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Financial Times:
WBD tells Paramount to make its “best and final offer” within seven days, or get out of the way of Netflix's agreed $83B deal; Netflix granted a weeklong waiver — Netflix grants weeklong waiver to rival bidder in high-stakes battle for control
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Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Netflix says Paramount has caused “ongoing distraction” and “mischaracterized the regulatory review process”, and its WBD bid raises national security concerns — The streamer said that its $83 billion deal is “the only certain path to delivering value to WBD's stockholders”
Jill Goldsmith / Deadline:
WBD says Paramount informed WBD on February 11 that it would pay $31 per share, up from $30, if the sides engaged, and that $31 was not its best and final offer — Warner says that the Ellison camp had verbally agreed to boost its bid to $31 or higher if two the sides engaged, which WBD today has agreed to do.
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Todd Spangler / Variety:
WBD sets March 20 as the date for a special shareholder meeting to vote on the proposed $83B Netflix deal, which its board “continues to unanimously recommend”
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Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Stephen Colbert says CBS lawyers blocked an interview with Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico, citing the FCC's equal time guidance for TV talk shows — Colbert and ‘The Late Show’ posted the interview with James Talarico on the show's YouTube page to bypass the FCC's oversight.
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Lachlan Cartwright / Breaker:
Anderson Cooper is leaving 60 Minutes after almost 20 years; sources say he has decided to pass on a renewal offer with CBS — Legendary Newsman Will Focus on CNN And Family … Welcome to a special edition of Breaker, as we mark our first birthday, we thought what better way to celebrate than to give all of our subscribers a scoop.
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Oliver Darcy / Status:
Sources: Anderson Cooper grew increasingly uneasy with the rightward direction of CBS News under Bari Weiss, a factor in his decision to leave 60 Minutes — On Monday evening, as the media class wrapped up its three-day Presidents' Day weekend, a bombshell development sent shockwaves across the industry.
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Chris Quinn / Plain Dealer:
The Cleveland Plain Dealer says it has removed “writing” from some reporters' workloads; an “AI rewrite specialist” turns info gathered by reporters into drafts — A college student withdrew from consideration for a reporting role in our newsroom this week because of how we use artificial intelligence.
Discussion:
@bailardejesus, @kevinbankston, @fedsoccermom, @patrickdehahn, @mollytaft, @braden_keith, @meganmmenchaca, @mikeisaac, @mikedrucker, @jaybsauceda, @fitzonsportsbsr, @arijitdsen, @newsmanben, @jacob_denobel, @raleighreporter, @ioangrillo, @alexbgault, @lionelbarber, @marybethgahan, @jeffarnold_, @aresef, @ben_baby, @phil_lewis_, @asymmetricinfo, @milligansusan, @christiancaple, @jeremymbarr, @lahavharkov, @moorehn, @benfritz, @adamjohnsonchi, @jmonkatthestate, @royalpratt, @stephenwhitty, @rickyreports, @pwoodreporter, @michaelsocolow, @alecmacgillis, @stenspin, @benfritz, @glennthrush, @scenesallard, @meganmmenchaca, David Cohn on LinkedIn, @mattrosoff.bsky.social, @mmorsch35.bsky.social, Michael Hewlett on LinkedIn, @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social, @joepatrice.bsky.social, @mikehixenbaugh.com, @amandabecker.bsky.social, @mcnees.bsky.social, @nkalamb.bsky.social, @4nsmiley.bsky.social, @meganmenchaca.bsky.social, @ryanjhaas.bsky.social, @janerosenzweig.bsky.social and @hamiltonnolan.bsky.social
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Apple says it will bring “advanced video capabilities” to Apple Podcasts this spring, including allowing users to switch between watching and listening to shows — Apple Podcasts is finally giving video a full embrace. — The tech giant, which pioneered the podcast audio format …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Advanced Television, The Hollywood Reporter, Apple, HotHardware, The Shortcut, Cult of Mac, Deadline, WinBuzzer, Android Authority, Podnews, Benzinga, Android Police, iThinkDifferent, Broadband TV News, Mateusz Sojka on LinkedIn, Digital Trends, TV Blackbox, Beamly, 9to5Mac, Mediaweek, Max Cutler on LinkedIn, Mumbrella, MacTech.com, TheDesk.net, Business Insider, Digital Music News, iClarified, Thurrott, The Mac Observer, AppleInsider, Bloomberg, The Wrap, MacStories, iPhone in Canada, The Verge, MacRumors, CNBC, Engadget, Barrett Media and Six Colors, more at Techmeme »
Matt Hughes / The Guardian:
Sources: the English Premier League extends its South America and Caribbean broadcast contract with ESPN through 2031 in a £450M deal, up 25% from the last deal — - South American and Caribbean partnership runs to 2031 — Substantial rise contrasts with stagnant domestic rights
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
MPA: Japan's premium VOD sector hit a revenue of $7.2B in 2025, up 15% YoY; Netflix leads with 22% of revenue; Prime Video has the most subscribers at 19.3M — The growth reflects platforms' increasing reliance on diversified revenue models, including ad-supported subscription options …
Scott Roxborough / The Hollywood Reporter:
Mexico announces a 30% tax incentive for film and TV productions in Mexico, even as the Trump administration pressures studios to shoot more films in the US — Mexico unveils a series of incentives to support local cinema and attract international productions, just as the Trump government is threatening tariffs.
Discussion:
SF.gov, Screen, Dow Jones Newswires, Mexico News Daily, Economic news and Deadline
Alice Brooker / Press Gazette:
Manchester-based local newsletter publisher Mill Media plans to expand to Leeds as its seventh brand if it gets 500 paying subscribers for the unnamed title — Mill Media is set to expand to Leeds on the condition that it hits 500 paying subscribers for the new, unnamed title.
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