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6:20 AM ET, March 18, 2025

Mediagazer

 Top News: 
The Wrap:
VOA Director Michael Abramowitz condemns its shutdown, saying Trump is “failing to protect US interests”; others say shutting VOA is a “national security issue”  —  The news organization's director Michael Abramowitz says the president is “failing to protect U.S. interests”
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
David Enrich / New York Times:
After Trump dismantled the USAGM, VOA employees say some of its radio frequencies in Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere went dark or began airing only music
Nicole Sperling / New York Times:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says Conan O'Brien will reprise his Oscar hosting duties in 2026, one of the earliest renewals for an Oscar host  —  Mr. O'Brien received high marks for his work as the emcee of the 97th Oscar telecast this month.  It was his first time hosting the show.
RELATED:
Clayton Davis / Variety:
The Oscars and Golden Globes announcing their hosts and dates early helps awards season by letting studios plan their releases and may boost audience engagement  —  The Oscars announced their new date this morning, along with the news that that show is bringing back Conan O'Brien as host …
Kurt Schlosser / GeekWire:
Trump praises Jeff Bezos for changes at the WaPo, saying he doesn't think the media's treatment of him has changed so far, but he sees a shift among tech giants  —  The recent changes Jeff Bezos has instituted at The Washington Post have captured the attention of President Donald Trump, who praised the newspaper owner's efforts.
Steven J. Horowitz / Variety:
UMG files a motion to dismiss Drake's lawsuit, says he's suing because he “lost a rap battle” with Kendrick Lamar and took legal action to “salve his wounds”  —  The motion, filed earlier today and reviewed by Variety, took a cutting approach to making the case for dismissal …
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Audacy names Kelli Turner, who has been interim CEO since the end of January, as president and CEO, and overhauls its leadership team  —  Chris Oliviero has been named chief business officer and Bob Philips has been named chief revenue officer. … Additionally, Chris Oliviero …
Scharon Harding / Ars Technica:
Some owners of devices running Roku OS report seeing autoplaying video ads before they can access the home screen; Roku says it is just a test  —  Now, Roku is testing what it might look like if it took things a step further and forced people to watch a video ad play before getting to the Roku OS home screen.
Ben Smith / Semafor:
How Breitbart became “legacy” MAGA media, as Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow says the outlet is “trying to be the historical record of the Trump administration”  —  A sense of responsibility weighs heavily these days on Breitbart News.  Washington Bureau Chief Matt Boyle …
Alex Ritman / Variety:
Village Roadshow files for bankruptcy protection in the US, amid a long-drawn-out and expensive legal battle with WB over The Matrix Resurrections  —  Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, the film producer and financier that has backed “The Matrix,” “Ocean's Eleven,” “Joker” and “The Lego Movie” …
New York Times:
Sources: The New Yorker has cut ties with its art critic, Jackson Arn, who joined in 2023, after complaints about his behavior at its centennial celebration  —  The magazine received concerns about the writer's conduct at its centennial celebration at a star-studded party in Manhattan.
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
An interview with Liz Alesse, VP of audio for ABC News, who says it is pivoting its audio podcast strategy and focusing on true crime via its newsmagazine 20/20  —  ABC News will lean into its primetime newsmagazine to populate its podcast programming.
Discussion: Variety and Deadline
Todd Spangler / Variety:
In an open letter to the OSTP, Ben Stiller and 400+ Hollywood creatives urge President Trump to not let Google, OpenAI, and others “exploit” copyrighted works  —  More than 400 Hollywood creative leaders signed an open letter to the Trump White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy …
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The Telegraph apologizes and pays “substantial” damages to tech entrepreneur Zia Chishti over sexual misconduct allegations in articles between 2021 and 2023  —  Telegraph Media Group has apologised and paid “substantial” damages in a libel settlement with tech entrepreneur Zia Chishti.
 
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 More News: 
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
OUTtv, which bills itself as the world's leading LGBTQ+ TV and streaming service, launches in Taiwan, a significant expansion of LGBTQ+ content in Asia
Discussion: Advanced Television
Fidel Martinez / Los Angeles Times:
A look at Cynthia, a small new independent bilingual print magazine focusing on música Mexicana, which has exploded in popularity particularly among Gen Z
 Earlier Picks: 
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
A look at the growing battle over how to define a podcast, as YouTube pushes deeper into audio and Spotify pursues video, which are getting increasingly blurry
Discussion: 9to5Google
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
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
 

 
From Techmeme:

Mariella Moon / Engadget:
Google says it needs more time to upgrade Assistant to Gemini on most Android devices; Google previously planned to complete the transition by the end of 2025

Business Insider:
Google advises some employees on visas, including H-1B visas, not to travel outside the US due to processing delays, following new social media screening rules

Isabelle Bousquette / Wall Street Journal:
The RAISE Act requires AI companies with $500M+ in revenue to publish safety protocols and disclose safety incidents within 72 hours, with fines up to $3M
 
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