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Discovery Communications is shelling out $70 million to Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo, Inc. to gain an additional 24.5 percent stake in OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, a joint venture between the two companies. As a result of the deal, Discovery now has a more than 70 percent ownership stake in the network. Discovery’s increased stake in OWN comes as it moves ahead on plans to complete its acquisition of Scripps early next year. If that deal goes through it would add Food Network and HGTV to Discovery’s current women-focused channels, which include TLC and ID in addition to OWN. Discovery would then have a controlling interest in five of the top pay-TV networks for women, representing a 20 percent share of women watching primetime pay-TV in the U.S. Harpo will retain a “significant minority interest” in OWN and Winfrey will continue in her role as CEO. “Creating OWN and seeing it flourish, supported by Discovery and a rapidly growing group of the finest storytellers in film and television, is one of my proudest achievements,” said Winfrey. “I’m thrilled with the network’s success and excited about this next chapter in our partnership.”
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According to a report in today’s Variety, Comcast is shutting down Plaxo, an online address-book synchronization service that the the company claimed at one point had more than 50 million registered accounts. Comcast acquired Plaxo in a 2008 deal that was reportedly in the $150 million to $170 million range, with hopes that the service would become a major social-media property. Founded in 2002, the service consolidated users’ contacts across multiple sources, automatically updating information across devices and platforms. It also allowed users to share personal info and photos. While Comcast’s plan was to turn Plaxo into a medium that would “bring the social media experience to mainstream consumers,” it never gained traction beyond its use as a way to sync contacts. “While it’s sad to say goodbye to Plaxo, we’re eager to put more focus into our expanding core products within the Xfinity family,” Plaxo said in a statement on its website. Plaxo will not be available after Dec. 31, and the company will start to purge user data the following day.
 Theano Apostolou |
Theano Apostolou is stepping down from her position as head of communications at premium pay-TV channel Starz. Apostolou joined Starz in 2011 as senior vice president of communications and was promoted to executive vice president of the department in 2013. Before that, she was senior VP of publicity, talent relations and promotional events for AMC. “Theano has played an integral role in making Starz a global entertainment company,” Starz president Chris Albrecht said. “Her creativity and passionate commitment to our success was a driving force in our evolution.” She will continue to consult for Starz until the company finds a replacement.
Boston Globe Media acquires InstaTrac, a company that provides subscription-based services aimed at making government information easier to find, track, and understand... AARP names former New Republic CEO and publisher Michael Caruso as its SVP and chief content officer, unifying the organization's portfolio of media, live events and digital platforms... The Fund for American Studies, an educational nonprofit, awards its inaugural Journalism Excellence Fellowships.
Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. has replaced CEO and former California Congressman Devin Nunes with Kevin McGurn, a seasoned media sales executive.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is being bought by the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a nonprofit that is the parent organization of the Baltimore Banner... The British Broadcasting Corporation is axing approximately 2,000 jobs, about 10 percent of its work force... Snap, the company behind Snapchat, is also succumbing to layoff fever, announcing plans to lay off 16 percent of its employees, about 1,000 people.
CBS News Radio will go off the air on May 22, part of the axe-swinging managerial plan put into play by CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss... The Economist, which was first published in 1843, is changing hands. Canadian billionaire Stephen Smith has agreed to acquire a 26.9 percent stake in the publication from Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, her family and family foundation... Nexstar Media Group says it has closed its acquisition of TEGNA, the broadcast, digital media and marketing services company that was formed in 2015, when the Gannett Company split into two publicly traded companies.
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. 
