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☆ New FTC transcript reveals juicy details on how Jeff Bezos and other top Amazon execs used disappearing messages
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

In the past, he set Signal messages to automatically delete after one week. "I never would have used Signal under any circumstances with disappearing messages on or off to discuss any complicated business issues. Associated PressJEDI ContractThe FTC lawyer also showed Bezos a log of Signal messages that were used with the disappearing message feature activated. He said he "did not" know Signal messages were covered by those legal guidelines. The company was "unable to determine" why that's the case, but said it's possible Signal messages were deleted when they got new phones.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Bezos, Mike Hopkins, —, Andy Jassy, Amazon's, Jassy, Donald Trump, there's, I'm, Jeff Blackburn, Hopkins, Blackburn, Blackburn wasn't, Blackburn's, Max Organizations: Federal Trade, Amazon, Business, FTC, Associated Press, Defense Department, Microsoft, Department of Defense, Blackburn, Bezos Locations: Bezos, Blackburn

☆ The FTC says Jeff Bezos and Amazon execs used Signal to talk business — and it wants to know more
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon execs used messaging app Signal to discuss business matters, the Federal Trade Commission said. The agency wants to know if execs told Amazon staff to delete messages, and when to use Signal. AdvertisementAmazon's top executives used the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss "sensitive business matters," the Federal Trade Commission said in a court filing on Thursday. The founder said, "Are you on signal messaging app? "Amazon also recognizes that sellers believe 'that it has become more difficult over time to be profitable on Amazon,'" the FTC filing stated.

Persons: execs, —, Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, David Zapolsky, Jeff Wilke, Dave Clark, Tim Doyle, Mike Hopkins, Carlo Bertucci, Amazon's, Zapolsky Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, Service, FTC, Amazon MGM Studios

☆ Insiders break down Amazon's sports strategy and the low-key but powerful exec behind it, as the tech giant eyes NBA rights
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One of them is Jay Marine, who oversees Amazon's sports business as VP of Prime Video and global head of sports. Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesMarine's next move could be for the NBA, which Amazon craves for its young, global fan base. Advertisement"For us, everything starts with Prime," Marine told CNBC in a rare interview last fall. AdvertisementApart from its big bet on "TNF," Amazon's sports moves have been largely incremental. The deal lets Diamond continue airing local NBA broadcasts, which makes it more likely Amazon will bid for national NBA rights, analyst Ben Thompson of Stratechery wrote.

Persons: —, Jeff Bezos, Jay Marine, Bezos, Andy Jassy, Chris Webber, Tyrone Wheatley, scrappy, Chris Graythen, Ben Thompson, Stratechery, Marine, Patrick Crakes, it's, Marie Donoghue, Mike Hopkins, Amazon's, John Kosner, Donoghue, Kantar, signups, He's Organizations: Service, Marine, Business, US, Premier League soccer, Industry, The, Sports, WBD, NASCAR, NBC, NBA, Amazon, Disney, Warner Bros, Discovery, Apple, Netflix, CNBC, Amazon MGM Studios, Premier Boxing Champions, Diamond Sports, Diamond, Premier League, WNBA, National Women's Soccer League . Media, ESPN, DraftKings, Warner Bros . Locations: London, The New Jersey, Amazon

Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesUnder so-called linked-deposit programs, states deposit money in banks at below-market interest rates. Banks then leverage those funds to provide short-term, low-interest loans to particular borrowers, often in agriculture or small business. The programs can save thousands of dollars for borrowers by reducing their interest rates by an average 2-3 percentage points. Illinois has nearly $950 million of deposits linked to low-interest loans for farmers, businesses and individuals. In 2015, Frerichs said, the state's agricultural investment program had just two low-interest loans.

Persons: Vivek Malek, Malek, ” Malek, Banks, Michael Frerichs, Frerichs, Rafael Salaberrios, ” Salaberrios, Brian Zimmerschied, Doug Fish, Jason Bernard, ” Bernard, Mike Hopkins, “, Hopkins, Jordan Harvey, Sid Miller, hadn't, Miller, ” Organizations: JEFFERSON CITY, Federal Reserve, National Association of State, State Development, “, OakStar Bank, FCS, FCS Financial, BTC Bank, Montana Board of Investments, Republican, AP Locations: Mo, Missouri, New York, Illinois, Montana, “, National Association of State Treasurers . Illinois, Bethany , Missouri, Bethany, Iowa , Kansas, Ohio, Kansas, In Ohio, Texas

☆ Amazon entertainment layoffs stir 4 big questions for insiders about the tech giant's Hollywood ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The layoffs hit Prime Video and the Amazon MGM Studios division, with many of the cuts related to Amazon's $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM in 2022, the second biggest deal in the tech giant's history. The layoffs, combined with other factors straining the entertainment business — from strikes to content spending pullbacks — have heightened concerns about the future of the company's entertainment ambitions. These are the questions that came up the most about that future, according to conversations with six people close to Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. As part of the layoffs, two MGM teams were integrated under Chris Brearton, a business-side exec who joined Amazon with the MGM acquisition in 2022. How will sports impact original content spending?

Persons: what's, Jen Salke, Freevee, didn't, Who's, Chris Brearton, Salke, Mike Hopkins, What'll, there's Organizations: Amazon, Amazon MGM Studios, MGM, Amazon's, Hollywood Reporter, Hollywood, Diamond Sports, MLB, NHL, NBA Locations: Salke, Africa, MENA, Northern, Central

☆ Leaked recording reveals Amazon Prime Video boss warning employees the unit hired too fast, months before layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. "That's a lot of growth," Hopkins said. Prime Video was the first to do a hiring freeze at Amazon in 2022 because the team was growing too fast, he added. Related storiesHopkins's comments show the exponential growth the Prime Video and MGM Studios team saw prior to Wednesday's layoffs. For years, Amazon has poured billions of dollars into its video streaming service, which is included in its Prime membership program.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, Hopkins, didn't Organizations: Amazon, MGM Studios, Business, BI, MGM, Football Locations: Amazon, headcount

☆ Amazon will cut hundreds of jobs, including at game streaming firm Twitch
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Clare Duffy | Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Amazon on Wednesday cut hundreds of jobs across two different business units: streaming platform Twitch and its film and television studios division. Amazon is cutting “several hundred” roles across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, according to an internal note shared with CNN. In addition, video game streaming company Twitch, which is owned by the tech giant, said Wednesday it is laying off 500 workers as part of ongoing cost-cutting efforts. Wednesday’s announcement comes after Twitch laid off 400 workers in March of last year as part of broader cuts at parent company Amazon. The layoffs point to ongoing challenges at Twitch, although Amazon does not break out specific results for the unit.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, “, ”, Hopkins, Dan Clancy, Twitch, we’ve, ” Clancy, Clancy, Dataminr Organizations: New, New York CNN, Amazon, Amazon MGM Studios, CNN, MGM, Amazon Prime, Bloomberg, Google, Spotify Locations: New York

☆ Amazon is laying off 'several hundred' employees across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios — read the memo
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The company is laying off "several hundred" employees across Prime Video and Amazon MGM studios. "As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization." In April 2023, Amazon Studios (now Amazon MGM Studios) and Prime Video teams cut about 100 people — a tiny fraction of Amazon's 27,000 layoffs last year. As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization. Prime Video is one of the most popular benefits for Prime members, and one of most widely used entertainment destinations in the world.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, Hopkins, Amazon's, Jen Salke, Freevee, We've, we've, Amazonians who've, Mike Organizations: Service, Prime, MGM, Amazon MGM Studios, Business, Hollywood Reporter, Bloomberg, Hollywood, Amazon Studios Locations: Americas, Hollywood

☆ The fight over return-to-office is getting dirty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ed Zitron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Evidence is as evidence doesAs the return-to-office battle has heated up in the past six months, there has been a marked increase in declarations that remote work is less productive. The researchers determined that remote workers were 18% less productive than their in-person counterparts. Just the vibesDespite the limited evidence against it, corporations are increasingly trying to kill remote work. That's what makes the move to kill off remote work so frustrating. It's not clear that the return-to-office move is about making workers more productive or building a better culture.

Persons: it's, Mike Hopkins, they're, India —, Nicholas Bloom, who's, David Baszucki's, Geico, Amazon's Andy Jassy, Geico's Todd Combs, there's, Safra, Larry Ellison, wrongheaded, galvanizing sycophants, Ed Zitron Organizations: Amazon, Amazon Studios, National Bureau of Economic Research, Journalists, Stanford, Meta, —, Writers Guild of America, SAG, United Auto Workers Locations: India

☆ Recent updates for Amazon return to office policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Previous pronouncements about the revolutionary benefits of remote work have been replaced by vague, data-light arguments on productivity gains from being in the office. Apple, Meta, Bloomberg and Google all have gleaming HQs that would look very silly if those companies continued to embrace remote work. Insider has asked Amazon for comment on its RTO policy several times in recent months and the company has responded. AdvertisementAdvertisementAn internal guideline, obtained by Insider, listed Amazon office locations and the dates they are expected to be fully "ready" to support the RTO mandate. That's what some Amazon employees have done by mocking the company's RTO policy and its famous leadership principles.

Persons: Brad Glasser, there's, we've, Amazon's, LINDSEY WASSON, Andy Jassy, Slack, Beth Galetti, Al Drago, Paul Vixie, Andy Jassy's, Mike Hopkins, Hopkins, Elaine Thompson, snafu, they'd Organizations: Amazon, Tech, Meta, Bloomberg, Google, Seattle, Reuters, Amazon SVP, Human, Services, Company, Amazon Video Locations: Seattle, Seattle , Washington , U.S, Beth Galetti REUTERS, Seattle , New York, Houston, Austin , Texas

☆ A top Amazon executive recently said he had 'no data' to support the company's return-to-office mandate, prompting criticism from frustrated employees
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some Amazon employees are upset about the company's new RTO mandate. Amazon is famous for using data to make decisions — except when it's forcing employees back to the office. Hopkins's comments have added to rising frustration among some Amazon employees over the company's return-to-office mandate. Following Hopkins's meeting, Amazon employees took to internal Slack channels to vent their concerns. Another suspected Amazon was intentionally hiding data, and said the RTO mandate was in conflict with the company's "Earth's best employer" commitment.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, Hopkins, Andy Jassy, we're, Amazon, Rob Munoz, we've, Eugene Kim Organizations: Amazon Video, Amazon, Amazon's Locations: Seattle

☆ Amazon CEO Andy Jassy now has 16 direct reports. See the growing and evolving list here, including a newly promoted executive from Alexa.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently expanded his group of direct reports. Jassy has added at least 8 new executives to his direct reports since becoming CEO in 2021. Amazon recently created a new AI group that reports to CEO Andy Jassy. In his 2 years since becoming CEO, Jassy has added or replaced at least 8 executives in his top leadership team. (Jassy's direct reports are different from the S-team, a group of more than two dozen most senior decision-makers at Amazon).

Persons: Andy Jassy, Rohit Prasad, Prasad, Doug Herrington, Adam Selipsky, Brian Olsavsky, Jassy, There's, Dave Clark, Jay Carney, Jeff Blackburn, James Hamilton, Mike Hopkins, Eric Remling, Beth, Dave Limp, David Zapolsky, Drew Herdener, WW Communications Eric Rimling, Paul Kotas, Peter Krawiec, Alexa Stacey Pistole, Steve Boom, Steve Schmidt, Eugene Kim Organizations: Amazon, Alexa, Business, Amazon Studios, Amazon Devices, WW Amazon, WW Communications, Amazon Video, Corporate Locations: It's

☆ Amazon Studios is growing fast and spending big on shows like 'Citadel,' but insiders say unclear creative direction, leadership shifts, and tech bureaucracy threaten to drive away staff and talent
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

The dust has been settling at Amazon Studios after a big reorg in the fall that solidified Jen Salke's power. Yet Amazon Studios faces major challenges. Amazon Studios' Head of Global Television Vernon Sanders told Insider that the goal is to deliver content with global cultural relevance. Amazon Prime VideoWhile spending on such big swings has soared, some insiders see far less budgetary support for underrepresented casts. "I do think people wonder what's the commitment to Amazon Studios," the current insider said.

☆ Amazon media chief Jeff Blackburn retires from the company for the second time
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senior Vice President of Business Development at Amazon Jeff Blackburn (R) and Anne Blackburn attend the The IMDb Dinner Party at the Sundance Film Festival presented by Dolby on January 28, 2019 in Park City, Utah. Jeff Blackburn is retiring for the second time from Amazon , where he held a number of high-profile leadership roles over two decades. Amazon said Friday that the senior vice president of global media and entertainment will remain at the company through early 2023 to "ensure a smooth transition." Blackburn joined Amazon in 1998 and has worked on a number initiatives at the company including advertising, Amazon Studios and Prime Video service and music business. He rejoined that May as the senior vice president of a new Global Media & Entertainment division, overseeing Amazon's video, music, podcast, and gaming businesses.

☆ Cum arată Pământul de la geamul unei nave spațiale. Un astronaut NASA împărtășește fotografii uimitoare din cadrul călătoriei sale în spațiu
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-02 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +3 min

Un astronaut NASA împărtășește fotografii uimitoare din cadrul călătoriei sale în spațiuCei pasionați de explorarea spațiului probabil se întreabă cum este viața astronauților de la Stația Spațială Internațională. Astronautul NASA, Mike Hopkins, de exemplu, împărtășește fotografii din interiorul navei spațiale „Resilience”. Recent a împărtășit fotografii făcute de pe nava spațială și a dezvăluit priveliștile aeriene uimitoare ale planetei Pământ și ale atmosferei sale. pic.twitter.com/xQntPDBZSs — Mike Hopkins (@Astro_illini) February 7, 2021Crew Dragon Resilience watched Progress 76P depart @Space_Station today. pic.twitter.com/pgQCx1ocSJ — Mike Hopkins (@Astro_illini) March 11, 2021

Persons: Mike Hopkins, ., Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, Soichi Noguchi, Hopkins, Dragon ., SS Katherine Johnson Organizations: Stația Spațială, NASA, Stația Spațială Internațională, SS Locations: Missouri

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