Top News:
Charles Gasparino / New York Post:
Sources: Trump admin favors Paramount-Skydance in the race to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, while Netflix, Amazon, and Comcast may face hurdles from FTC and DOJ — The Trump administration favors Paramount Skydance to buy Warner Bros. Discovery - and a number of rival bidders are likely …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @paultassi, @stanveuger, @sherman4949, @rodazurmendi, @miguelangeltoro, @sodutw, @jonathanmb32, @adamjohnsonchi, @saikatc, @therickwilson, @jordanzakarin, @dilanesper, @bjbetheltweets, @helaineolen, @mattgertz, @jnthngss, @mehdirhasan, @christinafaith, @ryangrim, @obsoletedogma, @cgasparino, @mpolymer, @karlbode.com, @rotopat, @mattyglesias, @franklinleonard, Raw Story, The Wrap, @notjessewalker, @rubengallego, @jeremymbarr, @saikatforcongress.bsky.social, The Independent, CNN, The Movie Blog, The Verge, Reuters, Screen, C21Media, Wall Street Journal, Puck, The Ankler and MediaPost
RELATED:
Hannah Miller / Bloomberg:
The WGA says a deal combining Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery would be “a disaster” and that it will press regulators to block any such deal — The Writers Guild of America, which represents screenwriters and newsroom staffers, said it will oppose …
Discussion:
Variety, The A.V. Club, C21Media, Deadline, TVNewsCheck, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters, The Wrap, Screen Rant, The Information, AppleInsider, Motley Fool, Mediaweek, New York Times and The Streamable
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.
Austin Fuller / Current:
National Federation of Community Broadcasters gets a $1.25M MacArthur grant; NFCB represents ~200 stations mostly serving rural and underrepresented communities — The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded a $1.25 million grant to the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, NFCB announced Wednesday.
Discussion:
NFCB
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
Former movie executive Bill Block launches GammaTime, a microdrama platform with more than 20 shows, with $14M in seed funding — Hollywood's next big bet is small—very small. Traditional studios and startups are jumping on the microdrama bandwagon that has swept through China and is making inroads in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Discussion:
C21Media, FinSMEs, Señal News, Globes, Deadline, The Wrap, @tyleraking.com, TVNewsCheck and The Verge
RELATED:
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
TelevisaUnivision reports Q3 revenue down 3% YoY to $1.3B and $90.5M net income, down from $190.3M YoY; subscription and licensing revenue rose 3% YoY to $493M — Spanish-language giant TelevisaUnivision said third-quarter profit declined as the company continued its efforts to streamline operations …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter
Angela Fu / Poynter:
How Chicago journalists are covering the ICE raids, a task made more difficult by the agencies' unpredictability, lack of transparency, and attacks on press — 'It's really exhausting, mentally and physically. But somebody has to record history' — Ever since federal agents arrived …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Chicago Tribune, Bangor Daily News, Chicago Sun Times, CBS News, HotAir and Block Club Chicago
Wendy Davis / MediaPost:
A divided three-judge panel of the DC appeals court declines to reinstate an FTC subpoena of Media Matters as part of an antitrust probe into ad boycotts — A divided federal appellate panel has left in place a temporary order that prohibits the Federal Trade Commission from investigating …
Discussion:
Reuters and Global Competition Review
Kendra Barnett / Adweek:
WPP rolls out WPP Open Pro, a self-serve version of WPP Open, its AI-powered marketing platform that helps marketers build campaigns and develop creative assets — WPP Open Pro is a new push from the holdco to expand vertical and horizontal integration of its flagship AI platform.
Discussion:
BMI, Kendra Barnett on LinkedIn, MediaNews4U, MediaBrief, PRWeek, Mediaweek, MediaPost and campaignlive.co.uk
Marine Doux / Columbia Journalism Review:
Meta's removal of all ads on “political, electoral, and social issues” in response to an EU law has swept up thousands of promotional posts from news outlets — When outlets depend on a single platform, what works to reach readers today can vanish tomorrow. — Read this article in French in Médianes.
Discussion:
Fast Company and MediaNama
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
MuckRock and Sunlight Research Center merge; Sunlight provides training, tools, and support for investigative reporting, with a focus on local news — A merger between MuckRock and Sunlight Research Center will help slimmed-down newsrooms investigate local governments, public officials, and more.
Kayla Cobb / The Wrap:
VideoShops, an affiliate retail platform that lets creators start personalized storefronts with no minimum follower count, raised a $42M seed — Abra Potkin and Nicole Winnaman are changing that — When you think of the most basic definition of an influencer — a person whose recommendations …
Discussion:
Shop My Shelf, INC.
Sam Gutelle / Tubefilter:
Nielsen: viewership of YouTube on TVs in the US inched down from a high of 13.4% in July to 12.6% in September, but still leads other distributors — YouTube's ascension on TV screens has been one of the most significant consumer tech storylines of the mid 2020s.
Discussion:
VideoWeek, MediaBrief, The Streamable and MakeUseOf
Editor - The Upshot, NY — 
Economic Policy Reporter, DC — 
Senior Director - Editorial, NY — 
Accountability Reporter, ME — 
Senior Editor, FL — 
Senior Writer - Politics, NY — 
Senior Sydney Correspondent — 
Investigative Reporter, OR — 
Decision Desk Specialist - Elections, PA — 
Publishing Editor, NY — 
Watchdog Reporter, CA — 
News Editor, IN — 
Senior Writer - Politics, TN — 
Editor - CFO Brew, NY — 
Breaking News Reporter, CA — 
Audience Strategist, CO — 
Senior Editor, Remote US — 
Reporter, NY — 
IT Industry Reporter, MA — 
Jackson Reporter, MS — 
Curation Editor, NY — 
Managing Editor, OR — 
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, NY — 
Arts & Culture Reporter, WI — 
Breaking News Reporter, Remote — 
Assitant Business Ed., TX — 
Asset-Based Finance Reporter, NY — 
Ellsworth/Acadia Reporter, ME — 
Live Blogger, London — 
Criminal Justice Reporter, LA — 
Editorial & Opinion Page Editor, NV — 
Senior Editor, NY — 
Principal Writer - Investigative & Trust — 
Culture & Travel Reporter, NY — 
