Top News:
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
A look at CBS News in the first weeks of Bari Weiss as EIC: weak 60 Minutes ratings, union members' concerns, outreach for potential new anchors, and more — Analysis: New editor in chief has landed good interviews, but needs to learn to make stories ‘sizzle’ and lure bigger audiences
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @bristei.bsky.social, TVNewsCheck, @dankennedy.net, MediaPost and Breaker
Charles Gasparino / New York Post:
Sources: Trump administration prefers that Paramount Skydance buy Warner Bros. Discovery; a source says “who owns WBD is very important to the administration” — The Trump administration favors Paramount Skydance to buy Warner Bros. Discovery - and a number of rival bidders …
Discussion:
@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva …, @mattgertz, @mpolymer, @paultassi, Wall Street Journal, Breitbart, @jonathanmb32, @sherman4949, Benzinga, New York Sun, MSNBC, @cgasparino, @ryangrim, @dilanesper, @obsoletedogma, @therickwilson, @sodutw, @christinafaith, @jordanzakarin, @jnthngss, @mehdirhasan, @rodazurmendi, @stanveuger, @adamjohnsonchi, @saikatc, @miguelangeltoro, The Wrap, @bjbetheltweets, @helaineolen, @edeggans.bsky.social, @haroldfeld.bsky.social, @notjessewalker, @jeremymbarr, @matthewstoller, @rotopat, @mattyglesias, @franklinleonard, @rubengallego, CNN, @amykristinsanders.bsky.social, Semafor, Raw Story, @saikatforcongress.bsky.social, @karlbode.com, iDrop News, The Independent and Puck
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Hannah Murphy / Financial Times:
Sources: X's advertising chief John Nitti, who joined in January, has left; X's CFO Mahmoud Reza Banki left in early October after less than a year in the role — John Nitti was considered a contender for CEO of the social media platform after Linda Yaccarino quit in July
Discussion:
TechCrunch and @passantino.bsky.social
Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:
YouTube says it paid out $8B+ to the music industry in the 12 months to June 2025, up from $6B+ in 2022 and $4B+ in 2021 — YouTube has paid more than $8 billion to the music industry in the 12 months between July 2024 and July 2025, the company announced on Thursday.
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Automattic files counterclaims against WP Engine's October 2024 lawsuit and alleges that WP Engine has been abusing the WordPress trademark — On Friday, WordPress maker Automattic filed its counterclaims in the lawsuit initiated by hosting company WP Engine in October 2024 …
Discussion:
Engadget, Automattic, WinBuzzer, Matt Mullenweg and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
The Daily Beast COO Keith Bonnici says the publisher has been profitable through the first nine months of 2025 and expects its first full year of profitability — For the first time since its 2008 founding, The Daily Beast is on track to close its fiscal year in the black.
Discussion:
@markstenberg3, @aerocles and Mark Stenberg on LinkedIn
Kerry Flynn / Axios:
Tubefilter: sponsored videos on YouTube rose 54% YoY in H1 2025, with Ground News as the biggest sponsor, followed by Squarespace, BetterHelp, and DraftKings — Sponsored videos on YouTube jumped 54% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, according to new data from Tubefilter's Gospel Stats.
Discussion:
@philthepill.online, Drew Baldwin on LinkedIn, Tubefilter and GreenBot
RELATED:
Harper's:
Jelani Cobb, Taylor Lorenz, Jack Shafer, and Max Tani discuss why trust in media has hit a record low, press freedom, AI, journalists on social media, and more — Anatomy of a credibility crisis … Trust in the press is at a record low, with only a quarter of Americans aged eighteen …
Discussion:
@harpers, @chuckrossdc, @scottnover, @alexanderrusso and HotAir
Jessica DiNapoli / Reuters:
Oreo maker Mondelez has spent $40M+ on an AI tool, developed with Publicis and Accenture, to cut costs for the production of marketing content by 30% to 50% — - AI tool cuts ad production costs by 30% to 50%, exec says — Mondelez has invested $40 million in AI tool, exec says
Discussion:
Quartz, @dannygroner.bsky.social and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Drew Lerner / Awful Announcing:
The Athletic plans to launch The Athletic Show, a weekly 30-minute show, on Oct. 25, available first on Amazon Fire TV before appearing on Athletic platforms — The Athletic and Amazon are set to collaborate on a new sports show. — On Thursday, The Athletic announced the launch of The Athletic Show …
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Disney is alerting viewers that its networks, including ABC and ESPN, could go dark on YouTube TV if the two sides don't reach a deal by 11:59pm ET October 30 — Just a month after reaching an agreement with NBCUniversal to avoid dropping its networks, YouTube TV has another potential blackout on its hands — this time with Disney.
Discussion:
Engadget, Broadband TV News, The US Sun, The Streamable, BGR, New York Post, UPI, Front Office Sports, Radio & Television …, Washington Times, Streaming Better, Android Central, Android Authority, Stuff, Android Police, Cord Cutter Weekly, Barrett Media, 9to5Google, Deadline, MLive.com, Benzinga, @kennysmith.bsky.social, Los Angeles Times, TheDesk.net, Cord Cutters News, Awful Announcing, YouTube Official Blog, Bloomberg, Variety, Axios, TVNewsCheck and The Hollywood Reporter
Bloomberg:
Sources: Canal+ is exploring buying the remaining 30% stake in Showmax, Africa's biggest streaming service, from Comcast — Canal+ SA is studying the possibility of buying out the remaining stake in African streaming platform Showmax from Comcast Corp., people familiar with the matter said …
Discussion:
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