Top News:
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Sources: Patrick Soon-Shiong told LA Times opinion leaders not to publish an editorial critical of Trump's cabinet picks without publishing an opposing view — Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong's public comments and actions, including recently blocking an editorial weighing in on President-elect Trump's cabinet picks …
Discussion:
Mediaite, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @cephalopod.bsky.social, @katekilla.bsky.social, @scottjohnson.wtf, @ashtonlattimore.bsky.social, The Present Age, @emilybell.bsky.social, @jamellebouie.net, @rmac.bsky.social, @noahshachtman.bsky.social, @katierobertson.bsky.social, @edmundlee.bsky.social and Slate
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
BuzzFeed reaches a deal to sell Hot Ones owner First We Feast for $82.5M in cash to a consortium of investors led by an affiliate of Soros Fund Management — The sale, to a group that includes the show's host, Sean Evans, and Soros Fund Management, will allow BuzzFeed to pay down tens of millions of dollars in debt.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Tubefilter, Business Insider, @derekberes.bsky.social, @benmullin, @jusaire, @pkafka, The Wrap, @ernie.tedium.co, @katienotopoulos.bsky.social, @pkafka, @maxwelltani, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, @pkafka@threads.net, Samantha Tomaszewski on LinkedIn, Nicholas Schonberger on LinkedIn, Deadline, @lanceulanoff, The Information, @sizpatel and @katienotopoulos.bsky.social
RELATED:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
BuzzFeed says selling First We Feast will cut its outstanding debt by $89M to $30M and let it operate with a cash balance larger than its total outstanding debt — “Hot Ones” is going solo. — BuzzFeed announced a deal to sell First We Feast, the studio behind the popular YouTube chicken …
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Warner Bros. Discovery announces a restructuring to create two separate units: one for linear TV networks and one for production studios and streaming platforms — The maneuver was unveiled just days after Comcast said it planned to spin off the bulk of its NBCUniversal cable networks …
Discussion:
Warner Bros. Discovery, Brian Steinberg on LinkedIn, Business Insider, TVNewsCheck, The Information, Reuters, @bristei, @bristei, Barrett Media, @mediaevan.bsky.social, @tvgrimreaper, Cord Cutters News, @willmckinley, @brianstelter, @pkafka@threads.net, @asharma, @brianstelter, Broadband TV News, @sherman4949, The Wrap, Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance, CNBC, The Verge, WORLD SCREEN, Barron's Online and The Hollywood Reporter
RELATED:
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Warner Bros. Discovery's shares jump 13%+ after the company announced a restructuring that is expected to take effect by mid-2025 — Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's corporate parent, announced Thursday, it is establishing a new corporate structure that splits its cable networks off from its growing streaming business.
Discussion:
Adweek, @lucas_shaw and @mediaevan
Costas Pitas / Reuters:
Donald Trump picks former news anchor and hardline Republican Kari Lake to be the director of US government-funded media outlet Voice of America — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was picking Kari Lake, a former news anchor and a hardline Republican who failed to win …
Discussion:
CNN, New York Times, Tv Technology, USA Today, Truthout, Nicole Carr on LinkedIn, Mediaite, Adweek, NPR, Forbes, RedState, Raw Story, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @backyardpolitics.bsky.social, The Independent, Townhall, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, Washington Post, The Hill, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @nicksortor, @admcrlsn, @damintoell, @usa_polling, @aidnmclaughlin, @andrewfeinberg, @libbeydean_, @farhip, @samstein, @yashar, Roll Call, New York Post, The American Spectator, Alternet.org, Politico, Twitchy, Breitbart, Al Jazeera, Daily Mail, UPI, Arizona Mirror, Fox News, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @dangillmor.mastodon …, Associated Press, NBC News, The Desk, @matthewkeys.net, The Gateway Pundit, CBS News, Washington Examiner, @bubbaprog.lol, @davidakaye.bsky.social, @helenkennedy.bsky.social, @olgalautman.bsky.social, @samlitzinger.bsky.social, @dandrezner.bsky.social, @kerravon.bsky.social, @joshtpm.bsky.social, Axios, Bloomberg, Crooks and Liars, WTTG-TV, Deadline, HuffPost, Washington Times, ABC News and Daily Kos
RELATED:
Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:
Current and former Netflix staff say the company has walked back its parental-leave benefits, after shifting its focus from subscriber growth to profitability — Employees worry the pullback and other new restrictions mean the entertainment giant is losing the identity that fueled its success
Ken Klippenstein:
Slack messages: NYT editors tell reporters to “dial back” on using photos of alleged UnitedHealth gunman Luigi Mangione and to avoid publishing his “manifesto” — Times management directs staff to “dial back” Luigi Mangione headshots
Daniele Lepido / Bloomberg:
Italian broadcaster MediaForEurope says it is looking to accelerate its plan to build a pan-European free-to-air TV hub after securing a €3.4B credit facility — - Broadcaster adds financial muscle to bankroll future plans — CEO doesn't rule out a bid for rest of Germany's ProSieben
Discussion:
Reuters
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:20 minutes ago
An interview with Business Insider CTO Harry Hope on BI's use of AI, including AI-powered search and ad tools, shifting away from mass audience, and more — Interview with Business Insider's CTO Harry Hope on AI and shift away from mass audience. — Business Insider's chief technology officer …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Matt Hardigree / The Autopian:
Hearst Magazines, owner of Car and Driver, Autoweek, and Road & Track, is acquiring MotorTrend Group, which owns MotorTrend, Automobile, and Hot Rod, from WBD — It hasn't been a huge secret that MotorTrend, the popular magazine and website, was in the process of being offloaded.
Discussion:
Variety, HEARST, @matthardigree and The Drive
Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
Email: the Guardian Media Group declined to engage with an alternative bid enquiry for The Observer due to exclusivity terms with Tortoise — Guardian Media Group declined to engage with an alternative bid enquiry for The Observer on Tuesday, telling the interested party it could not speak …
Discussion:
@dominicponsford.bsky.social
RELATED:
Nic Fildes / Financial Times:
Australia plans a levy on tech companies like Meta with $250M+ in local revenue to force them to pay publishers for journalism, after Meta quit the prior deal — Move is designed to close loophole after Meta walked away from existing deal to use media content
Discussion:
Associated Press, Sydney Morning Herald, New York Post, @jason_kint, B&T, Engadget, Raw Story, TechCrunch, BBC, Australian Financial Review, Al Jazeera, RTÉ, The Register, Reuters, Business News Australia, 9News, Reuters, Mumbrella, Australian Business Journal, @ketanjoshi.co, @asherwolf.bsky.social, Dave Earley on LinkedIn, Crikey and The Guardian, more at Techmeme »