Top News:
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Source: more than 75,000 Washington Post digital subscribers have cancelled their subscriptions following Jeff Bezos' overhaul of the paper's opinion section — More than 75,000 digital subscribers to The Washington Post have cancelled since its owner, billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Business Insider, BBC, @proddev.bsky.social, @poohsdaddy.bsky.social, @sleavenworth.bsky.social, @jayrosen.bsky.social, @amandabecker.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @ambientvisions.bsky.social, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, Celeste Headlee on LinkedIn, The Hill, @picardonhealth.bsky.social, New York Post, TVNewsCheck, @qitty1.bsky.social, @timkarr.bsky.social, @hammbear2024.bsky.social, @kjephd.bsky.social, @npr.org, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, The National Pulse, Diane Ravitch's blog, Cele|bitchy, Talking Biz News, Althouse and @jeffbezos
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Jaden Amos / Axios:
Trump says he had dinner with Jeff Bezos on February 26, the day Bezos announced that WaPo's opinion pages would focus on personal liberties and free markets — - “I never even understood it,” Trump said. … - In July 2024, Bezos privately urged Trump to choose Doug Burgum as his vice president …
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
Jeff Bezos' opinion section changes contradict his October 2024 edict that WaPo won't endorse a presidential candidate because it can't be seen as taking a side — Months after insisting he would never allow his personal interests to influence the Post's content, one of the world's richest …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Carly Rector on LinkedIn, The Wrap, @reimagineeuropa.bsky.social, The Daily Caller, American Press Institute, The Independent, Fox News, Cafe Hayek, New York Post, Dan Petegorsky on LinkedIn, Laura K. Smith on LinkedIn, The Index, @amerpie@social.lol, James Turk on LinkedIn, @Impish4249@mastodon.social, @Wileymiller@mastodon.social, The Washington Free Beacon, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, @timkarr.bsky.social, Deseret News, @brizzyc.bsky.social, NPR, Washington Examiner, CBS News, Reason, The Message Box, @eduardosuarez.bsky.social, @GeoffWozniak@hackers.town, @kottke.org, @marklittle.bsky.social, JONATHAN TURLEY, @joshuabenton.com, @tcarmody.bsky.social, MediaPost, Poynter, Status, The Guardian, Benzinga and The Atlantic
CNN:
A TASS journalist gained access to Trump's meeting with Zelensky, even as AP and Reuters were barred; the White House says he was unauthorized and escorted out — A member of Russia's state-owned news agency gained access to the Oval Office on Friday to cover President Trump's sit …
Discussion:
Mock Paper Scissors, The Hill, Reuters, New York Post, The Wrap, @passantino.bsky.social, @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social, @marymcnamara.bsky.social, @drewharwell.com, Daily Mail, @bruce_arthur, @nanditab1, Politico, @briantylercohen.bsky.social, @ukaussiep.bsky.social, Mediaite, @altnatsecagency, @nedprice, @helenkennedy.bsky.social, @rodericka, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, The Post Millennial, New Republic and Baltimore Sun
New York Times:
Sources: VOA's parent opened probes into VOA journalists for reporting on criticism of Trump or for comments seen as critical; Steve Herman was placed on leave — The broadcaster placed a longtime journalist on leave amid growing concerns about its editorial independence.
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Sources: in a tense meeting with journalists, Pentagon Press Secretary Sean Parnell said he'll end the travel pool and implied reporters “trash the warfighter” — Inside a tense off-the-record meeting, the Pentagon's new press chief confronted reporters and indicated they will do away …
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Erik Hayden / The Hollywood Reporter:
Golden Globes President Helen Hoehne tells about 50 paid voting members that they will no longer get salaries; they'll be offered severance of $102,500 — President Helen Hoehne informed an estimated 50 members that they'd receive severance for their deal as the awards show brand aims …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, Los Angeles Times, Deadline and @mattbelloni
Greg Bensinger / Reuters:
Amazon says it has cut “a small number” of jobs at its Wondery podcast unit; Wondery closed its operations in Brazil and Mexico earlier in February — Amazon.com (AMZN.O) cut “a small number” of jobs at its Wondery podcast unit, known for “Dr. Death” and “Business Wars,” …
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
NBCU Chair Cesar Conde says the company will launch a “mobile-first” news outlet in Q4 2025, featuring short- and long-form videos from NBC News talent and more — NBCUniversal is working on what its top news executive called a “mobile-first” news outlet that it expects to launch in the fourth quarter of this year.
Discussion:
Broadband TV News, Semafor, NewscastStudio, Adweek and Deadline
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
FCC Chair Brendan Carr says the Skydance-Paramount merger review is far from finished and defends his solicitation of comments on a complaint about 60 Minutes — FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said that the agency's review of the proposed Skydance-Paramount Global merger is far from finished …
Jake Kanter / Deadline:
GB News wins a landmark broadcasting code case as a UK judge overturns an Ofcom ruling that said GB News broke impartiality rules with Jacob Rees-Mogg's show — In a High Court ruling, a judge found that Ofcom was unlawful in determining that GB News breached broadcasting rules …
Discussion:
Telegraph, Press Gazette, TVNewsCheck, Variety, @nigel_farage, Financial Times, @bubbaprog.lol, @gbnews, GB News, GB News and Mirror
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Disney sells out ad inventory for Oscars 2025, which will stream on Hulu for the first time; source: 30-second spots went for $1.7M to $2.3M, in line with 2024 — Advertising inventory for Sunday's Oscar telecast is sold out, Disney has confirmed, with pricing said to be holding steady with 2024 levels.
Discussion:
Marketing Brew, Variety, MediaPost, The Wrap, Adweek and Rolling Stone
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
Fubo reports Q4 North America revenue up 8% to $433.8M, a net loss of $40.9M, down from $71M in Q4 2023, and 1.67M paid subscribers; FUBO drops 21%+ — The sports-focused streamer earlier unveiled a deal to merge with Walt Disney's Hulu+ live TV business. — Fubo TV ended the fourth quarter …
Discussion:
Advanced Television, Engadget, StreamTV Insider, Deadline, Benzinga, Cord Cutters News, Yahoo Finance, Motley Fool, Streaming Better, The Streamable and ir.fubo.tv
Sewell Chan / Columbia Journalism Review:
The last remaining member of the Los Angeles Times editorial board, Carla Hall, says she is taking a buyout, ending her 32-year tenure at the paper — After owner Patrick Soon-Shiong spiked the paper's Kamala Harris endorsement, a staff exodus resulted. — Carla Hall, the last remaining member …
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