Top News:
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Amazon finalizes its $8.5B acquisition of MGM, two days after the deal received clearance from the EU's antitrust regulator — Amazon has closed its $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM first announced last May, the companies said Thursday. — “MGM has a nearly century-long legacy …
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Leah Nylen / Politico:
Sources: the FTC will not challenge Amazon's MGM Studios acquisition as Lina Khan decided not to call for a vote, anticipating opposition from GOP commissioners — The Federal Trade Commission will not challenge Amazon's acquisition of MGM Studios after the agency's commissioners split on bringing a suit …
Discussion:
MediaPost, Bloomberg, @parismarx, The Information, @ryangrim, @eriqgardner, @business, NPR and Variety, more at Techmeme »
Rick Edmonds / Poynter:
Gannett moves the printing of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and 10 other Wisconsin dailies 220 miles to Illinois' Peoria Journal Star, cutting 180 jobs — The move will result in the shuttering of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's printing plant and the loss of 180 jobs.
Discussion:
@greg_reibman, members.charlesriverchamber …, @peterrobison and @bradhoylman
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Dan Kennedy / Media Nation:
Gannett closes at least 19 print weekly newspapers in Eastern Massachusetts and merges nine weeklies into four — Gannett is closing at least 19 print weekly newspapers serving at least 26 communities in Eastern Massachusetts, according to notices posted on those papers' websites.
Discussion:
@karynregal, @downballotfocus, @karynregal, @karynregal, @johnguilfoil and @downballotfocus
Manori Ravindran / Variety:
Vice takes full control of UK production company Pulse Films, and co-founders Thomas Benski and Marisa Clifford have left the company — Vice Media Group has taken full control of “Gangs of London” producer Pulse Films. — Pulse co-founders Thomas Benski and Marisa Clifford …
Pjotr Sauer / The Guardian:
Food blogger Veronika Belotserkovskaya, who lives in France, is one of the first three Russians charged under the country's fake news law for anti-war posts — Socialite and food blogger Veronika Belotserkovskaya says she is both amused and shocked to be charged
Discussion:
The Racket News, @brianstelter, @andreasharsono, @pjotrsauer, @pjotrsauer, NPR, Daily Mail, The Week and New York Times
Janko Roettgers / Protocol:
Startups like Wurl, Amagi, and Frequency, which enable distribution and ads for free ad-supported streaming channels, say their business is booming — Cord cutting isn't just changing the way we watch TV; it's also fundamentally transforming how television networks are operating.
Discussion:
@karynelevy and @jank0
Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter:
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel received a pay package in 2021 that topped $308M, mostly from a one-time stock grant worth $293.7M as the company went through an IPO — With most of that compensation tied up in stock that may or may not vest, the company says his realized pay was closer to $67 million.
Discussion:
@alexweprin, @kimmasters, Deadline, The Wrap and Variety
Drew Harwell / Washington Post:
Western media including the BBC, Deutsche Welle, NYT, and WaPo are using Tor, Telegram, and shortwave radio as they try to pierce Russia's propaganda bubble — An international resistance of computer programmers and volunteer “information warriors” is racing to pierce Kremlin propaganda …
Discussion:
@drewharwell, @rferlpress, @geoffreyfowler, @washingtonpost, @mpolymer, @w7voa and Raw Story
Jim Waterson / Guardian:
Ofcom revokes RT's broadcast license in the UK, citing new Russian laws that criminalized journalistic output, and says it conducted 29 investigations into RT — British media regulator says it does not consider RT ‘to be fit and proper to hold a UK licence’
Discussion:
CNN, Reuters, Variety, @brian_whit, @jimwaterson, @jimwaterson, Al Jazeera, TheJournal.ie, Broadband TV News, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter and Politico
Andrew Kersley / Press Gazette:
The Times says it crossed 400K digital subs earlier this year after gaining 60K in 2021, and added an average of 1,000/day during Ukraine war's first two weeks — The Times gained an average of 1,000 new digital subscribers a day during the first two weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, one of its highest ever growth rates.
Discussion:
@pressgazette and @benwhitelaw
Jonathan Stempel / Reuters:
Fox News appeals a ruling letting Smartmatic sue for defamation, questions Smartmatic's $2.7B claim in damages, and seeks relief under New York's anti-SLAPP law — Fox News on Thursday appealed a judge's decision to let voting systems company Smartmatic pursue a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit alleging …