This page hosts daily news stories about the media, social media, and the journalism industry. Get the latest Hirings and Firings, Media Transactions, Controversies, and more.
Legal Settlements Raise Concerns About Media and Trump Era Dealings
Media companies continue to face legal pressure from the Trump administration, with multiple firms opting for financial settlements rather than protracted court battles. Paramount Global and Disney-ABC each paid over $15 million to resolve lawsuits tied to Trump-related disputes, while earlier in the year, Meta settled for $25 million, and Elon Musk’s X paid $10 million to settle censorship-related claims. Observers, including Yale historian Timothy Snyder, suggest these actions may reflect a pattern of “anticipatory obedience” by corporations under authoritarian influence. Analysts caution that upcoming spinoffs and sales from Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, and Comcast may invite further scrutiny. George Cheeks of Paramount defended the settlements as financial pragmatism, not guilt. Read More (MediaPost Rating)
Trump Energy Report Warns of Massive Future Grid Blackouts
A Department of Energy report under the Trump administration warns that U.S. power grid blackouts could increase 100-fold by 2030 due to retiring energy plants and soaring demand from AI and manufacturing growth. While 209 GW of new capacity is expected, it may not offset the 104 GW set to retire, risking outages of up to 800 hours annually. Energy Secretary Chris Wright linked the findings to the need for maintaining coal and gas sources. Critics, including Advanced Energy United, argue the report overstates risks and ignores renewable solutions, expressing concern over the lack of public review. Read More (The Hill Rating)
The New York Times Reports Strong Q1 Performance Amid Industry Shifts
The New York Times saw a 7.1% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1 2025, reaching $635.9 million, with digital advertising up 12.4% and operating profit hitting $58.6 million. The paper added 250,000 digital subscribers, bringing its total to 11.6 million. Despite spending $4.4 million on its ongoing legal battle with OpenAI, the company maintains a solid financial outlook and won four Pulitzer Prizes last week, reinforcing its dominant position in digital journalism. Read More (Adweek Rating)
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