Top News:
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Memo: The Messenger shuts down, effective immediately, citing economic headwinds; Jimmy Finkelstein launched the outlet in May 2023 and hired about 300 people — By closing less than a year after it launched, The Messenger is now one of the biggest busts in the annals of online news.
Discussion:
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Christopher Palmeri / Bloomberg:
Byron Allen makes a ~$30B offer, including debt and equity, to buy all of Paramount; sources: Allen plans to sell the Paramount film studio and keep Paramount+ — - The media mogul offers to pay a 50% premium for voting stock — Allen already has interest from investors for assets
Discussion:
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Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
LA Times, WSJ, and others are cutting their DC bureaus in an election year, as they focus on their core competencies that are likely better sources of return — An emphasis on subscriptions and changing coverage landscapes help explain — Both the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal …
Discussion:
Media Nation and @markstenberg3
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Laura Wagner / Washington Post:
Journalists from Tribune publications, including the Chicago Tribune, plan a one-day strike on February 1 to protest cost-cutting by Alden Global Capital — To protest the cuts made by new owner Alden Global Capital, staffs plan walkouts Thursday at the Chicago Tribune …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Chicago Sun Times, Axios, @ctguild, @ctguild, @byjuliapoe, @greenhousenyt, @chloehilles, @chitribkane, @royalpratt, @corbinbolies and @ctguild
Dan Mangan / CNBC:
A US judge dismisses Disney's suit against Gov. Ron DeSantis claiming retaliation after Disney criticized Florida's “Don't Say Gay” bill; Disney plans to appeal — - A judge dismissed a lawsuit Disney filed against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that alleged he retaliated against the company …
Discussion:
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Todd Spangler / Variety:
Alex Cooper releases her hit Call Her Daddy interview podcast on all major audio platforms, after its three year, $60M deal with Spotify ended — Daddy Gang, rejoice! … Full episodes of “Call Her Daddy” have been available only on Spotify since July 2021, under a three-year deal worth more than $60 million.
Discussion:
Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Audacy plans to cut a number of positions in its Pineapple Street podcast division; a source says the layoff will affect 12 positions, or ~25% of the staff — Audacy Inc., a radio broadcaster reorganizing in US bankruptcy court, announced plans to cut a number of positions in its Pineapple Street podcast division.
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
In an email to subscribers, Hulu says the company changed its subscriber agreement to bar sharing of accounts outside the user's household, effective March 12 — The Disney-owned streaming service changed its subscriber agreement to ban sharing of accounts outside of individual households.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
UMG plans to stop licensing content to TikTok after their deal expires on January 31, saying they didn't reach terms over issues like artist compensation and AI — UMG said that its agreement with TikTok is set to expire on Jan. 31. “The companies have not agreed to terms for a new agreement …
Discussion:
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Elizabeth A. Harris / New York Times:
A profile of Penguin Random House CEO Nihar Malaviya, who was tasked to lead PRH after the US DOJ won its fight to stop the $2B+ Simon & Schuster acquisition — As chief executive of Penguin Random House, Nihar Malaviya runs a global company and the largest book publisher in the United States …
Discussion:
@MissingThePt@mastodon.social, @glecharles@zirk.us and @cfiesler@hci.social
Committee to Protect Journalists:
A Minsk court sentences photojournalist Aliaksandr Ziankou to three years on extremism charges; Belarus was the world's third-worst jailer of reporters in 2023 — New York, January 30, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Belarusian authorities to stop using extremism laws …
Discussion:
Fox News
Mark Caro / Local News Initiative:
Q&A with Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy, the authors of the new book What Works in Community News, on local news, nonprofit outlets putting up paywalls, and more — Veteran journalists Clegg, Kennedy spotlight local news outlets that chart path forward — Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy brought …
Discussion:
@localnewsini, @dankennedy_nu and Media Nation
Reuters:
Mexican authorities confirm that government computers were hacked on January 22 and the personal data on 263+ journalists was illegally accessed and released — The theft of the personal data of hundreds of journalists in Mexico, including addresses and copies of voter ID cards and passports …
Discussion:
@murderousredcap.bsky.social
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