Top News:
Kevin G. Hall / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
McClatchy files for bankruptcy, ending family control; it hopes to shed much of its pension obligations and eliminate ~60% of its debt — McClatchy Co. filed for bankruptcy Thursday, a move that will end family control of America's second largest local news company and hand it to creditors …
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Taylor Lorenz / New York Times:
The Bloomberg campaign is working with Meme 2020, whose lead strategist is the CEO of Jerry Media, to create sponsored posts on influential Instagram accounts — A campaign of sponsored content for the candidate flourished suddenly on Instagram. A new outfit, called Meme 2020, is behind it.
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The Wrap, The Intercept, Mediaite, @jessreports, The Verge, Gizmodo, Gothamist, Breitbart, @caro, VICE, NBC News, The Hill, @vivekprabhu1, @crislopezg, @jessreports, @taylorlorenz, @joshkadden, The A.V. Club, @jessreports, @taylorlorenz, The Next Web, The Week, @adamjohnsonnyc, @ranimolla, @pant_leg, @nbcpolitics, @jessreports, @derektmead, @digiphile, @anildash, @rachelholliday, Boing Boing, @leedevito, @kslane, @oneunderscore__, Axios and Mashable, more at Techmeme »
Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
Former WH Communications Director Hope Hicks is returning to the White House, leaving Fox to become “counselor to the president” and report to Jared Kushner — President Trump's former communications director will return as an aide to Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser.
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Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Sean Spicer to host Spicer & Co., a daily news show on Newsmax TV, starting on March 3 — Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is following up his gig as a special correspondent for Extra and contestant on Dancing with the Stars with a daily talk show for Newsmax TV.
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Mediaite, The Wrap, TVNewser, Broadcasting & Cable and Mediaite
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Condé Nast Entertainment to open studios for The New Yorker, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Wired, and GQ to develop TV, film, and podcast projects — Condé Nast Entertainment is upping its TV and film ambitions, announcing the formation of multiple “studios” dedicated to its major publishing brands.
Discussion:
The Drum, Wall Street Journal, Condé Nast, MediaPost and Highsnobiety
Lucinda Southern / Digiday:
The Guardian launches a puzzle app for £3.49 a month, as part of its goal to reach 2M paying subscribers by 2022; WSJ finds puzzles reduce likelihood of churn — In the quest to acquire more readers and increase customer retention, subscription publishers have long looked …
Discussion:
Twipe, The Guardian and Digital Content Next
Mollie Walker / New York Post:
NBC Sports parts ways with Jeremy Roenick, who was suspended in December for sexually suggestive comments about coworkers during a Barstool Sports podcast — Hockey analyst Jeremy Roenick is out at NBC. — Roenick, who was suspended indefinitely without pay over a month ago …
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@jeremy_roenick, CNN, The Hill, Midway Minute, @k_cimini, @_loukanikos, @nolanolegal, @catmsilverman, Crossing Broad, Associated Press, The Big Lead and The Wrap
Freddy Mayhew / Press Gazette:
Yahoo Sports lays off its entire six-person UK team to focus on US sports coverage — Yahoo Sports has made its entire UK editorial team redundant as it focuses on US sports coverage. — Press Gazette understands six editorial staff have left as a result including head of sport Raj Mannick who joined from ITN in 2018.
Patrick Wintour / The Guardian:
UK panel on media protection recommends targeted sanctions on officials who restrict free expression, including freezing assets or withholding travel visas — Panel led by Amal Clooney wants targeted action against those who deny free expression — Officials and prosecutors …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
SEC filing: Spotify bought The Ringer for ~$141M to $196M in cash, some of it deferred and subject to closing adjustments — Spotify disclosed that it will pay upwards of $196 million for The Ringer, the podcast and media company founded by Bill Simmons. — The streaming music and audio company …
Discussion:
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Fortune and @nwquah, more at Techmeme »
Kevin Roose / New York Times:
Carlos Maza, who calls YouTube “unethical and reckless”, on becoming a full-time creator: “I'm going to use the master's tools to destroy the master's house” — Carlos Maza, a socialist who calls YouTube “deeply unethical and reckless,” is trying to bolster the video site's left wing.
Discussion:
@kevinroose, @ranjanxroy, Business Insider, @bendwalsh, @pinkhairedcyn and @timcast
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Research: over the past year, 95M people in the US used a major streaming service, 25M had a family plan, 13M had a free trial, and 10M+ were sharing a login — Over the past year, 95 million people in the U.S. used a major streaming service, 68 million were self-paying …
Daniel Frankel / NextTV:
The nationwide launch of AT&T TV, a streaming version of DirecTV, is set for Feb. 27; the service requires a two-year contract and offers multiple price tiers — Replacement for DirecTV satellite TV now set to launch nationwide February 27 — AT&T TV, the streaming version …
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@danielpmcdermot, Cord Cutters News and Cord Cutters News
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