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Dana E. Neuts

Dana Neuts is Subscription Insider's Editorial Director, covering our daily subscription news as well as member features, case studies, premium content, and reports. Dana is also a writer, editor, marketer and communications professional. Her work has appeared in AARP Bulletin, The Seattle Times, Seattle Business, 425 Business, 425 Magazine, South Sound Magazine, Northwest Travel and more. Her specialties include business writing, community news, senior issues, travel and, of course, subscriptions!

Dana E. Neuts

Weekly Subscription News: PlayStation, PayPal and PopSugar

News /

Subscription headlines this week cover everything from video games and payments to basketball and layoffs. This week, we are featuring Digital Trends story on PlayStation 4 Cross-play, which is now ready for developers, and The New York Times article on why PayPal is pulling out of Facebooks cryptocurrency project. Also this week, the Cleveland Cavaliers are trying a monthly ticket subscription to attract fans, Group Nine buys PopSugar, and Maines Journal Tribune calls it quits after 135 years.

Weekly Subscription News: PlayStation, PayPal and PopSugar Read More »

illustration of the number five, representing the five subscription business topics for this column, Five-on-Friday

Five on Friday: Growth, Penalties and Paring Down Print

Business Operations, Business Services, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, News, Product Development, Regulation and Compliance, Revenue and Sales, Subscriber Only, Subscription Boxes /

If you are tired of impeachment news, check out our Five on Friday features instead: a new study shows that nearly half of U.S. broadband homes subscribe to more than one streaming service; in seven-and-a-half years, the subscription economy has grown by 350%; Stitch Fix goes beyond just subscriptions; the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is the latest newspaper to pare down its print operation; and Facebook agrees to a $40 million settlement for misleading advertisers on the potential success of video ads.

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GateHouse and Gannett Get Green Light from DOJ to Merge

Business Operations, Business Services, Consumer Services, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Revenue and Sales /

The Department of Justice has given New Media Investment Group, parent of GateHouse Media, and Gannett Co., Inc., owner of more than 100 local media brands, the green light to merge in a cash and stock deal worth $1.4 billion, reports Fox Business. New Media is buying Gannett for $12.06 per share. The companies are still awaiting approval from European regulators and stockholders. New Media and Gannett both have special meetings to vote on deal set for November 14. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2019.

GateHouse and Gannett Get Green Light from DOJ to Merge Read More »

Bring Build-A-Bear Home with a Quarterly Cubscription Box

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Boxes /

Whats better than owning an adorable, cuddly critter from Build-A-Bear? Having an official Cubscription By Build-A-Bear delivered to your home every four months. Each shipment includes a new, 12-inch stuffed animal and six to eight custom, exclusive Build-A-Bear items not available in stores. Items include accessories for the furry friend, along with kids clothing, accessories and Build-A-Bear extras (notebooks, stationery, crafts, tumblers, posters, pens, etc.).

Bring Build-A-Bear Home with a Quarterly Cubscription Box Read More »

Disney Says No to Netflix Ads on ABC and Freeform

Business Operations, Business Services, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, News, Revenue and Sales /

As Disney nears the launch of its own streaming network, Disney+, next month the company is blocking Netflix ads on Disney-owned networks ABC and Freeform, says the Hollywood Reporter. It sounds like Disney will still allow Netflix ads on ESPN, perhaps because there is no competing content between the two companies. Disney-owned network FX will not be affected, because FX did not accept Netflix ads prior to this change.

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Under New Management, Sports Illustrated Cuts One-Fourth of Staff

Business Operations, Consumer Services, News, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services /

Digital publisher Maven now manages Sports Illustrated for Authentic Brands Group, and one of its managers first moves was to cut staff by more than one-fourth last Thursday. The company cut more than 40 jobs out of a total staff of 150, reports The New York Times. To replace the sports coverage those staff members provided, Maven will work with 200 contractors instead.

Under New Management, Sports Illustrated Cuts One-Fourth of Staff Read More »

Starbucks Offers Free Digital News at U.S. Stores for a Limited Time

Business Operations, Consumer Services, Memberships, News, Paywall, Revenue and Sales /

A month after discontinuing the sale of print newspapers at 8,600 stores, Starbucks is offering customers and publishers a compromise. At company-owned Starbucks locations in the U.S., coffee customers will be able get free digital access to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), USA Today, The Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel and New York Daily News for a limited time. Starbucks did not say how long the offer would last. The company will also offer special pricing for print and digital subscriptions to WSJ.

Starbucks Offers Free Digital News at U.S. Stores for a Limited Time Read More »

Weekly Subscription News: AT&T, Uber and Electric Vehicles

Business Operations, Business Services, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Magazines, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps, Subscription Boxes /

In this weeks subscription headlines, weve got everything from operational failures to technology wins for publishers. Here are few of the weeks highlights: Rent the Runway stopped accepting new subscribers because of warehouse issues and delayed orders, YouTube Music replaces Google Play Music on Android devices, and GateHouse and Gannett passed a key regulatory hurdle. Also this week, Uber is adding more services, AT&T vows to hang onto DirecTV despite subscriber losses, and Rachael Ray Everyday is going to a quarterly, newsstand-only magazine.

Weekly Subscription News: AT&T, Uber and Electric Vehicles Read More »

illustration of the number five, representing the five subscription business topics for this column, Five-on-Friday

Five on Friday: Price Cuts, Subscription Boxes and Replacing Revenue

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Services, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Freemium, News, Paywall, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscriber Only, Subscription Apps, Subscription Boxes, Subscription Gaming /

Subscription companies facing increased competition are trying different tactics to attract and retain subscribers. For example, this week Sony is slashing PlayStation Now subscription prices as new gaming services come online. Also, Netflix is allowing nonsubscribers free access to the pilot episode of Bard of Blood, a Netflix original. In other subscription news, a new report shows that more than half of online shoppers subscribe to a subscription box, Apple News+ is expanding beyond the U.S. and Canada, and eMarketer reveals how some publishers are replacing revenue lost from ad blocking.

Five on Friday: Price Cuts, Subscription Boxes and Replacing Revenue Read More »

Rent the Runway Experiences Operational Issues, Delaying Orders

Business Operations, News /

Clothing rental service Rent the Runway is experiencing serious operational problems, causing delays in orders. As a result of the problems, the company said it will not accept new event rental requests with delivery dates prior to October 15 and, for now, it is not taking on new subscribers. Current subscribers can expect one- to two-day delays on its orders, reports Vox/Recode.

Rent the Runway Experiences Operational Issues, Delaying Orders Read More »