max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 07/06/2026Bari Weiss was set to speak at the Seminar — an off-the-record gathering of senior PR and communications professionals — but has dropped out, I'm told. 1322642
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 27/04/2026New: Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner and Politico's CEO, incoming EIC met with staff today to discuss a recent letter from employees saying Döpfner's “repeated use of POLITICO to promote his political agenda” risked “taking on the appearance of editorial slant.” www.semafor.com/article/04/2... 73919
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 27/04/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: New York Times Styles is getting rid of honorific titles in the coming days... 0123
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 27/04/2026From the @semafor.com media newsletter: The controlling investor in Letterboxd is looking to sell its stake in the company. They've solicited interest from Versant, and last year approached the Ankler about purchasing it. www.semafor.com/article/04/2... 185
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 20/04/2026Infantino also told me that FIFA plans on giving out the FIFA Peace Prize again next year and that "a lot" of people want it... www.semafor.com/article/04/1...semafor.comGlobal fans should be able to visit US for World Cup, FIFA president saysThe head of soccer’s governing body said at Semafor World Economy that he remains optimistic about the World Cup amid geopolitical tensions and Trump administration policies. 293
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 20/04/2026Before my interview with FIFA President Gianni Infantino last week, I caught an interesting interaction backstage between him and Sen. Alex Padilla, who talked to the FIFA president about ICE and the FIFA Peace Prize... 02211
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 15/04/2026New: CNN decided against airing a potential segment interviewing Mark Ruffalo over his advocacy against the Paramount/WBD merger. A producer privately said there were “legal considerations around what we can and cannot cover or say while the merger is ongoing.” www.semafor.com/article/04/1... 410157
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 14/04/2026Paramount is pulling its ads from @theankler.com, I'm told. The decision seems to stem from columnist Richard Rushfield's opposition to the Paramount/WBD merger. Rushfield was one of the signatories of yesterday's letter from 1k Hollywood players opposing the deal... 210825
Reposted by max tani Ben Smith @semaforben.bsky.social · 10/04/2026Fascinating conversation with @bsky.app's @rose.bsky.team about what they are thinking and how they feel about you, dear user www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZbd...youtube.comBluesky COO Rose Wang On Building a Better Social NetworkYouTube video by Semafor 95316
Reposted by max tani Rose 🌹 @rose.bsky.team · 10/04/2026Loved talking shop with @semaforben.bsky.social and @maxtani.bsky.social! Surreal to finally meet two people whose voices I’ve logged so many hours with. 18314
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 09/04/2026New: Democratic senators sent a letter to the Pentagon and Stars & Stripes yesterday, questioning the new, more restrictive rules imposed on the paper. They also questioned whether the Defense Department had killed any stories since the new rules were implemented... www.semafor.com/article/04/0... 02410
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 06/04/2026In an email to Fortune's editor shared with me, WSJ EIC Emma Tucker praised Fortune's use of AI in its journalism, saying "anyone who doesn't get what you are doing at Fortune, or thinks it is 'wrong', should get out of journalism fast!" 162
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 06/04/2026New: I wrote about the battle between Gov. Wes Moore and the Baltimore Sun. The paper has been investigating Moore's record/past for misstatements/exaggerations. But in an unusual move, the owner of the Sun appears to be directly involved in the reporting process... www.semafor.com/article/04/0... 13322
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 06/04/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter : LinkedIn discussed acquiring the newsletter company Beehiiv late last year 043
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 01/04/2026In a note to staff this morning shared with me, Business Insider said it is giving out a new quarterly AI Award for best use of AI at the company. Winner gets $400… 3136
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 31/03/2026NPR CEO Katherine Maher: "The court made clear that the government cannot use funding as a lever to influence or penalize the press, whether as a national news service or a local newsroom." 26013
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 30/03/2026From the @semafor.com media newsletter: Beehiiv is preparing to launching podcasting tools. The company has been trying to recruit podcasters from Substack, Patreon to come over for the official launch. www.semafor.com/article/03/2... 0125
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 30/03/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: CBS News is building up its investigative team... 491
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 30/03/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner courting the right in the UK, meeting privately earlier this month with Badenoch, Farage, and Boris (among others) www.semafor.com/article/03/2... 12013
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 20/03/2026After nearly 100 years, CBS News Radio is being dissolved, per a note from Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski to CBS staff today 20166128
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 19/03/2026Per a note to NYT staff this afternoon, T magazine EIC Hanya Yanagihara will be stepping down “to pursue opportunities in theater.” 0203
Reposted by max tani Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 19/03/2026"What is the end goal? Is it to get the president on the phone, make a video about it, and everyone retweets it? Or is to hold powerful people to account. Is it access or truth?” @schultzny.bsky.social @maxtani.bsky.social www.semafor.com/article/03/1...semafor.comExclusive: Why (and how) everyone is cold-calling the presidentPlus, what happened when Semafor’s Max Tani gave him a ring. 05213
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 18/03/2026One of the most bizarre stories I've seen in a while. THR published this writeup full of typos, errors, and fragments. Some appear to now be fixed but the original version from Apple News is wild... www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie... 2164
Reposted by max tani Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 16/03/2026Got a new gig ... 115152793
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/03/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: At a meeting last week with WaPo staff, Jeff Bezos was asked about the Post's AI-generated podcasts. He suggested that if no one is listening to them, maybe the Post should stop producing them. 24720
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/03/2026I went on a journey to get Trump's personal cell phone number. It took me about five minutes. My piece on the media's new favorite Trump gimmick, and how the White House feels about the endless stream of "exclusive" 30 second phone interviews w/Trump www.semafor.com/article/03/1...semafor.comExclusive: Why (and how) everyone is cold-calling the presidentPlus, what happened when Semafor’s Max Tani gave him a ring. 28135
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/03/2026Talked to Gavin Newsom briefly yesterday about the California AG probe of the Paramount/WBD deal. Newsom, who noted that he's known David Ellison for years, argued that he was concerned about the likelihood that Paramount would lay off thousands of Hollywood workers. 0166
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/03/2026As we first reported in last night's @semafor.com media newsletter, NOTUS is rebranding/dramatically expanding. In a memo to staff this morning, the organization said it plans to "launch this new version of NOTUS under a new name" and double staff from 50 to 100. 1025581
Reposted by max tani Semafor @semafor.com · 16/03/2026Newsom calls FCC chairman’s threats ‘sick’ www.semafor.com/article/03/1...semafor.comExclusive: Newsom calls FCC chairman’s threats ‘sick’The California governor argued people from all political perspectives should be concerned about federal regulators weighing in on news content. 0143
Reposted by max tani Semafor @semafor.com · 16/03/2026Why (and how) everyone is cold-calling the president www.semafor.com/article/03/1...semafor.comExclusive: Why (and how) everyone is cold-calling the presidentPlus, what happened when Semafor’s Max Tani gave him a ring. 173
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 06/03/2026New: Politico founder Robert Allbritton has been discussing significantly expanding his publication NOTUS to fill the void in DC media left by Washington Post cuts. Allbritton has even considered a potential NOTUS name change, though plans are fluid. www.semafor.com/article/03/0...semafor.comExclusive: Politico founder plots new Washington newspaper warA damaged Washington Post could face a big new challenger. 73110
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 04/03/2026New: Internal tension at the Associated Press over use of AI. One of the AP newsroom leaders leading the company's AI initiatives told staff that many editors preferred an AI-written article to a human one, and told them when it comes to using AI in the newsroom "resistance is futile." 93584174
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 27/02/2026CNN CEO Mark Thompson told employees in a brief meeting this afternoon that he doesn't have many details to share yet about the network's future under Paramount. He told staff to keep up the good work in the meantime, and he would schedule a staff town hall in the near future... 45412
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 24/02/2026First in @semafor.com: Jasmine Crockett's campaign is taking a more hostile stance on the national media. It ejected an Atlantic reporter from an event today in Texas and told the Capitol Police that a CNN reporter was trespassing after he attempted to visit a campaign office... 125112
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 24/02/2026In a meeting today, Politico's leadership said the news organization has not seen federal government subscriptions return in a "meaningful way" after DOGE pressure forced many agencies to cancel their Politico Pro subscriptions (about 20% never left, the company said). 0138
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 24/02/2026New: Politico in launching in Australia www.semafor.com/article/02/2...semafor.comExclusive: Politico is launching in AustraliaThe company is preparing to launch a Canberra Playbook newsletter before the next parliamentary cycle later this year, Politico’s CEO told Semafor. 385
Reposted by max tani casey morell @caseym.org · 23/02/2026interesting from @maxtani.bsky.social on the future of the economist ->semafor.comExclusive: Storied, faceless, and stubbornly profitable: The Economist braces for changeA publication famed for its brilliant, monolithic anonymity faces a moment of intense individualization and personalization. 063
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 23/02/2026New:Paramount's legal team privately warned a well-known former Survivor contestant about wading into politics after she criticized the company for caving to the administration and got into an online fight with another current contestant on the show who supports Trump www.semafor.com/article/02/2... 34724
Reposted by max tani Semafor @semafor.com · 16/02/2026Apple News’ political honeymoon is over as MAGA ratchets up the pressure www.semafor.com/article/02/1...semafor.comExclusive: Apple News’ political honeymoon is over as MAGA ratchets up the pressureThe technology giant has shown in recent months that it can be swayed. 196
Reposted by max tani Semafor @semafor.com · 16/02/2026Crypto news sites take down posts critical of crypto PR www.semafor.com/article/02/1...semafor.comExclusive: Crypto news sites take down posts critical of crypto PRSeveral business-focused digital news outlets quietly took down news articles junk information floating around the cryptocurrency space. 1107
Reposted by max tani Semafor @semafor.com · 16/02/2026Science magazine founder courted Epstein for cash, emails show www.semafor.com/article/02/1...semafor.comExclusive: Science magazine founder courted Epstein for cash, emails showThe founder of Nautilus referenced Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal past as he sought to build a relationship with the convicted sex offender. 196
Reposted by max tani Semafor @semafor.com · 16/02/2026The Guardian debuts new flagship video podcast www.semafor.com/article/02/1...semafor.comExclusive: The Guardian debuts new flagship video podcastThe show is meant to compete with the likes of The New York Times and NPR. 032
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/02/2026In last night's @semafor.com media newsletter, I wrote about how Trump's allies on the right want him to use regulatory power to pressure news aggregators like Apple News, Yahoo, MSN, and others to feature more conservative content. www.semafor.com/article/02/1...semafor.comExclusive: Apple News’ political honeymoon is over as MAGA ratchets up the pressureThe technology giant has shown in recent months that it can be swayed. 3209
Reposted by max tani Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 16/02/2026YIKES. “Ars Technica published an article containing fabricated quotations generated by an AI tool and attributed to a source who did not say them. That is a serious failure of our standards. Direct quotations must always reflect what a source actually said.” @jackiantonovich.bsky.socialarstechnica.comEditor’s Note: Retraction of article containing fabricated quotationsWe are reinforcing our editorial standards following this incident. 320265
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/02/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: PodcastOne is trying to take itself private. The company is behind dozens of podcasts, including shows from Adam Carolla, A&E, the History Channel, and others. 030
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/02/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: It costs about a million dollars a year to be a TBPN sponsor 040
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 16/02/2026From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: The Guardian is launching a video-first daily news podcast hosted by Kai Wright and Carter Sherman. It's part of a larger push by the publication into video, and a further investment in the US, where the Guardian now has 200 staffers. 0215
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 11/02/2026At a WaPo town hall today, one reporter told exec editor Matt Murray: "Bezos says we have to go break even when his own actions, and the person he appointed to run this place, his actions have led to some of our problems. It just feels wildly out of balance." 3223
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 09/02/2026For last night's @semafor.com media newsletter, I wrote about the latest Epstein file release, which further laid out ties to prominent media figures showed how he tried to manipulate media to bury negative coverage. www.semafor.com/article/02/0...semafor.comExclusive: New emails show how Epstein used the media to rehab his reputationMost of the revelations in the files have not revealed journalistic sins, but have highlighted uncomfortably close relationships. 17531
