Comcast’s NBC Taps Media Pro to Lead Global TV Studios
Bloomberg: NBCUniversal named Pearlena Igbokwe to lead its global television studio business, elevating a Black woman to a key management role at Comcast's entertainment division. As the new chairman of Universal Studio Group, Igbokwe replaces Bonnie Hammer, a...
Fox Corp Benefits from Trump Ad Buys on News Channel
Politico: While President Trump's campaign chopped its TV spending throughout the summer, the campaign maintained a heavy presence on Fox News. Trump spent more money on national ads on Fox News in June, July and August ($9.4 million) than it spent on local broadcast...
News Corp Confirms Plans for New TV Channel in Britain
i News: A job ad briefly published on the website of News UK reveals the company is "planning to launch a new TV station, which will run through prime time evening hours and comprise of three key programs.” One program is described as a "daily factual entertainment...
Nexstar Among Local TV Groups to Rake In Political Ads
Hollywood Reporter: Big broadcast TV station groups will be among the key beneficiaries of record political advertising spending, according to an analyst report. Guggenheim Securities analyst Curry Baker forecasts "a record political cycle in 2020 with total political...
Meredith Weighs Split of Local TV Operations, Magazines
Hollywood Reporter: Meredith is proposing an amendment to its corporate charter that would allow for the company to split its national media business and its local media business, though the company is emphasizing that no such split is imminent. "It is a prudent step...
Sony Music Pushes New Strategy of Developing Podcasts
Bloomberg: Sony Music plans to release nearly 40 podcasts this year and is developing more than 100 original programs. Sony's slate of upcoming shows includes two new programs from director Adam McKay, as well as a music podcast that analyzes hits from the...
ViacomCBS Enters Deal for TV Podcasts with iHeartMedia
Deadline: ViacomCBS is expanding its podcast business with a three-year deal with iHeartMedia. The pact will include the return of "Yo! MTV Raps," the seminal hip hop series, as a podcast and the extension of shows from the team behind Comedy Central's "The Daily...
iHeartMedia Joins with Charlamagne Tha God on Podcasts
CNN: Charlamagne Tha God has partnered with iHeartMedia to launch the Black Effect Podcast Network, with the goal of "bringing together the most influential voices in black culture for stimulating conversations around social justice, pop culture, sports, mental...
Vice Media Names Veteran for Global Editor of Refinery29
New York Times: Refinery29 has a new global editor in chief: Simone Oliver, who leads partnerships with magazines and lifestyle brands at Facebook and Instagram. Vice Media, the owner of Refinery29, announced that Oliver, who previously worked at the New York Times...
Conde Nast Drops Claims Against Editor to Keep a Secret
WWD: Conde Nast is willing to defang its countersuit against Stefano Tonchi in order to keep specifics of a bumpy sale of W magazine to itself. Lawyers for Conde parent Advance Publications have asked to drop two of its claims against Tonchi, who was forced out as the...
Hearst Taps Curbed Alum for Editor in Chief of Elle Décor
New York Post: Hearst Magazines has named Asad Syrkett editor in chief of the US edition of Elle Decor. Syrkett takes the top job left open by Whitney Robinson, who stepped down in April. Syrkett will start work at the shelter magazine Sept. 14 and will report to Elle...
Oprah Returns to Cover of Namesake Magazine in October
USA Today: How will we heal from Covid-19? Oprah Winfrey has some insight to share. In the October issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, Winfrey explores how to find joy while grieving and shines the spotlight on mental health advocates. Last month, Winfrey dedicated the...
The Atlantic Nabs 20,000 Subscribers After Trump Lashing
CNN: President Trump wrote The Atlantic off as a "dying" magazine last week after it published an explosive story about him allegedly disparaging Americans who died in war. But not only is the 163-year-old magazine far from extinction, it is experiencing a rapid and...
The Athletic Touts 1 Million Subscribers in Sports Drought
CNBC: The Athletic is typically adding more subscribers per day than ever and has reached the 1 million subscriber milestone, co-founder Alex Mather says. While Netflix and Spotify are the gold standards of subscription media, few news companies have more than 1...
Apple Plans ‘Time Flies’ Online Launch Event for Tuesday
The Verge: Apple has revealed plans for an event on September 15. Normally, Apple announces new iPhones in September, but this year, there have been rumors of the phones being delayed. Instead, the event's tagline, "Time Flies," suggests we're looking at a new Apple...
Amazon’s Bezos Tops Forbes 400 Rich List for Third Year
Reuters: Jeff Bezos topped the Forbes list of richest Americans for the third year in a row, while President Trump's ranking dropped as the coronavirus pandemic slammed his office buildings, hotels and resorts. The aggregate wealth of the Forbes 400 list rose to a...
Facebook Software Engineer Quits to Protest Zuckerberg
Washington Post: Facebook software engineer Ashok Chandwaney has watched with growing unease as the platform has become a haven for hate. On Tuesday morning, it came time to take a stand. "I'm quitting because I can no longer stomach contributing to an organization...
Netflix Names New Leader of Global TV in Major Shake-Up
Wall Street Journal: Bela Bajaria has been put in charge of global television at Netflix and Cindy Holland, an architect of the streaming giant's original-content strategy, is leaving. In her new role, Bajaria will oversee all original series for Netflix around the...
Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Fuels Optimism About Streaming Growth
Bloomberg: Disney shares rose the most in more than in a month, fueled by optimism that the online release of "Mulan" will bolster the company's position in streaming. "Mulan," a live-action remake of the 1998 animated hit, was released online Friday after the...
AT&T’s WarnerMedia Eyes Pairing Ads with Classic Films
Variety: A WarnerMedia marketing survey sent to consumers suggests ads on HBO Max could surface alongside content from the media giant's other TV networks; in original series that launch on HBO Max only; and in older films, which include classics shown commercial-free...
DAZN Slashes Jobs Amid Challenges at Sports Streamer
Financial Times: Online video streaming group DAZN is dismissing dozens of employees as the company aiming to be the "Netflix of sports" reshuffles its business in the Americas. The job cuts affect roughly 2 percent of the London-based company's workforce and...
Oscars Unveil Diversity Rules for Best-Picture Nominees
Los Angeles Times: In the latest step in its effort to boost diversity both within its own ranks and across the film industry, the film academy announced new representation standards for films to be eligible to compete for best picture. The standards encompass both...
Comcast’s E! Reveals End of ‘Kardashians’ via Instagram
BuzzFeed News: "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" is ending after its upcoming season. In lengthy Instagram posts, Kim Kardashian West, Kris Jenner, and Khloe Kardashian said Season 20, the final season, is set to air in early 2021. "We are beyond grateful to all of...
Oprah Preps Book Club Series Launch as Apple Podcast
TechCrunch: Apple and Oprah plan to launch the "Oprah's Book Club" podcast, an eight-episode series that will explore themes related to Oprah's Book Club pick "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents," by Isabel Wilkerson. The podcast is the first to cross over from...
iHeartMedia Signs Former President Clinton for Podcast
Deadline: Former President Bill Clinton is partnering with iHeartMedia to launch a new podcast in early 2021. The podcast will build on one that Clinton hosted last year for the Clinton Foundation, which is also a partner in the new project. The podcast will be...
Hearst Boston Reporter Stabbed While Working on Story
Boston Globe: Ted Wayman, a reporter for WCVB-TV Channel 5, is recovering after he was stabbed in Copley Square while reporting on a story Sunday night, according to the station. Wayman was taken to a local hospital and is "going to be fine," says a spokeswoman for...
Gannett Names Spotify Exec as Marketing, Strategy Chief
USA Today: Gannett has named a new chief marketing and strategy officer who is a veteran of tech companies Spotify and Freshly. Mayur Gupta, 42, has relinquished his duties as a board member of Gannett to join the media company in the new executive...
Conde Nast’s New Yorker Fest Goes Virtual for First Time
New York Times: The 21st New Yorker Festival will, for the first time, be a mostly virtual affair. A dozen talks, panels and performances will be live streamed on the festival website from Oct. 5 to 11. This year's lineup is packed with stars like Chris Rock, Steve...
Penske Media Sees Peter Travers Depart at Rolling Stone
Showbiz411: Peter Travers has exited Rolling Stone as full time movie critic after 36 years. "My contract was up and they wanted 'new voices' across the platform. No arguments from me on that score. I'll just be riding a new horse into a future none of us can...
Vox Media CEO Talks Digital Media, Ad Market, Facebook
The Information: Vox Media has "taken a lot of risks and grown, but what we haven't done is we haven't been reckless.” Digital media startups, such as Mic and Mashable, either shuttered or were sold for a fire sale price. "Now that the tide has gone out, you can see...