digital news

The hope is that CNN+ will serve as a gateway to a post-pay TV world, connecting the brand’s familiar red and white letters to a generation of viewers who are growing up without cable. CNN also has plans to eventually offer a lower priced version of CNN+ that will be advertiser-supported. CNN+ will also be available in a package deal with HBO Max, just as Disney offers its flagship streaming service Disney+ with ESPN+ and Hulu.

Justin Smith, the former head of Bloomberg Media, and Ben Smith, the former New York Times media columnist, have approached some of the biggest names in media in an effort to raise $20 million-$30 million to launch a news organization by fall of 2022, according to people they’ve pitched. The Smiths, who tell investors they’ll burn through $50 million in cash before breaking even, have approached Bob Iger, Michael Bloomberg and Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective, sources say.

The left-leaning, independent operation has kept its news focus on those to the sides of power since 1996, building an audience of millions largely by giving its content to other outlets for free. “Steal this story, please,” is a key motto, says co-host, co-founder and executive producer Amy Goodman.

Google announced an improvement to its ranking systems on Wednesday that could give local news publishers a boost in visibility and traffic in search results and Google News Showcase. The improvement to Google’s ranking system would enable local news sources that are deemed authoritative and relevant to appear more often alongside national publications in features such as Top Stories.

Barry Diller’s media group is stopping print circulation of six of the magazines it acquired when it bought Meredith Corp. last year, part of an effort to turn these publications into digital-only brands. The company will stop publishing print editions for Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, EatingWell, Health, Parents and People en Español, Dotdash Meredith CEO Neil Vogel said Wednesday in a memo to staff.

Stations winners were KXTV Sacramento, Calif.; KNXV Phoenix; KNTV San Francisco; and KARE Minneapolis.

The numbers still pale in comparison with print’s heyday, but the increase is giving some publishers an unusual feeling: hope.

Katie Nolan, the sportscaster who has made a name for herself in the world of digital content, is taking her talents to NBC Sports. Nolan is joining the NBC Olympics team, and is expected to create daily short-form content, which will be distributed across both traditional and digital platforms.

The Washington Post is powering up its coverage of the online world by hiring Taylor Lorenz, The New York Times tech reporter whose stories on influencer culture and social media trends helped usher the Gray Lady into the 21st century. The star reporter with a massive online following thinks the Post gets the internet in ways other outlets don’t.

The veteran of the CBS Detroit duopoly is the first executive appointed to work on the creation of CBS News and Stations’ local news startup, CBS News Detroit, a full-scale, hyper-local news department that is being built from scratch and will launch later this year.

A project from Twitter and Social News Desk lets newsrooms upload up to six images and videos into a single tweet, and some are already using it to offer more expansive winter weather coverage on the platform.

The network’s boss, Jeff Zucker, tries to make up for lost time by signing Chris Wallace, Audie Cornish and Eva Longoria.

War Room is at the center of a fledgling network, Real America’s Voice, started by Robert J. Sigg, that’s monetizing what some employees saw as “Trump propaganda.”

Networks like CBS and CNN are leaning on “iconic franchises” and “old-school” reporters in a bid to transition linear audiences to digital viewers.

CBS News and the network’s owned stations get a major streaming overhaul with a new name, the CBS News Streaming Network, dramatically expanded OTT programming and the launch of a new local streaming channel in Miami.

NBC News Digital Executive Editor David Firestone is retiring in mid-May after 45 years in the journalism business, the last five of them at NBC. Firestone joined NBC News on May 1, 2017. He first served as managing editor for NBC News Digital, and was promoted to executive editor in March of last year.

Channels covering Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and South Florida are available now for free, with additional channels to launch later this year.

NewsOn, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s local streaming news service, has launched on Samsung smart TVs as part of the Samsung TV Plus platform. The NewsOn app provides viewers with news content from almost 200 TV stations in more than 100 markets.

The Wall Street Journal’s Anthony Galloway (left) has been tapped to lead CBS News’ streaming operations. In addition, CBS News said it has promoted booker Kaci Sokoloff and hired ABC News veteran David Reiter to produce special events at the network and for streaming.