News Corp, Bertelsmann Vie for Simon & Schuster
New York Post: Bids for Simon & Schuster are due next week, and there are reportedly three suitors still in the race: News Corp, Bertelsmann and Vivendi. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson has warned of antitrust concerns with...
Conde Nast Yanks Piece on Possible Superspreader
New York Post: Vogue abruptly pulled a piece from its website that gushed over a Martha's Vineyard destination wedding — after it was discovered that the nuptials were potentially a superspreader event on the tony...
Penske Faces Probe of Deal for Hollywood Reporter
New York Post: The Department of Justice is investigating antitrust concerns surrounding Penske Media's deal to buy The Hollywood Reporter. The DOJ is concerned that the deal would put three major Hollywood trade publications under a single...
A360 to Share Top Magazine Editors After Cutbacks
New York Post: Layoffs continue to plague the media company behind the National Enquirer, where the head of Men's Journal will be furloughed on Friday and the guy replacing him will hold two jobs at...
BuzzFeed-HuffPost CEO to Take On New York Times
Recode: The New York Times can't be called "the paper of record" anymore because of its subscription model, according to Jonah Peretti. Digiday: BuzzFeed will acquire an older audience with its acquisition of HuffPost....
Report: Media to See Job Cuts in ‘Gritty Claw-Back’
Press Gazette: Publishers are facing a post-Covid "gritty claw-back" rather than a "buoyant bounce-back" in turnover in 2021, according to the newly published Media Futures 2020 report. The picture looks "slightly better" than many feared earlier this...
Substack Hopes to Offer New Model for Journalism
Vanity Fair: Substack newsletters are growing in influence and numbers, and in many cases, they're becoming a no-brainer for marquee writers who want to make a comfortable salary — quite possibly a very comfortable one — without having a...
BuzzFeed in Deal with Verizon to Acquire HuffPost
Wall Street Journal: BuzzFeed has agreed to acquire Verizon Media's HuffPost in a stock deal, uniting two of the larger players in digital media as companies across the sector search for ways to jump-start growth. The acquisition is part of a larger...
Apple Returns ‘Peanuts’ Specials to TV After Outcry
Associated Press: Last month, Apple TV+ became the new home to the "Peanuts" holiday specials. That sparked an outcry from viewers who were accustomed to tuning in on network TV. Online petitions gathered hundreds of thousands of...
Disney in Pay Dispute with Writer Over ‘Star Wars’
CBR: Alan Dean Foster is calling out Disney for failing to pay royalties for his novelizations of motion pictures in the "Star Wars" and "Alien" franchises. The royalty payments stopped after Disney acquired Lucasfilm and Fox, according to...
AT&T’s ‘Wonder Woman’ Eyes Theaters, Streaming
Reuters: "Wonder Woman 1984" will debut simultaneously in US theaters and on HBO Max starting on Christmas Day, an unusual release plan prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. "This is unprecedented,” said WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar in a blog...
Comcast, ViacomCBS Continue to Lay Off Staffers
Broadcasting & Cable: Layoffs are continuing at Comcast's NBCUniversal and ViacomCBS, with a new group of people losing their jobs on Wednesday. For NBCU, the staff cuts were the result of a restructuring announced earlier this...
AMC Cuts About 100 Workers in Shift to Streaming
Deadline: AMC Networks is letting go 10% of its US workforce, eliminating nearly 100 positions in a reorganization designed to streamline the company's linear and streaming operations. CEO Josh Sapan announced the cuts during a virtual town hall...
Fox Corp Hit with Lawsuit Over Trump ‘Propaganda’
Law360: Attorney Michael Avenatti has hit Fox News with a $250 million libel lawsuit claiming the network acted as a "propaganda arm" of the White House, alleging it worked to eliminate him as a threat to President Trump's reelection...
News Corp: Murdoch Speaks About Son’s Board Exit
Sydney Morning Herald: Rupert Murdoch has made his first public comments about the abrupt resignation of his son James Murdoch from News Corp's board, rejecting assertions the company denies climate change or that he did not consider his son's point of...
Sinclair to Rename 21 Sports Channels After Bally’s
New York Post: Sinclair and casino operator Bally's are teaming up to bet big on sports gambling. The goal, sources said, is for viewers to eventually be able to bet on games using a Bally's online gaming tool directly from their...
Yahoo Former CEO Unveils Consumer Apps Start-Up
CNBC: Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has announced the launch of Sunshine, a consumer software start-up that is debuting with an address book app that relies on artificial intelligence. Sunshine is Mayer's first venture and return to the...
Maven Raises $24 Million to Expand Media-Tech Firm
GeekWire: Maven, the Seattle-based media company that publishes Sports Illustrated, has raised an additional $24 million to help fuel expansion and reduce its debt. Maven has a coalition of more than 250 brands, including...
Hearst’s Oprah Magazine Plans Future After Monthly
O, The Oprah Magazine: "As I look forward beyond this final monthly print edition, my intention is to continue serving up what you most need now," writes Oprah Winfrey. "Onward to the next chapter! Stay tuned to OprahMag.com for everything you need to know...
Meredith Unveils People’s 2020 Sexiest Man on ABC
Associated Press: Michael B. Jordan has been crowned as this year's Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. The actor, known for his performances in "Fruitvale Station," "Creed" and "Black Panther," was revealed as this year's winner on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel...
Conde Nast ‘Shocked’ at Rejection by Kamala Harris
OK! Magazine: Vogue magazine "has been reaching out to Kamala Harris and her team offering her the cover. But for now, it has been a 'thanks, but no thanks.' Anna Wintour is shocked." Insiders add that the rejection is about...
McClatchy Top Editor to Depart for Nonprofit in Utah
Sacramento Bee: Lauren Gustus said she is leaving her position as editor of McClatchy's West Coast publications to take a leadership role with the Salt Lake Tribune in Utah. Gustus will become executive editor of the Salt Lake City news...
Boston Globe Owner to Take Over as Chief Executive
Boston Globe: Linda Pizzuti Henry has been named CEO of Boston Globe Media Partners, taking the reins after a seven-year run as managing director during which she helped accelerate the news organization's move into digital...
Forbes Faces Lawsuit Over Story on Cryptocurrency
Talking Biz News: Binance Holdings has sued Forbes for defamation over a story last month that purported to reveal regulatory evasion tactics employed by the global cryptocurrency exchange. Binance denies a laundry list of allegations in the...
Vox Media Plans $1,000 Year-End Bonus for Staffers
@BenMullin: Vox Media employees will be receiving a $1,000 end-of-year gift "to recognize the efforts and sacrifices made this year." The gift will go to "all regular employees and temporary employees, regardless of start...
Daily Beast Media Reporter Tweets Covid Diagnosis
@maxwelltani: Max Tani: "I tested positive for Covid last week. Feeling pretty okay, zero idea where I got it, thought I'd generally been pretty cautious. This may not be surprising to hear, but Covid is very much out there, please be...
Facebook, Twitter: ‘Far More Power Than Old Media’
Reuters: Republican senators attacked the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter for what they called censorship of President Trump and his allies during the US election while Democrats bemoaned the spread of misinformation on social...
Google to Target Music with Audio Ads on YouTube
AdExchanger: YouTube has launched audio ads in beta to help monetize the moments when people are listening to music but not actively looking at their screen. The 15-second ads are available to all advertisers globally. "We know being associated with this content...
Disney Forecast to Become Global Streaming Giant
World Screen: Disney+ will add 112 million subscribers in the next five years to reach 194 million customers by 2025, according to Digital TV Research. Netflix will remain the biggest with 274.1 million customers — adding 73...
AT&T Names WarnerMedia Exec as Financial Officer
Bloomberg: AT&T CFO John Stephens will retire in March after nearly a decade as the company's top accountant, with WarnerMedia finance chief Pascal Desroches stepping in as his replacement. Reuters: Elliott Management has exited in stake in...