Top News:
Jeremy Barr / The Guardian:
Smartmatic v. Fox News: a Smartmatic lawyer says Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch authorized a plan for Fox News to embrace Trump's 2020 claims to win back viewers — In key hearing in defamation case, Fox counters that network simply covered allegations by Trump associates
Discussion:
NPR, TVNewsCheck, @robertscotthorton.bsky.social and The Wrap
RELATED:
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Smartmatic and Fox News ask a judge to rule in their favor in a $2.7B defamation case over Fox's 2020 election claims; a ruling is expected in the coming weeks — The case centers on false vote-rigging claims broadcast by Fox News during the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify releases Wrapped 2025, which adds features like Wrapped Party, its first live interactive experience, Top Song Quiz, Listening Age, and Wrapped Clubs — Spotify Wrapped is back. After last year's widely criticized flop that included an AI podcast as its highlight …
Discussion:
Spotify, Billboard, Forbes, Axios, PCMag, Mirror, Windows Central, The Tab, KnowTechie, WPXI-TV, Beebom, CNET, Trusted Reviews, MakeUseOf, StyleCaster, MobileSyrup, Android Authority and GB News, more at Techmeme »
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Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The Economist reports revenue up 4% YoY to £170.3M in the six months to September 2025 and pre-tax profit up 28% YoY to £19.7M; a 27% stake is up for sale — The Economist revealed revenue and profit growth for the six months to September as potential buyers expressed interest in a 27% stake in the business.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Reuters:
Sources: in talks with WBD, Netflix said a combination of its streaming service with HBO Max would benefit consumers by lowering the cost of a bundled offering — Netflix's (NFLX.O) proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery's (WBD.O) studios and streaming unit is expected to reduce streaming costs …
Discussion:
T3, Media Play News, Dylan Jones on LinkedIn, Android Headlines and Digital Trends
RELATED:
Charles Gasparino / New York Post:
Sources: if Netflix wins the auction for WBD, Paramount plans to go directly to WBD shareholders to argue that Netflix's bid would face regulatory issues
Bloomberg:
Sources: Comcast is looking to merge NBCUniversal, including NBC TV, studios, and theme parks, with WBD, whose shareholders would get cash and stock
Sources: Comcast is looking to merge NBCUniversal, including NBC TV, studios, and theme parks, with WBD, whose shareholders would get cash and stock
Discussion:
The Wrap, Awful Announcing, The Movie Blog, The Ringer and Deadline
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Sources: Comcast, Netflix, and Paramount submitted second-round WBD bids on December 1; Paramount's includes financing from Apollo and Middle East wealth funds
Sources: Comcast, Netflix, and Paramount submitted second-round WBD bids on December 1; Paramount's includes financing from Apollo and Middle East wealth funds
Discussion:
The Wrap, The A.V. Club, Digiday, Mediaweek, Screen, Los Angeles Times, Sports Media Watch, TVBEurope, Yahoo Finance, Cord Cutters News, The American Bazaar, The Hollywood Reporter, @nitishpahwa.com, Axios, Lucas Shaw on LinkedIn, The Streamable, Decode TV, Sports Business Journal, Blockonomi, Broadband TV News, Advanced Television, Proactiveinvestors UK, NewsMax.com, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal and Awful Announcing
Antonio Ferme / Variety:
A US federal trial of Carl Rinsch, accused of swindling Netflix out of millions when making sci-fi series White Horse, begins with an ex-Netflix exec testifying — “Our objective today is to figure out the nature of this project and what we must do to contain it.”
Discussion:
Business Insider
Minho Kim / New York Times:
A November 25 notice to Congress: Kari Lake said the Trump administration plans to close VOA's six overseas news bureaus, saving $30M+, despite a judge's order — The push to close the offices appears to contradict a federal judge's order from April, which required Trump officials to resume operations at V.O.A.
Discussion:
TheDesk.net and Joe.My.God.
Tony Maglio / The Hollywood Reporter:
HBO Max's 4K Mad Men re-release had many problems, including lacking post-production edits in some scenes; a source says Lionsgate delivered the wrong 4K file — But the best one definitely did. … The 4K stream of the classic Lionsgate Television series for AMC Network came to HBO Max on Monday …
Discussion:
PCWorld, @bigrackspart7, @discussingfilm, GameSpot, @matthewsitman, @coreyatad, @uncle_june, @tvaziri, @thedougfiles, @benjamincrew1, @ign, @brandyljensen, @ditzkoff, @srirachachau, @seantwonames, @coopercooperco, @jamesdreamin, @madmenqts, @gentledoofus, New York Post, Wired, Daring Fireball, FXRant, Mirror US, Variety, The A.V. Club, Ars Technica, Deadline, Entertainment Weekly, The Verge, IndieWire, Rolling Stone, Gizmodo, The Daily Dot, Pixel Envy, Just Jared, TV Insider and Decider, more at Techmeme »
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Amazon adds an Alexa+ feature to Fire TV that lets Prime Video users skip to movie scenes using natural language descriptions, character names, or famous quotes — The new AI-powered feature will expand to TV shows on the streamer at a later date — Amazon's Fire TV will make it easier …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, CNET, About Amazon, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, The Verge, The Streamable and Cord Cutters News
Alice Brooker / Press Gazette:
A profile of India-based sports website Essentially Sports, founded in a college dorm in 2014 and now reaching 30M monthly readers and $8M+ in annual turnover — India-based sports news website Essentially Sports has scaled to 30 million unique users a month, after being founded in a college dorm room in 2014.
Tim Miller / The Bulwark:
An interview with Olivia Nuzzi about her affair with RFK Jr., her book, and more; Nuzzi says “I did something wrong, like those ethics rules exist for a reason” — The author at the center of two major scandals—one roiling journalism, the other implicating Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—speaks with Tim Miller.
Discussion:
Feed Me, The Wrap, Mediaite, Semafor, Page Six, The Hollywood Reporter, @moorehn, @timodc, @peterawolf, @lizskalka, @a_picazo, @bulwarkonline, @anthonymemerson, @bulwarkonline, @nicksolheim, @bulwarkonline, @therickwilson, New York Post, Showbiz411, Us Weekly, Poynter, The Independent, The Daily Beast, Fox News, HotAir, New York Sun and Cele|bitchy
James Whitbrook / Gizmodo:
After an online backlash, Amazon Prime Video removes AI-generated English and Spanish dubs that it had quietly rolled out in beta for several anime titles — As quickly as they arrived, many of Prime Video's controversial generated dubs have been removed from the streamer. — READING TIME 2 MINUTES
Sara Guaglione / Digiday:
Newsweek is developing an AI-powered homepage, modeled after Google's AI Mode, aiming to boost time spent on-site and counter the drop in search referrals — Newsweek is developing an AI-powered homepage, modeled after Google's AI Mode search experience, as part of a broader partnership with Google Cloud.
Discussion:
@metacurity.com, JD Supra, NDTV Profit, Search Engine Roundtable, BMI, AdExchanger, TechIssuesToday.com, TechCrunch and Android Central
