Cooper Hefner, the son of Hugh Hefner, makes a $100M all-cash offer to acquire Playboy Enterprises' IP and brand assets from its parent company PLBY Group (Alex Weprin/The Hollywood Reporter)

Mediagazer: Cooper Hefner, the son of Hugh Hefner, makes a $100M all-cash offer to acquire Playboy Enterprises' IP and brand assets from its parent company PLBY Group (Alex Weprin/The Hollywood Reporter)

Top News:

The Hollywood Reporter:

Cooper Hefner, the son of Hugh Hefner, makes a $100M all-cash offer to acquire Playboy Enterprises' IP and brand assets from its parent company PLBY Group— The son of the late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is seeking to acquire the rights to the Playboy brand from its current owner PLBY Group.
Discussion: Bloomberg

Discussion:

CNBC:

Disney plans to name CEO Bob Iger's successor in early 2026, and says ex-Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman will replace Mark Parker as chairman in January 2025— Disney has tapped James Gorman to replace Mark Parker as the company's next chairman, effective in January, as the media giant lays …

Discussion:
The Verge, IndieWire, Variety, CNN, Reuters, The Wrap, Variety, TVNewsCheck, The Information, Gizmodo, Bloomberg, Quartz, Media Play News, Deadline, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Financial Times, @pkafka, Cord Cutters News, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, @sherman4949, Forbes and Business Insider

Discussion:

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Disney Taps James Gorman as Chairman; Board Expects to Name CEO Replacement for Bob Iger in Early 2026

David Goldman /
CNN: Major shakeup at Disney: Board chair is out. New CEO is coming soon

Josh Dickey /
The Wrap: Disney Names James Gorman Chairman of the Board, Says Iger Successor to Come in Early 2026

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Disney Names James Gorman Chairman

Martin Peers /
The Information: Disney Names Jim Gorman as New Chairman

Gordon Jackson /
Gizmodo: Disney Hopes to Replace Bob Iger as CEO in 2026

William Gavin /
Quartz: Disney will announce CEO Bob Iger's successor by early 2026

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Disney Names Top Morgan Stanley Executive James Gorman Its New Chairman of the Board

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Disney Names James Gorman Board Chairman; Bob Iger's Successor Now Set To Be Announced In Early 2026

Ryan Faughnder /
Los Angeles Times: Disney says it will pick Bob Iger's successor in early 2026

Ariel Zilber /
New York Post: Disney names ex-Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman its next chairman, aims to pick Bob Iger successor in 2026

Alexandra White /
Financial Times: Disney names James Gorman as chair

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: “Disney had initially targeted 2025 to announce a successor, as CNBC reported last year.”

Brooks Barnes /
New York Times: Disney Names James Gorman Chairman, Sets ‘Early 2026’ for C.E.O. Change

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: Im told that internal CEO candidates Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, Jimmy Pitaro and Josh D'Amaro have all recently met with the Disney board succession committee and were all notified of the new early 2026 timeline before today.

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: I know there has already been a sense among some execs at Disney that the succession process is hovering over the day-to-day operations. It's obviously a stressful process. But they'll have to wait until early 2026.

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: Big Disney news this morning: Disney CEO to be named in early 2026; Gorman to become board chair next year Full story here: https://www.cnbc.com/...

Derek Saul /
Forbes: Disney Will Name Bob Iger CEO Replacement In 2026, Taps Banker James Gorman As Chairman

Politico:

Q&A with Arnon Mishkin, the head of Fox News' decision desk, about calling Arizona for Biden in 2020, not feeling “any pressure” from Fox executives, and more— In a new interview, Arnon Mishkin opens up about controversial election calls and makes some predictions for what's to come.

Discussion:
Mediaite, TVNewsCheck, @akfullerton, @politico_steve, @mattgertz, @brianstelter, IJR and Election Law Blog

Discussion:

Joe DePaolo /
Mediaite: Fox News Decision Desk Guru Predicts How Long it May Take Before the Election is Called: ‘Race Seems Very, Very Close’

Steven Shepard /
TVNewsCheck: What Fox News' Decision Desk Chief Expects For The 2024 Election @akfullerton: What Fox News' Decision Desk Chief Expects for the 2024 Election. Arnon Mishkin is a good egg. A former classmate, I know him to be honest, competent, trustworthy, and unflappable. https://www.politico.com/... via @politico

Steven Shepard /
@politico_steve: New: I sat down with @arnonmishkin to talk about the @FoxNews decision desk in 2024, the 2020 Arizona call — and, yes, *that* “Succession” episode The @POLITICOMag Q&A https://www.politico.com/...

Matthew Gertz /
@mattgertz: I do not understand how a reporter can interview the head of Fox's decision desk and publish him saying he's gonna make calls based on the data without asking about reports that Fox executives overruled his calls in 2020. https://www.politico.com/...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Fox News decision desk boss Arnon Mishkin says he feels no pressure to tell the Fox audience what it wants to hear. And he suspects election night will turn into election week again: “The over/under” for a presidential race call “is Saturday.” https://www.politico.com/...

Madison Summers /
IJR: Fox News Decision Desk Guru Suggests How Many Days It Could Take Until the Election is Called

Semafor:

Q&A with two Trump campaign senior communications advisors on the media strategy, focusing on podcasters, the “toxicity” of traditional press, and more— Q&A — Shelby Talcott: How do you see the media environment? — Brian Hughes: We are seeing an unprecedented bias in the Old Guard …

Discussion:
CBS News, @iansams, @semaforben, @anatema0 and @shelbytalcott

Discussion:

Ian Sams /
@iansams: An actual sentence said aloud by a Trump advisor to @semafor: “We're also not totally ignoring mainstream press. President Trump just did a sitdown with Harris Faulkner.” 😐 https://www.semafor.com/...

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: A must-read interview with @ShelbyTalcott , in which top Trump aides discuss how they see this media moment https://www.semafor.com/...

Anna Tema /
@anatema0: “We've actually excelled at it and created just a massive case study in how a political campaign nationally can get beyond the bias of the Old Guard to an entirely new place.” https://www.semafor.com/...

Shelby Talcott /
@shelbytalcott: New: Team Trump has focused more on podcasters than broadcasters this cycle, pushing presidential politics well outside the familiar political media ecosystem. An inside look into their media strategy, and the unique audiences they say they're reaching: https://www.semafor.com/...

New York Times:

A look at Costco Connection, a monthly magazine for Costco “executive” members that is the US' third largest by print circulation, as it expands via digital— The cover of Costco Connection has been a magnet for celebrities of all kinds.Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

Discussion:
@ismaelnafria, @nairyasmin, @danbayens, @dannygroner, @aaronorendorff, @mattyglesias, @bill_shea19 and @bananapeele

Discussion:

Ismael Nafría /
@ismaelnafria: Costco Has a Magazine and It's Thriving Each month, 15.4 million copies of Costco Connection are mailed out to members. Another 300,000 are distributed via Costco warehouses. It is now the nation's third largest magazine. @nytimes https://www.nytimes.com/...

Yasmin Nair /
@nairyasmin: “There is the fleeting high of going viral, and then there is the flexed power of landing in the mailboxes of one in 20 Americans who could unsubscribe with a few simple clicks, but choose not to.” https://www.nytimes.com/...

Dan Bayens /
@danbayens: Top magazines in the country — 1. AARP: The Magazine 2. The AARP Bulletin 3. Costco Connection https://www.nytimes.com/...

Danny Groner /
@dannygroner: “Gruening said that although he couldn't be sure that The Connection drove people to the executive tier of Costco membership (though he suspects it does), he is certain those who receive it are responsive to its content. Readers tell him as much everyday.” https://www.nytimes.com/...

Aaron Orendorff /
@aaronorendorff: Damn! Costco is such a unit on every front. And yes, I've learned the hard way from my lovely wife: NEVER throw out *The* Costco Connection. [image]

Matthew Yglesias /
@mattyglesias: “Costco Connection is now the nation's third largest magazine by print circulation, behind AARP: The Magazine and The AARP Bulletin” https://www.nytimes.com/...

Bill Shea /
@bill_shea19: Then why don't I see a Costco Connection pool reporter at the White House or Pentagon briefings?

NBC News:

After allegations of poor working conditions on MrBeast's Amazon Studios show Beast Games, industry insiders call for more safety oversight on creator-run sets— YouTube channels are gaining more mainstream attention — but some in the digital entertainment industry think growth should require better oversight.

Discussion:
@nbcbayarea, @nbcwashington and @carnage4life@mas.to, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
@nbcbayarea: YouTube channels are gaining more mainstream attention — but some in the digital entertainment industry think growth should require better oversight. https://nbcbay.com/uXknCMB @nbcwashington: Allegations of poor working conditions on YouTuber MrBeast's new Amazon Studios show have pushed some people who work with creators to call for more safety oversight on their sets. https://nbc4dc.com/A9plxrn

Dare Obasanjo /
@carnage4life@mas.to: The backlash against Mr. Beast has been fascinating to observd primarily because it's followed a path typically reserved for startups not individual. — Non-stop positive stories about how focused and hardworking he is despite making millions have now given way to tales of how he makes millions from exploiting people. …

Politico:

Q&A with PolitiFact founder Bill Adair on the value of fact-checking amid polarization, journalists holding politicians accountable, free speech, and more— A veteran of the business explains the war over truth, and what it means for 2024. — The Biden administration stole $1 billion from FEMA.

Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @wuerker, @cchoksy and The Independent

Discussion:

Mark K. Miller /
TVNewsCheck: A Fact Checker's Dispatch From The War On Truth

Matt Wuerker /
@wuerker: Remember just a year or so ago the mainstream media was very hesitant to call lies lies?

Dr. Carol E. B. Choksy /
@cchoksy: Trump's lying technique is called “dazzle” named after the WWI striped paint on ships that makes shooters hesitate because they don't know what to target. Trump's Soviet dazzle method is to tell lie after lie so people don't coalesce around one truth https://www.politico.com/...

The Economic Times:

Sources: after Star India and Viacom18's merger, Reliance Industries plans to retain Disney+ Hotstar as the sole streaming platform, absorbing JioCinema— Reliance Industries is set to retain Disney+ Hotstar as its primary streaming platform post-merger with Star India and Viacom18 …

Discussion:
MEDIANAMA and Hindustan Times

New York Magazine:

Jeff Zucker, Hamish McKenzie, Bari Weiss, and 54 of the most powerful people in media discuss the future of media, return of print, Big Tech, and more— On and off the record with: — Imran Amed, founder and editor-in-chief, The Business of Fashion. Willa Bennett, editor-in-chief, Cosmopolitan and Seventeen.

Discussion:
@heathenqueen76.bsky.social: Hmmm — People I consider journalists and folksci consider rabble rousing sh*t starters in the same room. — Interesting [embedded post]

Gabriel Brotman /
Gabriel Brotman on LinkedIn: New York Magazine's latest “Power Issue” offers a fresh look into the state of journalism in 2024, featuring our very own Mathias Döpfner …

Carl Swanson /
@carlstwitt: Shortly after @charlottetklein⁩ arrived @nymag this past summer, we set her on this project: interview as many members of the media elite as she could and ask them what exactly they think is going on with the media. This is what they said. https://nymag.com/...

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Quality listicle [image]

Colby Hall /
@colbyhall: If the media is relying on this sort of useless and bloviated wank then they are doomed. What a waste of energy.

Anup Kaphle /
@anupkaphle: Asked AI to summarize this and the answer was ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://nymag.com/...

Ernie Smith /
@shortformernie@threads.net: This paragraph from this @nymag piece on media players is insane. It's like they got the worst people in journalism to talk smack about their competitors. — It's telling that only two people on this entire list went on record. — https://nymag.com/... [image]

Scott Suttell /
@ssuttell: “Still, we found a lot of optimism about the media business and its future. Even those who are gloomy about the state of the industry see a lot of good work being done in their own shops and those of their rivals.” https://nymag.com/...

Press Gazette:

How the Boston Globe, which nearly went out of business in 2009, has become a thriving regional newspaper, including through a metered paywall and newsletters— Chief commercial officer Kayvan Salmanpour explains how the Boston Globe has made local news pay.

Discussion:
Dominic Ponsford on LinkedIn and @simondowens@threads.net

Discussion:

Dominic Ponsford /
Dominic Ponsford on LinkedIn: Boston Globe chief commercial officer Kayvan Salmanpour revealed how the title has become a rare local news success story. …

Simon Owens /
@simondowens@threads.net: The Boston Globe has about 260,000 digital subscribers paying $360 a year — so about $93 million in annual subscription revenue. It operates two different sites; a free one that consists of general news and lifestyle content and then a paywalled site with more in-depth coverage. …

Financial Times:

UK filing: Sky reports a £224M operating loss in 2023, up from a £111M loss in 2022, and revenue flat at £10.2B, after sports, film, and TV investments— Media and telecoms group betting on sports coverage to give it a competitive edge — Annual losses doubled at Sky …

Discussion:
The Desk, The Guardian, Sky UK, The Media Leader and Telegraph

Discussion:

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Comcast's Sky Group reports full-year loss of £224 million

Jack Benjamin /
The Media Leader: Losses mount at Sky ahead of WBD showdown

James Titcomb /
Telegraph: Sky losses top £750m as cost of football climbs

Bloomberg:

Berkshire Hathaway now has a stake of ~32.5% in Sirius XM's publicly traded stock, having become the top holder last month; Sirius XM's shares are down ~50% YTD— Berkshire Hathaway now has a stake of about 32.5% in Sirius XM's publicly traded stock, having become the top holder last month.

Discussion:
Motley Fool, Inside Radio, RADIO ONLINE and Barron's Online

Discussion:

Sean Williams /