Top News:
Ben Dummett / Wall Street Journal:
Axel Springer agrees to buy the Telegraph for £575M, ending the proposed acquisition by the DMGT, and plans to “turbocharge” the Telegraph's presence in the US — The German publisher outbid an existing offer from the Daily Mail for the British newspaper
Discussion:
Press Gazette, Financial Times, Press Gazette Future …, Axios, The Guardian, Associated Press, The Times, The Independent, The Wrap, Courthouse News Service, Reuters, Times of India, New York Times, The National Pulse, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Variety, The New World, BBC, Bloomberg, Telegraph, GB News and Politico
Mikeie Honda Reiland / Nashville Banner:
A reporter for Nashville Noticias, Estefany Rodríguez, has been detained and is being sent to an ICE center in Louisiana; she had reported on ICE previously — A reporter who faced death threats in her home country could now be sent back by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Discussion:
Reuters, Associated Press, Freedom of the Press …, Talking Points Memo, Committee to Protect …, @kentuckylantern.com, Migrant Insider, @thetnholler, WSMV-TV, The Tennessean, @iamstevenhale.bsky.social, Mediaite, @rebeccaaguilar.bsky.social, @radleybalko.bsky.social, WZTV, @anitawadhwani.bsky.social, @evansd.bsky.social, @jhollymc.bsky.social, @nashvillebanner.bsky.social and @tennesseelookout.com
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
SEC filing: Byron Allen buys a 10.7% stake in Starz for $25M from investment fund Liberty 77, led by former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin — Allen's family office acquired the 10.7 percent stake from Mnuchin's Liberty 77 Fund. — Byron Allen is back in the media M&A business.
Discussion:
Canada NewsWire Group, Radio & Television …, The Wrap, Deadline, Variety and Media Play News
Max Tani / Semafor:
Sources: NOTUS founder Robert Allbritton has discussed taking advantage of WaPo's layoffs to significantly expand the outlet into a full-scale operation — The Scoop — One of Washington, DC's biggest media investors plans to revive one of the US capital's great historic rivalries …
Discussion:
Politico, @ckrewson.bsky.social, @maxtani.bsky.social and @semafor.com
RELATED:
Michael Kunzelman / Associated Press:
A US district court judge heard arguments over rules that limit journalists' access to the Pentagon, in a case brought by NYT, and vows to issue a prompt ruling — A Pentagon policy limiting journalists' access to the building is depriving Americans of vital information about U.S. military operations …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, MS NOW and The Wrap
Bron Maher / A Media Operator:
USA Today's US digital-only paid subscriptions in Q4 fell 30% YoY but digital revenue in 2025 was flat at $1.1B; CEO Mike Reed expects more AI deals in 2026 — USA Today Co.'s push to get readers paying higher prices for journalism is working and despite a nearly one-third drop in its paid subscriptions …
Edna Tarigan / Associated Press:
Indonesia says it will ban “high-risk” platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, and Roblox, for children under 16 from March 28 — Indonesia will ban social media for children under 16, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said Friday.
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
In an interview, EIC Jeffrey Goldberg says the Atlantic added 50 journalists in 2025, for a total of 200+, and has ~1.5M paying subscribers, up from 1M in 2024 — The Atlantic is now in a “virtue cycle” of making a product people will pay for and putting the profit back into the business, according to editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
Tom Friend / Sports Business Journal:
Sources: the NBA may launch a streaming hub for local broadcasts next season, a year earlier than planned, due to the upcoming demise of Main Street Sports RSNs — The NBA has informed teams that it may launch a streaming hub for local broadcasts as soon as next season — a year earlier than expected …
Discussion:
The Streamable, Barrett Media, Cord Cutters News and Awful Announcing
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Some podcasters exclusive to Netflix see their YouTube channel growth slow; sources: Netflix limits how many clips podcasters can share on third-party platforms — Podcasters exclusive to Netflix are seeing their channel growth slow by as much as 50% compared to the year prior — Welcome back to Soundbite.
Discussion:
Thurrott, Podnews, NextBigWhat and TechSpot
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
How AI is helping expand coverage; the Philadelphia Inquirer launched four AI-assisted newsletters in 2025, which have been a “massive subscription driver” — The Philadelphia Inquirer and other regional outlets turn to AI to automate elements of reporting and expand coverage
RELATED:
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
In a letter, Tim Davie explains why the BBC failed to edit out the N-word in its BAFTA stream: it was said twice, but the team did not hear it the first time — The BBC Director General has for the first time set out in detail the corporation's version of events that led to the N-Word debacle …
Discussion:
The Wrap, GB News, Screen, @trestiffany.bsky.social, @katerbland.bsky.social, Variety, New York Daily News and The Hollywood Reporter
James Wilson / Newstalk:
A survey of 3K Irish adults finds 57% pay for traditional TV services, down from 70% in 2023, as the use of illegal TV streaming devices grows — Dodgy boxes now pose an “existential threat” to the League of Ireland, a technology journalist has argued. — A recent survey by ComReg …
Discussion:
Highland Radio and Irish Independent
