Mediagazer: Meta plans to block Canadians' ability to view or share written and broadcast news on Facebook and Instagram if the country passes its proposed Online News Act (Marie Woolf/Globe and Mail)

4:40 PM ET, March 12, 2023

Top News:

BBC chairman Richard Sharp and DG Tim Davie face calls to resign as BBC comes under criticism for its handling of freedom of speech and neutrality issues — Broadcaster forced to slash TV coverage, while BBC chair and director general face calls to resign over crisis

Jim Waterson / The Guardian:

The BBC's Match of the Day aired without presenters or pundits on March 11 after Gary Lineker's suspension; his co-hosts refused to show up in solidarity — BBC commentators also refusing to appear after corporation takes its highest-paid presenter off air over impartiality concerns

Discussion: New York Times, @glabsandra, The Guardian, The Independent, @billybragg, @bbcbreaking, The Sun, @piersmorgan, @thesun, @millar_colin, Deadline, @keitholbermann, @robharris, HuffPost UK, @adamrutherford, @nidhi, @rohini_sgh, @mehdirhasan, @david_ornstein, @martintheirish, Financial Times, @petertatchell, @calumam, New York Post, @scottygb, @ankaman616, @charlesarthur, @rogermosey, @natpirks, @charlesarthur, @marcwebber, The Guardian, The Athletic, Associated Press, @owen_whiteley, @tombaldwin66, @lord_sugar, @maxrushden, @tezilyas, @mrdanwalker, @thatginamiller, @thatginamiller, @scottygb, @sophiemcneill, @debspillane, @janafavero, @mediaanalystoz, @itvnews, @michaelpierse, @richardpbacon, @simplyredhq, @michael_hal, @kieranmlkelly, @alexisconran, @richardosman, @sarahhemm, @mickclearytel, @abradacabla, @swardley, @johnbrewin_, @memorialdevice, @iconicnumber7, @craig_foster, @proftimbale and Al Jazeera

Niamh Lynch / Sky News:

The BBC says Gary Lineker will step back as a presenter, but a source says the BBC took him off the air because he won't apologize for his UK immigration tweets — Sky News reporter @niamhielynch — Gary Lineker is stepping back from his duties as Match of the Day presenter, the BBC has said in a statement.

Discussion: The Guardian, @ianwright0, @alanshearer, New York Times, @henrymance, @sam_elliott_, @arusbridger, BBC, The Guardian, @danroan, The Independent, EFE Noticias, @adambienkov, @danroan, @kevinaschofield, @teroterotero, @guyclapperton, @adambienkov, @mrjamesob, @alexscott, @mrjohnnicolson, Al Jazeera, Deadline, @marinahyde, @tompeck, @andrewhunterm, @evacarneiro, HuffPost UK, @bdstanley, @adambienkov, @tompeck, @robertshrimsley, The A.V. Club, CNN, Bloomberg, @bbcrosatkins, @micahrichards, @jeremyclarkson, Awful Announcing, RXTV info, @philipoconnor, @jessphillips, @thhamilton, @nicolasturgeon, @edwinhayward, @skynews, Telegraph, @dannycipriani87, @doctor_oxford, @gralefrit, @jonnelledge, @barristershorse, @skynews, @sholamos1, @richardpbacon, @charlesarthur, @carolvorders, @daveleeft, @tds153, @skynews, @thattimwalker, @sadiqkhan, @matthughesdm, @twlldun, @krishgm, @skynews, @kwajohousing, @omid9, @chrchristensen, @jessphillips, @emilybell, @skynews, @martynziegler, @piersmorgan, @afhstewart, @svcarbaholic, @seandolfc, @adamcrafton_, @tomjgarry, @gnev2, @abzmcfc___, @hylandian, @philipjcollins1, @damcou, @mattcoyney, @peston, @nathanaclark, @garyyounge, @bethrigby, @johnmcdonnellmp, @ryder56004614, @kevin_maguire, @kevinbrennanmp, @claudiawebbe, @suzywrack, @lucypritty1, @jaymitchinson, @thejdtucker, @johnsweeneyroar, @mehdirhasan, @jolyonmaugham, @lucympowell, @robharris, @robharris, @jaymotty, @mrdanwalker, @reece_dinsdale, @amylawrence71, @hansmollman, @maitlis, @eurofootcom, @paddyarsenal, @otto_english, @beardedgenius, @femi_sorry, @domdyer70, @zarahsultana, @peston, @ayocaesar, @katyataylor, @johnobrennan2, @krishgm, @emilybell, @peston, @timfarron, @skynews, @gunnerblog, @janaagefjortoft, @gnev2, @lewisiwu, @adamboultontabb, @robmanuel, @liamthorpecho, @robharris, @revrachelmann, @ohgodwhatnowpod, @samcarvalho, @thomasutr_, @bethrigby and @scottygb

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Filing: Roku held $487M, or ~26% of its $1.9B in cash and equivalents, at SVB, “largely uninsured”, and says the $1.4B left “will be sufficient” for 12+ months — About one-fourth of Roku's cash and equivalents — nearly half a billion dollars …

Discussion: SEC.gov, @stephennellis, CNN, Bloomberg, @the_blueprint, @notabigjerk, @thecompoundnews, @ddayen, @johnlegere, IndieWire, Engadget, CNBC, TechCrunch, Media Play News, @mollypriddy, @sherman4949, @devincow, @brianroemmele and @xpangler

Marie Woolf / Globe and Mail:

Meta plans to block Canadians' ability to view or share written and broadcast news on Facebook and Instagram if the country passes its proposed Online News Act — Tech giant Meta has decided to block Canadians' ability to view or share news content on Facebook and Instagram …

Discussion: Canadian Press, @mgeist, @melissambarki, @robertfife, @yoda, @awudrick, @nspector4, @dubsndoo, @kkomaitis, @nanaslugdiva, @justinhendrix, @jason_kint and Michael Geist, more at Techmeme »

Darren Major / CBC News:
Appearing before a Canadian Parliament committee, Google executives defend the company blocking news content for some users in a test expected to end next week

Discussion: @ezralevant, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint and @jason_kint

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

Sources: Group Black wants to acquire Paramount's BET and VH1, backed by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners; Tyler Perry and Byron Allen are also looking — Black Entertainment Television made the first Black billionaire in the United States. Will a Black executive buy it back?

Discussion: @jtoonkel, @cpa_trendlines, @pkafka, @mediaevan, @benmullin, @anthony@journa.host and The Wrap

Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Group Black submitted a ~$400M bid to acquire Vice Media, which has received other bids and hopes to wrap up the bidding process in the next few days

Discussion: @lostblackboy

Helena Horton / The Guardian:

Sources: the BBC won't air an episode on the loss of nature from David Attenborough's UK wildlife series for fear of rightwing anger; the BBC denies the claim — Exclusive: Decision to make episode about natural destruction available only on iPlayer angers programme-makers

Fortesa Latifi / Teen Vogue:

A YouTuber who went viral as a toddler says she resents her family for monetizing her childhood, as some influencer parents rethink using kids for content — “Nothing they do now is going to take back the years of work I had to put in.” — Search Claire's name online …

Discussion: @melissajpeltier, @tiffanycli, @phil_lewis_, @chescaleigh, @kattenbarge, @fortesalatifi, @baileycarlin and @erinmayequade

Elizabeth Djinis / Poynter:

Special interest magazines, of which Dotdash Meredith and a360media control nearly 60%, grew 8% YoY in 2020 and 20% YoY in 2021 as the magazine market struggled — In a struggling magazine media market, a genre of magazines called special interest publications or bookazines has become a surprising winner.

Discussion: @aarongrunwald, @harrymccracken, @poynter, @b2bcontentguy, @niemanlab and @poynter

Julie Lasky / New York Times:

A look at Apartment Life, a monthly young urban American magazine founded in 1969 that had 800K readers, soon to be revived as a special interest publication — The cluttered, lively ethos of Apartment Life offers an antidote to the chilly perfectionism of Instagram — and creative ideas that still feel relevant.

Discussion: @marjorieingall, @seangraf, @jenrrain, @karrieurbanist, @alcademics and @langealexandra

Daniel Tilles / Notes From Poland:

After the suicide of a Polish opposition MP's 15-year-old son, three presenters resign from a state radio station accused of outing him as a sexual abuse victim — Three presenters have resigned from Radio Szczecin, a state broadcaster accused of helping publicly identify a 15-year-old sexual abuse victim …

Discussion: @notesfrompoland

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

A look at Jimmy Finkelstein's The Messenger, debuting in May 2023 with $50M in funding and 175+ reporters covering politics, business, entertainment, and sports — The company, which will begin operating in May, plans to have around 550 journalists covering entertainment, politics and sports within a year.

Discussion: @sonnybunch, @tomgara, @benmullin, @rmnth, @nberke, @stphnfwlr, @taraemcg, @mpdillon, @ericnewcomer, @abtran, @jeffjarvis, @doree, @ryanvailbrown, @pressgazette, @haleaziz, @shanegoldmacher, @joeconchatv and @mkady

Wall Street Journal:

A look at upcoming changes for failing RSNs; sources: MLB envisions a hybrid national and local programming venture with TV and streaming on its own platform — Once thriving, the regional-sports TV industry is suffering as cable bundles unravel — Two of the largest regional sports broadcasters …

Discussion: New York Post, @haleaziz, Cord Cutters News, @jasongay, @kevinokeefe, @lindseyadler and @jbflint

Phillip Bupp / Awful Announcing:
Report: Sinclair's Diamond Sports Group is within a week of filing for bankruptcy and has not paid the Arizona Diamondbacks by exercising a grace payment clause

Discussion: @ourand_sbj

Kevin Loker / American Press Institute:

Survey: Black Americans ages 16 to 40 get news daily from social media at higher rates than their white peers and are more likely to pay for or donate to news — How should news organizations appeal to Millennial and Gen Z news audiences and keep them coming back?

Discussion: @dabeard, @amandabecker and New York Post