Top News:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
TikTok denies a report that China is looking at potentially facilitating a sale of the app to Elon Musk, calling it “pure fiction” — TikTok denied a report that China is looking at potentially facilitating a sale of the app to tech billionaire Elon Musk to keep TikTok operational …
Discussion:
Deadline, TVNewsCheck, Reuters, The Wrap, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, @carnage4life.bsky.social, Fox Business, Dexerto, RedState, @mediaevan and Daring Fireball, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Bloomberg:
Sources: Chinese officials are evaluating an option involving Elon Musk acquiring TikTok US; X would take control of TikTok US and run the businesses together — - ByteDance's preferred strategy is to fight ban, sources say — Trump has said he would like to delay ban to seek resolution
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, TechCrunch, Reuters, Türkiye Today, BGR, HuffPost, Benzinga, Washington Examiner, The Information, Forbes, CNBC, @filipecampante.bsky.social, @loudmouthjulia, @steinekin.bsky.social, @benmullin, @darrigomelanie.bsky.social, @ashtonpittman.bsky.social, @marygillis.bsky.social, @maxwelltani, @evacide@hachyderm.io, @interfluidity.com, @mattyglesias, @nathangrayson.bsky.social, @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social, 9meters, Consequence, @newley, @rincewind.run, @caseynewton.bsky.social, @kurtwagner.bsky.social, @peark.es, @kevinroose.com, The Post Millennial, @alexheath.bsky.social, @mshannahmurphy.bsky.social, @loudmouthjulia, @newley, @schooley.bsky.social, spiked, Raw Story, @davidnemer.com, @matthewstoller, The Gateway Pundit, @karissabe.bsky.social, @juddlegum.bsky.social, Fast Company and The Independent, more at Techmeme »
Erik Hayden / The Hollywood Reporter:
WBD commits $15M to LA fire relief efforts while Amazon, Comcast, and Netflix donate $10M each, and Sony $5M; SAG-AFTRA pledges $1M for impacted workers — Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery commit $15 million while Amazon, Netflix and Comcast add $10 million, Sony chips in $5 million and Paramount contributes $1 million.
Discussion:
Jamie Lee Curtis on Instagram, Deadline, BeyGOOD on Instagram, About Amazon, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety, Deadline, Billboard, TVNewsCheck, Los Angeles Times, Billboard, Comcast, Fox News, The Wrap, Latest from Tv Technology, The Wrap, Forbes, Media Play News, TVNewsCheck, CNBC and Media Play News
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Opinion columnist Jennifer Rubin leaves WaPo to launch The Contrarian on Substack, to combat the “authoritarian threat” with the tagline “Not owned by anybody” — New York CNN — — Veteran opinion columnist Jennifer Rubin is becoming the latest in a long list …
Discussion:
The Contrarian, The Hill, The Moderate Voice, The American Spectator, Townhall, @jeffjarvis, New York Post, Newsbusters, @odoketa.bsky.social, @benmullin, Instapundit, freebeacon.com, @brianstelter, The Mahablog, Newser, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @fiona-webster22.bsky.social, @benmullin, RedState, @brianstelter, TVNewsCheck, @benmullin, @bluthrunthru.bsky.social, acecomments.mu.nu, CNBC, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, @robertpjones.bsky.social, @milesklee.bsky.social, Breitbart, Deseret News, Twitchy, Raw Story, @brianstelter.bsky.social, The Daily Caller, @marisakabas.bsky.social, The Post Millennial, @gtconway.bsky.social, @tribelaw.bsky.social, @glegum.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @jik@federate.social, @ianbassin.bsky.social, @dcboy.bsky.social, @passantino.bsky.social, @leahmcelrath.bsky.social, Fox News and Diane Ravitch's blog
Dominic Preston / The Verge:
Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko plans to transfer Mastodon's ownership to a new non-profit, saying it “should not be owned or controlled by a single individual” — Mastodon says the decentralized network ‘should not be owned or controlled by a single individual.’
Discussion:
Mastodon Blog, @zeldman@threads.net, @jeffgreco.com, Ars Technica, @m474.bsky.social, Magdalena Hai on LinkedIn, Esra'a Al Shafei on LinkedIn, Anil Dash on LinkedIn, Hannah Aubry on LinkedIn, @icesheetmike.bsky.social, @aardrian.bsky.social, @kissane@mas.to, @thegibson@hackers.town, @Johannab@wandering.shop, @Ascendor@social.tchncs.de, @nevillehobson.xyz, @digiphile@mastodon.social, Daring Fireball, @GuyNamedBrian@mastodon.social, @mhoye@mastodon.social, @john@vyrse.social, @webology@mastodon.social, @faraiwe@beige.party, @JMarkOckerbloom …, @Mastodon@mastodon.social, @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social, @matt@oslo.town, @mszll@datasci.social, @tilvids@mstdn.social, @cliffwade@infosec.exchange, @Edent@mastodon.social, BetaNews and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Max Tani / Semafor:
Sources: Chuck Todd has told top editors and leaders from other media organizations that he plans to leave NBC when his contract is up this year — Chuck Todd has quietly been meeting with Washington media organizations about his post NBC-future. The former host of Meet The Press …
Max Tani / Semafor:
Sources: This American Life has discussed staff cuts; last year, the podcast quietly changed its “about” page, revising its listenership from 4M per week to 3M — The venerable podcast This American Life is poised to reduce staff for one of the few times since its founding in 1995, Semafor has learned.
Discussion:
@matthewkeys.net, @dannygroner.bsky.social, @mjosephlc.bsky.social and @romanmars.bsky.social
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Rachel Maddow, who scaled back anchoring duties to Mondays in 2022, will return to five nights a week as part of MSNBC's plans for Trump's first 100 days — Maddow, who scaled back anchoring duties after the spring of 2022, holding forth only on Mondays, will return to five nights a week …
Discussion:
New York Times, Deadline, USA Today, Forbes, HotAir, The Post Millennial, @brianstelter, MSNBC Press Releases, @barbarasobel.bsky.social, One America News Network, Daily Caller News Foundation, @tabithaspeaks.bsky.social, acecomments.mu.nu, @marmel.bsky.social, Twitchy, @garymlevin, RedState, Associated Press, CNN, TV Insider, Raw Story, TVLine, The Wrap, The Hill, Los Angeles Times, Mediaite, @micheil.bsky.social, Adweek and Barrett Media
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Memo: Susan Zirinsky, CBS News president from 2019 to 2021, will return as interim “executive editor” to oversee the unit's editorial standards — The veteran producer, who served as the unit's president from early 2019 to the end of 2021, has been asked to return to CBS News as an interim …
Discussion:
The Wrap, @dylanbyers, @alexsteigrad, Deadline and @bristei.bsky.social
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
Ampere: the cost to subscribe to eight services for the 15 most popular football tournaments rose 57% to £140.21/mo. between the 2019-2020 and 2024-2025 seasons — Analysis shows rise from £89.23 a month to £140.21 between 2019-2020 and 2024-2025 seasons
Discussion:
@jackgen0vese, @millar_colin, Danni Moore on LinkedIn and @colinmillar.bsky.social
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
NBCUniversal plans to shut down Universal Kids on March 6, 2025, as NBCU prepares to spin off most of its cable networks into a new, publicly traded company — NBCUniversal, which has already been evaluating its stake in the declining pay-TV business, plans to shut down cable network Universal Kids.
Ben Smith / Semafor:
Facing a Trump lawsuit, The Pulitzer Board based its decision to stand by Russiagate coverage awards on a confidential review by ex-Reuters EIC Stephen Adler — The View From The First Amendment Bar — THE SCOOP — The Pulitzer Board, facing a lawsuit from Donald Trump over its Pulitzer Prize …
Discussion:
Media Nation and @semaforben
India Reporter, New Delhi — 
China Energy Correspondent, Beijing — 
Stocks Reporter, Tokyo — 
Senior News Editor - World, NY — 
Editor & Linguist, QC — 
Editorial Writer, TX — 
Newsletter Editor, CO — 
Audience Editor, MN — 
Part-Time Homepage Editor, CA — 
Climate Reporter, NY — 
US Editor, DC — 
Food Reporter, CT — 
Autos Reporter, MI — 
Features Director, NY — 
Technology/Innovation Reporter, AL — 
Trade & Climate Correspondent, DC — 
Class Politics Reporter, Remote — 
Reporter, WI — 
Copy Editor, OR — 
Washington Reporter, DC — 
Politics Editor, CA — 
Content Director/Chief Editor, GA — 
City Reporter, WA — 
Editor & Digital Media Exec., NV — 
Correspondent, OR — 
International Trade Reporter, VA — 
Metro Reporter, WA — 
Scientific Editor, TX — 
Politics Reporter, DC — 
Experienced Copy Editor, NV — 
(Interim) Managing Editor, GA — 
