Top News:
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Sources: WaPo plans to launch video podcasts, one hosted by columnist Megan McArdle next month and a flagship show led by Opinion Editor Adam O'Neal in January — Mentioned in this edition: Bari Weiss, Tom Cibrowski, Rebecca Blumenstein, Lachlan Murdoch, Ben Shapiro, Laura Loomer, Paul Beckett …
Max Tani / @maxwelltani:
Sources: Bari Weiss introduced herself to CBS News staff on Tuesday's morning call, saying she wants to “win” and ending by saying “let's do the fucking news” — Bari Weiss introduced herself to CBS News staff today on the network's 9AM call, saying she wants to “win,” which requires restoring trust to CBS. She also said she was excited for staff to get to know the Free Press, and ended her remarks by saying: “Let's do the fucking news.”
Discussion:
The Verge, @danfinn95, @awinston, @adamjohnsonchi, @dennismhogan, @gregjkrieg, @nkulw, @laurajedeed, @petreraleigh, @alexyablon, @curtishouck, @rosswbermaniv, @jesse_brenneman, @tvgrimreaper, @joshsternberg.com, @ryanlcooper.com, @maxwelltani, @cubreporter.bsky.social, @allisonhantschel.com, @thorbenson.bsky.social, @theintercept.com, @laurajedeed.bsky.social, @willbunch.bsky.social, @kirbytheawsum.bsky.social, @davidmackau.bsky.social, @thinlyveiledtruth.bsky.social, @sweetbobby.bsky.social, @slothropsmap.bsky.social, The Wrap, @mikahmiriam.bsky.social, @angus.bsky.social, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @lauraolin.bsky.social, @kimischilling.bsky.social, @jasondashbailey.com, The Intercept, Althouse, Semafor, The Free Press, TVNewsCheck, Wall Street Journal, New York Post and Barrett Media
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: Lynn Forester de Rothschild has put her family's full 26.7% stake in The Economist up for sale, and sellers anticipate it to be valued at up to £400M — British philanthropist and investor Lynn Forester de Rothschild has put her family's entire 26.7% stake in The Economist up for sale …
Discussion:
Reuters, The Times and Talking Biz News
Ethan Millman / The Hollywood Reporter:
Spotify enters into a direct music publishing agreement with BMG, following deals in 2025 with UMG, Sony Music, Warner Chappell, and Kobalt — “Working directly with Spotify helps us reinforce our mission to ensure songwriters are fairly represented and rewarded for their work," BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld said.
Discussion:
Billboard, Spotify and Music Business Worldwide
Associated Press:
Bob Ross Inc. plans to auction 30 Bob Ross paintings, and the proceeds, estimated at $850K to $1.4M, will go to public TV stations to help pay programming fees — Thirty paintings created by the bushy-haired, soft-spoken Bob Ross will soon be up for auction to defray the costs of programming …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, The A.V. Club, @willmckinley.bsky.social, @willmckinley@mstdn.social, @wspa7, @pbsnews.org, BBC, @flingjore.com, TODAY.com, NBC News, WBEZ Chicago, @the-jaguarr.bsky.social, @bselena.bsky.social, @kottke@mastodon.social, @margarita.bsky.social, @2xaught7.ing, @ninametz.bsky.social, @mirandayaver.bsky.social, @craftylefty2126.bsky.social, @adgwatches.bsky.social, @all-rush-mix-tape.bsky.social and @jenlb.bsky.social
Washington Post:
An analysis of 1,100 TikTok users' watch histories across six months in 2024 shows how effective TikTok is at getting even its heaviest users to watch more — More than 800 U.S. TikTok users shared their data with The Washington Post. We used it to find out why some people become power users, spending hours per day scrolling.
Discussion:
Michael Geist, @BenjaminHCCarr@hachyderm.io, The Boston Globe, @caulfieldtim.bsky.social, Meghan Hoyer on LinkedIn, @sfcpoll.bsky.social, @remixtures@tldr.nettime.org, @meghanhoyer.bsky.social, @bradheath.bsky.social, @justinhendrix.bsky.social, @hern.bsky.social, NextDraft and FlowingData, more at Techmeme »
Christopher Beam / Wired:
A profile of Josh Wallace Kerrigan, also known as Neural Viz, a filmmaker using AI tools from Midjourney to Runway to create a cinematic universe — Behold Neural Viz, the first great cinematic universe of the AI era. It's from a guy named Josh. — The filmmaker could not get Tiggy the alien to cooperate.
Discussion:
@jcbeam, @jholston.bsky.social and @mausellmoli.bsky.social, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Filing: PA Media Group reports 2024 revenue up 3% YoY to £116.3M, its eighth consecutive year of revenue growth, but profit before tax declined by 4% to £8.6M — Accounts for 2024 are first under new CEO Emily Shelley. — PA Media Group has grown its revenue for the eighth year in a row …
Lucy Schiller / Columbia Journalism Review:
A look at low-power radio stations, which are hyperlocal, focused on emergency notifications and community voices, and usually very budget-constrained — Years ago, in Louisville, “people just didn't understand this concept of having a radio station where people could just walk in and play …
Marc Caputo / Axios:
HarperCollins UK apologizes to Melania Trump and recalls a book that repeated unverified claims that Jeffrey Epstein helped introduce her to President Trump — Book publisher HarperCollins UK apologized to First Lady Melania Trump on Tuesday and recalled a book that repeated unverified claims …
Discussion:
Mediaite, @marcacaputo, Raw Story, @melaniatrump, @harpercollinsuk, Fox News and Blaze Media
Charlotte Klein / New York Magazine:
Reporters describe the absurdity of covering the Eric Adams administration, a tumultuously entertaining four years for New York City's press corps — “He's one of the oddest people in politics that I've ever covered.” — Room 9, the press room at City Hall, is full of memorabilia …
Discussion:
@mlcalderone and New York Times
Marc Bennetts / The Times:
Vyacheslav Leontyev, ex-publisher of Soviet newspaper Pravda, is found dead in Moscow; a police source says he is suspected to have thrown himself from a window — The long time head of the Soviet newspaper Pravda has been found dead in Moscow, heightening concerns over a pattern of similar deaths
