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☆ Jeff Zucker Abandons Telegraph Bid, Putting London Paper Back Into Play
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Michael M. Grynbaum | More About Michael M. Grynbaum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jeff Zucker’s bid for Tory titan-hood has come to an end. The media executive on Tuesday formally abandoned his attempt to take the reins of London’s Daily Telegraph, bailing out after British political and news leaders balked at Mr. Zucker’s reliance on Emirati financiers to bankroll the effort. Mr. Zucker’s venture company, RedBird IMI, had sought government approval to complete a debt-for-equity deal that would hand it control of The Telegraph and its sister magazine, The Spectator. Because of the withdrawal, other prospective owners may now attempt to purchase the publications. “Our ownership would have seen the strongest editorial protections ever put forward for a U.K. newspaper, along with much-needed investment,” a RedBird IMI spokesperson said in a statement.

Persons: Jeff Zucker’s, “, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan Organizations: London’s Daily Telegraph, Mr, RedBird IMI, The Telegraph, The, IMI, The Spectator, RedBird, Media Investments, United Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

☆ U.K. Moves to Bar Foreign State Ownership of Newspapers, a Blow to Telegraph Bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Michael M. Grynbaum | Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An audacious effort by the American media executive Jeff Zucker and his Emirati backers to acquire London’s Daily Telegraph appeared to be on life support on Wednesday after the British government advanced legislation that would bar foreign state ownership of newspapers and newsmagazines. The move by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would torpedo Mr. Zucker’s bid in its current form, which relies heavily on financing from investment partners in the United Arab Emirates. The use of Emirati funds caused an uproar in Westminster over foreign influence in the British media, given the outsize importance of The Telegraph and its sister publication, The Spectator, to Mr. Sunak’s Conservative Party. Mr. Zucker’s media venture company, RedBird IMI, can now try to salvage its bid for the publications by finding new investors and diluting the Emiratis’ majority stake to a level allowed under the government’s proposed rules. His representatives had no immediate comment on Wednesday.

Persons: Jeff Zucker, Rishi Sunak, Zucker’s, Zucker, Rupert Murdoch Organizations: London’s Daily Telegraph, United, United Arab Emirates, Telegraph, Spectator, Sunak’s Conservative Party, RedBird IMI, CNN Locations: United Arab, Westminster, Britain

☆ U.K. Opens Inquiry Into Jeff Zucker’s Emirati-Backed Bid for The Telegraph
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Michael M. Grynbaum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jeff Zucker’s re-entry into the global news business has hit a snag. The announcement capped a week of growing outcry in Westminster over Mr. Zucker’s use of roughly $1 billion in Emirati money to acquire the news organizations, which are hugely influential in British conservative politics. Tories lined up to denounce the proposed deal, warning that the Emiratis’ involvement could lead to undue foreign influence over The Telegraph’s coverage. The review, announced by Britain’s culture secretary, does not necessarily end Mr. Zucker’s chance of success. Since then, Conservative Party eminences have lined up to denounce his bid — often in essays published by newspapers controlled by Mr. Zucker’s rivals — and Tory members of Parliament urged regulators to consider the constraints on press freedoms in the Middle East.

Persons: Jeff Zucker’s, Zucker, Zucker’s, Rupert Murdoch, Lord Rothermere, Murdoch, — Organizations: CNN, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, Tories, The Daily, The, Conservative Party Locations: Westminster

☆ Jeff Zucker Nears Major Deal to Re-enter the News Business
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Michael M. Grynbaum | More About Michael M. Grynbaum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

After a series of financial maneuvers, RedBird IMI would assume ownership and management of The Telegraph and The Spectator. Redbird IMI said its Emirati partner would be a passive investor. Mr. Zucker declined to comment, citing the pending negotiations. Mr. Zucker does not plan to oversee day-to-day news coverage, the person said. RedBird IMI is a joint venture between RedBird Capital, a private-equity firm, and a private investment fund that Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, an Emirati royal, runs.

Persons: Barclay, Rupert Murdoch, Lord Rothermere, Zucker, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan Organizations: Telegraph, London’s Daily Mail, RedBird IMI, IMI, The Telegraph, RedBird, Conservative, IMI “ Locations: Abu Dhabi, United States, London

☆ Mark Thompson named CNN chief executive and chairman at critical juncture in news network’s history
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

I am confident he is exactly the leader we need to take the helm of CNN at this pivotal time,” David Zaslav, the chief executive of CNN parent company Warner Bros. At the Times, Thompson successfully transformed the newspaper into a digital powerhouse. CNN+, which launched last year as the network’s ownership changed hands from AT&T to Warner Bros. The standalone streamer also didn’t fit into Warner Bros. Discovery’s larger plans to house all content inside a single super-streamer. The streaming service will be located inside the Max app, alongside content from HBO, Discovery, and Warner Bros. Pictures.

Persons: Mark Thompson, “ Mark, ” David Zaslav, Thompson, Donald Trump, Trump, Jeff Zucker, Chris Cuomo, Don Lemon, Chris Licht, nosediving, Licht, Zaslav, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling, David Leavy, ”, CNN Max, Jake Tapper ” Organizations: CNN, The New York Times, BBC, Warner Bros, Discovery, Times, MSNBC, Atlantic, CNN Digital, The Times, CNN.com, U.S, Warner Bros . Discovery, HBO, Warner Bros .

☆ Variety faces calls for a retraction as its head-turning story about CNN drama begins to fall apart
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Variety has a mess on its hands. Former CNN chief Jeff Zucker, The Atlantic journalist Tim Alberta, and Puck Editor-In-Chief Jon Kelly have all called for the outlet to publicly correct the record. But, thus far, Variety has resisted taking any such action, outside quietly removing the widely panned Tatiana Siegel-written feature from its online homepage. The outlet’s deafening silence comes as the piece begins to fall apart in public. (It goes without saying that Zucker’s camp denied to Siegel that this ever happened, but she printed it anyway.)

Persons: Jeff Zucker, Tim Alberta, Puck, Jon Kelly, Tatiana Siegel, Chris Licht, ”, Byers, Zucker, Siegel, David Zaslav, ” Byers, Siegel weaved, imploring, Natalie Korach, Zucker’s, Ramin Setoodeh, Cynthia Littleton, Korach, Kelly, Puck’s, “, Jeffrey Goldberg, …, ” Goldberg Organizations: CNN, Variety, The Atlantic, Warner Bros, Penske Media Corporation, PMC, The Locations: . Alberta, ” Alberta, Miami, cabanas, ”, Russian, Littleton

☆ Former CNN Chief Jeff Zucker Has a New Job at RedBird IMI. What Is It?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Since leaving CNN a year ago, Jeff Zucker, the network’s former president, has been on the hunt for deals, flush with $1 billion in backing from big investors in the worlds of media and finance. In addition to Mr. Zucker, the key players in the new venture, known as RedBird IMI, are Gerry Cardinale, the chief executive and founder of RedBird, and Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, an Emirati government minister who has spearheaded many of IMI’s investment conversations in the United States. Mr. Cardinale is the chief investment officer of RedBird IMI, and Mr. Al Jaber is chairman. RedBird is committing $250 million to the venture, and IMI has agreed to commit the remaining $750 million. The men gathered to discuss business last fall in a suite overlooking a Formula 1 racetrack in Abu Dhabi.

Persons: Jeff Zucker, Zucker, Gerry Cardinale, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Cardinale, Al Jaber, RedBird Organizations: CNN, RedBird Capital Partners, International Media Investments, United Arab, IMI Locations: United Arab Emirates, United States, Abu Dhabi

☆ Could Jeff Zucker Fix CNN? He Seems to Think So.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The complaint wasn’t unusual for Mr. Zucker, 58. He often compares notes on the media business with former colleagues and industry acquaintances, many of whom call him to grouse about the current state of CNN. Mr. Zucker’s criticism may be painful for executives running CNN to hear second- and thirdhand. Last month, CNN hosted a town hall with Mr. Trump in New Hampshire that was criticized for airing false information. Many anchors Mr. Zucker hired or promoted, including Jake Tapper, and Kaitlan Collins, who moderated the town hall, are still in prominent spots in CNN’s lineup.

Persons: Zucker, Chris Licht, Donald J, Trump, Jake Tapper, Kaitlan Collins Organizations: CNN, Nielsen Locations: New Hampshire

☆ Former CNN Boss Jeff Zucker in Talks to Join RedBird Capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jessica Toonkel | Miriam Gottfried | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Jeff Zucker resigned from CNN in February after he failed to disclose a consensual relationship with a colleague. Former CNN President Jeff Zucker is in talks with private-equity firm RedBird Capital Partners to run a roughly $1 billion fund investing in sports and media, according to people familiar with the matter. The move would mark Mr. Zucker’s return to the business world since he resigned from CNN in February after he failed to disclose a consensual relationship with a colleague.

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