Sources detail Apple’s dilemma over releasing Civil War drama Emancipation starring Will Smith, which cost $120M and wrapped earlier in 2022, after the slap (Nicole Sperling/New York Times)

Nicole Sperling / New York Times:
Sources detail Netflix’s internal debate over embracing theatrical releases for big-budget movies, something Ted Sarandos and Reed Hastings call a distraction  —  The company agreed to some exclusive theatrical distribution for “Glass Onion” and “Matilda the Musical,” but it’s not clear exhibitors will get much more.

Ariel Shapiro / The Verge:
Spotify releases Wrapped 2022 for users, adding a “music personality” feature, and says Joe Rogan, Emma Chamberlain, and others were its top podcasters  —  Spotify Wrapped is here, and with it, a slew of year-end charts, data, and graphics ripe for sharing.

Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch:
Versa Networks, which helps companies unify network and security tools into a single console, raised $120M in equity and debt, bringing its funding to $316M  —  Networking and cybersecurity firm Versa today announced that it raised $120 million in a mix of equity and debt led by BlackRock, with participation from Silicon Valley Bank.

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
Barcelona-based Factorial, which offers HR tools for SMBs, raised a $120M Series C led by Atomico at a $1B valuation, up from ~$500M in September 2021  —  Small and medium businesses, long overlooked in the building of innovative technology, have lately become a key focus in the world of B2B software.

Travis M. Andrews / Washington Post:
Streaming television is going through an existential crisis as users cancel services and creators fear having their show or movie deleted on an executive’s whim  —  Missing archives, less ambitious programming, higher prices: Creators and subscribers say they’re seeing the fallout from television’s big revolution

Krisztian Sandor / CoinDesk:
FTX-linked Alameda Research withdrew ~$37M worth of wrapped bitcoin from crypto exchange FTX.US on Wednesday  —  The purpose of the token movements is unclear, and the amount likely a small portion of the overall firm’s holdings, but the observation shows Alameda scrambling to arrange its finances – using the Ethereum blockchain.