Top News:
Bloomberg:
Good Good Golf, which has 1.75M+ YouTube subscribers, raised $45M led by Creator Sports Capital, with Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions and 50+ others joining — The startup's YouTube channel has attracted more than 1.75 million subscribers — Retired quarterback Peyton Manning …
Discussion:
Marca, Mirror US, NBCSports.com, @goodgood_golf, Sports Business Journal, Tubefilter, The Hollywood Reporter, Good Good Golf and Deadline
Wayne Ma / The Information:
Sources: Apple TV+ is losing $1B+ annually even as its subscriptions grew to ~45M in 2024; source: Apple has spent $5B+ per year on content since its 2019 debut — Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook had questions about several pricey movie deals executives of Apple TV+, the company's video-streaming service …
Discussion:
The Streamable, Reuters, Deadline, @waynema, @mazzeo, Entrepreneur, @antennadata, TechCrunch, @loudmouthjulia, @tvgrimreaper, @kirkneverdied, @joshuaogundu, @benedictevans@threads.net, @loudmouthjulia, Consequence, SlashFilm, The Verge, @merrillbarr.com, Digital Music News, @samadams.bsky.social, @tvgrimreaper, IndieWire, @trungtphan, BGR, @royprice, @tim_bays, TVNewsCheck, Ars Technica, Variety, @worldshaker@threads.net, @davidclinchnews, @great_katzby, @alexweprin, @alexweprin, @lukedivita, @loudmouthjulia, Decider, @tvgrimreaper, Yahoo Finance, @wolfsongz.bsky.social, @tylerh.social, Quartz, Christian Grece on LinkedIn, The Wrap, AppleInsider, MacRumors, 9to5Mac, Cord Cutters News, @lauridonahue.bsky.social, @stevensenior.bsky.social, @radiobeartime.com and The Times, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Hannah Miller / Bloomberg:
Antenna: Apple TV+ gained ~3M subscribers in January, when Severance Season 2 came out, up 8% from December and more than any other streamer except Paramount+
Antenna: Apple TV+ gained ~3M subscribers in January, when Severance Season 2 came out, up 8% from December and more than any other streamer except Paramount+
Discussion:
BGR, 9to5Mac, Deadline, @antennadata, The Wrap, @loudmouthjulia, @tvgrimreaper, Business Insider and Just Jared
New York Times:
Sources: former WaPo executive editor Leonard Downie and ex-managing editor Bob Kaiser emailed Jeff Bezos in February, urging him to cut ties with Will Lewis — An emailed message underscores a divide between the chief executive, Will Lewis, and the people who helped build The Post into a force in American journalism.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @katie_robertson, @davidfolkenflik and @benmullin.bsky.social
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Bluesky says it is now sending referral traffic through its “go” subdomain to make it easier for publishers to track the traffic coming from the social network — Social network Bluesky, an open source X rival, has made a change that will allow publishers to better track …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Disney shareholders overwhelmingly reject a proposal for Disney to cease participation in the Human Rights Campaign's annual LGBTQ Corporate Equality Index — Disney investors on Thursday voted down a proposal that the entertainment giant cease its participation in a prominent LGBTQ rights organization's equality ratings program.
Reuters:
X sues Narendra Modi's government in New Delhi, saying its IT ministry has unlawfully expanded censorship powers to allow the easier removal of online content — India's IT ministry has unlawfully expanded censorship powers to allow the easier removal of online content and empowered …
Discussion:
@chandrarsrikant, @upendrrarai, The Gateway Pundit, @anusharavi10, @nilanjandasaitc, Austin Business Journal, @arafatul, @sushantsin, @ani, Social Media Today, Reclaim The Net, @ashoswai, @arvindgunasekar, Moneycontrol, TechCrunch, @palle.bsky.social, @michaelbishop.me, @tarzan1946.bsky.social, The Economic Times, India Today, NDTV, Press Trust of India, The Straits Times, Bloomberg and Rick Wilson's Intel …, more at Techmeme »
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
As Spotify pushes its new video monetization program, sexually explicit videos have appeared on its top podcast charts, violating the company's terms of use — The sexually explicit videos, which Spotify doesn't allow, have shown up alongside some of the most popular podcasts on the service
Discussion:
Lefsetz Letter
Jordan Teicher / Nieman Lab:
A profile of Jake Fischer, a rising NBA insider who operates independently on Substack rather than working for traditional media giants like ESPN — While insiders typically work for established media companies like ESPN, Jake Fischer operates out of his Brooklyn apartment and publishes scoops behind a paywall on Substack.
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
An interview with Daily Mail US Editor-in-Chief Katie Davies on rejoining the Mail in September 2024, launching Mail+ in the US and Canada, and more — Daily Mail US editor-in-chief Katie Davies said her biggest revelation when returning to the brand last year was realising “how incredibly strong” its loyal readership is.
Meghnad Bose / Columbia Journalism Review:
How some news outlets are implementing policies to better protect immigrant sources, including helping them understand the implications of talking to the press — Several outlets say they've loosened anonymity policies in recent weeks. — A few days before Donald Trump's second inauguration …
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
MoffettNathanson: WBD is projected to lose $1.1B in TV advertising in 2026, largely due to the absence of the NBA on its networks for the first time since 1989 — One of the biggest dramas on TV isn't expected to launch formally until later in 2025, but it's already playing out off camera …
Discussion:
@bristei.bsky.social
David Shepardson / Reuters:
Conservative advocacy groups ask the FCC to end its CBS probe, as “adverse ruling against CBS would constitute regulatory overreach” and set dangerous precedent — Conservative advocacy groups on Thursday asked the Federal Communications Commission to reject a news distortion complaint …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @seth-stern.bsky.social and Variety
