Friday Five: Media & Tech Roundup
We’re back with another edition of Friday Five! This week, we review Netflix raising prices again, Amazon Prime saving members over $1B, The Washington Post offering buyouts to cut staff, X/Twitter testing $1 annual subscriptions, and The Athletic cutting back on local podcasts.
Netflix Raising Prices Again
Netflix is raising the prices of its basic and premium plans in the US, UK, and France. The basic plan will now cost $12 per month, and the premium plan will cost $23 per month. The standard plan ($15.50 per month) and the ad-supported plan ($7 per month) will remain the same price. Read More on CNET.
Amazon Prime Saved Members Over $1B
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days were a success. This two-day shopping event kicked off the holiday season early, with Prime members saving over $1 billion on hundreds of items. The results for the Big Day Deals were: 73,342 orders, 31,607 unique buyers, and 137,111 items purchased. Read More Results on Subscription Insider.
Washington Post Offering Buyouts to Cut Staff
The Washington Post is planning to reduce its staff by 240 employees through voluntary buyouts. This decision comes after the interim CEO determined that recent revenue projects were “overly optimistic.” The company is hoping to avoid layoffs by offering buyouts to employees in specific departments. Read More on The Washington Post.
X/Twitter Tests $1 Annual Subscription
X, formerly known as Twitter, is testing a $1 annual subscription model for new users in New Zealand and the Philippines. New users will need to confirm their phone number and pay the $1 fee to engage in posting, liking, sharing, or replying to content. Those who choose not to pay will only be able to view content. Read More on Financial Times.
The Athletic Cuts Back on Local Podcasts
The Athletic, a sports news website, is reducing its local podcast production as part of a broader trend of media companies scaling back on podcasting efforts. The company, acquired by The New York Times in 2022, is shifting its focus towards national podcasts. Read More on NiemanLab.