Top News:


Financial Times CEO John Ridding plans to step down on July 1 after 19 years, and will take an honorary FT chair title; the FT will now find a replacement — Financial Times CEO John Ridding is stepping down in June after leading the newspaper group for almost 20 years.
Discussion:
Nikkei Asia, Talking Biz News, @ft, @pressgazette, Financial Times and Dominic Ponsford on LinkedIn


Memo: MSNBC hires WABC-TV VP and News Director Scott Matthews to serve as head of newsgathering, and plans to hire 100 journalists as part of its news operation — The network, which recently overhauled its programming lineup, is bringing on Scott Matthews as head of newsgathering. — Just now
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Barrett Media and @jeremymbarr


Intangible, which offers an AI tool that allows filmmakers, game designers, and others to create 3D world concepts with text prompts, raised a $4M seed — Intangible AI, now backed by $4 million in seed funding, offers an AI-powered creative tool that allows users to create 3D world concepts …


ITV reports FY 2024 revenue down 3% YoY to $5.34B, Studios revenue down 6% YoY to $2.63B, digital ad revenue up 15% YoY, and its efficiency program saved $77.5M — The U.K.'s ITV revealed strong profit growth in its full-year results for 2024, despite facing challenges from the U.S. actors …
Discussion:
WORLD SCREEN, Reuters, The Media Leader, The Hollywood Reporter, ITV Plc, The Standard, MorningstarUK, Variety, Deadline and Shares Magazine


Netflix CFO Spencer Neumann says Netflix plans to spend ~$18B in cash on content in 2025, up nearly 11% YoY, and the amount is “not anywhere near a ceiling” — Netflix expects to spend in the neighborhood of $18 billion in cash on content in 2025 — and it sees plenty of runway …
Discussion:
The Streamable, @tylerbishop, @tvgrimreaper, Deadline, The Wrap and Media Play News


Netflix plans to host its second live boxing special on July 11 at Madison Square Garden with a rematch of Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano — The all-women's boxing card will be held at Madison Square Garden July 11, and will stream live on Netflix. — Netflix is back in business …


All Elite Wrestling and Amazon Prime Video announce a new multi-year agreement to offer AEW's pay-per-view events in the US, Canada, and the UK on Prime Video — The new pay-per-view streaming partnership kicks off this weekend with AEW Revolution, which costs $49.99.


Neal Mohan says YouTube Originals didn't work because YouTube wasn't “good at picking content” and so the company decided to focus on building creator tools — YouTube has tried its hand at funding original content more than once — with disappointing results.


Lyric rights licensing company LyricFind sues Musixmatch and its owner TPG Growth, alleging antitrust violations that threaten competition across the industry — LyricFind has lodged an antitrust lawsuit against lyrics provider Musixmatch and its private equity owner TPG Growth.
Discussion:
LyricFind, Bloomberg Law, MLex, @lyricfind, Music Ally and Digital Music News


Sources: LAT's Hector Becerra faced an HR probe in 2022 over alleged “insulting” behavior, including bullying; LAT says it has “been addressed and resolved” — The paper's De Los editor Paloma Esquivel resigned last week, accusing HR of dismissing her complaints against Becerra
Discussion:
@sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman and @gstarr.bsky.social

Washington Post Media Reporter Will Sommer joins The Bulwark, where he will be publishing a twice-a-week newsletter on “the forces driving today's far-right” — On a recent episode of the “Hard Fork” podcast, reporter Casey Newton said “you talk to folks who live in San Francisco …
Discussion:
@timodc, @brianstelter and @willsommer


Gannett posts job listings for an AI sports editor and AI-assisted sports reporter; after flubs in 2023, it paused using LedeAI for high school sports stories — Gannett plans to hire an “AI Sports Editor” and “AI-Assisted Sports Reporter” as America's largest newspaper chain doubles-down on artificial intelligence in its newsrooms.
Discussion:
@danrshafer, @aaronnagler, @andrew_cohen0, @joshua_newman and @michaelsocolow
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How the Financial Times is using online polls to engage readers and grow subscriptions; polls in FT newsletters regularly record engagement rates above 75% — The newspaper has a loyal, well-informed readership keen to share their opinions. Polls in its newsletters record engagement over 75 per cent