Top News:
Politico:
A US district court judge rules Kari Lake was not lawfully appointed CEO of USAGM, which oversees VOA, and her actions as CEO are void, including mass layoffs — “The Court finds that these expansive delegations were an unlawful effort to transform Lake into the CEO of U.S. Agency for Global Media in all but name," the judge wrote.
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, Washington Post, NPR, CNN, Associated Press, Law and Chaos, Townhall, @scottnover, UPI, The Wrap, MS NOW, Law Dork, Salon, @sarafischer, Reporters Without Borders, Straight Arrow News, @mikeelgan, @jilldlawrence.bsky.social, Washington Examiner, FOX 10 Phoenix, @hampdell.bsky.social, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, The NewsGuild, The Guardian, Axios, Washington Times, New York Times, @mickeykuhns.bsky.social, @brucedlittle.bsky.social, The Hill, @citizen-sharon.bsky.social, @anneapplebaum.bsky.social, @davidcorn.bsky.social, @anneapplebaum.bsky.social, Reuters, @flingjore.com, @spencergreen.bsky.social, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, @newsguy.bsky.social and Mediaite
Joe DePaolo / Mediaite:
Fox News apologizes after facing criticism for airing old footage of a ceremony honoring fallen soldiers instead of a new event where Trump wore a baseball cap — Fox News apologized, Sunday, for airing a clip showing footage of an old dignified transfer ceremony — rather than the one that took place …
Discussion:
Poynter, The Guardian, The Hill, Deadline, TV Insider, @badfoxgraphics, @atrupar, @markmeadows, The Wrap, @jimacosta@threads.com, @badfoxgraphics, @bsdtectr.bsky.social, @acyn, @tarasetmayer.bsky.social, The Independent, @pamspaulding.bsky.social, Raw Story, @atrupar.com, @acyn, Reality Tea, @govpressoffice, Washington Examiner, Letters from an American, PoliticusUSA, @johnny_joey, The Daily Beast, @markjacob.bsky.social, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, @aaronparnas.bsky.social, @dappergander.bsky.social, @atrupar.com, CNN and Just Jared
Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg / Wall Street Journal:
Simon & Schuster names ex-Amazon executive Greg Greeley as its new CEO, succeeding Jonathan Karp, who will launch a Simon & Schuster imprint called Simon Six — Publisher turns to industry outsider as expanded entertainment options squeeze the book business
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Piers Morgan's Uncensored names Rashida Jones, who left MSNBC in 2025, as CEO, and raises capital; the YouTube-based media company was reportedly seeking ~$30M — Morgan's company, Uncensored, also raised cash from Antenna Group, Raine Ventures, and Reuben Brothers.
Discussion:
New York Times, Deadline and @jtes, more at Techmeme »
New York Times:
ICE detained Nashville journalist Estefany Maria Rodriguez Florez, who sought asylum and is married to an American, for allegedly overstaying her tourist visa — The detention of Estefany Maria Rodriguez Florez, who had sought asylum and is married to an American citizen, raised fears that she had been targeted for her reporting.
Bloomberg:
Sources: Live Nation is close to settling a DOJ antitrust lawsuit accusing it of illegally monopolizing the live music industry, without divesting Ticketmaster — Live Nation Entertainment Inc. is close to settling a federal antitrust lawsuit accusing the company of illegally monopolizing …
Nick Harris / Sporting Intelligence:
Sports media figure Fabrizio Romano calls himself a journalist, but he takes pay for social media posts, including about the “humanitarian” role of Saudi Arabia — The Italian “influencer” who has never worked as a real journalist, has 100m+ followers on social media and leverages them for cash.
Ben Fritz / Wall Street Journal:
An interview with Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter, who wants the studio to return to universally relatable concepts after recent box office failures — The ‘Toy Story’ studio used to print money for Disney but hasn't made an original blockbuster in nearly a decade.
Discussion:
Variety, The Guardian, Gizmodo, LGBTQ Nation, FlatpanelsHD, PinkNews, Entertainment Weekly, @azalben.bsky.social, Comic Book, CinemaBlend, The Hollywood Reporter, The A.V. Club, The Wrap, The Movie Blog, Empire, Deadline, Animation Magazine, IndieWire, Just Jared, Screen Rant, Just Jared, Screen Rant, The Wrap, Cord Cutters News, Variety, Comic Book and El País
RELATED:
Ben Fritz / Wall Street Journal:
Pixar's Hoppers opened to an estimated $88M worldwide this weekend, the biggest debut for an original animated movie since 2017, as Disney tries to revive Pixar
Discussion:
UK Press, Gizmodo, Deadline, Animation Magazine, Comic Book, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Entertainment Weekly, Media Play News, CinemaBlend, Screen Rant and Just Jared
Vauhini Vara / Bloomberg:
How James Patterson, one of the world's bestselling authors, is trying to revive waning book sales by co-authoring novels with Viola Davis, MrBeast, and others — After decades atop the thriller game, James Patterson is fending off waning sales by doubling down on collaborations—and dabbling in romantasy too.
Bloomberg:
Sources: Tencent mulls rejoining Paramount's WBD deal as a passive investor with several hundred million; filing: Tencent withdrew a $1B commitment in December — Tencent Holdings Ltd. intends to invest several hundred million dollars in Paramount Skydance Corp.'s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. …
Discussion:
Blockonomi, Tech in Asia and TechNode
Laura Kelly / The Hill:
Ahmad Batebi, a journalist with VOA's Persian service, says he was fired over a clash about VOA limiting coverage of Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi — A journalist with Voice of America's (VOA) Persian service said he was fired this week over efforts to limit coverage of Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Discussion:
The Independent, @davidfolkenflik, @radiojibi, NCRI and @newsguy.bsky.social
Status:
NewsNation's latest promo, which attacks CNN's Kaitlan Collins, shows how Nexstar is cozying up to MAGA as it seeks approval for its Tegna merger — CNN staffers dismissed NewsNation's latest promo attacking Kaitlan Collins as “pathetic”—but the episode showcased how Nexstar's network …
Discussion:
@matthewkeyslive, Atlanta Black Star, @status.news and @passantino.bsky.social
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