Netflix Faces Social Media Cancel Campaign Over ‘Cuties’
Fox News: A newly released clip from the new film "Cuties" has led to the hashtag #CancelNetflix trending on social media. Netflix previously apologized after the poster for the French film showed the underage cast posing in a sexual manner. Now, there's renewed...
Twitter to Remove, Label Tweets Hampering US Elections
CNBC: Twitter on Thursday announced a new policy to remove or label any tweets containing false information that are intended to undermine public confidence in elections and civic processes, including the 2020 US election. The policy will be "applied equally and...
Megyn Kelly Returns to Media with Venture in Podcasting
Wall Street Journal: Megyn Kelly is coming back on the air, but this time she'll be podcasting. The former TV news commentator and talk-show host's new Devil May Care Media is slated to release the first episode of "The Megyn Kelly Show" at the end of the month. Kelly...
New York Times Journalist Gets Booted from Trump Rally
Deadline: A New York Times reporter says she was kicked out of Donald Trump's campaign rally in Michigan, after posting on social media about the crowds and the lack of masks among the attendees. Vulture: Ben Brantley, the New York Times chief theater critic for 24...
Meredith to Mull Split of Local TV-Magazines in November
Des Moines Register: Meredith will ask investors at a Nov. 11 meeting to amend the media company's charter, allowing the current shareholding structure to remain in place in case the company splits into two. Meredith executives did not say they would necessarily split...
Conde Nast China President Departs After Drastic Changes
WWD: Sophia Liao, president of Conde Nast China, has exited the company. Despite commercial success, Liao's management style has been controversial. Many high-profile editors and publishers, who have been with the subsidiary since Conde Nast established it, have been...
Hearst, Conde Editors to Stay Home During Fashion Month
WWD: Vogue's Anna Wintour, as well as editors from other fashion magazines, won't be traveling to Europe this month. CNBC: British GQ's Dylan Jones warns of "casualties" in media and fashion in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. "Display advertising has been...
G/O Media Former Employees Unveil Sports Blog Defector
Inside Hook: "All of our bullshit. None of theirs." And with that, over a dozen former Deadspin employees have launched the new sports site Defector. A paid membership site, Defector is instantly recognizable for its mix of humor, pointed barbs and a lack of need for...
Netflix CEO Predicts More Big Mergers in Traditional Media
CNBC: Reed Hastings predicts traditional media companies will continue to consolidate in an effort to compete with Netflix, such as Disney's acquisition of the majority of Fox and Viacom's merger with CBS. "I think you'll see continued combinations of the existing...
Amazon Appoints Marketing Chief for Studios, Prime Video
Variety: Marketing veteran Ukonwa Ojo has been named CMO of Amazon's Prime Video and Amazon Studios, joining the ecommerce giant's entertainment division from the chief marketing post at MAC Cosmetics. Ojo will be responsible for leading global brand and originals...
ByteDance Talks with US on Avoiding a Full Sale of TikTok
CNBC: ByteDance is speaking with the US government about possible solutions that may allow it to retain some ownership of the US operations of TikTok, while satisfying regulators in both China and the US. Those possibilities include handing over operational control of...
Disney Under Attack for Filming ‘Mulan’ in China’s Xinjiang
Associated Press: Disney is facing criticism for filming part of its live-action reboot “Mulan” in Xinjiang, the region in China where the government has been accused of human rights abuses against Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities. The final credits...
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...