Top News:
Filip Timotija / The Hill:
Source says “most” journalists at Voice of America were put on administrative leave, a day after Trump signed an EO aimed at eliminating the USAGM — Journalists at Voice of America (VOA) were put on administrative leave on Saturday, a day after President Trump signed …
Discussion:
NPR, The Newsguy, The White House, The Guardian, The Wrap, WNYW-TV, Politico, Associated Press, RedState, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @sarahellison, @joshtpm.bsky.social, @brianstelter, The Indian Express, @carlababbvoa, ZeroHedge News, @bradleyrsimpson.bsky.social, Mediaite, @farhip, The Kyiv Independent, @oanalungescu.bsky.social, @anneapplebaum.bsky.social, The Desk, @whodat35.bsky.social, CBS News, Deadline, @giantsigh.bsky.social and Rolling Stone
RELATED:
Washington Post:
The USAGM has severed contracts for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, in addition to the VOA cuts — Lake had big plans to transform the outlet into a powerful “weapon” to fight an “information war.” Instead, the president has essentially shut it down.
Discussion:
CNN, Reuters, Vanity Fair, @malinowski, Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, Radio Ink, BBC, @atrupar, Raw Story, @malinowski, @chriso_wiki, @rferlpress, Broadband TV News, The Gateway Pundit, Reuters, Washington …, Al Jazeera, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, @chrisgreenwayuk, @thomasvlinge, Associated Press, Politico, @repdonbacon, @ewong, @pressfreedom, @stevecapus, Reason, Digital Journal, Lawyer Monthly, The Independent, The Japan Times, Variety and The National Pulse
Tyler Pager / New York Times:
Trump signs an EO seeking to dismantle seven federal agencies, including VOA parent USAGM, which is congressionally chartered as an independent agency — The order targeting the agencies, largely obscure entities that address issues like labor mediation and homelessness prevention, appeared to test the bounds of the president's power.
Discussion:
Reporters Without Borders, Washington Post, USAGM, Axios, Fox News, @jonathancohn.bsky.social, Associated Press, @theanthonydavis.bsky.social, @julieroginsky.bsky.social, The Independent, USA Today, @kallekn@mastodonsweden.se, The Post Millennial, @whodat35.bsky.social, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, UPI, The Wrap, Wall Street Journal, The White House, TVNewsCheck, @katzish.bsky.social, @mediaevan.bsky.social and Committee to Protect …
Michael Schaffer / Politico:
How The Dallas Express scooped the DC press corps on a congresswoman's dementia, highlighting the importance of local outlets in DC even as their numbers fall — Here's the story behind how the media missed the story. — In 2023, a small website called The Dallas Express picked up a startling allegation …
Discussion:
@paulinepark, @swaneeparrish, @politico, Kevin D. Grant on LinkedIn, @4nsmiley, @ddiamond, @politicomag, @marklisheron, @oliviaolanderr, @t_timeforce, @joshtpm.bsky.social, @theycallmegary.bsky.social, @chasingray.bsky.social, @paulinepark.bsky.social, @ndhapple.bsky.social, @dabeard.bsky.social, @beijingpalmer.bsky.social, @beijingpalmer.bsky.social, @mayamedia.bsky.social, @4nsmiley.bsky.social and r/Journalism
Tara Bennett / AV Club:
How Looney Tunes' first original animated feature got released, as WBD's legacy franchise is at a crossroads, all but abandoned by the studio it helped define — Warner Bros. has put its legacy cartoon at a crossroads. We spoke to those looking towards Looney Tunes' future. — FILM FEATURES LOONEY TUNES
Discussion:
Cord Cutters News, Comic Book, Vulture, @jessehawken.bsky.social, @taradbennett, @charliepgavin, Screen Rant, New York Times, Inverse, Gizmodo, The Verge, Screen Rant, The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, Polygon, @ericblewis.bsky.social, @jacoboller.bsky.social, @joshuacourtade.bsky.social, @tarabennett.bsky.social, @talkinghenry.bsky.social, SPACE.com, UPI and SlashFilm
Financial Times:
Spotify slashed nearly €500M in marketing, R&D spending, and general administrative expenses in 2024, which helped the company swing to a net income of €1.1B — The Swedish music streaming service's size now gives it a durable advantage over rivals — Spotify has found its groove.
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Ofcom will enforce rules under the UK's Online Safety Act, designed to protect internet users from illegal content and harmful activity online, from March 17 — Regulator Ofcom will begin assessing tech groups' compliance with new obligations under Online Safety Act
Discussion:
@openrightsgroup, The Guardian, Courthouse News Service, @hp4saferscreens, r/ukpolitics and r/unitedkingdom
Jackson Healy / Courthouse News Service:
Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sues G/O Media over March 2024 Gizmodo and Kotaku articles accusing him of workplace harassment and discrimination — Robert Kotick accused the media company of knowingly lying about since-dismissed workplace sex harassment and discrimination charges.
Martin Fackler / New York Times:
A look at Japan's first media nonprofit dedicated to investigative journalism, Tokyo Investigative Newsroom Tansa, started eight years ago by Makoto Watanabe — Makoto Watanabe quit a major newspaper after it retracted a scoop. Now he runs an investigative nonprofit that does not shy away from challenging authority.
Discussion:
@sapporodaskapital.bsky.social, @imad.bsky.social and r/Journalism
The Times:
An investigation into the unsolved 1977 murder of The Sunday Times foreign correspondent David Holden in Egypt suggests he doubled as a KGB spy and had CIA ties — Experienced and road-worn, with slicked-back brown hair and china-blue eyes, David Holden was 53 when he landed in Cairo on a warm night not long before Christmas, 1977.
Christopher Mims / Wall Street Journal:
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo say they're building a high-tech studio aiming to help artists use AI as a creative tool to make films, shows, and video games — The ‘Avengers’ directors are building a high-tech studio to help artists use AI to make films, shows and videogames with potentially smaller budgets
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Screen Rant, Comic Book and Mirror, more at Techmeme »
Kayla Gogarty / Media Matters for America:
An analysis of popular podcasts, streams, and other long-form audio and video content with political leanings indicates that right-leaning outlets dominate — A new Media Matters analysis found 9 out of the 10 top online shows assessed are right-leaning
Discussion:
@noupside.bsky.social, Blue Virginia, @cultexpert, @noupside.bsky.social, @tanyatussing@mastodon.social, @goangelo.bsky.social, @TonyStark@progressivecafe …, @kamalanation.bsky.social, @johnlcorbett.bsky.social, @taylorlorenz@threads.net, @thebreakdownab.bsky.social, @liselhintz.bsky.social, @peter-butler.bsky.social, @parkermolloy.com, @volts.wtf, @socialmedialab.ca, @caulfieldtim.bsky.social, @followtheh.bsky.social, @atherton.bsky.social, @ositanwanevu.bsky.social, @mariabustillos.bsky.social, @ryanlcooper.com, @mariabustillos.bsky.social, @ohhkaygo.bsky.social, @ohhkaygo.bsky.social and @mmfa.bsky.social
