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NBCUniversal's movie ticketing company Fandango has agreed to buy Walmart's on-demand video streaming service Vudu for an undisclosed sum — Movie ticketing company Fandango has agreed to buy Walmart's on-demand video streaming service, Vudu, for an undisclosed sum.
Discussion:
vudu.custhelp.com, Adweek, Hollywood Reporter, Vudu Blog, Ad Age, Business Insider, Fast Company, Variety, @jasonlynch, @natjarv, @alexweprin, @taralach, Light Reading, @moiseschiu, @megancgraham, @ashkan, Axios, Multichannel News, @thekenyeung, Engadget, The Streamable and Boing Boing, more at Techmeme »


Report: YouTube ad auditor OpenSlate refused to sign a contract with Google limiting info it can share with clients, like when ads run against sensitive videos — YouTube has broadened its measurement partner program and made it easier for buyers to find the right service provider for their needs.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Beyond Search, @lopezgovlaw, @jason_kint, @keachhagey and MediaPost


Michael Jordan docuseries “The Last Dance” debuts to an average 6.1M viewers across ESPN and ESPN 2, the most-viewed original content on the network since 2004 — An average of 6.1 million viewers tuned in to watch the first two episodes of the much-anticipated documentary series …
Discussion:
ESPN, Awful Announcing, ESPN Press Room U.S., The Wrap, VICE, MediaPost, CNN, Multichannel News, Broadcasting & Cable, Forbes, @nielsen, Deadline, Axios, CNBC, Slate, New York Times and Hollywood Reporter


Meredith cuts pay for ~2,000 employees by 15% and moves them to four-day weeks from May 4 to Sept. 4; 750 staff, including top execs, to take cuts of 20% to 40% — - Meredith is temporarily cutting pay for about 60% of its employees as advertising slumps. — Meredith also said it is suspending …
Discussion:
TVSpy, Broadcasting & Cable, @gregdool, New York Post, The Wrap, @kerrymflynn, @sherman4949, MediaPost, PR Newswire, Folio, @kerrymflynn and Adweek


Bipartisan group of US Senators call for expanding the Paycheck Protection Program to struggling local newspapers, TV, and radio stations — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers called on Sunday for expanding payroll assistance to struggling local newspapers …
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@davidshepardson, @kerrymflynn, @vernbuchanan and @blmohr
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Charter Communications says it plans no employee layoffs or furloughs for two months and has permanently increased its minimum wage to $20 per hour — “Charter employees have stepped in and stepped up, ensuring our customers stay connected when it matters most," the U.S. cable giant said on its blog site.
Discussion:
Charter Communications, @chartergov, @brianstelter, Light Reading and Multichannel News


How US State Department's decision to expel Chinese state media employees gave China an excuse to kick out American reporters right as the coronavirus took off — American journalists were showing the world the devastating effects of China's botched response to the coronavirus. Now, many have been kicked out.
Discussion:
@nytimes, @ericfish85, @stinson, @dandrezner, @mattdpearce, @mlcalderone, @pekingmike and @ewong


Prince Harry and Meghan Markle write to the editors of The Sun, Daily Express, Daily Mirror, and Daily Mail, promising to never work with them again — Former royal couple vow to cut off 4 UK newspapers over ‘distorted and invasive’ stories — Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle …
Discussion:
@markdistef, Press Gazette, Press Gazette, The Guardian, BBC, The Guardian, @jimwaterson, @jimwaterson, @claireshrugged, @jimwaterson, @gretchencarlson, @domponsford, Mediaite, @imbadatlife, @jayrosen_nyu, @meganmurp, @jamesrbuk, @dionnegrant, @daveleeft, @markborkowski, @piersmorgan, @thisislule and @markdistef


Profile of West Side Rag, the online-only hyperlocal news site for the Upper West Side in NYC that has become indispensable to residents during the pandemic — Now that a laptop screen serves as a porthole to a landscape of depression, with waves of demoralizing news washing in from around the world …
Discussion:
@hannahereale, @evgrieve, @rich1, @ezactron, @andrewrigie, @sapna, @westsiderag, @jdavidsonnyc and @gradykeefe

The US music industry is reeling from the effective cancelation of summer concert and festival season, as COVID-19 prohibits large gatherings — Summer concert season ended before it began. While sports leagues and restaurants try to figure out when they can reopen to the public …


After canceling its in-person event, Cannes Lions launches Lions Live, a free platform operating in June that will include masterclasses and more — Cannes Lions has launched digital education platform ‘Lions Live,’ weeks after organizers called off this year's event.
Discussion:
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A new generation of WH reporters like CBS' Weijia Jiang and CNN's Jeremy Diamond are holding Trump accountable by following up and fact-checking in real time — New York (CNN Business)A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. You can sign up for free right here.
Discussion:
@universalshow, @cnnbusiness and @kylegriffin1