Top News:
Liam Scott / Columbia Journalism Review:
A press freedom reporter at VOA recalls its last days, as dozens of staffers on J-1 visas may have to return to countries with a record of jailing critics — Covering the press freedom beat at VOA, I got a front-row seat to its demise. — On Saturday, about thirteen hundred Voice of America staffers …
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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:
RFE/RL sues USAGM and its officials Kari Lake and Victor Morales, arguing they acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally in blocking funds allocated by Congress
Discussion:
Politico, Adweek, UPI, Radio Ink, Forbes, @jpmarthoz.bsky.social, The Kyiv Independent, The Desk, Axios, @kaedotcom.bsky.social, CBS News, Reuters, Fox News and @passantino.bsky.social
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Ziff Davis' Everyday Health acquires women-focused newsletter company theSkimm, whose co-CEOs will stay on with no plans to lay off any of its 75 staffers — Ziff Davis, one of the largest publicly-traded digital media companies, has acquired TheSkimm, executives told Axios.
Discussion:
Variety, @mediaevan, @ziffdavis and @sarafischer
Variety:
Q&A with Netflix's Ted Sarandos on his 25-year anniversary at Netflix, his cameo on Apple TV+ series The Studio, competing with suppliers like Disney, and more — In a few weeks, Ted Sarandos will make his acting debut — playing Ted Sarandos. The co-CEO of Netflix is lampooning himself …
Discussion:
Screen Rant, The Wrap, Variety, Us Weekly, TVNewsCheck, People, 9to5Mac, @tvgrimreaper, @variety, Observer, @discussingfilm, @loudmouthjulia and Just Jared, more at Techmeme »
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
David Novak, co-founder of Yum Brands, has been named chairman of the new company that will be formed by Comcast's NBCUniversal spinoff — Your Privacy Rights — PMC, its service providers, and third-party partners collect information about you and how you use our services …
Discussion:
Radio & Television …, TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Business Wire and Deadline
Andreas Wiseman / Deadline:
Source: Ketchup Entertainment is negotiating an all-rights acquisition for ~$50M for Warner Bros' movie Coyote vs. Acme, which was shelved in November 2023 — Gareth West's distributor-financier Ketchup Entertainment is negotiating an all-rights acquisition in the $50M range for the animated-live-action hybrid project.
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, SlashFilm, IndieWire, Screen Rant, Animation Magazine, Cord Cutters News, @talkinghenry.bsky.social, Empire, @waffyworld, @jolsontweets, @tylerortegatube, @capybaroness, The Hollywood Reporter, Comic Book, Collider, AV Club, CBR, Nerdist, @animated_antic, @markosemustard, @ooccouchgags, @matbrunetvo.com, @billkuchman.bsky.social, @auzzy@zirk.us, @theinsneider, @naveryw.bsky.social and Oh No They Didn't!
Financial Times:
Sportradar will take over Endeavor's IMG Arena data platform and its portfolio of sports betting rights in a deal where Endeavor will pay Sportradar $225M — Entertainment group is slimming down ahead of private equity takeover — Entertainment conglomerate Endeavor is paying a US rival $225mn …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, @mukund, @sportradar, @mattrybaltowski, @sportradar, @novy_williams, @butlerbets, Sportradar AG, The Straits Times, Benzinga, Sportico and Sportcal
Lucy Knight / The Guardian:
Crowdfunding publisher Unbound goes into administration and has been acquired by newly-formed Boundless; some authors say they haven't been paid for months — The company, launched in 2011, has been acquired by new company Boundless, after writers have been left unpaid for months
Discussion:
@kizzia.bsky.social, Substack, @lemnsissay, @sdebar, @katharineq, @scribblerrob.bsky.social, @alanrew.bsky.social, @mcragg.bsky.social, @adashofseaglass.bsky.social, @danrhodes.bsky.social, @isobelstarling.bsky.social, @katbrownwrites.com, @matpringle.bsky.social, @shaunusher.bsky.social, @victoriastrauss.bsky.social, @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social, @russincheshire.bsky.social and The Bookseller
Justin Kaufmann / Axios:
The Chicago Sun-Times' film critic Richard Roeper takes a voluntary buyout after 37 years at the paper; the Sun-Times guild says 15 of its members took buyouts — Longtime Chicago film critic Richard Roeper is leaving the Sun-Times after almost 40 years at the paper.
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Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The UK's NUJ urges Reach to reconsider a 2% pay rise offer for staff and compares £600 staff bonuses with the £662,000 in total bonuses paid to CEO Jim Mullen — NUJ asks Reach to “urgently reconsider” 2% pay offer. — Reach staff have received a £600 bonus in recognition of the company's profit growth last year.
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
ABC: print circulation of the UK's Daily Mirror fell 16.4% YoY in February 2025 to 196,150, dropping below 200,000 for the first time since the Edwardian era — The print circulation of the Daily Mirror dropped below 200,000 in February for the first time since the Edwardian era.
Samantha Masunaga / Los Angeles Times:
The California Film Commission chooses a record 51 films to receive incentives in the state's film and TV tax credit program, including 46 indie films — A record 51 films shooting in the Golden State will receive a government incentive in the latest round of the state's film …
Ashley Belanger / Ars Technica:
A three-judge panel in US appeals court ruled, in a case involving AI generated poetry, that the Copyright Act requires human authorship for registration — A computer scientist who tried to register an artwork that credited an artificial intelligence system as the sole author lost his appeal on Tuesday.
Discussion:
@zinniajones.com, Reuters, CNBC, ABA Journal, Lawyer Monthly, Reason and The Register, more at Techmeme »
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Plex is increasing Plex Pass prices for the first time in a decade and making remote playback for personal media a paid feature at $1.99/month or $19.99/year — Streaming service and software maker Plex is raising its prices. The company announced on Wednesday its first price increase …
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