Top News:
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
A coalition of 12 states led by California files an antitrust lawsuit to block Paramount's WBD merger, alleging it lessens competition in three markets — A coalition of 12 states filed an antitrust lawsuit on Monday to block the merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, State of California, Deadline, Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, Al Jazeera, The Hollywood Reporter, TechCrunch, Salon, One America News Network, NPR, How-To Geek, The Guardian, @tedstew, PCMag, CNN, The Wrap, Paramount Skydance Corporation, The Verge, @nycmayor, UPI, Deadline, CNET, Quartz, New Republic, Financial Times, Bloomberg, New York Times, Politico, @rogoswami, @pweiser, @matthewstoller, @markruffalo, NBC Los Angeles, @johnmarknewman, @agrobbonta, @jbflint, @eriqgardner, @eriqgardner, @choprausa, @bedoyausa, Consequence, @profpaulnary, @gigibsohn, @laurenshirsch, @bedoyausa, @eriqgardner, @ddayen, @richardrushfield, @garyheff, @keithellison, @brianstelter, @sharonwaxman, @maxwelltani, @moondogrick.bsky.social, @tdogmedia.bsky.social, @jbflint, @jeremymbarr, @profpaulnary, Graphic Policy, @alexweprin, @tedstew, @newyorkstateag, @danielnmiller, @kimmasters.bsky.social, @brianstelter, KRON4, New York Post and Annotated DC, more at Techmeme »
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Rohan Goswami / Semafor:
Sources: David Ellison's advisers are urging him to move Paramount's HQ and much of its spending out of California if AG Rob Bonta sues to block the WBD merger — The Scoop — As California tries to derail Paramount's $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery …
Discussion:
CNN, Variety, New York Times, The Wrap, Fox Business, Blaze Media, Los Angeles Times, Washington Examiner, KARK, New York Post, The Hollywood Reporter, The Jim Acosta Show, @matthewstoller, The Streamable, The American Bazaar, BIG by Matt Stoller, @trevorcroker, The Information, Ars Technica, @william_fitz, Media Play News, @plaintanjane.bsky.social, Cord Cutters News, RedState, CNBC, The Post Millennial, @tedstew, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, HuffPost, @chrismurphyct, @artisny.bsky.social, @discussingfilm.net, @hammbear2024.bsky.social, The Daily Caller, @williamfitz.bsky.social, @markruffalo.bsky.social, @repdarrellissa, r/MediaMergers and r/MediaMergers
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Paramount says states' lawsuit “reflects a fundamentally flawed application of the antitrust laws” and the delay “will only harm entertainment workers” — Paramount hit back at an antitrust lawsuit filed Monday by attorneys general of 12 states seeking to block …
Discussion:
The Wrap, TheDesk.net, Variety, Awful Announcing, MediaPost, Variety, TV Tech, IndieWire, New York Sun, Business Insider, New York Post, ScreenRant, @bristei, Reporters Without Borders, @brianstelter, Media Play News, Free Press Action Fund Feed, Barrett Media, National Politics and Bloomberg
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Oregon's AG withdraws a motion to delay the Paramount-WBD merger while he sought company documents; EU agencies and some state AGs are still examining the deal
Oregon's AG withdraws a motion to delay the Paramount-WBD merger while he sought company documents; EU agencies and some state AGs are still examining the deal
Discussion:
StreamTV Insider, Deadline, CBS News, Axios, NewsMax.com, Seoul Economic Daily, Lawyer Monthly, Media Play News, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, The Verge, Reuters, Benzinga and Variety
New York Times:
Sources: the White House directed FBI Director Kash Patel to personally oversee the probe into NYT reporting about Air Force One, before subpoenas were issued — The F.B.I. director spent about eight hours at the White House Friday focused on the effort, which led to the subpoenaing …
Discussion:
CNN, MS NOW, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Wonkette, The Guardian, HuffPost, @royermattw, Letters from an American, @markharris.bsky.social, @doctoralex.bsky.social, @dianaresists.bsky.social, The Independent, @2xaught7.ing, @kimmasters.bsky.social, Military.com, @portlandken.bsky.social, @michael-feinberg.bsky.social, @harrymccracken@mastodon …, @amyalexca.bsky.social, @tomsclark.bsky.social, @schooley.bsky.social, @samlitzinger.bsky.social, @ndhapple.bsky.social, @bizazzle.bsky.social, @simko-bednarski.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @jeffsharlet.bsky.social, twitchy.com, International Business Times, The Intellectualist, Associated Press, The Wrap, @monaburns.bsky.social, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, NBC News, New York Sun, Reuters, Washington Examiner and The Indian Express
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Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
The Trump administration issued subpoenas to several NYT reporters after the outlet reported on security concerns involving the new Qatari-donated Air Force One — The Justice Department is seeking to compel testimony from reporters who wrote about the new Air Force One. The Times called the move a “brazen act.”
Discussion:
Stop the Presses, Columbia Journalism Review, Associated Press, Staff Stories, Reason, Politico, Washington Examiner, Poynter, Talking Points Memo, CNN, Raw Story, The Daily Wire, American Greatness, Techdirt, The Free Press, @grandmasweb.bsky.social, America, America, @sbg1, American Thinker, The Guardian, The Indian Express, @benjalvarez1, ZeroHedge News, New York Magazine, Bloomberg, The Hill, Ben Werdmuller, @balint.house.gov, Committee to Protect …, The Warning with Steve Schmidt, The Reporters Committee …, HuffPost, Sky News, @maxwelltani, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, @gavinnewsom, @bymikebaker, @davidfolkenflik, @brianstelter, The Asia Business Daily, National Press Club, @alexberenson, @amy_siskind, Investigative Reporters …, Benzinga, @kenvogel, @jamiedupree, @pandanook.bsky.social, @niallstanage, @kenroth, The Last Refuge, Stephen Adler on LinkedIn, Daniel Drepper on LinkedIn, @marcelias.bsky.social, @kenbazinet.bsky.social, @aclu.org, RedState, Los Angeles Times, @christopherjm, Washington Post, emptywheel, @freedomofpress, The Independent, @farhip, Al Jazeera, @rpsagainsttrump, @nytimes, @grynbaum, Salon, Wall Street Journal, TMZ.com, The Wrap, Straight Arrow, Breitbart, @thebluenami.bsky.social, Lawyers, Guns & Money, One America News Network, NPR, The Post Millennial, Baller Alert, NewsGuild of New York, @trumpstaxes.com, Mock Paper Scissors, Fox News, Newser, NOTUS, Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, @briankrebs@infosec.exchange, Mother Jones, To the Contrary, @beyerstein.bsky.social, New York Daily News, New York Post, Mediaite, @timmarchman.bsky.social, @portiamcgonagal.bsky.social, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, Deadline, @katiephang.bsky.social, @rgoodlaw.bsky.social, CNBC, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, CBS News, Clash Report, @spignal.bsky.social, Townhall, @clarajeffery.bsky.social, @harrylitman.bsky.social and @rmac.bsky.social
Natalie Korach / Status:
Memo: NYT CEO Meredith Kopit Levien says the five reporters subpoenaed by the DOJ, and the whole newsroom, have the “full weight of The Times” behind them — Over the last few days, as The New York Times braces for a potential precedent-setting legal showdown with the Trump administration …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, @protecttruth.bsky.social, @jayrosen.bsky.social, @tim_bays, CNN, Mediaite and The Independent
Anna Betts / The Guardian:
Pete Hegseth announces that the DOD and DOJ have created a joint taskforce to identify and prosecute “unauthorized disclosure” of information to the press
Pete Hegseth announces that the DOD and DOJ have created a joint taskforce to identify and prosecute “unauthorized disclosure” of information to the press
Discussion:
UPI, NewsMax.com, @freedomofpress, The Daily Wire, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, The Hill, @farhip, Reuters, @secwar and Raw Story
The Guardian:
Christopher Nolan says there's a “disdain” for AI, the idea that it “replaces” human creativity is “nonsense”, and he expects it to be useful in “imaging tools” — Odyssey director addresses industry fears over artificial intelligence …
Discussion:
Variety, Dexerto, @subtoconnorpls, @brookstweetz, @detectivespade_, @wyattyhalpert, Radio Times, Gadget Review, @shadowknightdk, @filmupdates, @r0sylns, Kotaku and Telegraph
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
Lionsgate's Michael crosses $1B at the global box office, its first film to reach the milestone, per Rentrak, reviving Hollywood's last major independent studio — Shunned by bigger studios as too risky, “Michael” and other hits have revived Hollywood's last major independent studio. But is it enough?
Discussion:
Variety, UPI, The Wrap, Gamereactor UK, Media Play News and Deadline
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
Four ex-VOA employees and contractors discuss their new careers in real estate, communications, interpreting, and at Trader Joe's since they lost their VOA jobs — At Trader Joe's, a coffee shop, a military hospital and a real estate firm, top international broadcasters are embracing second acts they never asked for.
Discussion:
The Newsguy at the Newslab
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
The UK's culture secretary Lisa Nandy says she backs an expansion of the BBC license fee to include subscribers to streamers, though many ideas remain in play — The UK's Culture Secretary has publicly signaled that she backs an expansion of the BBC license fee to include subscribers to streamers like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video.
Joe Mandese / MediaPost:
The Media Rating Council's quarterly accreditation status updates show VideoAmp and Nielsen One have pulled out of the accreditation process — In moves that have implications for both the “alternative” ad currency marketplace, as well as cross-media measurement, VideoAmp and Nielsen …
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
Disney says its live-action Moana was set to collect ~$43M at the Box Office over the weekend, below its $60M goal, and just ~$95M worldwide; Moana cost ~$250M — The live-action remake took in roughly $43 million over the weekend in North America, about 30 percent less than Disney had expected.
Discussion:
IndieWire, ScreenRant, The Ankler, Business Insider, Comic Book, The Wrap, TechRadar, GamesRadar, UPI, Forbes, Oh No They Didn't!, CinemaBlend, Bloomberg and Media Play News
