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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’
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 …
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MediaPost, @ryangrim, @business, @parismarx, @eriqgardner, Bloomberg, The Information, NPR, Input and Variety, more at Techmeme »
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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 …
Discussion:
About Amazon, Newslit Daily, Deadline, @variety, Wired, Adweek, Broadband TV News, Transistori, @jeremylittau, @truefactsstated, Wall Street Journal, @dsnynewscast, @jacobqknight, @leojtravis10, @willmckinley, Deadline, @barbaracrampton, @henereyg, @richlightshed, @colinhantsco, Gizmodo, globalnews.ca, Financial Times, The Verge, Next TV, Nerdist, The A.V. Club, New York Post, CNET, WHDH-TV, Vanity Fair, SlashFilm, The Streamable, Media Play News, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, The Hollywood Reporter, WORLD SCREEN, IndieWire, Consequence and Cord Cutters News, more at Techmeme »
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
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:
Boston Business Journal, @karynregal, @karynregal, @karynregal, @downballotfocus, @downballotfocus, @johnguilfoil and The Rural Blog
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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:
@kimmasters, @alexweprin, Deadline, The Wrap and Variety
Sara Guaglione / Digiday:
Dow Jones, FT, The Economist, and WaPo have lifted their paywalls in Russia and Ukraine, where readership, albeit small, has grown significantly — Some news organizations are lifting their paywalls and creating new channels to make information on the war in Ukraine freely available to readers there and in Russia.
Aisha Majid / Press Gazette:
Analysis: the number of advertised journalism jobs in the UK rose 79% from February 2019 to February 2022; the average salary in February 2022 was £35,244 — New Press Gazette analysis suggests of UK journalism jobs data finds the number of vacancies and size of salaries paid are increasing.
Wall Street Journal:
Gambling regulators in Nevada and Indiana are investigating Barstool Sports and Penn National in the wake of sexual misconduct accusations against Dave Portnoy — Gambling regulators in two states are looking into both companies amid sexual-misconduct allegations against Barstool's founder
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, Daily Mail, @katherinesayre and insideradio.com
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 …
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:
@rferlpress, @drewharwell, @geoffreyfowler, @washingtonpost, @mpolymer, @w7voa and Raw Story
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, @andreasharsono, @brianstelter, @pjotrsauer, @pjotrsauer, NPR, Daily Mail and The Week
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