Top News:
Katie Deighton / Wall Street Journal:
OpenAI acquires tech news show TBPN, promising editorial independence; TBPN was on track to make over $30M in revenue in 2026 and will wind down its ad business — TBPN staff will help with marketing and communications at OpenAI but keep their editorial independence, the ChatGPT parent says
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Reuters, The Wrap, Variety, CNBC, Talking Biz News, OpenAI, XDA Developers, Business Insider, Bloomberg, The Information, Deadline, Yossi J Levi on LinkedIn, 9to5Mac, The Economic Times, @sama, TBPN on YouTube, ZeroHedge News, @chaykak, @ti_morse, @absoluttig, @loudmouthjulia, @joannastern, @eriktorenberg, @parkerortolani, @tbpn, @alexrkonrad, @miles_brundage, @aagave, @bdanweiss, @lindsmccallum, Jordi Hays on LinkedIn, @mikeisaac, @danshipper, @jaltma, @miles_brundage, @ricburton, @mgsiegler, @pitdesi, @austin_rief, @joshsternberg.com, @edzitron, @willmanidis, @scobleizer, @nicholas_shawa, @dylanabruscato, @edzitron, @zebulgar, @dylanabruscato, @johncoogan, @jordihays, The Hollywood Reporter, TBPN, Yahoo Finance, Benzinga, The Verge and Daring Fireball, more at Techmeme »
David Pierce / The Verge:
Flipboard launches Surf, an app for creating custom feeds from Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, RSS, podcasts, and YouTube, after over a year in beta — It combines Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS, and other content into something that feels entirely new. … Surf is a slightly hard app to explain.
Discussion:
Engadget, TechCrunch, @jglypt and Surf, more at Techmeme »
Katie Deighton / Wall Street Journal:
WME is selling sports marketing agency 160over90 to Publicis Groupe for, sources say, $500M+; WME bought the agency in 2018 for about $200M — Publicis Groupe is set to acquire 160over90 in a bid to win more of advertisers' spending in sports — Publicis Groupe is acquiring …
Reuters:
Australia says it will ban gambling ads featuring celebrities and limit online gambling ads to logged-in users over 18 starting in 2027 — Australia said it would ban gambling advertisements featuring celebrities and limit online gambling advertisements to internet users over 18 from next year …
Discussion:
Sydney Morning Herald, Sports Business Journal, @albomp, @davidpurdum, SBS News, Guardian Australia on YouTube, @owenrask, iGB, 9 News Australia on YouTube, 9News, @tmfscottp, The Conversation, The Australian, The Australian, The Guardian, The Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, ABC, BBC, Daily Mail, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Sportico, Mumbrella and Australian Financial Review
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Versant buys StockStory, an AI-powered service that generates reports with investment advice to support CNBC; PitchBook: the startup has raised $3.2M since 2020 — Versant, the publicly traded cable spinoff from Comcast, has acquired StockStory, an AI-powered platform that generates reports …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Deep Bagchee on LinkedIn, Deadline and Business Wire
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
An interview with WSJ EIC Emma Tucker on increasing digital-only subscriptions by 30% to 4.29M since 2023, culture change, events, print, AI tools, and more — The Wall Street Journal's recent run of subscriptions growth is not down to an accident or luck, editor-in-chief Emma Tucker has made clear.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Wired ends its UK print edition, after reducing from six to four issues per year at the end of 2024; seven London-based journalists left at the end of 2025 — Editorial director Katie Drummond explains how UK newsroom fits into global strategy. — Wired will not put out a print magazine …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Sara Fischer / Axios:
NYT and Delta Air Lines partner to offer free NYT products to Delta SkyMiles members via airline seat-back screens and on personal devices using Delta's Wi-Fi — The New York Times struck a multiyear distribution partnership with Delta Air Lines that brings its journalism and products …
Discussion:
View from the Wing, Shane Goronkin on LinkedIn and Jordan Cohen on LinkedIn
Corbin Bolies / The Wrap:
CBS News 24/7's 60-person union has reached a tentative three-year contract deal with the network after a 24-hour walkout on March 17 — The tentative agreement comes weeks after the 60-member unit staged a daylong walkout — The 60-member union for CBS News 24/7, the news organization's …
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline
Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:
Beehiiv introduces Podcasts, letting creators host, distribute, and monetize podcasts directly on the platform, and plans to dynamically serve ads in podcasts — Newsletter platform Beehiiv is introducing native podcast hosting, the company told TechCrunch.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Variety, @jacobwolf, @beehiiv, @lexroman.com and Realscreen
Janko Roettgers / The Verge:
YouTube rolls out Stations for Coachella, 24/7 preprogrammed linear video streams that include an audience chat, after testing the feature with ~40 musicians — As the platform embraces FAST channels, YouTubers can soon create linear streaming channels.
Discussion:
The Streamable, Engadget, Android Authority, iPhone in Canada, The Wrap, YouTube Official Blog and The Keyword
Jake Kanter / Deadline:
BBC sources reflect on Tim Davie's DG tenure, mired in impartiality disputes but succeeding in a cultural transformation, as Matt Brittin takes over on May 18 — If Matt Brittin needs a measure of insight about the pressures he's agreed to shoulder, the incoming BBC director general needs …
