Mediagazer: BBC and ITV's new contracts with actors' union Equity won't include AI safeguards as they await the outcome of Equity negotiations with producer trade body Pact (Max Goldbart/Deadline)

3:55 PM ET, April 1, 2025

Top News:

Newsmax shares jump more than 100% a day after their debut on the NYSE, when they spiked more than 700% and closed at $83.51 — Shares of conservative cable channel Newsmax soared more than 40% in early trading Tuesday, a day after the stock's dizzying debut on the New York Stock Exchange.

Discussion: Deadline, CNN, Forbes, Benzinga, Mediaite, Yahoo Finance, Axios, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, Bloomberg, @followtheh.bsky.social, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @sellingtheta.bsky.social, Reuters, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @followtheh.bsky.social, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, WBUR and Fast Company

American Journalism Project:

John Thornton, founder of The Texas Tribune, co-founder of the American Journalism Project, and venture capitalist, has died at age 59 — It is with great sadness that we share the news that John Thornton, co-founder of the American Journalism Project and Elsewhere Partners …

Discussion: Newmark J-School, Columbia Journalism Review, Anna Nirmala on LinkedIn, Patty Pina Slutsky on LinkedIn, Elizabeth Green on LinkedIn, Michael Ouimette on LinkedIn, The Texas Tribune, @dicktofel.bsky.social, @tlangford.bsky.social and @jeffjarvis.bsky.social

Bari Weiss / The Free Press:

The Free Press announces Tyler Cowen, Jed Rubenfeld, Matthew Continetti, and Batya Ungar-Sargon as new columnists, with Coleman Hughes bringing his podcast — Bari Weiss on some great news from our newsroom. — Upgrade to Listen — How do you build something that lasts?

Discussion: Axios, The Free Press, @margiconklin, @thefp, @bungarsargon, @thefp, @continetti, @bariweiss, @thefp, @jtlonsdale and @bariweiss

Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:

Steve Kornacki signs a deal with NBC News and NBC Sports and departs from MSNBC, which Comcast is spinning off into a new corporate entity — MSNBC viewers have seen the last of Steve Kornacki's big board. — The popular data maven has signed a deal with NBC that will expand his presence across …

Discussion: Mediaite, The Hill, Awful Announcing, New York Post, TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, Variety, The Daily Caller, Deadline, The US Sun, The Hollywood Reporter and Just Jared

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

The Sun reports revenue down 3% YoY to £296.3M and an £18M loss in the year to 30 June 2024; The Times reports revenue down 0.6% to £383.4M and a £61M profit — Hacking costs down for News Group Newspapers in year to 30 June 2024. — Revenues fell at both The Times …

Discussion: Telegraph and City A.M.

Andreas Wiseman / Deadline:

Ketchup Entertainment buys Coyote vs. Acme from WBD, which shelved it in November 2023 as a cost-cutting measure; the movie is expected in theaters in 2026 — Ketchup Entertainment today confirmed their completed deal for worldwide rights to the live-action/animated hybrid film …

Max Goldbart / Deadline:

BBC and ITV's new contracts with actors' union Equity won't include AI safeguards as they await the outcome of Equity negotiations with producer trade body Pact — At a time when future AI and its uses are a major industry talking point, Deadline is told that Equity's initial intention …

Jake Kanter / Deadline:

YouTube suspends two major fake movie trailer channels from its partner program, following Deadline's report on studios earning ad revenue from the trailers — The Google-owned video-hosting giant has turned off ad revenue on Screen Culture and KH Studio trailers after a Deadline investigation chronicled …

Discussion: 9to5Google, Tubefilter, Engadget, The Verge and Daily Star

Sportico:

Sources: the NHL has reached an agreement with Rogers on a new 12-year Canadian TV deal that will pay the league about $7.7B, starting with the 2026-27 season — The NHL has reached an agreement with Rogers Communications on a new 12-year Canadian TV deal that will pay the league about $7.7 billion …

Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:

TikTok is shutting down its Instagram competitor, TikTok Notes, on May 8, directing users to Lemon8, a similar ByteDance-owned app — TikTok is shutting down its Instagram competitor, TikTok Notes, on May 8. The photo-sharing app launched in testing in Canada, Australia, and Vietnam last year.

Oliver Darcy / Status:

The Daily Wire's communications chief, Alyssa Cordova, departs as the company frames co-CEO Jeremy Boreing's demotion as his own choice and lays off some staff — The Daily Wire's Woes The Daily Wire once vowed to take on Disney with a $100 million+ investment to build an entertainment empire …

Discussion: The Bulwark, @scottmgreer, @willsommer, @mattortega.com, @rvbdrm.com, @cheetah.bsky.social, @status.news and @oliverdarcy.bsky.social

Nicole Sperling / New York Times:

In a new strategy, Amazon plans to release 14 to 16 movies per year in theaters, rivaling other major studios, with most running for 45 days before streaming — The streaming giant is planning to release at least 14 movies a year in theaters around the country, rivaling other major studios.

Discussion: Engadget, Deseret News, Media Play News, Deadline, Axios and The Ankler, more at Techmeme »

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Discussion: The Ankler, Kendra Barnett on LinkedIn, Bradley Keefer on LinkedIn, @timhanlon.bsky.social and @kendrabarnett.bsky.social

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ProPublica is using ads on a LED billboard truck to attract sources in the federal government as DOGE dismantles USAID and other agencies

Discussion: @charlesornstein.bsky.social, @cengizyar.com, @tealtan.bsky.social and @sarahscire.com

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Sewell Chan / Columbia Journalism Review:
The Center for Public Integrity has ceased publishing after 36 years, and is in talks to turn over its archives to the Project on Government Oversight

Discussion: @dwillis.bsky.social, Charles Sennott on LinkedIn, @phoebepetrovic.bsky.social, TVNewsCheck, Sewell Chan on LinkedIn, @dangillmor@mastodon.social and @margotsusca.bsky.social

Yuki Furukawa / Bloomberg:
An independent investigation finds that Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV fostered a culture of sexual harassment; its chair and TV head resigned in January 2025

Discussion: The Japan Times, Associated Press, Nikkei Asia, The Japan Times, The Japan Times, Bloomberg and Kyodo News+

Wall Street Journal:
WBD adds Anton Levy, former co-president of PE firm General Atlantic, to its board, a source says due to pressure from activist shareholder Sessa Capital

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Peter Kafka / Business Insider:
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From Techmeme:

Meta:
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Emanuel Maiberg / 404 Media:
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