Top News:
CNBC:
Netflix walks away from a deal to buy WBD's studio and streaming assets after WBD deemed Paramount's $31/share bid to be superior; NFLX up 9%+ after hours — Netflix is walking away from a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets after the WBD board on Thursday deemed …
Discussion:
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Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Memo: CNN CEO Mark Thompson urged employees to avoid jumping to conclusions after Netflix pulled out of the WBD deal and to focus on serving CNN's audience — That has triggered a new level of consternation at the network, not just because of the every present worries about cutbacks …
Kerry Flynn / Axios:
The Athletic hires six former Washington Post sports reporters, including Candace Buckner, after the Post dismantled its sports section earlier in February — The Athletic is hiring a slew of sports reporters from the Washington Post to expand its coverage of D.C. teams.
Discussion:
The New York Times Company, The Wrap, Fox News, @jbillinson, @candacedbuckner, @davejorgenson.bsky.social, Joy Robins on LinkedIn, @froomkin.bsky.social, Micah Gelman on LinkedIn, Valerie Remy on LinkedIn, @mikemadden.bsky.social, @jimvandehei, @nielslesniewski, @pressgazette.co.uk, @bencjacobs, @kerrymflynn, @jeffasher.bsky.social, @leadergrev.bsky.social, @jeremymbarr, @spencernusbaum_, @mlcalderone, @benjysarlin, Tammy Gordon on LinkedIn, Sports Media Watch, @bfquinn.bsky.social, @davidaldridgedc, @candacedbuckner, Simon Owens on LinkedIn, @aarongleeman.bsky.social, Claudio E. Cabrera on LinkedIn, @chelsea_janes, @barrysvrluga, Awful Announcing and Sports Business Journal
Jill Goldsmith / Deadline:
WBD reports Q4 revenue fell 6% YoY to $9.46B, net loss narrowed 49% to $252M, streaming revenue rose 4% to $2.8B, and streaming subs hit 131.6M, up 3.5M from Q3 — HBO Max added subscribers and grew revenue. … But it's the roiling M&A tide, with Paramount suddenly in a position to hijack …
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Committee to Protect Journalists:
A record 129 press members were killed in 2025, the second consecutive YoY record; Israel was responsible for two-thirds of killings in 2025 and 2024 — Key findings — More journalists and media workers were killed in 2025 than in any other year since the Committee to Protect Journalists …
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Jeremy Barr / The Guardian:
Netflix plans to debut Dynasty: The Murdochs, a four-part docuseries about Murdoch's rise and court battle over control of his media empire, on March 13 — ‘Dynasty: The Murdochs’ will debut on the streamer on 13 March — The real-world drama that is said to have inspired the hit HBO show Succession …
Discussion:
What's on Netflix, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
Riddhi Setty / Columbia Journalism Review:
The Cleveland Plain Dealer says adding an “AI rewrite specialist” has saved reporters enough time for an extra day to report while producing as many stories — Cleveland.com is embracing AI tools, including an AI rewrite desk. — In October of last year, Chris Quinn …
Discussion:
Fast Company
Madeline Coleman / The Athletic:
Apple TV will offer Season 8 of Netflix's Drive to Survive F1 docuseries in the US; in turn, Netflix will air Apple TV's Canadian Grand Prix coverage in the US — Share full article — In a shocking move, Apple TV and Netflix are collaborating with each other this Formula 1 season …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, TechRadar, CNET, 9to5Mac, @madelinecoleman.bsky.social, Cord Cutters News, Sportsnaut, Netflix Tudum, Reuters, Awful Announcing, AppleInsider, The Race, TODAY.com, Motorsport.com, The Verge, The Mac Observer, Deadline, Engadget, Decider, Awful Announcing, Speedcafe.com, MacTech.com, WTOP News, racer.com, MacDailyNews, The Independent and The Hollywood Reporter
Reuters:
Sources: CNBC is planning an overhaul which will result in nearly a dozen layoffs, including the website's managing editor, and the introduction of a paywall — CNBC is restructuring its newsroom to unify its TV and digital operations in a move that would result in nearly a dozen layoffs including …
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Starz reports Q4 revenue fell to $322.8M vs. $344.5M a year ago, net loss narrowed to $20.7M vs. $31.8M a year ago, and US streaming subs hit 12.7M, up 370K QoQ — Starz ended 2025 with things looking up post-Lionsgate split the now-standalone company narrowed its losses to $20.7 million vs. $31.8 million in the comparable Q4 of 2024.
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter and Media Play News
Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
Ozone, a publisher alliance for ad sales representing 500 media brands, signs a deal that makes Ozone's inventory available on the Microsoft Media Marketplace — Ozone deal with Microsoft Media Marketplace is first tie-up with buy-side ads platform. — Publisher online ad sales coalition Ozone …
Discussion:
InPublishing
Harry Davies / The Guardian:
Northern Ireland's police and the Metropolitan police admit to unlawfully obtaining BBC correspondent Vincent Kearney's communications data to identify sources — Former Northern Ireland correspondent Vincent Kearney subjected to ‘unprecedented’ surveillance, says lawyer
Nektaria Stamouli / Politico:
A Greek court sentences four people, including spyware maker Intellexa's founder, to prison, for using spyware to target journalists, politicians, and others — Greece's “Predatorgate” scandal is one of Europe's biggest political crises over the use of hacking software.
Discussion:
Reuters, Bloomberg, Courthouse News Service, TechCrunch, @campuscodi@mastodon.social, The Record and Al Jazeera, more at Techmeme »
