Top News:
David Gilbert / Wired:
An apparent disinformation campaign falsely identified Steve Grove, CEO/publisher of The Minnesota Star Tribune, as the ICE agent who shot a Minneapolis woman — Online detectives are inaccurately claiming to have identified the federal agent who shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in Minnesota based on AI-manipulated images.
RELATED:
Laura Hazard Owen / Nieman Lab:
A look at the visual investigations of the Minneapolis ICE shooting by The NYT, WaPo, and Bellingcat, and how they helped people trying to make sense of events — When everyone has seen the same videos, what service do news sites provide? — Late Wednesday afternoon …
Michael Savage / The Guardian:
BBC Director General Tim Davie says the broadcaster will stay on X to try to counteract a flood of global misinformation, despite pressure to leave — Director general says BBC needs to reach young audiences online amid pressure to leave Elon Musk-owned site
Ross Kerber / Reuters:
Some of WBD's biggest investors are split on Paramount's offer that counters Netflix's accepted bid; investors have until January 21 to accept Paramount's bid — Some of Warner Bros Discovery's (WBD.O) biggest investors are split on Paramount Skydance's (PSKY.O) sweetened offer …
Discussion:
MediaPost, Axios, Semafor, NDTV Profit, Media Play News, The Wrap, Screen, Fox Business, Los Angeles Business Journal, PocketGamer.biz, B&T, Wrestling Inc., adnews.com.au, Mumbrella, Financial Post, Al Jazeera, MS NOW, StreamTV Insider, Washington Examiner, GamesIndustry.biz, Vanity Fair, Proactive, The Independent, Associated Press, The Standard, BERNAMA, Far Out Magazine, The Streamable, BBC, TTV News, Forbes, Reuters, CNBC and Mediaite
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Paramount reaffirms its commitment to its $30-per-share offer to acquire WBD and says that its analysis values Discovery Global at $0 per share
Josh Sisco / Bloomberg:
Filing: the US DOJ opened an in-depth review of Paramount's hostile tender offer for WBD on December 23; Netflix has said it's also talking with the DOJ and EC
Filing: the US DOJ opened an in-depth review of Paramount's hostile tender offer for WBD on December 23; Netflix has said it's also talking with the DOJ and EC
Katie Arcieri / Bloomberg Law:
The US House Judiciary Subcommittee scrutinizes the WBD-Netflix deal, and Rep. Jamie Raskin expresses concern over Trump's influence on Paramount and Netflix
The US House Judiciary Subcommittee scrutinizes the WBD-Netflix deal, and Rep. Jamie Raskin expresses concern over Trump's influence on Paramount and Netflix
Discussion:
The Wrap, Global Competition Review, RealClearPolicy, Reuters, TalkAndroid.com, Screen, Irish Examiner and The Hollywood Reporter
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
The Post-Gazette closes in five months, leaving time for Pittsburgh institutions to react, maybe by growing a replacement or helping its owner start a nonprofit — One of the country's oldest newspapers, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, says it's shutting down in May. Not going digital-only — just disappearing.
RELATED:
Mark Walker / New York Times:
Block Communications says The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will cease publication on May 3; the closure will not affect its sister newspaper, The Toledo Blade
Block Communications says The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will cease publication on May 3; the closure will not affect its sister newspaper, The Toledo Blade
Discussion:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, USA Today, WTAE, @newsguild.org, Michael Sallah on LinkedIn, HuffPost, InsuranceNewsNet, Washington Post, Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, @freezenet@noc.social, @sulliview, Cablefax, @pghguild, John Pastor on LinkedIn, Editor and Publisher, 90.5 WESA, Gina Vensel on LinkedIn, Newser, The Hill, The Wrap, Courthouse News Service, Poynter, Plain Dealer, Angela S. Jones on LinkedIn, Fox News, Dow Jones Newswires, @byerussell.com, Pittsburgh Magazine, Keith Reed on LinkedIn, Stacy Skiavo on LinkedIn, @victorpickard.bsky.social, MLive.com, @stephenthompson.bsky.social, Daily Caller News Foundation, CBS News, Awful Announcing, Barrett Media, @steve@s.yelvington.com, @kevincollier.bsky.social, @lrearick.bsky.social, @colinbwilliams.com, Bloomberg and r/Journalism
Evan Drellich / The Athletic:
Sources: the nine MLB teams televised by FanDuel Sports Network have ended their contracts with FanDuel SN after multiple teams failed to get scheduled payments — The nine Major League Baseball teams televised by FanDuel Sport Network have terminated their contracts with FanDuel SN …
The Washington Post:
A US House committee votes to subpoena a journalist after he posted a biography of the alleged Delta Force leader who led the Caracas operation in Venezuela — A lawmaker accused Seth Harp of “leaking classified intel” after he posted a photograph of a person he identified as the head …
Discussion:
Washington Post and PEN America
The Wrap:
Sources: Javier Guzman, a CBS Evening News senior broadcast producer, was dismissed on Jan. 7 from his position, just days into Tony Dokoupil's tenure as anchor — Javier Guzman stepped into his role as senior broadcast producer for the news program back in August
Discussion:
Fox News, @jessehawken.bsky.social, al.com, @mexiconews.bsky.social, Suggest, @jeremymbarr, New York Post, The Independent, RADAR and Status
Lucia Moses / Business Insider:
Sources: micro-drama app DramaBox seeks to raise $100M from US backers at a $500M valuation; Disney had invested in the app via its accelerator program — - DramaBox is seeking to raise funding as the competition among micro-drama apps intensifies. — The app from Singapore's StoryMatrix …
Discussion:
@2xaught7.ing
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood predicts “we'll see the first 100% AI-generated hit movie” within three years and discusses Roku's new $3/month Howdy streamer — Roku founder, chairman and CEO Anthony Wood has some big predictions about the pending impact of generative AI on Hollywood …
Discussion:
Cord Cutters News, @lauridonahue.bsky.social, Pocket-lint and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk says the newsletter company plans to double the size of its ad product and operations team in H1 2026; its full staff is now ~110 people — Beehiiv is expanding its in-house advertising operation as it looks to scale a business that has become an increasingly important revenue stream …
Discussion:
Variety
NPR:
Libraries scramble to find another print book provider after Baker & Taylor, once the largest US distributor of print books to public libraries, shuts down — It's been a tough year for public libraries. — In March, President Trump issued an executive order to dismantle the Institute …
Discussion:
Education Week, The Independent, Canadian Press and @glennf.com
