Social
Meta to cut 5% of global workforce in 2024 overhaul
Meta will slash 3,600 roles – 5% of its 72,000-strong workforce – under an accelerated performance review process.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg, calling 2024 an “intense year,” said the company will move “low performers” out faster. US staff will be notified in February, while international updates will follow.
The cuts are part of broader changes, including scrapping Meta’s fact-checking and diversity programs. Zuckerberg said the focus is on retaining top talent, with plans to refill roles in 2025.
Film
Filmmaker David Lynch dead at 78
David Lynch, the iconic creator behind Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and Mulholland Drive, has passed away at 78, his family confirmed via Facebook.
Renowned for his surreal, dreamlike storytelling and visually arresting style, Lynch redefined filmmaking with works as unsettling as they were groundbreaking. In 2019, he received an honorary Academy Award for his extraordinary contributions to cinema.
Lynch recently took to X to reveal he was battling emphysema.
Social
TikTok users flock to RedNote ahead of US ban decision
With TikTok’s fate in the US set for a 19 January Supreme Court ruling, some users are migrating to another platform – Xiaohongshu otherwise known as RedNote.
As Wanning Sun reports in Crikey, the Chinese app, which is similar to Instagram, has topped Apple’s US App Store as influencers move their content and followers.
While still a fraction of TikTok’s 170 million US users, RedNote is gaining traction but comes with strict censorship and government oversight.
Streaming
Apple TV+ thriller Severance gears up for long-awaited return
Nearly three years after its debut, Apple TV+’s smash hit Severance is finally making its comeback.
Directed by Ben Stiller and boasting a stellar cast led by Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) and Patricia Arquette (Medium), the 2022 dystopian drama racked up multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.
The show, known for its darkly comedic twists, was among the productions most impacted by the Hollywood strikes, with filming delayed for months during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA walkouts.
Television
The Project shakes up Fridays with new-look panel for 2025
Network 10 is reworking The Project’s Friday lineup, slimming the panel to three and confirming comedian Michael Hing won’t return next year. Taking the reins from late February are Rove McManus, Georgie Tunny, and Susie Youssef.
As reported by Kyle Laidlaw in TV Blackbox, Fridays are traditionally The Project’s weakest ratings night -thanks to things like live sports and social distractions.
The shake-up looks to trim costs and shift focus, with McManus, whose production company owns the format, is reportedly steering the show toward lighter, more entertaining fare.
Pictured: Mark Zuckerberg