Mediagazer: Former Merit TV employees detail struggles at Dr. Phil McGraw's streaming service, including multiple rounds of layoffs, staff discontent, and low ratings (Hannah Miller/Bloomberg)

7:05 PM ET, February 20, 2025

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Lauren Easton / Editor and Publisher:

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Discussion: @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social, @sdkstl.bsky.social, Ron Nixon on LinkedIn and TVNewsCheck

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, The Wrap, Deadline, Media Play News and Yahoo Finance

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, @thedesk.net, 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:

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 …

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

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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

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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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