Top News:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
YouTube says it's winding down YouTube Originals after six years and will only fund programs that are part of its Black Voices and YouTube Kids Funds — YouTube is getting out of the business of originals: The Google-owned video giant said it is winding down its original productions team after more than six years.
Discussion:
@rkyncl, Adweek, Protocol, CNET, MediaPost, @natjarv, Deadline, Tubefilter, @dfriend, @thafnine, @cleoabram, @film_girl, @tweetsauce, @domsmales, @brodyfoxx, @rfaughnder, Collider, nexttv.com and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
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Michael Schneider / Variety:
YouTube's global head of original content, Susanne Daniels, is leaving on March 1 after almost seven years — Susanne Daniels is exiting YouTube after nearly seven years at the Google-owned global video-sharing company. The YouTube global head of original content will depart in March.
Discussion:
Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Media Play News and The Wrap
David Roeder / Chicago Sun-Times:
Chicago Public Media's board approves the Chicago Sun-Times acquisition, set to close on or about January 31, which will convert the Sun-Times into a nonprofit — The noncash transfer will not be final until contracts are approved, but both media organizations said they hope to close on the deal by the end of the month.
Discussion:
WBEZ Chicago, Robert Feder, @nprinskeep, @nprinskeep, @nprinskeep, @garveymcvg, @doctaj, @doctaj, @msjanicemorris, @mgerrydoyle, @dmihalopoulos, @satchelprice, @stellinitweets, @lynnsweet, @suntimes, @jrichardoneill, @leighgiangreco, @robneyer, @seidelcontent, @nprinskeep, @patrickfinley, @michaelsobrien, @robertloerzel, @sdkstl, @jayrosen_nyu, @localnewsini, @localnewsini, @davidearllive, @mgerrydoyle, @billruthhart, @naderdissa and @davemckinney
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Influencer and former NBA player Rex Chapman will host a weekly CNN+ show involving “conversations with athletes, entertainers, and everyday heroes” — Per the WarnerMedia-owned subscription streaming platform, which is set to debut in the first quarter of the year …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, Mediaite, CNN, Fox News, USA Today, @peterhimler, The Hill, @philsancheztv, @stevebastoni, @brittanylkaplan, @jeneuston, TVNewser, Deadline, Sports Illustrated and nexttv.com
Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
Ex-NY Post digital EIC Michelle Gotthelf sues News Corp, NY Post, and two editors, claiming she was fired for alleging ex-EIC Col Allan sexually harassed her — The ousted digital editor claims the Post's former longtime boss sexually propositioned her and later ordered her to scrub a story accusing Donald Trump of rape.
Discussion:
New York Times, Axios, New York Magazine, @bgrueskin, Los Angeles Times, @maxwelltani, @thedailybeast, @nytimes, The Wrap, Financial Times, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @lalpert1, @sarafischer, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @azi, @kate_mcclymont, NPR, @owillis, @oliverdarcy, @oliverdarcy, @davidfolkenflik, @ejeancarroll, Deadline, Rolling Stone, Mediaite, Insider, @julieroginsky and CNN
Brian Stelter / CNN:
NewsGuard, which rates the reliability of news sources, expects to be profitable in every quarter of 2022 thanks to licensing deals with advertisers and others — New York (CNN Business)NewsGuard, a four-year-old startup that scans the web and rates the reliability of news sources …
Discussion:
@niemanlab
@onionincunion:
All seven A.V. Club employees in Chicago, who G/O Media told to either move to LA or quit their jobs, choose to take their severance — UPDATE: The seven A.V. Club workers in Chicago have decided to take their union-contract-protected severances rather than move to L.A. without a cost-of-living adjustment. A statement from the union (1/X): https://twitter.com/...
Discussion:
New York Times, @erikmadams, @shannonl_miller, @derfbackderf, @johnwenzel, @judysquirrels, @812filmreviews, @bonmotvivant, @charlespulliam, @aadowd, @itsdansheehan, @marlownyc, @mobute, @film_girl, @marahe, @originalspinstr, @shannonl_miller, @clarisselou, @chris_mandle, @emilyvdw, @samuelaadams, @timescanner, @kenplume, @parksidefilms, Gawker, @ninedaves, @baddestmamajama, @marcusgilmer, @theeashleyray, @aishacs, @carolineframke, @bondjohnbond, @gameonysus, @jatayler, @tombreihan, @lindaholmes, @gracegfreud, @812filmreviews, @jefftaylorhuman, @shannonl_miller, @noelmu, @coopercooperco, @rizzlekicksz, @soren_ltd, @dharnanoor, @812filmreviews, @robicellis and @rifewithkatie
Jem Aswad / Variety:
The Recording Academy reschedules the Grammy Awards to April 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas; sources hope for a full show and a live audience — The Grammy Awards will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 3, Variety has confirmed.
Discussion:
Billboard, CBS Los Angeles, Al Jazeera, USA Today, @recordingacad, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rolling Stone, The Wrap, @mattbelloni, UPROXX, @adrianaskarieh, Mediaite and Adweek
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The Arena Group, formerly Maven, will buy AMG/Parade, owner of Parade Magazine, for $16M and expects to report $180M in 2021 revenue, ~60% from subscriptions — The Arena Group, a digital publishing company formerly called Maven, plans to acquire AMG/Parade, the parent company …
Discussion:
@sarafischer, @bmorrissey, @ashkan and @ckrewson
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The Markup says it has 30 employees, two newsletters totaling 14K subscribers, and had $6.8M in 2021 revenue, up from $4.2M in 2020, aided by a $2.5M Ford grant — The Markup, a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on data-driven tech investigations, had $6.8 million in revenue in 2021 …
Discussion:
@jordannovet
Jack Shafer / Politico:
The mission statements and manifestos of journalism startups, from Grid to Puck, promise to remake journalism but fail to articulate a unique message — The entrepreneurial spirit rages beneath the breastbone of your average journalist, rivaled in intensity only by his scorn for his bosses.
Discussion:
@andrewrestuccia, @patferrucci, @risj_oxford, @joshsternberg, @terri_rupar, @amandakhurley, @ckrewson and @mradamtaylor
Financial Times:
An in-depth look at Sony's ambition to become the world's most fully integrated entertainment company across movie blockbusters, music catalogs, and PlayStation — The Japanese corporation is on the cusp of full integration but critics say it needs to be wary of distractions like electric vehicles
Discussion:
@financialtimes, @grimes_ce and @ivan_brussels