Weekly Subscription News: AI, Audio App and Unwanted Tracking

Featuring Hulu, Vice, Apple, Google, Clubhouse and ESPN

In this week’s subscription news, Hulu turns 15. What is the streaming subscription service planning for the future? Also, Amazon exits its Halo fitness business, Vice may be headed for bankruptcy, and Elon Musk thinks micropayments are a major win for news publishers. What we’ve learned from Musk so far though is that he only does things he thinks will benefit his bottom line. Will micropayments really smooth over the ruffled feathers of the news organizations he continues to alienate?

Hulu Turns 15. What’s Its Long-Term Future?
Diverse Tech Geek

Inside Amazon’s Canceled Plan to Make Halo a Fitness Success
The Verge

Vice Appears Headed for Bankruptcy
The New York Times

Apple and Google Lead Initiative for Industry Specs to Address Unwanted Tracking
Apple

Elon Musk Thinks He Has a Major Win for News Publishers with Micropayments
Nieman Lab

Clubhouse Axes More than 50% of Employees in ‘Reset’ of Live-Audio App Startup
Variety

Jimmy Pitaro Says ESPN Will Go Direct-to-Consumer When It Makes Sense
Awful Announcing

Rise of the Newsbots: AI-Generated News Websites Proliferating Online
NewsGuard

Filed in Business Operations, Consumer Media and Publishing, Data and IoT, Direct-to-Consumer, Entertainment and Streaming, Memberships, Micropayments, News, SaaS and Cloud Services

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!