Top News:
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Paramount has held talks with Comcast about Paramount+ and Peacock joining forces through a partnership or a joint venture — The two companies have recently discussed a streaming partnership or joint-venture for Paramount+ and Peacock — Paramount has held recent talks with Comcast …
Discussion:
Variety, Reuters, The Wrap, The Streamable, Quartz, TechHive, @stuffsomerssays, @danackerman, @richlightshed, UPROXX, The Verge, Media Play News, @ernie@writing.exchange, 9to5Google and @great_katzby
David Pierce / The Verge:
A look at robots.txt, a goodwill-based social contract that has governed the behavior of web crawlers, as more publishers block AI crawlers from their sites — For decades, robots.txt governed the behavior of web crawlers. But as unscrupulous AI companies seek out more and more data …
Emily Glover / Forbes:
Survey of 2K US streaming users: 33% created their own accounts due to password crackdowns, 45% canceled services due to cost, 49% subscribe to three services — In an age where the digital world is our primary source of entertainment, the streaming service market is more competitive and complex than ever.
Discussion:
The Streamable and Media Play News
Alex Hern / The Guardian:
Google stopped notifying publishers of “right to be forgotten” removals, after a Swedish court ruled that informing webmasters is a breach of privacy — Move comes after Swedish court rules that informing webmasters about delisted content is breach of privacy
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Private equity firm RedBird IMI finalizes a £1.15B deal to acquire UK TV and film producer All3Media from Warner Bros. Discovery and Liberty Media — The production powerhouse, led by CEO Jane Turton, is behind the likes of ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ and owns more than 50 banners, including ‘The Tinder Swindler’ maker Raw.
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Wrap, Axios, Bloomberg, Variety, Financial Times, Deadline, Advanced Television and WORLD SCREEN
The Wrap:
Nexstar is developing a weekly political talk show in collaboration between the CW and The Hill; it will air on Sundays on local CW stations — The series would be similar in concept to “Face the Nation,” CW president of entertainment Brad Schwartz tells TheWrap
Discussion:
Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
Nicola Agius / Search Engine Land:
Google says IAB Tech Lab's report claiming Privacy Sandbox could disadvantage smaller brands and media companies contains “misunderstandings and inaccuracies” — The IAB Tech Lab report claims that Privacy Sandbox could make it harder for brands to serve effective ads - particularly smaller businesses.
Amy Hawkins / The Guardian:
Leaked emails appear to confirm that some authors were excluded from the 2023 Hugo Awards over fear their work would offend China, host of the awards convention — Leaked emails reveal organisers of leading science fiction and fantasy awards flagged works of a ‘sensitive political nature’
Discussion:
Publishers Weekly, File 770, 404 Media, Boing Boing, Whatever, @jasonkoebler@mastodon.social and @tess@mastodon.social
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Sources: Paramount is winding down Noggin, its streaming service for 2- to 7-year-olds that was launched in 2015, and has laid off its entire team — Noggin, Nickelodeon's interactive learning platform for preschool-age kids, is shutting down after almost 10 years, Variety has confirmed.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, The Desk, Media Play News, The Wrap, Deadline, Advanced Television, The Streamable and Cord Cutters News
Matthew Keys / The Desk:
TVNewsCheck Editor Michael Depp says the outlet needs 1,500 subscribers at $199/year to restart its news operations, which were suspended on February 12 — The lead content editor of the popular broadcast publication TV NewsCheck says the company needs to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars …
Discussion:
Michael Depp on LinkedIn and NewsLab
Tyler Falk / Current:
Q&A with NPR Podcasting Strategy SVP Collin Campbell on the differences between broadcast and podcast audiences, the continuing need for donations, and more — Collin Campbell is the self-proclaimed optimistic new guy at NPR. — “Everywhere I look, I see opportunity,” …
Discussion:
Isabel Lara on LinkedIn
Committee to Protect Journalists:
A Turkish court finds three journalists guilty of assisting a terrorist organization; the three have faced multiple trials since their initial arrests in 2016 — The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Turkish authorities not to fight the appeals of journalists Ahmet Altan, Nazlı …
Discussion:
Voice of America and Committee to Protect …