The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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Recent Editions

Elizabeth Olsen in 2018. Photo by AP.

As Disney Plans Streaming Launch, Speed and Marketing Are Key

By Beejoli Shah · Apr 2, 2019 10:01am PDT

In Hollywood, television writers’ rooms are normally seen as sacrosanct creative spaces that are off-limits to business executives. But when writers for the three Marvel Studio TV shows destined for Disney’s new streaming service gather to brainstorm, Marvel Studios production vice president Nate Moore and other executives are often... In Hollywood, television writers’ rooms are normally seen as sacrosanct creative spaces...

Shopify CEO and co-founder Tobias Lütke. Photo by Bloomberg

Microsoft Considers Creating a Shopify Competitor

By Priya Anand · Apr 2, 2019 6:31am PDT · 1 comment

Shopify may be the most important e-commerce company the average shopper has never heard of, powering the websites of many e-commerce services and brands like Red Bull, Budweiser and Allbirds. Now Microsoft is considering trying to grab some of the market, a top Microsoft executive says.Microsoft, which already provides cloud computing services... Shopify may be the most important e-commerce company the average shopper has never heard of,...

Modest Proposals

What Will Happen to the Social Wealth of Instagram Influencers as They Age?

By Sam Lessin · Apr 1, 2019 10:17am PDT · 10 comments

Instagram has driven what can only be categorized as an explosion of social wealth for the largest celebrities and influencers over the last few years.For generations, celebrities essentially were products sold through a large and complicated media and entertainment ecosystem, and their message and longevity was managed by the production... Instagram has driven what can only be categorized as an explosion of social wealth for the...

Taobao's web site. Photo by Bloomberg

Alibaba’s Ad Shift Shows Path for Amazon

By Juro Osawa · Apr 1, 2019 6:31am PDT · 1 comment

Taobao's web site. Photo by Bloomberg

Alibaba’s Ad Shift Shows Path for Amazon

By Juro Osawa · Apr 1, 2019 6:31am PDT · 1 comment

For a look at how Amazon could develop its ad business, it’s worth paying attention to what China’s Alibaba is doing.Alibaba is China’s biggest digital advertising platform, thanks to search ads it sells to merchants promoting their items on its Taobao marketplace. Now, Alibaba is testing new types of ads that are designed to... For a look at how Amazon could develop its ad business, it’s worth paying attention to what...

The Apple Brand and Its Hidden Messages

By Jessica E. Lessin · Mar 30, 2019 10:16am PDT

Long before Friday’s Lyft IPO mania, we were all talking about Apple’s big Monday media event, which I watched from afar.Maybe it was because we already knew what was coming. Or that Apple wasn’t ready to share many details.But the thing I can't get out of my head about Apple’s big media news this week has nothing to... Long before Friday’s Lyft IPO mania, we were all talking about Apple’s big Monday...

The Information’s 411 – The Cleanup Crew

By Tom Dotan · Mar 29, 2019 3:14pm PDT

Ashley talks about the people in Facebook's policy and comms team. Jessica Lessin talks to Jerry Cuomo, IBM's VP of Blockchain Technology about how businesses are using the tech. Ashley talks about the people in Facebook's policy and comms team. Jessica Lessin talks to...

Will Lyft’s Stock Have Staying Power? That Depends on This Chart

By Jessica E. Lessin and Martin Peers · Mar 29, 2019 2:23pm PDT · 4 comments

Lyft and its bankers—led by J.P Morgan—pulled off a solid public market debut Friday. By the end of trading, the company was worth $22.8 billion, up 8.7% from its IPO price and 52% above its last private market valuation. That’s bigger than Expedia and United Airlines.But what will it be worth when early investors and employees... Lyft and its bankers—led by J.P Morgan—pulled off a solid public market debut Friday....

Amazon's senior vice president of devices, David Limp, talking bout the Fire TV in 2017. Photo by Bloomberg.

Amazon Planning Video News App for Fire TV

By Jessica Toonkel · Mar 29, 2019 10:05am PDT

Amazon's senior vice president of devices, David Limp, talking bout the Fire TV in 2017. Photo by Bloomberg.

Amazon Planning Video News App for Fire TV

By Jessica Toonkel · Mar 29, 2019 10:05am PDT

Amazon.com is planning to launch a free ad-supported video news app for its Fire TV streaming video devices, featuring live and on-demand digital news programming from TV networks, say three people familiar with the discussions. Ultimately Amazon hopes to integrate the news app into its Alexa offering, the people said.With the news app, the... Amazon.com is planning to launch a free ad-supported video news app for its Fire TV streaming...

Lyft Kicks Off Biggest Tech IPO Year Since 2014

By Priya Anand · Mar 29, 2019 6:31am PDT · 1 comment

Lyft’s public debut today kicks off what is shaping up to be the biggest year for tech IPOs since Alibaba went public in 2014. But it’s unlikely to surpass that bumper year, the biggest since the dot-com boom of 1999–2000.Tech and internet firms raised a total of $20.1 billion in 55 IPOs last year, according to Dealogic, up... Lyft’s public debut today kicks off what is shaping up to be the biggest year for tech IPOs...

Andreessen Horowitz co-founder and general partner Marc Andreessen. Photo by Bloomberg

Andreessen Horowitz Said to Lead Carta Funding at $1.8 Billion Valuation

By Zoë Bernard · Mar 28, 2019 3:16pm PDT · 1 comment

Carta, a startup that helps investors manage their equity stakes in private companies, is close to having a new set of investors of its own. The company, previously known as eShares, is nearing the completion of a funding round of around $300 million which will value the 7-year-old company at roughly $1.8 billion, according to a person familiar... Carta, a startup that helps investors manage their equity stakes in private companies, is close...

A man rode a Citi Bike, which is now owned by Lyft, near New York City's Grand Central Terminal in early 2015. Photo: AP

Lyft IPO Brings Scrutiny to Bike, Scooter Business

By Cory Weinberg · Mar 28, 2019 10:01am PDT · 2 comments

In early 2018, urban transportation upstarts Uber, Lyft, Jump and Lime all considered the possibility of buying or merging with New York–based Motivate. The potential suitors saw blemishes in the bike-rental firm: outdated technology, persistent losses and a business that relied significantly on sponsors, and not just paying customers,... In early 2018, urban transportation upstarts Uber, Lyft, Jump and Lime all considered the...

Lyft’s Biggest IPO Winners

By Amir Efrati · Mar 28, 2019 6:31am PDT · 3 comments

Lyft’s Biggest IPO Winners

By Amir Efrati · Mar 28, 2019 6:31am PDT · 3 comments

If Lyft completes its initial public offering on Friday, as is expected, it will cap a 12-year journey for the ride-hailing firm’s founders and investors, some of whom had more conviction than others about its ability to survive. Now, those who remained steadfast are about to be rewarded.That group includes former eBay executive Sean... If Lyft completes its initial public offering on Friday, as is expected, it will cap a 12-year...

Mike Sullivan

Crypto Newsletter

Puzzling Exchanges

By Jon Victor · Mar 27, 2019 12:31pm PDT

A report last week suggesting that dozens of cryptocurrency exchanges exaggerate their trading volume was met with a mix of gasps and yawns from people working in the industry. On the one hand, the report, compiled by the crypto startup Bitwise, says that 95% of bitcoin trading volume reported by the exchanges isn’t real—a pretty... A report last week suggesting that dozens of cryptocurrency exchanges exaggerate their trading...

A Casper retail store. Photo by Casper

Inside Casper’s Financials

By Zoë Bernard · Mar 27, 2019 11:57am PDT

The internet mattress maker Casper saw its net revenue jump over 60% during the third quarter of last year, and while the company continued to lose money during the period, it narrowed its losses and projected a small profit before taxes and other items for all of 2019, The Information has learned. The figures were part of a presentation to... The internet mattress maker Casper saw its net revenue jump over 60% during the third quarter of...

The People With Power on Facebook’s Policy and Communications Team

By Ashley Gold · Mar 27, 2019 6:30am PDT · 4 comments

Facebook is facing growing public outcry over how it runs its business, intense political and regulatory scrutiny of its handling of user information, and lawsuits and investigations into data breaches and privacy scandals. It all adds up to the worst crisis for the company since its founding. And there’s no end in sight.Confronted with... Facebook is facing growing public outcry over how it runs its business, intense political and...

Big Challenge for Disney and Apple Video Services: Churn

By Beejoli Shah and Martin Peers · Mar 26, 2019 6:31am PDT · 5 comments

Big Challenge for Disney and Apple Video Services: Churn

By Beejoli Shah and Martin Peers · Mar 26, 2019 6:31am PDT · 5 comments

One of the key metrics behind successful subscription services is also one of the most secret numbers: the cancellation rate. New data reveals that number can be as high as 23% a month, a vivid illustration of the challenges for companies planning to offer new video services, which range from Disney to Apple to AT&T’s WarnerMedia.... One of the key metrics behind successful subscription services is also one of the most secret...

New U.S. Attorney David Anderson is sworn in in January. Photo: San Francisco U.S. Attorney’s Office

New U.S. Attorney Eyes Tougher Enforcement in Silicon Valley

By Matt Drange · Mar 25, 2019 11:47am PDT

The message to a roomful of corporate attorneys representing a who’s who of tech companies was clear: The once-sleepy U.S. Attorney’s office in San Francisco has awoken. New U.S. Attorney David Anderson, who recently took over the office responsible for federal criminal prosecutions in the Bay Area, outlined his plan to ramp up the... The message to a roomful of corporate attorneys representing a who’s who of tech companies...

Photo illustration by Mike Sullivan

Apple’s Antitrust Risk: Spotify Puts Focus on Conduct

By Aaron Tilley and Ashley Gold · Mar 25, 2019 6:31am PDT · 2 comments

Earlier this month, Spotify complained to European competition authorities about Apple’s treatment of the music service. The complaint is part of a longer trail of grievances in the tech industry over Apple’s conduct. In 2014, Apple removed Fitbit’s wearable fitness trackers from its retail stores after the company decided not... Earlier this month, Spotify complained to European competition authorities about Apple’s...

Mike Trout during spring training on Friday. Photo by AP

Take Me Out to the Tech IPO

By Cory Weinberg · Mar 23, 2019 7:46am PDT · 1 comment

Major League Baseball’s season is getting started, so baseball is on my mind—including the parallels between baseball and tech. For instance, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels last week signed the biggest contract in North American professional sports, worth $430 million over 12 years. Lyft, Uber and Pinterest are about to go... Major League Baseball’s season is getting started, so baseball is on my...

The Information’s 411 —All We Hear Is Media Gaga

By Tom Dotan · Mar 22, 2019 5:16pm PDT

The Information’s 411 —All We Hear Is Media Gaga

By Tom Dotan · Mar 22, 2019 5:16pm PDT

Jessica Toonkel and Beejoli Shah discuss all the goings on in media, including Apple's upcoming TV release, the turmoil at WarnerMedia and the outcome of Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. Jessica Toonkel and Beejoli Shah discuss all the goings on in media, including Apple's...