Mediagazer: Cineworld announces a restructuring agreement with lenders, reducing its debt by ~$4.53B, and expects to emerge from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in H1 2023 (Georg Szalai/The Hollywood Reporter)

3:40 PM ET, April 3, 2023

Top News:

Twitter removed the verified badge from The New York Times' main account after Elon Musk responded to a meme taunting the outlet's decision not to pay for Blue — The Times and other news organizations say they won't pay for the icon, which is designed to protect against impersonation

Aaron McDade / Yahoo Finance:

In a now-deleted tweet, Elon Musk said Twitter would give verified accounts “a few weeks grace” but take away their checkmarks if “they tell they won't pay now” — - The first day of Twitter's previously announced axing of “legacy” verified checks nearly passed without incident.

Sara Fischer / Axios:
Email: The White House will not pay for Twitter Blue for its staff; the White House and top officials' accounts like POTUS will likely maintain gray checkmarks

Discussion: @kingjames, @nathanchubbard, CNN, @sarafischer, @karaswisher, @om, Variety, Engadget, Fox Business, Reuters, The Wrap, @nathanchubbard, @govmikehuckabee, @kyleynfl, @jemelehill, @bendreyfuss, @jayzawaski, @glen_mcgregor, @mikeisaac, @robl_l, @mollyjongfast, @bmkibler, @toluogunlesi, @elienyc, @itsborys, @derushaj, @niubi, @saskiapopescu, @clarajeffery, @noclador, @keithedwards, @nathanchubbard, @nathanchubbard, @nathanchubbard, @nathanchubbard, @doctoryasmin, @realrclark25, @estellecostanza, @mariedenee, @sahilkapur, @taylorrooks, @digiphile, @dan_bernstein, @lawrencehurley, @keithedwards, @edzitron, @mattdizwhitlock, @bobcesca_go, @ashleygjovik, @wutangkids, @iamsophianelson, @reichlinmelnick, @fordm, @broderick, @evanmcmurry, @danpfeiffer, @pkafka, @delpercios, @rory_johnston and @rob_sheridan, more at Techmeme »

Amy Thomson / Bloomberg:

Endeavor acquires WWE in a deal that values WWE at $9.3B including debt; the combined company, valued at $21B+, will be led by Endeavor CEO Ariel Emanuel — Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. has agreed to buy World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. in a deal that values the company at $9.3 billion including debt.

Discussion: Axios, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Variety, CNBC, New York Times, Observer, Variety, MediaPost, Fox Business, @sarafischer, Bloomberg, Barrett Media, Investis Digital, Endeavor, The Wrap, The A.V. Club, New York Post, Sportico, Fox Business, Financial Times, @jonalba, The Comeback, @sherman4949, Mashable, Awful Announcing, @claytravis, Pro Wrestling Torch, @sherman4949, Reuters, @sherman4949, Reuters, @fightoracle, Fox News, ClutchPoints, @benmullin, Yahoo Finance, @sherman4949, @alexweprin, Front Office Sports, @abrahamjoseph, Forbes, @lucas_shaw, @dennyburkholder, @lanceulanoff, Deadline, @jimpethokoukis, CNBC, Barrett Media, New York Post, @brentsobleski, Front Office Sports, Variety, ClutchPoints, The Wrap, @chrisvannini, Gadgets 360, Wall Street Journal, Popverse Latest, New York Daily News, The FADER and WORLD SCREEN

Sara Fischer / Axios:

An interview with WWE President Nick Khan on WWE and UFC pursuing separate linear TV rights negotiations, continuing WWE's Saudi relationship, and more — WWE and UFC will pursue separate media rights negotiations for linear TV, but there could be an opportunity to pursue a combined streaming deal …

Discussion: The Streamable, Financial Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Pro Wrestling Torch, Los Angeles Times, The Information, Media Play News, Fox Business, @brandonthurston, @sarafischer, @aaronbronsteter, Next TV, @sarafischer, Associated Press, Bloomberg and Sportico

Wall Street Journal:

A profile of Evan Gershkovich, the 31-year-old WSJ reporter detained by Russia whose parents fled the USSR for the US and who later made Moscow his second home — The Wall Street Journal correspondent, whose parents fled the Soviet Union, made Moscow a second home.

Discussion: New York Times, @facethenation, @nickkristof, @wsjpr, The Moscow Times, CBS News, @picardonhealth, @nickkristof, @yarotrof, Al Jazeera, Talking Biz News, New York Post, @chrislhayes, @w7voa, @repmiketurner, Fox News, @nytimes, @dreamgirls, @williamyang120, @tggrove, @katie_robertson, @_karenhao, @benmullin, @vmsalama, The Comeback, @biettetimmons, @maxseddon, @lindsayaellis, CNN, @paulsonne, @isabelcoles, @tggrove, @mjluxmoore, @fatmafaizi, @cliffordlevy, @mjluxmoore, @cgrantwsj, @piperk, @antontroian, @stephenkalin, @emilyzfeng, @mollyjongfast, @jrezaian, The Guardian, @mtthwrose, @jrezaian, @cathyarnst, @rohded, Insider, @biannagolodryga, @peterbakernyt, @nicktimiraos, @alecmacgillis, @mims, @srussolillo, @davidenrich, Reporters Without Borders, @drewhinshaw, @geraldfseib, @reevellp, @jmalsin, @austinramzy, The Guardian, @joewsj, @dinasrinivasan, @mjluxmoore, @georgikantchev, @pjotrsauer, @gtcost, @joshkraushaar, @_silversmith, @wsj, @bychunhan, @alanmillernlp, @mikevorkunov, @elizacollins1, @daiwaka, @aosipovich, @johnwest, @benpershing, @shalini, @nickkristof, @sgurman, New Yorker, @maxseddon, @laobserved, @joelsimonsays and @dabeard

Alyssa Lukpat / Wall Street Journal:
Top editors at 38 outlets globally sign a letter condemning the detention of The Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich and calling for his immediate release

Thomas E. Patterson / Nieman Lab:

A survey of 253 NPR member stations finds that 60% have 10 or fewer news staff and average just over one hour of locally produced news programming per day — “Local public radio has a staffing problem. Stations have considerable potential but aren't yet in a position to make it happen."

Discussion: Journalism.co.uk, @kennedy_school, @dhiott, @stphnfwlr, @johnupton, @stevenwaldman, @anelsona, @jimallthetime, @lauren_bavis, @niemanfdn, @spj_tweets and @stphnfwlr

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

A Meta-commissioned report argues Facebook is not a “must-have” for publishers, saying news links account for less than 3% of posts users see in their feed — News links account for less than 3% of posts people see in their Facebook feeds. — A report commissioned by Meta …

Discussion: Nieman Lab, @jeffjarvis, @dkiesow@social.kiesow.net and @jamesrbuk

Max Tani / Semafor:

A look at fissures within The Guardian over its trans coverage after years of strife, as the anti-trans wing is widely viewed internally as ascendant — The wars at The Guardian reached one of their periodic peaks in September of 2021, when the philosopher Judith Butler said in an interview …

Discussion: @maxwelltani, @jbenton, @paulduanefilm, @transscribe, @brokenbottleboy, @semaforben, @rswirling, @ginarush and @bigmeaninternet

Drew Taylor / The Wrap:

CBS' 60 Minutes faces a backlash for an interview with Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, which aired on Sunday evening — The CBS news magazine profiles the congresswoman who questioned whether 9/11 happened and defended the events of Jan. 6 in an upcoming interview

Discussion: Semafor, CBS News, Fox News, @60minutes, CNN, The Guardian, New York Post, The Daily Beast, @chriscuomo, The Hill, Decider, The Daily Dot, @iampoliticsgirl, Variety, @wcruz73, al.com, @stphnfwlr, @sddphoto, @jeffjarvis, @cornellwbrooks, @bradleywhitford, @jbendery, @zaleskiluke, @briankarem, Jezebel, Poynter, @joeneguse, @mattgertz, @alexandrachalup, @marcoafrieri, @ynb, @stevepasquale, @owillis, @akjakalope, WGN-TV, @adamkinzinger, @mollyjongfast, @fawfulfan, @mtgreenee, @briannawu, @zigmanfreud, Forbes, @andrewkimmel, @marston4ca42, @neontaster, @realdeancain, @katiehill4ca, @lindyli, @7veritas4, @elienyc, @vabvox, @kaivanshroff, @sawyerhackett, @anandwrites, @blackamazon, @petestrzok, @david_hemond, @gloriacampos, @professajay, @sifill_, @repriggleman, @victorshi2020, @markjacob16, @bryanbehar, @jemelehill, @thewrap, @davidcorndc, @mehdirhasan and @meidastouch

Stuart Dredge / Music Ally:

Spotify shuts down its Clubhouse-style audio app Spotify Live, previously called Locker Room, acquired as part of its €57M Betty Labs acquisition in March 2021 — Spotify is shutting down its live-audio app Spotify Live, but says it will continue experimenting with live features in its main service.

Discussion: TechCrunch, 9to5Mac, @andysternberg and @pjbrown_iii, more at Techmeme »

Karl Rasmussen / Sports Illustrated:

Nielsen: the NCAA women's basketball tournament semifinals averaged 4.5M viewers on ESPN's platforms, the highest average on record for the Women's Final Four — The Women's Final Four captivated millions across the country on Friday evening, and the viewership numbers back it up.

Discussion: New York Times, Sports Media Watch, @espnpr, Sports Media Watch, Axios, USA Today, @drlindseydarvin, Front Office Sports, ClutchPoints, Barrett Media, The Ringer, @paulsen_smw, @coachcoriclose, @uvahoopsriffs, @codyworsham, @hassel_chris and Awful Announcing

Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:

Cineworld announces a restructuring agreement with lenders, reducing its debt by ~$4.53B, and expects to emerge from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in H1 2023 — The cinema giant hopes to emerge from Chapter 11 proceeding by mid-year, with CEO Mooky Greidinger calling the agreement with lenders …

Discussion: The Wrap, Media Play News, CNN and Variety

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