Top News:
Daria Mosolova / Financial Times:
BBC Director General Tim Davie calls for license fee reform as part of a broader strategy to turn the national broadcaster into a more commercial operation — Director-general says ‘fundamental questions’ need to be asked as corporation battles flagging demand
Discussion:
BBC, The Guardian, Press Gazette, Advanced Television and @ben@werd.social
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers:
Sources: NBC News plans to drop Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor following on-air revolt from NBC/MSNBC talent; McDaniel is seeking legal representation — SCOOP @PuckNews: NBC NEWS plans to drop ex RNC-chair Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor following on-air revolt from NBC/MSNBC talent. Execs are deliberating over details; announcement pending. Meanwhile, McDaniel is seeking legal representation. Full details, scoops &...
Discussion:
Axios, Fox News, CNN, HuffPost, Raw Story, @jd123.bsky.social, @ronhogan.bsky.social, @friendoflwaxana.bsky.social, @cactrot.bsky.social, @tranniehall.bsky.social, @rjonesing.online, @blockhead13.bsky.social, @bibliofishy.bsky.social, @cfidd.bsky.social, @greenlightening.bsky.social, @robpegoraro.com, @andreagrimes.bsky.social, @nberlat.bsky.social, @ogmcduck.bsky.social, @oldnewdad.bsky.social, @brooklynmarie.bsky.social, @bsdtectr.bsky.social, @newsjennifer, @michaelharriot, @emptywheel, @michaelcalifra, @markjacob16, @nslayton.bsky.social, @mostlymartha.bsky.social, @nabbp.bsky.social, @ryanlcooper.com, @rickywlmsbong.bsky.social, @Jonathanglick@mstdn.social, @bubbaprog.ilovecitr.us, @bdomenech, @nycsouthpaw, @yashar, @3vansutton, @emptywheel, @madrid_mike and The Wrap
Washington Post:
A member of Qatari royal family invested ~$50M in Newsmax in 2019, 2020; sources: before and after the deal, staffers were urged to soften coverage of Qatar — Before and after the investment, senior newsroom leaders urged Newsmax staff to soften coverage of Qatar, current and former employees said
Discussion:
The Wrap, Mediaite, New Republic, The Daily Beast, @sarahellison, @washingtonpost, @sarahellison, @sarahellison, @dougsaunders, @sarahellison and @jeffjarvis
Bailey Lipschultz / Bloomberg:
Trump Media & Technology Group shares jumped up to 58% to hit $78.80 on its trading debut before the Nasdaq briefly halted trading, following the DWAC merger — - Trump Media & Technology Group operates Truth Social — Deal provides a windfall on paper for the former president
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, ABC News, Raw Story, TIME, Axios, Reuters, Quartz, Fast Company, Barron's Online, CNBC, New York Times, Financial Times, @jason_kint, The Indian Express, @jason_kint, CNN and Associated Press, more at Techmeme »
Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post:
Source: G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller told staff The A.V. Club and The Takeout have been sold; Paste bought The A.V. Club and Static Media bought The Takeout — G/O Media, the struggling company that recently sold Deadspin, is shopping popular humor site The Onion and continued its fire sale …
Discussion:
Adweek, The Wrap, @ryanvailbrown and @alexsteigrad
Sam Meredith / CNBC:
A UK court grants Julian Assange permission to appeal his US extradition, unless the US provides “satisfactory assurances” on certain issues within three weeks — WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange leaves Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Britain.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, Reclaim The Net, Freedom of the Press …, Reporters Without Borders, NPR, Gizmodo, The Hill, Reason, New York Times, Financial Times, The Indian Express, El País, Wired, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, @mon4kooyong, CBS News, @gabrielshipton, @simonateba, Amnesty International, @wikileaks, @joshuarozenberg, Raw Story, Press Gazette, Reuters, Mediaite, @davidkurten, Fox News, CNN, Deadline, The Daily Beast, Committee to Protect …, National Union of Journalists …, Politico and WBUR
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
The BBC has “no plans” to use AI again to promote Doctor Who, after the marketing team used AI “as part of a small trial” to help draft emails and notifications — The BBC has “no plans” to use AI again to promote Doctor Who after receiving complaints from viewers.
Discussion:
Observer, Variety, Gizmodo, Times of India, @mistressofnull, @carnage4life, @carnage4life@mas.to, CBR, @amadmannotabox, Screen Rant, BBC, r/technology, r/television and Slashdot, more at Techmeme »
Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:
Adobe launches GenStudio to let brands create content and measure its performance using generative AI, underpinned by promises of brand safety — Brands want to use generative AI to personalize their marketing efforts — but they are also deathly afraid of AI going off message and ruining their brand.
Reuters:
Bertelsmann reports 2023 revenue down 0.4% YoY to €20.2B, meeting est., profit up 26% YoY to €1.3B, and lowers its 2026 outlook, as it slims down its business — German media group Bertelsmann (BTGGg.F) on Tuesday lowered its outlook for 2026 and now targets revenue of around 21 billion euros …
Wall Street Journal:
The NFL says the opening week Friday night game will be exclusive to NBC's Peacock, and Prime Video secured exclusive rights for a 2024-2025 season playoff game — Brazil game is part of league's effort to expand international presence, have more games not played on Sunday afternoons
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, Business Insider, Reuters, NBC Sports Pressbox, Deadline, Next TV, Sports Media Watch, Media Play News and Cord Cutters News
Aidan Ryan / The Boston Globe:
Boston public radio station WBUR is offering employees buyouts in an effort to cut ~10% of its budget; CEO says WBUR expects to also cut jobs or freeze hiring — The popular public radio station has struggled with a loss in advertising revenue — WBUR is offering buyouts to employees …
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Political news site Splinter relaunches, three months after it was acquired by Paste Magazine from G/O Media; Splinter has been dormant since November 2019 — The political news publisher Splinter relaunched Tuesday morning, three months after it was acquired by Paste Magazine in a package deal …