Morning Media Newsfeed: HBO to Launch Streaming Service

[emailonly]{{{ sbox300x250 }}}[/emailonly] Click here to receive Mediabistro's Morning Media Newsfeed via email. HBO to Offer Stand-Alone Streaming Service Beginning in 2015 (LostRemote) HBO announced plans Wednesday to offer a stand-alone streaming service in 2015. FishbowlNY “We will work with our current partners,” HBO’s CEO Richard Plepler said, in a statement. “And, we will explore models with new partners. All in, there are 80 million homes that do not have HBO and we will use all means at our disposal to go after them.” SocialTimes Having a Web-only option will help the channel with online-TV watchers, who cite flexibility as the main reason for watching original series online. Internet users are becoming more accustomed to consuming what they want, when they want it; HBO is finally adapting to this reality. THR Plepler didn't give too many details about the service, such as pricing and when it would launch, saying he didn't want to tip off competitors too much. Shortly after Plepler's announcement, shares of Netflix dropped 4 percent, while shares of Time Warner were about 3 percent higher as investors digested the HBO news as well as some other rosy predictions coming from the Time Warner investor day presentations. Mashable It is important to note that HBO is far from giving up on cable television. Plepler stressed in his statements before the announcement that HBO's business and relationships with cable partners is important. The channel brought in $4.9 billion in 2013 and has about 114 million subscribers. There has been eager anticipation for HBO to capitalize on its already popular streaming platform by offering it outside of cable subscriptions. HBO Go logins have become something of a social currency, allowing users to access content via accounts of friends and family. Game of Thrones has also grown into the most pirated TV show of all time. CNN’s Unguarded, Sanjay Gupta MD, CNNMoney, Crossfire Canceled (TVNewser) As part of the cuts at CNN, Unguarded has been canceled along with several other programs. Unguarded host Rachel Nichols will continue on with CNN as sole sports anchor for the network and host the occasional special as well as continuing her role with Turner Sports. TVNewser Sanjay Gupta MD, which airs Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. ET and Sundays at 7:30 a.m. ET, has been canceled, as has CNN Money with Christine Romans, which airs Saturday mornings. Gupta and correspondent Elizabeth Cohen will focus on medical breaking news, field reporting and documentaries for the network. Romans will continue co-anchoring Early Start and remains CNN’s chief business correspondent, contributing such stories across CNN. TVNewser Crossfire also hit the chopping block Wednesday. Returning to the air in September 2013 after an eight-year absence, the new version of Crossfire featured former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich, former White House staffers Van Jones and Stephanie Cutter, and former MSNBC host S.E. Cupp. All four hosts will remain with the network as political commentators. TVNewser Additionally, Susan Grant, a 27-year Turner executive, is leaving CNN as it cuts its workforce by 300 employees, a process which began with buyout offers and continued Tuesday with layoffs. As executive vice president of CNN News Services, Grant is the highest profile CNN employee to be departing the network this week. FishbowlDC Twenty-eight positions were expected to be part of layoffs in CNN’s D.C. bureau Wednesday. Politico / Dylan Byers on Media The layoffs are part of CNN's "2020" restructuring plan, which will see 10 percent staff reduction across the company. About 130 CNN staffers have taken buyouts and 170 will be laid-off. Martha Stewart Partners With Meredith (FishbowlNY) Two big “M’s” of the media world are teaming up. And, if all goes well, for at least 10 years starting Nov. 1. Adweek Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia announced it is outsourcing business-side operations for Martha Stewart Living to Meredith Corp., the Iowa-based publisher of women’s service titles like Better Homes & Gardens and Family Circle. WWD / Memo Pad Under the terms of the deal, Meredith will lead sales and marketing, circulation, production, and other non-editorial functions of Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings magazines. The MSLO team will continue to create the editorial content, while Meredith will assume responsibility for the sales and marketing of MarthaStewart.com and MarthaStewartWeddings.com. This includes related assets, such as its large video library. NYT As of Nov. 1, Meredith will include Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings among its 14 magazines in its advertising pitches to attract brands like Crest, L’Oréal and Bed Bath & Beyond. Stewart will keep her magazines’ editorial operations in her West Chelsea headquarters. By aligning with Meredith, she no longer will have to compete with larger magazine companies like Hearst and Condé Nast to attract advertisers. According to Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s most recent earnings report, the company’s publishing division lost $1.75 million in the second quarter of 2014. [emailonly]{{{ jodslot01 }}}[/emailonly] Netflix Misses Q3 Subscriber Numbers, Stock Tanks (Re/code) A first look at Netflix’s Q3 numbers: Revenue of $1.41 billion and earnings of 96 cents, more or less in line with expectations. But just as important are its subscriber numbers, and those are below the company’s forecast and analysts’ expectations. WSJ Shares of the Los Gatos, Calif., company fell 26 percent to $331.25 in recent after-hours trading. Through Wednesday’s close, the stock had risen about 22 percent in 2014. Netflix on Wednesday said it added 3 million streaming subscribers in the three months ended Sept. 30, below the company’s forecast of 3.69 million. THR It ended the quarter with 53.06 million subscribers worldwide, up from 50.05 million in the second quarter. The company was expected to add 1.37 million domestic net streaming customers in the quarter, though it added only 980,000. THR / The Live Feed Netflix announced Wednesday that all 10 seasons of Friends -- 236 episodes, totaling 83 hours -- will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix starting Jan. 1. Variety Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara, at Time Warner’s Investor Day on Wednesday, announced that the studio will license streaming rights to Friends to Netflix for the U.S. and Canada. Deadline Hollywood It marks the first time Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution has licensed exclusive subscription-video-on-demand rights to Friends, which is still big on cable -- on Nick at Nite and TBS -- and in broadcast syndication. Friends is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its premiere this year. Surgery Forces Elisabeth Hasselbeck Off Air (TVNewser) Wednesday morning on Fox & Friends, it was revealed that Elisabeth Hasselbeck will be away from the show for a “couple of weeks” while recovering from surgery. THR Host Brian Kilmeade indicated that the Fox News morning show will have various substitutes, including Kimberly Guilfoyle. A Fox News spokesperson added that the details of Hasselbeck's surgery are remaining private. HuffPost Her Fox & Friends co-hosts said Wednesday morning that Hasselbeck "had some surgery" on Tuesday but is "doing just fine." “She is strong, she is tough and a better athlete than me,” Kilmeade said on the air. "We heard from her last night and she said she is feeling good. So, in a short time, she'll be back on the set." Brian Williams Featured in New 10th Anniversary Promos (TVNewser) NBC Nightly News is unveiling a new series of promos this week in honor of Brian Williams‘ upcoming 10th anniversary as anchor and managing editor. The new campaign is narrated by Academy Award-winning actor and producer Michael Douglas, who has been the voice of the Nightly News opening announcement since 2007. FishbowlDC The trio feature video and photo stills from Williams’ reporting for the evening news, in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, Normandy this June for the 70th anniversary of D-Day, and in Iraq and Afghanistan for war coverage. The promos, titled “Battled Scars,” “What Matters,” and “Experience,” finish with the tagline, “He’s been there. He’ll be there.” [emailonly]{{{ sbox01 }}}[/emailonly] Bill Simmons Returns to ESPN (FishbowlNY) Bill Simmons returned to ESPN Wednesday after serving out his three-week suspension. THR Simmons made an appearance at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 15, a minute after the end of his suspension for calling NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a "liar" on his Grantland B.S. Report podcast. Simmons made little mention of his suspension, other than to say that he was happy to be back. Instead, Simmons and co-host Jalen Rose dove straight into previewing the 2014-2015 NBA season. BBC's Website Being Blocked Across China (BBC News) Access to the BBC's English-language website has been blocked across China, the corporation has said. BBC Global news director Peter Horrocks said it appeared to be "deliberate censorship,” adding that the BBC was complaining to the authorities. Poynter / MediaWire Weeks ago, the BBC reported that Instagram appeared to be blocked in China, and phrases like “Occupy Central” and “Hong Kong students” were hidden on Twitter searches. The BBC notes that it has been the subject of “intermittent blackouts” in China while reporting on the country, especially in the wake of its coverage of Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution. Warner Bros. Will Cut Costs by $200 Million Annually, CEO Says (Variety) Warner Bros. will cut overhead by $200 million annually, the studio’s chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara said during a presentation to Time Warner investors on Wednesday. That belt-tightening is expected to include layoffs, although the studio chief did not say how deep the cuts in staffing will be. Sources say that Warner Bros. is expected to cut as many as 1,000 jobs worldwide or 10 percent of its workforce. [emailonly]{{{ sbox02 }}}[/emailonly] Benjamin Schwarz Named National Editor of The American Conservative (FishbowlDC) The American Conservative Wednesday announced that Benjamin Schwarz has joined the publication as national editor. Schwarz comes to TAC after 14 years with The Atlantic, where he served as national editor and literary editor. Hearst Names Esquire.com, PopularMechanics.com Directors (FishbowlNY) Hearst Magazines Digital Media has named John Sellers site director of Esquire.com and Thomas Houston site director of PopularMechanics.com. Sellers most recently worked for New York as senior editor of Vulture.com. Houston was a founding editor of The Verge. NYT Names Amy O’Leary Deputy International Editor (Poynter / MediaWire) The New York Times has named Amy O’Leary, one of the authors of its innovation report, to the post of deputy international editor. O’Leary helped produce the much-discussed innovation report that outlined the Times’ digital weaknesses and strengths. She was previously deputy editor of digital operations. [emailonly]{{{ sbox03 }}}[/emailonly] Barbara Walters, Willow Bay And Going to Great Lengths for Breast Cancer Awareness (FishbowlNY / Lunch) The power-lunch season is in full swing as the overflowing Wednesday crowd poured into Michael’s. There were plenty of hard working PR mavens (Peggy Siegal wielding not one -- but two -- cellphones at once, while she waited for her date to arrive) and famous faces (Barbara Walters and the ageless Willow Bay) among the sea of usual suspects. Richard Grenell Re-Signs With Fox News Through 2016 Election (Mediaite) Richard Grenell, a former Bush administration official and adviser to the Mitt Romney 2012 Republican presidential campaign, has re-signed with Fox News to remain as a contributor there through the 2016 election. Grenell originally signed with Fox News, where he regularly appears as a media critic and foreign policy expert, in 2012 after leaving the Romney campaign. How Ideal Impact Is Bridging The Gap Between Journalism And Social Good (IVOH.org) Even over 3,000 miles of phone lines, Olivier Kamanda’s passion was palpable, his pedigree as a speechwriter to secretary of state Hillary Clinton evident in the eloquence and clarity of his expressions. We talked about his social profit project, Ideal Impact, and the ways it could revolutionize the way journalism can be harnessed for social good. Still in its infancy, the software company seeks to capitalize on the personal momentum that good social journalism inspires by connecting readers with organizations that could use the help. 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