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FiscalNote, DC-based tech and data outfit, says it intends to acquire CQ Roll Call from The Economist Group. As part of the deal, The Economist Group would gain an 18 percent equity stake in the company. The Economist Group CEO Chris Stibbs is to join the FiscalNote board of directors, with FiscalNote founder Tim Hwang remaining CEO. Hwang told the Washington Post that his plan is to make FiscalNote a global data and information provider along the lines of Thompson Reuters, Bloomberg and LexisNexis, which have also combined subscription-based data services with news reporting and analysis.
 Troy Young |
Hearst has named Troy Young president of its magazine division, succeeding David Carey, who is stepping down. The appointment is effective immediately. Carey is expected to remain with Hearst through 2019 as chairman of the magazine division. Young has been president of Hearst Magazines Digital Media since 2013. In that position he restructured Hearst’s management hierarchy, creating digital teams for each brand, with site editors reporting to him instead of to the editor-in-chief of the print title associated with the site. He also oversaw the development of MediaOS, a proprietary content management, ad sales and data analytics platform, as well as the opening of a 26,000-square-foot video and multimedia production studio. Before coming to Hearst, he was president of digital publishing company Say Media. He will now have responsibility for Hearst Magazines’ global business, which includes more than 300 print editions and 240 digital brands.
 Ben Berkowitz |
Storyful has named Ben Berkowitz editor-in-chief. Storyful, which bills itself as a “social insights and content company,” says it helps clients find and verify user-generated content. Founded in Ireland in 2008, the company was acquired by NewsCorp in 2013. Berkowitz was previously vice president, digital at WNBC and has also worked for CNBC, Thomson Reuters, the Associated Press and AOL. He will assume responsibility for Storyful's global editorial operation in August, driving long term strategy and maintaining day-to-day oversight of Storyful’s newsroom including offices in Dublin, New York, London, Hong Kong and Sydney. He will also lead new initiatives such as News Intelligence, an investigative research service for newsrooms, and training programs designed to combat misinformation on social media.
USA TODAY brings on Jamie Stockwell as VP of news, effective March 30. Stockwell was most recently deputy managing editor of news for the Washington Post... YouTube expands its likeness detection capabilities to a pilot group of government officials, journalists and political candidates... The AP Fund for Journalism adds 50 news organizations to its local news program, bringing the total number of participating newsrooms to 100. 
Versant Media Group, the NBCUniversal cable TV spin-off, today reported its first financial results as 2025 revenues dipped 5.3 percent to $6.7B and standalone EBITDA dropped 9.1 percent to $2.2B.
Trump Media & Technology Group is discussing a spin-off of the Truth Social platform following the expected closing of its $6B merger deal with TAE Technologies... Condé Nast sells off Them, the digital LGBTQ-focused platform it launched in 2017, to Equalpride, publisher of Out, The Advocate, Out Traveler, Health PLUS Wellness and Pride.com... CBS News has parted ways with longevity influencer Peter Attia, one of the 19 contributors that editor-in-chief Bari Weiss brought on as part of her plan to present a wider variety of voices on the platform. 
Symbolic.ai forms a partnership with News Corp to begin using the company’s AI-native publisher platform in the newsrooms of News Corp publications to augment research, writing and publishing... Mediaite launches a newsletter that promises to give readers a summary of—media newsletters... The Fund for American Studies launches the Journalism Excellence Fellowship, a program that will provide promising young journalists the opportunity to work alongside top writers, reporters, and media professionals.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which has roots going back to 1786, is going out of business, the paper’s owners, Block Communications, announced on Jan. 7... GQ editor Will Welch is stepping down to take on a new Paris-based role with the musician Pharrell, who is also men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton... Semafor says it has raised $30 million on a $330 million valuation, following its first profitable year. 
