Media Movers

Cox Media Group is looking to sell the Austin American-Statesman. Named Texas Newspaper of the Year by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors for three of the past four years, the Statesman will be put on the market along with its seven community newspapers and multiple websites. Cox is also selling the Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News. The Post does not count President Trump among its fans. "One of the country's dumbest newspapers—The Palm Beach Post—should be put to sleep," he tweeted in 2013. "It's dying." Cox Media Group president Kim Guthrie said in a statement that the decision to sell the papers is part of a move toward markets where Cox has multiple media assets, such as Atlanta and Dayton, Ohio. “We have made the decision that we will be better equipped to operate our newspapers in Atlanta and Ohio, where we have the integrated opportunity with our TV and radio operations,” she said. This isn’t the first time that cox has put the Statesman on the auction block. It put the paper up for sale in August 2008, but took it back off the market in August 2009, saying it would remain part of the converged newspaper, TV and radio media company Cox was creating.

Kevin Spacey in "All the Money in the World"

Sony’s Tri-Star Pictures could turn out to be an additional casualty in the current round of sexual harassment claims that are running like wildfire through the entertainment industry. All the Money in the World, a Ridley Scott-directed film concerning the 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, stars Kevin Spacey as the victim’s grandfather, billionaire J. Paul Getty. In the wake of sexual accusations made against Spacey (most notably by actor Anthony Rapp), Tri-Star’s ability to use Spacey to promote the film, and as part of any related Oscar campaign, would appear to be limited. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sony has so far declined comment regarding Spacey's participation in the film's marketing campaign going forward. Plans to screen the film at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles on Nov. 16 are still in place, with a planned Dec. 22 commercial release. In addition, Netflix has announced that it is shutting down production on House of Cards, which stars Spacey, after its sixth season. Gore, a Netflix film in which Spacey plays Gore Vidal, is still set for release next year.

Michael Oreskes

Michael Oreskes, senior vp of news and editorial director at NPR, has resigned following charges from two women who say he made unwanted physical contact with them while he was employed as Washington bureau chief of the New York Times nearly two decades ago. Each woman said that after she met with Oreskes to discuss job prospects, he unexpectedly kissed her on the lips and stuck his tongue in her mouth. The women spoke with NPR’s attorney in charge of labor and employment matters in mid-October. Oreskes, who came to NPR in March 2015, said in a statement that his behavior "was wrong and inexcusable, and I accept full responsibility." An NPR statement said: “We take these kinds of allegations very seriously. If a concern is raised, we review the matter promptly and take appropriate steps as warranted to assure a safe, comfortable and productive work environment. As a matter of policy, we do not comment about personnel matters.”