Top News:
Costas Pitas / Reuters:
Donald Trump picks former news anchor and hardline Republican Kari Lake to be the director of US government-funded media outlet Voice of America — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was picking Kari Lake, a former news anchor and a hardline Republican who failed to win …
Discussion:
CNN, New York Times, Adweek, Mediaite, USA Today, NPR, Forbes, Raw Story, The Independent, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, RedState, The American Spectator, Townhall, @aidnmclaughlin, @yashar, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @nicksortor, @usa_polling, @damintoell, @brianstelter, @andrewfeinberg, @libbeydean_, Washington Post, @admcrlsn, The Hill, @farhip, @samstein, @brianstelter, Breitbart, Twitchy, Roll Call, Associated Press, Politico, Al Jazeera, UPI, Arizona Mirror, Alternet.org, Fox News, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @dangillmor.mastodon …, New York Post, NBC News, The Desk, @matthewkeys.net, Daily Mail, The Gateway Pundit, CBS News, @bubbaprog.lol, @davidakaye.bsky.social, @helenkennedy.bsky.social, @olgalautman.bsky.social, @samlitzinger.bsky.social, @dandrezner.bsky.social, @kerravon.bsky.social, @joshtpm.bsky.social, Axios, Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, Crooks and Liars, Deadline, WTTG-TV, HuffPost, Washington Times, Daily Kos and ABC News
RELATED:
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
BuzzFeed reaches a deal to sell Hot Ones owner First We Feast for $82.5M in cash to a consortium of investors led by an affiliate of Soros Fund Management — The sale, to a group that includes the show's host, Sean Evans, and Soros Fund Management, will allow BuzzFeed to pay down tens of millions of dollars in debt.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @derekberes.bsky.social, Business Insider, Forbes, Deadline, The Information, The Hollywood Reporter, @benmullin, @jusaire, @pkafka, @ernie.tedium.co, @katienotopoulos.bsky.social, @pkafka, @maxwelltani, @pkafka@threads.net, Nicholas Schonberger on LinkedIn, @lanceulanoff, @sizpatel and @katienotopoulos.bsky.social
RELATED:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
BuzzFeed says selling First We Feast will cut its outstanding debt by $89M to $30M and let it operate with a cash balance larger than its total outstanding debt — “Hot Ones” is going solo. — BuzzFeed announced a deal to sell First We Feast, the studio behind the popular YouTube chicken …
Discussion:
Reuters, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, BuzzFeed, Inc., Benzinga, Just Jared, Rich Antoniello on LinkedIn and The Verge
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Warner Bros. Discovery announces a restructuring to create two separate units: one for linear TV networks and one for production studios and streaming platforms — The maneuver was unveiled just days after Comcast said it planned to spin off the bulk of its NBCUniversal cable networks …
Discussion:
Warner Bros. Discovery, Business Insider, Business Insider, @willmckinley, @sherman4949, Barrett Media, @pkafka@threads.net, Cord Cutters News, The Wrap, TVNewsCheck, Reuters, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg, The Information, @bristei, @bristei, @mediaevan.bsky.social, @tvgrimreaper, @brianstelter, @asharma, @brianstelter, Broadband TV News, CNBC, The Verge, WORLD SCREEN, Barron's Online and The Hollywood Reporter
RELATED:
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Warner Bros. Discovery's shares jump 13%+ after the company announced a restructuring that is expected to take effect by mid-2025 — Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's corporate parent, announced Thursday, it is establishing a new corporate structure that splits its cable networks off from its growing streaming business.
Discussion:
Adweek, @lucas_shaw and @mediaevan
Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:
Current and former Netflix staff say the company has walked back its parental-leave benefits, after shifting its focus from subscriber growth to profitability — Employees worry the pullback and other new restrictions mean the entertainment giant is losing the identity that fueled its success
The Guardian:
Guardian and Observer journalists hold a second 48-hour strike against The Observer sale to Tortoise Media; the Scott Trust has agreed to the sale in principle — Second two-day action follows news that the deal was agreed in principle last week by the Scott Trust
RELATED:
Nic Fildes / Financial Times:
Australia plans a levy on tech companies like Meta with $250M+ in local revenue to force them to pay publishers for journalism, after Meta quit the prior deal — Move is designed to close loophole after Meta walked away from existing deal to use media content
Discussion:
New York Post, Sydney Morning Herald, Engadget, @jason_kint, B&T, Al Jazeera, Australian Financial Review, Raw Story, TechCrunch, BBC, The Register, Reuters, Business News Australia, 9News, Reuters, Mumbrella, Australian Business Journal, @ketanjoshi.co, @asherwolf.bsky.social, Dave Earley on LinkedIn, Crikey and The Guardian, more at Techmeme »
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
The NYT Tech Guild and its 600+ members reach a tentative deal with management on a contract enhancing job security, setting flexible hybrid schedules, and more — The union, which represents some 600 tech workers at the publication, had been negotiating for a contract for more than two years.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Former NBC News president Noah Oppenheim, Lloyd Braun, and Sarah Bremner launch indie studio Prologue Entertainment, backed by Jeff Zucker and RedBird Capital — A trio of entertainment veterans — Lloyd Braun, Sarah Bremner and Noah Oppenheim — have come together to form independent …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
Daniele Lepido / Bloomberg:
Italian broadcaster MediaForEurope says it is looking to accelerate its plan to build a pan-European free-to-air TV hub after securing a €3.4B credit facility — - Broadcaster adds financial muscle to bankroll future plans — CEO doesn't rule out a bid for rest of Germany's ProSieben
Discussion:
Reuters
Julia Jacobs / New York Times:
The NLRB issues a complaint against Netflix's Love Is Blind and classifies its contestants as employees, a case that could have ripple effects across reality TV — The National Labor Relations Board's case against the Netflix hit could have ripple effects across the reality TV industry.
Nilay Patel / The Verge:
YouTube removed the ability to click video titles in YouTube Player for Publishers; outlets lose ad revenue by using the standard player to link to YouTube — For about a year, I've gotten notes from readers asking why our YouTube embeds are broken in one very specific way …
Discussion:
@ianbetteridge.com and @reckless.bsky.social
Consumer Tech Reporter, CA — 
Associate Editor, Remote US — 
Curation Editor (Contract), NY — 
Business Editor, CA — 
Executive Ed. - Tech & Electronics, AZ — 
Economy & Industry Reporter, TX — 
ESPN FC Associate Editor, CA/CT — 
Political Enterprise Editor, DC — 
Housing & Real Estate Reporter, ME — 
Associate Reporter - Yahoo Finance — 
Senior Editor, Remote — 
News Reporter, MA — 
Freelance Contributor, FL — 
Senior Reporter, CA — 
Managing Editor - State, CT — 
Sr. VP & Chief Content Officer, OR — 
Writer - Streaming (Temporary), GA — 
Data Graphics Reporter, CA — 
Data Reporter, TX — 
Town Reporter, CT — 
Weekend Audience Editor, VA — 
Managing Editor, FL — 
Business Reporter, WA — 
Associate Editor, NY — 
Freelance Reporter, NC — 
Crypto/Markets Reporter - Europe — 
Education & Family Reporter, OR — 
Red Sox Reporter, MA — 
Cockburn Editor, DC — 
Investigative Reporter, NC — 
Writer - Women's Soccer, Remote US — 
Senior IP Correspondent, London — 
Computational Journalist, NY — 
