Top News:
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: three Gulf sovereign-wealth funds have agreed to commit a total of ~$24B to back Paramount's $81B WBD deal; Saudi Arabia's PIF agreed to provide ~$10B — Commitments from Middle East entities will help offset costs for Ellison family — Paramount has received signed equity commitments …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, The American Bazaar, New York Post, NewsMax.com, Yahoo Finance, Deadline, Baller Alert, Cautious Optimism, Variety, The Streamable, MediaNews4U, Reuters, Blockonomi, Cord Cutters News, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, Benzinga, Media Play News, The Circuit and MediaPost
Nate Silver / Silver Bulletin:
How social media became a freak show: X punishes external links and most top accounts, such as Catturd, are very low-quality but get more engagement than NYT — The ecosystem is unhealthy, especially on Twitter, and that's producing some strange beasts among the most influential accounts.
Discussion:
Jay Van Bavel, PhD on LinkedIn, Adam Shapiro on LinkedIn, @jalefkowit@vmst.io, @benryanwriter, @david_ingram, @nikitabier, @david_ingram, Reason, @catturd2, @alanmcole, @nikitabier, @elonmusk, @mikeisaac, @mikeisaac, @natesilver538, @kirkegaardemil, @besttrousers, Barrett Media, @leavex@mastodon.social, @carnage4life.bsky.social, @kareem_carr, @alx, @natesilver538, @cesifoti, @jaybaxter, @nikitabier, @natesilver538, @natesilver538, @yimbyland, @nikitabier, @juliangough, @ryanburge, @soncharm, @nikitabier, @catturd2, @nateduncannba, @elonmusk, @modeledbehavior, @mattvanswol, @ryanradia, @yacinemtb, @natesilver538, @natesilver538, @bing_chris, @jaredlholt, @natesilver538, @nikitabier, @natesilver538, @alx, @alanmcole, @nkulw, @haroon, @catturd2, @crazy_stephen_i, @buccocapital, @jayvanbavel.bsky.social, @mikeisaac, @elonmusk, @phl43, @jonatanpallesen, @aricohn, @elonmusk, @tha_muser, @sundersays.bsky.social, @jamessurowiecki, @timbray@cosocial.ca, @natesilver538, @modeledbehavior and Louder With Crowder, more at Techmeme »
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The AP says it plans dozens of US staff cuts as part of a broader restructuring away from hyper-local print coverage and toward video and national topics — The Associated Press plans dozens of U.S. staff cuts as part of a broader restructuring away from hyper-local print coverage …
Natalie Korach / Status:
Sources: journalists attending WHCD plan to wear 1A-themed accessories, in a RCFP-coordinated campaign to express solidarity amid Trump's press restrictions — On a Saturday evening in late April, the ballroom of the Washington Hilton will feature the annual tradition of reporters dressing …
Discussion:
Newsbusters, Politico, @dannagal.bsky.social, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, @numb.comfortab.ly, @kairyssdal.bsky.social, @jayrosen.bsky.social, @mr-yoyito.bsky.social, @chrisinparis.bsky.social, @nataliekorach.bsky.social, @chrisdornan.bsky.social, @norbizness.bsky.social, @c_9@mstdn.ca, @status.news and Eschaton
Marisa Kabas / The Handbasket:
An independent journalist argues against using AI to help journalists write, saying “the process is the purpose” even if you don't always enjoy it — There is no pride in relying on a machine to do deeply human work. — In a November conversation at the Urban Consulate in Detroit …
Discussion:
Slow Boring, Simon Owens on LinkedIn, @marisakabas.bsky.social, Jovi Ho on LinkedIn, Mike Monteiro on LinkedIn, @mossrc.bsky.social, @celesteheadlee.bsky.social, Jane Friedman, Washington Post, Blood in the Machine, @lilithsaintcrow.com, Aftermath, Read Max, @martens742.bsky.social, @janus.bsky.social, @murshedz.bsky.social, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @dinfontay.com, @cascobay.bsky.social, @virginiaopossum.bsky.social, @susankayequinn@wandering.shop, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @anthonyha.bsky.social, 404 Media and r/Journalism
Max Tani / Semafor:
Email: WSJ EIC Emma Tucker praised Fortune's use of AI in its journalism, saying anyone who “thinks it is ‘wrong’, should get out of journalism fast!” — In today's edition: Media battles in Baltimore.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News, @forensicfilms, @david_slotnick, @doog, @tanyachen and @maxwelltani
Mia Galuppo / The Hollywood Reporter:
How Hollywood support staff are integrating AI into workflows, from mundane tasks to creative development, amid cost-cutting and workload demands — “When they say, ‘You should be using AI,’ the first thought in your head is: 'Are you asking me to teach you how to replace me with technology?'" says one studio assistant.
Discussion:
Futurism
RELATED:
Kasey Moore / What's on Netflix:
Netflix will livestream the Artemis II lunar flyby today; it didn't carry the live feed of the historic launch on April 1 despite its NASA+ deal — While the streaming giant skipped the historic Artemis II liftoff, Netflix has officially confirmed it will broadcast the crew's epic lunar flyby live …
Discussion:
Engadget, /Film, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, Mashable, Dexerto, Wired, WUSA, The Streamable, NASA, Ars Technica, Decider, Gulf News, PetaPixel, Straight Arrow News, CBS News, kottke.org and The Sun
Max Tani / Semafor:
A look at the Baltimore Sun's fight with Maryland's Gov. Wes Moore; Sun owner and Trump ally David Smith appears to be directly involved in probing Moore's past — The Scoop — Know More — The View From Annapolis — Max's View — Room For Disagreement — The View From 2028 — Notable
Discussion:
@tomdreisbach, @mlcalderone, @maxwelltani, @kevinmaddendc and CBS News
Andrew Webster / The Verge:
Netflix launches Netflix Playground, a games app for kids aged eight and under, in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, and New Zealand — It's called Netflix Playground, and it's out now. … Netflix has made family-friendly titles a key part of its current games strategy …
Tandy Lau / Editor and Publisher:
A look at Amjambo Africa, an immigrant-founded publication in Maine that focuses on immigrant life and news from Africa with coverage in seven languages — Amjambo Africa delivers multilingual journalism helping asylum seekers navigate life and share their stories — Georges Budagu Makoko became the change he wanted to see.
Gary Marcus / Marcus on AI:
NYT's profile of Medvi, glorified as a two-employee startup with $1B+ in revenue, ignored info that the startup is a warning sign, not a poster child, for AI — On Thursday, The New York Times published a thing — and it went viral, declared as a victory for AI:
Discussion:
Futurism, Neil Gentleman-Hobbs on LinkedIn, Gary Marcus on LinkedIn, @brand, @pitdesi, Margaritis on LinkedIn, Matt Pogue on LinkedIn, @galligator, Implicator.ai, @jspepper, @galligator, @galligator, @pitdesi, @jonoringer, @anothercohen, @cfiesler.bsky.social, @twitskeptic.sirvin.com, @joshsternberg.com, @carnage4life.bsky.social, The Decoder, Newser, Axios and r/Entrepreneur
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Savannah Guthrie returns to co-hosting duties on the Today show for the first time since the disappearance of her mother Nancy in January — Savannah Guthrie returned to co-hosting duties on Today on Monday for the first time since the disappearance of her mother, Nancy.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Reality Tea, Page Six, The Daily Wire, RADAR, New York Times, The Hill, The Atlantic, Variety, Global News, TMZ.com, The Hollywood Reporter, CNN, HELLO!, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, TV Insider, The US Sun, Daily Mail, The Wrap, The Hollywood Gossip, Newser, Us Weekly, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Caller, Associated Press, Hollywood Life, The Cut, NBC News, E! Online, Extra, Just Jared, FemaleFirst, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, ROB SHUTER'S Naughty But Nice and Fox News
