Mediagazer

10:20 PM ET, December 18, 2025

Top News:

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Internal memo: TikTok has signed a deal to sell its US unit; Oracle, Silver Lake, MGX will collectively own 45% of the US entity, and ByteDance will retain ~20% — TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. entity to a joint venture controlled by American investors, per an internal memo seen by Axios.

Discussion: Associated Press, TechCrunch, Nikkei Asia, Kansas City Star, CNN, ABC News, UPI, Ukrainian National News, TechRadar, @danprimack, @gordongchang, @billevanina, @pkafka, @michaelsocolow, @michaelsobolik, @rushdoshi, @acedtect, @mattwhitlock, @thestalwart, @davidshepardson, @adamscochran, @mattzeitlin, @senwarren, @peterhamby, Media Play News, Sky News, TRT World, International Business Times, Dexerto, NPR, ANI News, @zackbeauchamp.bsky.social, MacRumors, The National, Engadget, Tech in Asia, Reuters, NBC News, Fox Business, Deadline, @pamspaulding.bsky.social, @carnage4life.bsky.social, @evacide@hachyderm.io, @dluneau.bsky.social, Sinocism, Mashable, Sara Fischer on LinkedIn, Sharecafe, Cord Cutters News, @sarafischer, The Independent, @demguardrails.bsky.social, 9to5Mac, The Verge, South China Morning Post, BBC, Bloomberg and CNBC, more at Techmeme »

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:

Memo: the TikTok US deal is set to close on Jan. 22; terms include retraining the recommendation algorithm on US user data and Oracle overseeing data protection — Abu Dhabi's state investment fund will also be a managing investor. — The TikTok sale is officially happening …

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:

CBS News and The Free Press announce Things That Matter, a series of town halls and debates, starting in early 2026, with Sam Altman, J.D. Vance, and others — The news division is also planning a town hall with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in the ‘Things That Matter’ series, with Bank of America lined up as a sponsor.

Discussion: Variety, The A.V. Club, @jesseltaylor.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @rvbdrm.com, TVNewsCheck, @golikehellmachine.com, @dceiver.bsky.social, @callyson.bsky.social, @grynbaum, @bubblestud.bsky.social, @giromide.online, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, @jesspish.bsky.social, @838carlisle.bsky.social, @kristoncapps.bsky.social, @dodgerfanla.bsky.social, @maxread.info, @jamellebouie.net, @sarahkelly.bsky.social, Los Angeles Times, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @lawrencehurley.bsky.social, @electriceden92.bsky.social, @robertscotthorton.bsky.social, @philclark.bsky.social, @bigmemath.bsky.social, @celebrityhottub.bsky.social, TV Insider, @3titter.bsky.social, @muwxguy.bsky.social, @swizzard.pizza, @timmarchman.bsky.social, @nitishpahwa.com, @gonebabygone.bsky.social, @joshsternberg.com, Deadline, @bristei.bsky.social and CBS News

Natalie Korach / Status:
Sources: Bari Weiss moved a planned internal CBS town hall, set to lay out her broader vision, from this month to 2026, after the Erika Kirk town hall flopped

Discussion: Raw Story, New Republic, Showbiz411, Wonkette, The Independent, The Wrap, Sports Business Journal and @nataliekorach.bsky.social

Shane O'Neill / Washington Post:

Q&A with Christopher Anderson, who photographed Trump's inner circle for VF: “My job is to ... draw on my experience as a journalist and photograph what I see” — Every line, spot, blemish and blood vessel was captured by Christopher Anderson's lens. What was he thinking?

Discussion: Vanity Fair, @susiewiles, @nataliekorach@threads.com, @gbristolphotography …, HotAir, @villgecrazylady, @espiers.bsky.social, @moved2italy.bsky.social, @amy_siskind, @lulumeservey, @lepapillonblu2, @shawnmccreesh, @nothoodlum, @richard_harambe, @jaheale, @jesusrodriguezb, @vanityfair, @repluna, @pkafka, @becketadams, TheJournal.ie, @kbandersen, @acnewsitics, @timodc, @dieworkwear.bsky.social, @gerardtbaker, @esotericcd, Global News, Roll Call, @jonfavs, The Hill, @shannonrwatts, @silvermanjacob, @benryanwriter, @nprinskeep, @jkhomestead, The Guardian, @dieworkwear, @kstrucks, @repjackkimble, Newser, @econklin44.bsky.social, Daily Mail, Reason, @hofrench.bsky.social, Newsweek, @four4thefire.bsky.social, kottke.org, emptywheel, @jonlemire, @edwardrow, @muellershewrote, @petertwinklage, @vanityfair, @ronfilipkowski, People, Cele|bitchy, @socialmedialab.ca, @kristiankiehling.bsky.social, NOTUS, @fingolas@journa.host, @fraying.bsky.social, @juliannemcshane.bsky.social, @cwarzel.bsky.social and @inaeoh.bsky.social

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) agree to buy WildBrain's 41% stake in Peanuts Holdings for ~$457M, raising Sony's slice to 80% — Sony is paying more than a few peanuts to get majority ownership of Charles M. Schulz's beloved Peanuts franchise featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown and more.

Discussion: TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, Engadget, Cord Cutters News, @tdogmedia.bsky.social, Deadline, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Bloomberg, Dow Jones Newswires and The Hollywood Reporter

Financial Times:

Trump Media agrees to merge with Google-backed fusion energy company TAE in a $6B deal and build the “world's first utility-scale fusion power plant” in 2026 — Deal represents bet on nuclear energy powering artificial intelligence boom — The Trump family media group has agreed …

Jake Kanter / Deadline:

YouTube terminates Screen Culture and KH Studio, two large channels that used AI to create fake movie trailers; the platform earlier suspended the channels' ads — The Google-owned video giant has switched off Screen Culture and KH Studio, which together boasted well over 2M subscribers and more than a billion views.

Discussion: The Wrap, Tech Times, Cord Cutters News, CNET, Ars Technica, @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social, @scalzi.com, @timhanlon.bsky.social, @thebihashira.bsky.social, San Francisco Chronicle, @jason1749.bsky.social, @flyguytoys.com, @jessehawken.bsky.social, How-To Geek, World of Reel, TVNewsCheck and nextbigwhat, more at Techmeme »

Emilio Casalicchio / Politico:

Downing Street makes changes to press access, cutting an afternoon briefing and promising more press conferences, which will be open to social media influencers — The move has already sparked an uproar from Westminster's journalists. — LONDON — No.10 Downing Street announced Thursday …

Discussion: The Spectator, The Guardian, @adambienkov.bsky.social, @tonyellis.bsky.social, @tonyellis.bsky.social, @adambienkov, @adambienkov.bsky.social, @politico.eu and @adambienkov.bsky.social

Ethan Millman / The Hollywood Reporter:

Universal Music Group partners with music creation platform Splice to build “advanced commercial AI tools” for musical artists — The new pact is the latest AI music development for the world's largest music company after settling a lawsuit with Udio in October.

Discussion: Billboard, UMG and Digital Music News

Jessica M. Goldstein / New York Times:

A look at Track Star, a YouTube music quiz show that has become a stop on the celebrity promo trail and has started creating documentary-style music features — John Fogerty has written some of the most instantly recognizable songs in rock ‘n’ roll history.

Discussion: @jessicagolds

Anna Betts / The Guardian:

David Brooks, who wrote a NYT column last month decrying popular fixation on the Epstein story, appears in newly released photos of a 2011 event with Epstein — Images, undated and uncaptioned, include Vladimir Nabokov lines written on women and show Bill Gates and Noam Chomsky

Will Sattelberg / 9to5Google:

Google returns as a partner service for Movies Anywhere, after leaving the service during a feud with Disney in October and November — Movies Anywhere was one of the unintended casualties faced during Google and Disney's brief feud throughout October and November, but as promised …

Discussion: How-To Geek

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More News:

M.G. Siegler / Spyglass:
YouTube streaming the Oscars in 2029 makes Netflix's WBD bid less likely to face antitrust issues, as it shows Netflix might need WBD to compete against YouTube

Discussion: TVREV, @brianstelter, France 24, @spyglass_feed, Sports Business Journal, The Ankler, Screen Rant, PCMag, @mgsiegler.com, International Business Times, Plain Dealer, israelhayom.com, TVBEurope and Agence France-Presse

Janko Roettgers / The Verge:
Atlas Obscura plans to launch Obscura Society, a WebXR-based lounge offering users 3D avatars for voice chats, portals to other VR apps, and more, in early 2026

Discussion: Nathan Anderson on LinkedIn and Associated Press

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Netflix hires ESPN anchor Elle Duncan as its first on-air host for live sports and cultural events; she has appeared on SportsCenter, College GameDay, and more

Discussion: Awful Announcing, Deadline, Los Angeles Times, Barrett Media, The Wrap, Arizona Republic, The Verge and TV Insider, more at Techmeme »

OpenAI:
OpenAI launches the OpenAI Academy for News Organizations, which offers journalists AI training, open-source projects, and practical use cases

Discussion: @kennysmith.bsky.social, Unite.AI and The Decoder

Jesse Whittock / Deadline:
Disney+ and Gulf region streamers Shahid and OSN+ announce a bundle offer; all three apps are available through Shahid, owned by Saudi broadcaster MBC

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Ruben Lawrence on LinkedIn, Elie Kawkabani on LinkedIn, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Media Play News and Advanced Television

Lanre Bakare / The Guardian:
Members of UK performing arts union Equity vote overwhelmingly in favor of refusing to be scanned while on set to prevent their likeness being used by AI

Discussion: @SuffolkLITLab@esq.social, Radio Times, The Independent, LBC, Reuters, Variety and Deadline

Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Dow Jones hires ex-Bloomberg Media CEO M. Scott Havens as its first chief growth officer, overseeing subscription growth and other consumer revenue streams

Discussion: Talking Biz News

Earlier Picks:

Cynthia Littleton / Variety:
NBCU plans to add Arrival Ads, live ads that play when users turn on Peacock, and use AI to search live sports events for the optimal moment to place ads

Discussion: Ars Technica, Alison Levin on LinkedIn, The Streamable and Deadline

Chance Miller / 9to5Mac:
Apple says it will roll out more App Store ads in 2026 “to increase opportunity in search results”; Apple's website says 800M+ users visit the App Store weekly

Discussion: Moneycontrol, MobileSyrup, Ubergizmo, Cult of Mac, MediaPost, Search Engine Land, Engadget, iPhone in Canada, Tech Times, AppleInsider, MacRumors and Apple Ads, more at Techmeme »

Will Page / Pivotal Economics:
Analysis: music copyright's global value rose 5.2% YoY to a record $47.2B in 2024; the revenue split favored labels and artists at 62%, above songwriters' 38%

Discussion: Billboard and Will Page on LinkedIn

Jennifer Schuessler / New York Times:
PEN America elects novelist Dinaw Mengestu as president, as the organization navigates free speech challenges across the US and criticism of its Gaza response

Discussion: @bardcollege.bsky.social and PEN America

Financial Times:
Sources: Standard General hedge fund founder Soo Kim has been in talks with a major WBD shareholder over potentially buying or investing in the WBD TV networks

Discussion: Awful Announcing, The Wrap, New York Post, Deadline, TVNewsCheck, Bloomberg and CNN

Katie Deighton / Wall Street Journal:
A study of 1,000+ marketing campaigns: host-read podcast ads on YouTube are up to 25% less effective at driving purchases than in audio-only podcasts

Discussion: Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, Forrester, Bloomberg, Daniel Granger on LinkedIn, Simon Owens on LinkedIn, Pocket-lint and Podnews

John Rogers / Associated Press:
Peter Arnett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent who covered the Vietnam War for the AP and the first Gulf War for CNN, has died at 91

Discussion: The Independent, Suggest, Associated Press, Deadline, Washington Post, WPXI-TV, @davidclinchnews, Mirror, Plain Dealer, New York Times and @kevinmkruse.bsky.social

From Techmeme:

Meghan Bobrowsky / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Meta is developing a new image and video-focused AI model codenamed Mango, expected to be released in H1 2026 along with its new LLM dubbed Avocado

Suzanne Smalley / The Record:
Pennsylvania's Supreme Court rules that police can get Google search data without a warrant; an expert warns it may encourage warrantless searches nationwide

OpenAI:
OpenAI releases GPT‑5.2-Codex, with improvements on long-horizon work through context compaction, stronger performance on large code changes, and more

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