PRO Tip Sheet: 5 Insights From This Week

This week on WrapPRO featured analysts questioning Lachlan Murdoch's ability to succeed his father, as well as "The Daily Show" host front-runner Hasan Minhaj playing fast and loose with the truth. [5 Insights From WrapPRO]( It was a big week for media on WrapPRO. Analysts weighed in on whether Lachlan Murdoch could fill his father's shoes. We also took a close look at two big news-related debacles: Kristen Welker's highly criticized "Meet the Press" interview with Donald Trump and "The Daily Show" host front-runner Hasan Minhaj playing fast and loose with the truth. [Read More on WrapPRO]( 1. [The Toughest Act to Follow Is Rupert Murdoch]( By Natalie Korach | Source: [WrapPRO]( - Analysts question Lachlan Murdoch's ability to fill his father Rupert Murdoch's significant role, particularly at a challenging time for Fox News, with looming legal challenges and a volatile upcoming election. - Lachlan's management style is predicted to be less hands-on than his father’s, potentially leading to a rise of Fox News' worst elements, according to Angelo Carusone, President of Media Matters for America. - The recent $787.5 million settlement Fox Corp. paid in the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit has put the company in a precarious position, especially with another looming $2.7 billion lawsuit from Smartmatic, which Lachlan will face alone. - Shareholders are skeptical about the potential for a future merger between Fox Corp. and News Corp., as analysts note that the synergies once apparent for such a move have diminished, and legal liabilities make it less appealing for News Corp. shareholders. - Brian Stelter, media reporter and author, emphasized that this transition is a pivotal moment for Lachlan to prove critics wrong. [Keep Reading]( 2. [TIFF Market: Why Netflix Is Shelling Out Big Bucks for Festival Flicks]( By Scott Mendelson & Umberto Gonzalez | Source: [WrapPRO]( - Netflix dominated the Toronto International Film Festival by acquiring Anna Kendrick's "Woman of the Hour" for $11 million and Richard Linklater's "Hit Man" for $20 million, but the overall TIFF market was subdued, mirroring a slower festival season in 2023. - Executives indicate that streamers and studios are now prioritizing a few high-value acquisitions over filling their slates with regular content, largely due to shifting priorities and concerns about labor strikes. - Since Wall Street's focus shifted to profits and revenue over content spending in early 2022, streamers have been cautious, opting for fewer but commercially safe titles, a trend evidenced by the lack of activity at TIFF. - Despite industry-wide caution, Netflix remains an exception, effectively utilizing its platform to require minimal pre-release marketing, thus providing filmmakers security against strike-related promotion restrictions. [Keep Reading]( Join the ranks of high-powered industry leaders who read [WrapPRO]( every day. Want unlimited access to in-depth reporting, analysis, and industry data? [Upgrade to a subscription today](. 3. [Kristen Welker’s Trump Interview Is a ‘Red Flag’ for Her Tenure]( By Jeremy Fuster | Source: [WrapPRO]( - Media analysts criticized Kristen Welker's debut interview on "Meet the Press" with Donald Trump, highlighting the absence of effective fact-checking and calling it a missed learning opportunity from mistakes made in covering Trump's 2016 presidential run. - Experts pointed out that Sunday shows like "Meet the Press" have been on a "slow decline" in influence, and this interview marked a "new low," reflecting poorly on both the show and future media coverage of political figures like Trump. - Despite NBC's efforts to fact-check during the airing and in an online publication, analysts deemed it inadequate, suggesting that interviews should stop the tape to factually rebut lies or put them in proper context. - Analysts questioned NBC's motives behind the interview, speculating that it aimed to boost ratings and create excitement around Welker as the new host, potentially at the cost of journalistic integrity. [Keep Reading]( 4. [Truth or Dare: Hasan Minhaj Gets Caught Telling Whoppers]( By Benjamin Svetkey | Source: [WrapPRO]( - Hasan Minhaj, a comedian in consideration for hosting "The Daily Show," faces credibility issues after a New Yorker expose revealed fabrications in his autobiographical and politically charged comedy routines. - While Minhaj claims his storytelling focuses on "emotional truth," the investigation found that several high-profile anecdotes, including instances relating to racism and a supposed threat to his family, were either exaggerated or untrue. - The comedian's blending of humor with political and social commentary puts him in a category with comedians like Jon Stewart and John Oliver, raising stakes around the veracity of his material, especially when it concerns sensitive topics like racism. - Being exposed for exaggerating or fabricating stories, particularly around the topic of racism, risks not only damaging Minhaj's career but also providing ammunition for those who seek to deny the existence of systemic racism. [Keep Reading]( 5. [This TikTok Influencer Is Translating the News for Gen Z – and They’re Listening]( By Natalie Korach | Source: [WrapPRO]( - Kelsey Russell's TikTok series promoting print media has gained viral attention, amassing up to 1.7 million views and 311,000 likes, resonating particularly with Gen Z, a demographic media companies are keen to engage. - The share of U.S. adults who consistently get their news from TikTok jumped from 3% in 2020 to 10% in 2022, with 26% of adults under 30 saying they regularly source their news from the platform, according to a Pew Research Center study. - Legacy media organizations have acknowledged the value of Russell's approach, inviting her to media headquarters and sending her print copies to feature, signaling an evolving recognition of TikTok's potential in the struggling print media industry. - Kevin Tran, Morning Consult’s senior media and entertainment analyst, highlighted that TikTok's appeal for Gen Z as a news source may have been further amplified by shifts in other social media platforms, like Elon Musk’s recent acquisition of Twitter (now X). - While major media outlets like The Washington Post have gained a following on TikTok, Russell's individual influence suggests that "news influencers" could be an effective model for engaging younger audiences who don't typically visit news websites. 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