The precarious state of local news giants

Even compared to this year’s other brutal weeks for American journalism, the past seven days have been particularly turbulent. Last Wednesday, the publishing giant McClatchy reported severe liquidity problems along with its third-quarter results; its share price has since collapsed from $2.28 to $0.40. Last Thursday, shareholders voted to approve the merger of two more media giants—GateHouse and Gannett—despite stock in GateHouse’s parent, New Media Investment Group, also having cratered since the merger was announced. The deal closed yesterday; the new company is just called Gannett. Also yesterday, Alden Global Capital—a hedge fund, notorious for cost-slashing at its media properties, that itself tried to buy Gannett earlier this year—acquired a 25-percent stake in Tribune Publishing Company, becoming its biggest shareholder. To simplify, the Wall Street types who increasingly control local news are playing with all their biggest chips at once. As Nieman Lab’s Ken Doctor told CNN last night, this week marks a “major turning point” for the industry. “At a time when local news is needed more than ever, it is the bankers who are deciding what will be defined as news, and who will be employed to report it.” From archives: Politico embarrasses WSJ by publishing transcript The closure of the Gannett–GateHouse deal was the least surprising of these new developments, and is probably the most significant. Prior to their merger, the companies were, respectively, America’s first... Continue reading at 'Columbia Journalism Review'

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2019-11-20 13:10:34 UTC ]
News tagged with: #senior editor #publishing giant

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The precarious state of local news giants'


News Publisher Grid Aims to Differentiate Itself Through Its Interconnected Approach

Digital news publisher Grid debuted Wednesday with a series of stories, such as its intersectional report on the misinformation surrounding Covid vaccines and pregnancy, that reflect the multidisciplinary approach that it hopes to make its signature. Its launch comes amidst an explosion of new... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2022-01-13 15:27:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media companies #news publisher


December Religion Bestsellers: Fox News Hosts Takeover; Mitch Albom Tops in Fiction

Two books by Fox News personalities—one by Rachel Campos-Duffy and Sean Duffy and another by Shannon Bream—cracked the top five on our Religion Nonfiction Bestsellers list for December. Mitch Albom tops in Religion FIction with his latest novel, ‘The Stranger in the Lifeboat.’ Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-01-12 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #religion fiction


Take-Two is acquiring mobile game giant Zynga for $12.7 billion

PC gaming Giant Take-Two has announced that it's making a big move into mobile gaming with the acquisition of Zynga for a total price of approximately $12.7 billion. Take-Two already owns Rockstar Games, Codemasters and 2K, producing games like Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, Bioshock and... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-01-10 13:17:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big move #rich history #publishing platform


Alden sues Lee after news publisher rejects its takeover bid

Alden Global Capital hedge fund, owner of the Chicago Tribune, stepped up its attempts to buy Lee Enterprises this week, filing a lawsuit that accuses its board of denying shareholders of the newspaper publisher a voice in the matter. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2021-12-16 17:02:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #takeover bid #chicago tribune #news publisher


Alden sues Lee after news publisher rejects its takeover bid

Nearly a week after Lee Enterprises rejected Alden Global Capital’s attempt to buy the newspaper publisher, the hedge fund responded Wednesday with a lawsuit accusing Lee’s board of improperly denying shareholders the chance to have a say on the offer Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2021-12-15 23:34:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #takeover bid #news publisher


Buffalo News publisher rejects Alden Global Capital's takeover bid.

The board of Lee Enterprises voted 8-0 against an unsolicited offer by the hedge fund that valued the newspaper chain at $141 million. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-12-09 20:44:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #takeover bid #hedge fund #newspaper chain #$141 million #news publisher


The story of one New York girl and the precarious lives of the poor

Reporter Andrea Elliott spent eight years following Dasani and her struggling family. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-12-03 13:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Russian oil giant Rosneft discontinues claim against Putin's People

Russian state oil company Rosneft is discontinuing its remaining claim against HarperCollins over comments made in Catherine Belton's book Putin's People (William Collins). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-26 19:40:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book putin #catherine belton #harpercollins


News Of Donald Trump's MAGA Picture Book Gets Shredded On Twitter

“Our Journey Together" promises to capture “the greatness" of the Trump White House, but critics aren't convinced. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2021-11-20 12:07:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture book


Nemo the Library Fish’s New Job, La Revo Books, and More Good Book News This Week

A library goldfish finds a new job as a therapy fish and more good book news this week. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-11-12 11:41:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good book


In the United States: ‘The 1619 Project’ Books Arrive Amid Heated Debate

At a time when American book publishing is exploring its place in the nation's political fray, the controversial '1619 Project' is coming out as a book. The post In the United States: ‘The 1619 Project’ Books Arrive Amid Heated Debate appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-09 13:43:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishing


In the United States: Sourcebooks Acquires BES Publishing

'Our children’s book business now accounts for more than half our annual sales,' says Sourcebooks' Kay Birkner as the company buys BES Publishing. The post In the United States: Sourcebooks Acquires BES Publishing appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-04 18:59:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book business #annual sales #children’s book


A Library Chicken, WonTon the Bookstore Cat, and Literacy Funding: Your Weekly Dose of Good Bookish News

Here are the best bookish things that happened this week, from library chickens to literacy funding and, of course, WonTon the bookstore cat. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-10-22 10:42:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookish things #bookstore


‘The real Rupert’: News Corp global chief says idea that Murdoch influences elections is a ‘myth’

Robert Thomson says media empire’s newspapers have a common ‘philosophy’ and denies they have performed a backflip on climate change in AustraliaGet our free news app;get our morning email briefingThe idea that Rupert Murdoch influences Australian elections is a “myth” and far removed from the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-10-22 04:46:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #robert thomson #media empire #climate change #media mogul #parliamentary inquiry #sarah hanson-young #top stories #guardian australia #news corp


Question of the Day: The state of the holiday season for publishers

The Digiday Publishing Summit brought leaders in the world of media companies together with the platform and technology partners that work with them. Across the course of three days in Miami, in September 2021, experts and executives framed the state of publishing — identifying trends and next... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2021-10-19 01:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post question #publishers appeared #holiday season #media companies #publishing summit


News Corp is going ‘only positive’ on climate but did Gina Rinehart miss the memo? | The Weekly Beast

It seems the billionaire is not convinced by the Murdoch empire’s new Mission Zero campaign, and neither are its star commentators; Plus: Tomalaris rides offFresh from targeting climate change “propaganda” in the education system, billionaire Gina Rinehart popped up in News Corp Australia’s... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-10-15 01:46:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #weekly beast #murdoch empire #education system #global net #richest person #exclusive interview #electric vehicles #news corp


News Corp’s Andrew Bolt says his company’s climate campaign is ‘rubbish’

Commentator adds voice to backlash against Mission Zero editorial project which has been criticised by some longtime supporters of climate actionGet our free news app; get our morning email briefingThe prominent Murdoch commentator Andrew Bolt says News Corp Australia’s major editorial campaign... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-10-12 16:30:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #andrew bolt #climate action #scott morrison #australian readers #news corp


Flash in the pan or money-spinner? Murdoch pins hopes on news streaming service | The Weekly Beast

Foxtel cannibalisation continues with News Corp adding news service Flash to streaming apps Binge and Kayo. Plus: newshounds or booze hounds?Rupert Murdoch may have turned 90 this year but his news empire continues to grow. A week after announcing a new UK TV channel, TalkTV, and a Sky News... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-09-24 03:27:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #weekly beast #rupert murdoch #one-stop shop #news corp


News Review: Illustration spotlight

The Association of Illustrators (AOI) is hosting “a friendly, honest conversation” about working with disabled illustrators next month. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-23 20:18:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #honest conversation


Troubled Nielsen to update measurements for local television

Increasingly under fire from its clients, the Nielsen company says it will soon incorporate homes that have cut the cable cord and rely on broadband in its measurement of local TV viewership Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2021-09-21 20:37:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nielsen company #nielsen