Top News:
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
The US Senate votes narrowly early Thursday morning to strip $1.1B in funding from the CPB, in a severe blow to 1,500 local TV and radio stations, PBS, and NPR — The Senate voted narrowly early Thursday morning to strip $1.1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting …
Discussion:
NPR, New York Times, The Wrap, CNN, TheDesk.net, Breitbart, Deseret News, The Movie Blog, CBS News, Poynter, al.com, Werd I/O, Consequence, Jim Friedlich on LinkedIn, @rickstengel.bsky.social, NBC News, Cord Cutters News, Newser, The A.V. Club, Financial Times, Newsbusters, Doc Searls Weblog, @hansilowang.bsky.social, Free Press Action Fund Feed, @stacykess.bsky.social, PJ Media, American Thinker, The Federalist, Fox News, Deadline, Inside Radio, Barrett Media, The Post Millennial, TVNewsCheck, Bloomberg, Digital Music News, Whiskey Riff and NewsMax.com
RELATED:
Vanessa Rancaño / KQED:
Bay Area public radio station KQED says it is laying off 45 people and 12 are taking voluntary buyouts, a 15% staff cut; 10 vacant positions will go unfilled — KQED announced Tuesday it's laying off 45 people and losing 12 more who took voluntary departure offers, marking a 15% reduction …
Tyler Falk / Current:
New York Public Radio CEO LaFontaine Oliver is stepping down from the position and stepping into the newly created position of executive chair — Oliver said the board asked him to serve in the new role as threats to public broadcasting mount. — NYPR Board Chair John Rose wrote in an email …
Discussion:
Inside Radio and Radio Ink
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Leaked all-hands: Mathias Döpfner said Axel Springer employees must use AI, opposed disclosing to readers whether AI was used in the reporting process, and more — Axel Springer—the German publishing group that owns POLITICO, Business Insider, and BILD—had streamed the event company-wide.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @erinmcunningham.bsky.social, The Wrap and @passantino.bsky.social
Anna Ringstrom / Reuters:
Swedish streaming service Viaplay buys the remaining 50% stake in broadband and satellite TV provider Allente Group from Telenor for ~$113M — Swedish streaming group Viaplay Group (VPLAYb.ST) said on Thursday it had agreed to buy the remaining 50% stake in Allente Group from Norway's Telenor …
Discussion:
Decode TV, Broadband TV News, Advanced Television and Deadline
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Sources: EU regulators plan a full-scale investigation into UMG's $775M acquisition of Downtown Music; UMG didn't provide remedies to address regulatory worries — Universal Music Group (UMG.AS) unit Virgin Music Group's $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music faces a full-scale EU antitrust investigation …
Discussion:
Music Ally, Digital Music News, CMU, Billboard and Music Business Worldwide
Reuters:
Publicis raises its full-year growth forecast to ~5% after stronger-than-expected Q2 results, and CEO Arthur Sadoun dismisses concerns over Meta's AI ad systems — French advertising firm Publicis (PUBP.PA) on Thursday raised its full-year organic growth forecast following stronger …
Discussion:
Adweek, MediaPost, BMI, Ad Age, Financial Times, Adweek, Bloomberg, The Drum, Publicis Groupe, Wall Street Journal, Tech in Asia and PR Week UK
Josh Hersh / Columbia Journalism Review:
Q&A with Alan Rusbridger on criticism of the BBC for its Gaza coverage, the difficulty of leading the broadcaster, the need for it to be independent, and more — The former Guardian editor has been keeping tabs on the challenges at the venerable broadcaster.
Discussion:
The Guardian and GB News
Erik Ofgang / New York Times:
Some US states pass or explore laws aimed at reining in the cost of e-books for libraries, which often pay 10x more for e-book licenses than print copies — Proposed legislation would pressure publishers to adjust borrowing limits and find other ways to widen access.
Discussion:
@tepski.tech, @kylekcourtney.bsky.social, @libraryfutures.bsky.social and Inside Higher Ed
Christian Lorentzen / New York Times:
A review of Empire of the Elite, NYT reporter Michael Grynbaum's new book about the “insider-outsiders” who led Condé Nast titles in the magazines' heyday — “Empire of the Elite,” by Michael M. Grynbaum, is a story of (mostly) insider-outsiders who helmed the glossiest American magazines in their heyday.
Discussion:
@charlottetklein, @xlorentzen and New York Magazine
Financial Times:
Sources: the European Commission has stalled one of its X investigations for breaking its digital transparency rules, as it negotiates a trade deal with the US — EU was expected to finalise its investigation before the bloc's summer recess but will now miss this deadline
Discussion:
Reuters, Politico, WinBuzzer and Cryptopolitan
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
The Trump administration sues three members of CPB, seeking approval for their terminations, after attempting to fire them on April 28 — The president fired three Democrats running the organization that funds NPR and PBS, but they say the terminations were illegal. — Summary
Discussion:
Current, Fox News, CBS News, Radio Ink, Ars Technica, ABC News, The Hill, Fortune and Washington Examiner
