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, CNN, TheDesk.net, NBC News, The A.V. Club, Free Press Action Fund Feed, Newsbusters, @hansilowang.bsky.social, Financial Times, American Thinker, Doc Searls Weblog, PJ Media, The Federalist, Fox News, Deadline, Inside Radio, Barrett Media, The Post Millennial, Poynter, TVNewsCheck, Bloomberg, Digital Music News, Whiskey Riff and NewsMax.com
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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:
Fox News, Current, Radio Ink, Ars Technica, ABC News, The Hill, Fortune and Washington Examiner
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
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 …
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, Tech in Asia, The Drum, Ad Age, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Publicis Groupe 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, GB News, Variety and Press Gazette
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:
Inside Higher Ed
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:
Cryptopolitan, WinBuzzer and Reuters
David Bauder / Associated Press:
CBS Late Show host Stephen Colbert condemns parent company Paramount Global settling President Trump's lawsuit over a 60 Minutes story as a “big fat bribe” — This isn't a joke. They've made that clear. — CBS “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert condemned parent company Paramount …
Discussion:
Variety, New York Sun, @tdogmedia.bsky.social, Mashable, RADAR, The A.V. Club, NewsMax.com, Newsbusters, Fox News, The Wrap, The Guardian, Breitbart and TV Insider
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Jessica Lessin's softball TITV interview with Mark Zuckerberg without disclosing their close personal ties raises thorny ethical issues and insults her newsroom — Jessica Lessin's glitchy Mark Zuckerberg interview raised eyebrows in tech-media circles—but not just because of the technical failure.
