Top News:
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
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
RELATED:
Scott Roxborough / The Hollywood Reporter:
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.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
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 »
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
The New York Times temporarily removes its journalists from Russia in response to the law that effectively renders independent reporting in the country illegal
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, New York Magazine, @cliffordlevy, 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
Patience Haggin / Wall Street Journal:
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, @merenewman, @andreabitely, @joshsternberg, @jeffjarvis, @braedon, @braedon, @braedon, @braedon, @catthekin, @thezedwards, @braedon and @braedon
Mike Ozanian / Forbes:
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
RELATED:
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Apple announces Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+, comprising two exclusive Major League Baseball games every week
Apple announces Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+, comprising two exclusive Major League Baseball games every week
Discussion:
Fast Company, Apple, @ourand_sbj, MediaPost, @showthescore, @pkafka, @pkafka, @tbtimes_rays, @xpangler, @travis_sawchik, Sports Business Journal, SPY, Associated Press, The Streamable, Sportico, Barrett Media, 9to5Mac, Deadline, Media Play News, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, The Athletic, WORLD SCREEN, Awful Announcing, Front Office Sports, Adweek and AppleInsider
Emily Nicolle / Bloomberg:
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, Protocol, Input, @taylorlorenz, @neerajka, @counternotions, @danlesac, Mashable, @jersiegel and @ryan_browne_, more at Techmeme »
On Substack:
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:
One Man & His Blog, @hamishmckenzie, Engadget, @bmorrissey, Mashable, @kantrowitz, @pierce, @dwr, @thesteinline, Stupid Fresh Mess, things i'm thinking about, 3musesmerge, The Kokomo Lantern, 9to5Mac, @kendallbaker, @annehelen, @tcarmody, Starboard, @niubi, @substackinc, @jonrussell, AIPT, @martinsfp and Liberal Confessions, more at Techmeme »
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
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 »
Jessica Toonkel / The Information:
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
Angelique Chrisafis / The Guardian:
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
Anthony D'Alessandro / Deadline:
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.
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Downtown Music says it has created a $200M fund to advance artists money in exchange for a share of their future song royalties, without taking any ownership — Downtown Music Holdings, a closely held player in the recording industry, has created a $200 million fund it will use …
Discussion:
Music Business Worldwide and @lucas_shaw