Top News:
Justin Kroll / Deadline:
Amazon MGM Studios, Michael G. Wilson, and Barbara Broccoli form a JV to house James Bond IP rights, under which Amazon gains creative control of the franchise — In news that will send shock waves through the industry, longtime James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli …
Discussion:
BBC, @jeffbezos, About Amazon, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, SlashFilm, Mirror, Entertainment Weekly, TheStreet, Vanity Fair, NPR, CBR, Washington Post, Collider, GoldDerby, The Wrap, @joerussotweets, Forbes, Gizmodo, Esquire, Engadget, Comic Book, Rolling Stone, @billhuntbits.bsky.social, @mgsiegler, CBR, @ronmarz.bsky.social, @bennomatic@appdot.net, CNN, @mrfengi.bsky.social, Steve Siskind on LinkedIn, The Information, @moviessilently.bsky.social, GB News, Carlo Bertucci on LinkedIn, @michaelthec@poweredbygay …, @deeketweak, Financial Times, @_patmurray@mastodon.social, Fortune, @gigawattconduit.bsky.social, Screen Rant, @jjdotbiz.bsky.social, @josie.zone, Bloomberg, World of Reel, @illdave.bsky.social, TVNewsCheck, @taraconlan.bsky.social, The Daily Wire, @bunndumm, LADbible, @nedraggett.bsky.social, @autismsupsoc.bsky.social, The Verge, @gigawattconduit.bsky.social, @vinzenzhediger.bsky.social, Geoff Hollingworth on LinkedIn, @benschwartz.bsky.social, Consequence, Rolling Stone UK, Wall Street Journal, Town & Country, @caseym.org, WFAA-TV, @mutarada.bsky.social, Cord Cutters News, @davidjcourt.bsky.social, @jacobkleinman, IndieWire, @benroyturner, Advanced Television, @richlightshed, Los Angeles Times, Syracuse Post-Standard, @sonnybunch, New York Times, Axios, Reuters, Collider, Gizmodo, New Jersey Online, CNBC, @nextbestpicture, GQ, The Playlist, Quartz, WPXI-TV, Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, FemaleFirst, Media Play News, NDTV, Just Jared and Oh No They Didn't!
Lauren Easton / Editor and Publisher:
Memo: AP is launching its Local Investigative Reporting Program, to be led by Ron Nixon, to support US state and local newsrooms in investigative reporting — In a memo to staff Thursday, Executive Editor Julie Pace announced AP will launch a Local Investigative Reporting Program led by Ron Nixon:
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social, @sdkstl.bsky.social and Ron Nixon on LinkedIn
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
YouTube plans to add a “premium lite” tier, a source says for the US, Australia, Germany, and Thailand, offering podcasts without ads and music videos with ads — - The service will continue to put ads in music videos — The tier will launch in areas that include the US, Australia
Discussion:
Adweek, The Desk, The Information, Cord Cutters News, The Verge and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Senator Warren urges the US DOJ to scrutinize Disney's deal to acquire a controlling stake in Fubo and merge it with Hulu + Live TV, citing antitrust concerns — Sen. Elizabeth Warren has urged the Justice Department to carefully scrutinize Disney's deal to acquire a controlling stake in Fubo …
Discussion:
The Desk, Business Insider, Benzinga, Light Reading, Deadline, The Wrap, Media Play News and Yahoo Finance
Oliver Darcy / Status:
40 news organizations signed a letter delivered to the White House this week, asking the White House to lift its AP ban immediately in support of press freedom — News outlets across the political spectrum have united behind the AP, signing a WHCA-backed letter urging the White House …
Discussion:
NPR, Adweek, New York Times, The Hill, Deadline, The Nation, The Reporters Committee …, @bryanranderson.bsky.social, @jeremymbarr, Media Nation, @katie_robertson, Mediaite, @amptsuper.bsky.social, @jeremymbarr, @brianstelter, @jpmarthoz.bsky.social, @mattgoerzen.bsky.social, @charliebeckett.bsky.social, @susangardner.bsky.social, @alansunderland.com, @chathamharrison.bsky.social, @oliverdarcy.bsky.social, @oliverdarcy.bsky.social, The Wrap, @sharonwaxman.bsky.social, The Atlantic, RADIO ONLINE and The Rio Times
Hannah Miller / Bloomberg:
Former Merit TV employees detail struggles at Dr. Phil McGraw's streaming service, including multiple rounds of layoffs, staff discontent, and low ratings — Merit TV has entered a crowded field of news networks. Can it find its audience? — Phil McGraw strolled onstage and waved at the cheering crowd.
Discussion:
The Desk, RADAR and TVNewsCheck
Chris Roush / Talking Biz News:
Bloomberg News promotes Mark Gurman to managing editor for global consumer tech and adds senior editor Dana Wollman and two others to his team — Tom Giles, senior executive editor of global technology coverage at Bloomberg News, sent out the following on Thursday:
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Gallery Media Group says it made $50M in 2024 revenue from its women's media title PureWow and 50+ social-only brands on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts — The chief revenue officer of profitable US publisher Gallery Media Group believes it has found the difference between publishers merely being …
Discussion:
Simon Owens's Media Newsletter
Matthew Keys / The Desk:
National Association of Broadcasters CEO Curtis LeGeyt calls for the FCC to end ownership caps that prevent TV and radio conglomerates from growing larger — The chief executive of the commercial broadcasting industry's largest lobbying group has called on federal regulators to eliminate national …
Discussion:
@kv417.bsky.social, TV Tech, Inside Radio, Barrett Media, RADIO ONLINE and Radio & Television …
Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
A look at London news startups, including Jim Waterson's London Centric, that launched since the Evening Standard's daily print edition closure in summer 2024 — Two upmarket London news start-ups are finding a growing (albeit small so far) market for paid online news about the UK capital.
Discussion:
Alexander Smith on LinkedIn, LinkedIn and @pressgazette
Financial Times:
Mathias Döpfner calls Trump's Politico attacks a “misunderstanding” and says many Europeans had “intentionally misunderstood” JD Vance's speech in Munich — Mathias Döpfner says many Europeans had ‘intentionally misunderstood’ the US vice-president's speech
Matt Novak / Gizmodo:
Elon Musk says he will “fix” Community Notes as they are “increasingly being gamed by governments & legacy media”, after disagreeing with notes about Ukraine — The billionaire has a history of manipulating X to fit his far-right worldview.
Discussion:
The Independent, Engadget, Washington Examiner, @kv417.bsky.social, Mediaite, The Hill, @glynmoody@mastodon.social, @micheil.bsky.social, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, @willoremus.com, @TodayInTwitter@mastodon …, @paleofuture.bsky.social, @olivia10.bsky.social, @jamesrbuk, University of Manchester and Commentary Magazine, more at Techmeme »
Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:
Substack adds the ability to post videos from its app and lets creators monetize videos, and plans to add more video tools like trimming and enhanced analytics — As TikTok's future in the U.S. remains uncertain, Substack tries to lure creators to its platform by doubling down on video.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck and On Substack, more at Techmeme »
CNBC Press Releases:
CNBC International appoints Spriha Srivastava to oversee digital content, starting from May; Srivastava left BI as its executive editor & UK bureau chief — LONDON, February 20, 2025 - CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, today announced the appointment of Spriha Srivastava as Vice President …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News and Spriha Srivastava on LinkedIn
Michel Rose / Reuters:
A French court upholds TV channel C8's shutdown for failures to protect human rights and protect minors, as right-wing politicians claim a free speech violation — France's top administrative court has upheld a decision to shut down popular TV channel C8 for repeated failures to respect human rights …
Discussion:
Luiz Junior on LinkedIn
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