Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
OpenAI will fund the expansion of Axios to Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Boulder, and Huntsville, as part of a broader content-sharing and technology deal — - Google struck a deal with McClatchy to fund the creation of three digital-only local newsrooms in 2019.
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Fox Sports plans to stream its February 9 telecast of the Super Bowl on Tubi, its ad-supported streaming hub, for free — Fox is taking the Super Bowl to a new frontier — or, at least to one that is new for Fox. — Fox Sports will stream its February 9 telecast of Super Bowl LIX …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Awful Announcing, The Desk, Sports Media Watch, The Verge, CNET, The Hollywood Reporter and Rolling Stone
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik:
[Thread] 400+ WaPo journalists, including some star reporters, call on Jeff Bezos to intervene, saying they are “deeply alarmed by recent leadership decisions” — NEWS: More than 400 Washington Post journalists - including some of its most distinguished reporters & editors - have sent plea to owner Jeff Bezos to intervene at the paper. While not citing CEO Will Lewis by name, it casts a harsh light on his leadership./more
Discussion:
Business Insider, Fox News, New York Post, @benmullin, CNN, The Wrap, @jlbarrow@threads.net, @cnn@threads.net, New Republic, The Independent, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @jason0x21.bsky.social, @edmundlee, @scarylawyerguy, @dcg1114, @hoosier114, @sidhubaba, @tonymoonbeam, @natzbandwagon, @tom_watson, @jofchalcedon, @sunnyright, @henryporters, @mediaevan, @yeathatterrence, @curtishouck, @adelbrown, @adudeandhisart, @dilanesper, @johnbiggs, @notalwayswrite, @kimleannelliot, @danmitchell.bsky.social, @maxasteele, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social and Eschaton
Geoff Weiss / Business Insider:
TechCrunch says it has cut staff amid “evolving needs” and fewer than 10 employees were impacted; no other Yahoo properties were impacted — - TechCrunch has cut staff amid “evolving needs,” the company told Business Insider. — The Washington Post, HuffPost, and Vox Media have all conducted layoffs in 2025.
Discussion:
@johnbiggs, @mediaevan.bsky.social, @mattrosoff and MediaPost
The Information:
Sources: TikTok plans to switch off its app in the US on January 19 unless SCOTUS blocks the ban; the law only requires app stores to stop TikTok app downloads — TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, the day a federal law will ban the app, unless the Supreme Court intervenes …
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, Reuters, Rolling Stone, Crikey, CNET, FOX 7 Austin, Social Media Today, Passionfruit, Gizmodo, New York Times, Consequence, USA Today, New York Post, CBS News, Sylvia Varnham O'Regan on LinkedIn, Digital Trends, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Music Ally, @milkkarten, @kyurieff, Dexerto, @michaelsobolik, @stx12_, @awwstn, WPXI-TV, @kenvogel.bsky.social, The Verge, CNN, Deadline, Business Insider, Raw Story, The Desk, New York Daily News, Metro.co.uk, FTVLive and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »
Joe Coscarelli / New York Times:
Drake sues UMG for defamation and harassment, calling its release and promotion of “Not Like Us” an example of valuing “corporate greed” over artists' safety — In a federal lawsuit on Wednesday, Drake accused Universal Music Group of putting his life and reputation …
RELATED:
Steven J. Horowitz / Variety:
Drake pulls his petition accusing UMG and Spotify of inflating Kendrick Lamar's “Not Like Us” with bots and payola; the diss track accuses Drake of pedophilia
Discussion:
Reuters, RADAR, Los Angeles Times, Billboard, Bossip, Music Business Worldwide, Associated Press, New York Post, Page Six, Bloomberg, The Mirror, Digital Music News, Forbes, Rolling Stone, Vibe, The Verge, Consequence, UPROXX, Cele|bitchy, TheGrio, Music Ally, Above the Law, Just Jared, Rolling Stone and The Sun, more at Techmeme »
George Winslow / TV Tech:
Survey from US TV trade group TVB: over half of Netflix, Disney+, and Max subscribers are on ad-free tiers, local TV news is the most trusted news source, more — New TVB study highlights the importance of broadcast TV for brands … In more specifically highlighting the enduring importance …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, TVB and Radio & Television …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
NBCUniversal's head of content distribution, Matt Bond, is stepping down after 20+ years at NBCU and Comcast, as NBCU prepares to spin off some cable networks — Exec will serve in an advisory role to NBCU for ‘the next few years’ … “In the spirit of leaving on a high note …
Discussion:
Deadline, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter and Media Play News
New York Times:
Two Iranian officials say Elon Musk helped secure the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala after she was jailed in Iran; Italy's PM had credited diplomacy — The Italian journalist was released soon after Elon Musk met with an Iranian ambassador, officials in Iran said.
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The Independent promotes its deputy editor Chloe Hubbard to UK editor, reporting to Geordie Greig as the brand's global EIC — The Independent has promoted its deputy editor Chloe Hubbard to UK editor. — Hubbard, who first joined The Independent as assistant editor in 2017 …
The Verge:
Court docs: internal chats suggest Meta used data from piracy site LibGen to train its Llama AI models and worked to conceal it, as Meta raced to beat rivals — A major copyright lawsuit against Meta has revealed a trove of internal communications about the company's plans to develop …
Discussion:
Publishers Weekly, @richvn.bsky.social, MEDIANAMA and Rolling Stone, more at Techmeme »
Jaffer Zaidi / The Keyword:
Google says it has partnered with the AP to deliver a feed of real-time information to enhance the usefulness of results displayed in the Gemini app — The AP will now deliver a feed of real-time information to help enhance the usefulness of results displayed in the Gemini app.
Ed Nawotka / Publishers Weekly:
Created by Humans, a startup cofounded by Trip Adler that helps writers license books to AI companies, launches for authors and announces it raised a $5M seed — Created by Humans has officially launched its promised AI rights licensing platform for authors.
Discussion:
PRWeb and Publishing Perspectives
Editor & Linguist, QC — 
Europe Real Estate Reporter, London — 
Georgia Sports Reporter, GA — 
Editorial Writer, TX — 
Newsletter Editor, CO — 
Multimedia Reporter/Producer, NE — 
Audience Editor, MN — 
Part-Time Homepage Editor, CA — 
Climate Reporter, NY — 
US Editor, DC — 
Food Reporter, CT — 
Autos Reporter, MI — 
Features Director, NY — 
SEO Editor (Contract), FL — 
Staff Writer, NC — 
Features Writer, TX — 
Class Politics Reporter, Remote — 
AM Editor - Weekends, DC — 
Copy Editor, OR — 
Washington Reporter, DC — 
Politics Editor, CA — 
Content Director/Chief Editor, GA — 
Senior Editor, NY — 
Senior Managing Editor, CA — 
News Reporter, TX — 
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 — 
