What does the future maintain for NCS?
That’s one of many massive media questions following the stunning news that broke Thursday night. Netflix has determined to withdraw its pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery. That now paves the best way for David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance to take over WBD, together with cable news community NCS.
Last December, Netflix struck an $83 billion deal to purchase WBD’s studios-and-streaming division solely. But that didn’t cease Paramount. They launched a hostile takeover bid to purchase all of WBD, together with cable channels corresponding to NCS, TBS and TNT. They elbowed their method again into the bidding course of and made a revised provide of $111 billion this week. On Thursday, WBD’s board of administrators stated Paramount’s new provide was a “superior deal” and gave Netflix 4 enterprise days to make a counteroffer.
Netflix didn’t want 4 days. Within hours, they dropped out. They stated the deal was not “financially attractive.”
Netflix co-chief executives, Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, stated in a press release, “This transaction was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price.”
The New York Times’ Lauren Hirsch, Michael M. Grynbaum and Benjamin Mullin wrote, “Any purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery will be scrutinized by regulators in the United States and Europe, including the Justice Department’s antitrust division. If Paramount is unable to secure the proper regulatory approvals, Netflix could potentially revive its interest as a buyer. For now, though, the war for Warner Bros. appears to have been all but decided in favor of Mr. Ellison, a 43-year-old budding mogul who came to Hollywood two decades ago as an aspiring actor and, somewhat improbably, could now control two of the town’s most famed movie studios, along with the prestige television channel HBO and the 24-hour news network NCS.”
It’s what may occur with NCS that has some anxious. David Ellison, and his father Larry, are stated to have a comfy relationship with President Donald Trump. Just six months in the past, Ellison took over Paramount, which incorporates CBS. Not lengthy after taking up, Ellison hand-picked Bari Weiss, an opinion journalist who by no means labored in TV news, to be CBS News’ editor-in-chief.
Her transient tenure has been beset by controversy up to now. She postponed a “60 Minutes” section in a transfer that the correspondent of the piece, Sharyn Alfonsi, known as a “political” choice. She named Tony Dokoupil as anchor of the “CBS Evening News,” and that newscast had a bumpy begin. And earlier this month, “60 Minutes” correspondent Anderson Cooper introduced he was leaving the community, amongst different departures.
If Paramount finally ends up taking management of WBD, what plans may they’ve for NCS?
It’s unclear, however many consider it’s not good.
Free Press, one other press advocacy group, stated, “This deal endangers our democracy by giving a family of pliant billionaires even more control of vast swaths of our news coverage, TV stations and movie studios.”
In a piece for Media Matters, Matt Gertz wrote, “Trump wanted Warner Bros. assets — particularly NCS, whose reporters he loathes — in the hands of an ally. His public statements and White House leaks made it crystal clear both that he preferred that Paramount purchase Warner Bros., and that his administration would corruptly wield its regulatory power to thwart rival bidders. And the strategy seems to have succeeded.”
Gertz added, “The result reeks of a ‘political deal’ in which the president steered the ownership of a major news outlet to his crony. That’s unconscionable in a free society — but a familiar tactic of authoritarian leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, who dismantled his country’s independent news media through such methods in service of his vision of ‘illiberal democracy,’ which Trump seeks to emulate.”
However, Deadline’s Ted Johnson reported that NCS boss Mark Thompson despatched out a letter to workers that attempted to decrease considerations in regards to the potential deal.
Thompson wrote, “Despite all the speculation you’ve read during this process, I’d suggest that you don’t jump to conclusions about the future until we know more.”
“And secondly,” Thompson added, “let’s not forget our duty to our audience. We’re still near the start of what is already an incredibly newsy year at home and abroad, one that will culminate with critical U.S. midterm elections and who knows what else. Let’s continue to focus on delivering the best possible journalism to the millions of people who rely on us all around the world.”
David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, known as Netflix a “great company,” however made it appear to be the Paramount deal will occur. In a press release, he stated, “Once our Board votes to adopt the Paramount merger agreement, it will create tremendous value for our shareholders. We are excited about the potential of a combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery and can’t wait to get started working together telling the stories that move the world.
Had Netflix won the battle for WBD, NCS would not have been part of the deal. Who knows what might have happened to it? But Thursday’s blockbuster news certainly will create tension about NCS’s future.
Former NCS reporter Jim Acosta, who is now an independent journalist, tweeted Thursday, “As I’ve been warning, America now has state-compromised media. When 60 Min or NCS is in trouble, we’re all in trouble. Trump has cracked the code in how to hurt the press. Free speech is now at risk. MAGA corporations must not control the news. Support independent media.”
There’s additionally an leisure side that’s troublesome to many.
The Associated Press’ Wyatte Grantham-Philips wrote, “A Paramount-Warner combo would also combine two of Hollywood’s five legacy studios that remain today, in addition to their theatrical channels. … Executives at Paramount have argued that merging will be good for consumers and the wider industry. But lawmakers and entertainment trade groups have sounded the alarm — warning that a Warner takeover would only further consolidate power in an industry already run by just a few major players. Critics say that could result in job losses, less diversity in filmmaking and potentially more headaches for consumers who are facing rising costs of streaming subscriptions as is.”
How synthetic intelligence may transfer into newsrooms
Two of my colleagues listened in on the quarterly earnings name from two main news organizations on Thursday. And, apparently, the topic of synthetic intelligence got here up in each.
So, let’s begin with this one:
Scripps CEO says AI may assist reporters spend extra time in their communities
For this merchandise, I flip it over to my Poynter colleague, Kerwin Speight — a member of Poynter’s school.
During its earnings name Thursday, E.W. Scripps CEO Adam Symson shared how the corporate believes synthetic intelligence will change newsgathering. Scripps operates greater than 60 tv stations throughout the United States.
“We have continued to ask our employees to do more with less and that has diminished the quality of our product,” Symson stated. “AI opens up the opportunity for us to actually ensure that our reporters, our field journalists are spending their time doing that which they got into the business to do — actually report to ensure that they are connecting with the community that they serve.”
Symson mentioned the function of AI as a part of Scripps’ broader transformation plan, which goals to develop income, function extra effectively and develop into new enterprise areas. He stated AI may assist the corporate get monetary savings by centralizing and automating some operations and taking some “performative and distribution tasks” off reporters’ plates.
“We want them creating content. That’s where the value is,” Symson stated. He added that AI might help with duties corresponding to writing tales in AP broadcast model or drafting social media posts, leaving extra time for reporters to give attention to protecting the news.
Symson additionally spoke about consolidation for broadcast tv stations, arguing that consolidation will assist protect journalism and permit native stations to compete in the nationwide market.
But consolidation will seemingly imply fewer newsrooms. The Federal Communications Commission is at present reviewing a plan for Nexstar and Tegna to merge, which may result in newsrooms consolidating in greater than 30 tv markets.
When requested about Sinclair’s acquisition proposal, Symson replied that there’s nothing new to report and that he didn’t anticipate motion quickly.
Scripps reported that its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings met or exceeded expectations, however income for its native media unit was down 30% as a result of there was no political promoting.
USA Today mother or father firm studies yearly revenue for the primary time since 2019 merger
And for this merchandise, I flip it over to my Poynter colleague, Angela Fu.
For the primary time since its merger in 2019, USA Today Company, previously referred to as Gannett, reported a year-end revenue.
The firm announced Thursday that it had ended fiscal yr 2025 with a revenue of $1.7 million on revenues of $2.3 billion. Its most up-to-date quarter was “by far” its strongest quarter in years, CEO Mike Reed stated on an earnings name. Several metrics, together with free money move and whole adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization), noticed vital enhancements. Reed attributed the expansion to will increase in digital income, new offers with synthetic intelligence firms and a recent rehaul of its subscription strategy.
“We believe the actions we took in early 2025 are creating a more sustainable, predictable and growth-oriented subscriber base,” Reed stated. “Importantly, we expect digital only subscription revenues to continue to grow year-over-year.”
The firm has struggled for years to attain profitability, all of the whereas burdened by debt stemming from its $1.2 billion merger with Gatehouse in 2019. Just a couple of months after the deal closed, the pandemic hit, and the corporate reported a staggering $670 million loss in 2020. Continued losses led the corporate to institute mass layoffs in 2022, which in flip led to a mass exodus of many high editors. Consequently, the corporate spent the subsequent three years making cuts and rethinking its digital technique because it battled inflation, weak promoting developments and the rise of AI.
Much of its content material technique has targeted on beefing up verticals that get a variety of reader engagement, like sports activities and leisure. The firm can also be working to draw longer-term subscribers, turning away from the times when it might provide low cost, introductory subscriptions that resulted in a variety of churn.
By the yr’s finish, the corporate expects its whole revenue to develop and its digital income to make up at the very least 50% of its whole income. Last quarter, that determine was 47%.
During the earnings name, Reed additionally highlighted a number of AI offers the corporate has struck with expertise firms. In December, USA Today Company agreed to present Meta entry to its content material, together with its archives, in what was the news group’s largest AI deal to this point. That deal, together with one the corporate signed with Microsoft in October, will assist increase income in the months to come back, Reed stated
The firm additionally has a job pressure working to implement AI in “every single facet” of its enterprise, Reed stated in response to a question from an investor. That consists of utilizing AI to enhance its promoting enterprise and buyer expertise, in addition to decreasing prices.
My because of Kerwin Speight and Angela Fu. Now onto the remainder of in the present day’s publication …
Post issues
The Wall Street Journal’s Alexandra Bruell reports that The Washington Post misplaced greater than $100 million final yr. This is on high of the Post reportedly dropping roughly $100 million in 2024 and $77 million in 2023. Earlier this month, the Post laid off greater than 350 folks in the newsroom, accounting for about 45% of the newsroom workers according to a story in The Washingtonian by media reporter Paul Farhi.
Bruell additionally reported that performing Post chief government and writer Jeff D’Onofrio and government editor Matt Murray held a workers assembly Wednesday. One remark Murray made has been getting consideration in media circles.
Murray stated, “We don’t want or need to do every story or jump on everything that happens. We’re not a paper of record; there’s no such thing anymore in today’s world.”
However, Murray did say, “We want to be distinctive, urgent, must-read with every chance we have.”
The Athletic to the rescue
The Athletic has employed a number of of the perfect Washington Post sportswriters who had been not too long ago caught up in the huge layoffs that basically gutted the legendary sports activities division of the Post.
Columnist Candace Buckner will write nationwide columns for The Athletic, whereas one other columnist, Barry Svrluga, will cowl the Washington Commanders of the NFL. Svrluga may even write different massive tales from D.C. Spencer Nusbaum, who lined the MLB Nationals for the Post, will cowl the Nats for The Athletic, which says he’ll take a “fan-first approach, engaging directly with fans before, during and after games as we build a community around the team.”
Ava Wallace will be part of The Athletic’s tennis protection and write about ladies’s sports activities. Adam Kilgore, who lined nationwide sports activities on the Post, is becoming a member of The Athletic as a senior author. He will contribute to the newly fashioned speedy response investigative unit.
And Jason Murray, who was sports activities editor for The Post, will be part of The Athletic as deputy editorial director.
These are a number of the finest sports activities journalists in the enterprise, so it’s good to see them land in a great spot. Too unhealthy, nevertheless, there aren’t sufficient journalism jobs for all of the superior journalists let go by the Post.
Tony Dungy out?
NBC Sports’ Tony Dungy, proven right here in 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand is reporting that Hall of Fame soccer coach, Tony Dungy, is probably going out as an analyst on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” pregame present — “Football Night in America.” Dungy has been with the present for 17 seasons.
Marchand wrote, “The Dungy move is one of the first decisions in what is anticipated to be a new-look show.” He added, “The network may take the show fully on the road next season and slim down its cast, according to sources briefed on NBC’s plans.”
However, Marchand additionally wrote nothing is ultimate and there’s “small possibility” that NBC may change its thoughts. It’s additionally potential, Marchand wrote, that Dungy could possibly be moved into an “emeritus” function, the place he would nonetheless contribute to the present on an occasional foundation.
Meanwhile, Dungy may not be the one change at “Football Night in America.” Awful Announcing’s Drew Lerner reported that it’s “unlikely analyst Rodney Harrison will return next season and that Jac Collinsworth’s role on the show is also in question.” Collingworth, the son of “Sunday Night Football” sport analyst Cris Collinsworth, acts as host of the broadcasting crew that does the pregame present from the placement of the sport.
Media news, tidbits and attention-grabbing hyperlinks in your weekend evaluation
- Hmm, there was an interesting poll this week from Reuters/Ipsos. It discovered that almost all Americans (61%) agreed that President Donald Trump “has become erratic” with age. Even 30% of Republicans really feel the identical about Trump, who turns 80 in June. This ballot comes on high of a Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos poll final week that confirmed Trump didn’t have the psychological sharpness (56%) or bodily well being (51%) it takes to serve successfully. NCS’s Aaron Blake has extra with “Polls show increasing concerns about Trump’s mental acuity.”
- Legendary editor Ann Godoff, an editor and writer for Penguin Press, has died from issues of bone most cancers. She was 76. Variety’s Arushi Jacob wrote, “Godoff spent more than three decades as the head of Random House, nurturing the careers of numerous novelists and nonfiction writers. Her more celebrated authors include Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, Ron Chernow, E.L. Doctorow, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Thomas Pynchon, Tom Brokaw, William Styron and Alice Waters.” Be certain to take a look at Sam Roberts’ excellent remembrance of Godoff in The New York Times.
- The Associated Press’ Barbara Ortutay with “Instagram says it will notify parents if teens ‘repeatedly’ search for terms related to suicide.”
- The nineteenth’s Amanda Becker with “‘My children are here’: How journalist Georgia Fort’s arrest impacted her daughters.”
- Earlier this week, The Atlantic’s workers author Elaine Godfrey was ejected by the staff of Texas Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett from a marketing campaign occasion that she was registered to cowl. Godfrey writes about that, in addition to the newest on the Texas Democratic major in “What Kind of Fighter Do Democrats Want?”
- Mediaite’s Ahmad Austin Jr. with “NCS, MS NOW Stars Join Colleagues from Around the World In Call for Israel to Let Journalists into Gaza.”
- For The Atlantic, Casey Schwartz with “The Reckless Women Who Changed Journalism.”
- Nieman Lab’s Joshua Benton with “The New York Times is adding another daily crossword, because why not.”
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Have suggestions or a tip? Email Poynter senior media author Tom Jones at [email protected].
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Correction: A earlier model of this article acknowledged that the Netflix provide was $83 million. The appropriate determine is $83 billion.