Top News:
Lillian Rizzo / CNBC:
In a letter to WBD shareholders, David Ellison says Paramount filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Chancery Court seeking information in its hostile takeover attempt — Paramount Skydance is suing Warner Bros. Discovery and CEO David Zaslav as its latest step in a hostile pursuit to acquire WBD …
Discussion:
Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount, The Post Millennial, New York Sun, Los Angeles Business Journal, The Information, ANI News, Communicate Online, Times of India, Gizmodo, Benzinga, Deseret News, Ars Technica, GameSpot, @lucas_shaw, Tech Times, @johnhudgens.bsky.social, @brianstelter, Barron's Online, @cgasparino, TVNewsCheck, Hypebeast, @brianstelter, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, Variety, Engadget, New York Post, Front Office Sports, CNN, Awful Announcing, Axios, Associated Press, @stagewrite.bsky.social, Bloomberg and Irish Independent
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Reeves Wiedeman / Vulture:
A profile of David Ellison, who is trying to build a media empire that could dwarf even the Murdochs' with help from his father and Oracle founder Larry Ellison — One weekend in 2006, Dean Devlin, a movie producer, was driving across Los Angeles to deal with an emergency.
Discussion:
Deadline, Advanced Television, @joshsternberg.com, @benmullin, The A.V. Club, @dylanbyers, New York Post, @lucas_shaw, WebProNews, @beccalew.bsky.social, @reeveswiedeman, @loudmouthjulia, @pkafka, @film_girl, @mikeisaac, @nkulw, @kimmasters.bsky.social, @tvaziri.com, Reuters, @kevdgrussing.bsky.social, @jakevk.bsky.social, @ericvb.bsky.social, @pbump.com, @ryuspaeth.bsky.social, Fortune, Los Angeles Times, KYMA-TV and Barrett Media
New York Times:
Sources: Bari Weiss has privately been deeply frustrated by the negative reaction to her CBS tenure and has blamed subordinates for not stanching the criticism — Her reimagining of “CBS Evening News” is under heavy scrutiny, and even became a punchline on her own network on Sunday at the Golden Globes.
Discussion:
@adamzherman.bsky.social, @mikecaulfield.bsky.social, @alexshephard.bsky.social, @bostonjerry.bsky.social, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, @petestaiano.com, @ndhapple.bsky.social, @imnotahrhitter.bsky.social, @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social, @josephzucker.bsky.social, @gwbiscuit.bsky.social, @celebrityhottub.bsky.social, @lons.bsky.social, @snmrrw.bsky.social, @brendelbored.bsky.social, @aklingus.bsky.social, @shuchancellor.online, @katelynburns.com and @whoa-magic.lol
Yang Tian / BBC:
The BBC files a motion to dismiss Trump's lawsuit over how his January 6 speech was edited in Panorama, saying the Florida court lacks “personal jurisdiction” — The BBC will file a motion to dismiss Donald Trump's lawsuit over how his 6 January 2021 speech was edited in a Panorama documentary.
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Wrap, Fox News, CNN, Reuters, Variety, Associated Press, Financial Times, Advanced Television, Newser, We Got This Covered, UPI, CBS News, Politico, The American Bazaar, HuffPost, The Independent, The Scottish Sun, GB News, Insurance Journal, Mirror, Bloomberg, Deadline and Sky News
Corbin Bolies / The Wrap:
NYT editor Joe Kahn says the paper didn't withhold a story on the US plan to capture Nicolás Maduro at Trump administration's request, citing unverified details — Joe Kahn's remarks follow reports that the Times held off publishing details of the raid to capture Venezuela's president
Discussion:
New York Times and @furtherexchange.bsky.social
Josh Dickey / The Wrap:
Penske Media sues Google for allegedly monopolizing the digital ad market and depriving publishers of billions in revenue, following a 2025 US court ruling — The publisher of Billboard, Rolling Stone, THR and others says the digital giant unfairly starves them of billions in ad revenue
Discussion:
Next in Media
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Amy Poehler's Good Hang won the Golden Globes' inaugural podcast award, beating five other nominees, including Call Her Daddy, SmartLess, and NPR's Up First — Amy Poehler won the inaugural Golden Globes podcast award for her talk show “Good Hang,” which features her freestyle riffs with fellow comedians, friends and celebs.
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, Inside Radio, @jtes, Differ We Must, SiriusXM, LaineyGossip, The Hollywood Reporter, Barrett Media, Podnews, Us Weekly, People, Vanity Fair, Deadline, New York Daily News, New York Times, E! Online and Just Jared
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Alison Herman / Variety:
Golden Globes review: the show tried to expand its reach and profitability in often clumsy ways, including distracting stunts like Polymarket projections
Golden Globes review: the show tried to expand its reach and profitability in often clumsy ways, including distracting stunts like Polymarket projections
Discussion:
@milkkarten, Status, @daniellamazzio, @christress, @bristei, @jbillinson, @davidehrlich, @bwags, @svershbow, @mattxiv, Futurism, @dannygroner.bsky.social, CNN, Vanity Fair, The Wrap, TV Tonight and @aherman2006.bsky.social
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Eddy Cue says 2025 was a “record-breaking year” for Apple services: Apple TV set a monthly engagement record in December, with total hours viewed up 36% YoY — The Apple services executive released a note saying that Apple TV set new monthly engagement records, while Apple Music has hit subscriber records.
Discussion:
Apple, Deadline, Moneycontrol, Music Ally, PPC Land, @tvgrimreaper, Tech in Asia, Kartik Subramanian on LinkedIn, The Wrap, The Mac Observer, Media Play News, iClarified, MacRumors, Christopher Moser on LinkedIn, Daniel Matray on LinkedIn, WebProNews, TechCrunch, Appleosophy, Thurrott, Mirror, Apple Must, Cult of Mac, Forbes, 9to5Mac, Daring Fireball and MacTech.com, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Chartbeat data: global Google search referrals to publishers fell by 33% in the year ending November 2025, with US-specific organic search traffic down 38% — Google search traffic to publishers declined globally by a third in the year to November, according to new Chartbeat data.
Discussion:
The Guardian, @chrisharihar, Search Engine Land, @timstevens.bsky.social and @mikeelgan.bsky.social
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Reuters:
Sources: French production company and MasterChef-owner Banijay is in advanced talks with All3Media-owner RedBird IMI to merge their TV production businesses — France's Banijay Group (BNJ.AS), owner of the “Big Brother” franchise, is in talks with All3Media owner RedBird IMI to merge …
Discussion:
The Guardian and Deadline
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
Ampere Analysis expects streaming services' content spend to grow 6% in 2026 to $101B, crossing $100B for the first time, and overall content spend to grow 2% — Streamer spend on content is set to top the $100BN mark for the first time this year, according to an Ampere Analysis report.
Discussion:
Advanced Television, Ampere Analysis, Media Play News, The Streamable and Screen Rant
Axios:
Axios' Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen reflect upon their 20 years as media entrepreneurs together and how the media landscape changed since Politico's 2007 launch — - The death of the “day”: In 2007, a big story or “scoop” lasted 24 hours or more. … - The newsletter is the new front page …
Rob Waugh / Press Gazette:
An investigation finds 50+ apparently fake experts who offered commentary to the UK press in recent years, getting featured 1,000+ times in various articles — Press Gazette today names more than 50 apparently fake experts who have offered commentary to the British press in recent years …
Discussion:
@ianbetteridge.com, @robinwigglesworth.ft.com, The Overspill, @petertl.bsky.social and journalists.org
Suzanne Vranica / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: OpenAI plans a 60-second Super Bowl ad during NBC's broadcast, the second straight year of doing so; ad buyers say clients pay $8M+ for just 30 seconds — AI companies are engaged in an expensive arms race to attract users and alleviate public anxiety about the technology
Discussion:
Variety, People, Blockonomi, Semafor, The Decoder and Crooks and Liars
