Vivek Ramaswamy suggests one potential path to wrest control of BuzzFeed, and Jonah Peretti offers broad thoughts on BuzzFeed's current focus on entertainment (Ben Smith/Semafor)

Mediagazer: Vivek Ramaswamy suggests one potential path to wrest control of BuzzFeed, and Jonah Peretti offers broad thoughts on BuzzFeed's current focus on entertainment (Ben Smith/Semafor)

Top News:

Washington Post:

WaPo says Matt Murray will be Executive Editor until the US presidential election, after which Robert Winnett will take on the new role of Editor— The Washington Post also announced today its intention to launch a new division of the newsroom dedicated to better serving audiences …
Discussion: The Wrap, Axios, CNN, @tomgara@threads.net, @davidfolkenflik, @sulliview, @cnn@threads.net, @callmem0se@threads.net, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, The Hollywood Reporter, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @cherylrofer.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @mattgreenfield@threads.net, @brianstelter@threads.net, @ckshowalter.bsky.social, @warrenterra.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @dandrezner.bsky.social and @brianstelter

Discussion:

Mike Roe /
The Wrap: Washington Post Executive Editor Sally Buzbee Exits After 3 Years, New Leaders Named in Newsroom Restructure

Tom Gara /
@tomgara@threads.net: WSJ has been on an incredibly lively & scoopy run on the news side over the last decade, from Theranos to Stormy Daniels - IMO the WaPo is incredibly lucky to pick up its top news editor

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Probably relevant tonight re WashPost changes: In 2010, when Will Lewis won UK journalist of the year at the Telegraph - Rob Winnett won best UK political reporter of the year as deputy politics editor of the Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ ...

Margaret Sullivan /
@sulliview: Each of our three newsrooms will be led by an outstanding white male, which we feel is especially appropriate in Washington DC. If these three newsrooms are successful, we will consider a fourth and fifth @cnn@threads.net: Sally Buzbee, the executive editor of The Washington Post, is stepping down from her role after leading the newspaper for three tumultuous years, the newspaper announced late Sunday. “Sally is an incredible leader and a supremely talented media executive who will be sorely missed. …

Rob Killion /
@callmem0se@threads.net: Another Murdoch protege. Awesome. @jeffjarvis.bsky.social: I'd already given up on The Times and was despairing for The Post. The crisis in American news isn't just local. It is national, with outlets that will credulously or willfully usher in fascism. This is bad. — medium.com/whither-news...

Carly Thomas /
The Hollywood Reporter: Sally Buzbee Steps Down as Executive Editor of The Washington Post

@jeffjarvis.bsky.social:
Keep in mind that Post boss Lewis is under suspicion of clearing away evidence of Murdoch's hacks' hacking. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/ media/...

Cheryl Rofer /
@cherylrofer.bsky.social: The worst part of the WaPo reorg is they haven't fired any of their columnists

@jeffjarvis.bsky.social:
I can't parse what the “third newsroom” is but it sounds very 2015—SEO, social, pivot to video—just as AI threatens to be a new web. I am worried that serving “Americans who feel traditional news is not for them but still want to be kept informed” is code for Post as Murdoch.

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter@threads.net: Out with the “one-size-fits-all approach,” the Post says, we need to create news for a “broader range of readers and customers. This will focus more on video storytelling, embracing AI to help, and flexible payment methods.” It will be operational in Q3.

CK DexterHaven /
@ckshowalter.bsky.social: Okay but I'm curious about flexible payment methods. I'd love to be in a situation where I can pay for news on demand vs needing a subscription. Post's micropayments were very cool that way. I keep my subscriptions, but say I want to read the Boston Globe's article on something, I can do that

Warren Terra /
@warrenterra.bsky.social: They've announced they're going to: — Pivot. — To. — Video. — (while “embracing AI to help")

Jeff Jarvis /
@jeffjarvis@mastodon.social: Oh, Lord: The anodyne AP journalism of Buzbee to be replaced—in the design of the Murdochian henchman Willand, as bad if not worse, a Telegraph editor. The crisis in US national journalism worsens! — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Shakeup atop the @WashingtonPost: “Sally Buzbee has stepped down as Executive Editor.” Many Post staffers have been wondering about Buzbee's status ever since William Lewis was announced as CEO last November. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

RELATED:
New York Times:

The Washington Post's Executive Editor Sally Buzbee steps down, replaced by Matt Murray, former EIC of The Wall Street Journal— Matt Murray, the former editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal, will take her place. — The executive editor of The Washington Post, Sally Buzbee …

Discussion:

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: Former WSJ editor Murray to run Washington Post

Costas Pitas /
Reuters: Washington Post executive editor Sally Buzbee steps down

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: The Post's new CEO and Publisher Will Lewis last week laid out his vision to put subscriptions at the center of the Post's business, but he didn't provide a clear picture of the company's plan to revamp its editorial offering. Now we know why. @jeffjarvis: Oh, Lord: The anodyne AP journalism of Buzbee to be replaced—in the design of the Murdochian henchman Will Lewis—by a Murdochian WSJ editor, then, as bad if not worse, a Telegraph editor. The crisis in US national journalism worsens! https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Siva Vaidhyanathan /
@sivavaidhyanathan@threads.net: His own people? Seems like Murdoch's people.

Dan Kennedy /
@dankennedy_nu@threads.net: It's too soon to say whether the @washingtonpost's declining fortunes were Sally Buzbee's fault, but it certainly made it easier for Will Lewis to replace her with his own people. The Marty Baron era is starting to look like a lost golden age. JournalismThreads https://www.thewrap.com/...

Elrond Hubbard /
@danmitchell.bsky.social: Meet the new boss. [embedded post]

Jay Rosen /
@jayrosen_nyu: Read Brian's thread. The Post is parting ways with its top editor and reorganizing into three newsrooms: one for news, one for opinion, a third — to be run separately — for “service and social media.” To the extent I understand it, this third thing could be a fruitful idea.

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt WaPo's @AmyArgetsinger: “The shakeup at the top of the Post is the biggest move by far since Lewis — himself a veteran of both the Telegraph and the Journal — took over as CEO in January.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt The big change: The Post is restructuring itself as “three newsrooms.” One, the main newsroom that currently exists. Two, the “opinions newsroom” led by Editorial Page Editor David Shipley. And three, something new and nontraditional...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt Right after election day, Matt Murray will segue full-time to be “leader of the third newsroom,” while Winnett will run all existing “core coverage areas, including politics, investigations, business, technology, sports and features.” (Nope, I've never seen anything like this.)

Margaret Sullivan /
@sulliview: Radical restructuring

Hugo Lowell /
@hugolowell: wow — rob winnett going to wapo from the telegraph to lead core political coverage. will be very english-centric

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: The transition plan: @MurrayMatt “will replace Buzbee as Executive Editor until the 2024 U.S presidential election, after which Robert Winnett, Deputy Editor of The Telegraph Media Group, will take on the new role of Editor... responsible for overseeing our core coverage areas,

Washington Post:

Email: Washington Post publisher and CEO William Lewis says WaPo plans to launch a newsroom division this year focused on “service and social media journalism”— The departure of the first woman to run the nearly 150-year-old news operation was sudden and followed the arrival in January of a new publisher.

Discussion:

Adriana Lacy /
@adriana_lacy: In this fragmented social media ecosystem, curious how and if this will work out. Also curious about why this needs to be another newsroom

Jason Shevrin /
@jasonshevrin: not news not opinion but a secret third newsroom

Susan /
@susanbordson: News consumer habits have changed dramatically the last 8 years and social feeds are now many people's “news sources”. The downside, of course, is less detail — which results in less nuance & depth. Pls let this new effort prioritize giving most *accurate impressions* possible

Jay Rosen /
@jayrosen_nyu: Need to know a lot more about it, but I can see a logic to this “third newsroom.” Instead of persuading the newsroom to try some new practice— whatever it may be— you can demo it in world three, then let the newsroom cherry pick. (Not saying this is some radical new approach.)

Lauren /
@very__regular: looking for a bright side: keeping all the AI generated crap walled off from actual news might be really beneficial when that bubble finally bursts and leadership pivots to the next dumb tech scheme

Michael Roston /
@michaelroston: This has LATimes 2018 plan written all over it. Good luck with that! @davejorgenson: My team has been doing this for five years - and it works! Excited to lean into it even more. (follow the Washington Post Universe on tiktok, shorts and reels!)

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: “Want news but don't like readin'?” (I actually commend WaPo for at least trying something different)

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Where it gets less interesting is if the move here is pure SEO play. Obviously some of it is. Every e-commerce and service journalism post is SEO play. Bad when Google wants to automate that entirely back to their page. But habit forming is so hard to do, not the worst start.

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Lot of immediate takes on how this is bad, but if you use a lower price point (even free to start) shorter form news vertical tied to specific interests, video, and eCommerce, you try to redirect scrolling behavior from one app to yours. Not the worst idea At least it's an idea!

Dan Gillmor /
@dangillmor@mastodon.social: The Washington Post is about to lurch sharply to the right politically as former Murdoch apparatchik solidifies his grip on the organization. Current editor Buzbee is out, and he's bringing in people from Murdoch's Wall Street Journal and the Telegraph (right-wing UK news org). …

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt “This third newsroom will be comprised of service and social media journalism and run separately from the core news operation,” The Post says. “The aim is to give the millions of Americans - who feel traditional news is not for them but still want to be kept informed -compelling,

Will Oremus /
@willoremus@mastodon.social: Washington Post editor in chief Sally Buzbee has stepped down, effective immediately, new CEO Will Lewis just announced. — She'll be replaced temporarily by former WSJ editor Matt Murray, and then permanently by Robert Winnett of the Telegraph. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

GQ:

Q&A with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on his new docuseries Up For Debate: The Evolution of Sports Media, streaming on ESPN+, his motivation for the series, and more— The reigning king of sports media discusses his new docuseries, his upcoming contract negotiations, and his pick for the next Disney CEO.

Discussion:
Stephen A. Smith on LinkedIn

Washington Post:

Hacked emails and documents: top editors of US-focused news website The Grayzone received funding from Iran's Press TV, as well as Russia's RT and Sputnik— Misinformation experts say an overlap in funding underscores concern that the spread of falsehoods and propaganda online is entering …

Discussion:
Sydney Morning Herald, @charliearchy@mstdn.social, @jasonmbrodsky and @josephmenn

Discussion:

Joseph Menn /
Sydney Morning Herald: The grey zone of misinformation: Iran, Russia's payments to US media outlet revealed @charliearchy@mstdn.social: The Grayzone is a foreign influence operation, and not a very well disguised one. — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Jason Brodsky /
@jasonmbrodsky: Recently unearthed documents reveal that leaders of @TheGrayzoneNews have received money from both #Russia's and #Iran's government media outlets. In Iran's case it's IRIB & PressTV, which are under U.S. sanctions. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

New York Times:

Sources: Paramount and Skydance deal sticking points include legal expenses in case of shareholder lawsuits, potential “go-shop” period, and a shareholder vote— A special committee of Paramount's board of directors supports a merger with Skydance, a studio that has increased its offer in recent days.

Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, @benmullin, Bloomberg, The Wrap, The Desk and Advanced Television

Discussion:
Wall Street Journal: Revised Skydance Offer Gives Paramount Shareholders Opportunity to Cash Out at Roughly $15 a Share

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: scoop: Skydance has now agreed to put in at least $1.5 billion to pay down debt in event of a deal, plus a $15 a share tender offer. But there's still a big issue outstanding: Who would pay for a shareholder lawsuit? w/@LaurenSHirsch $PARA https://www.nytimes.com/...

Jeremy Fuster /
The Wrap: Skydance Offers Paramount Shareholders a $15 per Share Cash-Out Option as Deal Nears

RELATED:
Financial Times: Sources: a Paramount special committee approved the sweetened offer from Skydance; Paramount's board, chaired by Shari Redstone, will vote on the deal June 4

Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Wrap and Reuters

Discussion:

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Paramount Special Committee Recommends Revised Offer From David Ellison's Skydance Media

Semafor:

Vivek Ramaswamy suggests one potential path to wrest control of BuzzFeed, and Jonah Peretti offers broad thoughts on BuzzFeed's current focus on entertainment— The Scoop — In December 2020, in the relative lull between Donald Trump's defeat and Jan. 6, 2021, a right-leaning biotech …

Discussion:

Charlie Ewing /
@charliehorsephotos@threads.net: People in the Elon orbit say a lot of absolute BS with no fact to it. Maybe y'all should actually do some analysis when “Trust fund kid says” is your headline?

Karl Bode /
@kbode@threads.net: his 8% voting share literally doesn't give him the authority to do any of the stuff he claims he wants to do you'd think maybe mentioning that up front might be a good idea @shawnspiritpanther@threads.net: Apparently people are skeptical of just how much power Vivek will have to institute the changes he wants, which his almost 9% share in the company. He wants to hire people like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens as well as have the company apologize for reporting that made conservatives look bad, I guess. https://thehill.com/... @semafor@threads.net: Vivek Ramaswamy, who recently acquired a stake in BuzzFeed, at one point joined a call with tech titans Peter Thiel and Elon Musk to talk over a new media venture.

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: I talked to @peretti and @VivekGRamaswamy about BuzzFeed https://www.semafor.com/...

Washington Post:

Content creators are amassing audiences of thousands on Twitch by covering political news and raising funds for Palestinians, as other platforms eschew politics— Dozens of content creators are leveraging the live streaming app to raise funds for Palestinians, circumventing political content bans on other platforms.

Discussion:
@taylorlorenz and Tubefilter

New York Times:

How TikTok influencers helped a self-published author sell 1M+ copies of her book, including ~700K on the TikTok shop, showing how TikTok changed book marketing— Keila Shaheen's “The Shadow Work Journal” shows how radically book sales and marketing have been changed by TikTok.

Discussion:

Ian Rosales Casocot /
@sandwichspy: Everyone trying to figure out how TikTok works for books... https://www.nytimes.com/...

Maddy /
@worrierprincess: this absolutely proves that traditional book publishing is cooked right? right? https://www.nytimes.com/...

Linda Secondari /
Linda Secondari on LinkedIn: This very interesting NYT piece on how a self-published author leveraged TikTok to sell 1M books directly in the US is just another example of how #publishing is changing. …

Washington Post:

The Times Guild leaders say NYT, while rolling out expanded bio pages for staff, made “petty” cuts to the language in which staffers extolled their Guild work— After rolling out expanded bio pages designed to ‘bolster trust with readers,’ the Times excised language in which staffers extolled their work with the Guild

Discussion:
Business Insider

Discussion:

Washington Post:

YouGov: the news sources Americans say they trust the most aren't always used most heavily; YouTube and Facebook are often sources for news but not trusted much— That's particularly true among Republicans. — Americans in 2024 again have a source of news that they agree is reliable …

Discussion:
YouGov

IndieWire:

The Tribeca Festival and OpenAI plan to feature five short films made using OpenAI's text-to-video tool Sora on June 15— “Nanny” director Nikyatu Jusu is among the five filmmakers who created a film for the festival using the tech. — Post — Short films generated by artificial intelligence …

Discussion:
Bloomberg and The Hollywood Reporter, more at Techmeme »

Discussion: