Top News:
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:
Wall Street Journal, Benzinga, New York Sun, The Wrap, @HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva …, @mattgertz, @mpolymer, @rotopat, @paultassi, @jonathanmb32, @sherman4949, @mattyglesias, @matthewstoller, @cgasparino, @edeggans.bsky.social, @notjessewalker, @ryangrim, @dilanesper, @obsoletedogma, @therickwilson, @sodutw, @christinafaith, @jordanzakarin, @jnthngss, @mehdirhasan, @amykristinsanders.bsky.social, @rodazurmendi, @franklinleonard, @stanveuger, @adamjohnsonchi, @saikatc, @miguelangeltoro, @bjbetheltweets, @haroldfeld.bsky.social, @helaineolen, @rubengallego, @jeremymbarr, Semafor, Raw Story, @saikatforcongress.bsky.social, @karlbode.com, iDrop News and The Independent
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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, TVNewsCheck, @dankennedy.net, @bristei.bsky.social, MediaPost and Breaker
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:
Mark Stenberg on LinkedIn, @markstenberg3 and @aerocles
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
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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
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 …
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:
Broadband TV News
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, Radio & Television …, Broadband TV News, The Streamable, Washington Times, BGR, UPI, Android Central, Android Authority, New York Post, The US Sun, 9to5Google, Streaming Better, Front Office Sports, Barrett Media, Cord Cutter Weekly, Stuff, Android Police, Deadline, Benzinga, @kennysmith.bsky.social, MLive.com, Los Angeles Times, TheDesk.net, Cord Cutters News, Awful Announcing, YouTube Official Blog, Bloomberg, Variety, Axios, TVNewsCheck and The Hollywood Reporter
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Netflix shuts down Boss Fight Entertainment, the game studio behind mobile game Squid Game: Unleashed, after acquiring it in March 2022 — More than three years after acquiring Boss Fight Entertainment, Netflix is closing it. … Netflix acquired Boss Fight in March 2022 …
Discussion:
Reuters, The Wrap, Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Aftermath, Mobilegamer.biz, Engadget and What's on Netflix, more at Techmeme »
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 and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
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:
@current.org and NFCB
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