Top News:
Borys Kit / Hollywood Reporter:
Sources: Netflix's feature film division is focusing on making fewer but bigger and better movies, amid lagging subscriber growth and rising competition — The Scott Stuber-run division is adjusting to a new set of realities as it readies a $200 million-plus ‘The Gray Man’ from the 'Avengers …
Discussion:
@scott_bromley, @thr, @neilnevins, @jaldous, @tvgrimreaper, Safety Propaganda, @quellevousno2, @trilogyfiim, @borys_kit, The Playlist, Decider, The Streamable, screenland, The A.V. Club and SlashFilm
Don Moynihan / Can We Still Govern?:
A case study of a viral, false news story on “race-based grading” in a suburban Chicago school by LGIS News Service, part of a network run by Brian Timpone — What a viral fake news story about “race-based grading” tells us about our media ecosystem
Discussion:
American Press Institute, @donmoyn, @bgrueskin, @bubbaprog, @bgrueskin, @donmoyn, @samthielman, @maxkennerly, @donmoyn, @samthielman, @kateamcmullen, @cahnemily, @sethcotlar, @jbouie, @heerjeet, @jbenton, @bgrueskin, The Daily Beast, @bgrueskin, @justinbaragona, @willrich45, @bgrueskin, @rap30, @forwardcarolina, @bgrueskin, @mollyjongfast, @nrarmour, @digiphile, The Kerr Report and Lead Stories
Variety:
Sources: Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich will step down, to be replaced by Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who together previously led MGM — Veteran film executive Toby Emmerich is exiting his post as Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman, three sources told Variety.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, SlashFilm, Los Angeles Times, Insider, Deadline, @jilexander, Collider, @yara_wayne, @borys_kit, CBR, @ourmovienews, @the_moviebob, @aaroncouch, @kimmasters, IndieWire and The Wrap
Peter Kafka / Vox:
Some Hollywood insiders cheer Netflix's slowing growth but others worry its problems are streaming's problems and the market isn't as big as everyone had hoped — Netflix is losing subscribers. Does that mean Netflix has a problem or that streaming has a problem? — Hollywood spent years ignoring Netflix.
Discussion:
@jyarow, @shiraovide, Too Much TV Newsletter, @pkafka, @nirajc, @pkafka, @vtuss, @sherman4949, @lucas_shaw, @chaykak, @pkafka, @pkafka and Mediaite
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Spotify's “white noise” podcasters are making thousands of dollars per month creating soothing sounds, a growing market that major networks have yet to explore — People on the prowl for a new podcast to consume often go for a stimulating option like a political debate or a true crime mystery to quicken the pulse.
Discussion:
@ashleyrcarman, @jahhills, @evoterra, @peterslattery3, @chriscpandolfo, @itsdaveedwards, @dlberes, @stephaniemlee, @dada_drummer, @gavgaddis and @brianhioe
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Vox Media Union, which covers about 350 workers, says its members signed a pledge to strike if a deal can't be reached when its contract expires on June 13 — The Vox Media Union's contract expires at midnight on June 13. The union is seeking cost-of-living raises and affordable benefits.
Discussion:
@rj_writes, @chriswelch, @vox_union, @miles__bryan, @vox_union, @adamclarkestes and @loudmouthjulia
Insider:
Though the ACLU wrote the first draft of Amber Heard's op-ed and WaPo wrote the headline, the verdict highlights that the byline determines liability — - The ACLU ghostwrote Amber Heard's op-ed that a jury found defamed Johnny Depp. — Heard was also found liable for the headline, which was written by a Washington Post editor.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Vox, Gawker, E! Online, The Federalist, WGN-TV, Horse of a Different Colour, Silver Spring News Update, El País, @jayshams and CBS News
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget:
After Google's Play Store policy changes, Amazon removes IAPs from its Kindle and Music apps for Android, and direct audiobook purchases from Audible on Android — If you use Amazon's Kindle app on Android, you may have noticed the software doesn't offer the option to buy and rent ebooks …
Discussion:
@katienotopoulos, CNET and @ballmatthew, more at Techmeme »
Leah Nylen / Bloomberg:
Sources: the FTC is scrutinizing Amazon's acquisition of MGM Studios as part of its revamped antitrust probe of Amazon — The US Federal Trade Commission has revamped its antitrust probe of Amazon.com Inc., shaking up the investigative team, re-interviewing potential witnesses and asking questions …
Discussion:
Axios, @ne0liberal, @profgalloway and Reason
New York Times:
Forbes ends its plan to go public via a SPAC merger at a $630M valuation, after announcing the deal with Hong Kong's Magnum Opus in August 2021 — The century-old business magazine had aimed to go public through a blank-check company based in Hong Kong but changed course after the market flipped.
Discussion:
Axios, MediaPost, Press Gazette, Axios, Digiday, Business Wire, @kerrymflynn, @ahess247, @seangriffey, @bmorrissey, @sarafischer, New York Post, @anderscorr, Coinspeaker, Reuters, @danprimack, @robenfarzad, @silvermanjacob, @benmullin, @michaelgwaltz, @jamesohewitt, @sarafischer, TechCrunch, Talking Biz News, Financial Times and CoinDesk
Ben Sisario / New York Times:
Harry Styles sells 182K vinyl copies of his album in a week, the most for anyone since 1991, and 500K+ overall units; for most, a goal of 1M is now out of reach — “Harry's House,” the British pop star's third solo album, moved more copies on vinyl since at least 1991, when SoundScan began keeping reliable sales data.
Discussion:
@billboard, Forbes, Variety, GoldDerby and NME
Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:
Google launches Google TV for iOS, after moving the Movies and TV section from the Play Store to the Google TV app, letting users use their phone as a TV remote — Google TV has had a busy couple of months, with a variety of changes, launches, and updates.
Discussion:
The Keyword, The Verge and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »