Top News:
Hadas Gold / CNN:
Anthropic is running Super Bowl ads criticizing ads in chatbots, prompting a public response from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defending plans for ads in ChatGPT — A long-simmering rivalry between two of the world's biggest AI companies was on public display this week as Anthropic and OpenAI took swings at one another online.
Discussion:
@sama, Anthropic, Wall Street Journal, BBC, @bcmerchant, @hadas_gold, Nicolas Young on LinkedIn, Gabriel Nicholas on LinkedIn, Suzanne Vranica on LinkedIn, Ruben Schreurs on LinkedIn, @nikitabier, Wired, PitchBook, @cameron.stream, @neo_antiquarian, @johncodes, @paulroetzer, PC Gamer, Kaitlyn McCann on LinkedIn, CNBC, Mediaweek, Android Headlines, SFist, Adweek, The Verge, @tomwarren.co.uk, MediaPost, TVREV, Notebookcheck, Computerworld, Observer, MediaBrief, ZDNET, Variety, Techstrong.ai, PCWorld, WinBuzzer, Sherwood News, Futurism, Digital Trends, Entrepreneur, The Indian Express, Just Jared, Communicate Online, Phandroid, Blockonomi, Inc, Moneycontrol, GameRevolution, The Decoder, Business Standard, Benzinga, BMI, Digit, Livemint, Business Today, Mumbrella, SmartCompany, John Battelle's Search Blog, The Economic Times and Business Insider
Aban Usmani / Newslaundry:
WaPo terminated the contract of its Delhi bureau chief Pranshu Verma; a source says “there is no clarity if the paper will continue with its bureau in Delhi” — As foreign bureaus close and global coverage shrinks, countries like India lose one more watcher …
Discussion:
@pranshuverma_, The Verge, @supriyakmr, @lisagartner, @pavnimittal, The Kyiv Independent, Blaze Media and Sky News
RELATED:
Financial Times:
Sources: WaPo is losing about $100M per year but aiming to break even by the end of 2026, which could unlock fresh funding from Jeff Bezos — Billionaire hopes that culling hundreds of journalists will stem heavy losses and refocus the struggling newspaper
Discussion:
The Wrap, @realbobwoodward, @hshaban, @wapotechguild, Newsbusters, @bencjacobs, @michaelscherer, @gregjaffe, @jeremymbarr, @rachelbianca, @moorehn, @jayrosen.bsky.social, @francescaebel, Axios, The Guardian, @sarahellison, @davidclinchnews, @dogmomager, Daily Caller News Foundation, @meredithfailson.bsky.social, Diane Ravitch's blog, Los Angeles Times, BIG by Matt Stoller, The Bulwark, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Drezner's World and NPR
Drew Lerner / Awful Announcing:
WaPo Publisher Will Lewis appeared at NFL Honors in San Francisco Thursday, after failing to show for a Zoom call in which WaPo announced historic layoffs — Will Lewis likes sports. He just doesn't like paying sports journalists. — The Washington Post publisher who presided over the axing …
Wall Street Journal:
A civil subpoena shows the US DOJ is investigating Netflix for potential anticompetitive tactics as DOJ probes the company's proposed acquisition of WBD — As it probes bids for Warner, the department is asking if the streamer has engaged in conduct that could make it a monopoly
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Financial Times, @karlbode.com, Newsmax, Sherwood News, New York Post, Dow Jones Newswires, Benzinga, O'Dwyers PR and Cartoon Brew, more at Techmeme »
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Filing: Amazon's spending on content, including music, sports rights, and licensed and produced TV and film, rose 10% YoY to $22.4B — The figure was disclosed Friday in the ecommerce giant's 10-K annual filing with the SEC, a day after Amazon reported fourth quarter 2025 results.
Discussion:
Media Play News
RELATED:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Amazon reports Q4 ad revenue up 23% YoY to $21.32B, slightly above expectations, and subscription services revenue up 14% to $13.12B
Amazon reports Q4 ad revenue up 23% YoY to $21.32B, slightly above expectations, and subscription services revenue up 14% to $13.12B
Discussion:
Miami Herald, Music Ally, BMI, Communicate Online, Adweek, GeekWire, Modern Retail, Media Play News, The Wrap, Financial Times, Amazon and CNBC
The Guardian:
The UK raises the TV license fee, the BBC's main funding source, from £174.50 to £180 a year from April 1, saying it gives the BBC a “stable financial footing” — Inflation-linked increase comes as ministers continue to review options for BBC's future funding
Discussion:
Advanced Television, Mirror, GB News, The Sun, Broadband TV News and Telecompaper
Neel Dhanesha / Nieman Lab:
How journalism co-ops Defector, Hell Gate, Aftermath, Coyote, Sequencer, and Range practice horizontal governance, structure their newsrooms, manage ads, more — “If I was less self-directed, I'd probably be freaking out.” — Defector almost didn't exist.
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Netflix settles a 2022 defamation lawsuit brought by con artist Anna Sorokin's former friend, who claims she was falsely portrayed in its series Inventing Anna — Netflix has settled a defamation lawsuit brought a Vanity Fair staffer who claimed that she was falsely portrayed in the Shonda Rhimes series “Inventing Anna.”
Discussion:
The Wrap
Democracy for Sale:
Docs: a Labour thinktank run by a current UK minister hired a PR firm in 2023 to investigate journalists from the Guardian and other outlets to ID their sources — Labour Together put private investigators onto journalists writing about its funding. Starmer's right-hand man knew. — Peter Geoghegan
Discussion:
@pressgazette.co.uk, @robinince.bsky.social, @petergeoghegan.bsky.social, Telegraph, @fkamiah17@syzito.xyz, @natacha.bsky.social, @andrewpurcell.bsky.social, @gerryhassan.bsky.social, @richardhull54.bsky.social, The Guardian, Lucas Amin on LinkedIn, @indexoncensorship.org, @eddwilson.bsky.social, @andymcdonaldmp.bsky.social, @kathyodonnell.bsky.social, @glynmoody@mastodon.social, @declassifieduk.org, @pickardje.bsky.social, Breitbart, @kimjohnsonmp.bsky.social, Canary and National Union of Journalists …
Will Oremus / Washington Post:
NewsGuard sues the FTC, alleging censorship after the FTC barred Omnicom from working with NewsGuard as a condition of the ad agency's Interpublic acquisition — NewsGuard files lawsuit alleging censorship after Trump's FTC barred a major ad agency from using its ratings
Discussion:
Raw Story, FIRE, @maxboot.bsky.social, Courthouse News Service, @willoremus.com, MediaPost and @scottnover.bsky.social
Adam Jacobson / Radio & Television Business Report:
SiriusXM reported Q4 net income of $99M vs. $287M a year ago, rev. of $2.19B vs. $2.17B est., and “robust” guidance including an in-car audio focus; SIRI up 9% — Year-over-year sales were flat. Subscriber rolls were down compared to the final three months of 2024.
Discussion:
Benzinga, Bloomberg, Radio Ink, Insider Monkey, SiriusXM, The Hollywood Reporter, TheDesk.net, Inside Radio, Motley Fool and Barrett Media
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
Lionsgate reports a Q3 net loss of $46.2M, vs. a $21.9M loss a year earlier, $724.3M in revenue, vs. $705.9M est., motion picture revenue up 35% YoY to $421.2M — The Hollywood major unveiled its latest financial results as a standalone film and TV studios company after splitting from its Starz streaming platform.
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, Deadline, Variety, Lionsgate, Media Play News and The Wrap
RELATED:
