Good Monday morning.
- Newspaper company ‘lucky to tread water’
Gannett becomes the latest media company to split its print and broadcast assets into separate companies today. The newspapers join a spinoff company that will keep the Gannett name and embark on a shopping spree. The broadcast and digital assets will remain with the existing company, renamed Tegna. Poynter’s Rick Edmonds analyzed the news Sunday night. “New Gannett begins life with two clear challenges: Revenues, dragged down by weak print advertising, were off 9 percent in the first quarter, and the second quarter does not look much better. Results have been similar at NewsQuest, the group of regional British papers Gannett owns, which was hit by a work stoppage in recent weeks to protest cuts.” (Poynter) | The new Gannett “will be lucky to tread water” on the stock market, Alexander Eule writes. (Barron’s) | Tribune Company, Journal Communications Inc. and E.W. Scripps Co. have all made similar moves. (Poynter)
- The media covers SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling
Was it right for BuzzFeed, Mashable, Wired and others to celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision in favor of same-sex marriage by adopting rainbow colors on their social media profiles? Dylan Byers raised the question Friday. BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith explained that news outlet’s decision: “We firmly believe that for a number of issues, including civil rights, women’s rights, anti-racism, and LGBT equality, there are not two sides.” (Politico) | That support is a far cry from the bygone days when media outlets were openly hostile to the gay rights movement, Richard Goldstein explained Sunday on CNN’s “Reliable Sources.” “‘The Times’ would not use the word gay…They said, ‘Not in my newspaper.’ That was their line.” (CNN) | Here’s how the court’s decision played on newspaper front pages. (Poynter) | Bloomberg’s SCOTUS ace Greg Stohr was quickest on the draw, edging out Reuters, Dow Jones and The Associated Press. (The Washington Post) | CNN mistook a gay pride flag featuring dildos and butt plugs for the ISIS flag. (Vox)
- Hulk Hogan v. Gawker Media
Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan — real name Terry Bollea — is asking a Florida court to prevent the press from viewing a sex tape that ignited a multi-million dollar invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against Gawker Media, which published an edited version of the video in 2012. Hogan’s lawyer told Poynter Saturday that he doesn’t want to clear the courtroom — he just wants monitors showing the tape facing away from the press, toward the judge, jury and attorneys. That motion will be contested by a coalition of media organizations sometime this week. (Poynter) | Meanwhile, the FBI confirmed on Friday the existence of three separate sex tapes with Hogan and Heather Clem, the ex-wife of radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. (Poynter)
- Should New York Times journalists mention their books in the paper?
New York Times Public Editor Margaret Sullivan questioned that newspaper’s journalists in her most recent Sunday column, which takes up complaints from readers who accused David Brooks of promoting his book in his columns. “Still, the question looms: Is it really possible to serve two masters — The Times and the business of bookselling? Times journalists are quick to say that they have their priorities straight.” (The New York Times) | NPR recently grappled with the issue of journalists using the network’s air to promote their books, leading ombudsman Elizabeth Jensen to remind hosts they shouldn’t plug their own books on their shows. (Poynter)
- NBC’s delicate dealings with The Donald
Donald Trump’s pronouncement that he’s running for president puts NBCUniversal in a tricky situation, Brian Stelter writes. The company co-owns the Miss Universe Organization with the Trump Organization, making NBCUniversal a partner of sorts with the newly minted politico. “So NBC now finds itself in the awkward position of being in business with a presidential candidate — and not just any candidate, but the most controversial, incendiary one of them all.” (CNN)
- Where’s the Taylor Swift of news?
Pop star Taylor Swift’s successful stand against Apple’s music streaming service has The Guardian’s Jane Martinson wondering which media moguls could step up and force tech companies to make similar concessions to news organizations. “There are so many reasons a letter starting ‘Dear Apple’ and ending ‘love Rupert’ would not have the same impact. Yet the entire news industry, and not just Rupert Murdoch, has allowed the idea of news as a no-value commodity to take hold – with a report from Syria or the Federal Reserve as interesting to advertisers as one of the 4m mentions of laundry posted on Facebook each day, or possibly less so.” (The Guardian)
- Jason Rezaian’s brother wants to be heard at Iran nuclear talks
Ali Rezaian, brother of imprisoned Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian, is in Vienna trying to make sure his sibling isn’t forgotten as diplomats hammer out a final nuclear deal with Iran. “‘I’m not a diplomat or a politician, I don’t know what’s optimal,’ Ali Rezaian said when asked if he fears the U.S. government will lose leverage to demand his brother’s release if a final deal is inked. ‘What I know is that Jason is innocent, his detention is illegal by international and Iranian standards, and that’s what everyone needs to know.'” (Bloomberg)
- Front page of the day, selected by Kristen Hare
On Monday, Ethnos in Greece led with an image of the bank crisis that started Sunday when the country ordered banks closed for a week. (Courtesy Kiosko)
- Job moves, edited by Benjamin Mullin
Karen Mendez will be news director for WNJU in New York. Previously, she was news director for KXTX in Dallas. (Rick Gevers) | Alan Rusbridger will be a visiting professor at the Asian College of Journalism. Previously, he was editor of The Guardian. (The Hindu) | Jim Hopson is now interim publisher of The Columbus Dispatch. Previously, he was interim publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. (New Media Investment Group) | Nicole Carrico is now head of content collaborations at Upworthy. Previously, she worked at Discovery Communications. Jennifer Lindenauer is now vice president of marketing at Upworthy. Previously, she was senior vice president of marketing and communications at The Guardian. Ben Zagorski is now chief revenue officer at Upworthy. Previously, he was publisher at The Daily Beast. (Upworthy) | Drew Olanoff is now a senior writer at TechCrunch. Previously, he was director of global communications at EyeEm. (TechCrunch) | Job of the day: Twitter is looking for an editorial lead. Get your résumés in! (Twitter) | Send Ben your job moves: bmullin@poynter.org.
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