Top News:

Sirius XM acquires rights to SmartLess, a podcast by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, sources say for $100M+; Amazon previously paid $60M-$80M — - The popular interview program has spent three years at Amazon — Actors Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes host the show
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, @frankyarriola, @johnjedwards3, @shaun_obanion, @variety, The Hollywood Reporter, @lucas_shaw and @lucas_shaw

Memo: Channel 4 plans to merge commissioning departments, including TV drama and film, leave a London premises, and more, part of a five-year Fast Forward plan — Channel 4 is merging several commissioning departments including TV drama and film and leaving its Horseferry Road premises …
Discussion:
The Guardian, @halalltakeaway, @bectu, @scottygb, Broadband TV News, BBC, The Guardian, @jake_kanter and Sky News
RELATED:
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Channel 4 plans to lay off 18% of its staff, impacting ~200 jobs and closing ~40 unfilled roles, to become a “digital-first public service streamer by 2030”
Channel 4 plans to lay off 18% of its staff, impacting ~200 jobs and closing ~40 unfilled roles, to become a “digital-first public service streamer by 2030”
Discussion:
Mediaite, Broadband TV News, @scottygb, Variety, CampaignUK, WORLD SCREEN, @joshoewaa and Financial Times

Bloomberg starts providing AI-generated summaries of companies' earnings calls on its terminal; the company has more than 310,000 subscribers to its terminal — Bloomberg is now providing artificial intelligence summaries of company's earnings calls on its terminal.

Sports Illustrated's union files an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, alleging retaliation and union-busting after the mass layoffs this month — The union representing the staff of Sports Illustrated filed an unfair labor practice charge against the magazine's publisher …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, The Wrap, nyguild.org and Columbia Journalism Review

How Penguin Random House started actively challenging the removal of books from US school libraries, including through an “Intellectual Freedom” task force — A fiery board meeting inspired Penguin Random House to actively challenge the removal of books from school libraries

TikTok is testing a feature that could make all posts shoppable, by identifying objects in videos and prompting users to “find similar items on TikTok Shop” — - Feature links products to any posts, not just influencers — TikTok is testing a feature that could make all posts shoppable …
Discussion:
@carnage4life, more at Techmeme »

An interview with Mail Online executives on rolling out its new £4.99 per month Mail+ tier to all UK users, the £12.99 per month Mail+ Editions app, and more — Mail Online is building on a “great position of strength” from its “huge, loyal, engaged, direct audience” …

In response to the George Carlin estate's lawsuit, Dudesy says its YouTube video and podcast with an “AI” George Carlin were “created by two human beings” — Creators still face “name and likeness” complaints; lawyer says suit will continue.
Reuters:
German state broadcaster ARD says Israel was blocking two of its long-term Palestinian workers from leaving Gaza, citing security concerns that don't make sense — German state broadcaster ARD on Friday said Israel was blocking two of its long-term Palestinian workers from leaving Gaza …

Sources: the NYT pulled a The Daily episode about sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, after an internal debate on the strength of its reporting — The New York Times pulled a high-profile episode of its podcast “The Daily” about sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 amid …
Discussion:
CBS News, @markamesexiled, @evanhill, @zei_squirrel, @maryamsaleh, @drboguslaw, @snarwani, @ggreenwald and @kenklippenstein

Sources: former MGM executive Jonathan Glickman is in talks to join Miramax as its CEO, following Bill Block's departure last year — The former MGM executive, known for his work on ‘No Time to Die’ and ‘Creed,’ would step into a role vacated by Bill Block. — Miramax may have found its new leader.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @borys_kit and Deadline

Amazon expects Prime Video's average hourly ad load to be 2 to 3.5 minutes, below traditional TV and most streaming services, and to reach 159M monthly viewers — Move prompts longtime subscribers to cancel Prime altogether, forgoing free shipping; ‘There is only one way to show them that this is not OK’
Discussion:
CNN, Insider Intelligence, Fast Company, The Streamable, New York Post and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »

CNN Philippines plans to close on January 31, impacting up to 300 jobs; the outlet launched in 2015 under a brand licensing deal and, a source says, lost $89M+ — CNN Philippines is to close down on Wednesday, the company announced on Monday local time. The move means up to 300 jobs will be lost.
Discussion:
@cnnphilippines and Deadline