Top News:

YouTube launches a weekly top podcast shows chart, tracking podcasts in the US and updated every Wednesday; The Joe Rogan Experience currently tops the chart — YouTube is solidifying its place in podcasts. — The company on Thursday announced the launch of a weekly top podcast shows chart, rivaling those from Spotify and Apple.
Discussion:
YouTube, New York Times, The Verge, @ashleyrcarman, @loudmouthjulia, @tchambers@indieweb.social and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
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YouTube unveils Peak Points, a pilot Gemini feature for targeting ads after viewers are most engaged with a video, aiming for more impressions and a higher CTR
Discussion:
TheStreet, Shelly Palmer, 9to5Google, Benzinga and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:
YouTube previews new ad formats coming to the platform, including an enhanced shoppable connected TV offering that has an interactive product feed on the right
YouTube previews new ad formats coming to the platform, including an enhanced shoppable connected TV offering that has an interactive product feed on the right
Discussion:
WORLD SCREEN, PC Gamer, YouTube Official Blog, Radio & Television …, Variety, Adweek and TheStreet, more at Techmeme »

Public broadcasting officials plan to go to DC today to convince lawmakers to keep their funding; Indiana cut all taxpayer funding for its 17 public stations — Public broadcasting officials from across the country plan to descend on Capitol Hill today in hopes of convincing lawmakers …
Discussion:
Inside Radio, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, Fox News and San Francisco Public Press
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The WSJ has launched two new paid executive membership programs, which cater to highly senior executives and include access to summits, roundtables, and more — Its Leadership Institute aims to launch two new councils a year — The Wall Street Journal launched the newest addition …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News, Mark Stenberg on LinkedIn and @simonowens.bsky.social

Sources: Puck has hired an AI tech reporter after it tried unsuccessfully to buy Casey Newton's Platformer for seven figures and hire Alex Heath from The Verge — Matt Belloni's voice reverberates through Hollywood's power corridors—now so do whispers about his future at Puck.
Discussion:
@oliverdarcy.bsky.social and @oliverdarcy.bsky.social

Analysis: the US government canceled 1,400+ federal research grants worth $1B+, including many studying online misinformation, citing protection of 1A rights — Lisa K. Fazio, an associate professor at Vanderbilt University, whose federal grant to study how repetition of lies reinforced …
Discussion:
@brianstelter.bsky.social, The Independent and @notaaroncraig.bsky.social, more at Techmeme »

Gaza journalists describe intimidation and assault by Hamas; the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate often doesn't publicize Hamas attacks for fear of reprisals — When Gazan journalist Tawfiq Abu Jarad received a phone call from a Hamas security agent warning him not to cover a protest …
Discussion:
Middle East Monitor and European Federation …

Neal Mohan says the monetization rate of Shorts hit parity with core YouTube in the US and multiple other countries, and Shorts viewing grew 20% YoY in Q1 2025 — YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, the morning after the platform's big ad pitch and party in New York City, had a new milestone to share …
Discussion:
The Information, The Information, The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter

NSF canceled a five-year, $1.2M grant for climate reporting to IndiJ Public Media in April and a PBS grant, though the majority of it was already spent — The National Science Foundation canceled a $1.2 million grant to IndiJ Public Media in April that supported Indigenous climate reporting.

The Atlantic is partnering with Apple to provide exclusive audio benefits for subscribers and to sell subscriptions directly on Apple Podcasts — The Atlantic is partnering with Apple to launch exclusive audio benefits for subscribers, executives told Axios.
Discussion:
Simon Owens's Media Newsletter and Podnews

California newsrooms will receive $10M, instead of the expected $30M, in FY 2025-26 from the state through a News Transformation Fund due to budget issues — - California newsrooms expected to receive $30 million from the state as part of a Newsroom Transformation Fund.
Discussion:
Mercury News, SFGATE, Matt Pearce on LinkedIn, Bloomberg Government, Politico, @palewire, @dlanghorne.bsky.social and @palewi.re

MSNBC hires Politico senior managing editor Sudeep Reddy as its first-ever Washington bureau chief as it builds out reporting operations ahead of its spin-off — The cable channel, which is set to be spun off from NBC, is starting its first stand-alone D.C. office with Sudeep Reddy at the helm.

The Belgian Court of Appeal rules that the Transparency & Consent Framework, used by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, X, and the ad industry, is illegal across Europe — Landmark court decision against “TCF” consent pop ups on 80% of the internet — 14 May 2025
Discussion:
@mario_gug, @chronotope, Sophie on LinkedIn, @johnnyryan.bsky.social, @aral@mastodon.ar.al, @CCC@social.bau-ha.us, @johnnyryan.bsky.social, @lilianedwards.bsky.social, @andrewhinton.bsky.social, @johnnyryan.bsky.social, @openpolicy.bsky.social, @bthalpin.bsky.social, @hannejakobsen.bsky.social and Engadget, more at Techmeme »

Sources: DOJ is conducting a criminal antitrust probe into whether Live Nation and AEG illegally colluded on concert refunds at the start of the COVID pandemic — The US Justice Department is conducting a criminal antitrust probe into how companies responded to mass concert cancellations …
Discussion:
Reuters, @matthewstoller and @benbrodydc

Filing: Anthropic apologizes after one of its expert witnesses cited a fake article hallucinated by Claude in the company's legal battle with music publishers — A lawyer representing Anthropic admitted to using an erroneous citation created by the company's Claude AI chatbot …