Apple TV Goes Live with Discount Bundle from ViacomCBS
The Verge: Apple TV Plus subscribers can now get a subscription to both CBS All Access and Showtime for $9.99 per month, making it the first video bundle available for subscribers of Apple’s streaming service. The deal could be a nice savings for people who already...
Verizon Expands Deal for Streaming of Disney, Hulu, ESPN
TheStreet: Verizon is expanding its partnership with Disney, offering the Disney+ bundle, which includes Hulu and ESPN+, free for 12 months for subscribers to certain wireless plans. Disney's ancillary streaming platforms will be included in the "select Mix &...
Disney’s ABC is First to Resume Production on TV Sitcoms
Deadline: "The Conners," ABC's flagship comedy series, is back in production on its upcoming 19-episode third season. The multi-camera show is being shot with minimal crew and without an in-studio audience. It is believed to be the first broadcast comedy series to...
AT&T’s WarnerMedia Says Three Producers Leaving ‘Ellen’
Associated Press: Three producers of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” have exited amid allegations of a dysfunctional workplace that harbored misbehavior including sexual misconduct and racially insensitive remarks. Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman and Jonathan Norman have “parted...
Comcast, ViacomCBS Join Voting Initiatives by Big Media
Axios: Media companies have a long history of using their wide reach to promote voting efforts in the US. But ahead of this year's historic election, they are doubling down on those efforts to ensure that changes to voting procedures due to the pandemic don't dissuade...
Fox Corp’s News Channel Talent Applaud Michelle Obama
TheWrap: You might not expect anything that happens at the Democratic National Convention to garner much praise from the folks at Fox News, but Michelle Obama’s speech that closed Monday night’s session was so good that multiple Fox personalities were full of...
Quibi CEO Endorses Biden at Democratic Nat’l Convention
Los Angeles Times: Meg Whitman, a Republican who spent $144 million of her own wealth on an unsuccessful run for governor a decade ago, endorsed Joe Biden for president at the Democratic National Convention on Monday. "For me, the choice is simple. I'm with...
iHeartMedia Star Under Fire for Remarks on Kamala Harris
Daily News: Rush Limbaugh used his radio show's massive reach to push stories about Kamala Harris as a "hoe" and a "mattress." The 69-year-old broadcaster noted that one story called the 55-year-old senator an escort. "That's the question of using sex to get ahead,"...
Warner Music Releases Covid Song by Star of ‘Succession’
Associated Press: Actor Nicholas Braun, who plays fan favorite Cousin Greg on HBO’s “Succession,” has captured the fraught nature of dating during the pandemic in a catchy new punk song that started as a joke. “Antibodies” quickly caught the ear of Atlantic...
Study: Covid Transforms How US Adults Spend Time Online
Wall Street Journal: A whopping 16:06 hours a day are now being spent with digital media by the average US adult, up from an already unfathomable 12:24 hours a day pre-pandemic, according to consulting company Activate. The media winners thus far include gaming, video...
Conde Nast Taps Top Chef as Brand Advisor at Bon Appétit
TheWrap: Marcus Samuelsson, the James Beard award-winning chef, has been named Bon Appétit’s first brand adviser. The appointment comes as Bon Appétit and Condé Nast Entertainment have faced pushback from staff over its treatment of nonwhite...
Meredith Sues Maven Over Unpaid Fees at Sports Illustrated
WWD: Meredith is suing Sports Illustrated publisher Maven, claiming that it owes more than $1 million in unpaid fees. People and InStyle owner Meredith claims that Maven did not make the payments on the dates agreed or dispute them in the time allowed by the...
Hearst Turns to Rapper to Interview Biden via Zoom for Elle
Fox News: Cardi B can add journalist to her long list of talents. The rapper spoke with Joe Biden for Elle magazine's September 2020 issue. Their wide-ranging conversation covered topics such as healthcare, racism in America, free education and tax...
Conde Nast Foe’s Twitter Becomes ‘Page Six’ of Food Media
Grub Street: In June, Tammie Teclemariam tweeted a photo of Bon Appétit editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport dressed in a stereotypical Puerto Rican costume. Since then, the freelance writer's Twitter feed has become the "Page Six" of food media, a destination for news and...
Time Magazine Digital Revenues Surpass Print for First Time
MediaPost: Time magazine’s digital revenues in the second quarter surpassed its print revenues “for the first time in our brand’s history,” according to a staff memo sent by Time president Keith Grossman. Digital revenues grew 58% year-over-year in Q2...
The Economist Learns Print is Ninth Most Popular Platform
Press Gazette: The Economist’s print magazine is only its ninth most popular platform. Of course, print readers are rather more valuable to the publisher than Twitter followers – with the mass social media reach of the brand intended to funnel readers into becoming...
Apple, Microsoft Dominate in Map of Media, Tech Universe
Deadline: Evan Shapiro, the president of National Lampoon and a college professor, has seen the media, entertainment and technology universe grow increasingly complex. So, in preparing to teach a new class about the business this fall, he did what any explorer would:...
Disney, WarnerMedia New CEOs ‘Shepherd’ Shift in Media
CNBC: A torrent of turnover at the top of the largest media companies has defined 2020. The new CEOs will have to manage the new streaming ecosystem. New York Times: Old Hollywood finally died. The streaming services are in charge, bringing a ruthless new culture with...
Fox Corp’s ‘Shy’ Murdoch Son Emerges as Heir Apparent
Sydney Morning Herald: Who exactly is Lachlan Murdoch, the clear heir apparent in the succession plans of Rupert Murdoch? For starters, friends have revealed that, despite his public profile, Lachlan is incredibly shy. "He is a bit of a loner, he enjoys his solitude...
ViacomCBS Activist Investor to Seek Sale of Media Giant?
Bloomberg: ViacomCBS shares jumped on speculation that an activist investor will push for a shake-up at the company after the death of founder Sumner Redstone last week. Financial Times: ViacomCBS is considering a rebrand of its streaming services as...
Disney, Fox Corp to Look Abroad for Growth in Streaming
Axios: Facing saturation and stiff competition in the US, media giants are planning to launch new streaming services internationally to accrue more subscribers. A slew of TV networks announced new international streaming plans last week. Others offered details about...
Report: Streaming Surge Slows After Pandemic Lockdowns
World Screen: While time spent streaming content continues to rise across the globe, year-on-year growth slowed in May and June following the peaks recorded in April at the height of the Covid-19 shutdown, according to Conviva. "2020 has been full of surprises,...
AT&T’s WarnerMedia Adds a Disclaimer to ‘Blazing Saddles’
CNET: "Blazing Saddles," the 1974 Western-movie spoof from Mel Brooks, is getting a three-minute introduction that contextualizes language and characterizations related to race for today's audience. HBO Max has added an intro discussing the race-related issues in the...
Warner Music Acquires Social Media Content Startup IMGN
TechCrunch: Warner Music is acquiring IMGN Media, a Tel Aviv and New York-based startup that builds and tracks viral social media content in categories like esports and gaming, ASMR and entertainment. IMGN used to be called Comedy.com and rebranded in...
Proxima Media to Score as Trump Joins TikTok Rival Triller
Fox Business: President Trump's campaign opened an account for him on TikTok competitor Triller on Saturday. His first video quickly racked up more than 1 million views. Fox Business: Trump ordered ByteDance on Friday to divest all US assets, including TikTok, within...
Pinterest Delays New Board Member Amid Worker Protest
Bloomberg: Pinterest delayed the planned announcement of a new board member Friday amid a virtual walkout by employees demanding change after claims of discrimination by management. More than 350 of Pinterest's 2,400 employees signed onto a protest and virtual job...
Facebook CEO Joins Tech Elite Living Luxe Quarantine Life
Vanity Fair: What are elite tech founders doing with their wealth? Mostly living life as they did before coronavirus. Countless billionaires are hitting the road, flying around the country to wherever the case numbers are lowest. "All these rich people can’t stop...
Bloomberg: Facebook Should Not Pay Publishers for News
Bloomberg Opinion: "Journalism's business model wasn't broken by digital platforms. The internet unbundled many of the services that newspapers once provided, while eroding the monopolies that made them so profitable. Facebook and Google hardly caused...
Tribune Veterans to Hold Webinar on ‘Life After Journalism’
Talking Biz News: Chicago-based marketing and communications agency M. Harris & Co., the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Chicago Headline Club are hosting a 90-minute webinar Wednesday titled "Life after...
News Corp Sees Abrupt Exit of Top Staffer at WSJ Magazine
WWD: David Thielebeule is no longer at WSJ Magazine. After almost eight years as style director, brought in by Kristina O’Neill when she took up the job of editor in chief in 2013, Thielebeule has made an abrupt departure at the style insert of the Wall Street...