Top News:
April Rubin / Axios:
Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested by federal agents on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30, respectively, for their coverage of a Minnesota church protest — Journalist Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents on Thursday night following backlash over his coverage of an anti-ICE protest …
Discussion:
CNN, @agpambondi, Committee to Protect …, Fox News, The Guardian, @whitehouse, The TRiiBE, Politico, BBC, People, Facebook, CBS News, Breitbart, Variety, New York Times, NPR, @repjeffries, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, @kristadb1.bsky.social, @jaketapper, Associated Press, @theletterhack.bsky.social, Le Monde, Forbes, Vox, @monscience.bsky.social, @pamspaulding.bsky.social, Financial Times, Jodie Ginsberg on LinkedIn, @atrupar, Advocate, American Greatness, @nbedera.bsky.social, Washington Examiner, Boston.com, @cwebbonline.com, @acnewsitics, @arachnius.bsky.social, @jaketapper, @nytimespr, @scanlon.house.gov, @timodc, @jaketapper, @jamellebouie.net, HuffPost, @mlcalderone, TheGrio, @freedom.press, @jemelehill, MS NOW, The Daily Caller, @jaketapper, @inn.org, The Intercept, @senatorwarnock, @mcbridetd.bsky.social, @jamellebouie.net, @TomSullivan@mstdn.social, @laurajedeed.bsky.social, New York Magazine, @theintercept.com, Mother Jones, @darnell@one.darnell.one, @froomkin.bsky.social, @montealto.bsky.social, @jodieginsberg.bsky.social, The 19th, @amerliberal.bsky.social, @juliannemcshane, Bossip, @mrsdeborahlynn.bsky.social, Errin Haines on LinkedIn, @cartersherman.bsky.social, @frankamari.bsky.social, @divscotty.bsky.social, @ajnobles.com, @therickwilson, Ben Iannotta on LinkedIn, @stoneballs.bsky.social, @freedom.press, @kamimagic.bsky.social, @jonflan.bsky.social, The Cut, @dmcharles.bsky.social, @jeremymbarr, @rephuffman.bsky.social, @socialmedialab.ca, @brianstelter, @christianthiels.bsky.social, @timodc, KARE-TV, @jaketapper, @kathleenclark.bsky.social, @crankyoldcrackpot.bsky.social, @atrupar.com, @pdehello@mastodon.social, @chucktodd, Gay City News, @hrag.bsky.social, @jaredhardd.bsky.social, @emptywheel.bsky.social, @joshuaerlich.bsky.social, Hollywood Life, @irhottakes.bsky.social, @b9AcE@todon.eu, NewsNation, ZeroHedge News, Los Angeles Times, @daveweigel.bsky.social, The Hill, Raw Story, Page Six, @rusty.todayintabs.com, USA Today, @pattymo.com, @mikehixenbaugh.com, @zackwhittaker@mastodon.social, Washington Blade, The Federalist, @adamserwer.bsky.social, Deadline, @emma-briant.co.uk, Baller Alert, @donlemonofficial.bsky.social, URL Media, Bloomberg, Mediaite, New Republic, Just Jared and Representative Crockett
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort have been released from custody after their arrests for coverage of a protest at a Minnesota church — The former CNN host was taken into custody in Los Angeles. — just now — Federal authorities arrested independent journalist Don Lemon …
Discussion:
Associated Press, KARE-TV, The Hollywood Reporter, The Atlantic, TMZ.com, Poynter, Free Press Action Fund Feed, The Hill, Techdirt, @ac360, NBC News, The Daily Wire, twitchy.com, @froomkin.bsky.social, Columbia Journalism Review, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, Advocate, Deadline, USA Today, @donlemonofficial.bsky.social, Newser, Advocate, Minnesota Reformer, @attorneygriggs, Democracy Docket, Baller Alert, The Contrarian, KSTP-TV, The Wrap, The Independent, Florida's Voice, The Washington Free Beacon, Freedom of the Press …, @ag.state.mn.us, @davejorgenson.bsky.social, Mediaite, Straight Arrow News, Mississippi Free Press, @foxnews, The Inner Circle …, UPI, @couts.bsky.social, Deseret News, Hollywood Life, The Guardian, @mollyjongfast, @blackskynews.blacksky.app, The Forward, TheGrio, National Review, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, Truthout, Press Watch, Arizona Republic, Wonkette, @sbg1, @prestonmitchum, Just Jared, @andrewlevesque.bsky.social, Twin Cities, Vibe, New York Post, New York Daily News, MS NOW, Business Insider, Forbes, All Rise News, People, Investigative Reporters …, New Republic and New York Times
Richard Luscombe / The Guardian:
Press freedom groups denounce the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, saying the arrests are an “unequivocal attack on the First Amendment” — Groups say arrests of ex-CNN anchor and Georgia Fort are ‘extremely alarming’ and an ‘attack on the first amendment’
Discussion:
NABJ, ACLU, HuffPost, TMZ.com, The Bulwark, @notaaroncraig.bsky.social, Out Magazine, @davidfolkenflik, Jodie Ginsberg on LinkedIn, Advocate, @freepress.bsky.social, @mmpadellan, Freedom of the Press …, @berniesanders, @cdarwin@c.im, The Independent, Asian American Journalists …, TheGrio, The Wrap, The Daily Signal, Capital B News, Media Nation and NewsMax.com
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Bob Iger has told associates that he plans to step down as Disney CEO before December 31; the board plans to vote on his replacement next week — Disney's board is planning to meet next week, where it is expected to vote on a new CEO — Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger …
Discussion:
The Wrap, People, CNBC, New York Post, Variety, @aagave and Media Play News
RELATED:
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
A profile of Josh D'Amaro, a front-runner for Disney CEO who oversees Disney parks, cruises, and video games; his unit supplied ~60% of Disney's 2025 profit — “Josh, can I get a quick one?” — It was the seventh time that Josh D'Amaro had been asked to pose for a photo as he wove his way through Disneyland.
Discussion:
Deadline, @mediaevan and @scottgustin
Bloomberg:
Sources: BMG, a division of Bertelsmann, is weighing a bid for music rights investor Concord in a deal that could value Concord as high as $7B — German record label BMG Rights Management is weighing a bid for Concord in a deal that could value the US music company as high as $7 billion …
Discussion:
Digital Music News, Music Business Worldwide, CMU, Music Ally and Billboard
Bill Toulas / BleepingComputer:
Authorities led by Italian investigators seized three illegal IPTV services in Europe; the US DOJ also said it dismantled three pirate services in Bulgaria — The latest phase of the global law enforcement action resulted in seizing three industrial-scale illegal IPTV services.
Discussion:
US Department of Justice, CyberScoop, Broadband TV News, The Sun, Advanced Television and The Record
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:
Former GM of Sacramento public radio service CapRadio, Jun Reina, was arrested and charged with allegedly embezzling ~$1.33M from station funds for personal use — Police in Sacramento have arrested the former general manager of two public radio stations licensed to the California State University system in that city.
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: OnlyFans is in talks to sell a nearly 60% stake to Architect Capital in a deal that values the company at around $5.5B, including debt — Deal with Architect Capital would value the adult social-media platform at $3.5 billion — OnlyFans, the British online platform popular …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Axios, @laurenthomas, crypto.news and Benzinga, more at Techmeme »
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Ahead of contract talks between SAG-AFTRA and studios beginning February 9, negotiators consider ideas such as an AI “tax” on studios that use synthetic actors — Call it the Tilly tax. — In the future, studios that use synthetic actors in place of humans might have to pay a royalty into a union fund.
Discussion:
@xpangler
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
Analysis of Apple News in the UK: Apple News+ has 1.7M subscribers generating ~$136M for outlets; national papers account for 55% of time spent on Apple News — Apple News shares revenue with news publishers and — as a preinstalled app on Apple products — reaches an astounding number of users.
Discussion:
MacTech.com and Simon Owens's Media Newsletter
Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune:
A look at Chicago alt-weekly The Chicago Reader as it scales back to a monthly publication under new EIC Sarah Conway and reverts to a for-profit business model — The Chicago Reader, the groundbreaking alternative weekly which has been on the brink of dissolution for years …
Discussion:
@royalpratt.bsky.social
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