Top News:
Pew Research Center:
A survey of US adults finds 77% say press freedom is “extremely or very important”, but only 33% say the media is “completely free” to report the news in the US — Most Americans continue to be concerned about potential restrictions on press freedoms in the United States.
Discussion:
Pew Research Center, Poynter, @pressgazette.co.uk, @pewresearch.org, Axios and r/Journalism
Axios:
Internal memo: AG Pam Bondi rescinds Merrick Garland's policy restricting most subpoenas for journalists, “to identify and punish the source of improper leaks” — Attorney General Pam Bondi said in an internal memo obtained by Axios that the Justice Department is rescinding …
Discussion:
Law Dork, @kfaulders, The Guardian, Associated Press, alicublog, The Reporters Committee …, @whodat35.bsky.social, @JEmphatically@mstdn.ca, Washington Examiner, @liamjscott, @mrddmia, @samstein, @fred_guttenberg, @kfaulders, Townhall, Mediaite, @jonzoidberg.xyz, The Gateway Pundit, Politico, Fox News, The Desk, Raw Story, @zackwhittaker@mastodon.social and Tennessee Star
Gabe Kaminsky / The Free Press:
Leaked letter: interim US Attorney for DC Ed Martin accused Wikipedia of allowing foreign manipulation and propaganda, threatening its tax-exempt status — In a letter obtained by The Free Press, Trump appointee Ed Martin accuses the Wikimedia Foundation of violating the law.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Edward R. Martin, Jr., US Attorney for DC, Washington Post, @ryangrim, @brewster.kahle.org, Tamara Tal on LinkedIn, @scotinus.bsky.social, Guillaume Paumier, Ph.D on LinkedIn, @remixtures@tldr.nettime.org, @cramer-1.bsky.social, @storytracer@mastodon.social, @jamesrbuk, @gekaminsky, @molly0xfff, @johnrhutchinson.bsky.social, @TheDJ@mastodon.social, @cwebber@social.coop, Georg Zoeller on LinkedIn, “At some point …, Raw Story, @princess-vimentin.bsky.social, @paninid@mastodon.world, @carnage4life@mas.to, @noupside.bsky.social, @willoremus.com, @mmasnick.bsky.social, @sarahemclaugh.bsky.social and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Teddy Rosenbluth / New York Times:
US Attorney Ed Martin sent a letter to New England Journal of Medicine, similar to three other journals, saying it's biased and influenced by external pressure — The New England Journal of Medicine received a letter suggesting that it was biased and compromised by external pressure.
Nicholas Riccardi / Associated Press:
The stripped-down festivities at the WHCD reflected the somber tone in Washington, with White House journalists using the event to celebrate the First Amendment — There was no president. There was no comedian. What remained at the White House Correspondents' Association's annual dinner …
RELATED:
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Q&A with WHCA President Eugene Daniels on this year's annual dinner, White House press pool changes, the press corps' response to attacks, and more
Q&A with WHCA President Eugene Daniels on this year's annual dinner, White House press pool changes, the press corps' response to attacks, and more
Discussion:
The Hill, Raw Story, JONATHAN TURLEY, New York Times, Washington Examiner, The Wrap, Fox News, Variety, Alternet.org, The Guardian, USA Today, Megyn Kelly, HuffPost, NH Journal, WWD and Status
Michael Savage / The Guardian:
Ex-UK PM Gordon Brown files a criminal complaint against NGN, seeking phone-hacking probe revival, says current WaPo CEO Will Lewis tried to incriminate him — Exclusive: Former British PM urges police to reopen inquiry - and claims media executive Will Lewis attempted to incriminate him
Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
50 Cent sues Ryan Kavanaugh's GenTV, seeking to block the streamer's inaugural film Skillhouse for allegedly failing to pay the rapper and exploiting his name — The lawsuit says Curtis Jackson shot scenes for ‘Skillhouse’ with the understanding that a final deal would be reached later.
Discussion:
TMZ.com, The Wrap, Rolling Stone and Billboard
Ian Ward / Politico:
A look at eight conservative influencers from mostly MAGA-aligned outlets who have become staples of the White House briefing room's “conservative corner” — The AP is on the outs, but these new MAGA media stars are on the rise. — As she left the James S. Brady Briefing Room in early April …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Townhall and Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
The European Publishers Council says the EU's DMA ruling against Apple should make the commission on subscriptions in app stores drop to 3%-5% in the EU — Publishers have welcomed a ruling that should make it easier for them to make money from apps when operating in EU countries.
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Report: an Australian radio station has been using an AI-generated host named Thy, whose voice was created using ElevenLabs, for months without disclosing it — The show, called Workdays with Thy, uses the AI-generated voice and likeness of a real person during a four-hour segment.
Discussion:
Decrypt, @davelee.me, Sydney Morning Herald and The Carpet
Todd Spangler / Variety:
SEC filing: Bob Bakish's severance compensation was worth $69.3M after his exit as Paramount CEO in April 2024, and his 2024 compensation totaled $86.96M — 2024 pay packages for George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy Brian Robbins each included $6 million bonuses for their co-CEO roles
Discussion:
Fortune, @tvgrimreaper, @lucas_shaw, @theinsneider, Bloomberg, The Wrap, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
Todd Spangler / Variety:
TKO Group CEO Ari Emanuel's pay package for 2024 was $18.1M, down from $64.9M in 2023, while President Mark Shapiro's compensation nearly doubled to $32M — TKO Group, the parent of WWE and UFC, disclosed the pay of its top executives — with Ari Emanuel, who serves as executive chair and CEO …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline
