Vice Media to Launch on Creator Platform OnlyFans
Axios: Vice's food vertical, Munchies, is launching a verified channel on the breakout creator platform OnlyFans, a subscription site in which fans can pay creators directly for exclusive content. It's the first verified media publisher to launch on OnlyFans, which is...
ByteDance’s TikTok Goes ‘Shoppable’ with Walmart
Ad Age: Walmart will hold its first "shoppable" US livestream on TikTok in a move that gives the giant retailer — which has a pending deal to acquire a piece of the platform — a temporary edge over rivals in e-commerce integration. The "Holiday Shop-a-Long...
Disney: ESPN Anchor Tests Positive for Coronavirus
USA Today: ESPN's "SportsCenter" with Scott Van Pelt will look a little bit different during the upcoming days after the anchor revealed that he had tested positive for coronavirus. "Won't be doing shows for a bit after a positive Covid-19 test," Van Pelt tweeted....
Charter Dispute with Anchorwomen Heats Up at NY1
Daily News: A talent agent for NY1 personalities like Pat Kiernan badmouthed five anchorwomen who sued the network for gender discrimination: "Pat's the star. At any other shop in town they would have dropped those b-----s so fast it would make your head...
Tribune in Deal to Sell BestReviews for $160 Million
Chicago Tribune: Tribune Publishing and BR Holding will sell the BestReviews website to TV-station owner Nexstar Media Group for $160 million, the companies announced. Tribune bought a 60% stake in BestReviews for $66 million in February 2018, with its founder, BR...
Meredith Chief Sees Survival of Fittest in Magazines
Mr Magazine: Catherine Levene, president, Meredith National Media Group: "The magazines that matter survive, the magazines that are able to adapt to consumers' needs, that provide quality content and a different experience. And also to be able to extend those brands,...
Conde Nast Parts with Team Behind Vogue Podcast
WWD: Conde Nast Entertainment has parted ways with the team behind a Vogue podcast, with conflicting views as to what happened. The five-strong team was notified that their assignment was coming to an end after producing the first season of "In Vogue: The...
New York Times Article in Hollywood Bidding War
Hollywood Reporter: Almost 20 Hollywood companies are seeking the screen rights to the New York Times article "She Stalked Her Daughter's Killers Across Mexico, One by One," a gripping and devastating story that personalizes the kidnapping epidemic in...
Los Angeles Times Circles Janice Min for Top Editor
New York Post: Janice Min is one of three external candidates topping the list as a possible replacement for Norm Pearlstine, who has stepped down as executive editor of the Los Angeles Times. All three candidates are minorities in keeping with the paper's promises to...
Washington Post to Add 150 Newsroom Jobs in 2021
The Hill: The Washington Post plans to add more than 150 jobs to its newsroom next year, bringing its total staff to a record high of more than 1,000, the newspaper confirmed. The expansion of the Post comes as many other news outlets have struggled to keep...
Financial Times Adviser Ends in Print, Moves Online
TalkingBizNews: "FTAdviser is being expanded with even more ways of delivering in-depth news, analysis, features and comment. There are print aficionados, of course; people who for reasons of preference want to hold a physical edition in their hands. But the way in...
Axios Acquires City-News Startup in North Carolina
New York Times: Axios, which plans to expand into local markets, has agreed to buy the local news startup Charlotte Agenda for close to $5 million. Axios plans to have sites in four other cities: Tampa, Denver, Minneapolis and Des Moines. "There is an audience — and...
Google, Facebook in ‘Secret Illegal Pact’ Over Ads
Politico: Google and Facebook, the No. 1 and No. 2 players in online advertising, made a secret illegal pact in 2018 to divide up the market for ads on websites and apps, according to an antitrust suit filed Wednesday against the search giant. The two companies were...
Apple Under Fire in Newspaper Ads from Facebook
Bloomberg: Facebook lashed out at Apple in a series of full-page newspaper ads, claiming the iPhone maker's coming mobile software changes around data gathering and targeted advertising are bad for small businesses. The ads ran Wednesday in the New York Times, Wall...
Facebook Reverts to Downplaying Mainstream News
New York Times: Facebook confirmed that it has in the past few days rolled back a change that lifted news from authoritative outlets over hyperpartisan sources after November's election, signaling a return to normalcy for the social network. The change had resulted in...
Netflix Names Zimbabwean Telecom Chief to Board
Bloomberg: Netflix appointed Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa to its board, adding the company's first African director as it looks to new markets for future growth. Masiyiwa is the founder and executive chairman of Econet Global, a telecommunications company...
Disney Chief on List for Ambassador Post for Biden
Hollywood Reporter: Bob Iger might have a future in public service after all. The Disney executive chairman, who once toyed with the idea of a 2020 presidential run, is said to be at the top of President-elect Joe Biden's wish list for a key ambassador post, namely...
Fox Corp Re-Ups Laura Ingraham for News Channel
USA Today: Laura Ingraham has renewed her contract and signed a multi-year deal with Fox News to continue as the host of "The Ingraham Angle." "With so many challenges facing Americans, I am more determined than ever to deliver the incisive, pull-no-punches analysis...
AT&T-Warner Film Strategy Brings ‘Lasting Damage’
Deadline: The move by WarnerMedia to drop its 2021 film slate on HBO Max could do lasting damage to the industry, according to Bill Mechanic, an Oscars producer and former Fox entertainment chief. "Let's be clear here: It has nothing to do with the fans.It has to do...
Disney Pulls the Plug on ‘Lizzie’ Streaming Revival
Variety: The planned revival of "Lizzie McGuire" is officially dead at Disney Plus. Series star Hilary Duff made the announcement on Instagram. Production ground to a halt earlier in the year when "Lizzie McGuire" creator and revival showrunner Terri Minsky was...
Fox Corp Preps TV Game Show Built Around Pepsi
Adweek: After successfully launching shows around Shazam and Lego, Fox is teaming up with yet another brand for a new series: Wild Cherry Pepsi. Fox and Pepsi have created "Cherries Wild," a pop culture trivia game show in which contestants compete for a $250,000...
AT&T Reaches Deal to Bring New Streamer to Roku
USA Today: Just ahead of the debut of next week's "Wonder Woman 1984" on HBO Max, parent company WarnerMedia said it reached a deal to bring the streaming service's app to Roku's popular video devices. Roku devices are the favorite choice for consumers to stream net...
BBC Studios Plans Streaming Video Channel for US
World Screen: BBC Studios is set to launch a new, ad-free subscription streaming channel, BBC Select, in early 2021 on Amazon Prime Video Channels and the Apple TV app. Set for the US and Canada, BBC Select will offer a range of programs from the UK covering culture,...
Report: US Streaming Viewers Use Seven Services
World Screen: The average US streaming consumer is now using seven services to access content, up from five in April 2020, according to the NPD Group's new TV Switching Study. "Viewers are increasing the number of streaming services they use, as they seek to find...
Spotify in Deal to Stream NPR Podcasts Worldwide
Variety: Spotify entered a pact with NPR to distribute 26 podcasts outside the US. A few NPR shows that are available on Spotify US aren't part of the international-distribution pact, including most notably "Fresh Air," hosted by Terry Gross. NPR's podcast catalog is...
Twitter to Remove Misinformation on Covid Vaccines
CNBC: Twitter announced that it will moderate and in some cases remove harmful misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, which began to be administered in the US this week. Specifically, Twitter said it will take action on false claims that suggest immunizations and...
Conde Nast Raises Questions Amid Global Overhaul
Business of Fashion: Conde Nast's US-centred shift raises questions about how the publisher plans to produce relevant coverage in local markets where trends and politics shift widely. It's a challenge for the publisher; creating content that resonates more with...
Meredith Brings Back Subscriptions for Rachael Ray
MediaPost: Meredith is bringing back home delivery and an annual subscription model to Rachael Ray In Season magazine. Doug Olson, president of Meredith Magazines, said the changes are based on Rachael Ray In Season's audiences' "positive response to the newsstand...
New York Times Writer Exits After Drama with Model
New York Post: Alison Roman announced she will not return to the New York Times after taking a break from the gig following her controversial comments on Chrissy Teigen. "Feels like a good time to formally mention I won't be returning to NYT Cooking," the former...
Tribune Staffers Fear Newsrooms Won’t Ever Return
AFP: Tribune Publishing has acknowledged it is re-evaluating its real estate needs as it struggles with a difficult environment. But many journalists say the loss of the newsroom has changed the nature of their work and worry that newspapers may not re-establish...