Top News:
Charlotte Klein / New York Magazine:
How Will Lewis grew isolated from the WaPo newsroom, business side, and Jeff Bezos as he outlined big ideas without clear strategies for their implementation — When Will Lewis arrived at the Washington Post in January 2024, he was received as a potential redeemer.
Discussion:
@gbrockell.bsky.social, @ryuspaeth.bsky.social, @bananapeele and @sarahscire
CNBC:
James Cameron blasts Netflix's proposed acquisition of WBD, in a letter to Senator Mike Lee, calling it “disastrous for the theatrical motion picture business” — Legendary “Titanic” director James Cameron is likening the theatrical experience to a “sinking ship” if Netflix acquires Warner Bros. Discovery's film studio.
Discussion:
Variety, Breitbart, Media Play News, Deadline, Fast Company, International Business Times, The A.V. Club, Lillian Rizzo on LinkedIn, Advanced Television, Sarah Whitten on LinkedIn, Deadline, Variety, World of Reel, Far Out Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, GamesRadar, Benzinga, The Motley Fool, Salt Lake Tribune, Bloomberg and Morningstar
RELATED:
Bloomberg:
Ted Sarandos says a winning Netflix bid for WBD would lead to more films in theaters because Netflix would distribute its films via WBD's distribution system
Discussion:
The Streamable, Puck, @business, Forbes, The Wrap, Bloomberg, Bloomberg, Observer, Business Insider, What's on Netflix, Benzinga and World of Reel
Rohan Goswami / Semafor:
In a letter, six Democratic senators ask David Ellison to save communications with Trump, his family, lobbyists, and the DOJ about Paramount's pursuit of WBD
In a letter, six Democratic senators ask David Ellison to save communications with Trump, his family, lobbyists, and the DOJ about Paramount's pursuit of WBD
Discussion:
Screen Rant, Deadline, CinemaBlend, Variety, Dow Jones Newswires, TVREV, Screen, The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter
Marina Adami / Nieman Lab:
Editors and freelance journalists say AI has brought more productivity, increased expectations of speed, a need for more vetting, and sometimes job-loss fears — One freelancer said he's been offering editors access to his Google Docs version histories as evidence that he does the writing himself.
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab:
Substack announces new tools to help writers use Polymarket data and adds Polymarket to its sponsorship pilot, prompting questions from some journalists — Predictions market Polymarket and Substack are now “exclusive,” the companies announced. And the relationship getting serious is raising a few eyebrows.
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Verge, The Hill, @polymarket, @kims@mas.to, @damon.kiesow.net, @chrisbest, Defector, @thebluenami.bsky.social, Truthout, @ketanjoshi.co, @ketanjoshi.co, @hanaatameez.bsky.social, @anniegirl.bsky.social, @bensaufley.com, On Substack, @cathygellis.bsky.social, The Oracle, Feed Me, @jesseraub.online, @marisakabas.bsky.social and Wide World of News
James Hibberd / The Hollywood Reporter:
After a backlash, AMC opts out of screening an AI short film during its pre-show, programmed by ad company Screenvision, before feature films — AMC has opted out of screening the award-winning short film during its third-party programmed pre-show, and it's unclear if other chains will follow suit.
Adam Liptak / New York Times:
How Alan Dershowitz's petition to seek review of his CNN libel suit threatens NYT v. Sullivan, which Dershowitz argues should only apply to government officials — Alan Dershowitz was present at the creation of New York Times v. Sullivan. Now he is asking the Supreme Court to revise or destroy it.
Discussion:
Townhall and SCOTUSblog
Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
Only 11 out of 131 ABC-audited UK magazines grew their actively purchased print sales in 2025, including Harper's Bazaar, The Spectator, and The Week Junior — Full breakdown of UK print magazine sales risers and fallers in 2025. — Only 11 UK magazines grew their actively-purchased print sales in 2025 …
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Source: Axel Springer joins a group led by Dovid Efune that is making a ~£500M fully funded bid for the Telegraph, should DMGT's deal fail regulatory hurdles — New York Sun owner's £500mn offer promises more cash upfront if DMGT fails regulatory hurdles
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Wrap and Telegraph
Maxwell Zeff / Wired:
Perplexity's retreat from ads signals a strategic shift as it recognizes its product is not for a mass audience and expects growth to come from enterprise sales — The AI search startup once predicted advertising would be a massive business. Now it's betting on a smaller, more valuable audience.
Discussion:
AdExchanger, Futurism, Android Headlines, @wired.com, NextBigWhat, Profectio, The Indian Express, Semafor, Benzinga, KVIA-TV and SammyGuru, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
A look at The Sun's video strategy, which includes a shift to longform news and sponsored lifestyle content; it has 6.4M YouTube subscribers on its main channel — The Sun has grown its video operation “even more aggressively” than planned in the past year.
Discussion:
NERDBOT, Jon Lloyd on LinkedIn and News UK
Selome Hailu / Variety:
Matthew McConaughey and Timothée Chalamet discuss AI's potential to replace actors and win awards; McConaughey said AI actors will “infiltrate” the Oscars — Matthew McConaughey and Timothée Chalamet are telling young people to brace themselves and lead the entertainment industry through the rise of AI.
Discussion:
Dexerto, Reality Tea, Los Angeles Times, World of Reel, The Wrap, Fortune, Entertainment Weekly, @everyfilmnow.bsky.social and CNN
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The UK CMA says Getty and Shutterstock's $3.7B merger could lead to a “substantial lessening of competition” in the UK editorial market for news events — The $3.7bn merger of rival image providers Getty and Shutterstock could lead to a “substantial lessening of competition” …
Discussion:
Seattle Business Journal, GOV.UK and Reuters
