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Publishers are pivoting to subscriptions, as they did to video, but industry execs warn that reader revenue is a difficult business model to implement — Publishers are pivoting hard to subscriptions. In the past few months alone, publishers including CNN, The Atlantic and Wired have made moves …
Discussion:
@craigsilverman, @digiday, @raju, @janebsinger, @lpolgreen and @heytimgriggs

Facebook to launch Local News Subscriptions Accelerator, a $3M three-month pilot program to help metro papers boost digital subscription efforts — Facebook Journalism Project will announce today the launch of its Local News Subscriptions Accelerator, a $3 million, three-month pilot program …
Discussion:
Facebook Media, Nieman Lab, TechCrunch, Adweek, Engadget, @thewilderthings, @michellemanafy, @nathanbomey, @onecolleen, @nkulw, @jason_w_white, @underoak and The Verge, more at Techmeme »

Transcript of a Q&A with the New York Times' Editorial Page Editor James Bennet which happened during a meeting with NYT staffers in December — “The world needs this from us right now.” … James Bennet: So the op-ed page was created to do a bunch of different things.
Discussion:
Splinter and Editor & Publisher
RELATED:
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
NYT editorial-page editor James Bennet defends op-ed page controversy, saying it publishes a variety of voices; newsroom sources voice concern and embarrassment
NYT editorial-page editor James Bennet defends op-ed page controversy, saying it publishes a variety of voices; newsroom sources voice concern and embarrassment
Discussion:
HuffPost, @blakehounshell, The Wrap, bookforum.com, @joshuahol, @jeffjarvis, @wolfrum, @mathewi, @page88, @xeni, @gregmitch, @morlockp, Splinter, Splinter, @glennf, @maxboot, @rickyrawls, @vanityfair, @corgizhukov, @awinston, @paleofuture, @jbenton, @jayrosen_nyu, @tomscocca, @joepompeo, @jonathanchait, @jackshafer, @rbryant2012, @joepompeo, @sulliview, @willsommer, @onesarahjones, @davidklion and @jackmirkinson

Comcast offers about £22B for Sky, a 16% premium on the offer from Murdoch's 21st Century Fox — US cable TV group outbids 21st Century Fox's existing offer for broadcasting group … Comcast is attempting to gatecrash Rupert Murdoch's takeover of Sky, submitting a rival offer …

Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav said the company has added nearly 500K subscribers in Europe to its streaming services during the Winter Olympics — “I can't think of another company ... that has been able to garner almost half a million subscribers in less than 15 days," says Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
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Discovery Communications had a net loss of $1.14B in Q4, says it expects to close $14.6B acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive by end of Q1 2018 — (Reuters) - Discovery Communications Inc's (DISCA.O) revenue topped analysts' forecasts in the fourth quarter as the owner of Discovery Channel …
Discussion:
PR Newswire and NASDAQ.com

The New York Times is in talks with streaming services and cable channels about launching a weekly ~30-minute TV show — The New York Times has conquered the podcasting world with “The Daily.” Now it wants to crack television with a weekly news program. — The Times is seeking …
Discussion:
The New York Observer, Deadline and Hollywood Reporter

Logan Paul is rejoining YouTube's monetization program after a two-week suspension but is ineligible for its Preferred Ads, its platform for premium advertisers — A 90-day probation is still in effect — Logan Paul's YouTube channel is getting advertising again, but his probation isn't entirely over yet.
Discussion:
Tubefilter, Business Insider, @shadypenguinn and The Verge

Michael Wolff has floated unsubstantiated rumors about Trump having an affair but has now backtracked and canceled interviews after tough questioning — Christian Fraser, a host with the BBC program “Beyond 100 Days,” has tweeted that Michael Wolff, author of “Fire and Fury …
Discussion:
@escarry, @viacristiano, @realfacelessman, @erikwemple and Mediaite

Liberty Media offers $1.16B for a 40% stake in restructured iHeartMedia and will finance working capital if iHeart files bankruptcy according to term sheet — (Reuters) - Certain lenders and noteholders of iHeartMediaInc (IHRT.PK) on Monday said John Malone's Liberty Media Corp (FWONA.O) …
Discussion:
Variety, New York Post, Radio Ink, PR Newswire, Wall Street Journal, @patricialclark, Radio Ink, Seeking Alpha, Media Star and Hits Daily Double

Germany's highest court rules that Google is not obligated to ensure websites are free from defamatory content before displaying links to them in search results — FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Google (GOOGL.O) is not obligated to ensure websites are free from defamatory content before displaying links …
Discussion:
Search Engine Land and Engadget, more at Techmeme »

Vanity Fair Editor Radhika Jones has made a series of new hires, naming Claire Howorth as deputy editor and Caryn Prime as director of editorial operations — Ten days after Vanity Fair's new editor, Radhika Jones, took an ax to the staff she inherited from Graydon Carter, she is slowly filling some of the positions.

Premium cable network Epix plans to launch a standalone video subscription service, its Executive Vice President and GM Monty Sahran says — Premium cable network Epix has plans to launch a standalone, direct-to-consumer video subscription service, revealed the network's executive VP …

Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson is returning to the small screen, joining Epix show “America Divided” as executive producer and correspondent — Carlson will executive produce and serve as a correspondent for season two of ‘America Divided.’ — Gretchen Carlson is returning to the small screen.
Discussion:
@gretchencarlson

Transparent creator Jill Soloway is launching a book imprint called Topple Books with Amazon Publishing — “With Topple Books, we're looking for those undeniably compelling essential voices so often not heard," says the ‘Transparent’ creator. — Jill Soloway is launching …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times