Mediagazer: Money manager Mario Gabelli said it's “highly likely” he will tender his clients' WBD shares to Paramount in an effort to spark a bidding war for WBD (Christopher Palmeri/Bloomberg)

9:50 PM ET, December 9, 2025

Top News:

The European Commission opens an investigation into Google to assess possible anticompetitive conduct by Google in “the use of online content for AI purposes” — Investigation is the bloc's latest challenge to American Big Tech companies — Brussels has launched an investigation …

Discussion: European Commission, Digital Content Next, @eu_commission, Global Competition Review, Android Headlines, WinBuzzer, @eunews@mastodon.social, @laz_radic, @eu_competition, @petersuhel, @kayjebelli, TechCrunch, CIO Dive, Techstrong.ai, UPI, Wall Street Pit, @stokel, New York Post, @jamescz19, @natejhake, Thurrott, InfoRiskToday.com, 9to5Google, Originally Reported …, The Register, @auerdirk, @natejhake, @seldo.com, Breitbart, Computerworld, Variety, PYMNTS.com, eWeek, Benzinga, Engadget, The Decoder, Blockonomi, The Irish Times, NDTV Profit, Deutsche Welle, Digit, TVNewsCheck, Business Today, Türkiye Today, Euronews, Channel NewsAsia, Dow Jones Newswires, The Verge, Livemint, Sharecast, The Guardian, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Ukrainian National News, Politico, Novinite.com, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Law and CNBC, more at Techmeme »

Josh Taylor / The Guardian:

Australia's ban on social media for users aged under 16 comes into effect; platforms that do not comply risk fines of up to AU$49.5M — Accounts held by users under 16 must be removed on apps that include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and Threads under ban

Nic Fildes / Financial Times:

As Australia enacts the world's first under-16 social media ban on December 10, a look at the implications, reaction from parents and teens, and more — Under-16s will no longer be able to subscribe to popular apps under groundbreaking Australian law — Kirstin Hunter was picking …

Discussion: Engadget, KDFX-TV, Crikey, ABC, The Free Press, The Register, Associated Press, CBS News, New York Times and YouTube, more at Techmeme »

Newley Purnell / Bloomberg:
Reddit launches new safety features globally for under-18s, like stricter chat settings, as Australia's social media ban for under-16s takes effect

Washington Post:

Right-wing influencers such as Benny Johnson, Laura Loomer, and Jack Posobiec campaign against Netflix's bid for WBD, casting Netflix as a Democratic stronghold — Laura Loomer and other right-wing media figures cast Netflix as a Democratic stronghold and want the government to block it from buying Warner Bros. Discovery.

Discussion: The Guardian, @scottnover.bsky.social, @johnmccloy, @lauraloomer, @adbusters, @grayfontt, @maxwelltani, @bennyjohnson, @echamp.bsky.social, Joe.My.God., @notjessewalker.bsky.social, The Bulwark, RealClearPolitics, Politico, Human Events and Wall Street Journal

Christopher Palmeri / Bloomberg:
Money manager Mario Gabelli said it's “highly likely” he will tender his clients' WBD shares to Paramount in an effort to spark a bidding war for WBD

Discussion: Financial Times and Techdirt

Financial Times:
Inside Paramount's new WBD bid: after six failed proposals across 12 weeks, and alleging WBD's board ignored a final offer, Paramount went hostile to buy WBD

Tim Wu / New York Times:
WBD merging with either Netflix or Paramount should be challenged by US antitrust authorities and would be bad for US streaming market competition

Ben Thompson / Stratechery:
Netflix changed movie distribution and its executives now think that licensing shows leaves money on the table; YouTube may help Netflix's WBD antitrust case

Discussion: Puck, Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, Comic Book, Plain Dealer, The Asian Age, Newcomer, Daring Fireball, MakeUseOf, Tubefilter, @simonowens.bsky.social, Tech Times, @buccocapital, @kwcollins.bsky.social, /Film and AppleInsider

Sara Fischer / Axios:
Filing: Paramount's outside partners for its WBD bid include Saudi Arabia's PIF, Abu Dhabi's L'imad, Qatar Investment Authority, and Jared Kushner's Affinity

Discussion: Democracy Now, Axios, @denisedwheeler.bsky.social, @yulrespinosa.com, Yahoo Finance, Game World Observer, @vanhollen.senate.gov, Bloomberg, Gulf News, Financial Post, France 24, @sherman4949, @scottnover, @kasparov63, @rpsagainsttrump, Mediaweek, @sarafischer, @lucas_shaw, @hshaban, @scottnover, @sarafischer, @jczive, @semaforben, Bloomberg Law, @sarafischer, @lucas_shaw, New York Times, Fortune, Malay Mail, Australian Financial Review, B&T, The Times of Israel, TV Tech, @kylegriffin1.bsky.social, Motley Fool, CBC News, Fast Company, The Hill, NME, The Moderate Voice, @chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca, Financial Times, @vanhollen.senate.gov, The Movie Blog, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Screen Rant, masslive.com, @ryanenos.bsky.social, The National, @karlbode.com, Variety, UPI, @panda-news.bsky.social, @kcfennessy.bsky.social, @rosesbloom24.bsky.social, @newsguy.bsky.social, @renegadecut.bsky.social, @schooley.bsky.social, @stephentotilo.bsky.social, @kristoncapps.bsky.social, @franciswilkinson.bsky.social, @emptywheel.bsky.social, @bmdrew73.bsky.social and CNBC

Katie Robertson / New York Times:

Email: USA Today EIC Caren Bohan has abruptly left the company, the second editor in chief to do so in less than two years; she became EIC in September 2024 — Caren Bohan, who was named editor in chief in September 2024, will no longer continue in her role “effective immediately,” the company told employees.

Discussion: Fox News and The Wrap

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:

Disney nominates former Apple COO Jeff Williams to its board; he retired from Apple in November after overseeing the design team, supply chain work, and more — Williams retired from the tech giant earlier this year. — The board of directors of The Walt Disney Co. is getting a veteran tech executive.

Discussion: The Wrap, Variety, Reuters, Deadline, 9to5Mac, MacRumors, Business Wire, Bloomberg and AppleInsider

Luke Bouma / Cord Cutters News:

Crunchyroll announces it is shutting down its free ad-supported streaming option on December 31; Crunchyroll subscriptions start at $7.99/month or $79.99/year — Crunchyroll will eliminate its ad-supported free tier on December 31, 2025, ending the last remaining way to legally watch anime …

Discussion: Screen Rant, Screen Rant, PCMag, Anime Mojo, Mashable and Android Authority, more at Techmeme »

Emily Sundberg / Feed Me:

Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie says Substack is starting to test native sponsorships with some writers but won't take a cut for now — “During the pilot, Substack is simply facilitating payments and is not taking a cut.” — ∙ Paid — Hello everyone.

Discussion: Substack, Adweek, @emily_sundberg and @alexeheath, more at Techmeme »

Jaspreet Singh / Reuters:

Spotify rolls out music videos to Premium subscribers in the US and Canada, following a beta launch in nearly 100 markets last year — Spotify (SPOT.N) said on Tuesday it is making music videos available to premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada, as the Swedish streaming giant challenges YouTube for market share.

Discussion: Spotify, iPhone in Canada, KARE-TV, 9to5Mac, Android Police, iClarified, MobileSyrup, Billboard, The Verge, Engadget, TechCrunch, Hypebot, Thurrott, Deadline, Digital Music News, Benzinga and Inside Radio, more at Techmeme »

Reporters Without Borders:

At least 53 of the 67 journalists killed in the past 12 months were victims of war or criminal networks; 503 journalists are detained globally, 121 in China — Organisation: — RSF_en — Journalists do not just die - they are killed. The number of murdered journalists has risen again …

Discussion: @victinibcn.bsky.social, TheJournal.ie, vaticannews.va, Journalism.co.uk, @marikamikiashvili.bsky.social, @josiegz.bsky.social, Courthouse News Service, @meganotoole.bsky.social, @brianstelter.bsky.social, National Enquirer, Al Jazeera, The Times of Israel, France 24, Middle East Monitor and CNN

Ted Johnson / Deadline:

Matt Gutman is leaving ABC News to join CBS News as chief correspondent on January 5, reporting across the network as well as lead correspondent for 48 Hours — Gutman also will contribute to future seasons of 60 Minutes, and will serve as fill-in anchor. He will start in Jan. 5 and will be based in Los Angeles.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Daily Caller News Foundation, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, The Wrap, Variety, Paramount Press Express, The Hollywood Reporter, TVNewsCheck, Barrett Media, Just Jared and New York Post

Oliver Darcy / Status:
Sources: Tony Dokoupil is set to be the next CBS Evening News anchor beginning in the new year, despite an external search for a high-profile star

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Variety, New York Post, The A.V. Club, Showbiz411, @stevensantos.bsky.social, The Independent, @patrickdoran.bsky.social, TV Insider, Barrett Media, Poynter, Mediaite, @nickfield.bsky.social and @oliverdarcy.bsky.social

Michael Luo / @michaelluo:

The New Yorker adds Jason Zengerle and Ruby Cramer as staff writers for politics and Jon Allsop as a contributing writer; Emily Nussbaum will be theater critic — News from @NewYorker! Welcome to @zengerle @rubycramer @jon_allsop. New beat for @emilynussbaum. Also, belated welcome to @RuthMarcus @lsjamison and Manvir Singh. [image]

Discussion: The Hollywood Reporter

Tyler Falk / Current:

The Public Media Bridge Fund awards $26M across 74 organizations that operate more than 180 public radio and TV stations — The Public Media Bridge Fund is awarding $26 million in its first round of grants to public media organizations that are most in need following the loss of federal funding earlier this year.

Discussion: TVNewsCheck