BBC Chair Samir Shah plans to call on the UK government to "regulate for growth" and say that "the fight is on" to protect programming by UK broadcasters (Daniel Thomas/Financial Times)

Mediagazer: BBC Chair Samir Shah plans to call on the UK government to “regulate for growth” and say that “the fight is on” to protect programming by UK broadcasters (Daniel Thomas/Financial Times)

Top News:

New York Times:

The NYT reports Q3 digital subscribers hit 260K, for 11.9M in total, digital ad revenue rose 8.8% YoY to $81.6M, and The Athletic turned its first profit— The Times reported steady growth in digital subscriptions in the third quarter and a profit for The Athletic for the first time since it acquired the sports site in 2022.
Discussion: Reuters, @tvgrimreaper, @benjstrauss, @benmullin and CNBC

Discussion:

Harshita Mary Varghese /
Reuters: New York Times adds fewer digital subscribers as spending tightens @tvgrimreaper: The NYT & WSJ are effectively the only “for profit” newspapers in the US. All the rest are “non-profits”. Whether by design or not.

Ben Strauss /
@benjstrauss: “The Athletic, the sports news website that The Times bought in 2022 for $550 million, made a quarterly profit for the first time since the purchase.” https://www.nytimes.com/...

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: The @nytimes just added another 260,000 paid digital subs, @katie_robertson reports. And @TheAthletic turned in its first profitable quarter: https://www.nytimes.com/...

RELATED:
The New York Times Company:

The NYT reports Q3 revenue up 7% YoY to $640.2M, subscription revenue up 14.2% YoY to $322.2M, and operating profit up 20.7% YoY to $76.7M— NEW YORK, November 4, 2024 - The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) announced today third- quarter 2024 results. Key Highlights

Discussion:
Bloomberg and @aulia@mementomori.social

Semafor:

At an internal meeting, NYT editors shared what they thought of internal and external feedback, “explicit threats from Trump about us in the media”, and more— The Scoop — With the 2024 presidential election a few weeks away, one question was top of mind for staff at The New York Times …

Discussion:

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: For last night's @semafor media newsletter, I wrote about a recent New York Times newsroom meeting in which the paper's leadership addressed criticism of its coverage of Trump and Biden https://www.semafor.com/...

Reed Galen /
@reedgalen: They can go jump in a lake.

Clara Jeffery /
@clarajeffery: The internal debate over whether/when/why NYT has gotten more direct in spelling out danger of Trump (which yes it has) is fascinating. But the last paragraph, where masthead talks of what another term would mean for journalism...that's the one to clock [image]

Jamesetta Williams /
@jalexa1218: Great reporting by @maxwelltani but difficutl to read. In fact, most of the criticism from the left is actually good faith commentary by smart readers. Coverage of Biden vs Trump's age is the perfect ex of undeniable double standards. It's frustrating that Kahn refuses to see it.

Josh Schwerin /
@joshschwerin: When the NYT eliminated the public editor role they said it was because people on social media would serve as watchdogs. Now the NYT harshly dismisses social media criticism. Zero accountability. [image]

David Roberts /
@drvolts: Kahn seems bound & determined not to understand the critique. Incredibly frustrating.

Elie Mystal /
@elienyc: My key takeaway from this is that Kahn and the NYT DGAF and as long as they have 10,000,000 subscribers, they never will. Remember this next time tells you that cancelling “only hurts” the journalists, because right here Kahn is saying: we have 10M so everyone else is wrong. @emptywheel: .@maxwelltani claims @DougJBalloon “attempts to parody Times story conceits and headlines with questionable success.” https://www.semafor.com/... [image]

Dan Gillmor /
@dangillmor@mastodon.social: Semafor should post the full audio of the NY Times internal meeting (adjusting volumes so that the Times can't figure out via triangulation who was holding the recorder). The story reporting on the event is grossly insufficient especially given Semafor's right-wing leanings... https://www.semafor.com/...

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: In a frank internal meeting, The New York Times wrestled with its political role - ⁦@maxwelltani⁩ https://www.semafor.com/...

Peter Sterne /
@petersterne: Semafor's @maxwelltani reports on an internal NYT meeting, in which the paper's leaders dismiss liberal criticism, double down on the “Screams Without Words” article and argue that younger journalists lack appreciation for independent journalism. https://www.semafor.com/...

Rick Perlstein /
@rickperlstein: “the paper's leaders...dismissed those outside critics as politically-motivated actors hoping to push the Times to the left.” So fucking insulting to be dismissed as a partsan for trying to push the Times to...accurately representing reality. https://www.semafor.com/...

Caleb Howe /
Mediaite: ‘Defiant’ NYT Leadership Accused of ‘Sanewashing’ Trump in 90-Minute Internal Meeting, Semafor Reports

RELATED:
Washington Post:

Pointing at media personnel during a rally, Trump says “someone would have to shoot through the fake news” to hit the bulletproof glass and “I don't mind that”— Trump's latest comments were an escalation of violent language he and his supporters have used in recent days.

Discussion:
Poynter, Deadline, Metro.co.uk, @coachfinstock.bsky.social, The Times of Israel, Raw Story, @jpjassy.bsky.social, @alaynatreene, @faineg.bsky.social, @digiphile@threads.net, @coachfinstock.bsky.social, @annmlipton.bsky.social, @ronaldfilipkowski@threads.net, @rachelbitecofer, UPI, @kolchak@threads.net, @alaynatreene, Forbes, Axios, Daily Mail, RedState, CBS News, @noahshachtman@threads.net, @cdarwin@c.im, Politico, @crampell, Alabama Reflector, New York Post, Reuters, Must Read Alaska, Rolling Stone, Salon, HuffPost, Fox News, The Independent, The Gateway Pundit, Townhall and ZeroHedge News

Discussion:

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Donald Trump Says He Doesn't Mind If Someone Were To “Shoot Through The Fake News”

Tom Sanders /
Metro.co.uk: Trump says he ‘should have never left the White House’ in long, rambling speech @coachfinstock.bsky.social: Reporters are literally being told it's OK if someone shoots you and the NYT can't even take it seriously. It is not a joke. You really want your reporters find out if it is? You are outside your damn mind and a danger to your own employees. [embedded post] The Times of Israel: Trump says he 'shouldn't have left' White House, wouldn't mind if reporters are shot

Tom Boggioni /
Raw Story: ‘His brain is deteriorating’: Trump attacked after encouraging shooters at Sunday rally @jpjassy.bsky.social: That is not Trump going “off-message.” His abhorrent threats against reporters, and the foundations of a free press in a free country, have been part of his message for years. [embedded post]

Alayna Treene /
@alaynatreene: Trump in PA says he wouldn't mind if somebody were to “shoot through the fake news” if they were trying “to get to me” “But all we have really over here is the fake news, right. And to get me somebody would have to shoot through the fake news and I don't mind that so much”

Faine Greenwood /
@faineg.bsky.social: Journalists are sadly murdered for doing their jobs on a regular basis globally, and I really wish more American reporters could wrap their brains around “it absolutely could happen here, Donald Trump specifically wants to kill people like you, and ass-kissing won't guarantee you're safe.” [embedded post]

Alex Howard /
@digiphile@threads.net: Trump said he “wouldn't mind” if an assassin had to shoot through the Americans covering his campaign in the press corps: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... A President should always “mind” if Americans are murdered, no matter our race, religion, sex, party, profession. This is disqualifying hatred.

@coachfinstock.bsky.social:
Trump: let's shoot some journalists — JD Vance: lol nah he's kidding [embedded post]

Ann M. Lipton /
@annmlipton.bsky.social: it was the ap headline. but i do feel like i've seen more news headlines highlighting specific wild stuff trump (and rfk jr) have been saying, than I have in the past. — I feel like, for a while, the assumption was - it's baked in, so this stuff wasn't emphasized. Then the MSG rally broke through. …

Ron Filipkowski /
@ronaldfilipkowski@threads.net: Why is Drudge covering this election more accurately than legacy media?

Rachel Bitecofer /
@rachelbitecofer: Trump's closing message: Wouldn't it be great if we could shoot journalists?!

Ryan Anderson /
@kolchak@threads.net: Trump telling supporters, many of whom are deeply unhinged, that he wouldn't mind if someone murdered journalists should be deeply concerning. They can read between the lines.

Alayna Treene /
@alaynatreene: This comes after Trump & his team spent Friday defending his violent comments about Liz Cheney — something they don't want to be doing just days before the election “Let's put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK?” Trump said of Cheney Thurs

Katelyn Caralle /
Daily Mail: Donald Trump jokes assassins would have to ‘shoot through the fake news’ to kill him and launches blistering presidential election attack

Bob Hoge /
RedState: Yet Another Faux Controversy As Lamestream Media Tries to Twist Trump's Words About ‘Fake News’

Noah Shachtman /
@noahshachtman@threads.net: Quite the headline out of Philly.

Chuck Darwin /
@cdarwin@c.im: Trump says he doesn't mind someone shooting at journalists at rally — Donald Trump told a crowd on Sunday that he wouldn't mind if someone shot at the news media present at his rally here, — escalating his violent rhetoric at one of his closing campaign events where he repeatedly veered off-message. …

Catherine Rampell /
@crampell: Trump says he doesn't mind someone shooting at journalists at rally https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Kim Lyons /
Alabama Reflector: Trump rants about polls, says 'I don't mind' if someone shoots ‘through the fake news’ at rally

Ryan King /
New York Post: Trump riffs at rally that a sniper would have to ‘shoot through the fake news’ to get to him

Steve Holland /
Reuters: Trump says he wouldn't mind if someone shot through ‘the fake news’ to get him

Suzanne Downing /
Must Read Alaska: Mainstream media goes ballistic over Trump remarks

Alex Galbraith /
Salon: “Something's very wrong there”: Pelosi says Trump's brain is “deteriorating”

Lucy Leeson /
The Independent: Trump boasts sniper would have to ‘shoot through the fake news’ to get to him

Cristina Laila /
The Gateway Pundit: ANOTHER HOAX: Kamala's Camp and Fake News Claim Trump Wants Liz Cheney Executed by Firing Squad - Here's What Trump Really Said (VIDEO)

Leah Barkoukis /
Townhall: Trump Campaign Responds to 'Fake News Media's Latest Hoax'

New York Times:

The Times Tech Guild, representing NYT developers, data analysts, and more, goes on strike ahead of the US election; management offered a 2.5% annual wage rise— The Times Tech Guild represents more than 600 software developers and others who run the back-end systems behind The Times's digital operation.

Discussion:
Washington Post, Mediaite, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, NewsGuild of New York, @lmoses, @sauthoff.bsky.social, @hamiltonnolan, @davidfolkenflik, Semafor, @nytimesguild, @nytguildtech, @anastasiakeeley, @nytguildtech, @amandahess, @NYTGuildTech@union.place, @teroterotero, @brianstelter, @jeffgreco.com, Mother Jones, New York Post and The Nation

Discussion:

Laura Wagner /
Washington Post: New York Times Tech Guild goes on strike

David Gilmour /
Mediaite: NY Times Tech Guild Goes On Strike One Day Before Election

Alexandra Bruell /
Wall Street Journal: Threat of New York Times Tech Worker Strike on Election Day Grows

Lucia Moses /
@lmoses: I see a potential referendum here on the popularity of games vs news at @nytimes [image]

Patricia Sauthoff /
@sauthoff.bsky.social: Today's crossword puzzle shall go unfinished. [embedded post]

Hamilton Nolan /
@hamiltonnolan: Hopefully these workers get their long overdue contract today but it must be said that if the NYT forces its tech workers to strike ON ELECTION DAY it will be the funniest management fuckup in media union history.

Hamilton Nolan /
@hamiltonnolan: NO WORDLE TODAY respect the picket line

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: NYT tech guild announces it walks off the job - their members help power a lot of the digital elements readers turn to daily... and especially on big moments like Election Night [image]

Mathias Hammer /
Semafor: New York Times tech workers go on strike @nytimesguild: We know from personal experience that this decision was not taken lightly. @NYTGuildTech believes deeply in the mission of The Times and we believe in them. They have our backs everyday to help produce world class journalism. Today, and every day, we stand with @NYTGuildTech ✊ @nytguildtech: We are on ULP strike. We gave @nytimes management months of notice of our strike deadline, we made ourselves available around the clock, but the company has decided that our members aren't worth enough to agree to a fair contract and stop committing unfair labor practices. [image]

Annie Shields /
@anastasiakeeley: Do you play wordle or connections? Listen up: the workers who make these games will be on strike soon unless @nytimes agrees to a fair contract. This means breaking your streak to not cross the picket line! Enjoy the archive today while you can! [image]

@nytguildtech:
After our Bargaining Committee continued to push for a fair contract over the weekend, management still refused to get serious and make a deal. Therefore, we are going on a ULP strike. See you on the picket line ✊ https://www.nytimes.com/...

Amanda Hess /
@amandahess: At midnight, @NYTGuildTech went on strike! These workers power the fundamental technology that supports our election coverage around the clock. Management can stop the strike by agreeing to a fair contract with just cause. Show your support: https://actionnetwork.org/... @NYTGuildTech@union.place: After our Bargaining Committee continued to push for a fair contract over the weekend, management still refused to get serious and make a deal. Therefore, we are going on a ULP strike. See you on the picket line ✊ https://www.nytimes.com/... …

Tero Kuittinen /
@teroterotero: I stand with my election geek brothers - stand firm!!

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: This just in: “The @NYTGuildTech - the union that powers the technology behind election coverage at The New York Times - has walked off the job in a ULP strike that threatens Election Day.” [image]

Julianne McShane /
Mother Jones: New York Times Tech Workers Threaten Election Day Strike

Jorge Fitz-Gibbon /
New York Post: New York Times tech staffers could walk off the job on Election Day in ongoing contract spat

Publishing Perspectives:

PEN America: 10,046 school books bans across 29 states were recorded from July 2023 to June 2024, up ~200% YoY; Florida had 4,500+ bans and Iowa had 3,600+ bans— Calling US book bannings ‘tragic for young people,’ PEN America, four days before the 2024 US elections, cites a one-year 200-percent increase in such censorship.

Discussion:
PEN America, Maryland Matters, UPI, DNyuz, Publishers Weekly, Orlando Sentinel and Associated Press

Discussion:

William J. Ford /
Maryland Matters: Maryland schools tie South Carolina for banned books in PEN America report

Andrew Albanese /
Publishers Weekly: PEN America Report Confirms School Book Bans Are Surging

Steven Walker /
Orlando Sentinel: Florida again leads U.S. in book bans, new report finds

Fox:

Fox Corp reports Q1 revenue up 11% YoY to $3.6B, affiliate revenue up 6% YoY to $1.8B, ad revenue up 11% YoY to $1.3B due to political ads, and $832M net income— NEW YORK, NY, November 4, 2024 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; “FOX” or the “Company") today reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, TVNewsCheck, Reuters, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, @tvgrimreaper, @jbflint, @pkafka, @jbflint, DNyuz

Discussion:

Kayla Cobb /
The Wrap: Political Ads Drive Fox Revenue to 11% Increase

Brian Steinberg /
Variety: Political Ads, Soccer Drive Q1 Fox Profit

Mark K. Miller /
TVNewsCheck: Scripps Q3 Station Revenue Climbs 26%

Zaheer Kachwala /
Reuters: Fox Corp beats revenue estimates on robust political advertising

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch says unlike four years ago when there was uptick in national political ad spending impacting local, this cycle has “shifted back to local and targeted spend.”

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Fox has already sold out all advertising for Super Bowl for “record pricing,” says Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch on earnings call. Selling out Super Bowl is now officially a dog bites man story.

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Fox says revenues at Tubi, its free streamer, will cross $1b this year. No mention of profits. (Paramount will immediately point out that Pluto hit $1b some time ago.)

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch says streaming service Tubi “has become a material recipient of political advertising.”

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Fox News is “number one in all the key swing states” says Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch on earnings call.

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Fox Corp CEO Lachlan Murdoch says on earnings call that Bret Baier's interview w Kamala Harris set a “new bar for political interviews.”

Financial Times:

BBC Chair Samir Shah plans to call on the UK government to “regulate for growth” and say that “the fight is on” to protect programming by UK broadcasters— Samir Shah wants regulatory regime improved so public service broadcasters can act with ‘agility, flexibility, and pace’

Discussion:
@knittedkittie, @alexandergardin, Deadline and The Guardian

Discussion:
@knittedkittie: BBC needs to lose it's Tory management and governance. The new Tufton Street Chair appointment is Continuation far right Tory

Alexander Gardiner /
@alexandergardin: The BBC chair Samir Shah points out that the corporation spends 20 times more on domestic training than Netflix. It's vital that we keep supporting our Public Service Broadcasters.

Jesse Whittock /
Deadline: BBC Chair Samir Shah Calls For Action To Future-Proof Public Service Broadcasting In First Major Speech: “The Fight Is On”

The Hollywood Reporter:

Source: NBC gave the Trump campaign free commercial time in response to Harris' SNL appearance, including an unusual ad during Sunday's NASCAR coverage— Trump appeared in spots that aired during Sunday's coverage of both sporting events on NBC, speaking directly to the camera.

Discussion:

Lauren Irwin /
The Hill: NBC airs video message from Trump in apparent bid to provide equal time after Harris SNL appearance

Nick Visser /
HuffPost: NBC Gives Trump 2 Minutes Of Free Air Time After Harris' Surprise SNL Appearance

Jim Hᴏft /
The Gateway Pundit: NBC Forced to Air Trump Campaign Ads During NASCAR and Sunday Night Football After ‘Equal Time’ Rule Violation by Kamala Harris's SNL Appearance

Alex Weprin /
@alexweprin: New: NBC is giving equal time in response to VP Kamala Harris' appearance on SNL last night. Former President Trump appeared in a spot that ran on NBC's NASCAR coverage today as part of that equal time. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...

Daniel Foster /
@daniel_foster_x: Thank you .@BrendanCarrFCC. Without you speaking up yesterday, this probably would have never happened. American hero 🇺🇸 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: ICYMI: Here's what happened yesterday with Trump and NBC ( https://www.cnn.com/...) [image]

Sam J. /
Twitchy: ‘SUCK IT, NBC!’ NBC Forced to Give Trump Free Ad DURING Sunday Night Football and It Was GLORIOUS (Watch)

Sandra Rhodes /
IJR: NBC Airs Trump Message in Wake of Harris ‘SNL’ Uproar

Justin Boggs /
Scripps News: After Harris' SNL appearance, Trump given time on NBC following NASCAR event

Ryan Gaydos /
New York Post: NBC gives Trump free election ad airtime during NASCAR, NFL broadcasts after Harris ‘SNL’ furor

Stephanie Kaloi /
The Wrap: Republican FCC Commissioner Calls Harris ‘SNL’ Appearance a ‘Clear and Blatant’ Dodge of Equal Time Rule

Zach LaChance /
Washington Examiner: NBC giving Trump campaign free airtime after Harris SNL skit draws ire of FCC

Amanda Wicks /
The Atlantic: The SNL Election Sketch That Captured Voter Exhaustion DNyuz: Kamala Harris mocks Donald Trump as she joins long list of politicians to cameo on ‘Saturday Night Live’

Siladitya Ray /
Forbes: NBC Airs Trump Message After FCC Commissioner Flags ‘Equal Time’ Concerns Over Harris SNL Appearance

Alex Weprin /
TVNewsCheck: NBC Gives Donald Trump Campaign Time During NASCAR, ‘Sunday Night Football’ In Response to Kamala Harris' ‘SNL’ Appearance

Michael Dixon /
Awful Announcing: After Kamala Harris ‘SNL’ appearance, NBC allows Donald Trump airtime during NASCAR post-race show

Michael Shellenberger /
Public: Brendan Carr: “There's no question NBC knows” Saturday Night Live broke the law

Associated Press:

The US says it believes Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh, who once worked for US-funded broadcaster Radio Farda, has been detained for months by Iran— An Iranian-American journalist who once worked for a U.S. government-funded broadcaster is believed to have been detained by Iran for months now …

Discussion:
Axios, New York Times, Firstpost, Bloomberg, Fox News, DNyuz, Voice of America, Reuters, New York Daily News and The Times of Israel

Discussion:

Amelia Nierenberg /
New York Times: U.S. Confirms Reports That Iran Arrested an Iranian-American Citizen Fox News: American journalist detained in Iran as Supreme Leader Khamenei threatens US, Israel, State Department says

Michael Lipin /
Voice of America: Exclusive: US says it is looking into case of American jailed in Iran

Joseph Wilkinson /
New York Daily News: Iranian-American citizen being held prisoner in Iran: feds

New York Times:

Q&A with Kay Koplovitz on her transition to becoming a VC with Springboard after selling USA Networks, why women-led startups are underestimated, DEI, and more— Kay Koplovitz still remembers her first negotiation. Her family was moving from one suburb of Milwaukee to another …

Discussion:
- Helena Torras on LinkedIn, more at Techmeme »

The Guardian:

Earlier in 2024, Sky found it had accidentally underpaid its ad partners, including Paramount and WBD, and now faces a bill for hundreds of millions of pounds— Sky Media will have to recompense business partners after discovering it had miscalculated what it owed them

Discussion:
Telegraph

Discussion:

Christopher Williams /