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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’


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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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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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 »


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


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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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


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.


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.


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


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 …


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


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