Media Manuevers: Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Unloads Spin, Stereogum
Fri, Jan. 17, 2020
By Steve Barnes
Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Media Group is unloading Spin and Stereogum, two of its music publications. The two were acquired, along with Vibe, from SpinMedia in 2016... Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey is stepping down after an almost 20-year run at the Hearst property... NBCUniversal unveiled its Peacock streaming service on Jan. 16. The new service will be available for subscribers to Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Flex services on April 15.
The UK's Guardian Media Group has named academic publishing veteran Annette Thomas CEO effective March.
Metro New York, a free daily, has been acquired by Schneps Media, which already owns the paper’s main competitor, amNewYork. The papers will be consolidated into amNewYork Metro... A Facebook bid to bolster its reputation via sponsored content on Teen Vogue misfires... Former First Lady Michelle Obama readies a smartphone series, "A Year of Firsts," about the struggles of college freshmen.
Kevin Delaney, who left his position as editor and co-CEO of Quartz in October, is joining the New York Times Opinion department... Mike Bloomberg is on track to become the biggest buyer of advertising in the history of U.S. presidential campaigns... Comcast is in negotiations to buy Xumo, a free, ad-supported over-the-top video app that has more than 190 content channels.
The Reporters Without Borders group says 49 journalists were killed during 2019, a 16-year low and a 44 percent drop from the number of journos who died in action during 2018. (1 reader comment)
Marketing, media and events company Connect Meetings has acquired BizBash, a trade media publisher focusing on the events industry.
David Carey, who stepped down as president of Hearst's magazine unit in 2018, is returning as its full-time PR chief.
Americans who support President Trump and approve of the job he’s doing are least likely to trust in the news media today, according to a Pew Research Center study. (1 reader comment)
The Aspen Institute has hired media veteran Vivian Schiller to lead its media and technology programs, which are being combined in 2020.
Hightimes Holding, the publisher of High Times magazine, warned shareholders in its most current SEC filing that the company may have to shutter the 45-year-old publication... The Pulitzer Prize Board is adding a new category, audio reporting, for its 2020 awards. The new prize will recognize “a distinguished example of audio journalism that serves the public interest.”... The New York Times has hired Buzzfeed's Jane Bradley to be its new UK investigative correspondent, based in London.
Google continues to provide the greatest outside source of traffic for news companies across the globe, according to the World Association of News Publishers’ latest annual report.
The Trump re-election campaign today banned Bloomberg News from covering its rallies and events. (2 reader comments)
Report for America today announced that it will place 250 journalists in 164 local newsrooms in 46 states during 2020, four times the amount of this year’s class.
Meredith transitions Rachael Ray Every Day to a newsstand-only quarterly publication... Three Ohio newspapers cut frequency to meet terms of Apollo Global Management acquisition of Cox TV stations and newspapers... Condé Nast names Stan Duncan to head newly unified global HR department.
Bloomberg News is suspending its editorial board following Mike Bloomberg’s announcement of his entrance into the 2020 presidential campaign... The Players’ Tribune, the website which was founded by ex-New York Yankee Derek Jeter, has been acquired by Minute Media, an Israel-based digital publishing platform... Condé Nast is getting rid of the non-recyclable plastic wrapping it uses for magazine subscriptions and newsstands.
The loss of local newsrooms in communities across the country now amounts to a state of crisis for American democracy, according to a new PEN America report.
Americans value the local news and want continued access to it, but few see it as a service worth paying for and most oppose the idea of these outlets receiving government funding, according to a recent Knight/Gallup study.
Twitter releases information about political ad ban that was promised by CEO Jack Dorsey... Sports Illustrated goes monthly... McClatchy Cos. ends Saturday print runs for all papers including Miami Herald, Charlotte Observer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and seeks federal bailout of its pension funds.
Gannett, Gateway shareholders approve merger and now the cutbacks begin as firm eyes $300M in cost savings. 
The Zagat restaurant guide for New York City is back in print for its 2020 edition after owner Google dropped it in 2016... The Atlantic unveils subscriber-only version of its app... Bustle Digital axes at least 10 staffers at its Bustle site, which is geared to women.
Roula Khalaf will become the first woman editor in the 131-year history of the Financial Times when she takes over for Lionel Barber early next year. (1 reader comment)
Fox Corp. sliced 88-year-old chairman Rupert Murdoch's total compensation package 14.3 percent to $42.156,115 during fiscal 2019. Son & CEO Lachlan also took a hit. (1 reader comment)