Top News:
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
The Richmond Free Press, a 34-year-old Black-owned weekly, shuts down due to falling ad revenue as the Black press suffers from the dispersion of its readership — The Richmond Free Press cited declining advertising in announcing the end of its three-decade run in Virginia's capital city.
Discussion:
LGBTQ Nation and Richmond Free Press
Advanced Television:
Report: AI-generated music uploads account for <1% of total streams; AI-adoption is strongest in functional and low-stakes settings such as background music — The music industry has long been defined by an extreme winner-takes-all dynamic. A small number of tracks, artists …
Discussion:
OC&C Strategy Consultants
Alice Brooker / Press Gazette:
An interview with Chloe Rushmere, head of content for magazine and newspaper subscription app Readly, on future plans as Readly integrates with France's Cafeyn — “All you can read” magazine and newspaper app Readly's merger with a French equivalent is set to enhance its mobile app and support the business to increase investment.
Edith Hancock / Wall Street Journal:
The EU approves UMG's $775M acquisition of Downtown Music, a deal UMG expects to complete in the coming weeks after announcing it in December 2024 — The companies offered to sell Downtown's Curve royalty in an effort to win Brussels's blessing — The European Union approved Universal …
Discussion:
CMU, Billboard, Music Business Worldwide, Reuters, The Hollywood Reporter and Bloomberg
Todd Spangler / Variety:
SAG-AFTRA signs an agreement with Netflix covering The Pete Davidson Show as a podcast, after talks about whether it should be treated as a TV show or a podcast — Netflix has described its recently released “The Pete Davidson Show” as a “video podcast” — and now SAG-AFTRA has signed …
Discussion:
Barrett Media, Podnews, The Wrap, Deadline, The Atlantic, @theatlantic.com, Vulture and Motley Fool
Antonio Zappulla / Thomson Reuters Foundation:
The Thomson Reuters Foundation says its news brand, Context, will be “phased down”, some staffers will lose jobs, and the site will remain up as an archive — Over the past year, the world has fundamentally changed. — We are experiencing the most profound geopolitical shift in 50 years …
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
The MPA urges ByteDance to curb its AI video model Seedance 2.0, saying the model engages in unauthorized use of US copyrighted material “on a massive scale” — The Motion Picture Association on Thursday denounced the newest AI video generator, Seedance 2.0 …
Bloomberg:
Meta and Snap report minimal impact from Australia's teen social media ban as it affects a small number of users who aren't high-value targets for advertisers — Move to restrict teens more likely to damage reputation than sales … Tech Across the Globe
Discussion:
WSVN-TV
New York Times:
Casey Wasserman will remain chair of the LA Olympics committee after a review of his ties to Epstein and Maxwell; multiple entertainers have left his agency — Casey Wasserman exchanged flirtatious messages over 20 years ago with Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime companion of Jeffrey Epstein.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Sports Business Journal, Boston.com, @bselena.bsky.social, @thinkyparts.bsky.social, @bubbaprog.xyz, People, Billboard, Variety, Los Angeles Times, Awful Announcing, LAist, @riodylan.bsky.social, @mollyknight.bsky.social, The Hill, The Athletic, @daviddarmofal.bsky.social, Associated Press and BBC
Brendon Kleen / Awful Announcing:
Memo: The Banner in Maryland plans to expand sports staff to cover Washington, DC, teams, hiring beat reporters to cover the Nationals and Commanders, and more — Credit: Baltimore Banner; Washington Commanders; Washington Nationals — The Baltimore Banner is hoping it can fill …
Discussion:
Sports Media Watch and The Banner
Ali Abunimah / The Electronic Intifada:
Current and ex-CPJ staffers say the nonprofit scrapped its Global Impunity Index in 2025 because Israel would have been ranked near the top or first, for years — Earlier this month, Omar Shakir stepped down from a senior role at Human Rights Watch after the group's suppression …
Discussion:
Canary, @intifada.bsky.social and Committee to Protect …
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Scott Borchetta, who founded Big Machine Records and signed Taylor Swift in 2006, is leaving Hybe America, which bought Big Machine in 2021; Hybe retains assets — Borchetta has served as the CEO of Big Machine Label Group since the acquisition. He founded Big Machine Records in 2005 …
Discussion:
Billboard, CMU, Digital Music News, Deadline, Rolling Stone and Music Business Worldwide
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