Top News:
Charlotte Klein / Vanity Fair:
Some US journalists question whether showing more graphic footage would force the public and political leaders to fully confront America's gun violence epidemic — As journalists descend on Uvalde—as they did on Columbine, Newtown, and Parkland—some are questioning whether a more graphic approach …
Discussion:
Breaking the News, Columbia Journalism Review, Washington Post, @brianstelter, Philadelphia Magazine, Slate, Associated Press, @arreglalo, @metaquest, @jlbarrow, Poynter, @nickpwing, @revkin, @jamesfallows, CNN, @filmfatale_nyc, @geoffpilkington, @mlcalderone, @karavoght, @dangillmor, @yoda, @bgrueskin, @scottnover, @aftie_j, @clairehoworth, @mlcalderone, @mlcalderone, @mlcalderone, @filmfatale_nyc, @mlcalderone, CBS News and @charlottetklein
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Sources: Substack dropped efforts to raise money, after talks to raise $75M-$100M at a $750M-$1B valuation, during which the company said 2021 revenue was ~$9M — Amid an industrywide downturn, venture investors are preaching austerity and halting new deals, particularly for companies that have spent aggressively on growth.
Discussion:
Creator Economy Tips, Angeline's Thoughts, @adamlashinsky, @tanayj, @pt, @longshorttrader, TechCrunch, @benedictevans, @caseynewton, @fmanjoo, @carnage4life, @barbariancap, @alexdecampi, @jackmarshall, @riddle245, @film_girl, @ungarino, @mattzeitlin, @mattzeitlin, @joy, @gaberivera, @tysonbrody, @chaykak, @kateclarktweets, @caleweissman, @pkafka, Axios and Platformer
Sara Guaglione / Digiday:
Bloomberg and iHeartMedia will release five podcasts this year as part of a three-year co-production and distribution deal first announced in May 2021 — Bloomberg Media and iHeartMedia are releasing five podcast shows this year, part of a co-production and distribution podcast deal between …
Discussion:
Inside Radio and @bbgmedia
Erich Schwartzel / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Tencent backed out of financing Top Gun, concerned about CCP's response to its pro-US messaging; Chinese investors are steering clear of US productions — Tencent Holdings pulled out of financing the film over concerns about Chinese officials' reaction
BBC Media Centre:
The BBC details its budget cuts: laying off up to 1,000 people over the next few years, merging World into News, making CBBC and BBC 4 online-only, and more — The plan focuses on creating a modern, digital-led and streamlined organisation that drives the most value from the licence fee and delivers more for audiences
Discussion:
Press Gazette, @scottygb, The i Paper, @jimwaterson, @helenkennedy, @icklenellierose, @caffeinatedeyes, Digital TV Europe, @willblackwriter, @janequaife, @robinwigg, @jeffjarvis, @totpfacts, @rasmus_kleis, BBC, @sarahscire, @ashkan, @cbbc, @sewell7, @lucympowell, @lucympowell, @peterrneumann, @lucympowell, @krishgm, @psythor, @thewritersguild, @rickyboleto, @tldrnewsuk, @wbuxtonofficial, @emmakennedy, @robburl, @bbcpress, The Guardian, Variety, Advanced Television, HoldtheFrontPage and Deadline
Alex Shephard / New Republic:
MSNBC's hiring of Jen Psaki isn't much better than CBS hiring Trump's former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, especially as networks claim to be bulwarks of truth — When CBS co-president Neeraj Khemlani defended the network's decision to hire former Trump administration official Mick Mulvaney earlier …
Discussion:
@yeselson, @elainejgodfrey, @newrepublic, @patcaldwell, @newrepublic and @benspielberg
Karen Hao / Wall Street Journal:
Report: China's state media regularly appears in US top results on Google, Bing, and YouTube about the country's human-rights record and the origins of COVID-19 — On issues important to Beijing, official Chinese sources also enjoy strong placement on YouTube and other widely used U.S. services, a new report finds
Discussion:
@joshchin, @jchengwsj, @jojjeols, @securedemocracy, @tom_fowdy, @bostonjoan, @niubi, @securedemocracy, @paulmozur, New York Post, Associated Press and ICIJ
Angela Fu / Poynter:
Outside Inc., publisher of Outside and 20+ other magazines about the outdoors, lays off 66 of about 580 full-time staff as it shuts down three publications — The news comes just months after Outside magazine editorial staff decided to pause their union drive.
Discussion:
Inside the News in Colorado and @poynter
Isobel Koshiw / The Guardian:
A look at Ukraine's wartime United News, in which the country's main TV channels broadcast the same content; some call the unified news coverage propagandistic — State-backed broadcast has strategic and practical justifications but some see it as dangerous monopoly
Tim Baysinger / Axios:
Omedia: the global box office is projected to reach $36B in 2022, up 73% YoY, and to hit $44B in 2023, surpassing the $41.7B made before the pandemic in 2019 — Exit Content Preview — The theatrical box office will continue its rebound out of the pandemic in 2022 and is expected to surpass …
Discussion:
@kerrymflynn
Daniel Keane / London Evening Standard:
The UK launches a review of the BBC's impartiality and effort to build a diverse workforce, adding a goal of 25% staff to be from low socioeconomic backgrounds — C — ulture Secretary Nadine Dorries has launched a mid-term charter review of the BBC which will “consider if reforms …
Discussion:
Reuters
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Lionsgate reports Q4 revenue up 6% YoY to $929.9M, vs. $961M est., a net loss up 177% YoY to $104.6M, and Starz global streaming subscribers up 47% YoY to 24.5M — Lionsgate came in below Wall Street expectations for the first three months of the year, but its TV production division again …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, The Streamable, MediaPost, @kellygilblom, The Wrap and Investors