Mediagazer: Drake partners with LeBron James to expand Uninterrupted, a video network that allows pro athletes to speak directly to fans, to Canada (Etan Vlessing/Hollywood Reporter)

Michael Calderone / Politico:

Black journalists, weighed down by the psychological and emotional toll of Trump's racism, push media to cover race in politics head-on — The Associated Press earlier this year shifted a national race and ethnicity reporter to its 2020 election team, an acknowledgment that race has become …

Oliver Darcy / CNN:

Journalists John Heilemann and John Battelle launch The Recount, a politics-focused media outlet, which will feature short videos summarizing the news — New York (CNN Business)Journalists John Heilemann and John Battelle have launched a new politics-focused media outlet ahead of the 2020 elections.

Discussion: Medium, The Wrap, @dangillmor, @buzzfeedben and @oliverdarcy

Sarah Ellison / Washington Post:

CNN and Jeff Zucker plot 2020 election coverage and promise things will be different; CNN won't air any rallies live, as it did repeatedly for Trump in 2016 — “Side shot! Side shot! Side shot!” — It's Mueller Day in Washington, and the man calling out instructions in the darkened control room …

Discussion: Mediaite, @mlcalderone, @karoli, @ehananoki, @poniewozik, @sarahlellison, @jayrosen_nyu and @amlwhere

Greg Dool / Folio:

London-based Future acquires online publisher and B2B newsletter specialist SmartBrief for $45M and up to $20M in deferred payments — Future plc has acquired online publisher and B2B newsletter specialist SmartBrief, the latest move in a string of purchases aimed at expanding …

Discussion: Press Gazette, Future, Business Times and Radio World

Todd Spangler / Variety:

AT&T will rebrand DirecTV Now as AT&T TV Now, as it plans to test AT&T TV, a new and separate streaming TV service, in select markets — Say goodbye to the “DirecTV Now” name. — Later this summer, AT&T will retire the name of the over-the-top TV service, first launched in December 2016 …

Discussion: AT&T, The Streamable, MediaPost, Multichannel News, The Streamable, MacRumors, Seeking Alpha and Cord Cutters News

Etan Vlessing / Hollywood Reporter:

Drake partners with LeBron James to expand Uninterrupted, a video network that allows pro athletes to speak directly to fans, to Canada — The deal marks the first international expansion for the NBA star's video network as its allows pro athletes to speak directly to fans.

Discussion: Billboard, Variety, Fast Company, USA Today, Bleacher Report and @arashmarkazi

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: Netflix is investing $520M+ to make three big-budget films, including at least $173M in The Irishman, a financially risky adult drama — Streaming giant spends $200 million on an action flick and makes the most expensive drama in recent years — Netflix Inc. is spending hundreds …

Discussion: Business Insider, @ericjhonsa, Breitbart and Observer

Marisa Peryer / Columbia Journalism Review:

Native Hawaiians comment on the national coverage of their resistance to telescope construction on Mauna Kea, which has downplayed Hawaiians' range of concerns — In 2009, an international consortium of scientists set their sights on Hawai'i's Mauna Kea volcano as its preferred location for a massive, cutting-edge telescope.

Discussion: @theintercept and @rebeccahogue

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

London-based LGBT news website Gay Star News has closed suddenly due to insolvency, resulting in the loss of about 20 jobs — LGBT news website Gay Star News has closed suddenly, resulting in the loss of about 20 jobs, with one rival declaring it a “great shame”.

Discussion: @jamie_wareham, @louiseridley and Prolific London

Aidan McLaughlin / Mediaite:

Newsmax CEO Michael Clemente is stepping down after 15 months; he will remain CEO as he transitions to a consultancy role — Michael Clemente, a veteran executive of ABC and Fox News who last year joined Newsmax TV as chief executive officer, is out of his position at the conservative TV outlet — 15 months after taking the job.

Discussion: TVNewser

Will Thorne / Variety:

PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger, who has been in the role since 2006, renews her contract for five more years — PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger has signed a 5-year contract extension with the company. — Kerger made the announcement at the network's summer Television Critics Association press tour.

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, Realscreen, Deadline and Adweek

Janko Roettgers / Variety:

Cloud movie locker UltraViolet is shutting down on July 31, requires customers to link their accounts to a partner to save their digital purchases — Cloud movie locker UltraViolet is shutting down this coming Wednesday (7/31), putting an end to one of Hollywood's more ambitious efforts to promote the ownership of digital content.

Discussion: /Film, Polygon, @jsnell, Engadget, KitGuru, CNET and The Verge

Hannah Knowles / Washington Post:

Behind the Baltimore Sun's widely read editorial written in response to Trump's tweets attacking the city, which drove atypical traffic and subscriptions — The paper of the city that President Trump attacked didn't mince words. — “Better to have a few rats than to be one,” the Baltimore Sun's editorial declared in its headline.

Discussion: Washington Post, Poynter, The Wrap, @cnnnewsroom, Deadline, Breitbart, @buddystone, @sduncovered, Fortune, @kimkbaltimore, New York Times and Common Dreams