Reddit CEO Warns of ‘Parasitic Spyware’ in Popular TikTok
TechCrunch: TikTok is one of the hottest social media platforms, but the CEO of Reddit had some harsh words for the popular app, calling it "parasitic." Steve Huffman pushed back hard on the notion that startups had something to learn from the...
Fox TV’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Results in FCC Gripes
WFAA: "Extreme booty shaking," "pole dancing" and "S&M outfits." That's how fans described this year's Super Bowl LIV halftime show featuring performances by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, according to 1,300 complaints filed with U.S....
ViacomCBS Gets Bashed Over Unruly Democratic Debate
Associated Press: CBS News faced an ill-timed blow to its reputation following a bruising Democratic presidential debate that its moderators struggled to keep from spiraling out of control, although it could take some comfort in the...
Disney’s ABC News Suspends Reporter After Video Sting
Associated Press: ABC News has suspended political reporter David Wright after he was recorded in a barroom conversation calling President Trump a "nightmare spouse that you can’t win an argument with." Wright also used a common...
Hearst Tells Editors to Work at Home After Foreign Travel
Daily Front Row: Hearst is taking steps to sequester potentially coronavirus-infected staff by enacting new policies that require anyone who has traveled to Italy in the last 30 days to work from home for at least 14 days after returning to the...
Conde Nast Former Magazine Editor Sells New York Home
New York Post: Lucy Danziger, the former editor-in-chief of Self magazine, and her husband James Danziger have just sold their Upper East Side apartment for $2.62 million. It originally asked $2.69 million in 2018. Danziger left Self magazine in...
News Corp Turns to Longtime Lieutenant for Push in Audio
Nieman Lab: Over the past five years, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. has been quietly building a major position in the U.K. radio scene. This effort has been led by Rebekah Brooks, CEO of the London-based subsidiary News UK — part of her...
New York Times Faces Trump Lawsuit via Gawker Lawyer
Vice News: President Trump’s campaign is taking another shot at the New York Times — with a libel lawsuit filed by the same lawyer who sued Gawker Media into oblivion. The campaign is accusing the Times of publishing false information in an...
Hearst’s Exiting Harper’s Bazaar Editor Talks Cancer Scare
WWD: Glenda Bailey saw an opportunity in a health scare to write a new chapter for herself after 32 years being an editor in chief, divulging with some emotion that she had hidden from the world two bouts with breast cancer in recent...
Vox Media Unveils Eater in Phoenix, Expands to Carolinas
MediaPost: Eater has launched Eater Phoenix and is expanding its Eater Charleston edition into Eater Carolinas. The publication now has sites dedicated to 25 markets. Eater Phoenix is the first new site since...
Minute Media Eyes Acquisitions After Raising $40 Million
TechCrunch: Minute Media is announcing a $40 million round to continue its growth — specifically to continue investing in its publishing platform; to invest in properties that it already owns; and to make more...
Disney Disrupts Streaming Strategy with Choice for CEO
CNBC: Disney's Wall Street narrative the past two or three years has been very straightforward: we're leaning into streaming video. Value us like Netflix. And the strategy has worked. That's why the announcement that theme-parks head Bob Chapek is taking over as CEO...
Google Alum is Named to Oversee Disney Streamer Hulu
Los Angeles Times: Disney continued to retool Hulu's management on Tuesday, promoting Kelly Campbell to president of the streaming service. For nearly three years, Campbell has served as chief marketing officer of the company. Now, the former Google executive will...
Comcast to Acquire Free Streaming Video Service Xumo
Philadelphia Inquirer: Comcast said Tuesday that it has acquired Xumo, a free, ad-supported streaming service previously owned by Panasonic and Meredith. Xumo, based in Irvine, Calif., offers live and on-demand news, sports, and entertainment from 190 channels. The...
ViacomCBS Seeks New Nickelodeon Stars from YouTube
Forbes: Brian Robbins, who was tapped to become Nickelodeon's president 18 months ago, is doubling down on social media-led programming with a goal of making the cable network "home to the biggest and buzziest franchises in kids' lives." Adds Robbins: "I'm very open...
Univision Challenges Loom Amid Sale to Investor Group
Los Angeles Times: The finale of the months-long auction for the nation’s largest Spanish-language media company came early Tuesday when former Viacom executive Wade Davis and private equity firm Searchlight Capital Partners announced that they were teaming up to...
Discovery’s OWN Readies ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’ Podcast
People: Fans of Oprah Winfrey will soon be able to listen to their favorite episodes of her iconic talk show thanks to OWN's "The Oprah Winfrey Show The Podcast." Launching on March 3, the network will release 25 years of episodes from the talk show hosted by the...
Playboy Restructures to Create, Invest in Lifestyle Brands
MediaPost: In a restructuring that will see its brands umbrella themselves under new consumer categories, Playboy Enterprises is restructuring under a parent company called PEI Holdings. The new categories include sexual wellness, apparel and accessories, home and...
Thomson Reuters Names Nielsen President as New CEO
Reuters: Thomson Reuters said on Tuesday it had appointed former Nielsen president Steve Hasker as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Jim Smith. Hasker, 50, most recently a top executive at Hollywood talent agency CAA and a senior adviser to TPG Capital,...
Bloomberg LP Plans Training to Prevent Sex Harassment
CNBC: After Mike Bloomberg took a beating in his first appearance on a Democratic debate stage for alleged harassment and non-disclosure agreements at Bloomberg LP, the company he founded is ramping up its sexual harassment training. The program comes on top of...
McClatchy’s Miami Herald to Benefit from $2.5 Million Gift
Miami Herald: The Miami couple behind the Esserman automotive dealerships has established the Esserman Family Fund for Investigative Journalism at the Miami Foundation. The Esserman gift, combined with largess from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will...
Gannett Journalists in Southwest Florida Seek to Unionize
WGCU: Journalists at local Gannett-owned newspapers have filed notice with the National Labor Relations Board that they want to vote on unionizing. The new bargaining unit is called the Southwest Florida News Guild and is under the umbrella of the News Guild...
News Corp Admits to Underpaying Staffers by $1.5 Million
Mumbrella: News Corp Australia underpaid the superannuation of current and former staff by approximately $1.5 million as a result of payroll system errors. "News Corp sincerely apologizes to those affected and will be writing to them this week advising that we will...
Hearst Heiress at Marie Claire Buys Hollywood Hills Home
Los Angeles Times: Amanda Hearst, a great-granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, and her husband, filmmaker Joachim Rønning, have purchased the Wolff House in Hollywood Hills West for $5.9 million. The heiress is an editor at Marie Claire, a...
Conde Nast Ad Network to Take On Cable-TV Home Shows
Folio: Conde Nast is throwing down the gauntlet to cable TV and "dated DIY and renovation formats" of its popular programs, the company said ahead of an event celebrating the launch of Home/Made, its new network of home-focused content pulled from across many of its...
Meredith Hires Apple Expat to Help Entertainment Weekly
MediaPost: Entertainment Weekly has tapped Mike Fisher as its vice president and publisher. Fisher, who directed sales and marketing development at EW earlier in his career, joins the brand from Apple, where he's led marketing initiatives as head of publisher...
Dennis Publishing Plans March Debut of The Week Junior
New York Post: The Week Junior, a kids news publication, will be the first weekly magazine to launch in the United States in seven years when it debuts March 20. "The magazine has one simple goal: to help make sense of the world for young people through intelligent...
TheSkimm Top Execs Depart Amid Search for New Growth
Business Insider: TheSkimm, a media company aimed at millennial women, has lost two executives who were key to its next phase of growth. Matt Boggie just left as chief technology officer after a year. His departure comes after that of Dheerja Kaur, who left recently...
Media Star Asks Industry Pros to Support Their ‘Addiction’
Media Star is read daily by top media professionals across New York, Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Some readers even say they’re "addicted." Does Media Star help with your fix? Then please help Media Star with your one-time or monthly contribution. Thank...
Disney’s Iger to Step Down as CEO; Parks Chief Succeeds
ABC News: Bob Iger, the longtime leader of Disney, is stepping down as CEO effective immediately, the company announced Tuesday. Iger will stay on as executive chairman in charge of "creative endeavors" until his contract ends on Dec. 31, 2021. Theme-parks chief Bob...