Weekly Subscription News: Quibi, Cuts and Coronavirus

Featuring Google, Variety, Apple Music, HBO and Shopify

As the nation’s coronavirus lockdown continues, media outlets are suffering, including the San Francisco Examiner and San Francisco Weekly who are cutting pay and hours by 20% for all employees, and Bustle Digital Group who is laying off 24 staff and shuttering The Outline. In related news, to help publishers, Google is relaxing its broad ban on ads mentioning the coronavirus. Also this week, HBO offers 500 hours of free premium content, Quibi launches “on the go” streaming, and Shopify stock drops when company pulls back its 2020 guidance in the wake of COVID-19.

Google Relaxes Its Broad Ban on Ads That Mention Coronavirus
CNBC

‘Variety’ Creates Digital Subscription But No Paywall
Publishers Daily

Quibi Launching Hollywood ‘On the Go’ Streaming Amid Lockdown
TechXplore

Apple Music Subscriber Base Grew 36% in 2019, Second Only to Spotify
Apple Insider

HBO Gives America 500 Hours of Premium Content Absolutely Free
The Motley Fool

San Francisco Examiner and SF Weekly Cut Pay and Hours for All Staff by 20%
KQED

Shopify Stock Falls as 2020 Guidance Pulled on Coronavirus Shutdown
Investor’s Business Daily

‘Bustle’ Digital Group Lays Off 24, Shutters ‘The Outline’
Publishers Daily

Filed in Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Business Services, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, News, Paywall, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscriber Acquisition

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!