Top News:
Netflix Media Center:
In first acquisition for the streaming giant, Netflix buys comic book publisher Millarworld, the company behind the Kingsman franchise — Comics Legend Mark Millar Joins Forces With the Leading Global Internet Entertainment Platform to Blow Minds Everywhere. — Hollywood Ca.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Adweek, VentureBeat, Variety, Quartz, Engadget and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Jeff Baumgartner / Multichannel News:
AT&T's DirecTV Now inks carriage deal with CBS Corp and will carry its live local feeds in select markets, as well as other channels like Showtime — Agreement includes CBS, Showtime, The CW, Pop and CBS Sports Network — Filling an important gap in its TV lineup, DirecTV Now …
Discussion:
Forbes, TechCrunch, Broadcasting & Cable and Variety
Al Jazeera English:
Israel's communication minister asks parliament for authority to revoke media credentials of Al Jazeera journalists and close the network's office in Jerusalem — Request made by the country's communication minister targets both the network's Arabic and English channels.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Committee to Protect …, Gizmodo, @kevin_maguire, @jayrosen_nyu and @ggreenwald
Jessica Davies / Digiday:
Two of Germany's biggest broadcasters, RTL and ProSiebenSat.1, partner with ISP to create unified login and registration to counter tech giants' dominance — Broadcasters have become the latest media companies in Germany to challenge the market dominance of tech giants Google, Facebook and Amazon.
Discussion:
@digiday
Jon Lafayette / Broadcasting & Cable:
FX partners with Comcast to launch FX+, an ad-free VOD service featuring currently-airing and older shows, available for $5.99 a month — X1 users can subscribe for $5.99 a month — FX will launch a new premium commercial-free video on demand service on Comcast's X1 system Sept. 5 that will cost subscribers $5.99 a month.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, New York Times, Adweek, The Wrap, Variety, AppAdvice.com, Recode and The Verge
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
“Stay Tuned with Preet,” a weekly podcast by Preet Bharara, former US attorney removed by Trump, is picked up by WNYC — Preet Bharara, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York whose path has proved of great interest since he was removed from his post …
Discussion:
@wnycstudios
Peter Aldhous / Columbia Journalism Review:
How BuzzFeed News used a machine-learning algorithm and flight tracking data to identify hidden spy planes in US airspace — An Air National Guard-operated RC-26 surveillance aircraft. via: Margo Wright / Air National Guard — A secret spy plane operated by the US Marshals hunted drug cartel kingpins in Mexico.
Discussion:
@cjr and @bypetevernon
Jon Russell / TechCrunch:
Iflix raises $133M led by Hearst, which has also backed Roku and BuzzFeed, for its $3/month Netflix-style service for emerging markets — Iflix, an Asia-based startup providing Netflix-like streaming services in emerging markets, has landed $133 million in fresh funding to accelerate its business.
Discussion:
Variety and Fortune, more at Techmeme »
Joe DePaolo / Mediaite:
Fox News personality Eric Bolling releases a brief statement on Twitter, saying he looks forward to clearing his name “ASAP” — Eric Bolling — the Fox News personality currently under suspension following a report from the Huffington Post that he sent lewd photos to female colleagues …
Discussion:
TVNewser, Media Matters for America, Allure and Mediaite
Jeffrey Dastin / Reuters:
Amazon ramps up spending on creating and licensing TV shows and films, but returns on the investments are unclear — SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) is quickly ramping up the billions of dollars a year it spends on creating and licensing TV shows and films …
Ian Burrell / The Drum:
Politico Europe plans expansion into UK by launching London Playbook newsletter in September and putting the Brexit Files newsletter behind its paywall — It is hardly what Brexit voters intended but the previously hobbling European Union now steps out into the media glare with a self-important strut …
Tatiana Siegel / Hollywood Reporter:
Group alleging they're behind HBO data breach say they're delaying releasing leaked material while they negotiate with potential buyers — The data dump will be delayed “because of some new buyers,” said an email to The Hollywood Reporter purported to be from the hackers.