Mediagazer: Spotify adds audiobook features for Premium subscribers: author and publisher video clips up to 30 seconds long, Author Pages, and visuals while users listen (Lauren Forristal/TechCrunch)

The New York Times names Dick Stevenson as Washington bureau chief; Stevenson has been at the paper for nearly 40 years and Washington editor since 2021 — Dick, who embodies the mission of producing independent journalism, brings decades of experience to the role.

Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:

Internal memo: Hearst Magazines president announces layoffs as part of a decision to “reallocate resources” to “continue our focus on digital innovation” — The company is home to more than 25 brands in the U.S. including Elle, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and Town & Country.

Discussion: @caleyfretz, @erikawynn, Julia Mercado on LinkedIn, @charlottetklein, Chandra Turner on LinkedIn, The Wrap, @andrewnicla.bsky.social, @andrewnicla.bsky.social, Deadline, @bauxoffice.bsky.social and @kevincortez.bsky.social

Ayodeji Rotinwa / Columbia Journalism Review:

A look at the Agora Center for Research, a Ugandan newsroom sitting between activism and investigative reporting, posting its work on various social media sites — Reporting that pops up in different media, documents as proof, and crowdsourced investigations have revealed corruption.

Lachlan Cartwright / The Ankler:

Sources: MSNBC renewed Rachel Maddow's contract early this fall, but with a pay cut; MSNBC bosses' plan to shake up daytime and weekend programming — SCOOP: TV's ‘safe space for liberals’ is about to reshuffle its stars as the network re-ups its marquee name under a tough new spinoff-ready reality

Discussion: The Daily Beast, RedState, American Greatness, BizPac Review, Cord Cutters News, HuffPost, Daily Mail, Trending Politics …, What's Up Today, New York Post, Barrett Media, @michaelsocolow.bsky.social, @bsdtectr.bsky.social, TVNewsCheck, @justinbaragona.bsky.social and @bsdtectr.bsky.social

Mark Sweney / The Guardian:

National World, one of the UK's biggest newspaper groups, gets a £56.2M buyout offer from shareholder Media Concierge, a 40% premium to its Nov. 21 stock price — Media Concierge submits £56.2m cash offer for National World, underbidder in the auction for the Telegraph titles

Discussion: Press Gazette, Financial Times, London Evening Standard and HoldtheFrontPage

Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced she will leave the agency on January 20; she was the first woman to be confirmed to lead the agency — Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced today that she will leave the agency on January 20, 2025, the day of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

Max Goldbart / Deadline:

The English Premier League ends its content partnership with IMG and plans to bring content production and distribution in-house in 2026 — The UK's Premier League soccer is to start producing and distributing its own content for the first time in two decades after ending its partnership with IMG.

Discussion: Advanced Television

David Spector / New York Post:

Email: WaPo senior politics editor Dan Eggen says he was told Monday that he will “be removed” at the end of 2024, and “will leave it to others to explain why” — The Washington Post abruptly removed its politics editor without giving him a reason for the decision …

Discussion: @lachcartwright, @bamabonds, @farhip, @nicoleperlroth, @jamespmanley, @hangleyjr, @awinston, @froomkin, @lachcartwright, @awinston, @sjvn@mastodon.social, @scire.bsky.social and The Daily Caller

Maxwell Zeff / TechCrunch:

Texas' AG opens a probe into the World Federation of Advertisers to find if it conspired to boycott “certain social media platforms”; X sued the WFA in August — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Thursday he is opening an investigation into the World Federation of Advertisers …

Discussion: MediaPost, Texas Attorney General, @elonmusk, @kenpaxtontx, Bloomberg Law, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Reclaim The Net, The Post Millennial, Breitbart and Engadget

The New York Times Company:

Elisabeth Bumiller, the NYT's Washington bureau chief since 2015 and nearly a 30-year NYT veteran, is stepping down to return to writing and reporting — Elisabeth, incomparable Washington bureau chief since 2015, has decided to return to writing and reporting.

Discussion: @peterbakernyt, @ignatiuspost, @glennthrush, @moorehn, @peterbakernyt, @andrew_marshall, @peterbakernyt, @moorehn and @edmundlee.bsky.social

Parker Herren / Ad Age:

SMBs turn to Disney, Paramount, and Peacock's ad platforms; VAB: in H1 2024, 169 advertisers bought national TV ads for the first time and 67% spent <$500K — New-to-TV brands predict a ‘renaissance’ for growing businesses through streaming ads — As traditional TV networks shift …

Discussion: MediaPost

Matthew Keys / The Desk:

DirecTV terminates its Dish acquisition after a group of Dish creditors rejected a modified bond exchange offer — Pay television provider DirecTV on Thursday officially announced it will terminate its agreement to acquire rival satellite company Dish Network and its streaming service Sling TV from Echostar this week.