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Warner Bros. says it will release every single movie in 2021 simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in the US and stream them for one month — For a period of one month in the United States — WarnerMedia is pushing even more aggressively into streaming by releasing every single movie in 2021 simultaneously on HBO Max.
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Variety, IndieWire, Pressroom, CNN, CNBC, Hollywood Reporter, The Streamable, Reuters, Vox, @mattbelloni, @jasonkilar, @indiewire, The Week, @pkafka, @pkafka, @pkafka, @kiywii, @variety, @thestalwart, @fb_bmb, @mgsiegler, @hesherman, @reckless, @skrishna, @lexialex, @richlightshed, @karlbode, @karlbode, @anildash, @pkafka, @petersterne, @parazoner, @bradwestness, Gizmodo, @pkafka, @pkafka, @getfandom, The Playlist, @loudmouthjulia, @angrybiackgiri, @tomwarren, @loudmouthjulia, @brianstelter, @margari_aziza, Collider, @susanlitv, @oliverdarcy, @raminsetoodeh, @angelique814, @richardrushfield, @lons, @sokane1, @petersterne, The A.V. Club, @loudmouthjulia, @samesmail and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
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HBO Max removes its free trial option ahead of the release of Wonder Woman 1984 on Dec. 25, mirroring a step Netflix and Disney+ have taken before big releases — It looks like there is a new trend emerging as HBO Max joins the list of streaming services doing away with the free trial option.
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, Mediaite, Adweek, MediaPost, TechCrunch, Streaming, CINEMABLEND and Cord Cutters News


Nicholas Thompson, editor in chief of Condé Nast's Wired magazine, has been hired as the new CEO of The Atlantic, starting in February — Nicholas Thompson is leaving Condé Nast for the top business job at the venerable publication owned by Laurene Powell Jobs's Emerson Collective.
Discussion:
@nxthompson, Talking Biz News, Axios, @marcatracy, The Atlantic, @bmorrissey, @laurengoode, @kvox, @jeffreygoldberg, @yayitsrob, @leonkrauze, @austin_rief, @mkonnikova, @caitlin__kelly, @johnbattelle, @knibbs, @megreenwell, @tedgenoways, @chrismessina, @om, @film_girl, @jeffjarvis, @mstreshinsky, @ylichterman, @ylichterman, @susanthesquark, @mattizcoop, @carloslozadawp, @samanthabarry, @1bobcohn, @sewellchan, @edmundlee, @dangillmor, @nxthompson, @nxthompson, @nxthompson, @nxthompson, @benmullin and @jackshafer


HK activist Jimmy Lai has been charged with fraud over the lease of the building that houses his Apple Daily paper; its daily operations shouldn't be impacted — HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai was denied bail on Thursday on a charge …
Discussion:
New York Times, NPR, New York Post, @kenroth, @rasmus_kleis, @nytimes, @nytmedia, Al Jazeera and The Guardian


Interview with Jarrod Dicker, WaPo's VP for commercial technology, about its revenue platform Zeus, which has signed up 100+ websites in its first year — Since the global financial crisis, news publishers - many hit by crippling revenue declines - have made several failed attempts to pool …
Discussion:
@jarroddicker, Washington Post, @simonowens, @jarroddicker and Washington Post


White House communications director Alyssa Farah has resigned; she plans to start a consulting firm focusing on the corporate, political, and defense realms — White House communications director Alyssa Farah resigned from her post Thursday after three-and-a-half years in the Trump administration.
Discussion:
The Hill


Meredith promotes Catherine Levene to president of the National Media Group where she will oversee print and digital magazines and associated consumer products — For the first time in its 119-year history, media giant Meredith Corp. has tapped a female executive to lead …
Discussion:
Adweek, Digiday, @yashar, @candaceamos and MediaPost


Daily interactions with right-leaning pages on Facebook fell only 6% in the 20 days post-election vs. 20 days before despite reports of an adjusted algorithm — After the election, the platform had reportedly decided to elevate established news outlets and reduce visibility of right and left-leaning pages.
Discussion:
@ohhkaygo


Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country will cease operations in Q1 2021, and 36 full and part-time employees will be laid off amid broader job cuts — Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country will cease operations in the first quarter of 2021 as the company's top-to-bottom realignment continues.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Deadline


BIA Advisory Services: local ad revenue in the US to grow 2.5% YoY in 2021, of which 17% each will be mobile and online advertising, 11.4% local TV, 9.2% radio — Direct mail will have the lion's share of local spend, while OTT and connected TV may prove to be game-changers next year, BIA Advisory Services forecasts
Discussion:
MediaPost, TV Technology and Radio & Television …


Updated Top Critic criteria on Rotten Tomatoes emphasize individual qualifications instead of outlets and include those working in other media like podcasts — Rotten Tomatoes has launched a new Top Critics program for its Tomatometer rating system, including new criteria aimed at boosting inclusion …
Discussion:
IndieWire, The Wrap and Rotten Tomatoes


BuzzFeed names Janet Rollé, general manager of Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment, to its board, and Andreessen Horowitz's Chris Dixon steps down as a director — Janet Rollé, general manager of Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment, is joining BuzzFeed's board of directors …