Top News:
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Internal memo: CBS Mornings top producer Shawna Thomas will leave her role; a source says CBS News executives are eager to find a way to keep working with her — The anchors are staying. The producer is going. … The journalist, who has won plaudits for her entrepreneurial career …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Wrap, Deadline, @dylanbyers, @bristei and @benmullin
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King signs a new deal, providing some stability at CBS News; a source says King's current deal is worth ~$15M and runs through May — The ‘CBS Mornings’ co-host dispelled rumors of a possible departure, staying with the network amid broader overhaul
Discussion:
Poynter, New York Post, Status, Daily Mail, @jeremymbarr, @bariweiss, Awful Announcing, Variety, Sandra Rose, DNYUZ, Fox News, Entertainment Weekly, Reuters, HELLO!, Los Angeles Times, TheGrio, Mediaweek, The Guardian, TMZ.com, Us Weekly, ROB SHUTER'S Naughty But Nice, TV Insider, The Cut, RADAR, E! Online, The Hollywood Reporter, CNN, Baller Alert, New York Daily News, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, The Wrap, Deadline, Barrett Media and Mediaite
Michael Savage / The Guardian:
In response to its charter review, the BBC says “irreversible” trends threaten its survival, citing a “mismatch” between TV license rules and viewing habits — In opening response to charter review, corporation points to ‘mismatch’ between TV licence rules and viewing habits
Discussion:
The Times, Ben Werdmuller, GB News, @scottygb, The Sun, @rogermosey and The i Paper
RELATED:
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
The BBC suggests opening iPlayer to other public broadcasters to “help ensure the UK retains a streaming platform that competes with global services” — Firing the starting gun on a negotiation with the government that will set the BBC up for the next decade …
Discussion:
BBC, Deadline, Broadband TV News, Ireland Live, The Guardian and Financial Times
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
ITV reports 2025 revenue up 1% YoY to £3.5B, ITV Studios revenue up 10% YoY to £2.13B, ITVX hit 16.5M MAUs and £540M in ad revenue, and confirms Sky talks — U.K. media giant ITV has posted full-year 2025 results the company said beat market expectations …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Advanced Television, Telegraph, Financial Times, Variety, Deadline, The Independent and Broadband TV News
The Information:
Sources: OpenAI has held early talks with The Trade Desk to sell ads, and it has projected ads could help double consumer ChatGPT revenue this year to $17B — OpenAI has held early talks to partner with The Trade Desk, a publicly traded ad tech company, to help the ChatGPT maker sell ads …
Discussion:
Benzinga, Barron's Online and Blockonomi, more at Techmeme »
Chris Moran / The Guardian:
The Guardian updates its GenAI policies to focus on educating staff, creating in-house tools that incorporate its “values”, and committing to transparency — Over the past three years AI has triggered a societal shift and we are sure that many of our readers are using it in their own lives or work.
Discussion:
Journalism.co.uk
Murray Stassen / Music Business Worldwide:
Apple Music introduces Transparency Tags, a metadata system for music distributors and labels to disclose AI-generated creative elements like artwork or lyrics — Apple Music is introducing a new set of metadata requirements designed to bring greater transparency around AI-generated content to the music industry.
Discussion:
Billboard, MediaNama, The Verge, PhoneArena, International Business Times, iPhone in Canada, TechRadar, Engadget, Digital Trends, Music Ally, Mashable, MacRumors, Tech in Asia, AppleInsider, Happy Mag, 9to5Mac, MacStories, TechCrunch and CNET
Ana Monteiro / Bloomberg:
Canal+ plans to discontinue the loss-making Showmax streaming service developed by South African pay TV operator MultiChoice, which Canal+ bought in 2025 — Canal+ SA will discontinue the loss-making Showmax streaming service developed by South African pay-TV operator MultiChoice Group, which the French firm bought last year.
Discussion:
Nairametrics, Techpoint Africa, Advanced Television, TechCabal, Variety, Condia, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, WeeTracker, BusinessDay and Broadband TV News
Kendra Barnett / Adweek:
WPP names Nancy Hall as CEO of WPP Media US; Brian Lesser, WPP Media's global CEO, served in the role on an interim basis after the departure of Sharb Farjami — The appointment arrives a week after WPP announced a substantial reorg designed to recover steep financial losses
Discussion:
Nancy Hall on LinkedIn, Variety, Mediaweek and campaignlive.com
New York Times:
Iran's official TV networks and aligned social media accounts are blending fact and fiction about the war, often using unproven claims and fake AI videos — State media and online propagandists are striking a confident posture, despite heavy losses. Some of the content was generated by artificial intelligence.
Discussion:
HotAir and @brianstelter.bsky.social
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Filing: Trump added between $600K and $1.25M in Netflix bonds to his portfolio in January; he also bought between $600K and $1.25M of SiriusXM bonds — New financial disclosures released Wednesday show that the President acquired Netflix bonds as Paramount was trying to pry WBD away from the streaming giant.
Discussion:
Reality Tea, Joe.My.God., Mediaweek, Deadline, @croyle@wandering.shop, @nitishpahwa.com, The Wrap and Just Jared
