Top News:

The Texas Observer, founded in 1954, is shutting down and laying off its 17 staff, including 13 journalists; employees' last day is scheduled for March 31 — The 68-year-old progressive publication, which published Ronnie Dugger, Molly Ivins and Kaye Northcott, hit financial troubles …
Discussion:
@sewellchan, Mediaite, @gusbova, @stevanzetti, @floppyadult, @bradfordpearson, @citizencohn, @brooklynmarie, @leftcoastbabe, @sunny___sone, @sdkstl, @jeffsharlet, @alexbirnel, @profmusgrave, @david_dayen, @hegemommy, @amalahmed214, @mauricechammah, @joekatz45, @ayetalian, @pamelacolloff, @lomikriel, @olgakhazan, @pleizar, @bradfordpearson, @texasobserver, @rev_avocado, @sivavaid, @davidsirota, @brandondarby, @chrisgeidner, @jduffyrice, @rottenindenmark, @mattdpearce, The Daily Beast, @samjgrasso, @amzam, @by_jmiller, @aclarkefromberg, @chrislhayes, @jwharris, @mckinneykelsey, @bradfordpearson, @stevanzetti, @msberbiage, @byjayroot, @sunnyright, @wilson__valdez, @alexbirnel, @lukewsavage, @radleybalko, @tumatime, @colinallredtx, @crulge, The Wrap, @daustinsanders, @schwarz, @chrisjudetaylor, @dansolomon, @oliviamesser, @jessespector, @thestalwart, @scholarlyspoon, @ryanaboyd, @lomikriel, Media Nation, @profmusgrave, @sheaserrano, @atrubek, @sewellchan, @chrisburynews, @bradfordpearson, @stan_okl, @TexasObserver … and @gregpak@mastodon.social

Elon Musk says only verified accounts will appear in Twitter's For You tab and be able to vote in polls as a way to address “AI bot swarms”, starting April 15 — Twitter users will need a “verified account” to get recommended on the platform's For You page starting on April 15th …
Discussion:
@elonmusk, Variety, Deadline, Reuters, Social Media Today, @kruzadar, @jarvis, @ischafer, @stevenbward, @videotech_, @rtehrani, @thestuffofmemes, @heydudeimadam, @jonfavs, @semaforben and @skillupyt, more at Techmeme »

Documents: Twitter keeps a list of ~35 users it monitors and boosts visibility, including Matt Yglesias, Glenn Greenwald, Ben Shapiro, AOC, and Joe Biden — Congratulations to Ben Shapiro, AOC, and ... LeBron? — Last week, Twitter began notifying users who were verified under …
Discussion:
@zoeschiffer, @deljohnsonvc, @edzitron, @avengerresister, @jeffveillette, @atrupar, @coloradotravis, @edburmila, @golikehellmachi, @chrisfralic, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @mikertrice, @_shamgod, @notcapnamerica, @mmasnick@mastodon.social, @vanessa_abee, @caseynewton and Variety, more at Techmeme »

Demands from film talent and marketing drive Apple's and Amazon's embrace of theaters, where Apple plans to debut top movies at least a month ahead of Apple TV+ — Did you watch the World Baseball Classic? Did you know it happened? The event, billed as the World Cup of baseball, is a huge hit beyond US shores.
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw, @dcnorg, Collider, @davidpoland and Forbes
RELATED:

Apple plans to release Martin Scorsese's next movie Killers of the Flower Moon in theaters in partnership with Paramount Pictures before its Apple TV+ debut — Apple is the latest streamer to discover that theaters are actually kind of useful. Following a Bloomberg report last week …
Discussion:
IndieWire, Comic Book, Screen Rant, Collider, Variety, The Wrap, Deadline, GoldDerby, 9to5Mac, BGR, The Hollywood Reporter, The Playlist and AppleInsider

Memo: Disney plans to start layoffs this week, the first of three rounds before the summer that will amount to 7,000 roles, as part of $5.5B in cost cutting — - Disney will begin informing employees this week that they're being laid off. — This will be the first of three rounds of cuts that will amount to 7,000 job losses.
Discussion:
Deadline, The Verge, CNN, The Wrap, Deadline, IGN, @ashleylcarter1, Cord Cutters News, TechCrunch, New York Post, The Hollywood Reporter, Financial Times, @lucas_shaw, Variety, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, CNET, Bloomberg, @sherman4949, @andrewmarchand, Next TV, New York Daily News, KRON4 and Barrett Media

After India's legal orders this week, Twitter blocked the tweets of 122 users, including reporters and politicians, from Indian users; it used to push back more — Last year, before Elon Musk took over as CEO, Twitter pushed back against such requests from the government. — • NEW DELHI, INDIA
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Boing Boing, Bloomberg, @russellbrandom, @neerajka, @arsh11kaur, @cpjasia, @mattyglesias, @rvawonk, @gypsystrategy, @restofworld, @gaganjassowal, @thejagmeetsingh, @helenkennedy, @evacide, @mmasnick@mastodon.social, @lauren@mastodon …, @iamcouncil, @cengizyar, @cpo10za, @dangillmor@mastodon.social and Interhacktives

Former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg files new claims about Fox lawyers' coercive coaching, staff's bias and unprofessional behavior, and Fox's retaliation — Abby Grossberg sued Fox last week, alleging she was coerced into giving misleading testimony about the network's election fraud coverage.

Time EIC Edward Felsenthal steps down, to be succeeded by Sam Jacobs as interim EIC; Felsenthal will become executive chairman and contributing editor on June 1 — Edward Felsenthal will become executive chairman and contributing editor at Time in June. — Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal …
Discussion:
TIME, @jsibo and @sampjacobs

Sources: Grid News' website shuts down as owner The Messenger evaluates what to do with Grid's products and interviews Grid's staff for roles at The Messenger — The website for Grid News, the D.C.-based digital news startup that sold last week to Jimmy Finkelstein's new media startup The Messenger …
Discussion:
@sarafischer, @sarafischer, @oneunderscore__, @paldhous, @nickrmanes, @owillis and Talking Biz News

Sources: CNN is finalizing a deal for Gayle King to host a weekly prime-time show; in March, CNN may hit its lowest monthly rating in decades for ages 25 to 54 — Basketball commentator Charles Barkley also in mix as potential host — CNN is finalizing a deal for “CBS Mornings” …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Deadline, @andrewmarchand, @asharma, @keitholbermann, @jbflint, @owillis, @dylanbyers, Variety and @bristei

Snap names longtime Microsoft ad leader Rob Wilk as its president of Americas, as Snap restructures its ad team and rebuilds its ad platform after Apple's ATT — Rob Wilk named president of Americas following high-profile departures last year — Snapchat named Microsoft's longtime ad leader Rob Wilk …
Discussion:
@garettsloane, @digitalshields, The Hollywood Reporter, @sarafischer, The Information, Variety and MediaPost