Mediagazer: Shopify President Harley Finkelstein says the company's Audiences marketing tool, which uploads customer data to Meta and Google's ad platforms, is a key focus (Tim Bradshaw/Financial Times)

9:50 PM ET, January 2, 2023

Top News:

Debbie Elliott / NPR:

Former staff reminisce about The Birmingham News, as Alabama's three largest newspapers plan to go digital-only after February 26, 2023 due to low circulation — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — It's gotten harder to find a sidewalk newspaper box to buy a copy of The Birmingham News …

Discussion: @candythomson1, @jerthebear, @mobilemask, @murdochdavis, @lindaballen1, @timtrudell2, @rudysdowens, @rudysdowens, @tmorris504, @jmannies, @scapr, @reneeygraham, @rosebonecrone, @will_bunch, @abbeycrain, @realmaryz, @npr, @raju, @will_bunch, @spj_tweets and @inkyamy

Nancy Tartaglione / Deadline:

Chinese media reports the China Film Administration saying the country's box office dropped 36% YoY to ~$4.3B in 2022, of which 85% came from domestic movies — China's box office in 2022 dropped 36% versus 2021, reaching approximately RMB 30B ($4.35B). According to China.org …

Discussion: CHINAdaily, @businessbeijing, Jiang Zemin passes away and @thedragonfeeder

Rowan Moore Gerety / Esquire:

A profile of Channel 5 News frontman Andrew Callaghan, whose YouTube channel has become a reporting powerhouse with 2.2M subscribers and ~$100K/month on Patreon — They've gone from upstart YouTube channel to undeniably influential reporting powerhouse. And they're just getting started.

Discussion: @dannygroner, @rowanmg, @rowanmg, @esquire and @juicy_moose@awscommunity …

Jason Gurwin / The Streamable:

fuboTV quietly drops nine AMC Networks-owned channels including AMC, BBC World News, and IFC; fuboTV doesn't plan to refund customers for the line-up change — fuboTV have dropped nine AMC-owned channels including, AMC, BBC America, WE tv, BBC World News, IFC, SundanceTV, el gourmet, AMC Premiere, and Mas Chic.

Discussion: @tvgrimreaper, @valleyshook and The Desk

Sara Fischer / Axios:

After a tough year, Paramount, Warner Bros., Disney, and Comcast do not expect their standalone streaming services to break even until 2024 or 2025 at least — 2022 was one of the hardest years ever for traditional television companies — and it's only expected to get worse as the ad market continues …

Discussion: @sarafischer, Bloomberg, @mulvihill79, @astaniscia86, @ppk007, @colincrowell, @trengriffin, @jasoncolavito and @tvgrimreaper

Lillian Rizzo / CNBC:
Disney, Netflix, and other media stocks suffered major losses in 2022 as streaming growth waned and ad sales slowed; some analysts expect more pain in H1 2023

Discussion: @spotlightgrowth, @solomonptners, @aagave, The Wrap, Deadline, @lilliannnn, @juicy_moose@awscommunity …, Variety and Forbes

Elsa Keslassy / Variety:

France's César Awards won't invite those indicted or sentenced for acts of sexual or sexist violence, after facing protests about Roman Polanski in 2020 — The French César Academy, the French equivalent to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences …

Discussion: The Guardian, The Local, World of Reel and IndieWire

Tim Bradshaw / Financial Times:

Shopify President Harley Finkelstein says the company's Audiences marketing tool, which uploads customer data to Meta and Google's ad platforms, is a key focus — Canadian ecommerce group touts new tool that allows retailers to pool customer data and better target ads

Discussion: @eric_seufert, @trengriffin and @astaniscia86, more at Techmeme »

Lora Kelley / New York Times:

Librarians are joining TikTok to connect with younger readers by donning costumes, dancing to viral songs, showing off new books, and bonding with co-workers — The pandemic hurt children's reading skills. Librarians are doing what it takes to connect them with books — including dance routines.

Discussion: @nytimesarts, @lwvct and @thedragonfeeder

Luke DeCock / Raleigh News & Observer:

Learfield Communications indefinitely suspends North Carolina State radio announcer Gary Hahn for referencing “illegal aliens” during a football game broadcast — N.C. State radio broadcaster Gary Hahn has been suspended indefinitely after making a reference to “illegal aliens” …

Melissa Korn / Wall Street Journal:

US News & World Report plans to revamp some elements of its law school ranking, after deans at 12 of the top 14 schools publicly challenged the list's value — Publication to make changes in wake of public rebuke by top-ranked schools — U.S. News & World Report is revamping some elements …

Discussion: New York Times, @arozenshtein, New York Post, @jadler1969, @melissakorn, @james_s_murphy, @davekilloran and The Atlantic

Adam Sherwin / The i Paper:

Sources: BBC News plans to cut about 14 presenting roles, leaving just five dedicated positions, with all current presenters asked to undertake a “screen test” — EXCLUSIVEJoanna Gosling and Martine Croxall are among those who are expected to have to reapply as the corporation plans new-look …

Discussion: BBC, @alexanderhay@mastodon.social, @adamsherwin10, @edwardadoo and RXTV info

Salem Solomon / Voice of America:

A profile of Lucy Kassa, a Magnitsky Award-winning journalist who covered the war in Ethiopia's Tigray but left after three armed men attacked her in her home — Lucy Kassa never expected to be a war correspondent. Working for a Norwegian magazine, the freelance journalist wrote …

Discussion: @cfwij, @ifex, @tvbempt and @martinplaut

Archived Page Info:

This is a snapshot of Mediagazer at 9:50 PM ET, January 2, 2023.

View the current page or another snapshot:

Who's Hiring in Media?

Senior Data Journalist, NY — WSJ

Manager - Publishing Editorial, Manila — Reuters

Oil Reporter, Singapore — Bloomberg

Newsperson - State Govt. & Politics, CA — AP

Business Reporter, SC — Post & Courier

State Government Reporter, WA — Seattle Times

Climate Crisis Columnist — Prospect UK

Multimedia Journalist, CA — Paramount

Community Engagement Mgr., DC — Freedom Forum

Senior California Politics Reporter, CA — SFGATE

Staff Writer - Business, NY — WIRED

Team Editor - Opinion, ON — Toronto Star

Assistant Correspondent, DC — Kyodo News

Climate & Weather Reporter, MN — Star Tribune

Senior Tech Editor, Remote US — The Verge

Lead Business Reporter, TN — Daily Memphian

Managing Editor, WA — Everett Herald

Private Credit Reporter, NY — Debtwire

City Correspondent, London — Financial News

Legislative Reporter, CA — Sacramento Bee

Reporter, PA — Tribune-Review

Visual Editor, Remote — Rest of World

Staff Writer, MI — Watershed Voice

Senior Political Reporter, DC — The Lever

California Playbook Writer, CA — Politico

National Investigative Reporter, NY — HuffPost

Business & Gaming Reporter, NV — Las Vegas Sun

Coastal Climate Reporter, SC — Island Packet

Environment & Energy Reporter, CT — CT Mirror

Coordinating Editor, OR — OPB

Editor, Remote US — Daily Kos

Business Reporter, WA — Longview Daily News

Editor-in-Chief, AZ — Phoenix New Times

Add your company here

See Also:

Mediagazer: site main

Mediagazer River: reverse chronological Mediagazer

Mediagazer Mobile: for phones

Mediagazer Leaderboard: Mediagazer's top sources

Subscribe:

Mediagazer RSS feed

Mediagazer on X

Mediagazer on Mastodon

More News:

Rebecca Ratcliffe / The Guardian:
A look at the murder of broadcaster Percy Mabasa, known as Percy Lapid, and how his killing amplified calls to fix threats against the media in the Philippines

Matthew Carey / Deadline:
Q&A with All the Beauty and the Bloodshed director Laura Poitras on telling the story of artist Nan Goldin's campaign to hold the Sackler family accountable

Taylor Lorenz / Washington Post:
A look at Dear Media, a podcast network launched in 2018 for women listeners that helps female influencers build large brands, reaching 200M+ downloads in 2022

Discussion: @taylorlorenz

ABC News:
Barbara Walters, the first female anchor in US TV evening news and a trailblazer whose career spanned over six decades from 1951 to 2016, dies at 93

Discussion: SlashFilm, @robertiger, New York Times, Slate, Variety, @joanlunden, @tamronhall, @abc, @mollythomastv, @greta, @senwhitehouse, Washington Post, @phil_lewis_, @sdkstl, The Hollywood Reporter, @sueaikens, @kimberlykravitz, @rileyutley, @moirarvane, @nalakag, @alixkendallfox9, @pardonmycrumbs, @adrianghobrial, @stahl4congress, @ciaraencinastv, @camillar_tv, @lipoftv, @fredontv, @wxyzalicia, @janetnews, @chrissadeghi, @kristenskovira, @wadenyc, Newser, @madamspeaker, @mbgelman, @rebeccajarvis, @sharonlawrence, @vmsalama, @marshacollier, @ddiamond, @jon_fischer, UPI, Associated Press, New York Times, @nytimesbusiness, @nytimes, @tvkatesnow, @lindseyboylan, @jordynjournals, @markharrisnyc, @nprinskeep, @starjonesesq, @georgehahn, @abc, @meyer_lucas, @reallyndacarter, @senschumer, @nekesamumbi, @rosieperezbklyn, @alyssa_milano, @biannagolodryga, @raminsetoodeh, @rafat, @taylortwellman, Wall Street Journal, @marclacey, @moorehn, @lukerussert, @mariastephanos, @waltmossberg, @lilydont, @iwriteok, @kevinliptakcnn, @johncardillo, CNN, @michcoll, @arielhelwani, @poppyharlowcnn, CBS News, New York Times, @meghanmccain, Variety, @debrobertsabc, @bbclysedoucet, @robinroberts, Washington Post, @joseiswriting, @dloesch, @kaj33, @keitholbermann, @louisemcsharry, @jaketapper, @jillwinebanks, @gavinnewsom, @jason_kint, New York Times, @sgurman, @jason_kint, The Week, @farhip, New York Times, @davidmuir, @billiejeanking, @joshgad, @katboydrocks, @mjfelipe, @nytimes, @dictionarycom, @terrymoran, @amyklobuchar, @tedstew, @yashar, @jemelehill, @heatherscope, @saribethrose, @nycmayor, @mariashriver, NBC News, @beschlossdc, @mikebarnes4, @jcrutchmer, @jrosenworcelfcc, The A.V. Club, @davidfolkenflik, @monicalewinsky, @monicalewinsky, @monicalewinsky, @monicalewinsky, IndieWire, @weijia, @alexpiersonamp, @repbarbaralee, @fangsbites, @chrismckendry, @evan_b, NPR, @lyannemelendez, @ellentailor, @roblee4, @williegeist, @sdkstl, @notcapnamerica, @danrather, @mzcsmith, @thomasvlinge, @brianstelter, @mattswider, @maggiehendricks, @nickkristof, @courtneyrcronin, @shaunrobinson, @nemoore_, @larrywilmore, @mitch_seattle, @jojofromjerz, @amwithenshaw, @kelseyproud, @yamiche, @briannawu, @dorothylucey, @thesherylralph, @lauriesegall, @phil_lewis_, @joseiswriting, @brianstelter, @kellyo, @victoriaarbiter, Page Six, Associated Press, The Forward, NME, Encyclopedia Britannica, Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, New York Post, TVLine, Deadline, TODAY.com, CNET, Vanity Fair, The Guardian, UPI, HuffPost, BBC, @noahshachtman@mstdn.social, 6abc, Mediaite, Rolling Stone, People.com, @smach@fosstodon.org, Bloomberg, Variety, @tigerclaw305@mastodon.social, The Daily Beast, The Wrap, Yahoo Entertainment, USA Today, Axios, CBS News, TMZ.com, Forbes, The Hill, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, CNBC and Collider

Earlier Picks:

The Intercept:
Hacked VGTRK emails show a July 2021 deal between Russia's and China's government ministries and outlets to cooperate on media narratives, including on Ukraine

Mike Barnes / The Hollywood Reporter:
Robert J. Dowling, who led The Hollywood Reporter from 1988 to 2005, dies at age 83 in his Santa Monica home after a short battle with cancer

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, @gkilday, @mikebarnes4, @mattbelloni, @tatianasiegel27, @jimvejvoda, Talking Biz News, The Wrap, GoldDerby, IndieWire and Deadline

Axios:
Morning Consult: 33% of US Gen Zers don't watch sports at all, compared to 24% of US adults; 28% of US Gen Zers watch sports on linear TV vs. 47% of US adults

Discussion: @akifmalik, @dcnorg, @macbet, @injuryexpert, @adater, @axios and @axios

From Techmeme:

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority:
Source: Google has canceled the development of a second-generation Pixel Tablet, planned for release in 2025, due to concerns that it wouldn't sell very well

Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is testing a more conversational version of Siri, dubbed “LLM Siri”, with plans to release it in spring 2026 as part of iOS 19 and macOS 16

The Information:
Sources: OpenAI considered making a browser, discussed deals to power AI features on Samsung devices and search on sites and apps from Condé Nast and others

Sister Sites:

Techmeme
Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web

memeorandum
What US political commentators are discussing online right now

WeSmirch
The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page