McClatchy Taps Former Chicago Tribune Publisher for CEO
McClatchy DC: Chatham Asset Management, the hedge fund that won McClatchy at auction, announced that Tony Hunter will be the company's new CEO. Hunter worked at Tribune for 22 years, rising from circulation manager to CEO of Tribune Publishing and publisher of the...
Tribune Publishing in Talks to Leave Chicago Headquarters
Chicago Tribune: The Chicago Tribune's offices could be on the move for the second time in less than three years, as the newspaper's parent company seeks an exit from Prudential Plaza amid the pandemic. Robert Feder: Could a virtual newsroom be in the offing for the...
Prediction: Virus to Hasten Death of Daily Print Newspapers
AFP: "Print will survive in some form," although likely more in weekly and monthly options than daily, predicts Penelope Abernathy, a former Wall Street Journal and New York Times VP who now teaches media economics. "The era of the print daily will be remembered...
Hearst’s Oprah Magazine Cover is Showcased on Billboards
Associated Press: First, Oprah Winfrey put Breonna Taylor on the cover of O, The Oprah Magazine. Now the media mogul is spreading her message with 26 billboards going up across Louisville, Kentucky, demanding justice for the woman shot to death during a police...
Meredith, Hearst Plan for Thinner September Fashion Issues
WWD: While editors in chief worked hard on the content, they didn't have as many pages to fill as in the glory years of 700-plus page September issues. Expect the issues to be on the thinner side this year. Declining print ad revenue was already in play, only to be...
Conde Nast Sees Race Tensions Continue at Food Magazine
New York Times: The only two Black editorial staff members at Bon Appétit quit Friday as the magazine grapples with criticism from its own staff over racial inequality. The departures came a day after three journalists of color said they would no longer participate in...
G/O Media Lays Off 15 Video Team Staffers in Restructuring
Business Insider: G/O Media laid off members of its video team, according to an internal memo. Multiple sources said 15 staffers were let go. G/O editorial chief Jim Rich said in an email to staff that the decision came after "extensive examining" of audience numbers...
Roundup: Media Job Cuts Continuing During Covid Ad Slump
AFP: Media job cuts, partial layoffs and managerial wage cuts are on the rise as advertising markets implode, despite customers showing an ever stronger appetite for information on the coronavirus crisis. More than 50 local newsrooms across the United States have been...
AT&T’s WarnerMedia Unveils Major Exec Shakeup, Layoffs
CNBC: WarnerMedia new CEO Jason Kilar announced a management shake-up Friday that promotes streaming executive Andy Forssell to lead a new HBO Max operating business unit. Kilar also announced layoffs, and the departure of top execs Bob Greenblatt, Kevin Reilly and...
Disney Lands Investment on Big Bet for Future in Streaming
CNBC: Longtime activist investor Daniel Loeb revealed that he opened a new position in Disney during the second quarter based in part on the media giant's decision to enter the streaming market. Loeb said there isn't a close No. 2 rival for Disney in terms of quality...
ViacomCBS Preps Global Streaming Service Rollout in 2021
World Screen: ViacomCBS will launch an SVOD service internationally beginning in early 2021 delivering content from all of its brands. The new platform will begin its rollout delivering exclusive premieres of all-new Showtime series, as well as CBS All Access...
Fox Corp Extends Staffers Working Remotely to End of 2020
Fox News: Rising coronavirus cases have postponed Fox Corp.'s plan for a return to offices this fall, says CEO Lachlan Murdoch. For employees who have been reporting to their offices, "we will soon be introducing additional screenings and processes designed to keep...
AT&T’s WarnerMedia Eyes Pandemic Safety with TV Shows
MediaVillage: As social distancing and self-isolation continue to prove challenging to content providers creating programing, WarnerMedia is tackling the subject head-on with two new shows, "Coastal Elites" and "Selena + Chef," both produced under strict pandemic...
Comcast’s NBC Overhaul Brings Exit of Entertainment Chief
NBC News: Paul Telegdy, the chairman of NBC Entertainment, who has been under an internal investigation for allegations of professional misconduct, will leave the company amid a broader restructuring of the conglomerate's television and streaming...
Sinclair: We’re Making Money from Canceled Sports Events
Bloomberg: Sinclair, the biggest owner of regional sports networks in the US, touted an unusual achievement this week: making money from canceled games. The broadcaster stands to collect more in rebates from team owners for scrubbed events than it will return to its...
ByteDance’s TikTok Hit with Trump Ban of US Transactions
USA Today: President Trump signed an executive order late Thursday to block all US transactions with TikTok's Chinese parent ByteDance, the latest move by the administration to force the video-sharing app to sever its ties to Beijing. The order is likely to face legal...
Quibi Tests Free Quick-Bite Videos in Australia, New Zealand
Wall Street Journal: Quibi is testing a free version in Australia and New Zealand as the fledgling short-form video streaming service seeks to expand and add subscribers. Quibi, founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg, is one of the best-capitalized entertainment startups in...
Facebook to Let Employees Work from Home Until July 2021
Reuters: Facebook will allow employees to work from home until July 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak and will give them $1,000 for home office needs. The social media giant joins other big technology firms that have taken similar steps...
Twitter to Begin Labeling Accounts of State-Controlled News
BBC News: Twitter says it will no longer "amplify" tweets by state-controlled media organizations, by excluding them from its recommendation systems. The move makes affected accounts less likely to appear in search results, notifications and on a user's...
Gannett to Make Cost Cuts Permanent as Covid Takes a Toll
USA Today: Gannett CEO Michael Reed says temporary cost cuts will be phased out after the third quarter and the company will be "replacing them with permanent cost reductions" due to the slumping economy. Following the merger with GateHouse Media, Gannett continues to...
News Corp’s Streamlining Includes Possible Sale of Storyful
Wall Street Journal: News Corp. has considered strategic alternatives for its Storyful unit, including a possible sale, as part of broader efforts to streamline the company. Dublin-based Storyful helps news organizations track breaking-news events and...
Conde Nast Faces Big Battle in Effort to Leave Headquarters
New York Post: Conde Nast's lease at One World Trade Center runs until 2039. The skyscraper's landlords been stung by coronavirus-related revenue losses and can't afford to give away the store. "They're going to dig in like hell. They gave Conde Nast the moon to move...
Hearst Dodges Politician’s Lawsuit Over Story from Esquire
Law and Crime: A federal judge in Iowa has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) against Hearst and journalist Ryan Lizza. The case revolved around a 2018 article published in Esquire magazine entitled "Milking the...
Conde Nast Names Bon Appétit Boss as Video Staffers Exit
WWD: Did Conde Nast rush to unveil Sonia Chopra as executive editor of Bon Appétit after three journalists of color announced they were leaving following failed contract negotiations? Conde announced that Chopra will lead editorial content across Bon Appétit,...
Mansueto Mag Publishes Prince’s Plea for ‘Digital Remake’
People: Fast Company published an essay by Prince Harry on the pitfalls of social media, calling for a "remake the digital world." Harry urged businesses to move beyond statements disavowing "hate and racism" and to put their ad dollars into action. "This is just the...
Bloomberg Veteran Emerges as Digital Media Entrepreneur
Talking Biz News: "I was able to bootstrap my digital media firm, C-Change Media, on Aug. 9 of 2010, after spending six months preparing for the launch of our first website, Poets & Quants," writes former Businessweek top editor John Byrne. "Four other websites...
Lookout Local Debuts from Analyst to Serve ‘News Deserts’
New York Times: Ken Doctor has helped news industry execs for years as a media analyst. Now he plans to compete against a hedge-fund-owned newspaper with his own news start-up, Lookout Local. Its flagship site, Lookout Santa Cruz, will cover the California county...
Discovery to Launch Streaming Service as Profits Plummet
New York Post: Discovery plans to launch a new, subscription-based streaming service that will focus heavily on non-fiction and unscripted shows, says CEO David Zaslav. The CEO, however, is light on details as to how the service will stand out from a sea of current...
Comcast Shelves Launch of NBC-Sky Global News Channel
Financial Times: Comcast is proposing to shelve ambitious plans for a new international news channel to rival CNN, after the coronavirus blew apart the financial case for uniting its NBC and Sky brands for the first time. The business model "has become...
ViacomCBS to Grow ‘South Park’ Franchise in New Strategy
CNBC: ViacomCBS's newly appointed senior VP of adult animation already has a task: Build out the "South Park" franchise with Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The company's animation strategy is to dust off old brands and make them relevant for a new audience....