Top News:
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
WBD splits into two publicly traded companies: Global Networks, with CNN and other cable channels, and Streaming & Studios, with HBO Max and its studio business — The entertainment company is contending with a hefty debt load and a sagging stock price
Discussion:
CNN, Mediaweek, New York Times, The Desk, Variety, Axios, Associated Press, Awful Announcing, @sherman4949, New York Post, @sherman4949, @sarafischer, @jbflint, @sherman4949, @jbflint, The Streamable, @xpangler, @benremaly, @jbflint, @karlbode.com, @brianstelter, @ofadam.com, How-To Geek, @jbflint, Dylan Jones on LinkedIn, Barrett Media, Financial Times, @tvgrimreaper, TechCrunch, @sherman4949, @jackcarterbenjamin …, The Independent, Deadline, @dylanbyers, Newser, @alissawilkinson.bsky.social, @sherman4949, @pkafka, @karlbode.com, @jbflint, Sports Business Journal, @jbflint, Ava Justin on LinkedIn, Yevhen Zorichev on LinkedIn, MediaPost, Yahoo Finance and The Washington Free Beacon
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Jacob Pramuk / CNBC:
WBD says David Zaslav will be CEO of the new Streaming & Studios business, and current WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels will become CEO of the Global Networks business — Warner Bros. Discovery plans to split into two public companies by next year, the media giant announced Monday …
Discussion:
The Verge, Broadband TV News, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., Variety, Adweek, MarketWatch, @radiodeadair.com, New York Sun, Deadline, @kristenlopez88.bsky.social, ZeroHedge News, Entrepreneur, Screen, NBC News, Quartz, TVBEurope, @thacalebdume.bsky.social, The Business Times, Front Office Sports, The Wrap, Pocket-lint, Bloomberg, NPR, The Hollywood Reporter, @robpegoraro.com, RetailWire, The Streamable, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Yahoo Finance, UPI, Los Angeles Times, Proactive, Advanced Television, Cord Cutters News, Mediaite, Tom's Guide, Le Monde, Times of India, Reuters, PR Daily, WORLD SCREEN and TVNewsCheck
Tony Maglio / The Hollywood Reporter:
WBD's split is set to close in mid-2026; CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels says he assumes “the majority” of WBD's ~$37B debt will exist with the spun off Global Networks
WBD's split is set to close in mid-2026; CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels says he assumes “the majority” of WBD's ~$37B debt will exist with the spun off Global Networks
Discussion:
CNBC, @sherman4949, @mhwilliams.bsky.social, Engadget, Kotaku, PCWorld, @sherman4949, MarketWatch, @sherman4949 and Sportico
New York Times:
Docs: from mid-December, YouTube told moderators to prioritize “freedom of expression” over potential harm, including for political, social, and cultural issues — The world's largest video platform has told content moderators to favor “freedom of expression” over the risk of harm in deciding what to take down.
Natasha May / The Guardian:
9News Australia reporter Lauren Tomasi was shot with a rubber bullet by law enforcement live on camera while reporting on LA protests against immigration raids — Nine correspondent Lauren Tomasi was filming a piece to camera about LAPD ‘moving in’ on demonstrators when struck by bullet
Discussion:
BBC, The Guardian, The Times, Adweek, Salon, 9News, Committee to Protect …, New York Post, @9newsaus, CBS News, CNN, New York Times, WWL-TV, @girlbosswoman, NBC Bay Area, The US Sun, @joelcardwellx, @designedtofade, @_zeets, @craigbuchananwa.bsky.social, @gregggonsalves.bsky.social, @rekrav.bsky.social, @sigkill, @nickmckim, @grhutchens, @cbmccartney, Daily Caller News Foundation, The Wrap, The Independent, @adamrose.bsky.social, @nickschadegg, Telegraph, Out Magazine, The Daily Beast, Alternet.org, Newser, @byyourlogic, Deadline, TechCrunch, @stayinalive2.bsky.social, @daanysaeed, @emgeekay.bsky.social, @krishgm, @newsguy.bsky.social, Politico, The Hill and Full Feed
Max Tani / Semafor:
Politico's editorial union says its new AI tool generates garbled or made-up DC intelligence, including a fictional basket-weaver guild; Politico defends it — The Scoop — Politico's new AI product has generated garbled or made-up Washington intelligence, including a lobbying effort …
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
ABC News suspends senior national correspondent Terry Moran over a now-deleted X post calling Trump administration official Stephen Miller a “world class hater” — ABC News said that it has suspended senior national correspondent Terry Moran over a late night X post, now deleted …
Discussion:
@stephenm, @presssec, New York Post, @jdvance, Mediaite, CNN, HuffPost, Mediaite, RedState, The Desk, Washington Examiner, Deseret News, Ace of Spades HQ, Axios, Fox News, The Japan News, The Federalist, Daily Mail, @agentzo.bsky.social, Newsbusters, Adweek, Poynter, People, New York Daily News, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Reason, @aidnmclaughlin, @billybinion, @kampeas, @theemodragon.bsky.social, @yashar, @brianstelter, @farhip, @gtconway3d, @noturtlesoup17, @philipaklein, @brianstelter, @senatorbanks, @yashar, @jojofromjerz, @mayaonstage.bsky.social, Fox News, Variety, @adamserwer.bsky.social, @wagatwe.com, @joshuaerlich.bsky.social, @michaeljstern.bsky.social and New York Post
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Disney closes its deal with Comcast to buy out NBCUniversal's 33% stake in Hulu, paying an additional $439M, after agreeing in 2023 to pay $8.61B — Disney agreed to buy Comcast's 33 percent stake in Hulu in 2023, after an extended appraisal process, the deal is finally set to close.
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Dr. Phil was embedded with ICE during the LA immigration raids, for a report on McGraw's Merit TV, highlighting the made-for-TV nature of Trump's crackdown — As federal agents prepared to fan out in Los Angeles for a controversial immigration crackdown, the officers were greeted by a familiar face: Dr. Phil McGraw.
Discussion:
404 Media, Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Politico, The A.V. Club, The Cut, The Wrap, BBC, Bloomberg, Mother Jones, Fox Business, Time, New York Post, Washington Post, Mediaite, RedState, The Guardian, Global News, SFGATE, NPR, Wired, ABC News, Axios, @ggvotesblue.bsky.social, The Independent, @murshedz.bsky.social, @besmith63.bsky.social, @robertscotthorton.bsky.social, @awinston.bsky.social, @brianstelter.bsky.social, @aadip.bsky.social, @nateforutah.bsky.social, @angrydonkeynews.bsky.social, @brianstelter, Raw Story, @heidilifeldman@mastodon …, Le Monde, @aaronblake, KRDO, The Daily Signal, Ars Technica, Townhall, @brianstelter, @lucas_shaw, @tinyklaus.com, @stevemnomoremister …, Advocate, The Gateway Pundit, Protos, Daily Kos, @brianstelter, Metro.co.uk, MSNBC, @matttomic.bsky.social, The Hill, New York Sun, Breitbart, Washington Times and NewsMax.com, more at Techmeme »
Katharine Viner / The Guardian:
The Guardian partners with Cambridge University to launch Secure Messaging in its app, protecting sources by making messages indistinguishable from other data — Today, the Guardian, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, launches Secure Messaging, a world-first from a media organisation
Discussion:
GitHub, The Guardian, University of Cambridge, Vicky Frost on LinkedIn, @dpcarrington.bsky.social, iPhone in Canada, @pivic@kolektiva.social, Press Gazette, @vivianschiller.bsky.social, @1br0wn@eupolicy.social, Chris Beall on LinkedIn, Alastair Beresford on LinkedIn, @hoy.la, Daniel Hugenroth on LinkedIn and r/theguardian, more at Techmeme »
Sam Tobin / Reuters:
Getty's copyright lawsuit against Stability AI begins at London's High Court, accusing it of unlawfully scraping millions of images; Stability denies the claims — Getty Images' landmark copyright lawsuit against artificial intelligence company Stability AI begins at London's High Court on Monday …
Discussion:
Associated Press, BusinessLIVE, The Guardian, Plagiarism Today, WinBuzzer, Tech in Asia, Press Gazette and Cryptopolitan, more at Techmeme »
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
Interviews with The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Yahoo News executives about how AI-powered summaries can help busy readers, reliability issues, and more — “Summaries aren't a replacement for journalism: they can't exist without it.” The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg …
Discussion:
@niemanlab.org and @sarahscire.com
Kristin Robinson / Billboard:
Sources: Sony Music has acquired Hipgnosis Songs, three months after it was rebranded as Recognition Music — News of Sony's acquisition comes three months after Hipgnosis rebranded itself as Recognition Music Group. … Emails obtained by Billboard under the subject line …
Discussion:
Variety, Music Ally, David Dunn on LinkedIn, Digital Music News, CMU and The Hollywood Reporter
