Top News:
Jessica Bursztynsky / CNBC:
BuzzFeed announces plans to go public via SPAC merger, targeting a $1.5B valuation, and will acquire digital publisher Complex Networks for $300M — BuzzFeed, a 15-year-old digital media company, announced Thursday it plans to go public via a merger with a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company.
Discussion:
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Stephen Shankland / CNET:
Google will delay plans to block third-party cookies from early 2022 to late 2023, to find ways to protect privacy without hurting ad-dependent publishers — It takes time to fix privacy problems without hurting ad-dependent websites, the search giant says.
Discussion:
Digiday, The Keyword, Wall Street Journal, Nieman Lab, The Verge, CNBC, TechCrunch, Financial Times, Gizmodo, Social Media Today, @benedictevans, Vox, roirevolution.com, Associated Press, Protocol, @jbenton, AdExchanger, Engadget, Insider, @gerritd, @wsj, @justinbrookman, @aripap, Bloomberg, Marketing Dive, 9to5Google, @ashk4n, Ad Age, AppleInsider and Competition Policy …, more at Techmeme »
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Amazon acquires Art19, a major podcast hosting and monetization platform, for an undisclosed sum — Art19 goes to Amazon Music — Amazon Music is getting more serious about its podcast endeavors. Today, the company announced that it's acquiring Art19, a major podcast hosting and monetization platform for an undisclosed sum.
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Open AP and AT&T's Xandr, once seen as staunch rivals, strike a strategic data alliance that would let Xandr clients use Open AP's defined audience segments — Open AP and AT&T's Xandr were once seen as staunch rivals. Indeed, WarnerMedia, one of Open AP's founders …
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
UK government bans junk food advertising online and before 9pm on TV from 2023, which could cost broadcasters more than £200M annually in revenue — Prohibition of adverts for products high in fat, salt and sugar could cost broadcasters more than £200m annually in revenue
Discussion:
The Hill, Politico, The High Octane Report, @thecartoonloon, @cjsnowdon, The Guardian, @wcrf_uk, @eu_cocreate, @drsubhasree, @doomercoomer and HoldtheFrontPage
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Snap and Universal Music Group strike a licensing deal that lets users share songs in messages and posts; financial terms were not disclosed — - Move is latest tie-up between music companies and social media — Snap wants to become key place for artists to promote songs
Discussion:
Ad Age, TechCrunch, UMG, The Mac Observer, Billboard, Variety, The Verge, Billboard and @lucas_shaw, more at Techmeme »
Megan Graham / CNBC:
Innovid, an ad tech company focused on connected television, says it is going public via SPAC merger at an implied valuation of around $1.3B — - Innovid, a 14-year-old ad tech company focused on connected television, plans to go public via a merger with a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company.
Discussion:
@megancgraham, Ad Age and AdExchanger
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
Murdoch asks UK govt to abolish legal restraints on his interference in the editorial independence of the Times and Sunday Times, paving the way for a merger — News UK asks government to scrap legal curbs at Times and Sunday Times, paving way for full-blown merger
Discussion:
@m0kujin, @johntwelvetrees, @nicholasguyatt and @realnatalierowe
Paul Sawers / VentureBeat:
JW Player, a video streaming and analytics service used by major companies like Viacom, raises $100M Series E from LLR Partners — Where does your enterprise stand on the AI adoption curve? Take our AI survey to find out. — JW Player, a video streaming and analytics platform …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, LLR Partners and Wall Street Journal, more at Techmeme »
Bob Papper / RTDNA:
Research: POC make up 27.7% of local TV news workforce in the US; all local TV newsrooms have women on the news team; 85% of radio news workforce is white — Graphics credits: Chandler Claire Dewgard / Syracuse University — This is the fifth and final installment of this year's RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey.
Discussion:
@deborahabc17 and @spj_tweets
Catie Keck / The Verge:
NBCUniversal's Peacock app will be available on Fire TV products starting June 24, as part of a deal that will see 15 NBCUniversal apps arrive on Amazon devices — It's about time! — Nearly a year after Peacock's launch, NBCUniversal's marquee streaming app is finally coming to Fire TV and Fire tablets.
Discussion:
Variety, New York Post, MediaPost, The Streamable, FierceVideo, ScreenRant and Wall Street Journal, more at Techmeme »
Rick Edmonds / Poynter:
Reuters Institute report: US ranks last among 46 countries for trust in media, with just 29% saying they trust the news; Finland has the highest trust at 65% — Just 29% of people surveyed in the U.S. said they trust the news, compared to 45% in Canada and 54% in Brazil.
Discussion:
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