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

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

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Recent Editions

Mamoon Hamid. Photo by Kleiner Perkins

The Investor Rebuilding Kleiner Perkins

By Zoë Bernard and Reed Albergotti · Feb 14, 2019 6:30am PST · 2 comments

A few years ago, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the storied venture capital firm known for blockbuster bets on Amazon and Google, was in a funk. The firm had lost some of its luster by missing out on early investments in social media, while its reputation was battered by a sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a former partner. To lead a... A few years ago, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the storied venture capital firm known for...

People arriving at the IBM Think conference in San Francisco this week. Photo by Bloomberg.

All Grown Up, Kubernetes Morphs Into a Computing Platform

By Kevin McLaughlin and Priya Anand · Feb 13, 2019 6:45pm PST · 2 comments

Kubernetes, a tool that Google engineers created in 2014 to manage applications running across large numbers of machines, is becoming a kind of standard in enterprise computing, powering everything from mobile banking to smart home applications. Now the question is how much further Kubernetes can go. “I do think [Kubernetes] is capable of... Kubernetes, a tool that Google engineers created in 2014 to manage applications running across...

Mike Sullivan

Crypto Newsletter

Risky Business

By Jon Victor · Feb 13, 2019 12:47pm PST

Everybody paid attention in October when the SEC settled cases with two crypto companies found to have violated securities laws, putting the industry on notice that most tokens were going to be treated as securities. But months later, those companies have yet to register their tokens with the SEC, raising the question of when (or if) their... Everybody paid attention in October when the SEC settled cases with two crypto companies found to...

Disney CEO Bob Iger. Photo by Bloomberg

Streaming Video’s New Math

By Martin Peers · Feb 13, 2019 6:32am PST · 6 comments

Disney CEO Bob Iger. Photo by Bloomberg

Streaming Video’s New Math

By Martin Peers · Feb 13, 2019 6:32am PST · 6 comments

As several of the big entertainment companies move toward the launch of Netflix-like video streaming services, the big questions for investors are how big a business will they build—and how much money will they lose along the way.To get a sense of that, we dug into some numbers. Consider this: To cover what we estimate could be the... As several of the big entertainment companies move toward the launch of Netflix-like video...

Cast of Epix's "Berlin Station" drama at a premiere in 2016. Photo by AP

MGM Looks for Epix Partner, Two Years After Buying Channel for $1 Billion

By Jessica Toonkel · Feb 12, 2019 10:26am PST

Movie studio MGM Holdings is looking for a strategic partner for its Epix cable channel, to help grow the business and gain access to more programming and distribution, according to two people familiar with the situation. The search comes less than two years after MGM paid nearly a billion dollars for control of Epix.MGM Chairman Kevin... Movie studio MGM Holdings is looking for a strategic partner for its Epix cable channel, to help...

Self-Driving Shuttles Advance in Cities, Raising Jobs Concerns

By Cory Weinberg · Feb 12, 2019 6:30am PST · 4 comments

Thomas Cute, a former bus driver, will be among the first to take a ride this spring in Providence, R.I.’s new, self-driving shuttle. He and other local bus drivers will survey how the small, driverless bus makes its way from the downtown train station, over the Woonasquatucket River, to a neighborhood where few public buses currently run.... Thomas Cute, a former bus driver, will be among the first to take a ride this spring in...

Art by Sam Lessin

Modest Proposals

The Pressure on the News Industry Is a Symptom of Disempowerment

By Sam Lessin · Feb 11, 2019 9:31am PST · 11 comments

If you study the history of news, one thing becomes very clear: we are not living through as extraordinary a period in the history of news as some people think.Time and time again, over hundreds of years, the same pattern has played out. There is a period where a small group of elites pay enormous amounts of money for the quality information... If you study the history of news, one thing becomes very clear: we are not living through as...

These Startups Want to Reshape 5G Devices, Disease Treatment, Startup Credit and the Power Grid

By The Information Staff · Feb 11, 2019 6:31am PST

Startups to Watch

These Startups Want to Reshape 5G Devices, Disease Treatment, Startup Credit and the Power Grid

By The Information Staff · Feb 11, 2019 6:31am PST

As we approach the mid-point of 2019’s first quarter, the startup funding environment remains promising, many investors say. After all, multibillion-dollar funds such as Sequoia’s still have plenty to invest even after last year’s record pace. Nearly $131 billion in venture capital was deployed in private companies worldwide in... As we approach the mid-point of 2019’s first quarter, the startup funding environment...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Income Share Agreements

By Sam Lessin · Feb 10, 2019 5:42pm PST

In late December Erik Torenberg and I sat down to talk about the future of human capital and the long history of Income Share Agreements. I am glad we delayed releasing this episode, because the last few months have only made the topic of ISAs more relevant. Lambda School’s much-discussed January series B financing, and several other... In late December Erik Torenberg and I sat down to talk about the future of human capital and the...

Is There Room for All These Venture Capitalists?

By Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 9, 2019 9:48am PST · 1 comment

This week, I asked three venture capitalists to describe what kind of startups have been hitting them up for funding lately. They each said something similar: “startups? These days, we see more pitches from new funds who want us to invest in them.”For those of you who don’t follow venture capital closely, the boom of the last... This week, I asked three venture capitalists to describe what kind of startups have been hitting...

Jobs@TheInformation

Join The Information Reporting Team!

By The Information Staff · Feb 8, 2019 5:00pm PST · 1 comment

More than any other companies, Facebook and Alphabet are changing the face of the internet. From driving advances in artificial intelligence to cornering the market for digital advertising, the two are the most important companies in Silicon Valley. The Information is looking for an enterprising reporter to join our team and cover the two... More than any other companies, Facebook and Alphabet are changing the face of the internet. From...

The Information’s 411 — A Bumbling Ofo

By Tom Dotan · Feb 8, 2019 4:23pm PST

The Information’s 411 — A Bumbling Ofo

By Tom Dotan · Feb 8, 2019 4:23pm PST

Juro describes the rise and fall of Chinese bike rental company Ofo. Jessica speaks to IBM researcher Noam Slonim about the company's AI debate master in a preview of the IBM Think conference next week. Juro describes the rise and fall of Chinese bike rental company Ofo. Jessica speaks to IBM...

Jobs@TheInformation

Join The Information as a Senior Reporter!

By The Information Staff · Feb 8, 2019 1:59pm PST

The tech industry is at a crossroads. The forces responsible for supercharged growth at companies like Apple, Alphabet and Facebook are starting to fade. iPhone sales are no longer growing. Tech companies’ use of consumer data to sell digital advertising is being scrutinized like never before. The combined impact of these factors... The tech industry is at a crossroads. The forces responsible for supercharged growth at companies...

AMC CEO Josh Sapan. Photo by AP

The Big Interview

AMC CEO Warns That Big Media Deals Won’t Work

By Jessica Toonkel · Feb 8, 2019 6:31am PST

Under pressure from Netflix and Amazon, the entertainment industry is slowly consolidating. But one of the smallest of the publicly traded entertainment firms, AMC Networks, is resisting the trend. And in an interview, AMC CEO Josh Sapan warns that some of the big deals underway may prove to be more challenging than anticipated and may need to... Under pressure from Netflix and Amazon, the entertainment industry is slowly consolidating. But...

Amazon Adapts to New India Rules, But Uncertainty Remains

By Priya Anand · Feb 7, 2019 11:13am PST · 3 comments

Days ago, top sellers on Amazon’s India website removed hundreds of thousands of product listings from the site to comply with new government regulations in the country, in what seemed like a perilous development. But on Thursday, after Amazon scrambled to restructure its relationship with one of those top sellers, some of those products... Days ago, top sellers on Amazon’s India website removed hundreds of thousands of product...

Photo by Shutterstock

After the Crypto Boom, Investors Proceed With Caution

By Jon Victor · Feb 7, 2019 6:31am PST

Photo by Shutterstock

After the Crypto Boom, Investors Proceed With Caution

By Jon Victor · Feb 7, 2019 6:31am PST

These days, when Randy Saaf goes into meetings with potential investors and customers to talk about his blockchain-based games startup, he plays down the cryptocurrency aspect of his company. What just 12 months ago would have been a major selling point has become more of a liability.After a surge of investor interest in cryptocurrencies in 2017... These days, when Randy Saaf goes into meetings with potential investors and customers to talk...

Jobs@TheInformation

SMB Account Executive at The Information

By The Information Staff · Feb 6, 2019 1:10pm PST

San Francisco—The Information is looking for a strong sales professional with a track record of closing deals and consistently beating quotas. As our first sales hire, you will be at the front line of growth at a fast-paced and rapidly expanding company.You are expected to manage a full sales cycle by qualifying prospects, closing warm... San Francisco—The Information is looking for a strong sales professional with a track...

Crypto Newsletter

Facebook’s Crypto Shopping List

By Jon Victor · Feb 6, 2019 12:01pm PST

Happy Wednesday. Last week’s piece on legislation that Rep. Darren Soto’s office is developing, which would exempt two classes of crypto assets from being securities, drew a lot of feedback. Some applauded the effort, but others reserved judgment for later. Joe Grundfest, a former SEC director who now teaches at Stanford, wrote in:... Happy Wednesday. Last week’s piece on legislation that Rep. Darren Soto’s office is...

Deep Job Cuts Hit Media in January, Tech Sees Hiring Slowing This Year

By Tom Dotan · Feb 6, 2019 10:01am PST · 3 comments

Quarterly financial updates from major tech companies in the past week have provided a shifting picture of jobs and hiring in the industry, with Silicon Valley giants including Alphabet, Amazon and Facebook all saying they plan to keep hiring in 2019, but at a slower pace than most of last year.It’s a different scene in media, which saw... Quarterly financial updates from major tech companies in the past week have provided a shifting...

Scenes from Maya and the Three, Magic School Bus Rides Again, Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures.

How Netflix Created a Boom in the Cartoon Industry

By Jessica Toonkel and Tom Dotan · Feb 6, 2019 6:31am PST · 2 comments

Scenes from Maya and the Three, Magic School Bus Rides Again, Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures.

How Netflix Created a Boom in the Cartoon Industry

By Jessica Toonkel and Tom Dotan · Feb 6, 2019 6:31am PST · 2 comments

As the war between video streaming services heats up, the biggest battleground is being fought over cartoons like “Kung Fu Panda,” “Captain Underpants” and “Curious George.”Hoping to draw in families and children, services like Amazon, Apple, Hulu and especially Netflix are ordering so many new animated movies... As the war between video streaming services heats up, the biggest battleground is being fought...