DEADSPIN's John Koblin cited sources as saying that SI.com is "developing a new brand and website" similar to ESPN's Grantland, with Peter King as the "centerpiece." While the "in-house nickname for the new site is Kinglandia," the actual name for the site is "still under discussion." King's site, which will be "football-only," will launch "in the next few months, and SI will own it." Sources said that King will "have his own stable of writers working with him" (DEADSPIN.com, 3/18).
THE SOCCER SWINDLE: The GUARDIAN's Josh Halliday noted the London Times admitted it was "duped into publishing a hoax exclusive about plans for a Qatar-based Dream Football League." The Times described the incident as a "journalistic nightmare" (GUARDIAN, 3/18). The Times' apology was published under the header, "When We Are Wrong, We Will Hold Our Hands Up. It's The Right Thing To Do" (LONDON TIMES, 3/18).
PAY-PER-VIEWER? Verizon VP/Content Strategy & Acquisition Terry Denson said that the company has "begun talks with several 'midtier and smaller' media companies" about paying for its FiOS TV channels based on audience size. However, Denson "declined to identify any of the media companies." The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Shalini Ramachandran noted under existing arrangements, cable and satellite operators "pay a monthly, per-subscriber fee to carry channels based on the number of homes in which they agree to make the channels available, regardless of how many people watch those channels" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/18). SI.com's Grant Wahl today tweeted, "BeIN Sport does deal with Verizon FiOS, will be available in HD in English & Spanish. (As a FiOS user, today feels like Christmas.)"
