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Jason Kilar announces that WarnerMedia will pause “all new business in Russia” amid Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine — WarnerMedia is “pausing all new business in Russia” amid its continued invasion of Ukraine, CEO Jason Kilar announced Wednesday.
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Streamable and @brianstelter
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Discovery pulls 15 channels in Russia, operated as part of a joint venture with the country's leading TV company National Media Group — Discovery has pulled some 15 channels off the air in Russia, following similar moves by CNN and the BBC.


Amazon suspends access to Prime Video for customers based in Russia — Amazon has joined the growing number of businesses suspending commercial activities in Russia in the wake of the country's unprovoked attack on Ukraine. — The e-commerce giant said in a statement that it is cutting off access …
Discussion:
The Streamable and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »


The London Stock Exchange Group, which distributes Reuters content, suspends distribution of news and commentary in Russia due to the country's new media law
Discussion:
Talking Biz News, @kevinrothrock, @sarafischer and @jonathancmunro

The New York Times temporarily removes its journalists from Russia in response to the law that effectively renders independent reporting in the country illegal
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @cliffordlevy, @dylanbyers, CNN, Vox, Nieman Lab, @cliffordlevy, New York Magazine, bbc.co.uk, Variety, @sbg1, @oliverdarcy, Mediaite, Poynter, @stevenleemyers, @vabvox, @abarnardnyt, @waschukcanua, @ichbinilya, Washington Post, @mschwirtz, @nytimesbusiness, @izatabaro, @maxboot, @ewong, @grynbaum, @cliffordlevy, @kasparov63, @alexey__kovalev, @cliffordlevy, Freedom of the Press …, Variety, Metro.co.uk, The Hill, The Wrap, bookforum.com, @sulliview, Condé Nast and Deadline


Researchers say Gannett gave ad buyers incorrect information about where ads appeared for nine months; Gannett says it regrets the error, which it fixed March 4 — Publisher misrepresented where billions of ads were placed, researchers say, and Gannett corrected the issue in recent days
Discussion:
braedon.dev, Editor and Publisher, The Hill, @braedon, Fox News, @seangriffey, @bmorrissey, MediaPost, @braedon, @alex, @apantazi, @braedon, @acfou, @braedon, @andreabitely, @joshsternberg, @jeffjarvis, @braedon, @braedon, @braedon, @braedon, @catthekin, @thezedwards, @braedon, @braedon and @merenewman


Two Austrian entrepreneurs acquire the assets of LimeWire, the music sharing service shuttered in 2010, and plan to relaunch it as an NFT marketplace for music — A pair of serial entrepreneurs in Austria has bought the rights to defunct music platform LimeWire with plans to revamp its image …
Discussion:
Complete Music Update, Fast Company, Insider, Protocol, Input, @taylorlorenz, @neerajka, @counternotions, @danlesac, Mashable, @jersiegel and @ryan_browne_, more at Techmeme »


Substack launches an iOS app for reading; Android users can join a waitlist — What you read matters — Today, we're launching an iOS app for reading. It's like your email inbox, but better. — For readers, the app brings all your Substack subscriptions together in one venue …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, One Man & His Blog, @hamishmckenzie, The Verge, Engadget, @bmorrissey, Searching for Political …, Alts by Flippa, The Liminality Journal, Rambling Photographer, Mashable, @kantrowitz, @pierce, @dwr, @thesteinline, Stupid Fresh Mess, things i'm thinking about, 3musesmerge, 9to5Mac, @kendallbaker, @annehelen, @tcarmody, @niubi, Starboard, @substackinc, @jonrussell, AIPT, @martinsfp and Liberal Confessions, more at Techmeme »


Sources: the streaming deal between MLB and Apple is worth $85M annually over seven years and NBC Sports' two-year MLB deal is worth $30M annually — Baseball is in the midst of a lockout that is threatening the start of the 2022 season, but that isn't preventing the league from getting richer.
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, Next TV, The Streamable, AppleInsider, 9to5Mac, Cord Cutters News, @forbes, @brandolightshed, @aarongleeman, @cdgoldstein and @andrewmarchand


Sources: Disney is considering significantly broadening Disney+ content beyond its strict family focus, including horror and thriller movies and shows — Horror movies and thrillers on Disney+? An ESPN sports betting partnership? Plans that would once have been unthinkable at Disney …
Discussion:
The Streamable and @jtoonkel


Sources: Amazon is expected to win unconditional approval from the European Commission for its $8.5B acquisition of MGM, which was announced in May 2021 — Amazon is expected to win unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $8.5 billion buy of U.S. movie studio MGM, people familiar with the matter said …
Discussion:
@auerdirk and Axios, more at Techmeme »


President Macron vows to scrap the €138/year French TV license fee if he is re-elected next month, prompting questions over the funding of public media — Presidential candidate Anne Hidalgo says scrapping fee will ‘kill’ independence of public media — Emmanuel Macron has promised …
Discussion:
@jayrosen_nyu


TikTok launches music distribution platform SoundOn in the US, UK, Brazil, and Indonesia; artists can upload music directly to TikTok, Resso, Spotify, and more — TikTok has already achieved massive influence in today's music industry, sending songs that find popularity on the app to the top of the Billboard charts.
Discussion:
Protocol and Music Business Worldwide, more at Techmeme »


US indie film and TV studio A24 raises $225M to expand production and distribution globally, its first funding since its 2012 founding — The Oscar winning indie studio behind such movies as Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk has secured a $225M equity investment to fund its strategic growth plan.