Top News:
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Nexstar, which owns or partners with over 200 TV stations, is in advanced talks to acquire Tegna, which has 64 TV stations; TGNA rises 30%+ after hours — A deal between Nexstar and Tegna could be a litmus test for the FCC's deregulation push
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison praises South Park creators, noting the show's profitability for Paramount, even as the show mercilessly skewers Trump — Paramount's new CEO doesn't seem to think he has a “South Park” problem. — Rather, David Ellison sees the animated show as part …
Discussion:
Forbes, Multicast News, The Daily Beast, @joshsternberg.com, Screen Rant, The Hollywood Reporter, CNBC, The Hill, Comic Book, Status, Barron's Online, Straight Arrow News, Mediaite, RedState, Newsbusters, Mediaweek, @passantino.bsky.social, @bselena.bsky.social, @jenbellona.bsky.social, @michaelmartinez.co, Consequence, CNN, @proggrrl.bsky.social, Grabien, TV Insider, The Streamable, The Wrap, @timkarr.bsky.social, @knightlat.bsky.social, @status.news, @thetnholler.bsky.social, @blackdolphin.bsky.social, NewsMax.com, Washington Examiner, Los Angeles Times, Deadline, Business Insider and Variety
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Matt Novak / Gizmodo:
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez says Paramount-Skydance agreed to “never-before-seen forms of government control over newsroom decisions” through a “truth arbiter”
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison visited CBS News early Thursday, expressing admiration for the news division and acknowledging recent stresses
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison visited CBS News early Thursday, expressing admiration for the news division and acknowledging recent stresses
Discussion:
CNBC, Paramount, Puck, New York Sun, Observer, Sports Business Journal, Poynter, @dylanbyers, @loudmouthjulia, UPI, The Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair, Deadline, Slate, The Independent, Deadline, HuffPost, StreamTV Insider, The Wrap, Associated Press, New York Post, Deadline, @brianstelter.bsky.social, Cord Cutters News and Screen
Charlotte Klein / The Cut:
How former Food52 executive Shannon Muldoon stole $270,000+ from Food52 between 2021 and 2023 by using the company's credit card for luxury clothing and travel — Shannon Muldoon, a bright and vibrant media executive, lived a life of unquiet luxury. She bought the best clothes …
Katie Kilkenny / The Hollywood Reporter:
After four years as SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher will not seek another term; ballots for new candidates will be collected from August 13 to September 12 — A list of national political candidates at the union, released Friday, confirmed that the labor group's erstwhile strike leader is not seeking reelection.
Discussion:
Entertainment Weekly, The A.V. Club, The Wrap, Variety and TVNewsCheck
Bloomberg:
Sources: Netflix is exploring a deal to stream MLB's Home Run Derby, after ESPN walked away, and may be interested in additional baseball programming — Netflix Inc. is exploring a deal to stream Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby, people familiar with the matter said, after ESPN walked away.
Discussion:
Dallas Morning News, Awful Announcing, Fox Business, The Daily Caller, Sports Business Journal and Wrestling Inc.
WyoFile:
Wyoming newspaper owners and staffers are scrambling to save local papers, after Illinois-based News Media Corporation announced their immediate closure — Hope arrived in the form of a caravan winding its way down the dirt road to Marie Hamilton's home out on the eastern Wyoming prairie …
Discussion:
@shelleyridenour.bsky.social, @wyofile.com, Oil City News and MPR News
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Disney's merging of Hulu into Disney+ could reduce operating costs, as Hulu will hit $4.1B in programming expenses and $2.9B in non-programming costs in FY 2025 — In 2026, Disney expects to shutter Hulu as a standalone app and service — and fully merge Hulu into Disney+.
Discussion:
@tvgrimreaper, Screen Rant, GB News, al.com, PCMag, Cele|bitchy, Elite Daily and Plain Dealer
Forbes:
A profile of 30-year-old Daniella Pierson, founder of lifestyle newsletter The Newsette, as sources say she's been exaggerating her companies' worth for years — Daniella Pierson has cozied up to everyone from Diane von Furstenberg to Selena Gomez, burnishing her image as her businesses unraveled.
Discussion:
Futurism, @john__hyatt, @incrmntlreturns, @hkanji, @jemimacmcevoy, @jbenton, @mhunterhart, @mhunterhart, @mhunterhart, @mhunterhart, Business Insider on LinkedIn, @mhunterhart.bsky.social, @kerrydolan.bsky.social, @kerrydolan.bsky.social, @mhunterhart.bsky.social, @mhunterhart.bsky.social, @mhunterhart.bsky.social and @triketora.com
Ashley Belanger / Ars Technica:
Two tech groups are backing Anthropic's appeal of a court ruling allowing a copyright class action, saying potential big settlements could chill AI investment — AI industry groups are urging an appeals court to block what they say is the largest copyright class action ever certified.
Discussion:
@garyshapiro, @ccianet, @markriedl.bsky.social, @drahardja@sfba.social, @tomcoates.bsky.social, CCIA, @radiodeadair.com, @jonzoidberg.xyz, @awsparling.bsky.social, @jrmoockjr.bsky.social, @serbianism.com, @sfoskett@techfieldday.net, @botwiki@mastodon.social, @kvetch.gay, @joelvanderwerf@mastodon …, @hub@cosocial.ca, @arstechnica@mastodon.social, Bloomberg Law, CCIA and United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:
Advocates for net neutrality say they won't appeal a ruling against the policy, saying they don't trust the US Supreme Court to rule fairly on the issue — Advocacy groups that tried to defend federal net neutrality rules in court won't file an appeal, saying they don't trust the Supreme Court to rule fairly on the issue.
Peter White / Deadline:
Stephen Colbert, whose late show is scheduled to end on CBS in May 2026, directly pitches Netflix and Amazon during his last show before a summer break — The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is ending in May but the host is already courting new employers. — Colbert, who is off for a few weeks …
Discussion:
twitchy.com, Hollywood Life, Variety, The Independent, @howodd69, Cracked.com, Screen Rant, Entertainment Weekly, Screen Rant, Mashable and The A.V. Club
GB News:
GB News launches on Truth+, Trump Media's streaming TV platform, as part of the free basic package — GB News has today embarked on an exciting new venture in the US after launching onto Truth+. — The sister platform to Truth Social announced today that it has added the People's Channel to Truth+ …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Mirror, Trump Media & … and Financial Times
