Top News:
Mitchell Armentrout / Chicago Sun Times:
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signs a state budget that levies taxes on social media giants, digital advertising, and prediction and crypto markets — The eighth state spending plan of Pritzker's tenure includes additional funding for food assistance in the wake of deep federal funding cuts under President Donald Trump.
Matt G. Southern / Search Engine Journal:
Kapwing: in tests, ~60% of the first 500 TikTok For You videos shown to a new account were AI slop, ~3x the slop shown to a new user in the YouTube Shorts feed — In a fresh-account test, Kapwing found 59% of TikTok For You videos were AI slop, roughly three times the rate on YouTube.
Discussion:
Tubefilter, more at Techmeme »
Rebuild Local News:
The 2026 Local Journalist Index shows a persistent shortage of local journalists; states with fewer local journalists face higher municipal borrowing costs — MIAMI and BROOKLYN — The 2026 Local Journalist Index, a landmark annual study by Muck Rack, the AI communications platform …
Discussion:
Tim Franklin on LinkedIn, Steven Waldman on LinkedIn and Washington Monthly
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Netflix says it is “not interested” and has no plans to pursue Lionsgate; Lionsgate shares closed up 13.85% on Tuesday before falling ~4% after hours — Shares of the Hollywood studio jumped 13% after Semafor reported the streamer was interested in a potential acquisition
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
WordPress survey: 60% of US consumers say “AI” in a brand's messaging is a turnoff, 86% always or sometimes check the original source after seeing an AI summary — Getting cited by AI is easier than earning consumers' trust, according to a new report from WordPress VIP …
Discussion:
TechRadar, @socialmedialab.ca, @drbarnard, PYMNTS, @mattnavarra@threads.com and @Sarahp@mastodon.social
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
Analysts: UK social media ban is likely to cause £1.3B in digital ad cuts in 2027, with streaming services poised to benefit as advertisers seek to reach teens — TV streamers and family shows set to benefit as brands cease marketing to teenagers on sites such as YouTube
Discussion:
City A.M. and Moneycontrol
Nieman Lab:
RISJ's 2026 Digital News Report: social media and video networks are now more popular as a source of news than TV and owned and operated news websites and apps — Facebook for news is on the rebound, impartial news isn't dead, and other findings from RISJ's 2026 Digital News Report
Discussion:
University of Canberra, Inside Radio, Reuters Institute, Reuters Institute, Press Gazette, Reuters Institute, Social Media Today, @sorayanadiamcdonald.com, Mediaweek, Dow Jones Newswires, @dankennedy.net, The Guardian, MediaPost, @abramjee, @ifanmj, The Rebooting, @ianguider, @risj_oxford, @risj_oxford, @risj_oxford, @risj_oxford, @risj_oxford, @risj_oxford, @risj_oxford, @risj_oxford, Election Law Blog, Reuters on YouTube, @rationaldoge@hachyderm.io, @claeshs.bsky.social, @damon.kiesow.net, GMA News Online, MediaPost, Reuters Institute, Reuters Institute, Reuters Institute, DutchNews.nl, Press Gazette, Agenzia ANSA, Advanced Television, WAN-IFRA, BBC, Australian Financial Review, The Hindu, Doc Searls Weblog, Gamereactor UK, The Japan Times, Journalism.co.uk and VERA Files
CBC News:
Canada's CBC, which began televising NHL games in 1952, will no longer show NHL games after it was unable to reach a new sublicense deal with Rogers Sportsnet — CBC Sports will launch new Saturday night prime time show focused on Olympic-oriented competition
Discussion:
Associated Press, @viewfromtherog.bsky.social, @canada-dry.bsky.social, @plnear.bsky.social, @thoughtsnations.bsky.social, @strayarc.bsky.social, @ithx1138.bsky.social, @sportsnetpr, @puzzled@coales.co, @lisafellaantifa.bsky.social, @trapdinawrpool.bsky.social, @scottinmontreal.ca, The Detroit News, The Athletic, @rhinestonecanuck.bsky.social, @fiverdrive.bsky.social, @allanis.gay, New York Times, @rachelgilmore.bsky.social, @rachelgilmore.bsky.social, MobileSyrup, Defector, Awful Announcing, @chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca, @njiska.com, Barrett Media, Sports Business Journal, Canadian Press, iPhone in Canada, @lukelebrun.ca and Telecompaper
Kerry Flynn / Axios:
New York Post Media Group is launching its first FAST channel with 150 hours of programming from across the NY Post, California Post, Page Six, and more — New York Post Media Group is launching its first free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel, head of video and audio Warren Cohen exclusively tells Axios.
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, Cord Cutters News, Media Play News and ExchangeWire.com
Sara Fischer / Axios:
People Inc. acquires Hot Luck, an Austin-based food and music festival, as part of a push to bring live experiences to lifestyle brands — - It also gives People Inc. access to a younger live audience within its food vertical. … - The event drew more than 10,000 attendees in 2025 …
Sara Fischer / Axios:
USA Today adds 1,000 Marvel comics and an exclusive weekly, vertically formatted Spider-Man series to USA Today Play, expanding the app beyond puzzles and games — USA Today is adding 1,000 Marvel digital comics and an exclusive new, vertically formatted Marvel Infinity series, “Spider-Man TODAY …
Discussion:
Comic Book and @dude.computer
Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:
Meta says Threads now has 500M MAUs, adds a “Your Algo” tool that lets users privately control what they see in their feed, and launches Communities out of beta — Nearly three years after launching as a competitor to Twitter (now X), Threads has reaches 500 million monthly active users, the company announced Tuesday.
Discussion:
Engadget, Meta Newsroom, The Verge, Campaign Middle East, The Indian Express, Social Media Today, Nairametrics, Phandroid, GSMArena.com, Telecompaper, iPhone in Canada, WeRSM, Thurrott, Neowin, Forbes, Mashable, The Economic Times, The Next Web, Reuters, Hypebot and Dow Jones Newswires, more at Techmeme »
