Mar 9, 2017

Anonymous donor gives $1 million to NYT school subscriptions

Sara Fischer, author of Media Trends

Photo by alextorrenegra / Flickr Creative Commons

The New York Times announced Thursday a $1 million contribution from an anonymous source to its "sponsor a subscription" program that has thus far granted digital NYT access to more than 1.3 million students in the U.S.

The program was established in February in response to surplus subscription revenue, driven by the surge of subscriptions after Trump's November election win. So far, The Times has received over 15,000 separate contributions, with nearly 1,000 from international donors.

Why it matters: The Times' revenue dropped 9% last year due to a 16% loss in print advertising revenue. Their goal to hit $800 million in digital revenue is boosted by a surge in donations.

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Updated 14 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 4:30 p.m. ET: 30,306,469 — Total deaths: 948,147— Total recoveries: 20,626,515 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 4:30 p.m. ET: 6,705,114 — Total deaths: 198,197 — Total recoveries: 2,540,334 — Total tests: 92,163,649 — Map.
Politics: In reversal, CDC again recommends coronavirus testing for asymptomatic people.
Health: Massive USPS face mask operation called off — The risks of moving too fast on a vaccine.
Business: Unemployment drop-off reverses course — 1 million mortgage-holders fall through safety net — How the pandemic has deepened Boeing's 737 MAX crunch.
Education: At least 42% of school employees are vulnerable.

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39 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Court battles shift mail-in voting deadlines in battleground states

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Michigan joins Pennsylvania in extending mail-in ballot deadlines by several days after the election, due to the coronavirus pandemic and expected delays in U.S. Postal Service.

The latest: Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens ruled that all ballots postmarked before Nov. 2 must be counted, so long as they arrive in the mail before election results are certified. Michigan will certify its general election results on Nov. 23.

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Ina Fried, author of Login

43 mins ago - Technology

Interview: Unity CEO explains his company's unusual IPO

CEO John Riccitiello virtually ringing the NYSE bell as Unity shares began trading on Friday. PhotoL Unity

Unity Technologies was just one of many companies with blockbuster IPOs this week, but it took a decidedly different approach, using data rather than handshakes to decide who got to invest and at what price. CEO John Riccitiello explained why in an interview with Axios.

Why it matters: Traditionally, bankers and companies set IPO prices based on conversations and expectations, a process that has been criticized as basically leaving money on the table.

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