Mediagazer

10:40 PM ET, April 22, 2026

Top News:

Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:

Source: the FBI investigated NYT reporter Elizabeth Williamson after she wrote about Kash Patel's use of FBI staff for his girlfriend's security — The bureau said it is not pursuing a case, but the scrutiny is an example of the Trump administration weighing whether to criminalize routine news gathering.

Discussion: Associated Press, Raw Story, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @juliannemcshane.bsky.social, The Wrap, GV Wire, @joelpollak, Charleston Daily Mail, CNN, @asfleischman, Raw Story, @evanrobertsondc.bsky.social, @dfriedman33, @senschumer, @nytmike, @serendipityinfl.bsky.social, @freedom.press, @wessaidwords.bsky.social, The Independent, @scanlon.house.gov, @jamessurowiecki, @willsommer.bsky.social, @aaronblake, @sarahlongwell25, @newsguy.bsky.social, @annmlipton.bsky.social, @froomkin.bsky.social, @samstein, @_williamsonben, @_ericaknight, @housejudiciary, @therickwilson, @davidfolkenflik, @freedomofpress, @markszaidesq, @repmgs, @qjurecic.bsky.social, Political Wire, @tedlieu, @willatfire, @fritschner, @demsocialistguy.bsky.social, @jamessurowiecki, @girlsreallyrule.bsky.social, @_williamsonben, @aaronterr1, @jeremymbarr, @markharris.bsky.social, @skinnerpm, @furkangozukara, @nytimes, @jimstewartson, @kylegriffin1, @furkangozukara, @doncochraneyow.bsky.social, @markfollman.bsky.social, @joshsternberg.com, @marypcbuk.bsky.social, Mediaite, The Indian Express and New Republic

Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:

The FCC launches a review of TV Parental Guidelines, citing concerns that “gender identity issues are being included or promoted in children's programs” — The regulator is seeking public comment to ensure the ratings system is “empowering parents to make informed decisions for their children”

Discussion: TheDesk.net, Breitbart, Variety, Erin In The Morning, LGBTQ Nation, Cord Cutters News, Radio & Television …, The Guardian, Politico, Deadline, @pasquinel.bsky.social, TV Tech and Washington Examiner

Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:

Filing: the NFL met with the FCC on Friday to defend the league's media rights strategy and said 87% of games are primarily aired for free on broadcast TV — League defends media-rights dealings as federal regulators investigate migration to streaming — As federal regulators scrutinize …

Discussion: NBCSports.com, The Wrap, Front Office Sports, @jbflint, Awful Announcing, New York Post, NBC News, Reuters, Sports Business Journal, Fox News, Barrett Media and Sports Media Watch

Brian Stelter / CNN:

WBD shareholders vote early Thursday on the Paramount deal, likely to be OK'ed; David Ellison will be in DC later for Paramount's event honoring the White House — Paramount's blockbuster acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's parent company, is poised to clear a pivotal hurdle later this week.

Discussion: Variety, Deadline, HuffPost, The Hollywood Reporter, TrekMovie.com and @brianstelter.bsky.social

Eriq Gardner / Puck:
Sources: some in Hollywood are urging state AGs to scrutinize the Paramount-WBD merger, and some think Netflix is behind the anti-merger letter signed by 3,000+

Discussion: @matthewstoller, @charliehorsephotos …, @tvgrimreaper, @karlbode.com, Cord Cutters News, Variety, The A.V. Club, Eriq Gardner on LinkedIn and eMarketer

On Substack:

Substack adds translation tools, and says ~100K publishers earn on the platform, including ~30K outside the US; European creators earn $90M+/year collectively — Who changed your life today? Who stretched your way of seeing the universe? Who challenged you to think deeper about the culture around you …

Discussion: Mark Swierszcz on LinkedIn, @simonowens, @jtes, @nbaschez and @hamishmckenzie, more at Techmeme »

Joanna Stern / The New Things:

Joanna Stern, who has worked at WSJ, ABC, The Verge, and Engadget, launches New Things, her independent tech newsletter and YouTube channel — When I was cleaning out my attic a few weeks ago to make room for my new home video studio, I found a box. — Inside: an iPod with a click wheel.

Discussion: @mreflow, @ernie.tedium.co, @krynsky, @ernie.tedium.co, @manton.org, @ernie.tedium.co, @joannastern and @joannastern@threads.com

Michael Schneider / Variety:

Q&A with Katie Couric about her media company, the state of broadcast news, why “both sides” reporting will fail, media companies' “capitulation” to Trump, more — As her independent Katie Couric Media expands, the former “CBS Evening News” and “Today” …

Discussion: HuffPost and Simon Owens's Media Newsletter

Dominic Patten / Deadline:

A NY state judge throws out Sean “Diddy” Combs' defamation suit against NBCUniversal for airing a documentary, Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, in January 2025 — In fact, Empire State Supreme Court judge Phaedra F. Perry-Bond didn't just dismiss the action filed on February 25 …

Discussion: New York Times, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Baller Alert, Rolling Out, Forbes and r/Fauxmoi

Todd Spangler / Variety:

SiriusXM strikes a deal with Google to make SiriusXM Media the exclusive advertising representative of YouTube's audio inventory in the US, including podcasts — Google and YouTube sell billions in advertising every month. But now they're partnering with SiriusXM to handle a specific bucket of inventory …

Discussion: Molly Ponzo on LinkedIn, 9to5Google, Annie Leitenberg on LinkedIn, Yahoo Finance, Android Police, Maggie Mitchell on LinkedIn, Brianna Lynch on LinkedIn, Sherene Hilal on LinkedIn, Bovio Pulito on LinkedIn, eMarketer, Radio Ink, Reuters, Inside Radio, The Hollywood Reporter, Podnews, Barrett Media and Radio & Television …

Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:

Amazon Music partners with Bandsintown to display live concert listings and “buy ticket” buttons on artists' profile pages in its iOS and Android apps — Amazon Music said today that it is partnering with live event listing platform Bandsintown to bring concert listings to its music streaming service.

Discussion: Digital Music News, Hypebot, Music Business Worldwide, Windows Central and Music Ally

Inside Radio:

At the NAB show, sole Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez reiterates her call for broadcasters to challenge the agency's potential unconstitutional overreach — One year after Anna Gomez first denounced what she sees as government pressure on broadcasters to silence dissenting voices …

Discussion: NewscastStudio

Claire Trageser / Axios:

InsideSD, a site run by city government, dominates Google's AI-powered search results about San Diego, making government views the only ones most will see — A city-run news site is gobbling up Google results for San Diego and pushing out traditional media links thanks to AI-powered search.

Discussion: Search Engine Journal, PYMNTS.com, AdNews News, The Asahi Shimbun and Inc

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More News:

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
MS NOW appoints Shawna Thomas, former executive producer of CBS Mornings, as political director to lead coverage of 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race

Discussion: Deadline, Adweek, The Wrap, @bristei.bsky.social, @newsguy.bsky.social, TV Insider, Los Angeles Times, Politico and Barrett Media

Bloomberg:
Sources: Media24, a unit of Naspers that runs some of South Africa's biggest digital news sites, is considering selling or closing historic newspaper City Press

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Sky News launches The Sky News Defence app, a paywalled app for “defence and security content”, as part of plans to become a “premium video-first newsroom”

Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Nexstar CEO Perry Sook defends his Tegna bid, citing Brendan Carr's “break-glass moment” for TV finances, and says only 2 or 3 local TV companies will survive

Discussion: @nitishpahwa.com, Cord Cutters News, Barrett Media, @matthewkeyslive, @jeffzogg, @matthewkeyslive, @dadehayes, @packrfan4, @jbflint and @jbflint

Matt Schudel / Washington Post:
Dan Eggen, a veteran WaPo editor who helped shape coverage of the White House and who was among hundreds of WaPo journalists laid off in February, dies at 60

Discussion: Kainaz Amaria on LinkedIn, @erinmcunningham.bsky.social, @jenna_dc, New York Post, Glenn Kessler on LinkedIn, @peterbakernyt.bsky.social, The Gateway Pundit, @briannaatucker, Charleston Daily Mail, @mattdelong.bsky.social, The Wrap, @froomkin.bsky.social, @ericumansky.bsky.social, @ericlipton.nytimes.com and @sfcpoll.bsky.social

Washington Post:
A profile of far-right influencer Nick Fuentes, who made ~$900K from “fanatical” donors since early 2025, as his influence in the US conservative movement rises

Discussion: @flingjore.com, @royalpratt.bsky.social, @cdarwin@c.im, @joffirphd.bsky.social, @davidgilbert.bsky.social, National Review, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, @atomicanalyst.bsky.social, @adamserwer.bsky.social, Newser, @dabeard.bsky.social, @mattsheffield@mastodon.social and Mercury News

Earlier Picks:

Roger Vincent / Los Angeles Times:
Sources: Netflix is in talks to buy the historic Radford Studio Center lot in Studio City for between $330M and $400M, after Goldman Sachs repossessed it

Discussion: Miami Herald, KTLA, The Real Deal, Bisnow, Media Play News, Benzinga, The Wrap, Variety, Deadline and Bloomberg

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Trump Media & Technology Group names Kevin McGurn as interim CEO, succeeding Devin Nunes; McGurn previously worked as an executive at Hulu, Vevo, and T-Mobile

Wendy Davis / MediaPost:
The FTC seeks to dismiss its appeal of an order blocking its demand for Media Matters info, since it withdrew the demand; Media Matters wants the case to go on

Brice Laemle / Le Monde:
Since December 2025, print media companies in France have cut nearly 1,000 jobs; Trendeo: since 2009, 10.5K jobs have disappeared from the sector in France

Daniel Tilles / Notes From Poland:
Newsmax launches a Polish version, starting as a news site and planning to add a TV channel; its ties to a Serbian state-owned company have drawn criticism

Discussion: @notesfrompoland and @kaedotcom.bsky.social

Corbin Bolies / The Wrap:
Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee, and Kansas City Star unions filed grievances with McClatchy, saying it didn't give enough notice for “major technological change”

Discussion: Jim Boren on LinkedIn, @mollyhc, Gizmodo, @max_spero_, @christiancaple, @willbredderman, @landonhall, @corbinbolies, @corbinbolies, @corbinbolies, @corbinbolies and @arianelange.bsky.social

From Techmeme:

Ian King / Bloomberg:
Google introduces its eighth generation of TPUs, including the TPU 8t for training and the TPU 8i for inference, generally available later this year

CNBC:
Sources: Microsoft considered buying Cursor in recent weeks but didn't make an offer; Microsoft has been working to boost GitHub Copilot's popularity

Dan Mangan / CNBC:
Kalshi suspends and fines congressional candidates Mark Moran of Virginia, Matt Klein of Minnesota, and Ezekiel Enriquez of Texas for political insider trading

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