Top News:
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
A look at MSNBC's rebrand as MS Now, as it builds an independent newsroom, hiring 36+ reporters, aiming to maintain its liberal opinion and news analysis — Going it alone without NBC's name or deep bench of reporting talent, the newly rebranded cable news network is staffing up.
Discussion:
Politico, Deadline, TV Insider, The Verge, Semafor, Poynter, Barrett Media, @tiocono.bsky.social, @juliannemcshane, @scottnover.bsky.social, The Hill, Cord Cutters News, Forbes, MS NOW, USA Today, Breitbart, Raw Story and Variety
Press Gazette:
The Telegraph seeks a quick auction after Redbird dropped its £500M bid; former bidders, including Spectator owner Paul Marshall, could re-enter the race — Redbird drops £500m Telegraph bid in face of internal backlash. — Redbird Capital Partners has dropped its £500m bid …
Discussion:
@russincheshire.bsky.social, New York Times, Sky News, The Guardian, CNN, The Times, Proactive, TVNewsCheck, The Daily Sceptic and The Wrap
Emma Rossiter / BBC:
Sky Sports shuts down its new female-focused TikTok channel Halo after three days, following online backlash for “sexist” posts, saying it “didn't get it right” — Sky Sports has scrapped its new female-focused TikTok channel, Halo, after it faced a backlash online …
Discussion:
CNN, The Guardian, TVNewsCheck, @avfcfern, Sydney Morning Herald, @samfonsecaa, @oscgoat, The Athletic, @safsmiless, @cawthornejosh, The Verge, The Tab, ABC, @freyaquinton, Andy Gill on LinkedIn, @jamesdsmitth, Mediaweek, Deadline, Broadband TV News, The Independent, Mirror, Advanced Television, Daily Star and GB News
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: Starz is interested in buying Hearst and Disney's A+E, the owner of its namesake channel and the History channel, but A+E is seeking a wealthier buyer — Who wants to buy a bunch of declining TV networks? — Good afternoon from Los Angeles, and thanks to those of you who came to the podcast business summit this past week.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, The Streamable, Cord Cutters News and @lucas_shaw
Axios:
Ezra Klein is moving from an opinion writer to a powerbroker, as sources say his partisan influence is raising concerns in the Democratic Party and the NYT — New York Times columnist Ezra Klein isn't content with opining about the Democratic Party — he's positioned himself as a powerbroker inside of it.
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Sinclair builds an ~8% stake in E.W. Scripps and is vying to acquire the local TV broadcaster; the companies held constructive talks in recent months — The media companies have discussed a potential tie-up in recent months — Sinclair built a roughly 8% stake in E.W. Scripps …
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, TV Tech, Awful Announcing, CNBC, Reuters, The Wrap, E.W. Scripps Company, Axios, Poynter, Advanced Television, Radio & Television …, @matthewkeyslive, TVNewsCheck, Yahoo Finance, Cord Cutters News, Cincinnati Business Journal, Bloomberg, Barrett Media, Sports Business Journal, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Sources: UK ministers will begin the search for a new Ofcom chair this week; current chair Michael Grade's single term expires in April 2026 — Hiring process to begin as government faces fresh questions over political appointments in media sector — Ministers will this week kick off …
Irina Aleksander / New York Times:
A profile of Matthew Belloni, the writer of Puck's What I'm Hearing newsletter and host of The Town podcast, who has become a must-read for Hollywood news — On a Friday night in September, a few days after news broke that David Ellison, the new billionaire owner of Paramount …
Discussion:
@hollywoodspin, @emilyyoshida.bsky.social and @sorrogrande
Avery Lotz / Axios:
Trump defends Tucker Carlson after his podcast interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes, saying Carlson has the freedom to choose his interviewees — President Trump backed Tucker Carlson on Sunday after the ex-Fox News host's interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes triggered contentious MAGA-world infighting.
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Hill, The Independent, @atrupar, @acyn, Washington Post, Daily Mail, Associated Press, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, @nickjfuentes, Barrett Media, NewsMax.com, Semafor, Variety and The Wrap
Max Tani / Semafor:
Vox launches its subscriber-only program on Patreon, offering access to Vox.com, ad-free content, livestream events, two new exclusive video series, and more — The Scoop — A prominent platform for creators and podcasters has wooed one of the original unpaywalled digital media brands.
Discussion:
@thewayoftheid.bsky.social and Perez Hilton
Karen Weise / New York Times:
A look at The Stranger, an influential Seattle alt-weekly newspaper whose endorsements have become a must-have for some progressive politicians — They arrived bearing gluten-free cupcakes and homemade zucchini muffins, a Raggedy Ann doll and a cake creation that looked just like a basket of apples.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @timjgraham, Washington Examiner, @gramsofgnats.bsky.social and @robertcruickshank.com
Alex Ritman / Variety:
Hearst Networks commissions a 10-episode AI-led series from Particle6, the creator of AI character Tilly Norwood, for The History Channel in the Netherlands — Particle6, the U.K.-based production company that was behind controversial AI creation Tilly Norwood, has been commissioned by Hearst Networks to create an AI-led series.
Discussion:
Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
The Guardian:
President Trump plans to sue the BBC “for anywhere between a billion and $5B” next week, after the BBC rejected his compensation demands over a misleading edit — US president tells reporters he will sue the corporation for ‘anywhere between a billion and $5bn’
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, Reuters, The Guardian, Fox News, NewsMax.com, GB News, @terrajobst.net, @mattmcneilshow.bsky.social, NME, The Royalist, Deadline, Crikey, BBC, 9News, France 24, The Post Millennial, The Gateway Pundit, New York Post, The Indian Express, New York Sun, Forbes Middle East, Financial Times, Metro.co.uk, Euractiv, Status, Breitbart, NBC News, archive.ph, ABC, CNBC, The Daily Sceptic, Telegraph, @sheridanflynn.com, The White House on YouTube, Politico, @oakymoron.bsky.social, @markoah.bsky.social, @donalcoffey.bsky.social, @robdysonpr.uk, @ukbastard.bsky.social, @ayoub.bsky.social, Al Jazeera, Sky News, The Times of Israel, Benzinga, Le Monde, The Japan Times, The Independent, Joe.My.God., The Independent, The Hollywood Reporter, Bloomberg Law, The Business Times, The Hill and Reuters
RELATED:
CNBC:
Google and Disney reach a deal to restore 20+ channels, including ABC and ESPN, on YouTube TV — Alphabet and Disney on Friday announced that they've reached a deal to restore content from ABC and ESPN onto Google's YouTube TV. — The deal comes after a two-week standoff between the two companies that started on Oct. 31.
Discussion:
Android Authority, Oregonian, @richlightshed, BGR, TechCrunch, Kevin Rich on LinkedIn, Dylan Jones on LinkedIn, @xpangler, MediaBrief, Android Police, Tech Times, Neowin, Livemint, CinemaBlend, CNET, Android Central, Engadget, Associated Press, 9to5Google, TheDesk.net, Wall Street Journal, Cord Cutters News, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, ABC7, New Jersey Online, Droid Life and New York Post
RELATED:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Google and Disney's agreement gives YouTube TV users access to ESPN's full lineup of sports, including ESPN Unlimited, at no additional cost by the end of 2026
Google and Disney's agreement gives YouTube TV users access to ESPN's full lineup of sports, including ESPN Unlimited, at no additional cost by the end of 2026
Discussion:
TechRadar, Cord Cutters News, Forbes Middle East, Awful Announcing, @chriswelch, @sherman4949, TV Tech, Decider, Axios, The Verge, Oregonian, Sports Business Journal, WKRG-TV, KTVX-TV and CNET
