Mediagazer: Nielsen: Bluey was 2024's most-streamed program with 55.62B viewing minutes on Disney+; Prime Video's Fallout was the most-streamed new original drama series (Ethan Shanfeld/Variety)

2:20 PM ET, January 27, 2025

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Jem Aswad / Variety:
Sources: the new Spotify-UMG deal reduces, but does not fully ameliorate, the payment cuts from Spotify music-audiobooks bundling deal from last year

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Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:

MLS plans to produce its studio shows for Season Pass on Apple TV+ from the WWE headquarters in Connecticut as part of an expanded production deal with IMG — MLS will produce its studio shows for Season Pass on Apple TV+ from the TKO-owned facility in Connecticut.

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The Associated Press:

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Ethan Shanfeld / Variety:

Nielsen: Bluey was 2024's most-streamed program with 55.62B viewing minutes on Disney+; Prime Video's Fallout was the most-streamed new original drama series — “Bluey” and “Grey's Anatomy” were the most-streamed programs of 2024, according to a year-end Nielsen report.

Discussion: TVLine, Forbes, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline

Kif Leswing / CNBC:

Apple releases iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS 15.3, disabling AI summaries for news apps after complaints from news outlets that they were inaccurate — Apple on Monday released a software update for iPhones, iPads and Macs that turns Apple Intelligence on by default for users with supported devices.

Discussion: The Verge, Engadget, @daniloc.xyz, 9to5Mac and BGR, more at Techmeme »

Max Tani / Semafor:

Source: LAT's Patrick Soon-Shiong enlisted Eric Beach, a Republican who ran a pro-Trump PAC, to recruit members for the editorial board and a new opinion forum — THE SCOOP — The owner of the Los Angeles Times has been leaning on a veteran Republican who ran a pro-Trump PAC to shape …

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Reuters:

Donald Trump denies talking to Oracle about a TikTok deal, saying he has spoken to “many people” and that he expects to decide “probably over the next 30 days” — ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Jan 25 (Reuters) - (This Jan. 25 story has been refiled to add the missing words ‘some of’ in paragraph 9)

Charles Pulliam-Moore / The Verge:

PBS and Amazon say 150+ local PBS stations and the PBS KIDS Channel will stream ad free on Prime Video, available to all users regardless of Prime subscription — Even if you aren't subscribed to Prime Video, you will be able to access live affiliate streams in the “Watch for Free” …

Discussion: The Desk, PBS, @failnaut.bsky.social, @willmckinley.bsky.social, @willmckinley.bsky.social, @jcpxdesigns.bsky.social and @cinquinho.bsky.social

Max Tani / Semafor:

The Guardian says fundraising last week rose 250% YoY to $4M; Substack says the week of Jan. 13 was its biggest ever for new paid subs and app DAUs are spiking — In today's edition: The future of the LA Times.

Wall Street Journal:

Despite assurances, advertisers worry Meta's tools may not prevent ads from appearing near offensive content as the new content moderation approach takes effect — Social-media giant's loosening of speech restrictions is unsettling advertisers, who say a decade of efforts to protect their reputations is at risk

Discussion: @jason_kint, TVNewsCheck, @jason_kint, The Verge, Todd Irwin on LinkedIn, @kevinbriody.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @dannygroner.bsky.social, @annmlipton@esq.social and Hindustan Times

Patrick Kingsley / New York Times:

NYT says IDF assaulted reporter Aaron Boxerman, who was conducting interviews, and pointed a rifle at another, during a raid on the home of a freed Hamas member — Soldiers disrupted a Jerusalem gathering to mark the early release of an imprisoned Palestinian, arresting his brother and roughing up his father.

Discussion: Mediaite, @dicktofel.bsky.social, @farnazfassihi, @farnazfassihi, @dropsitenews and @diplomatofnight.com

Tim Adams / The Guardian:

A profile of and an interview with Christiane Amanpour on Donald Trump's second term, Mark Zuckerberg removing fact-checking, threats to women, and more — Christiane Amanpour has spent four decades as a celebrated journalist and war reporter. With disinformation rampaging through the media …

Discussion: @rationaldoge@hachyderm.io, @chrishendel.bsky.social, @cnnipr and Raw Story

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