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:
The Wrap, Engadget, TechCrunch, PCMag, 9to5Google, Dexerto, Los Angeles Times, CNBC and The Indian Express
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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.
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 — You'll soon be able to watch whatever you want side by side. … YouTube TV is getting ready to launch two major updates …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Android Authority, Pocket-lint, How-To Geek and Cord Cutters News
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 …
Discussion:
Advanced Television, Tech Advisor, Broadband TV News, TVBEurope, BBC, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Telecompaper, more at Techmeme »
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Greg Peters says Netflix plans to include new types of content, like video podcasts, in its vertical video feed, and will roll out a new mobile UI later in 2026 — The streamer plans to add video podcasts into its mobile feed and upgrade its mobile user interface.
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Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Netflix reports Q4 revenue up 18% YoY to $12.05B, vs. $11.97B est., 325M subscribers, 2025 revenue up 16% to $45.2B, and will spend 10% more on content in 2026
Discussion:
Marketing Dive, Benzinga, The Hollywood Reporter, WebProNews, Streaming Better, iPhone in Canada, primetimer.com, The Motley Fool, The American Bazaar, @buccocapital, The Streamable, PYMNTS.com, Telecompaper, Watcher Guru, TV Tech, Los Angeles Times, Lucas Shaw on LinkedIn, The Hill, Wall Street Journal, Netflix Inc., Advanced Television, Yahoo Finance, Cord Cutters News, The Wrap, TheDesk.net, Reuters, Proactiveinvestors UK, Media Play News and CNBC
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos outlines increasing competition for customers' attention from YouTube, Instagram, linear networks that also do streaming, and more
Discussion:
Benzinga, Mashable, Business Today, Yahoo Finance and Media Play News
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Netflix says ad revenue hit $1.5B in 2025, up by over 2.5x vs. 2024, and that viewing hours grew 2% YoY in H2 2025, driven by viewing of branded originals up 9%
Discussion:
The Wrap, MediaPost, Cartoon Brew, Broadband TV News, The Motley Fool, @xpangler, Dow Jones Newswires, Yahoo Finance, Axios, Business Insider, Adweek, The Information, Variety and The Verge
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, @maxwelltani, @alexeheath, @loudmouthjulia, @dylanbyers, @katie_robertson and @grynbaum
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:
MediaPost, Search Engine Land, Computerworld, WebProNews, Proactive, Reuters, PCWorld, 80 Level and Digiday, more at Techmeme »
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Perry Stein / Washington Post:
WaPo files a court motion, demanding the return of two phones, two laptops, a Garmin watch, and other devices seized from reporter Hannah Natanson's home — The seizure “chills speech, cripples reporting, and inflicts irreparable harm,” The Post says in statement.
Discussion:
@jeremymbarr and @maxwelltani
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
NYT launches Crossplay, its first two-player competitive word game, as a standalone iOS and Android app, as it seeks a bigger share of the mobile gaming market — The game will be familiar to Scrabble or Words with Friends players, but the Times is adding a few twists of its own.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, GamesBeat and The New York Times Company
Todd Spangler / Variety:
ElevenLabs releases an album of AI songs with voices of Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkel, and others to promote its AI music generator and Iconic Voice Marketplace — Several well-known music artists have turned to ElevenLabs' AI as a virtual muse — and record producer.
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Meta plans to expand ads on Threads to all users globally starting next week; Threads began testing ads in the US and Japan a year ago — Meta on Wednesday announced it's expanding ads on Threads to all users globally. The expansion, which starts next week, will be gradual …
Discussion:
iPhone in Canada, Search Engine Land, Facebook, The Verge, Benzinga, WinBuzzer, The Indian Express and Business Today
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, Music Ally and Music Business Worldwide
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says she is “minded to” intervene in DMGT's takeover of The Telegraph and may ask Ofcom to look at the impact on media plurality — Culture secretary ‘minded to’ intervene and ask Ofcom and CMA whether the £500m deal harms media plurality
Discussion:
Press Gazette, National Union of Journalists …, The Times, The Independent, Telegraph and Reuters
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