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Mark Thompson previews CNN's paid streaming service, says CNN plans to launch a subscription in 2025 for “lifestyle” content, and cuts ~200 jobs in its TV unit — Mark Thompson has promised to reinvent CNN since he arrived in 2023. Now, he is remaking the network's TV lineup and its work force.
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Mark Thompson says CNN aims to reach $1B in digital revenue by 2030; memo details $70M to be invested in digital plans, a modernized ad sales approach, and more — - That was an important message, considering years-long speculation that WBD may look to sell the network someday to pay down its debt.
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Substack launches Creator Accelerator Fund to lure US creators who already have $2K+ per month in recurring revenue away from other subscription-based platforms — Substack on Thursday announced the launch of its Creator Accelerator Fund, which provides a $20 million funding guarantee aimed …
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Substack Reads, Bloomberg, Tubefilter, The Verge and @ernie.tedium.co, more at Techmeme »
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A look at growth of sponsorships and ads for independent newsletters on platforms like Substack and Beehiiv: rates, formats, and management tools vary widely — Authors are using DIY methods to moonlight as media sellers as ads begin to infiltrate their newsletters
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Press Gazette, The Information, Substack Reads, @jryedinak, @jryedinak, @kantrowitz, @mediaevan.bsky.social and Feed Me, more at Techmeme »

Former Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers Badan joins Vice Media's board of directors; Vice Media launched a sports division in December 2024 — Deadline was the first to report last December on the creation of a sports division at Vice, which has a number of unscripted projects in the pipeline.
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Netflix gets 16 Oscar nominations, including 13 for Emilia Pérez, which is the most nominated film of the year; A24 came in second with 14 nominations — Netflix scored a leading 16 Oscar nominations on Thursday, most of which were awarded to “Emilia Pérez,” …
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SAG-AFTRA says it has reached a tentative deal with Telemundo Television Studios to represent its Spanish-language TV performers through September 2028 — Telemundo is the largest employer of Spanish-language talent in the United States. If approved, the deal will cover the contract period from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2028.

Filing: Disney CEO Bob Iger's total pay rose by 30% YoY in FY 2024 to $41.1M, primarily as bigger stock and option awards and a bonus — Disney's CEO earned $41.1 million in the year that ended in September, up from $31.6 million in fiscal 2023, according to a filing Thursday.
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The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Deadline and MickeyBlog.com

The UK ICO says publishers can use the “consent or pay” cookie model provided that users have a “genuine free choice” and data protection laws are met — The UK's information watchdog has said publisher “consent or pay” cookie models are acceptable providing users have a …
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@martinsfp.bsky.social and City A.M.

Chicago Public Media offers buyouts to Chicago Sun-Times journalists and WBEZ business staff; CEO Melissa Bell is aiming to shave $3M-$5M from the annual budget — Struggling with declining revenue in its groundbreaking nonprofit radio/newspaper model, Chicago Public Media is offering voluntary buyouts …

Pakistan's parliament passes a controversial bill giving the government sweeping controls on social media, including prison terms for spreading “disinformation” — Pakistan's lower house of parliament on Thursday passed a controversial bill that will give the government sweeping controls …
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Lionsgate renews its film licensing deal with Starz to bring ~20 studio films annually to Starz's services, ahead of the formal separation of the companies — The third installment of ‘Now You See Me,’ ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,’ the Michael Jackson biopic and 'Ballerina …
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Deadline, TVNewsCheck and WORLD SCREEN