Top News:
Erik Hayden / The Hollywood Reporter:
Vox Media sells The Verge, SB Nation, Thrillist, The Dodo, and more to Penske; Vox's Ryan Pauley will join Penske as president of PMX, the new media brands unit — The deal formally winds down an era at Vox Media, which had sold its namesake site and podcast assets as well as New York magazine to James Murdoch.
Discussion:
WWD, New York Times, Variety, IndieWire, The Wrap, Sportico, Billboard, Awful Announcing, @samitsarkar.bsky.social, Barrett Media, Rolling Stone, Gold Derby, Deadline, @dinfontay.com, Sports Business Journal, @harrymccracken.com, @lopatto.bsky.social, @jetjocko.bsky.social, Robb Report and @parkerortolani.com
Stephen Bush / Financial Times:
The BBC will damage or scrap some crown jewels in current affairs by canceling The World Tonight, Crossing Continents, and Money Box Live, and making other cuts — Government should consider direct licence fee increases or give corporation greater freedom to monetise its content — Good morning.
RELATED:
Ellise Shafer / Variety:
Memo: the BBC says it will cut 550 jobs including in its news and content divisions by the start of FY 2027-2028 in the first phase of a plan to save $670M
Discussion:
BBC, @reporterboy, Mirror, Dan Rayburn on LinkedIn, @michaelsavage, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, @iainhepburn.me, ScreenRant, The Wrap, Reuters, Telegraph, Reuters, Sky News and Broadband TV News
Sara Guaglione / Digiday:
USA Today is using AI-assisted, pre-written soccer World Cup “shell files” for breaking news to capture traffic before Google's AI Overviews generate summaries — In the fight for visibility in an AI-powered search era, USA Today Co. is betting that speed can still beat the machines.
Discussion:
@edbott.com
Sara Guaglione / Digiday:
Forbes launches The Daily Brief, an AI-powered audio briefing that turns its top three stories of the day into a five-minute podcast, which is checked by humans — Forbes has launched an AI-powered audio experience on its homepage that turns its top three stories of the day into a five-minute podcast.
Brandy Zadrozny / MS NOW:
The Onion plans to relaunch Infowars on July 2 and will route more than $100,000 to Sandy Hook families, as legal fights over the website continue — The Onion's staff is tired of waiting for the courts to settle its pending takeover of Alex Jones' brand, so the new Infowars will launch next month.
Hugo Lowell / Wired:
New book: Bezos told Trump that WaPo had been one of his worst investments and “the people there are terrible”; Trump told associates Bezos was “kissing my ass” — “You would not believe the texts I got from these tech guys,” NYT reporters Maggie Haberman …
Discussion:
Breitbart, CNN, @radleybalko.bsky.social, @wajali.bsky.social, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, @jamiegangel, @galacticstone@mastodon.social, @adamserwer.bsky.social, Raw Story, @katie-drummond.bsky.social, @wired.com, @researchbuzz@researchbuzz …, @hugolowell.bsky.social, The Post Millennial, @rbreich.bsky.social, Fox News, RADAR, Gizmodo, @timmarchman.bsky.social, The Daily Caller, New York Post and The Gateway Pundit, more at Techmeme »
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:
Stephen Capus, president and CEO of RFE/RL since 2024, announces his resignation, effective September 15, and will be succeeded by Lisa Curtis — RFE/RL Launches Leadership Transition — Stephen Capus to depart in September; Lisa Curtis steps into role — Share: — Share this page on Facebook
Mallary Tenore Tarpley / Poynter:
Several journalists on Substack say they feel safer working for themselves rather than for legacy outlets, but some say earning a living wage can be difficult — The creator economy is opening new doors for journalists. But can independence replace everything a newsroom provides?
Discussion:
Mallary Tenore Tarpley on LinkedIn, Write at the Edge and @awaisaftab
Reuters:
Bertelsmann says US and German authorities have approved the planned merger of its music division BMG with rival Concord; it expects to close the deal in Q4 — German media group Bertelsmann (BTGGg.F) on Wednesday said U.S. competition authorities have approved the planned merger …
Discussion:
@musiccomposer.com, Music Week, Digital Music News, Billboard and Music Business Worldwide
Kevin Roose / @kevinroose:
Peter White / Deadline:
Ryan Coogler's Proximity Media strikes an overall deal with Netflix to develop series after Coogler's five-year TV deal with Disney ended — Sinners director Ryan Coogler and his Proximity Media have a new home for their television projects. — Coogler's company has signed an overall deal with Netflix to develop series.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, ScreenRant, Netflix Tudum, The InSneider and The Hollywood Reporter
Kerry Flynn / Axios:
Some TV streaming executives express unease about Fox's proposed Roku deal, wondering whether Fox would favor its own programming on a key TV distributor — Fox's Roku deal has sparked unease throughout the streaming industry over whether the media company could favor its own programming on a key TV gateway.
Discussion:
Cord Cutters News and PCWorld
