Melissa Korn
Deputy editor on the media team @WSJ. I like scoops, naps, F1, books and my kid, though not in that order. Co-author of UNACCEPTABLE, definitive book on Varsity Blues college admissions scandal.
- My turn as a social media star, where I get super glammed up and report from my couch (and an ICU bed!) about my post-surgical pulmonary embolism. www.tiktok.com/@wallstreetj...
- And here's the orignial @wsj.com article from last month: www.wsj.com/health/welln...
- My 9-year-old daughter devoured a few books by @alangratz.bsky.social and Jennifer A. Nielsen. She kept wanting more. Behold, it's a real trend! Learn how (and why) young readers are crazed for books about resistance fighters, teen spies and all things World War II. www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
- Bret Baier of Fox News prides himself on being a traditional news anchor, in a "not news-friendly world." Viewership of his ‘Special Report’ show is up a whopping 57% this year. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- For mystery writers, getting the details of the perfect crime correct can be bloody hard. These cops are here to help. A delightful, killer story from Jeff Trachtenberg #booksky www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
- Some of you know I'm an F1 fan. Was super excited when Isabella Simonetti pitched a story on their U.S. media rights. And boy, did she deliver. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- In an era when streaming shows give priority to big budgets and short runs, “The Pitt” has succeeded by doing the opposite. @jbflint.bsky.social dives into how the show makes it work. (Also if you're not watching the show, why the heck not? It's so good.) www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
- Brands want their online ads to land in front of humans. Companies tasked with weeding out bots are struggling to keep up. @patiencehaggin.bsky.social has tons of exclusive details about just how much they miss, and why. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Favorite quote from the story, by a professor who reviewed new Adalytics research on the shortcomings: “It’s like, can you tell the difference between a person and a person-shaped sock puppet that is holding up a sign saying, ‘I am a sock puppet’?”
- Reposted by Melissa KornIn the weeks before her death, Voletta Wallace forged the deal she hoped would ensure Biggie Smalls’s legacy for generations to come
- From Dude Perfect to Ms. Rachel, YouTube creators are getting their Hollywood moment. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Macmillan's Flatiron imprint isn't pulling "Careless People" from shelves. But its author isn't allowed to promote it, according to an arbitrator's ruling yesterday. Perhaps the controversy will ultimately boost sales. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- So awesome to hear the WSJ story on paperbacks falling out of favor, by @jeffreyt1.bsky.social, featured on #WaitWaitDontTellMe this past week. Missed the story? Here you go: www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Dug up an old story from my 2006 internship at the FT. Tivo! MP3 players! I can't even: "With consumers Tivo-ing past television commercials, opting for MP3 players rather than radio, and blocking pop-up internet ads, bricks are starting to look more attractive than clicks to some advertisers."
- Don’t want to spend $30 for a new hardcover? You may never get the chance to buy the cheaper paperback version, at least for nonfiction. @jeffreyt1.bsky.social has details on what is, to me, an infuriating development in publishing world. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- And yes maybe I'm still a little bitter that UNACCEPTABLE never made it to paperback.
- MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is facing what may be the most significant challenge of his tenure: coping with the demise of the TV economy that long fueled the industry. His proposed fix is complex and wildly ambitious. www.wsj.com/sports/baseb...
- Google made tweaks to how it ranks product-review sites in search. It's caused an existential crisis for some publishers. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- The Status newsletter from @oliverdarcy.bsky.social has quickly become a must-read for the power brokers of publishing and entertainment. Now he's poaching a CNN editor to help build off that early momentum. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- 🚨 NEWS: A lawyer at Interpublic got a call from a lawyer at X in December. Behind what some in advertising see as a pressure campaign to get brands back on the platform. A must-read from Suzanne Vranica. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Reposted by Melissa KornAfter mostly steering clear of the national cultural center during his first term, President Trump has moved quickly to take control as he returns to office.
- 🚨SCOOP from Jessica Toonkel: Paramount is wrestling with whether to settle President Trump’s lawsuit against its CBS News unit, and how it might do so without exposing executives to future legal threats like bribery allegations. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Big media executives were hopeful that Trump 2.0 would usher in a period of light-touch regulation. Instead, President Trump’s chosen communications regulator is turning the screws. via @drewfitzgerald.bsky.social www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Reposted by Melissa KornThe switcheroo that let Kanye West advertise swastika shirts during the Super Bowl
- I don't know about you but I didn't have "edit story that uses the word swastika" on my bingo card for today. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- There's a palpable defiance in Nike's new Super Bowl ad--its first in 27 years. Women athletes shine as Doechii says: "You can’t make demands. You can’t be proud. You can’t keep score. You can’t stand out...You can't win. So win." www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Sometimes I get to edit a story where there's just such a sweet, human tidbit that my breath catches and I smile. I loved getting to the line about Bill Owens's pocket squares in this one by @jbflint.bsky.social www.wsj.com/business/med...
- And there are just so many other goodies in this piece, from how "That's fine" set off a major legal battle to what the vibe was in Monday's "60 Minutes" staff meeting.
- Phew, I still remember how to write even after becoming an editor. First byline in a while: www.wsj.com/business/med...
- He refers to himself as Pablo Eggscobar. You may know him from his fiery appearances on CNN's 'NewsNight.' A super-fun @wsj.com profile of Scott Jennings: wsj.com/business/med...
- It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a...lawsuit alleging DC Comics and Warner Bros Discovery are selling "Superman" after major international copyrights expired. via @jbflint.bsky.social @wsj.com www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Questions about Tiananmen Square? DeepSeek says ‘Let’s talk about something else’ -- we got some interesting answers when we asked China-related questions to the AI chatbot taking the world by storm. www.wsj.com/tech/ai/deep...
- Reposted by Melissa Korn[Not loaded yet]
- NEWS: Paramount execs have held internal talks about settling Trump's lawsuit over CBS's '60 Minutes' Kamala Harris interview, as they look to dial down tensions with the incoming president. via @wsj.com wsj.com/business/med...
- Reposted by Melissa Korn[Not loaded yet]
- Consumers are hunting for a low-cost, all-in-one sports streaming service. It remains elusive, but DirecTV's newest sports bundle tries to get closer. (As long as some games are on Amazon/Peacock/RSNs and not included in the bundle, this quest is pretty much futile.) www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Reposted by Melissa Korn“It was our retirement. It was our investment. It was our equity. It was everything.” Teachers, plumbers and nurses bought into L.A.’s affluent neighborhoods decades ago. The bulk of their fortunes are tied up in homes that are now ash. on.wsj.com/3PTw2gJ
- Financial turmoil. Rivals poaching top talent. The Washington Post is mired in drama, and owner Jeff Bezos envisions major changes. Oh and Matt Murray is no longer just interim exec ed, it's official, but also not formally announced. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- NEW from Jessica Toonkel: Liberty Media taps board member Derek Chang as new CEO. He'll look at digital expansion and other growth opportunities for Formula One. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Does it really count as reading if you're using your ears? The debate over audiobooks is fierce. www.wsj.com/lifestyle/be...
- Dozens more cameras, including ones used for feature films. Netflix is planning to put a cinematic spin on its Christmas football games. But, one exec promises, they aren't trying to “do Spielberg doing the NFL.” www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Reposted by Melissa KornMore than 400,000 students in American colleges without permanent legal status are in limbo as they await what Donald Trump has pledged to be the largest deportation program in U.S. history. “Sadness is a common feeling but also frustration and a sense of unfairness.”
- Lots of new followers on here! Figured I'd take the opportunity for a moment of self-promotion. A few years ago, Jennifer Levitz and I wrote a book about the Varsity Blues admission scandal. It's pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. Check it out! www.amazon.com/gp/product/0...
- Be “the most Christlike person you can be," was advice one Jesus model got. Lest viewers know it's not the real one in photos. Great piece! www.wsj.com/lifestyle/ca...
- Settling the Trump defamation suit was supposed to eliminate a headache for Disney. Instead, it's roiled ABC News. @jbflint.bsky.social and Isabella Simonetti have the deets. wsj.com/business/med...
- All the cool kids are doing it. Now legacy media wants in on the TikTok action. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- The raw emotion here, the realization of freedom, is truly breathtaking.
- “You’re not taking a year are you?” Netflix has quietly pulled back its much-lauded parental-leave policy, one of several cultural changes as it reins in employee freedom. Fantastic deep dive from Jessica Toonkel here @wsj.com www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Reposted by Melissa KornSomebody Should Do Something About All The Problems theonion.com/somebody-sho...
- Big deal news from @wsj.com this morning, with our team reporting Omnicom in advanced talks to buy Interpublic Group. The all-stock deal likely values IPG at $13-14B, sources say. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Forget calorie counts. These “nutrition labels” have latency rates and fees—and are meant to help comparison shop for broadband internet services. One problem: They're darn near impossible to find or understand. www.wsj.com/business/tel... via @wsj.com @patiencehaggin.bsky.social
- These numbers are bananas! Taylor Swift's book (which apparently could've used another look from the copy editor) sold more than 800,000 copies in its first TWO DAYS on sale. My colleague Jeff Trachtenberg has the deets. www.wsj.com/business/med...
- Self-published. On sale only at one store. And an initial print run of 2 million. Taylor Swift is rewriting the playbook for a holiday bestseller with "The Eras Tour Book" www.wsj.com/business/med...
- This is not a rap beef account but today it also sort of is. www.wsj.com/business/med...
