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Sources: Warner Bros. Discovery plans to keep Discovery+ as a standalone service after launching a new service that combines content from HBO Max and Discovery — Move comes amid concerns that some Discovery+ subscribers might not want to move to upcoming pricier, bigger platform
Discussion:
@enzuigiri, @jbflint, @asharma, @bysarahkrouse, @brianstelter and Cord Cutters News


Microsoft's and Google's plans to use AI in search increase uncertainty for publishers and raise old questions about the link economy, fair use, and aggregation — A dozen years ago, Eric Schmidt forecast the AI pivot that's playing out this week. And the questions it prompts …
Discussion:
The Official Microsoft Blog, Bloomberg, Insider, @microsoft, @_richardhall, @markuskarlsson, @economyapp, @microsoftedge, @alemannoeu, @gdb, @allisonlcarter, @eevblog, @niemanlab, @jessefelder, @mariaramirezny, @om, @scottgu, @davidclinchnews, @jbenton, @sarahscire, @rasmus_kleis, Search Engine Land, ABC, The Information, TechCrunch and The Guardian, more at Techmeme »


The New York Times reports Q4 revenue up 12.3% YoY to $667.5M, 2022 revenue up 11.3% to $2.3B, and a $347.9M operating profit, as subscribers reached 9.6M — The company said it added more than a million digital subscribers in 2022, bringing its total number of paying subscribers to 9.6 million.
Discussion:
The New York Times Company, @bgrueskin, @tripgabriel, @brianstelter, @nkulw, @dicktofel, @mariaramirezny, @nycjim and @katie_robertson


Freelancer Duncan Campbell details the conflicts of interest and long delays when CJR edited his article on The Nation's defense of Russia; CJR blames Campbell — How the investigation into The Nation magazine's pro-Russia bias was canned by ‘press watchdog’ the Columbia Journalism Review
Discussion:
emptywheel, @tomwatson, @joestewart, @dcampbell_iptv, @michaeldweiss, @tomwatson, @jayrosen_nyu, @jayrosen_nyu, @jayrosen_nyu, @peterjukes, @im_pulse, @fridaghitis, @tomwatson, @tomwatson, @emptywheel, @davidcorndc, @tomwatson, @jamesrbuk, @ctmathewes, @jamisonfoser, @jamesrbuk and @jayrosen_nyu


Fox Corp reports Q2 revenue up 4% YoY to $4.61B, ad revenue up 4% YoY to $2.5B thanks to the World Cup, and $321M net income, up from a $73M net loss in Q2 2021 — After the Murdoch family recently dropped plans to merge Fox with News Corp, the company reported its fiscal second-quarter results.


Q&A with 17 TV industry leaders, including Barry Diller, Kevin Mayer, Bela Bajaria, and Jeff Zucker, on bundling, linear TV and cable networks' fate, and more — - CNBC asked media insiders, including Barry Diller, Bela Bajaria, Jeff Zucker and Bill Simmons, for their predictions about what TV will be like in three years.


Atmosphere TV, which streams ad-supported video channels often without audio, raised a $65M Series D at a $1B valuation and names Blake Sabatinelli as its CEO — The out-of-home streaming TV network wants you to look away from your screen and look at theirs. And now it has a new CEO and fresh funding to vie for your attention.
Discussion:
Business Wire, Axios and Light Reading, more at Techmeme »


Qustodio: kids aged 4 to 18 used TikTok for 107 minutes per day on average in 2022, up from 82 minutes in 2020, and 60% longer than YouTube's 67 minutes per day — For another year in a row, TikTok has found itself as the social app kids and teens are spending the most time using throughout the day, even outpacing YouTube.
Discussion:
@mattnavarra and @glenngabe, more at Techmeme »


Muso report: 2022's most pirated TV series differed from the most legally streamed shows; many of the most pirated shows were only on niche streaming services — It's easy to assume that what's driving illegal consumption of film and TV is as simple as viewers wanting to watch popular titles without paying for them.
Discussion:
Collider


EU study: Russia supports operations that impersonate media outlets like Al Jazeera and Euronews and satirical magazines as part of its disinformation campaigns — The Russian government is supporting operations that impersonate international media outlets as part of its disinformation campaigns …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, @mattnavarra, @digiphile, Euractiv and Politico


Q&A with authors Felix Gillette and John Koblin on their book It's Not TV, the genesis of HBO, competing with Netflix, AT&T's Time Warner deal, and more — Authors Felix Gillette and John Koblin explain how your favorite shows kept HBO afloat. — HBO started as an experiment.


The Athletic Chief Commercial Officer Sebastian Tomich says the outlet is considering ticketing, merchandise, and betting as revenue sources with partner BetMGM — Last September, The Athletic introduced ads to its business model for the first time (aside from podcast and newsletter ads that've …
Discussion:
@niemanlab, @adater and The Newsletter Newsletter