintolhurst.bsky.social, @smilner.bsky.social and @zandywithaz.bsky.social
Glenn Peoples / Billboard:
Universal Music Group reports Q3 revenue of €3.02B, up 5.3% YoY, beating €2.92B estimated, slow streaming revenue growth, and physical sales revenue up 18.4% — The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, Sabrina Carpenter and Morgan Wallen help propel UMG to solid gains — if the euro's strength against the U.S. dollar is ignored.
RELATED:
Marc Schneider / Billboard:
UMG and Stability AI announce a partnership to develop music creation tools powered by “responsibly” trained AI
Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
Sling TV will pay $530K to settle a California suit accusing it of misleading users who didn't want to sell their data and having inadequate child privacy tools — The lawsuit accused Sling TV of misdirecting consumers looking to stop the sale of their personal information
Discussion:
Bloomberg Law and State of California
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
A look at YouTube TV's terms in negotiations with Disney and others; sources say YouTube wants one- or two-year deals, below the three-to-five-year deal norm — The Google-owned pay-TV service also is in a dispute with Univision — YouTube TV has become an 800-pound gorilla in the media business.
