Report: Covid Speeds Up Shift to Hybrid Newsrooms
WNIP: Newsrooms appear to be keen on continuing with at least some combination of the new ways. "An accelerated shift to hybrid newsrooms – with some staff in the office, some working from home, and some on the go – is likely to be a lasting legacy of the coronavirus...
Apple Develops Own Search Engine to Rival Google
Financial Times: Apple is stepping up efforts to develop its own search technology as US antitrust authorities threaten multibillion-dollar payments that Google makes to secure prime placement of its engine on the iPhone. The move adds to growing evidence that it is...
Alphabet, Facebook, Twitter CEOs Snub Bias Claims
Associated Press: Under fire from President Trump and his allies, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google rebuffed accusations of anti-conservative bias at a Senate hearing and promised to aggressively defend their platforms from being used to sow chaos in next...
Google Staffer Revealed as Anti-Trump ‘Anonymous’
The Information: The anonymous senior Trump official behind the 2018 New York Times op-ed and subsequent expose criticizing the president is Miles Taylor, who joined Google as its head of national security relations in 2019. On Wednesday, Taylor revealed his...
Disney Streamer to Let Users Share on Social Media
Variety: Better late than never: Disney Plus just added the ability for subscribers to share links to specific titles — like its hit series "The Mandalorian" — with friends and family members on social media and via messaging...
ViacomCBS Appoints New Operating Chief for CBS
Hollywood Reporter: ViacomCBS has named Bryon Rubin COO of the CBS Entertainment Group, the company's operating division that includes the CBS network, CBS Studios, the CBS Television Stations and CBS Television Distribution. Rubin is currently CFO of the...
Fox Corp to Use New Wagering Tech on US Election
Variety: Fox Bet users could guess a likely outcome in the first thing President Trump will mention in a tweet on Election Day. Such games can keep fans engaged because they have the chance to win money based on the accuracy of their...
News Corp Bashes Twitter’s Block of New York Post
New York Post: "Twitter is still demanding the Post delete six posts linking to our reporting before restoring our account — even though any user can now freely share those stories. There’s no rhyme or reason to this, just vindictive partisanship from outlets that...
Oprah Winfrey’s Voting Talk on Zoom Attracts Biden
Deadline: Joe Biden made a surprise appearance on Oprah Winfrey's Zoom conversations aimed at empowering Black women to vote. "I want to know what is sitting well with your soul right now? What is strengthening you?" Winfrey asked...
Allen Media to Acquire Two TV Networks from MGM
Deadline: Byron Allen's Allen Media Group has acquired MGM's over-the-air broadcast television networks This TV and Light TV. The price wasn’t disclosed. The networks, a mix of MGM’s film and television content, are available through over-the-air, cable and online for...
DAZN Sports Streamer Reactivates Global Expansion
Deadline: Sports streaming service DAZN is expanding to 200 countries and territories on Dec. 1. Launched in 2016 and backed by billionaire Len Blavatnik, DAZN has thus far reached the US, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Italy and...
Pinterest Reports Growth Fueled by Global Audience
CNBC: Pinterest's strong user growth was fueled by the adoption of international users. Advertiser demand was broad during the third quarter as businesses have adopted to the post-Covid environment. Also, Pinterest saw an increase in spending from advertisers that...
Spotify Defends Joe Rogan Podcast with Conspiracy
BuzzFeed News: In public, Spotify is staying quiet about an appearance by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on its flagship podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," despite banning Jones's own podcast last year. But in an internal email from a top executive, the company...
New York Times Tries Immersive Effort on Snapchat
Mobile Marketer: The New York Times created its first augmented reality lens on Snapchat to give users an immersive view of news topics as Election Day nears. The newspaper's lens shows a 360-degree view of topics such as climate change, health care, equality,...
Meredith Enjoys Early Success with People TV Show
Deadline: Sony Pictures Television has partnered with Meredith for the nationwide distribution of the new daily half-hour newsmagazine program inspired by the People brand, which features a combination of celebrity, entertainment and human-interest...
Conde Nast Covers AOC as ‘Influencer’ at Vanity Fair
Showbiz411: Vanity Fair doubles down on diversity this month with Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, the Bronx congresswoman and lightning rod across the country. AOC is also an influencer: "Sharing her go-to red gloss — Stila’s Stay All Day Liquid in Beso — translated to a...
G/O Media Expats Nab $2 Million Revenue in Month
Business Insider: The sports blog Defector Media launched in September and has already generated more than $2 million in subscription revenue. So far, Defector has accrued 30,000 paying subscribers since its launch last...
Report: Covid Crisis Puts US Journalist Jobs at Risk
Press Gazette: Local newspaper newsroom employees in the US could “all but vanish in the next few years” if the rate of layoffs forced by the Covid-19 crisis so far continues, according to a Senate report. The pandemic has made an “already difficult situation nearly...
Survey: New York a Top Journalism Hub in Covid Era
Talking Biz News: A survey conducted by Prosek Partners, a leading independent public relations, financial communications and marketing firm, showed that New York City and London will remain core journalism centers in the post-pandemic...
Alphabet, Facebook, Twitter CEOs Set for US Hearing
CNBC: The CEOs of Facebook, Google and Twitter released prepared remarks that warn against repealing Section 230, the statute that protects social networks from liability for user posts. The remarks were released ahead of Wednesday's hearing with the Senate Commerce...
Facebook, Google in US Crosshairs Over Newspapers
Wall Street Journal: Some Senate Democrats are seeking to enable regulators to protect local news outlets, accusing tech giants of "unfair business practices," according to a new report by members of a key committee that will hear from the top industry executives this...
Amazon CEO Rumored to Pursue Acquisition of CNN
Fox Business: The investment banking world has begun buzzing that Jeff Bezos is sniffing around on a potential purchase of one of AT&T's most valued assets, CNN. A person close to Bezos says as of now there is no real interest. "There has been zero talk on...
Apple Nabs Jon Stewart to Host New Streaming Show
Bloomberg: Jon Stewart, the longtime star of "The Daily Show," has embarked on a new streaming career with a deal to host a current-affairs program on Apple's TV+ service. The multiyear accord comes with a first-look agreement for other potential Stewart content on...
Netflix Restructures, Lay Offs Employees in Global TV
Deadline: Bela Bajaria, Netflix's newly appointed head of global TV, has reorganized the streamer's US. TV operation with an increased focus on tentpole shows and getting the most from mega overall deals. The realignment also enhances the portfolios of some executives...
Disney Kicks Off Construction for New Headquarters
New York Yimby: Excavation has progressed for Disney's 1.2 million-square-foot headquarters at 137 Varick Street in lower Manhattan. Alternately addressed as Four Hudson Square, the site will give rise to a 22-story, 320-foot-tall building. Disney purchased the...
Discovery CEO Restores Mansion of Famed Producer
New York Post: Robert Evans's recently landmarked Beverly Hills estate has been undergoing a top-to-bottom restoration under new owner David Zaslav. The Discovery CEO plans to rebuild the famed pool house screening room that burned down over a decade...
Fox Corp’s News Channel Wins US Election Ad Spend
Ad Age: At the national TV level, no network has done better than Fox News when it comes to sopping up revenue from campaign ads. It’s perhaps no surprise the Trump campaign spent the most — $19.5 million — on placing ads on Fox News during the post-primary...
ViacomCBS Says Nickelodeon Poll Swamped by Bots
Hollywood Reporter: The ugliness of real world politics has trickled down to an informal presidential poll of kids sponsored by Nickelodeon. The ViacomCBS cable network says the online poll, part of its "Kids Pick the President" special that aired Tuesday night, was...
Disney Sees Top ESPN Digital Exec Jump to BetMGM
Sports Business Daily: BetMGM hired Ryan Spoon, SVP of social and digital content at ESPN, to be chief operating officer, a role which will see him report to CEO Adam Greenblatt. Spoon, who starts Nov. 16, will be tasked with growing BetMGM’s social and digital...
Fox Corp’s ‘Tucker Carlson’ Hits a Ratings Milestone
Deadline: Fox News says that "Tucker Carlson Tonight" averaged 5.36 million viewers in October. The network says that show’s monthly average viewership was the highest for any program in cable news history. The show also had just over 1 million viewers in the adults...