Top News:
Bloomberg:
Sources: Netflix is working on revised terms for its WBD acquisition and has discussed making its offer all cash for the studios and streaming businesses — Netflix Inc. is working on revised terms for its Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. acquisition and has discussed making its offer all cash …
Discussion:
Variety, Wall Street Journal, Awful Announcing, The Information, Investing.com, @annmlipton@esq.social, Barron's Online, The Wrap, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, Sports Media Watch, The Movie Blog, The Streamable, The Indian Express, The Post Millennial, GeekTyrant, Media Play News, PocketGamer.biz, Tech Times, The Verge, Tech in Asia, MediaNews4U, BMI, mxdwn Television, Telecompaper, Benzinga, Ars Technica, Wrestling Inc., Gizmodo, Mediaite, GamesIndustry.biz, Advanced Television, Dow Jones Newswires and TechCrunch
Corbin Bolies / The Wrap:
Source and memos: Politico is laying off 3% of staff, plans buyout offers for Magazine staffers, and more, and plans a subscription service for investment pros — While “change is uncomfortable,” global editor-in-chief John Harris tells staff, the moves “also represent continuity”
Discussion:
The Wrap and @maxwelltani
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
A bipartisan bill agrees to provide $653M to USAGM, down from $867M in 2025, but over Trump's $153M request, as part of a package needing Congressional approval — The Trump administration has tried to eliminate funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA.
Jessica Testa / New York Times:
A group of five journalists reboots Gourmet as a worker-owned newsletter, after discovering that Condé Nast had let its trademark on the name lapse in 2021 — The defunct food publication is re-emerging as a newsletter, with new leadership and zero approval from its original owner.
Discussion:
Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, @harrymccracken.com, The Wrap, @kimmaicutler, @benmullin, @inaeoh.bsky.social, Gourmet and kottke.org
Maya Perez / WebProNews:
Bandcamp bans music and audio that is “generated wholly or in substantial part by AI”, hoping to build trust with fans that the music they find was human-made — Bandcamp has banned music substantially generated by AI to uphold human artistry and authenticity, amid rising concerns over AI flooding platforms like Spotify.
Discussion:
PC Gamer, @mwl.io, @ripridermusic.bsky.social, @negativeagent.bsky.social, @lesterlee.bsky.social, @danielraffel, @future_of_music, @lauramarie.bsky.social, Stereogum, @n8dly@mastodon.social, @2mello.net, @davidgerard.co.uk, Bandcamp Updates, @colinhemphill.com, @mmmmmmuhh.bsky.social, @dallin@writing.exchange, @nowplaying.cool, Consequence, @rrrrroseazerty …, BrooklynVegan, @logicalnuisance.bsky.social and @bandcamp.com, more at Techmeme »
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
US BLS data: video and videogame subscriptions and rentals saw inflation of 19.5% in December; cable, satellite, and livestreaming rose 1.1%, same as music subs — Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Tuesday showed that overall inflation cooled in December ... but streaming video prices soared by nearly 20 percent.
Mandy Dalugdug / Music Business Worldwide:
Musical AI, an attribution and rights management platform for generative AI in music, raised $4.5M led by Heavybit to improve its attribution tech — In 2024, Musical AI, formerly known as Somms.ai, launched a rights management platform to allow proper attribution and compensation for the use …
Discussion:
Digital Music News and GamesBeat
Ben Fritz / Wall Street Journal:
Matthew McConaughey has secured eight trademarks of himself from the USPTO in the past several months to protect his likeness and voice from unauthorized AI use — Actor plans to use trademarks of himself saying ‘Alright, alright, alright’ and staring at a camera to combat AI fakes in court
Discussion:
E! Online
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
Lionsgate has sold its South Asian and Southeast Asian streaming operation Lionsgate Play to Rohit Jain, the executive who built the service over eight years — Lionsgate has sold its South Asian and Southeast Asian streaming operation Lionsgate Play to Rohit Jain, the executive who developed …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Fortune India, Business Today, BMI, Media Play News, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and MediaNews4U
Erik Hayden / The Hollywood Reporter:
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson plans to invest $124M on venue space and a production campus in Louisiana; the state agreed to provide $50M in infrastructure funding — The ‘Power’ producer's G-Unit Film & Television has finalized a deal with the state on a development plan for three entertainment venues.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times and Digital Music News
Jake Kanter / Deadline:
Analysis: YouTube surpassed the BBC in monthly audience reach in the UK for the first time in Q4 2025, with 51.9M viewers in December, above the BBC's 50.8M — In an unprecedented moment, YouTube passed the BBC in monthly audience reach figures published by Barb, the UK's official ratings body.
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, @pimlicat.bsky.social, @scottygb.bsky.social, Telegraph and Cord Cutters News
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Fanatics, the Michael Rubin-led sports company, partners with OBB Media to launch Fanatics Studios, starting with a Tom Brady docuseries — The joint venture with OBB Media is launching with a Tom Brady docuseries, a deal to produce the ESPY Awards and deals with LA28, MLB and the WWE.
