AT&T’s Warner Bros Film Strategy on Slate at CES
CNET: Next week's all-digital CES 2021 may give some clues to show just how much "Wonder Woman 1984" -- and the audacious plan by Warner Bros to release all of its new movies straight to streaming on HBO Max this year -- may change the norms of Hollywood. CES will...
CAA Names New President, CFO in Exec Shuffling
Deadline: CAA has elevated its chief financial officer, James Burtson, to president, and brought in former PwC executive Carol Sawdye as CFO. One of the company's three co-chairmen, Richard Lovett, previously held the title of president. He and fellow co-chairs Kevin...
Disney, Discovery Expats Prep Streaming Product
Wall Street Journal: Struum, a streaming service co-founded by former Discovery and Disney executives, won't offer its own slate of original programming when it launches this spring. Instead, it will aim to give customers à-la-carte access to all content from hundreds...
AT&T’s CNN Reports Most-Watched Day in History
TheHill: CNN had its most-watched day in the network's history on Wednesday, with more than 5 million viewers tuning in to coverage of the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol. About 5.221 million total viewers watched the network's reporting Wednesday,...
ViacomCBS Publishing Unit Drops Book by Hawley
Bloomberg: Simon & Schuster canceled plans to publish a new book by Senator Josh Hawley, citing his connection to an effort to overturn the election of President-elect Joe Biden that turned violent when supporters overran the US Capitol. The publisher, currently...
Fox Corp’s Murdoch in Twilight as ‘Trump Enabler’
Deadline: "The Rupert Murdoch era is history. As the media lord nears 90, his ominous hold on the politics and pop culture of three nations is lifting as well." Washington Post: "Fox News radicalized a nation and spawned more extreme successors such as Newsmax and One...
News Corp Shifts on Trump in Push from Murdoch
Vanity Fair: New York Post editorials have changed their tone on President Trump. "That's gotta come from Rupert. Nobody else would make that call." New York Times: The Wall Street Journal's editorial board has urged President Trump to resign: "It is best for...
New York Times Staffer Attacked by Mob in Capitol
New York Times: Erin Schaff, staff photographer, New York Times: "They threw me to the floor, trying to take my cameras. I started screaming for help as loudly as I could. No one came. People just watched. At this point, I thought I could be killed and no one would...
iHeartMedia Top Radio Host OKs Political Violence
Mediaite: Rush Limbaugh cited the American Revolution and its leaders to rebuke those "calling for the end of violence" following the violent attack on the US Capitol. The radio host went after liberals who protested this summer, claiming they were anarchists using...
Oprah is Singled Out in Trump’s Bashing of Media
Mercury News: "Oprah used to be a friend of mine," President Trump told his supporters at a Washington, DC rally just hours before his followers stormed the US Capitol. "I was on her last show, her last week. Once I ran for president, I didn't notice there weren't too...
Shopify Removes E-Commerce Sites Tied to Trump
Reuters: Canada's Shopify took down stores affiliated with President Trump from its e-commerce platform, a day after hundreds of his supporters stormed the US Capitol. Shopify said the recent events determined that Trump's actions violated its policy, which prohibits...
Meredith Goes ‘Badass’ with Magazine E-Commerce
WWD: InStyle Magazine is beginning the new year by delving deeper into retail. After several launches last year, the Meredith-owned title is continuing to collaborate with brands under its Badass franchise — this time with Los Angeles-based denim label Mother. On...
Conde Nast Veteran Resurfaces as Footwear Model
New York Post: From Vogue editor to model: André Leon Talley stars in Ugg‘s new campaign, posing in the brand's signature slippers ($100) and boots ($130) on the porch of his house in White Plains, New York. In one photo, the 72-year-old style star even gets a haircut...
Hearst Launches Instant Digital Magazines in Britain
WNIP: Hearst UK has started offering customers instant digital access to current issues for all new print subscribers across its brands. The initiative has been launched in partnership with eMagazines, the tech platform that offers digital distribution and...
Bustle Digital Hires Bank Seeking Deal to Go Public
Reuters: Bustle Digital Group, the US media platform whose publications include W and Bustle, is said to be exploring a potential merger with blank-check acquisition companies which would take it public. The company is aiming for a valuation of at least $600...
Report: Media Industry Job Cuts Top 30,000 in 2020
New York Post: The media industry was racked by a record 30,711 job cuts in 2020 — a stunning increase of 201 percent from the year earlier when 10,201 jobs were lost. The figures, from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, included data from the news...
Survey: Media Bosses Confident About Year Ahead
Press Gazette: Three-quarters of top media bosses worldwide are confident about their company's prospects for 2021, according to a media trends survey from the Reuters Institute at Oxford University. Most said they are focusing on reader revenue...
Apple CEO Speaks on ‘Shameful Chapter’ in History
CNBC: Tim Cook said that the United States must complete the transition to a Biden administration, and that rioters who participated in an "insurrection" in Washington DC must be held responsible. "Today marks a sad and shameful chapter in our nation's history. Those...
Google CEO Condemns Violence in Washington DC
CNBC: Sundar Pichai said that Google "strongly" condemns the riots that broke out across Washington DC. "Holding free and safe elections and resolving our differences peacefully are foundational to the functioning of democracy. The lawlessness and violence occurring...
Facebook, Twitter, Snap Lock Up Trump’s Accounts
ABC Australia: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat have temporarily locked the accounts of President Trump, as tech giants scramble to crack down on his baseless claims about the presidential election amid riots in the US Capitol. Twitter warned it would...
Fox Corp, Murdochs Under Fire for US Capitol Riots
BGrueskin: "You own this, GOP. WSJ edit page. Fox News. Rupert and Lachlan. This is the logical conclusion of everything you have tolerated, encouraged and enabled for 5 years." USA Today: Tucker Carlson on Fox News sought to stir fear and anger in those who believe...
Disney Streaming Exec to Depart in Latest Shakeup
Los Angeles Times: Ricky Strauss, a top Disney executive who oversaw programming for streaming services, is leaving the company after nine years. Strauss, who has been with Disney since January 2012, most recently was head of programming and content curation for the...
ViacomCBS Struggles in TV Transition to Streaming
Digiday: Affiliate revenue from pay-TV providers binds ViacomCBS to its linear TV business and potentially compromises its streaming business's development. "One of the issues with ViacomCBS is they've got more channels than anyone else. There's resistance internally...
Discovery Invests in British TV-Digital News Startup
Reuters: GB News, a new British 24-hour TV and digital news service, has secured millions of dollars from investors such as Discovery, Legatum and hedge fund manager Paul Marshall to challenge the status quo in UK media. GB News will start hiring immediately for 140...
Comcast Names Cable Veteran Exec as CEO of Sky
World Screen: Jeremy Darroch has decided to step down as group CEO of Sky after 13 years leading the company, with Dana Strong tapped as his successor. Strong most recently served as president of consumer services for Comcast Cable, the largest broadband and TV...
BBC to Tap Goldman Sachs Alum for New Chairman
BBC News: Former Goldman Sachs banker Richard Sharp is set to be named the BBC's next chairman. Sharp spent 23 years working for the banking giant. His new role will see him lead negotiations with the government over the future of the license fee. The license fee is...
Sony TV Begins Race to Find New Host of ‘Jeopardy’
Los Angeles Times: Sony Pictures Television has embarked on a formal search to find a successor to Alex Trebek as host of "Jeopardy." Sony is not only hiring a host but the face of a beloved pop-culture franchise. "The host of 'Jeopardy' is one of the leading...
Reuters to Kick Off Search for a New Editor in Chief
Reuters: Stephen J. Adler, editor-in-chief of Reuters for the past decade, said he plans to retire from the international news provider on April 1. A search for his successor will begin over the next few days, Reuters president Michael Friedenberg said in a memo to...
Meredith Sells Travel + Leisure in $100 Million Deal
New York Post: Wyndham Destinations, an Orlando, Fla.-based timeshare resort company, has acquired Travel + Leisure from Meredith in a $100 million deal. The resort company owns 230 timeshare resorts and runs 18 travel clubs. Meredith will continue to operate the...
Penske’s Sportico in Content Deal with Bloomberg
Talking Biz News: Sports business news site Sportico has struck a deal with Bloomberg News to provide its content to the financial news service's readers. Sportico was launched in 2020 by Penske Media and is led by former Bloomberg News sports business reporter Scott...