Weekly Subscription News: Merger Talks, Job Cuts and Pandemic Dating

Featuring Vice Media, McClatchy, Spotify and Tinder

Making the subscription news headlines this week are merger talks, advertising platforms, job cuts and the weirdness of pandemic dating. Vice Media Group is in merger talks as it prepares for a possible IPO, Bloomberg Media is developing its own advertising platform ‘Bloomberg Iris,’ and Spotify buys Betty Labs, betting big on live audio app Locker Room.

Also this week, LinkedIn reveals it is working on a Clubhouse rival, Tinder reveals pandemic dating data that shows dating during COVID is even weirder than regular dating, and YouTube experiments with hiding ‘dislike’ counts to support the well-being of creators.

Vice Media Group in Merger Talks, in Pursuit of IPO
Media Post

Amazon Expects Some Employees to Return to Office This Summer
CNBC

Bloomberg Media Is Developing Its Own Advertising Platform
Ad Age

YouTube Experiments with Hiding ‘Dislike’ Counts to Support Creator Well-Being
Tubefilter

Spotify Acquires Betty Labs in Bet on Live Audio App Locker Room
Marketing Dive

LinkedIn Confirms It Is Working on a Clubhouse Rival Too
TechCrunch

McClatchy Is Outsourcing Page Design and Typesetting, Cutting At Least 26 Jobs
Poynter

Tinder Data Shows Pandemic Dating Was Even Weirder Than Regular Dating
Vox/Recode

Filed in Business Operations, Consumer Media and Publishing, Entertainment and Streaming, Mergers and Acquisitions, News

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!