Top News:
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
WBD reports Q1 revenue down 10% YoY to $8.9B, net income down 53% to $453M, $2.6B streaming revenue, $339M streaming adjusted EBITDA, and 122.3M streaming subs — Even so, the company had to contend with dips in all of its traditional streams of revenue, including advertising and distribution …
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Todd Spangler / Variety:
WBD says it'll start getting “more assertive” about blocking password sharing later in 2025 and Max password-sharing feature will fully roll out in 12-18 months — That lets a primary account owner share their Max account by inviting a friend or family member outside of their household …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Cord Cutters News, Business Insider, Deadline, Media Play News and The Hollywood Reporter
Tony Maglio / The Hollywood Reporter:
CNBC's David Faber: sources say WBD is moving toward a split that would see its linear cable networks spun off from the studio and Max
CNBC's David Faber: sources say WBD is moving toward a split that would see its linear cable networks spun off from the studio and Max
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Seeking Alpha, Mediaite, Barrett Media, Los Angeles Times, Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Reuters, @tvgrimreaper, @dylanbyers and Cord Cutters News
Bloomberg:
Owl & Co. report: the global podcast industry generated $7.3B in sales in 2024, including video revenue, most notably YouTube, but not including live events — Researcher Owl & Co. puts the industry's 2024 revenue at more than $7 billion — The global podcast industry generated $7.3 billion …
Discussion:
@simonowens and @lucas_shaw
Chris Vallance / BBC:
The Wikimedia Foundation says it is taking legal action to challenge the UK's Online Safety Act, saying it could threaten the safety of its volunteer editors — Wikipedia is taking legal action against new Online Safety Act regulations it says could threaten the safety of its volunteer editors …
Discussion:
Engadget, Reclaim The Net, The Verge, City A.M., Silicon UK, The Guardian, Diff and @openrightsgroup, more at Techmeme »
Washington Post:
The Washington Post names ex-WSJ deputy EIC Jason Anders as managing editor of its News Hub, a newly created role to build the publication's central news desk — The newly created leadership role is charged with managing The Post's daily news agenda — The Washington Post named Jason Anders …
Discussion:
The Wrap
ABC News:
Sources: President Trump is considering installing Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro as interim US attorney for the District of Columbia — Pirro, if chosen, would be interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. — Judge Jeanine Pirro speaks following an exclusive interview …
Discussion:
New York Post, Twitchy, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, @hollybushbooks.bsky.social, ABA Journal, @punkrockscience.bsky.social, @esqueer.net, @supportdemocracy.bsky.social, @lrozen, @austinahlman, @samstein, @zkarlinn, @anatosaurus.bsky.social, @johnlcorbett.bsky.social, @maxberger.bsky.social, @zenofdesign.com, Fox News and CBS News
Eshe Nelson / New York Times:
President Trump's threatened 100% tariffs on foreign films causes anxiety in the UK industry; nearly 90% of the £5.6B spent on 2024 production came from abroad — After struggling through pandemic shutdowns and twin Hollywood strikes, the British film and TV industry is worried that duties will wreak devastation.
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Mark Lazarus says Versant, Comcast's cable TV spinoff, will have its own sports strategy, and has held talks with the NWSL and MLB on acquiring live game rights — Comcast's spinoff of most of NBCUniversal's cable portfolio has a new name - Versant. This week, I had a chance to speak …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, Alex Sherman on LinkedIn and Sports Media Watch
Financial Times:
Jefferies expects the global anime market to hit $60.1B by 2030, up from $31.2B in 2023, as Hollywood searches for IP; Japanese studios capture <10% of revenues — Stay informed with free updates — Simply sign up to the Media myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.
Discussion:
Comic Book and @simondowens@threads.com
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Rolling Stone announces CEO Gus Wenner will assume the role of executive chairman and Julian Holguin, the former president of Billboard, will become the new CEO — Rolling Stone has announced that Gus Wenner will assume the role of executive chairman, and Julian Holguin will become the brand's CEO.
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter and Julian Holguin on LinkedIn
Zac Ntim / Deadline:
India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting orders all streamers and OTT companies operating in India to pull Pakistani content, citing national security — The order was published today by India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In an X caption along with the order …
Discussion:
The Economic Times, Times of India, @globalaffairs, BMI, The Indian Express, Fortune India and @ani
Mark K. Miller / TVNewsCheck:
Nexstar reports Q1 revenue down 3.9% YoY to $1.23B, primarily due to reduced political advertising revenue and net income down 42% to $97M — Save this article for later! Login or create a Free Member Profile to bookmark it. — That $50 million drop to $1.23 billion was “primarily due to reduced political advertising revenue.”
Discussion:
The Desk, Sportico, Variety, Yahoo Finance, @tvgrimreaper, Barrett Media and Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
