Top News:
Reuters:
Nexstar agrees to acquire Tegna for $3.54B in a deal valued at $6.2B including debt, expected to close by H2 2026; Nexstar plans to pay $22 per share — Nexstar Media has agreed to buy smaller rival Tegna for $3.54 billion, creating a local-TV powerhouse that seeks to compete better …
Discussion:
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Broadband TV News, Variety, FTVLive, @eriqgardner, Adweek, @reporterashley, @agomezfcc, TheDesk.net, @brianstelter, Plain Dealer, Atlanta Business Journal, Inside Radio, Dallas Innovates, NewsMax.com, Seattle Business Journal, Associated Press, @bethfinellowx, @kevinbuffalo, Multicast News, @matthewcappucci, StreamTV Insider, @brianstelter, @jeremyjojola, @kyleclark, @amandamatwell, @sarafischer, @tylerhugheswx, @markmaxwelltv, @nxstmediagroup, @tegna, @jerodnbc4, Portland Business Journal, New York Post, Poynter, Columbus Business Journal, Houston Business Journal, Free Press Action Fund Feed, New York Times, Reuters, NCS | NewscastStudio, Dallas Business Journal, Los Angeles Times, TV Tech, UPI, The Streamable, MediaPost, CBS News, Yahoo Finance, CNN, Washington …, Denver Post, Awful Announcing, Investigative Post, Axios, Radio & Television …, The Wrap, Bloomberg, al.com, MarketWatch, Baltimore Business Journal, Cord Cutters News, KWES, Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Advanced Television, WTOP News and Barrett Media
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post:
Newly unredacted documents in the Smartmatic-Fox News defamation case show former host Jeanine Pirro, now a US attorney, bragging about aiding Trump and the GOP — The former Fox host complained of “CENSORSHIP” by Fox over her coverage of the 2020 election, according to newly unredacted documents in the Smartmatic defamation case.
Discussion:
New York Times, Mediaite, @amyewest.bsky.social, @farhip, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @jenhayden.bsky.social, @nasaisright.bsky.social, @kylegriffin1.bsky.social, @Nonilex@masto.ai, @washingtonpost.com, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @mattortega.com, @emptywheel.bsky.social and The Independent
Andrew Marchand / The Athletic:
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro bets big on streaming after eight years of planning, calling the new DTC app launch “the first inning” with more features to come — ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro's big bet is not all-or-nothing. — On Thursday, Pitaro and the sports media behemoth …
Discussion:
Sportico, Sports Business Journal, ESPN, @andrewmarchand, Awful Announcing, Awful Announcing, Barrett Media and Cord Cutters News
Molly White / Citation Needed:
A look at Justin Sun's lawsuit against Bloomberg for publishing his holdings, which he claims he provided confidentially to qualify for its Billionaires Index — A crypto billionaire who once feared arrest in the US is now a Trump business adviser and White House guest.
Discussion:
@pinemikey.bsky.social, @molly.wiki, Talking Biz News and Molly White, more at Techmeme »
James B. Stewart / New York Times:
Interviews with Shari Redstone and others detail her decision to sell her family's empire, Paramount's settlement with President Trump, her reputation, and more — The media mogul spoke at length for the first time about selling her family's empire, Paramount's settlement with President Trump …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Mumbrella, New York Sun, @loudmouthjulia, The Washington Free Beacon, @mediaevan, @alexthomp, Fox News, Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, @danprimack, @aidnmclaughlin, @jpodhoretz, @pkafka, @collinconnors, HotAir, @benmullin, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Caller News Foundation, Media Play News, Deadline, Mediaite, The Wrap, Fortune, New York Post, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, @paulthedogman.bsky.social, Instapundit and TVNewsCheck
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:
Sling TV launches Sling Select, a smaller bundle with Fox News, FX, and FS1 for $20/month in some places and rising to $25-$30/month with ABC, Fox, and NBC — Sling TV has added a new low-cost option to its streaming lineup with the launch of Sling Select, a smaller television package …
Nicole Acevedo / NBC News:
A researcher found 88 TikTok accounts that used AI-generated versions of Jorge Ramos and other Spanish-language journalists to spread misinformation for profit — The accounts point to the challenge of stopping or controlling the surge in fake images and misinformation targeting Spanish speakers in the U.S. as AI technology advances.
Discussion:
Reuters, Agence France-Presse, The Verge, KEYE, @mantzarlis.com and @mantzarlis.com
Claire Atkinson / The Media Mix:
A look at Swerve Sports, a FAST TV channel for women's sports launched by veteran TV executive Christy Tanner, as FAST TV grows despite data challenges — Christy Tanner is ready for a FAST fight to get more data from the platforms and put women's sport on the map. Plus streaming is almost half of all viewing now.
Discussion:
nScreenMedia
Sara Merican / Deadline:
Chinese media conglomerate COL launches a global content distribution division, offering over 1,000 microdramas in both English and Chinese — Chinese media conglomerate COL today announced the launch of its global content distribution division, seeking to become the world's largest reseller of micro-dramas.
Discussion:
PRovoke Media and Variety
Rick Porter / The Hollywood Reporter:
Matt and Ross Duffer officially sign a four-year exclusive deal with Paramount for theatrical films, TV, and streaming projects, starting in April 2026 — The ‘Stranger Things’ creators will create movie, TV and streaming projects for the studio, with a focus on tentpole films.
Discussion:
Variety, FemaleFirst, CNBC, Hypebeast, CinemaBlend, Benzinga, Screen, mxdwn Television, Nerdist, The Wrap, Deadline and Screen Rant
Steve Holland / Reuters:
The White House launches an official TikTok account, aiming to communicate President Trump's policies; the first video shows Trump declaring “I am your voice” — The White House launched an official TikTok account on Tuesday, taking advantage of its more than 150 million U.S. users …
Discussion:
Engadget, Arabian Business, Anadolu Ajansı …, The Independent, Times of India, Benzinga, Ukrainian National News, @justinling.ca, Newsweek, @toasterposey.art, Economic news, Fox News, New York Times, @bselena.bsky.social, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Hindustan Times, @gayguycandleco.bsky.social, India Today, Telegraph, The Hill, The Post Millennial, BERNAMA and GMA News Online, more at Techmeme »
Jonathan Stempel / Reuters:
Google will pay $30M to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it violated kids' privacy on YouTube by collecting data without parental consent for targeted ads — Google (GOOGL.O) will pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit claiming it violated the privacy of children using YouTube by collecting …
