For the Record

"An Outsider":

In an interview with an Iowa radio station, Michael Bloomberg explored the possibility of selling his financial and media company if he were to run for president. "If selling it is possible, I would do that," he said. "At some point, you’re going to die anyway, so you want to do it before then." Bloomberg has discussed coverage options for the possible campaign with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait if he were to retain ownership through a blind trust, including a blackout of political coverage for the duration of his candidacy or "constant disclosures" of his ownership. (Pulitzer Prize Board Co-Chair Robert Blau is executive editor of projects and investigations at Bloomberg News.)

"Forget Competition":

McClatchy's Sacramento Bee and the Bay Area News Group (including The Mercury News of San Jose, Calif. and the East Bay Times) have initiated a "content-sharing and co-reporting experiment" centered around sports and statehouse coverage. "No local American news organization is big enough to accomplish everything it hopes to do," said staffers from both organizations in a joint interview. "And few of us are directly competing with each other anymore."

"You Can't Replace It":

Gannett President and CEO Robert J. Dickey will retire from the company in 2019. The company's board of directors "has initiated a succession plan and engaged an outside search firm to assist in evaluating internal and external candidates." Gannett's publications received three Pulitzer Prizes this year. "To win three Pulitzers — was one of my proudest moments," Dickey said.

"More Organic Growth":

Thomson Reuters plans to cut 3,200 jobs (12 percent of its workforce) by 2020 "as part of a plan to streamline the business and reduce costs." The company plans to focus on its legal and tax businesses following the sale of 55 percent of its Financial and Risk unit to The Blackstone Group.

Twilight:

Following months of editorial disagreements, MediaDC has suspended an ownership search for The Weekly Standard, prompting Editor-in-Chief Stephen Hayes to tell staff that the magazine is in a "precarious position." MediaDC Chairman Ryan McKibben has "asked to meet with Hayes in a meeting tentatively scheduled for late next week" and "requested the entire staff of The Weekly Standard be made available following the meeting."

Obstruction:

According to a draft report prepared for the CBS board by Debevoise & Plimpton and Covington & Burling, former CBS CEO Les Moonves "engaged in multiple acts of serious nonconsensual sexual misconduct in and outside of the workplace, both before and after he came to CBS in 1995." Moonves also destroyed evidence pertaining to the accusations. While the report asserts that "the company has justification to deny" Moonves his proposed $120 million severance, the board is "unlikely to make any determinations" on the matter until the investigation concludes in January.

Target:

Roger Stone and Alex Jones "fumed on air" about conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi, alleging that their onetime colleague is "senile" and struggling with alcohol abuse. Corsi, who was subpoenaed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller over his contacts with Stone during the 2016 election and allegedly turned down a plea deal on perjury charges, has lodged a complaint with the Justice Department accusing Mueller's office of misconduct in the investigation.

"Another Node in the Narrative":

Vox Media "laid off 9 people last week" across its SB Nation, Verge and Eater properties. The company also will "see a more than 15 percent gain on revenue" this year, "bringing it in the $185 million-plus range."

Departure:

New Republic Editor J.J. Gould resigned "amicably" from the publication Monday. Gould, who "has been on leave from the publication to address a family medical issue," previously served as digital editor of The Atlantic.

"Flagrant Violation":

Oath, the Verizon-owned parent company of AOL and Yahoo, "has agreed to pay about $5 million to settle charges from the New York attorney general that the media company’s online advertising business was violating a federal children’s privacy law." Through its ad exchange, AOL "helped place targeted display ads on hundreds of websites that it knew were directed to children under 13" via cookies and geolocation information.