Mediagazer: Research firm Forrester: US ad spending will decline by 25% this year and won't recover until 2023, and in 2020 and 2021, ad agencies will shed 52,000 jobs (Tiffany Hsu/New York Times)

Top News:

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Spotify reports Q2 revenue of €1.89B, up 13% YoY, with MAUs up 29% YoY to 299M, premium users up 27% to 138M, and ad-supported MAUs up 31% to 170M — In addition, ad revenue fell 21% — which Spotify blamed on the coronavirus pandemic — but the drop wasn't quite as bad as forecast.

Discussion: Spotify, Music Business Worldwide, Variety, AdExchanger, TechCrunch, Ad Age, The Wrap, @markdistef, Engadget, The Wrap, @thr, 9to5Mac, @kerrymflynn, @lucas_shaw, Spotify and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »

Olga Kharif / Bloomberg:

At least three streamers banned or suspended from Twitch and Facebook following accusations of sexual harassment have moved to YouTube — When a handful of streamers were recently banned or suspended by the live-streaming platforms Twitch and Facebook following accusations of sexual harassment, their careers didn't end.

Discussion: @lucas_shaw

Matt Gertz / Media Matters for America:

After Trump praised doctor promoting COVID-19 “cures”, right-wing media rushed to defend her from the reporters and social platforms allegedly silencing her — Here's how the right-wing media's obsession with conspiracy theories and the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine resulted in “demon sperm” trending on Twitter.

Discussion: The Guardian, Mediaite, The Daily Beast, @melissaryan, @brandyzadrozny, @oneunderscore__ and @oliverdarcy

Eric Tucker / Associated Press:

Sources: Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites by an information agency called InfoRos to spread disinfo about COVID-19 — WASHINGTON (AP) — Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation …

Discussion: @file411, New York Times, @brooklynmarie, Business Insider, @michaeldweiss, Washington Free Beacon, @megkinnardap and @joncoopertweets

What's New in Publishing:

Digital Spy, UK's biggest TV and movies website, launches its first digital magazine, available exclusively on Apple News+ in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia — The #1 entertainment website in the UK unveils interactive magazine custom-designed for Apple News+

Discussion: Digital Spy

Tiffany Hsu / New York Times:

Research firm Forrester: US ad spending will decline by 25% this year and won't recover until 2023, and in 2020 and 2021, ad agencies will shed 52,000 jobs — The marketing business is going through a period of innovation as it sheds workers and tries to hold on to clients.

Discussion: @myles_younger, @rickbruner and @stufalk

Nieman Lab:

Profile of South Africa's Oxpeckers, which is using interactive data tools like animated maps to cover stories on illegal wildlife trafficking in the region — In some places, it was the gray dust visible in the water buckets that showed something was wrong, polluted by run-off water from the mines.

Alex Ritman / Hollywood Reporter:

British Film Institute unveils details of a £30M recovery fund for struggling independent cinemas across the UK — The financial lifeline for COVID-19 hit indie exhibitors is part of the U.K. government's $2 billion arts and culture recovery fund. — The British Film Institute …

Justin Kroll / Deadline:

Lionsgate and BuzzFeed announce a motion picture partnership for a slate of socially relevant and high-concept feature films, with plans to launch in 2021 — EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate and BuzzFeed are partnering on a new venture to develop, produce and distribute a multi-picture slate …

Discussion: @laura_kramer, @awallenstein and The Wrap

David Leonhardt / New York Times:

America is enduring a far worse COVID-19 outbreak than other rich countries due in part to the size and strength of right-wing media that broadcasts falsehoods — And what else you need to know today. — Want to get The Morning by email? Here's the sign-up. — Good morning.

Discussion: @dleonhardt and The Atlantic

Marc Santora / New York Times:

Turkey passes law extending sweeping powers over social media platforms, ordering those with 1M+ DAU to open offices in the country and store user data locally — The legislation extends control over social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Discussion: @mustafa__gurbuz, @m_clem, @senmarkey, @satariano, @rudawenglish and @chrchristensen, more at Techmeme »

MediaPost:

Condé Nast's healthcare advertising unit introduces Obsidian, a cookie-less audience tracking tool available through CitizenNet, its marketing service — Conde Nast's unit for healthcare advertising last week touted its new technology to track its digital audience without using cookies …