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Gizmodo, the tech media website, is purchased by French digital publisher Keleops. According to a memo to staff from Jim Spanfeller, the CEO of Gizmodo’s current owner, G/O Media, the deal came with a promise from Keleops to “keep Gizmodo’s entire staff intact” as well as “a sale valuation that represents a substantial premium from our original purchase price for the site.” Keleops operates the consumer tech sites Journal du Geek, 01net, Press Citron and iPhon. The company says that the acquisition of Gizmodo is expected to effectively double its current audience size, in addition to “fostering deeper brand awareness and engagement.” G/O Media, which is owned by private equity firm Great Hill Partners, was initially cobbled together out of several websites that were formerly Gawker Media properties. It has recently shed several of its holdings, including The Onion, Jezebel, Deadspin and the A.V. Club. “Acquiring Gizmodo represents a strategic move for Keleops as we continue to strengthen our presence and leadership in the tech media industry,” said Keleops CEO and founder Jean-Guillaume Kleis.
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The Wall Street Journal is going in for a little bit of rebranding. The rebrand, which includes a new tagline, “It’s Your Business,” is an attempt to develop a “reader-first strategy” for the paper, according to WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker. A major part of the rebrand is expected to entail a shift toward reaching younger audiences. Backed by what Axios reports is a “multimillion-dollar investment in paid marketing,” the campaign is aimed at “shifting the perception of the Journal that prospects may have,” said Dow Jones CMO Sherry Weiss. It comes as the paper is involved in several other changes, which include staff layoffs, and the creation of a “National Affairs team,” focused on tackling such “big topics” as abortion, race and immigration.
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The Heinz Endowments approves a $250,000 grant to the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University in Pittsburgh to support its latest initiative, the Next Generation Newsroom. The Newsroom is a teaching program designed to support local news outlets and early-career journalists. Content developed from the Newsroom will be shared across the 29 members of the Center’s Pittsburgh Media Partnership, which has a combined reach of 6 million. The Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh is donating $25,000 to the same project. “Robust local journalism is crucial to a healthy and thriving community, and we appreciate the Center for Media Innovation's commitment to equipping young journalists with the tools they need to navigate a rapidly changing sector,” said The Heniz Endowments program director for sustainability Matt Barron. The Center will formally debut the Next Generation Newsroom at Newsapalooza, a first-of-its-kind event for Pittsburgh in celebration and support of journalism, which will be held from Sept. 26 to 28, at Point Park University and its Pittsburgh Playhouse.
The Washington Post‘s latest step in creating a “refined product vision” for its publishing technology unit Arc XP includes shedding 54 employees... California Governor Gavin Newsom signs a bill mandating that state agencies develop plans to increase their advertising spending in media outlets serving California's diverse populations... Guardian Media Group appoints Minhee Cho as communications manager for the Guardian US.
Reporters Without Borders has launched a marketing campaign featuring photoshopped images of Donald Trump, Viktor Orban, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to promote subscriptions to its “100 Photos for Press Freedom” albums.
Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios are joining the Motion Picture Association, Hollywood’s biggest lobbying group, effective Oct. 1... CBS names Lance Frank head of communications for CBS News, Stations & Media Ventures... Guardian Media Group, parent company of The Guardian, is in negotiations with Tortoise Media over the potential sale of the Observer.
Russia bans NYT, WSJ, WaPo journalists for being “liberal globalist media outlets involved in manufacturing and spreading fake claims" about the country... Florida-based Trump Media & Technology Group gets help from Nebraska Congressman... The California General Assembly passed a bill requiring internet browsers and mobile operating systems to let consumers easily opt out from the sharing and selling of their private data with websites that use it for targeted advertising. 
Formedics, the healthcare professional community and engagement platform, has acquired AMC Media, a healthcare publisher, digital marketer and events operation.
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