By David Farrell
Now magazine seeking monthly reader cash donations
The weekly Toronto alternative independent has tiered monthly donor perks spanning $5 to $20 that will get you listed as a contributor at the low end, to a personal invite to a cocktail party where you can meet the publisher and staff – Now
Samsung opens global AI centre in Toronto
The South Korean conglomerate has announced a new AI lab in Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District set to launch this week. This is part of a broader announcement for the tech giant, as they also unveiled two other labs: one in Cambridge, UK, and one in Moscow. – Max Greenwood, Techvibes
Netflix passes Comcast in market value, inches toward Disney
Currently, the company’s market cap is around $149 billion while Comcast is sitting at $147 billion. Netflix’s next target is Disney, which leads the three companies with a market cap of $153 billion – Matt Lopez, Videoink
Time for radio to reimagine itself as the medium of all things audio
Radio needs to define itself by a very different measure. That is by the consumer experience.
In this broader definition, radio becomes all things audio—over-the-air radio, streaming, satellite, podcasting. If it goes in the ear, and it entertains or informs, it’s radio. Now is the time to adopt this broader definition. - Gene Ely, Forbes
The new Google podcast strategy could double listenership worldwide
Zack’s team is taking a different approach from anything we’ve seen to build Google’s first dedicated podcast product. In addition to all the features you’d expect from a podcast app, shows and episodes are also “integrated with Google Search and Google Assistant.” What this means in the long-term is – Steve Pratt, Pacific Content
The Battle for the Canadian couch potato: OTT, TV, online
Now in its 12th year of publication, the 119-page report offers a detailed analysis by company, market and a deluge of statistics. – The Convergence Research Group
Standing up for (digital) rights
A month-old not-for-profit organization led by one of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders, Jim Balsillie, is hoping to gain the attention of public office holders about the need for improved data protection online. – Sarah Turnbull, iPolitics
DAZN the Netflix of Sports is coming to the US
If you live in the US you may not know of DAZN, a service that bills themselves as the Netflix of Sports. Currently, they offer a wide range of sports including full access to the NFL in Canada and parts of Europe. Now they are planning to expand into the United States – Cord Cutters News
Discovery, BBC Studios launch streaming service for phones & tablets
Last week Discovery quietly launched a new streaming service called Dreams TV with media partners including, Bloomberg, and BBC Studios. – Cord Cutters News
