Mediagazer: A look at Sky, seven years after Comcast's £31B acquisition, as the US media giant writes down Sky's valuation by 25% amid job cuts and losing exclusive shows (Mark Sweney/The Guardian)

11:05 AM ET, May 20, 2025

Top News:

Alex Sherman / CNBC:

Sources: Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks had a discussion with CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon on Saturday and asked for her resignation — CBS News Chief Executive Officer Wendy McMahon announced Monday she is stepping down, the latest twist in a growing battle of wills between …

Jake Tapper / @jaketapper:

Source: Paramount could settle with President Trump for as much as $30M to $50M — A source close to negotiations tells me Paramount/CBS could settle with President Trump for as much as $30-50 million

Discussion: New York Times

Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:

Memo: CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon is stepping down from the network, saying “it's become clear the company and I do not agree on the path forward” — Wendy McMahon, the president of CBS News and Stations, had allied herself with Bill Owens, the “60 Minutes” executive producer who recently resigned.

Discussion: CNN, Advanced Television, NPR, @maxwelltani, Poynter, The Guardian, The Free Press, @grynbaum, Digital Journal, @grynbaum, @sensanders, @deanwill.bsky.social, @davidenrich, @jbflint, HuffPost, Civil Discourse …, @lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw, @pamsaulsby, @bristei, @mehdirhasan, @sarahleah1, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @dylanbyers, @maxwelltani, @grynbaum, @sarafischer, The Moderate Voice, USA Today, Sydney Morning Herald, MediaPost, The Japan Times, The Daily Wire, NBC News, @davidenrich.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @benmullin.bsky.social, @marcelias.bsky.social, @wajali.bsky.social, @hallijayne.bsky.social, Deadline, Instapundit, Newser, Daily Kos, Politico, Hollywood Life, Variety, Wall Street Journal, @bunnibytz.bsky.social, Vanity Fair, Cord Cutters News, RedState, Mediaite, Business Insider, Townhall, Daily Caller News Foundation, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, The Washington Free Beacon, Virg Bernero on LinkedIn, Reuters, @carolinedegruyter.bsky.social, @sjvn@mastodon.social, @ChrisBoese@newsie.social, Axios, @jameeljaffer.bsky.social, The Independent, New York Post, The Hill, The Wrap, Fox News, The Hollywood Reporter, Bloomberg and Grabien

Brian Steinberg / Variety: Sources: CBS News is considering new changes to the Evening News as Wendy McMahon exits and the program falls further behind its rival programs at ABC and NBC

Matthew Keys / The Desk:
CBS News pulled a 60 Minutes segment on IRS job losses hours before airing, learning the IRS reversed the firings, and plans to broadcast it later with new info

Discussion: @mrplowthatsmyname.bsky.social, American Thinker, Adweek, TVNewsCheck and @thedesk.net

Kate Knibbs / Wired:

Inside the US case against a North Carolina man who the government claims made $10M+ in royalties between 2017 and 2024 by using bot armies to stream AI tracks — A chart-topping jazz album! Loads of Spotify and Apple Music plays! Just one problem: The success might not be real. — Play/Pause Button

Discussion: @neuvel.net, @knibbs.bsky.social and @teacherdude

Max Tani / Semafor:

MSNBC hires Marcus Mabry, CNN Worldwide's SVP of digital editorial and programming, to serve as its SVP of Content Strategy — The Scoop — MSNBC is poaching a CNN executive to help build out its new digital presence as the left-leaning cable network decouples from NBC News.

Discussion: @richardhudock and Marcus Mabry on LinkedIn

Jake Kanter / Deadline:

ITV tells staff it plans to cut 220 jobs in a major daytime overhaul, which includes scaling back shows and moving Good Morning Britain to ITV News producer ITN — ITV will make more than 220 redundancies under the sweeping changes, but it has promised to reinvest all savings …

Discussion: RTÉ, Daily Star, Mirror, The Sun, Daily Mail, Belfast News Letter, Manchester Evening News and @scottygb.bsky.social

Samantha Schmidt / Washington Post:

Journalists from El Salvador's top independent investigative news outlet El Faro say they have left the country amid Nayib Bukele's crackdown on dissent — El Salvador's top independent investigative news outlet moved its headquarters to Costa Rica in 2023. More of its journalists left the country this month.

Discussion: The Guardian, @jwashing.bsky.social and @matthewhaybrown.bsky.social

Saskia Koopman / City A.M.:

Channel 4 says it will be the first UK broadcaster to bring video programming to Spotify later this week, with content from its youth-focused brand Channel 4.0 — Channel 4 has become the first UK broadcaster to bring video programming to the streaming platform, in a move that will see episodes from its youth-focused digital brand.

Discussion: Advanced Television, The Media Leader, Broadband TV News, Televisual, PerformanceMarketingWorld and Channel 4

Mark Sweney / The Guardian:

A look at Sky, seven years after Comcast's £31B acquisition, as the US media giant writes down Sky's valuation by 25% amid job cuts and losing exclusive shows — Since Comcast takeover, broadcaster has slashed jobs and is losing the exclusive shows that drew subscribers

Discussion: @tvgrimreaper, @mediaevan and Mirror

Hannah Miller / Bloomberg:

Chuck Todd plans to launch Sunday Night With Chuck Todd with media startup Noosphere on June 1, featuring interviews at restaurants and bars in Washington, DC — Chuck Todd, the former moderator of NBC's weekly news program Meet the Press, is launching a new app-based show with media startup Noosphere.

Discussion: Noosphere on YouTube

Ayushi Kar / The Reporters' Collective:

How Indian news agency ANI is using YouTube's copyright policy in India to demand high licensing fees and shut down YouTubers, including those critical of Modi — The news agency is using a chink in YouTube's copyright policy in India to shut down news content producers if they dont cough …

Discussion: @kunalkamra88, @iarpitspeaks, @deb_livnletliv, @harshithamanwan, @bainjal, @ayushikar1998, @reporters_co, @reporters_co, @nit_set and Ayushi Kar on LinkedIn

Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:

The Daily Wire names Mike Richards, former Jeopardy! producer, as president; he joined the company in December 2024 and will also serve as chief content officer — Richards, who joined the company in December 2024, will also serve as chief content officer.

Discussion: Barrett Media, TV Insider, The Hollywood Reporter and Inside Radio

Andrew Webster / The Verge:

Netflix says Season 56 of Sesame Street will be available on Netflix “later this year”; Sesame Street had searched for a streamer since Max dropped it in 2024 — It's coming later this year. … Sunny days are on their way to Netflix. The streamer just announced that the next season …

Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Netflix starts streaming new episodes of Peppa Pig in the US along with a “World of Peppa Pig” gaming app, as it focuses on kids and pre-K titles

Discussion: Advanced Television and The Hollywood Reporter

Archived Page Info:

This is a snapshot of Mediagazer at 11:05 AM ET, May 20, 2025.

View the current page or another snapshot:

Who's Hiring in Media?

Economy Editor, NY — NYT

Sr. Editor - Asia Editing Hub, Mumbai — Bloomberg

Newsletter Editor, VA — Politico

Supreme Court Reporter, DC — WSJ

Environment & Health Editor, CA — CalMatters

Senior Editor - Politics, GA — AJC

Breaking News Editor, Hong Kong — CNN

US Industrials & Transportation Correspondent — FT

Executive Editor/VP, TX — Dallas Morning News

Technology Reporter, NJ — CNBC

Asst. Managing Ed. - Digital, NY — Wine Spectator

Sr. Editor - Emerging News, OH — Baltimore Sun

Business Reporter, WA — Seattle Times

State House/Politics Editor, OH — Plain Dealer

Baton Rouge Business Reporter, LA — The Advocate

Senior Writer - AI, Remote US — Forbes

Assistant Editor, CA — Lookout Santa Cruz

Ann Arbor Reporter, MI — MLive

Deputy Copy Ed., MA — Christian Science Monitor

Data Reporter/Researcher, NY — The Real Deal

Senior Social Media Ed., Remote US — The Athletic

Sports Reporter - Oshkosh, WI — USA Today

News Reporter, FL — Longboat Observer

Investigative Reporter, NC — Charlotte Observer

Freelance Journalists, CO — Yellow Scene

Senior Reporter, Tokyo — MLex

Environment & Resources Reporter, IN — SPJ

Audience Editor, CA — SF Chronicle

Digital-First Journalist, FL — Orange Observer

Managing Editor, OH — Coeur d'Alene Press

Real Estate Editor, MA — Boston Globe

News Editor, NY — JTA

Add your company here

See Also:

Mediagazer: site main

Mediagazer River: reverse chronological Mediagazer

Mediagazer Mobile: for phones

Mediagazer Leaderboard: Mediagazer's top sources

Subscribe:

Mediagazer RSS feed

Mediagazer on X

Mediagazer on Mastodon

More News:

Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
Cavendish Press head Jon Harris warns freelance court reporters face extinction as UK newsrooms prioritize free police handouts over professional reporting

Discussion: @sheronboyle1, @totalcrime, @carlevecrime, @owenboswarva, @greghadfield and Charlie Moloney on LinkedIn

Katie Hicks / Marketing Brew:
The Onion launches America's Finest Creative Agency, offering copywriting and creative strategy services for brands

Discussion: Ben Oliver on LinkedIn, Natalie Edwards on LinkedIn, Jason Roeder on LinkedIn, Leila Brillson on LinkedIn, Howie Kaplan on LinkedIn, @joshsternberg.com, @bencollins.bsky.social, @katiehicks.bsky.social and @leilza.bsky.social

Todd Spangler / Variety:
SAG-AFTRA files an NLRB unfair labor practice charge against Epic's Llama Productions for using AI to recreate James Earl Jones' Darth Vader voice in Fortnite

Earlier Picks:

Matthew Keys / The Desk:
Source: about 60 of the 500 VOA workers whose contracts were terminated by the USAGM are likely to be deported within the next month due to losing their jobs

Discussion: RadioInfo Asia

Karissa Bell / Engadget:
Bluesky is allowing some accounts to link their Twitch or YouTube accounts to their profiles, displaying a red indicator and “live” badge when they're streaming

Discussion: MediaPost, @devonheinen.bsky.social, The Verge and TechCrunch

Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
BBC Studios launches a reorganization, with a “Global Production” unit and “Unscripted Productions” division to capitalize on surging unscripted content demand

Discussion: Deadline

Max Tani / Semafor:
Vice renews Shane Smith's podcast for a second season after it got tens of millions of YouTube views, and launches the Vice News Collective for news influencers

Discussion: Podnews, @maxwelltani and @semaforben

From Techmeme:

Tulsee Doshi / The Keyword:
Google makes Gemini 2.5 Flash and Pro generally available and introduces 2.5 Flash-Lite, which it says is its most cost-efficient and fastest 2.5 model yet

Steve Kopack / NBC News:
In a memo to employees, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says AI “will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains” over time

CNBC:
Sources: Meta and EssilorLuxottica plan AI-powered smart glasses under Oakley and Prada brands; they will be aimed at athletes, and the Oakleys may cost ~$360

Sister Sites:

Techmeme
Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web

memeorandum
What US political commentators are discussing online right now

WeSmirch
The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page