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Dan Thomas

@danielthomasldn.bsky.social
398 followers 115 following 80 posts

Global media editor at the Financial Times; former chief UK business, telcos, property etc.

PostsRepliesMedia
Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Watched the Solar eclipse on the Dobby death beach (also known as the glorious Freshwater West), crossing August season’s main news streams and darkening the skies
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
More pain for the BBC: US government looks at joining Donald Trump lawsuit www.ft.com/content/6142...
ft.com
US government looks at joining Donald Trump lawsuit against BBC
Move raises clear conflict of interest concerns between president and state, says broadcaster
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Interesting report from Ofcom: - VPN use has doubled since porn laws on age - Kids are using them, which suggests the govt may have to do something under the social media ban - dating apps emerge as an area of concern, with a tenth of 17-year-olds using them (?!) www.ft.com/content/f2f7...
ft.com
VPN use in UK doubles as people circumvent porn laws
Regulator Ofcom found evidence of children using the technology to get around curbs
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
MPs currently making sure that BBC DG Matt Brittin gives Count Binface as much coverage on Question Time as Nigel Farage in the Clacton by election in his grilling on the Culture select committee
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Brutal by Sky and ITV to finally annnounce their broadcast merger a few hours after the England Mexico all nighter. But SkITV is finally here - full details below www.ft.com/content/6135...
ft.com
Sky agrees £1.6bn ITV deal as UK broadcasters take on streaming rivals
Combination will leave US media giant Comcast in control of a broadcaster that reaches 21mn households
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Bob Iger’s long goodbye. The Disney veteran talks exclusively to the FT about his 20 years at the top - the $90mn M&A spree for Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and Fox (as well as early talks about a mega Apple merger), the botched succession and cursed second tenure - and what happens next
as.ft.com
Bob Iger’s long goodbye
For two decades, Hollywood’s most indispensable executive has been synonymous with Disney. Can he really tear himself away?
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Big UK media scoop: Ministers will back the UK’s broadcasters with proposals to force social media and video platforms such as YouTube and Meta to make public service news content more prominent - a major victory for the PSB but a fresh battle with Big Tech www.ft.com/content/7f14...
ft.com
Home - Financial Times
News, analysis and opinion from the Financial Times on the latest in markets, economics and politics
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Reposted by Dan Thomas
Emma Jacobs @emmavj.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Good that kids won’t see it
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Officials also see the need to tackle head-on the rise of misinformation and disinformation on social media, and address concerns from the likes of ex-ch 4 boss Alex Mahon that trusted British news is being buried by foreign algorithms that drive viewing habits as.ft.com/r/9f64fa65-f...
as.ft.com
Ministers to make YouTube and Meta boost prominence of UK news
Move expected in British government green paper would set stage for fresh battle with Big Tech over online misinformation
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Big UK media scoop: Ministers will back the UK’s broadcasters with proposals to force social media and video platforms such as YouTube and Meta to make public service news content more prominent - a major victory for the PSB but a fresh battle with Big Tech www.ft.com/content/7f14...
ft.com
Home - Financial Times
News, analysis and opinion from the Financial Times on the latest in markets, economics and politics
2227
Reposted by Dan Thomas
Jim Waterson @jim.londoncentric.media · 13/06/2026
Harry Potter shops raided after London Centric investigation…. HMRC officials seize till receipts… ministers treating now central London gift shops as a tax enforcement issue…. www.londoncentric.media/p/harry-pott...
londoncentric.media
Harry Potter shops raided after London Centric investigation
Plus: Is London’s iPhone theft era really coming to an end? • A £9.5m mansion next to Henry VIII's childhood home • Go underground for your phone coverage
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
I had lunch with new BBC director general Matt Brittin six days in, where over jalapeño cornbread he opened up about taking on one of the hardest jobs in public life, his plans for the Beeb and whether his tenure may be counted in the life span of one of his chickens www.ft.com/content/2a83...
ft.com
BBC director-general Matt Brittin: ‘It’s worth fighting for’
The former Google executive on the challenges facing the public service broadcaster, his plans to cut 2,000 jobs — and what impartiality means in a polarised world
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 08/05/2026
Billionaire James Packer among backers lined up for OnlyFans deal ft.trib.al/MdeTHtn
ft.trib.al
Billionaire James Packer among backers lined up for OnlyFans deal
Australian media mogul’s funds to invest in Architect Capital SPV taking a minority stake in platform
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Scoop: OnlyFans, the UK-based streaming platform used by sex workers, is nearing a deal to sell a minority stake valuing it at more than $3bn just a month after its owner died. The deal is likely to include new financial services for its unbanked creators www.ft.com/content/e06c...
ft.com
OnlyFans nears deal to sell minority stake at more than $3bn valuation
Discussions with Architect Capital come less than a month after the UK-based platform’s owner Leonid Radvinsky died
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
As many as 2,000 jobs are set to be cut by the BBC across its departments as part of a radical downsizing of the UK’s national broadcaster ahead of the arrival of new director-general Matt Brittin. Scoop on FT.com www.ft.com/content/735f...
ft.com
BBC to cut one in 10 jobs in radical downsizing
New director-general Matt Brittin to replace Tim Davie next month
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
I wrote about whether the traditional British tabloid can survive as readers are being lured by social media feeds and influencer content.. but what I did not realise was that in Feb all newspapers ceased to report circulation numbers publicly via ABC www.ft.com/content/ac2e...
ft.com
Can the traditional British tabloid survive the digital age?
Social media feeds, AI summaries and influencer-driven content are luring readers away
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Ministers confirm our FT scoop from last week as Ian Cheshire - the former Ch 4 chair and City veteran - is named new Ofcom chair www.ft.com/content/4a16... via @ft
ft.com
Ian Cheshire named new Ofcom chair
Former Kingfisher chief is the government’s choice to replace Lord Michael Grade at the media regulator
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Scoop: Tim Davie will make an immediate return after he stands down as BBC DG with the govenment lining him up to take over as a chair of its creative industries council from Sir Peter Bazalgette. No gap year for Tim.
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Will Saturday Night Live work in the UK? Critics already have their knives sharpened but Sky are making a big bet on the show - telling me that it has already been extended from six to eight episodes to give the cast more time to hit their stride www.ft.com/content/8141... via @ft
ft.com
Will Saturday Night Live work in the UK?
Sky is placing a multimillion-pound bet on remaking the long-running US comedy show for a British audience
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
BBC faces a real-term funding freeze for the World Service as talks to secure a last minute deal go to the wire Scoop with @lucyfisher.ft.com www.ft.com/content/7daa...
ft.com
BBC faces real-terms funding freeze for World Service
Government in final negotiations over deal expected to set inflationary increase in funding for global news provider
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Antony Carpen @acarpen.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Will be interesting to see if Axel Springer change the Telegraph’s EU stance.
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Axel has CONFIRMED our FT scoop “Axel Springer was founded in 1946 under a British press licence. He built his company inspired by the tradition of Fleet Street. The Telegraph was his North Star,” said Axel Springer boss Mathias Döpfner in a statement confirming the £575m deal.
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Massive UK media scoop - Germany's Axel Springer is poised to agree a shock £500mn deal for the Telegraph in a move that will scupper the acquisition of the UK newspaper group by the Daily Mail. W/ the FT's finest @JFK_America @ArashMassoudi www.ft.com/content/e5cb...
ft.com
Axel Springer poised to buy Telegraph in £500mn deal
German media group has gatecrashed a proposed acquisition by the owner of the Daily Mail
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
All3Media and Banijay combine to create $8bn global TV powerhouse - only on ft.com. RedBird IMI and Banijay will be equal partners in the world’s largest independent TV maker, with Marco Bassetti, Jane Turton and Jeff Zucker all taking management positions www.ft.com/content/5fca...
ft.com
All3Media and Banijay combine to create $8bn global TV powerhouse
Combined group will be the world’s largest independent TV maker producing shows from MasterChef to The Traitors
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
GB News, the right-leaning TV broadcaster, said that it remained dependent on financing from investors including hedge fund boss Sir Paul Marshall after posting another annual loss www.ft.com/content/f119...
ft.com
GB News takes fresh funding from investors despite narrowing losses
Revenues for right-leaning broadcaster rise following bigger TV and online audiences
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Paramount executives sipped champagne out of paper cups on the legendary studio lot in Hollywood to celebrate. Netflix execs consoled themselves with the $2.8bn break free. Inside Project Warrior, or how Paramount beat Netflix in $110bn battle for Warner. www.ft.com/content/e352...
ft.com
Project Warrior: How Paramount beat Netflix in $110bn battle for Warner
Ellison father and son viewed deal as a matter of survival to compete with tech giants that now dominate Hollywood
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Scoop: The BBC set to cut hundreds of millions of pounds - a tenth of its costs over the next three years - in a move likely to lead to fresh job cuts. Staff told in a conference call held by director-general Tim Davie this afternoon www.ft.com/content/4503...
ft.com
BBC set to cut hundreds of millions of pounds in latest restructuring plan
Director-general Tim Davie tells staff broadcaster aims to trim about a tenth of costs over three years
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
One person close to the Will Lewis exit from the Washington Post told the FT: “Bezos lost patience after the Super Bowl thing". Lewis was spotted at a Super Bowl party on the same day as his newspaper was firing 300 staff.
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Story here: www.ft.com/content/5fa6...
ft.com
Will Lewis steps down as Washington Post publisher after job cuts
British journalist was appointed by Jeff Bezos to turn around the storied newspaper
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Will Lewis has just told staff at the Washington Post he is stepping down
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Obviously terrible but also now think the FT now needs a taco editor
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
Severance s3 just landed
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
SCOOP w/ @aarmstrongsays.bsky.social: Channel 4 is set to appoint Sky advertising supremo Priya Dogra as its next chief executive. Announcement could come as early as tomorrow for the public service broadcaster.
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 08/12/2025
Kushner, Gulf money and desperate texts: inside Paramount’s hostile bid for Warner Bros on.ft.com/4aEEH1P
on.ft.com
Kushner, Gulf money and desperate texts: inside Paramount’s hostile bid for Warner Bros
Ellisons approach was rebuffed over concerns about financial backing from China and Middle East sovereign funds
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Netflix boss Ted Sarandos keeps a replica of Rosebud, the childhood sled at the heart of the Warner Bros’ film Citizen Kane, hanging in his home. Now he gets to own the whole studio. as.ft.com/r/2009528b-b...
as.ft.com
How Netflix stole Warner Bros from David Ellison
[FREE TO READ] Old-guard Hollywood underestimated streaming pioneer that has upended the industry over two decades
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Jim Waterson @jim.londoncentric.media · 22/11/2025
Daily Mail's parent company agrees a deal to buy Telegraph for £500m! Media consolidation, let's go, ya gonna blink and stop this competition regulators? Over to you, Nandy? Strong potential everyone just waves the sale through to STOP HAVING TO READ OR THINK ABOUT IT. www.ft.com/content/cd8e...
ft.com
Daily Mail owner strikes £500mn deal for Telegraph
Tie-up would create one of the most powerful right-leaning media groups in Britain
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Daily Mail owner DMGT has struck a £500mn deal to buy rival newspaper The Telegraph in a tie-up that would create one of the most powerful right-leaning media groups in Britain, confirming our scoop last week w/ @JFK_America www.ft.com/content/cd8e...
ft.com
Daily Mail owner strikes £500mn deal for Telegraph
Tie-up would create one of the most powerful right-leaning media groups in Britain
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Scoop: Shumeet Banerji has resigned from the BBC board in the latest blow to the corporation since the resignation of its director-general two weeks ago. www.ft.com/content/6b90...
ft.com
BBC board member resigns
Shumeet Banerji’s departure is latest blow to the corporation
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Scoop: Paramount is in advanced talks to acquire Champions League TV rights in the UK and other major European markets in major bet on sports rights outside the US and blow to incumbent broadcasters. Story coming soon on FT.com
ft.com
Home - Financial Times
News, analysis and opinion from the Financial Times on the latest in markets, economics and politics
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Reposted by Dan Thomas
@TJChambers @tjchambers.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Samuel Agini + @danielthomasldn.bsky.social: Wimbledon Debenture #Tickets Set To Secure Exemption From UK Resale Crackdown | @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/7e9d...
ft.com
Wimbledon debenture tickets set to secure exemption from UK resale crackdown
Organisers of the tennis tournament warned that a price cap would damage its funding model
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Rare chance to get Mogwai on the front page of the FT this morning in this scoop with @pickardje.bsky.social
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Scoop with @PickardJE: the UK will outlaw rip off ticket touts by fixing prices at face value .. www.ft.com/content/e76d...
ft.com
UK to ban resale of tickets above face value for live events
Aggressive crackdown on touts comes after backlash over cost of watching live music and sport
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Scoop: Lord Rothermere’s DMGT, the owner of the Daily Mail, has already expressed interest in buying the Telegraph (having been a minority partner). Lord Rothermere has long ambitions to bring together the two rightwing British newspapers.
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
RedBird has confirmed to the FT that it will "withdraw its bid", saying: "We remain fully confident that the Telegraph and its world-class team have a bright future ahead of them". Which is fairly magnanimous of them considering the coverage of RedBird by the Telegraph.
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Janine Gibson @janinegibson.ft.com · 14/11/2025
The telegraph has been for sale for three years on.ft.com/4oGV6Hu
on.ft.com
Telegraph sale to RedBird collapses
[FREE TO READ] US private equity group walked away due to regulatory uncertainty and negative commentary from newspaper
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
The £500mn sale of the Telegraph to US private equity firm RedBird has collapsed, throwing the future of the newspaper into question as it enters its third year without an owner
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for at least $1bn over the edit of a speech at the heart of a crisis at the broadcaster, acc to a letter from his lawyers seen by the FT www.ft.com/content/758d...
ft.com
Donald Trump threatens to sue BBC for $1bn over January 6 speech edit
Broadcaster’s chair admits ‘error of judgement’ over clip but hits out at memo that prompted bosses’ resignations
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Kieran Smith @kieranjsmith.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
EXC: ‘Cable cowboy’ John Malone is to step down from his media and telecoms empire today, in an era-ending step for the American pioneer. Malone will step down as chair of both Liberty Global and Liberty Media. With @danielthomasldn.bsky.social on.ft.com/430i2sn
on.ft.com
‘Cable cowboy’ John Malone to step down from media and telecoms empire
[FREE TO READ] Tycoon is relinquishing board roles at Liberty Media and Liberty Global after buccaneering 50-year career
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Dan Thomas @danielthomasldn.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
Traffic to the largest UK site dropped 77% after the Online Safety Act was enforced this summer
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Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Are weight loss drugs killing off the business lunch? @danielthomasldn.bsky.social and @emmavj.bsky.social rpt. www.ft.com/content/d1c5...
ft.com
Are weight loss drugs killing off the business lunch?
Appetite suppressing medicines may be an unsavoury problem for restaurateurs as well as diners
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