Mediagazer

2:40 PM ET, April 2, 2025

Top News:

Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:

Tortoise Media names Times journalist Rachel Sylvester as The Observer's political editor; a source says 50%+ of Observer staff have decided to leave — Tortoise Media has announced the recruitment of Times journalist Rachel Sylvester as political editor of The Observer as it gears up to take over the title later this month.

Discussion: @jackcarterbenjamin …, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @carolecadwalla.bsky.social, @jamiesusskind, @tortoise, @plutotlabarbie, @josiah.writes.news, @rsylvestertimes, @catneilan, @mypalfootfoot7 and @michaelsavage

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

After leaving Meet the Press, Chuck Todd is embarking on a career as a media entrepreneur, and plans to hire other hosts for a podcast and video network — After leaving NBC News in January, the former “Meet the Press” moderator is starting a new chapter as a media entrepreneur.

Discussion: @benmullin.bsky.social, @kantrowitz, @chriscillizza, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @djtweets, @tvgrimreaper, @benmullin, @michaelkruse, @owillis.bsky.social and TVNewsCheck

Bron Maher / Press Gazette:

Newsquest's editorial development director says it now employs 36 “AI-assisted” reporters, freeing up the rest of the newsroom to “be out pounding the beat” — Regional publishing giant Newsquest now employs 36 “AI-assisted” reporters across its titles, its editorial development director has said.

Naman Ramachandran / Variety:

News Corp finalizes the sale of Australian pay-TV operator Foxtel Group to DAZN in a $2.2B deal after regulatory approval, and will take a 6% stake in DAZN — Billboard Women in Music 2025 — News Corp said Wednesday it has finalized the sale of Australian pay-TV operator Foxtel Group to global sports streaming provider DAZN.

Discussion: Advanced Television, Reuters, The Wrap, News Corporation and The Hollywood Reporter

Mark Mwachiro / Adweek:10 minutes ago

QVC launches a 24/7 live shopping stream on TikTok by integrating with TikTok Shop; the stream will include original content just for TikTok — The commerce channel has been on TikTok Shop since August 2024

Discussion: TVNewsCheck and CNBC

Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:

A look at Direkt36, a member-supported Hungarian investigative news site that recently released a documentary about the wealth in Viktor Orbán's inner circle — “In a bizarre way, the government propaganda also helped create some buzz around the film.”

Discussion: TVNewsCheck and @amlwhere.bsky.social

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

An NPR document from February 2011 estimated defunding could cut up to $240M from the public radio system and close up to 18% of roughly 1,000 member stations — Republicans say there is no reason for the government to fund the public broadcasters. — There is no reason, Republicans say, for the government to fund NPR and PBS.

Discussion: Fox News, The Washington Free Beacon, @mattgertz, @benmullin, Media Nation and Nieman Lab

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

The Telegraph removes a March 22 article claiming campaign group Stop Funding Hate had amplified anti-Semitic social media posts and will pay legal costs — The Telegraph has removed an article claiming campaign group Stop Funding Hate had amplified anti-Semitic social media posts.

Discussion: @josiah.writes.news

Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:

Patreon signs podcasting deals with Sony Music and Wondery, and says it now has 6.7M paid podcast subscriptions, generating $472M+ in 2024 revenue, up 35% YoY — Podcasters made more than $472 million on the platform last year — Patreon Inc., a subscription platform for online creators …

Discussion: TechCrunch

Brian Steinberg / Variety:

CNBC strikes distribution deals with Apple and Roku for its $14.99 per month subscription service CNBC+ — Billboard Women in Music 2025 — The future of CNBC may not entirely take place on CNBC. — As of Wednesday afternoon, both Apple TV and Roku will distribute CNBC+ to users …

Discussion: TVNewsCheck, The Streamable, Talking Biz News, Deadline, Streaming Better, Financial Times, Cord Cutters News and CNBC Press Releases

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

An interview with Vox EIC and Publisher Swati Sharma on a boom in paying readers after Trump's inauguration, building a community, and reaching “news avoiders” — According to “explainer” newsbrand Vox the rate of increase for new paying members grew 350% in the two months …

Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch:

US nonprofit National Novel Writing Month, recently embroiled in AI and content moderation scandals, shuts down after 25 years, citing financial issues — NaNoWriMo, a twenty-five-year-old online writing community-turned-nonprofit, announced on Monday evening that it is shutting down.

Discussion: NaNoWriMo Kilby on YouTube, Futurism, @matokah.bsky.social, Publishers Weekly and Gizmodo

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More News:

Wired:
Trump gutting a small federal agency that provides funding to libraries and museums could threaten access to digital services such as the free ebook app Libby

Discussion: NPR, @karayorio.bsky.social, @james3neal.bsky.social, @netaloid.bsky.social, BOOK RIOT, HuffPost, INDY Week, @peard33.bsky.social, @laurengoode.bsky.social, PBS NewsHour, American Alliance of Museums, ARTnews, Lewiston Sun Journal and CBS News

Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch:
In a new paper, Tim O'Reilly and other researchers say OpenAI likely trained GPT-4o on paywalled books from O'Reilly Media without a licensing agreement

Discussion: AI Disclosures Project, Beyond Search and Asimov's Addendum, more at Techmeme »

Katie Strang / New York Times:
How the repetition of a false rumor by ESPN's Pat McAfee, ESPN radio hosts, and others negatively impacted an Ole Miss student, who plans to sue

Discussion: Pajiba, Sportico, TVNewsCheck, @corrihess.bsky.social, @txnewsprincess.bsky.social, @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social, @kenvogel.bsky.social, @prolibshow.com, @velodus.bsky.social, The US Sun, @epicureandealmaker …, Mediaite, New York Post, Awful Announcing and WTRF

Max Goldbart / Deadline:
BBC and ITV's new contracts with actors' union Equity won't include AI safeguards as they await the outcome of Equity negotiations with producer trade body Pact

Discussion: Realscreen

Andreas Wiseman / Deadline:
Ketchup Entertainment buys Coyote vs. Acme from WBD, which shelved it in November 2023 as a cost-cutting measure; the movie is expected in theaters in 2026

Discussion: The National Interest, Screen Rant, Eric Calderon on LinkedIn, Lucy Tanner Tomlinson on LinkedIn, @mikeirvo.bsky.social, @matbrunetvo.com, Cartoon Brew and Cele|bitchy

Earlier Picks:

Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:
TikTok is shutting down its Instagram rival TikTok Notes on May 8, 2025, directing users to Lemon8, a similar ByteDance app with 12.5M MAUs as of December 2024

Discussion: Passionfruit, TechNode and The Information

American Journalism Project:
John Thornton, founder of The Texas Tribune, co-founder of the American Journalism Project, and venture capitalist, has died at age 59

Jake Kanter / Deadline:
YouTube suspends two major fake movie trailer channels from its partner program, following Deadline's report on studios earning ad revenue from the trailers

Discussion: Fast Company, Media Play News, Jessie Stephenson on LinkedIn, 9to5Google, @applecider.bsky.social, @johnhudgens.bsky.social, @joehenderson.bsky.social and @culturecrave.co

Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
Steve Kornacki signs a deal with NBC News and NBC Sports and departs from MSNBC, which Comcast is spinning off into a new corporate entity

CNBC:
Newsmax shares jumped 179% on April 1 and have risen 1,500%+ since their March 31 debut, bringing the company's market cap to ~$20.8B, above WBD and Fox Corp

From Techmeme:

Jay Peters / The Verge:
Nintendo shares Switch 2 details: a 7.9", 120fps, 1080p display, larger Joy-Con controllers, 256GB of storage, 4K at 60fps when docked, and a new Pro Controller

New York Times:
Sources: Amazon has put in a bid to acquire all of TikTok, but various parties involved do not appear to be taking it seriously, ahead of the April 5 deadline

Rachael Bade / Politico:
Sources: President Trump told his inner circle, including Cabinet members, that Elon Musk will step back in the coming weeks; Trump remains pleased with DOGE

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