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:
New York Times, CNN, Axios, Associated Press, Variety, Awful Announcing, New York Post, Sports Business Journal, Yahoo Finance, Financial Times, The Streamable, Barrett Media, Dylan Jones on LinkedIn, @jbflint, @sherman4949, Newser, @sarafischer, @sherman4949, @jbflint, @brianstelter, @jbflint, @jbflint, @xpangler, @sherman4949, @jbflint, Deadline, @sherman4949, @sherman4949, WPXI-TV and @jackcarterbenjamin …
RELATED:
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 Wrap, NBC News, Advanced Television, TVNewsCheck, Mediaite, Reuters, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, Quartz, Times of India, Yahoo Finance, The Verge, MarketWatch, Broadband TV News, ZeroHedge News, WORLD SCREEN, Screen, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Cord Cutters News, TVBEurope and CBS News
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 — But “a not-insignificant portion” will remain with Streaming & Studios — and with David Zaslav.
Discussion:
@sherman4949 and @sherman4949
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, CNN, @presssec, @jdvance, Mediaite, Fox News, Axios, Poynter, The Hollywood Reporter, Barrett Media, New York Times, USA Today, @joshuaerlich.bsky.social, Variety, New York Sun, The Japan News, @yashar, Townhall, @brianstelter, Los Angeles Times, Breitbart, @jojofromjerz, masslive.com, @brianstelter, @billybinion, HuffPost, Entertainment Weekly, @aidnmclaughlin, The Guardian, Newser, New Jersey Online, HotAir, @farhip, @gtconway3d, @theemodragon.bsky.social, al.com, Fox News, @michaeljstern.bsky.social, TV Insider, One America News Network, @noturtlesoup17, New York Daily News, Daily Caller News Foundation, Reason, CBS News, @mayaonstage.bsky.social, Financial Times, The Hill, @adamserwer.bsky.social, @wagatwe.com, @kampeas, @senatorbanks, @yashar, @philipaklein, RedState, Rolling Stone, New York Post, Washington Times, Politico, NewsMax.com, Newsbusters, Alternet.org, The A.V. Club, Salon, The Boston Globe, TVLine, The Post Millennial, The Independent and Just Jared
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:
The Times, TechCrunch, CBS News, 9News, Newser, MyNorthwest.com, Alternet.org, New York Post, Metro.co.uk, @girlbosswoman, The US Sun, @joelcardwellx, @designedtofade, @_zeets, @craigbuchananwa.bsky.social, @gregggonsalves.bsky.social, @sigkill, @nickmckim, @grhutchens, @cbmccartney, @nickschadegg, @byyourlogic, @9newsaus, Deadline, @daanysaeed, @krishgm, Time and i 💚 ween, more at Techmeme »
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.
Discussion:
Engadget, 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
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:
Talking Biz News, @niemanlab.org and @sarahscire.com, more at Techmeme »
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 …
New York Times:
In its ruling letting Trump bar AP, a US appeals court says small settings like the Oval Office are essentially invite-only and not covered by 1A protections — By a 2-to-1 vote, a three-judge panel found that the president can bar the news outlet from small settings such as the Oval Office …
Discussion:
CNN, Diane Ravitch's blog, JURIST, @mrsdeborahlynn.bsky.social, @brianstelter.bsky.social, @scottnover, The A.V. Club, Associated Press, Kai Falkenberg on LinkedIn, Bloomberg, @peterbakernyt.bsky.social, Media Nation, American Wire News, Washington Post, Twitchy, New York Post, Mediaite, Deadline, TVNewsCheck, Washington Times, The Wrap, The Gateway Pundit, KRDO and Washington Examiner
RELATED:
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
WPP CEO Mark Read plans to leave WPP by the end of 2025 after 30+ years, as the ad firm faces a near five-year share price low and AI-driven industry upheaval — Mark Read will step down from UK group after market capitalisation halved during his seven-year tenure
Discussion:
Adweek, PRWeek, Reuters, The Guardian, MediaPost, Variety, The Drum, NewsMax.com, The Times, The Standard, @marksweney, BMI, The Independent, MediaNews4U and Fortune
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
In a wide-ranging report, the BFI says AI companies are plundering 130K UK film and TV scripts to train AI models in a “direct threat” to the industry's future — Film institute's report raises fears AI will eliminate junior roles in film, TV, video game and special effects industries
Discussion:
Variety, PetaPixel, Dexerto, BFI, @metacurity.com, @eicathomefinn.bsky.social, Screen, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, The Decoder and Gamereactor UK
