Good morning. This is Megan Graham filling in for Nat Ives. Today, media companies keep making deals with star creators; Aldi keeps adding U.S. stores; and for ESPN employees it's still Bristol or bust.

Traditional media companies are in a dealmaking frenzy with podcasters, social-media influencers and other content creators, Isabella Simonetti reports.

Fox News in July announced a “new media expansion,” including a licensing agreement with the “Ruthless” podcast, a freewheeling talk show featuring several former Republican political strategists. In August, the Athletic agreed to a seven-figure deal to license “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” a sports and culture show. Vox Media recently announced a partnership with Bella Freud for her “Fashion Neurosis” podcast and has agreed to a licensing deal with David Axelrod, Mike Murphy and John Heilemann’s show “Hacks on Tap.”

Established media companies watched in awe as independent podcasters drew star guests and drove the news cycle during the 2024 presidential election.

And with artificial intelligence tools changing the way people consume information and audiences hungry for authenticity, outlets from Fox to the New York Times are eager to create content that can’t easily be replicated by a chatbot. For many, that means building out rosters of distinctive human voices.

“The world would be poorer if we were just served” by an AI agent with content that is originated by algorithms, said Paul Cheesbrough, chief executive of Fox Corp.’s Tubi Media Group. “The role of the creator becomes even more important in that world,” he said.

German discount grocer Aldi is increasing an already big bet on the U.S. market, pushing into new cities and neighborhoods as it undergoes its biggest-ever expansion in this country, Kate King reports.

Aldi plans to add more than 200 stores on a net basis in the U.S. in 2025, making it America’s fastest-growing retailer this year after the two big dollar-store chains, according to data firm Coresight Research. Company executives say they are responding to a customer base of inflation-weary shoppers eager for lower grocery bills, but also for organic produce and select-cut meats.

“This is really Aldi’s time to shine,” said Neil Saunders of research firm GlobalData. “You can shop on a real budget at Aldi and get quite a lot for your money.”

The company goes to great lengths to cut costs. Products are displayed in crates that are pulled off trucks and placed directly on the shelves, saving the time and expense of employees individually stocking items.

Aldi is smaller than a traditional American grocery store and relies heavily on its own products to deliver low prices; about 90% of the items it sells are private label.

Now, it is putting its formula to the test in one of the most densely populated and expensive areas of the country. The grocer plans to open its largest New York City store next summer near Times Square, capitalizing on both tourist foot traffic and the neighborhood’s growing residential population.

“Obviously there’s a lot of mouths to feed,” said Dan Gavin, vice president of national real estate for Aldi.

To work at the world’s most storied sports-media company, it’s often Bristol, Conn. or bust. And ESPN isn’t going anywhere, Isabella Simonetti reports.

“Never,” said Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN’s chairman. “We’ve never contemplated relocating and I don’t have any plans to relocate.”

Employees have lamented living in the central Connecticut city practically since ESPN was founded in 1979. Decades later, Bristol is often still a punch line. Keith Olbermann, a former anchor, jokingly named it the most “God-forsaken place” on the East Coast during an appearance with former ESPN colleague Craig Kilborn, the first host of the “The Daily Show.”

Bristol (population 61,129) also boasts carousel and clock museums and is home to a 383-foot elevator test tower. A description on the jobs site for Disney, ESPN’s parent company, highlights the city’s “picturesque hills and fall foliage,” saying it offers “wonderful memories no matter your pace.”

“It was a place you went to become a star,” said Scott Van Pelt, a veteran anchor who worked in Bristol for about 20 years before relocating to Bethesda, Md. “For a lot of folks, it was the cost of doing business.”

Kraft Heinz is officially splitting into two companies. [WSJ]

Cracker Barrel has called in Edelman for crisis work regarding the backlash surrounding its logo. [O'Dwyers]

PepsiCo is boosting its stake in energy-drink maker Celsius Holdings in a deal worth $585 million. [WSJ]

How a specialized CRM platform is helping restaurants dig into audience insights. [Ad Exchanger]

What happens when agency staffers get 88 work-from-home days each year. [Ad Age]