Nielsen to Slash 3,500 Employees in Restructuring Effort
MediaPost: Nielsen will lay off about 3,500 employees as part of its continuing restructuring efforts. Nielsen said the total restructuring charge for this year will now be higher -- $150 million to $170 million versus its previous guidance in April 2020 of $120...
Facebook Ad Boycotters See ‘No Commitment’ from Zuck
Reuters: Organizers of a growing Facebook advertising boycott said they see "no commitment to action" after meeting with CEO Mark Zuckerberg. More than 900 advertisers have signed on to the "Stop Hate for Profit" campaign, organized by social justice...
ByteDance’s TikTok Faces US Probe on Children’s Privacy
Reuters: The Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department are looking into allegations that popular app TikTok failed to live up to a 2019 agreement aimed at protecting children’s privacy. The development is the latest bump in the road for the short video...
Amazon Prime Video to Make User Profiles Go Worldwide
TechCrunch: Amazon's Prime Video is finally adding a feature that's long since become a standard for streaming video services: user profiles. With profiles, Prime Video users will be able to track their own viewing progress, similar to rival services, like...
Google’s YouTube Sees Rise of Influencer Apology Videos
Financial Times: Apology videos by YouTube influencers are so inescapable that they have blossomed into a recognizable format. The set-up is carefully planned so viewers are not distracted by mansions, sports cars and other evidence of YouTube-generated...
New York Times Readies Documentary Series for FX, Hulu
The Hill: FX and Hulu are teaming up to launch a new documentary series produced by the New York Times that will premier this Friday. "The New York Times Presents" will feature 10 individual documentaries exploring breaking news, investigations and character-driven...
Meredith Attracts All-Star Talent to At-Home Virtual Event
FIPP: Meredith will host its first-ever Food & Wine Classic at Home virtual event on July 23, featuring all-star talent including Martha Stewart, Jacques Pépin, Ayesha Curry, JJ Johnson, Stephanie Izard and Kwame Onwuachi. The two-hour event will raise funds for...
Harper’s Open Letter on Cancel Culture Gets Big Reaction
New York Times: An open letter published by Harper's magazine, signed by luminaries including Margaret Atwood and Wynton Marsalis, argued for openness to "opposing views." The reaction was swift on social media, with some heaping ridicule on the letter's signatories...
News Corp Learns from Live Events at Wall Street Journal
INMA: At the beginning of 2020, the events division was one of the fastest growing businesses at Dow Jones, poised to exceed its annual goals. And in an instant, everything changed. The Covid-19 global pandemic brought waves of disruption to the entire events...
New York Times Appoints Head of Newsroom Development
MediaPost: The New York Times has renamed its Digital Transition department to Newsroom Development and Support, promoting Charo Henriquez to head the team. In her new role, Henriquez will lead her team to deepen its collaboration with the Products teams, among other...
Bustle Digital Unveils Refresh of Flagship Lifestyle Website
MediaPost: Bustle Digital Group has redesigned Bustle, the lifestyle site aimed at young women. The redesign features a new logo and design framework "that seeks to be both elevated and approachable." The reboot coincides with Bustle's July digital issue, featuring...
Disney Finds ‘Hamilton’ is Best Weapon in Streaming Wars
Los Angeles Times: Disney did not throw away its shot with the streaming debut of "Hamilton." The filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway smash drove a surge in downloads of the streaming service Disney+ during the Fourth of July weekend, according to data...
Fox Corp’s News Channel ‘Regrets’ Cropping Trump Photo
Mediaite: Fox News apparently cropped President Trump out of a photo with Jeffrey Epstein, during the network's coverage of the arrest of Ghislane Maxwell. Fox News later said that the network "mistakenly eliminated" Trump from the photo. "We regret the...
ViacomCBS’s Book Publisher Taps Journo for Top Position
Associated Press: Dana Canedy will take on one of the biggest roles at Simon & Schuster. The publishing house announced that Canedy has been named as senior vice president and publisher of the imprint — the first African American to hold the...
AT&T’s WarnerMedia to Appoint Key Exec for Europe, Asia
World Screen: Priya Dogra has been named president of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks for EMEA and AsiaPac, replacing Giorgio Stock, who stepped down at the end of June. For the time being, Dogra will continue her responsibilities as WarnerMedia EVP of...
Microsoft Mulls Acquisition of Warner Bros Games Division
The Information: Microsoft has expressed interest in acquiring the games division of Warner Bros., the publisher behind game franchises based on Batman, Harry Potter and other characters. An acquisition of the business would help Microsoft expand the Xbox's...
Disney Teams with Kaepernick for Social Injustice Projects
Los Angeles Times: Disney is going into business with Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quarterback in exile who spearheaded the on-field protests of police brutality and racial inequality. Disney has an overall first-look deal with Kaepernick’s Los Angeles-based production...
Spotify Poised to Become ‘World-Class Disruptor’ in Media
MarketWatch: Spotify is "rapidly becoming something of a monopoly in the audio industry, according to RiskHedge trader Justin Spittler. "It's doing what Facebook did with social media ... what Amazon did with online shopping ... and what Google did with online...
ByteDance’s TikTok to Exit Hong Kong Market Within Days
Reuters: TikTok will exit the Hong Kong market within days, as other technology companies including Facebook have suspended processing government requests for user data in the region. The company is now run by former Disney executive Kevin...
Quibi Free Trials Begin to Expire as Viewer Figures Tumble
Vulture: Most Quibi subscribers have signed on with a 90-day free trial. This month, as that period expires, Quibi will learn how many of those people will stick around once they’re asked to pay. If they don’t, Quibi will be left to reckon with how it miscalculated so...
SiriusXM Eyes Deal to Buy Stitcher Podcaster from Scripps
MarketWatch: SiriusXM is near a deal to buy E.W. Scripps's Stitcher podcasting unit for around $300 million. The satellite-radio giant is working to expand into the rapidly growing podcasting industry, following similar moves by media and tech companies including...
Sinclair Plans App, Websites for Regional Sports Networks
Sportico: Sinclair Broadcast Group has turned to streaming service Deltatre to help build out the digital presence for its new stable of local sports networks. A new app and website are being built for Sinclair’s sports assets. The products will encompass 21 regional...
BBC to Debut Documentary Series About Rise of Murdochs
Express: The BBC will broadcast a special documentary series delving into Rupert Murdoch and his family. "The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty" will look at the media magnate from his humble beginnings to becoming one of the most powerful figures within the television and...
McClatchy Heading Toward New Ownership by Hedge Fund
New York Times: Bids for McClatchy were due last week. A likely outcome is that the newspaper chain will be owned by a New Jersey hedge fund, Chatham Asset Management. Under the deal, McClatchy, a publicly traded company, would go...
Hearst Ups Editor Bypassed for Top Job at Harper’s Bazaar
WWD: Joyann King, the longtime executive editorial editor of Harper's Bazaar's website, will take on the role of executive director of editorial business development for Town & Country and Elle Decor. King had been in the running to succeed Glenda Bailey as editor...
Conde Nast Posts Job Opening for Editor of Vogue Website
Conde Nast: Conde Nast has posted a job opening for the editor of Vogue.com. "The ideal candidate must demonstrate an understanding of the Vogue values of diversity, inclusion and sustainability." Stuart Emmrich announced his exit from the role last...
Forbes, Maven Among Media Getting US Coronavirus Loans
WWD: Bustle Digital, Newsweek, Ozy Media, and TheSkimm are among the companies that have received federal loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, aimed as an incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll amid the...
Crain Denies Report of Selling Flagship Publication Ad Age
MediaPost: Crain Communications has not put its flagship Ad Age up for sale, according to the trade title's publisher, in response to an online report that the 90-year-old magazine/website was on the block. The story, based on an unconfirmed tip, was "categorically...
Daily Wire Editor Steps Down at Conservative News Website
TheBlaze: Daily Wire, the conservative news and commentary site, is marking its five year anniversary with the announcement of a new editor-in-chief. Ben Shapiro, the prominent conservative commentator and co-founder of the Daily Wire, will be stepping...
Disney in Scramble for Revenue, Relevance Amid Upheaval
Washington Post: "Hamilton" has given Disney a much-needed win. But the fervor over the streaming production has concealed a complex set of challenges. With every passing day of coronavirus uncertainty and social upheaval, Disney finds itself scrambling not only for...