Top News:

Disney has reached its target of 7,000 layoffs, or 3.2% of its total global headcount of 220,000; source: more cuts are planned internationally over time — Disney reached its 7,000 layoffs goal, handing out notices to the remaining employees impacted in its third round of job cuts …
Discussion:
The Desk, @scottgustin and The Wrap

Multiple New York Times journalists say they remain concerned and disappointed the outlet published a soft-focus profile of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes — As Holmes headed to jail Tuesday, business editor Ellen Pollock was put on the spot to defend a soft-focus profile …
Discussion:
@charlottetklein, Fox News, @jeremybwhite, Poynter, @meganmurp, @sulliview, The Guardian, @tiagodf, @niemanlab, @andreagrimes, @nickmmark, @andreagrimes, @thebenbergman, @shwinyo, @vanityfair, @andreagrimes, @vanityfair, @tiagodf, @bgrueskin, @charlottetklein, @jeffjarvis, @adam_a_carlson, @biophysicsfl, @awprokop, @ashleyfeinberg, @froomkin, @ericschultz, @waterpio, @nick_field90, @bgrueskin, @dylanbyers, @andreagrimes, @billjurgensen …, Variety and Insider

OPEC bars Reuters, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal from its Vienna meeting this weekend; sources: Saudi Arabia's energy minister instigated the decision — Reuters, Bloomberg and Dow Jones denied invites in decision driven by Saudi Arabia's energy minister

Meta threatens to remove news content from its platforms in California if the state government passes a proposed law forcing tech companies to pay publishers — Facebook parent Meta Platforms (META.O) said on Wednesday it would remove news content in its home state of California …
Discussion:
@andymstone, Axios, The Wrap, Nieman Lab, NPR, Washington Post, @viacristiano, Wall Street Journal, @niemanlab, @uhshanti, @progresschamber, @libshipwreck, @_greatdelusion, @athertonkd, @emzanotti, @bgrueskin, @mattdpearce, @humanstein, @pdavis_llc, @gretchenapeck, @newsguild, @matthewkeyslive, @gaufre, CNN, National Review and WDTN.com

Baltimore Banner CEO Imtiaz Patel plans to step down on July 7 to join Gannett's senior leadership; Brian McGrory will lead the nonprofit during its CEO search — Our nonprofit news organization is made possible by subscribers and donors who value storytelling that impacts and uplifts communities.
Discussion:
@tim_prudente, @kyoshino, @pwoodreporter, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @dankennedy_nu@journa.host and MediaPost

A look at the grotesque world of AI true-crime-victim TikTok, where AI deepfakes, based on images of children who were abused, describe their own ghastly demise — TikTok accounts are posting horrifying artificial intelligence-generated clips of murder victims — mostly children — describing their own ghastly demise
Discussion:
@joblessthursday, New York Post and @ejdickson, more at Techmeme »

Quartz co-founder Zach Seward, who has served at the publication as CEO, reporter, editor, and editor-in-chief, says he is leaving the company on June 9 — I'm stepping down from Quartz after more than 11 years as, variously, co-founder, reporter, editor, chief product officer, CEO, owner and, most recently, editor-in-chief.
Discussion:
@zseward, @eduardosuarez, @heatherlandy, The Desk, @akshatrathi, @pkafka and @mcwm

Sources: Liberty Global and WBD are considering selling their stakes, worth £1B total, in joint venture All3Media, the UK's largest indie TV production company — The owners of All3Media (ALLMD.UL), Britain's largest independent TV production company, are exploring options …
Discussion:
Variety, Broadband TV News and Deadline

How reporters for ProPublica reached Spanish-speaking dairy farm workers in Wisconsin, including via QR codes that take people to the audio version of the story — As we reported on dairy farms in Wisconsin, we knew we'd have to get creative in how we got our articles to the affected workers.
Discussion:
@brianstelter, @cezary and @epivoz.bsky.social

Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith loses a defamation case in which he was accused of committing war crimes in Afghanistan by The Age, SMH, and Canberra Times — Justice Anthony Besanko found newspapers established substantial or contextual truth of allegations of murders of unarmed civilians in Afghanistan

ITV commissions an external review of presenter Phillip Schofield's resignation after he admitted to lying about a relationship with a young worker — British broadcaster ITV (ITV.L) has commissioned an external review of presenter Phillip Schofield's resignation, the company said on Wednesday …
Discussion:
BBC, The Independent, Sky News, ITV News, The Guardian, Deadline, The Guardian, The Times and The Independent

Project Veritas sues James O'Keefe, claiming he broke parts of his employment contract as he left the undercover-camera outfit and set up a rival operation — The right-wing group, known for its undercover videos, also alleges its former chairman lavished donor money on his own expenses
Discussion:
@simonwdc, @willsommer, @eriqgardner, @thebradblog, @bykowicz, @thebradblog, @washingtonpost, @kshaughnessy2, The Messenger, Rolling Stone, Insider and The Daily Beast