2019 was a transformative year for the U.S. news media industry, but it was also one of the most turbulent points in its history.
The big picture: There were enormous business challenges, which resulted in an unprecedented number of layoffs, desperate product maneuvers and fire-sale deals.
About 6.171 million people watched December's Democratic debate hosted by CNN, Politico and PBS NewsHour on Thursday, according to Nielsen data cited by CNN on Friday.
The big picture: That makes Thursday's debate the least-watched of this election cycle, The Hollywood Reporter notes. The second night of the first debate, hosted by NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo in June, was the most-watched Democratic primary debate of all time, with 18.1 million people tuning in.
Detroit automakers are facing technological disruption, whipsawing government policies and economic uncertainty.
Driving the news: Just-completed labor contracts between Detroit automakers and the United Auto Workers union yielded $22.7 billion in planned investment in U.S. factories over the next four years, adding or securing 25,400 jobs.
ViacomCBS announced Friday a $375 million deal to acquire a 49% stake in Miramax, the television and movie production company founded by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, from Qatar-based beIN Media Group.
Why it matters: It’s ViacomCBS’s first post-merger deal, and it will strengthen the library and resources of the company’s movie studio, Paramount Pictures.
A U.S. District Court jury on Thursday found Cox Communications, a telecom company, liable for the piracy infringement of more than 10,000 pieces of music, awarding $1 billion in statutory damages to the plaintiffs Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and EMI, according to Billboard.
Why it matters via Axios' Ina Fried: In general, it has been individuals not internet service providers that have been held liable for piracy. "[S]imilar lawsuits ... have been filed against Charter, Charter subsidiary Bright House Networks, RCN, and Grande Communications," The Verge writes.
