Substack, very deliberately, tries to have it both ways by saying publications on their platform are independent while presenting them all as parts of Substack (John Gruber/Daring Fireball)

Mediagazer: Substack, very deliberately, tries to have it both ways by saying publications on their platform are independent while presenting them all as parts of Substack (John Gruber/Daring Fireball)

Top News:

CNBC:

Analyzing Comcast's spinoff of cable networks, purposefully structured with low debt: the move might be a signal to the industry that it's time to consolidate— Comcast shares posted modest gains Wednesday after the company announced its plan to spin off all of NBCUniversal's cable networks …
Discussion: Alex Sherman on LinkedIn, Business Insider, Associated Press, The Streamable, Reuters and MediaPost

Discussion:

Alex Sherman /
Alex Sherman on LinkedIn: Comcast officially said today it's moving forward with a spin of NBCU's cable networks other than Bravo. — To me, it's not a slam dunk investor move. … Business Insider: CNBC anchors shared worries and dark humor on air as Comcast looks to unload the network

Matt Ott /
Associated Press: Comcast to spin off cable networks, once star performers for the entertainment giant

Wayne Friedman /
MediaPost: Comcast Spinning Off NBCU Cable Nets

RELATED:

Variety:

Sources: Comcast execs told staff that MSNBC may have to change its identity as part of the spinoff, including losing access to NBC News' newsgathering process— MSNBC fans who are disappointed in the progressive-leaning network after Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election may no longer have it to kick around.

Discussion:
Washington Post, Poynter, BizPac Review, Deadline, @sherman4949, @tvmojoe, @colbyhall, Associated Press, @bristei, @maxwelltani, Fox News, @jbflint, New York Post, Mediaite, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Awful Announcing, PoliticusUSA, @davidingram.bsky.social, @noblewatchman.bsky.social, @igotarock2.bsky.social, @tomgara@threads.net, @harveyjkaye.bsky.social, Instapundit, @bristei.bsky.social and The Desk

Discussion:

Tom Jones /
Poynter: Suddenly it's OK to not stick to sports

Chris Donaldson /
BizPac Review: ‘Panic’ at MSNBC as network parent announces big move

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Comcast Spinoff Of Cable Networks Leaves Questions Of How A Split Between MSNBC And NBC News Will Work

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: My take on the whole Comcast NBCU networks spin idea — it's more about the signal to the rest of the industry than about juicing Comcast shares in the near term. https://www.cnbc.com/... @tvmojoe: @JBFlint I mean, MSNBC long ago ditched the MS... there's no arts on A&E...HLN has no headlines or news...and Sundance channel airs sitcom reruns. What's another cable branding lie?!

Colby Hall /
@colbyhall: I'll say it: news of NBC's spinning of MSNBC kinda smacks of a death knell for the network, at least for this iteration.

David Bauder /
Associated Press: What will happen to CNBC and MSNBC when they no longer have a corporate connection to NBC News?

Brian Steinberg /
@bristei: 5 Burning Qs about the Comcast cable spin off: *M&A? *What about MSNBC, CNBC? *Will Madison Ave. spend less $$ on smaller orgs? *Why does Bravo stay? *Will we still hear the NBCU ‘Symphony’? https://variety.com/... via @variety

Brian Steinberg /
@bristei: MSNBC Faces Potential for Big Changes in Comcast Cable Spin-Off https://variety.com/... via @variety

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: MSNBC may have to change its name as part of today's spinoff, which will also likely impact (and limit) its newsgathering. The spinco's top exec says the company is thinking of itself as a “well-funded startup”....😬 [image] Fox News: MSNBC's future a ‘big concern’ for staffers as Comcast moves to separate liberal network from NBCUniversal

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: So will CNBC be rebranded as “C.?”

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: MSNBC staffers ‘in a panic’ as NBC-parent Comcast plans to spin off channel — and possibly change its name

Charlie Nash /
Mediaite: Bill O'Reilly Claims Comcast Is Desperately Trying To Shed ‘Hateful’ MSNBC: 'They'll Give It to You!' @jeffjarvis.bsky.social: Troubling: MSNBC might have to change its identity; will lose ties to NBC News operation & have to move; could be an acquisition target (stay the fuck away, Sinclair, Murdoch, Musk, Springer, etc.). — Or maybe Maddow should leave & build a new operation. — variety.com/2024/tv/news...

Drew Lerner /
Awful Announcing: NBC Sports president on spinoff: 'We're going to fulfill every obligation'

Jason Easley /
PoliticusUSA: MSNBC May Soon Be Gone

David Ingram /
@davidingram.bsky.social: What should the new name of MSNBC be, if it gets a new name? variety.com/2024/tv/news... (Presumably not Microsoft TV or SpinCo News) @noblewatchman.bsky.social: Many of us are reexamining our relationship with @msnbc That said, it's the only liberal leaning platform on cable. — Comcast plans to cut it loose. — Is it just a business as usual move or are they ridding themselves of a potential target of Trump 2.0? — variety.com/2024/tv/news...

Tom Gara /
@tomgara@threads.net: I know this is pretty standard placeholder naming language used in these kind of spinoff transactions but making MSNBC a unit of the Spin Company is an incredible act of corporate comedy

Harvey J Kaye /
@harveyjkaye.bsky.social: I wish I could say I cared, but I stopped watching #MSNBC when Chris Mathewes and Joy Ann declared their antipathy to Bernie (the latter at times with a touch of anti-semitism) — variety.com/2024/tv/news...

Ed Driscoll /
Instapundit: COMCAST IS UNBURDENING ITSELF OF WHAT HAS BEEN: MSNB-See-Ya: Comcast Dumps Cable Channels In Midst of Ethics Scandal. …

Brian Steinberg /
@bristei.bsky.social: At a meeting w MSNBC personnel Weds morning that included Rachel Maddow, Chris Jansing and Katy Tur, the new leader of Comcast's ‘spinco’ could not definitively say the network wouldn't have to change its name or remove NBC ‘peacock’ marks from its logo — variety.com/2024/tv/news...

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Fox News tops MSNBC, CNN, Newsmax in post-election ratings

CNBC:
Comcast confirms plans to spin off its NBCUniversal cable TV networks, including MSNBC and CNBC, with Mark Lazarus as CEO; the separation may take about a year

Discussion:
Comcast, CNN, New York Times, Engadget, Marketplace, @brianjmoylan.bsky.social, Variety, Los Angeles Times, RetailWire, @sherman4949, @mediaite, AV Club, @brianstelter, Radio & Television …, @benmullin, @colbyhall, @sarafischer, @benmullin, @brianstelter, @sherman4949, @jeffjarvis, @nemalki.bsky.social, Philadelphia Business Journal, One America News Network, The Wrap, Axios, Front Office Sports, Forbes, Ars Technica, IJR, TVNewsCheck, Breitbart, Fast Company, USA Today, Total Telecom, @great_katzby, TechCrunch, acecomments.mu.nu, Washington Examiner, Adweek, The Guardian, Media Play News, Stephani Shelton on LinkedIn, Newser, HotAir, Cord Cutters News, The Desk, NBC News, @stark.soy, Bloomberg, Mediaite, @joshuabenton.com, Bloomberg, Fox Business, The Verge, HuffPost, Yahoo Finance, Fortune, Barron's Online, Talking Biz News, Benzinga, Financial Times, The Information, @amolsharma.bsky.social, NBC News, Media Play News, Los Angeles Times, The Wrap, Variety, Ad Age, CNN, Awful Announcing, Cord Cutters News, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Business Insider and Wall Street Journal

Discussion:
Comcast: Comcast Announces Intention to Create Leading Independent Media Business Through Spin-Off of Select Cable Television Networks

Matt Egan /
CNN: The fate of MSNBC could be in Trump's hands

Benjamin Mullin /
New York Times: Comcast to Spin Off Cable Networks, Including MSNBC and CNBC

Kris Holt /
Engadget: Comcast is spinning out Rotten Tomatoes and cable networks into a separate company

Samantha Fields /
Marketplace: Comcast cable spinoff reflects rapidly changing streaming landscape

Dame Brian Moylan /
@brianjmoylan.bsky.social: It's amazing how NBC is spinning off all of its cable networks EXCEPT Bravo. We are keeping legacy media afloat, motherfuckers. www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/b...

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Comcast Announces Spin-Off of Most Cable Networks Into New Company to ‘Set These Businesses Up for Future Growth,’ CEO Brian Roberts Says

Stephen Battaglio /
Los Angeles Times: What the Comcast cable network spinoff means for MSNBC and NBC News

Nicholas Morine /
RetailWire: Comcast Spinoff Plans Materialize: MSNBC, CNBC, and E! Headed to ‘SpinCo’

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: Comcast now down 0.2% on the day. Call it back! @mediaite: ‘We Could Be Fired Tomorrow!’ Morning Joe Awkwardly Jokes About Comcast Selling Off MSNBC https://www.mediaite.com/...

Mary Kate Carr /
AV Club: Whoa, Comcast really did offload most of its cable properties

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Comcast just jump-started a new season of major change across the TV industry. And no one quite knows what will happen next. Here is Wednesday morning's edition of @ReliableSources: https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/ ...

Adam Jacobson /
Radio & Television Business Report: Comcast Confirms Spin-Off Plan For Cable Networks

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: KC Sullivan, CNBC's president, tells staffers the network will immediately begin reporting in to Mark Lazarus, who will run the new spin co: [image]

Colby Hall /
@colbyhall: SpinCo? Delighted to see that my old employer SPIN magazine is making a MAJOR play to get back in the game.

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: #BREAKING @comcast makes it official, announces plans to spin off @NBCUniversal cable channels into separate, publicly traded company — LEADERSHIP/NAME: Mark Lazarus and Anand Kini to lead the new company, for now called “SpinCo” — TIMING: Comcast is targeting to complete the [image]

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: Comcast just announced it is spinning if its cable networks, including MSNBC and CNBC, into a new company: https://www.nytimes.com/...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Here's the Comcast press release: “Comcast announces intention to create leading independent media business through spin-off of select cable television networks” https://www.businesswire.com/ ...

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: Comcast makes it official: Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) today announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company comprised of a strong portfolio of NBCUniversal's cable television networks,

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets including Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow and Sports Engine, through a tax-free spin-off. @jeffjarvis: Stopped by #BrokenMorningJoe & saw them trying to put a bright face on this. No. Cable has cooties & Comcast doesn't want any on them. Cable is the new magazine & newspaper: Dying. Bye. Comcast Greenlights $7 Billion Spinoff of NBCUniversal Cable Channels https://www.wsj.com/...

Jeff Harris /
@nemalki.bsky.social: Comcast is spinning off all of their networks except NBC, Telemundo & Bravo into a new company. They're also putting Fandango & Rotten Tomatoes into the new spinoff company as well. I wondered why they're putting USA into that spinoff, then I realized something — corporate.comcast.com/press/ releas...

Ryan Mulligan /
Philadelphia Business Journal: Comcast details $7B spinoff of NBCUniversal cable networks

Abril Elfi /
One America News Network: Comcast Announces $7B Spin Off Of Cable Channels MSNBC, CNBC, USA

Sean Burch /
The Wrap: MSNBC and NBC News Staffers Are ‘In the Dark’ on What Comcast Spinoff Means for Them

Sara Fischer /
Axios: Comcast plans to spin off NBCU's cable channels

Eric Fisher /
Front Office Sports: Comcast's SpinCo: New Home for USA Network, Golf Channel, Sports Rights

Jon Brodkin /
Ars Technica: Comcast to ditch cable TV networks in partial spinoff of NBCUniversal assets

Brian Steinberg /
TVNewsCheck: MSNBC Faces Potential For Big Changes In Comcast Cable Spin-Off

Tracy Brown Hamilton /
Fast Company: Comcast unveils SpinCo as a stand-alone media powerhouse

Harry Baldock /
Total Telecom: Comcast to spin off raft of cable TV channels

Brandon Katz /
@great_katzby: -Short-term pain of sacrificing bulk of cable cash flow (minus Bravo) for long term growth emphasis/investor confidence narrative -Redirect resources to ongoing theme park expansion and streaming -Keep Donna Langley happy in-house as Disney sniffs around for a CEO successor

Lauren Forristal /
TechCrunch: Comcast spins off its cable channels into separate company as it looks for growth

Asher Notheis /
Washington Examiner: Comcast moving forward with spinoff from MSNBC and other cable channels

Callum Jones /
The Guardian: Comcast to spin off portfolio of cable networks including MSNBC and CNBC

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Comcast to Launch Separate ‘SpinCo’ Company With Select Cable TV Assets, Fandango Movie Ticket and TVOD Platform

Stephani Shelton /
Stephani Shelton on LinkedIn: This is big and potentially bad news for journalists and journalism. NBC itself won't be included so how about the news synergy between all the networks? …

Jenn Gidman /
Newser: Comcast Offloading the Likes of MSNBC, CNBC

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: Comcast Officially Spins Off MSNBC, USA Network, & Other Cable Networks into a New Company

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Comcast confirms it will spin off cable networks, Fandango

Daniel Arkin /
NBC News: Comcast announces plan to spin off cable channels, including MSNBC, CNBC and USA

Christopher Palmeri /
Bloomberg: Comcast to Spin Off Cable Channels MSNBC, USA

Zachary Leeman /
Mediaite: Comcast To Spin Off Cable Channels Including MSNBC, CNBC, More

Joshua Benton /
@joshuabenton.com: I remember in the late aughts, when media conglomerates did all they could to spinoff their newspapers so they'd no longer be a drag on the TV businesses. — Now, they're spinning off their TV businesses so they'll no longer be a drag on their local broadband monopolies. — www.cnbc.com/2024/11/19/c...

Christopher Palmeri /
Bloomberg: Comcast to Spin Off Cable-TV Channels Like MSNBC, USA

Jess Weatherbed /
The Verge: Comcast is spinning off its cable TV business

Marita Vlachou /
HuffPost: Comcast Spins Off MSNBC, Other Cable TV Networks

Laura Bratton /
Yahoo Finance: Comcast announces plan to spin off TV networks including MSNBC, CNBC to play ‘offense’ in new media landscape

Andrew Nusca /
Fortune: Comcast to spin off NBCU cable TV channels

George Glover /
Barron's Online: Comcast Stock Rises. Why a Cable TV Spinoff Plan Is Good News for Investors.

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: CNBC is part of Comcast spinoff company

Kaustubh Bagalkote /
Benzinga: Comcast Plans Major Cable Networks Spinoff, MSNBC And CNBC To Form New Public Company: Report

Amol Sharma /
@amolsharma.bsky.social: For people unfamiliar with deal mumbo jumbo: Comcast's existing shareholders will own this cable firm that gets spun off. It isn't being sold to someone else — yet — but over time, investors or potential buyers could approach the new company. [embedded post] NBC News: Comcast to announce the spinoff of cable networks, including MSNBC, CNBC and USA, sources say

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Comcast Reportedly Set to Spin-Off $7 Billion Cable TV Business; Matt Strauss to Become Chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group

Brian Steinberg /
Variety: Comcast Plans Massive Cable Spin-Off, Separating USA, MSNBC and More From NBC, Theme Parks

Brian Stelter /
CNN: Comcast to spin off its cable channels, including MSNBC and CNBC, into separate company

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: Comcast Reportedly Plans to Get Rid of MSNBC, CNBC, USA & SyFy As It Spins Off Its Cable TV Channels Deadline: NBCUniversal Split: Comcast To Spin Off Cable Channels Under Mark Lazarus; Donna Langley Consolidates Power, NBC, Peacock & Bravo Stay Put

Semafor:
Sources: under current plans, Comcast's new spun off entity would carry little of its $101B of debt, giving it the ability to borrow for acquisitions

Discussion:
@semaforben and Bloomberg The Hollywood Reporter: Comcast spinoff: cable channel Bravo, the NBC broadcast network, and Peacock will remain part of NBCUniversal; the new entity's ownership will mirror Comcast

Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, @pkafka, Deadline, Business Insider, Variety, TVNewsCheck and Screen Rant

Discussion:

Meg James /
Los Angeles Times: Behind Comcast's big TV deal: a bleak picture for once mighty cable industry

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: A big moment for Big Media. Or, if you like a less dramatic spin - a garage sale. Me on Comcast without cable: https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...

James Faris /
Business Insider: Why ‘Real Housewives’ maker Bravo is the only cable TV network that Comcast doesn't want to get rid of

Michael Schneider /
Variety: Why NBCUniversal Is Holding On to Bravo as It Spins Off the Rest of Its Cable Nets

Matthew Biggin /
Screen Rant: Suits: LA Release Date Finally Confirmed At NBC

Business Insider:
Comcast's spinoff is essentially a garage sale of its basic cable TV networks, as the number of people paying for and watching cable networks falls every year

Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @pkafka.bsky.social, Advanced Television, MediaPost, Reuters and WHEC.com

Discussion:

Laurie Sullivan /
TVNewsCheck: Apple Selling Own Ad Inventory For Apple News

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka.bsky.social: I wrote about the Comcast garage sale. www.businessinsider.com/comcast- cabl...

Wayne Friedman /
MediaPost: Comcast Moves Ahead to SpinOff NBCU Cable Networks

Bloomberg:

Filing: the US DOJ's proposal requires Google to allow websites more ability to opt-out of its AI products and provide more ad placement controls to advertisers— - Antitrust officials propose options in historic lawsuit — Google says government pushing ‘radical agenda’ beyond case

Discussion:
Variety, The Register, BGR, AppleInsider, Engadget, The Independent, Forbes, Reuters, The Keyword, Politico, WKYC-TV, Axios, Financial Times, CNN, 9to5Google, The Information, Washington Post, CNBC, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, New York Times, The Verge, Wired, NPR, Fox Business, Breitbart, Semafor, Cord Cutters News, Benzinga, Digiday, Daring Fireball, The Guardian, New York Magazine, RetailWire and New York Post, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Todd Spangler /
Variety: U.S. Government Seeks to Force Google to Sell Chrome Browser to Rectify Search ‘Monopoly’

Richard Speed /
The Register: DoJ wants Google to sell Chrome and ban it from paying to be search default

Chris Smith /
BGR: Google breakup in focus as DOJ says company must sell Chrome

William Gallagher /
AppleInsider: Apple urges judge to dismiss the DOJ's speculative antitrust suit

Martyn Landi /
The Independent: US Government proposes forcing Google to sell Chrome to break-up tech empire

Siladitya Ray /
Forbes: Force Sale Of Chrome And Big Changes To Android Search—The DOJ's Proposal To Crackdown On Google's Search Monopoly

Kent Walker /
The Keyword: DOJ's staggering proposal would hurt consumers and America's global technological leadership

Brendan Bordelon /
Politico: DOJ asks judge to break up Google

Michael Liedtke /
WKYC-TV: US regulators seek to break up Google, forcing Chrome sale as part of monopoly punishment

Rebecca Falconer /
Axios: DOJ asks judge to force Google to sell Chrome in partial breakup proposal

Eva Dou /
Washington Post: DOJ seeks forced sale of Chrome, other big changes at Google in monopoly case

Jennifer Elias /
CNBC: DOJ pushes for Google to break off Chrome browser after antitrust case

@jeffjarvis.bsky.social:
This is so 2009. So EU. So Microsoft and Internet Explorer. So last war. — US justice department plans to push Google to sell off Chrome browser — www.theguardian.com/technology/ 2...

David McCabe /
New York Times: U.S. Proposes Breakup of Google to Fix Search Monopoly Fox Business: Google must sell Chrome browser in move to end monopoly on internet searches, DOJ says

Diego Mendoza /
Semafor: DOJ moves to force Google Chrome sale

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: DOJ Seeks to Force Google to Sell Chrome Browser in Ongoing Antitrust Battle

Kaustubh Bagalkote /
Benzinga: Perplexity CEO Asks If AI Startup Should Acquire Google Chrome Following DOJ's Antitrust Push Against Search Giant

Ronan Shields /
Digiday: Incoming Trump administration puts potential breakup of Google's Chrome in new light

John Gruber /
Daring Fireball: DOJ Will Ask Judge to Force Google to Sell Chrome and De-Google Android

Nicholas Morine /
RetailWire: Google May Be Forced To Sell Chrome Browser, Sale Could Be Worth $20 Billion

Financial Times:

James Harding says the Tortoise-Observer deal could create a profitable media group and there isn't a guaranteed future for the Observer with the Guardian— James Harding confronts fierce opposition but says sale to his digital start-up only way for Sunday title to thrive

Discussion:
The Times, The Guardian, National Union of Journalists … and New Statesman

Discussion:

Alison Phillips /
New Statesman: Will staff go on strike to block the Observer sale?

RELATED:

Press Gazette:
Tortoise says it plans to invest £25M in Observer over five years, aiming to turn it into a self-funded, paywalled newsbrand with 100K new digital subscribers

Discussion:
@danielthomasldn, @jobmaynooth.bsky.social, @carolecadwalla.bsky.social, @dominicponsford.bsky.social, @jacksommers.bsky.social, @shattenstone.bsky.social, @annafazack.bsky.social, @pressgazette.co.uk, @michaelgoodier.bsky.social, Telegraph and Guido Fawkes

Discussion:

Daniel Thomas /
@danielthomasldn: Guardian bosses have offered voluntary redundancy to any Observer staff that do not want to move to Tortoise in latest attempt to calm staff uproar ahead of a strike next month. A memo to staff confirms the board has greenlighted deal ahead of a meeting of Scott Trust next week

Prof John O Brennan /
@jobmaynooth.bsky.social: The potential loss of the Observer, after 240 years in print, would be devastating (yes, I buy paper copy most weeks). Let's hope it doesn't happen. — pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Carole Cadwalladr /
@carolecadwalla.bsky.social: 700+ journalists at Britain's only liberal newspaper(s) believe that something has gone so profoundly wrong in their own organisation that 93% of them have voted to go on strike — 1/ — pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Dominic Ponsford /
@dominicponsford.bsky.social: Guardian updates: — *Observer sale decision goes to Scott Trust board on Monday — *First 48-hour strike on 4 December — *Obs journalists to be offered redundancy — *Tortoise says title will close without this deal — pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Jack Sommers /
@jacksommers.bsky.social: Carry no candle for Tortoise - and no idea what they want with the Observer - but this is true isn't it? pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n... [image]

Simon Hattenstone /
@shattenstone.bsky.social: To any PRs out there trying to convince journalists that they would be better off under new ownership, this aggressive, bilious statement from Tortoise must be the worst example ever of a charm offensive. — pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Simon Hattenstone /
@shattenstone.bsky.social: And this is one of many reasons, the Guardian & Observer NUJ Chapel voted almost unanimously today to strike two days next week to save the Obs from a would-be proprietor that is already showing its colours even before any deal has been signed — pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Simon Hattenstone /
@shattenstone.bsky.social: ‘It is heading down a path to irrelevance ... its journalism lives, briefly and unloved, on The Guardian website.’ — Jesus if this is what Tortoise says when its wooing the Obs, what would it say if it didn't want it? 1/2 — pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Anna Fazackerley /
@annafazack.bsky.social: Education contacts have been kind enough to message me asking what is happening at The Observer, the fabulous and very old paper I do most of my investigations for. Here is an update of where we are. First Guardian strike since 1971. pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n... @pressgazette.co.uk: Update: Guardian CEO Anna Bateson says Observer journalists who don't want to join Tortoise Media may be offered voluntary redundancy: pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Michael Goodier /
@michaelgoodier.bsky.social: personally slightly peeved at james harding's statement implying that GMG has no-one with digital skills? Let's be real, your site runs off wordpress, we don't have to be rude here — pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/ n...

Lucy Burton /
Telegraph: Guardian staff to go on strike for four days next month

Telegraph:
Almost 93% of 600 Guardian and Observer staff organized by the NUJ vote in favor of strike action over the proposed sale of The Observer to Tortoise

Discussion:
@pressgazette: Update: Tortoise has come out swinging against the strike decision, asking staff “how long do you think The Guardian will keep two sets of critics reviewing the same plays, films, art and music?” https://pressgazette.co.uk/...

Carole Cadwalladr /
@carolecadwalla: NEW: Guardian & Observer journalists overwhelming vote in favour of strike action in protest at proposed sale of the Observer to Tortoise media. [image]

Martin Bright /
@martinbright: Observer and, importantly, Guardian journalists vote by 93% in favour of strike action. A huge show of solidarity over the proposed sale of the world's oldest newspaper. https://www.nuj.org.uk/...

Sonia Sodha /
@soniasodha: Results out of the Guardian & Observer NUJ's postal ballot on strike action on the proposed sale of the Observer to Tortoise & its impact on staff. 75% turnout, 92.8% in favour of strike action. [image]

Daniel Thomas /
Financial Times: Observer staff set to strike over planned Tortoise sale

Helen Cahill /
The Times: Guardian staff vote to strike over sale of Observer

Daring Fireball:

Substack, very deliberately, tries to have it both ways by saying publications on their platform are independent while presenting them all as parts of Substack— I am upset by the above, but only insofar as I'm jealous that I had never thought to make the analogy to an author telling people to “read my Amazon”.

RELATED:
Anil Dash: Substack wants writers to call their work by its brand name because “they control your audience and distribution” and “want to own your content and voice”

Discussion:
As in guillotine, @laminda.bsky.social, @bcmerchant.bsky.social, @m2m@sonomu.club, @andypiper.me, @kennysmith.bsky.social, @tante.cc, @molly.wiki, @werd.io, stevegattuso.me, @vesto@merveilles.town, @chrisplusplus@social.lol, @netopwibby@social.coop, @herhandsmyhands …, @kottke@mastodon.social and @waxy@xoxo.zone

Discussion:

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez /
As in guillotine: Check out As in guillotine... for more. — This is my bi-weekly “newsletter” …

Mindy Weisberger /
@laminda.bsky.social: With my book out in less than 5 months (!!!) newsletters are very much on my mind. I'm still figuring out how that'll work, but I know one thing for sure: I'll be staying far away from Substack. Top-down tolerance for anti-trans garbage and white supremacy is baked into Substack's infrastructure

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant.bsky.social: Appreciate this @anildash.com piece—it got me thinking: A real test of Substack's own ‘openness’ would be if someone built a recommendation module that let writers rec newsletters outside Substack's garden. Would they let writers embed it? — Someone should do that — www.anildash.com/2024/11/19/ d...

Simone S /
@m2m@sonomu.club: “Email's been here for years. But the reason Substack wants you to call your creative work by their brand name is because they control your audience and distribution, and they want to own your content and voice, too. You may not think you care about that today, but you will when you see what they want to do with it.” …

Andy Piper /
@andypiper.me: I've been meaning to fully remove myself from Substack and I think this is the push I needed to follow through. www.anildash.com/2024/11/19/ d...

Kenny Smith /
@kennysmith.bsky.social: Put your content on your own site. Encourage RSS use. Find the native newsletter tech from your CMS. Share your wicked awesome work in all the places you and your audience linger. — But point them to your site. — The one you control. [embedded post] @tante.cc: “We constrain our imaginations when we subordinate our creations to names owned by fascist tycoons. Imagine the author of a book telling people to “read my Amazon”. A great director trying to promote their film by saying “click on my Max”. That's how mu...Don't call it a Substack. - Anil Dash

Molly White /
@molly.wiki: I can tell you from my own personal experience that Anil is 100% right about Substack overselling its “network effect” to try to lock people in. [embedded post]

Ben Werdmuller /
@werd.io: “We constrain our imaginations when we subordinate our creations to names owned by fascist tycoons.” Pulling no punches, I think correctly: #Media @vesto@merveilles.town: Notes on Anil Dash's “Don't call it a Substack"[0] — https://www.stevegattuso.me/ ... [0]: https://www.anildash.com/... @chrisplusplus@social.lol: 🔗 Don't call it a Substack. https://www.anildash.com/... > “Links are powerful — that's why Instagram and Twitter and Threads punish and limit them, and why Substack tries to take credit for them.” — Quit Substack while you can. Molly White has a great post about her experience doing so: https://www.citationneeded.news/ ... @netopwibby@social.coop: > Imagine the author of a book tellling people to “read my Amazon”. A great director trying to promote their film by saying “click on my Max”. — Sounds nuts, right? Delete your Substack. — https://www.anildash.com/... @herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club: Substack has a Nazi problem: they are the bar that let in the Nazis set up shop, because they get a cut of the action. — And just like people left Xwitter behind, they can leave substack behind. There are tools, there are alternatives. — Anil Dash: Don't call it “a substack” … @kottke@mastodon.social: For the love of god, quit calling your newsletter “my Substack”. “You can talk about your work as *your work*. It's your newsletter, or your email, or your blog. Or just your writing. But it sure as hell isn't ‘your Substack.’” https://www.anildash.com/...

New York Times:

Trump says Republicans must kill the PRESS Act, which would protect journalists' records and sources from the US government; the bill is stalled in the Senate— The bill, known as the PRESS Act, would codify protections against federal investigators seizing reporters' records.

Discussion:

Mariane Angela /
The Daily Caller: Trump Urges Congressional Republicans To Block Bill Protecting Journalists From Government Spying

Kevin Gosztola /
@kgosztola.bsky.social: Here's Trump demanding that Lindsey Graham, Mike Lee, & other Republican senators withdraw support for federal shield law for reporters known as the PRESS Act. That way he could more easily suppress journalists and media organizations. (The bill already passed in the House.) [image]

Scott Buffington /
@slbuffington.bsky.social: Trump will try to snuff out any and all opposition from the media. He supports the First Amendment only when it's favorable towards him. Facts are real, whether one likes them or not. [embedded post]

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: Despite bipartisan support, a proposed federal shield law may fall by the wayside

Alex Griffing /
Mediaite: Trump Demands Republicans ‘KILL’ Bipartisan Press Freedom Bill

Nikki McCann Ramirez /
Rolling Stone: Trump Says Republicans ‘MUST KILL’ Bipartisan Bill to Protect Press Freedom @freedom.press: “As Congress wraps up its work for the year, the Senate's passage of a shield law for journalists should be a priority,” The @virginianpilot.bsky.social's editorial board wrote in November.

NPR:

Excerpts from a Q&A with Marty Baron and David Remnick on coming retribution against media: prosecutions for posting government leaks, public media cuts, more— Heading into a second term, New Yorker editor David Remnick says Donald Trump's anger “has been never so intense as it's been against the press.”

Discussion:
The Conversation

Toronto Star:

Rogers Sports & Media lays off more than two dozen employees in its radio and podcasting divisions, citing declining revenue and challenges in advertising— The company has said there will be no closures or terminations of stations, programming or podcasts.

Discussion:
Inside Radio, CBC News and Globe and Mail

Discussion:

Daniel Anstandig /
Inside Radio: North Of The Border, Rogers Media Makes ‘Difficult But Necessary’ Changes.

Washington Post:

Reg Murphy, an editor and publisher in Atlanta, San Francisco, and Baltimore, died Nov. 9 at 90; he was kidnapped in 1974 by a man angry at “liberal news media”— As a top editor at the Atlanta Constitution, he was held for a $700,000 ransom. He was later the publisher …

Discussion:
New York Times, @tomsherwood, @slbuffington.bsky.social and @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social

Discussion:

Sam Roberts /
New York Times: Reg Murphy, Newspaper Editor Whose Kidnapping Made Headlines, Dies at 90

Tom Sherwood /
@tomsherwood: One of my first reporters/editors I looked up to when I began my own journalism career 60 years ago. All round great guy! Reg Murphy, editor and publisher who survived a kidnapping, dies at 90 https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Scott Buffington /
@slbuffington.bsky.social: The Georgia newspaper industry will miss Reg Murphy. A great man and first rate newspaper guy. [embedded post]

Jeff Jarvis /
@jeffjarvis@mastodon.social: Reg Murphy made me a columnist in San Francisco because he liked a caption I wrote. Then he sided with Feinstein against me and I quit. The day after I left, he quit. Bye, Reg. RIP. — Reg Murphy, editor and publisher who survived a kidnapping, dies at 90 https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Tubefilter:

Streamlabs: Twitch accounted for 82.3% of total Q3 streaming hours, with YouTube Gaming in second place at 5.6%; Kick grew 204% from Q2 2023 to Q3 2024— For years, the Logitech-owned creator dashboard Streamlabs and its data partner Stream Hatchet have compiled quarterly progress reports for the streaming industry.

Discussion:
@tvgrimreaper and Streamlabs, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
@tvgrimreaper: Nielsen's public Gauge numbers only show viewing on TVs, but Nielsen also measures viewing on computers and mobile devices. When that is included, Twitch viewing doubles to ~0.2%. [image]

Columbia Journalism Review:

Q&A with Vulture's podcast critic Nicholas Quah about how Trump tapped into the podcast world, podcasters like Joe Rogan being “politically squishy”, and more— Donald Trump surprised a lot of people when he appeared on a number of nonpolitical podcasts this summer …

Discussion:
@joeroganhq

Bloomberg:

News Corp shareholders reject Starboard's proposal to end News Corp's dual share structure, which Starboard said gives the Murdochs “outsized influence”— - Starboard argued that Murdoch family had too much influence — Murdoch family awaits ruling in contentious trust trial

Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @davidfolkenflik, Deadline, The Guardian and Reuters

Discussion:

Etan Vlessing /
TVNewsCheck: News Corp. Investors Reject Proposal To Scrap Dual Class Share Structure

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: News Corp. News: Shareholders have rejected a motion supported by a number of investor advisor groups to eliminate the dual structure that allows Rupert Murdoch (and family) to control the company. He wields 40+ percent of voting shares despite owning far fewer common shares.

Jill Goldsmith /
Deadline: News Corp. Defeats Shareholder Push To Ditch Super Voting Stock Amid Succession Jitters

Lauren Aratani /