Mediagazer

4:40 PM ET, July 21, 2026

Top News:

Cuts at ESPN are part of larger Disney layoffs; sources: some corporate functions, film studios, and Disney Entertainment Television are expected to be impacted — Pixar and Nat Geo are said to be hit particularly hard in the latest round of cuts, with some high-profile talent also being let go at ESPN.

Andrew Marchand / The Athletic:

Memo: ESPN's Jimmy Pitaro announces layoffs, mostly due to the NFL Network acquisition; sources: on-air personalities Karl Ravech and Ryan Clark are affected — Karl Ravech, one of ESPN's most prominent on-air voices for more than three decades, and NFL insider Tom Pelissero were laid off …

MJ Franklin / New York Times:

How publishers are cashing in on surging public interest in The Odyssey through splashy reissues; Circana BookScan says sales of The Odyssey rose by 76% YoY — It's the climax of the “Odyssey.” Odysseus, back in Ithaca at long last, finds his home swarming with suitors vying for the hand of his wife, Penelope, and for his throne.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, @levistahl.bsky.social, Greek City Times, Breitbart, Richard Hanania's Newsletter and IGN

Ben Fritz / Wall Street Journal:
Christopher Nolan's huge Odyssey opening weekend shows why Universal funded the R-rated adaptation, as directors become franchises and viewers tire of sequels

Discussion: World of Reel, Tom's Guide, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Gamereactor UK, New York Times and TV Central

K.J. Yossman / Variety:

The UK's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham keeps Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy in post; Nandy is currently overseeing the BBC's royal charter renewal — Despite new Prime Minister Andy Burnham undergoing an extensive cabinet reshuffle, incumbent culture minister Lisa Nandy is set to remain in post.

Discussion: Deadline, The Sun, The Economic Times and The Indian Express, more at Techmeme »

Brian Stelter / CNN:

The DOD hasn't held a press briefing in more than two months, as part of a larger effort to control information and avoid difficult questions about the Iran war — The Middle East Federal agencies US military Donald Trump … The public deserves transparency about the US war in Iran.

Alice Brooker / Press Gazette:

BBC register: BBC News on-air journalists received at least £657,000 in external payments from 550 outside engagements in the year to the end of March 2026 — BBC News on-air journalists received at least £657,000 in external payments from 550 outside engagements in the year …

Discussion: Deadline

Amanda Meade / The Guardian:

Australia's biggest media company Nine Entertainment cuts ~30 newsroom jobs at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, blaming AI's “extreme state of disruption” — Staff told positions will be cut via voluntary and targeted redundancies as part of ‘evolution’

Discussion: @metacurity.com, @juliadassin.bsky.social, @daryltractor.bsky.social and Sydney Morning Herald

Sara Fischer / Axios:

OpenAI renews its investment in the American Journalism Project by committing an additional $5M in funding and $3M in tech credits over the next two years — OpenAI is renewing its investment in the American Journalism Project by committing an additional $5 million in funding and $3 million …

Discussion: @deepbassdiplomat.bsky.social

Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:

In the temporary restraining order, a US judge says Paramount's anticipated 27% market share in theatrical distribution is likely to violate antitrust laws — A court issued a temporary restraining order freezing the deal for a short period. Next, it will consider whether to issue …

Gene Maddaus / Variety:
A US judge orders a temporary halt to the Paramount-WBD merger, as a 12-state coalition, led by California, argues it would violate federal antitrust law

Discussion: State of California, Politico, Axios, NBC News, @gvaughnjoy.bsky.social, PocketGamer.biz, ByteHaven, The Movie Blog, PCMag, Media Play News, Advanced Television, The Wrap, @edmundlee, Civil Discourse …, @maxwelltani, @leehepner, @rogoswami, @jbflint, @brianstelter, @danielnmiller, @sharonwaxman, @balancecrafting, @agrobbonta, @eriqgardner, @danielnmiller, @brianstelter, @eriqgardner, @laurenshirsch, @brianstelter, Puck, Todd Spangler on LinkedIn, JURISTnews, The Ankler, Raw Story, Rolling Stone, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, CBS News, GamesIndustry.biz, Cosmic Book News, CinemaBlend, IGN, @balint.house.gov, Blockonomi, @willmckinley.bsky.social, Wall Street Journal, New Republic, Quartz, Comic Book, BIG by Matt Stoller, The Verge, @juliorvarela.com, @scondrasht.bsky.social, @mhwilliams.bsky.social, @leonenglish.bsky.social, Business Insider, CNN, Reuters, Bloomberg, ScreenRant and Consequence

Lance Venta / RadioInsight:

SiriusXM licenses 42 Audacy news and sports radio stations, marking the return of terrestrial radio to SiriusXM; the deal starts Sept. 1 with 23 sports stations — For the first time since iHeartMedia's 102.7 KIIS-FM Los Angeles left the platform in 2022, terrestrial radio stations will be available to SiriusXM subscribers.

Discussion: TheDesk.net, Awful Announcing, The Athletic, Inside Radio, Radio & Television …, Sports Media Watch, Philadelphia Business Journal, Sports Business Journal, Audacy Inc., @radioinsight.com, Barrett Media, SiriusXM and @artisny.bsky.social

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Hearst names Chris Berend, most recently chief digital officer at NBC News, as its first chief content and experience officer, starting August 3 — Chris Berend, after leaving NBCUniversal News Group, is joining Hearst Magazines as chief content and experience officer.

Discussion: Daily Front Row and The Wrap

Anna Betts / The Guardian:

A US judge grants The Guardian's motion to dismiss UnitedHealthcare's defamation suit, filed in June 2025, for an article on secret payments to nursing homes — Healthcare conglomerate pursued a defamation lawsuit against the Guardian over 2025 investigative reporting

Discussion: New York Sun, @thaliajuarez.bsky.social, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, Talking Biz News and The Wrap

Chris Best / The Substack Post:

Substack partners with AI-detection tool Pangram, allowing users to scan text longer than 100 words for an estimate of how much was written with AI assistance — It's getting harder to tell what's real on the internet. — This is less true on Substack, and we aim to keep it that way.