Top News:
Jay Peters / The Verge:
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan says creators will be able to generate Shorts using their own AI likenesses starting in 2026 — The capability is launching sometime in 2026, though YouTube isn't sharing details about how it will work. … Your YouTube Shorts feed might soon be filled with a lot …
Discussion:
Engadget, The Wrap, Search Engine Journal, Social Media Today, 9to5Google, PCMag, CNBC, The Indian Express, @mike@fosstodon.org, Android Police, TechCrunch and Phandroid
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Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan publishes his annual letter, saying YouTube aims to reduce “AI slop” and has strengthened parental controls, and teases Shorts updates — The executive published his annual letter to the YouTube community Wednesday, outlining his priorities for the video platform.
Discussion:
YouTube Official Blog, Variety, MediaPost, CNET, Decrypt, Matt Thornton on LinkedIn, PhoneArena, Neowin, Dexerto, Tubefilter, Newser, Célia Salsi on LinkedIn, Music Ally, @knoebel.bsky.social, Tara Walpert Levy on LinkedIn, Bloomberg, Deadline, Sean Downey on LinkedIn, Daily Ausaf, @aneternalenigma.com, @nealmohan, @kylebrussell, Chris Schremp on LinkedIn and Thurrott, more at Techmeme »
Emma Roth / The Verge:
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan says YouTube TV plans to launch “fully customizable” multiview for non-sports channels and channel packages focused on various topics
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan says YouTube TV plans to launch “fully customizable” multiview for non-sports channels and channel packages focused on various topics
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, Pocket-lint, TechCrunch, Cord Cutters News, How-To Geek, Android Headlines and Android Authority
Perry Stein / Washington Post:
A judge blocks US government officials from examining devices seized from reporter Hannah Natanson's home until the judge can review and rule on access issues — The seizure “chills speech, cripples reporting, and inflicts irreparable harm,” The Post said in statement.
Discussion:
Mediaite, CNN, The Guardian, New York Times, Freedom of the Press …, NBC News, Ars Technica, Al Jazeera, @myhlee.bsky.social, Politico, Raw Story, Courthouse News Service, The Hill, MS NOW, Straight Arrow News, Deadline, @hannahnatanson.bsky.social, @clancyny.bsky.social, @reedfrich.bsky.social, Martin Baron on LinkedIn, @maxwelltani, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @bselena.bsky.social, @acarv.in, @trevortimm.bsky.social, @allanschlosser.bsky.social, Associated Press, @freedom.press, @drewharwell.com, @jeremymbarr, @washingtonpost.com, Fox News, @cmerfy.bsky.social, NewsMax.com, US District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, @robertscotthorton.bsky.social, @clancyny.bsky.social, Jodie Ginsberg on LinkedIn, @joffirphd.bsky.social, @frankamari.bsky.social, The Independent, Washington Examiner and NOTUS
Business Insider:
Layoffs hit Vimeo for the second time since September 2025, when it laid off 10% of its workforce; Bending Spoons acquired Vimeo for around $1.38B in November — - Vimeo is laying off staffers globally in a new round of cuts. — The job cuts arrived a few months after tech holding company Bending Spoons bought Vimeo.
Alex Ritman / Variety:
The BBC confirms a “strategic partnership” with YouTube to produce exclusive content, including news and YouTube channels aimed at children and young adults — The BBC has confirmed what it is billing as a “strategic partnership” with YouTube that will see the British broadcaster …
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Vox executives detail how Vox is using Patreon to grow reader revenue and interactions; sign-ups grew 350% in the first two months after Trump's inauguration — Explainer journalism brand Vox is using membership and subscriptions platform Patreon to help build a “two-way relationship” with its audience.
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Mediaite launches One Sheet, a daily media newsletter curated by reporter Colby Hall that aggregates media news from other media newsletters, for $8 a month — A new daily email from Mediaite intends to cut through the cacophony of online media news. — The media news site Mediaite …
Discussion:
Mediaite, TheDesk.net, Tubefilter, @alexeheath, @dylanbyers, @grynbaum, @emily_sundberg, @loudmouthjulia, @katie_robertson and @maxwelltani
Washington Post:
An Israeli strike killed three journalists in Gaza, one of whom freelanced for AFP and CBS; Israel says it targeted operators of a drone affiliated with Hamas — The journalists were killed Wednesday in a strike on their car in central Gaza. Israel's military said it struck “several suspects” who were operating a drone.
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Sources: the EU is expected to approve UMG's $775M acquisition of Downtown Music, after UMG offered to divest Downtown's royalty services platform Curve — Universal Music Group (UMG.AS) is set to secure EU antitrust approval for its $775 million bid for Downtown Music after regulators signalled acceptance …
Discussion:
CMU, Variety, Music Ally and Music Business Worldwide
Ernesto Van der Sar / TorrentFreak:
Unsealed docs: Spotify and labels sued Anna's Archive over plans to release scraped Spotify data; US court grants a temporary order taking down some domains — Spotify and several major record labels, including UMG, Sony, and Warner, have taken legal action against the unknown operators of Anna's Archive.
Katie Kilkenny / The Hollywood Reporter:
Sensor Tower: video streaming app downloads grew 39% YoY in 2025, with revenue up 18%; microdrama downloads grew 100%+ and traditional streaming apps fell 4%+ — Despite their global success in adoption and monetization, however, apps that specialize in vertical video were less successful when it came to engagement.
Discussion:
9to5Mac, Sportico, PR Newswire and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
The Information:
Sources: OpenAI begins offering its chatbot ads to dozens of advertisers, initially charging per ad view, not per ad click, and asks them for <$1M commitments — OpenAI has started offering its new chatbot ads to dozens of advertisers, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
MobileSyrup, MediaPost, Search Engine Land, Computerworld, WebProNews, Proactive, Sherwood News, Reuters and PCWorld, more at Techmeme »
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The Hollywood Reporter:
The FCC says TV talk shows should now comply with equal time political broadcasting rules; the board's lone Democrat calls the change a censorship escalation — The FCC released new guidance Wednesday that stipulates that daytime and late night talk shows will be expected to comply with equal time rules.
Discussion:
LateNighter, Fox News, New York Times, Variety, TheDesk.net, Los Angeles Times, Washington Examiner, TV Tech, Raw Story, The Wrap, Ars Technica, @laurentguy.bsky.social, @natanael.bsky.social, Deadline, Forbes, @maraleia.bsky.social, @radicalcompliance.bsky.social, @farhip, Cord Cutters News, Breitbart, Reuters, Bloomberg, @greene.haus, Newsbusters, @frydawolff.bsky.social, @avi.zollman.com, Consequence, @farhip, Politico and NewsMax.com
Mickey Djuric / Politico:
A Canadian federal court overturned a 2024 order that would have shuttered TikTok Canada's business operations over national security concerns — “We welcome the decision to set aside the order to shut down TikTok Canada, and look forward to working with the Minister towards a resolution that's …
