Top News:


A jury says Alex Jones must pay two Sandy Hook parents $45.2M in punitive damages, on top of $4.1M in compensatory damages, for claiming the shooting was a hoax — U.S. conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay the parents of a 6-year-old boy killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre $45.2 million …
Discussion:
New York Times, CNN, New York Times, New York Times, @oneunderscore__, Associated Press, Axios, NPR, Vanity Fair, @katiephang, @irvinewelsh, @jagdbs, Bloomberg, @amandamarcotte, @doniveson, @mmpadellan, @adambspencer, @morgantremaine, @consumersos, The Triad, @aweissmann_, @tomcolicchio, @renato_mariotti, @joshtpm, @jemelehill, @gmbutts, @barbmcquade, @dansolomon, @wingoz, @amandionair, @shannonrwatts, @dansolomon, @averytravistv, @averytravistv, @dansolomon, @evacide, @oliverdarcy, @thezhanly, @derrelldurrett, @popehat, @popehat, @andykroll, @annamerlan, @rvawonk, Newser, VICE and Infowars
RELATED:


How mainstream outlets boosted right-wing commentators Alex Jones, Tomi Lahren, and others to the point of turning them into someone they truly can't ignore — When mainstream media outlets decide to interview right-wing trolls like Jones, they're paving the way for the fringe's future success.
Discussion:
@sr_lazarus, @alanmairson, @orlagleans, @parkermolloy, @parkermolloy, @jdhughez, @parkermolloy, @mimmymum and @mimmymum

Texas law caps punitive damages, meaning Alex Jones may get a reduced fine; his lawyers plan to seek a fine reduction that the plaintiffs' lawyers plan to fight
Discussion:
New York Times, The Wrap, @karaswisher, @staceyh1970, @nytliz, @blaw, @heidilifeldman, @jordanonrecord, @sarahfrier, Washington Post and The Verge


CNN and Warner Bros. Discovery plan to launch a CNN Originals hub on Discovery+ starting on August 19, featuring 800+ hours of current and legacy programming — CNN and Warner Bros. Discovery are launching a dedicated CNN Originals hub on Discovery+ domestically starting August 19.
Discussion:
@ourand_sbj and Los Angeles Times
RELATED:


Warner Bros. Discovery's stock closed down 16.53% on August 5, after its first combined financial report revealed disappointing revenue and streaming challenges — Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery sank Friday after the media and entertainment giant reported disappointing earnings …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Barron's Online and Insider


Warner Bros. Discovery reports Q2 revenue of $9.8B, vs. $11.9B est., a $3.4B net loss, and 92.1M subscribers, counting HBO Max and Discovery+ — The company is on a mission to find billions of dollars in cost savings.
Discussion:
Decider, @cartoonbrew, ScreenRant, @opinion, The Week, @billkuchman, @barronsonline, Warner Bros. Discovery, New York Times, @benmullin, CNBC, Variety, @azalben, @azalben, @azalben, @azalben, @k_trendacosta, MediaPost, The Wrap, @aagave, Media War & Peace, @masasoncap, @sherman4949, @azalben, @tvmojoe, @aagave, @natjarv, @natjarv, @natjarv, @natjarv, @natjarv, @loudmouthjulia, Dan's Stack, CNBC and Variety


Sources: DC Films President Walter Hamada was on the verge of leaving the studio after Batgirl's shelving, but agreed to stay on at least until October 21, 2022
Discussion:
@theericgoldman, @ray8fisher, @nickatina_show, SlashFilm, The Wrap, IndieWire, Insider, Los Angeles Times and Digital TV Europe

On its Q2 2022 earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to launch a combined HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming service in the US in summer 2023
Discussion:
Variety, Aventuras no Cinema, The Daily Beast, @allisonkilkenny, @cdncapedcrusadr, @ericfrancisco24, Tom Merritt Tech Newsletter, @variety, The Wrap, Adweek, @dangillmor, The Streamable, @myronjclifton, The Wrap, @cristalmarie, @makispoke, @emtothea, @hunteryharris, @thekjohnston, @markharrisnyc, MediaPost, @its_willyu, @thedailybeast, @slangdini, @kirkwrites79, @marcellacomedy, @its_willyu, @scriptsbyjames, @variety, Middlebrow Musings, @cheo_coker, @thebexbecbecca, @freeblackgirl, @dylanbyers, @xpangler, @natjarv, @zaackhunt, The A.V. Club, Wall Street Journal, TVNewser, The Daily Beast and UPI, more at Techmeme »


Pulitzer-winning Associated Press reporter Martha Mendoza and eight more investigative reporters discuss their mistakes and what journalists can learn from them — If there is one type of lesson that journalists never forget, it is the kind that follows a strategic reporting mistake that stalls an otherwise promising investigation.
Discussion:
@spj_tweets, @danielsilliman, @risj_oxford, @bhekisisa_mg, @journoresource, @gijn, @ibwellssociety, @miamalan and American Press Institute


How a record store owner exposed MoFi Records' use of digital files, after it claimed for years its pricey vinyl album reissues were purely analog reproductions — MoFi Records claimed its expensive reissues were purely analog reproductions. It had been deceiving its customer base for years.


Charter and Bright House settle lawsuits by major record labels that accused the ISPs of failing to close accounts that illegally downloaded copyrighted songs — Confidential settlements could lead to more terminations of Internet subscribers. — Charter Communications has agreed …
Discussion:
TorrentFreak


Todd Boehly's Eldridge Industries and MRC complete split of shared media assets; Eldridge retains Dick Clark Productions and Hollywood publication investments — The companies said that a transition structure will be put in place over the next several months in order to ensure a smooth separation.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline


Reporters' ability to talk with US federal agency staff without public information officer approval has been gradually cut off, and the media should fight back — In 1981, Cristine Russell, then a health reporter at the Washington Post, asked to interview C. Everett Koop, who was nominated to be surgeon general of the United States.


Consumer Reports Vice President and Content Officer Gwendolyn Bounds is leaving after eight years to become executive director and head of content at SmartNews — Gwendolyn Bounds, vice president and chief content officer at Consumer Reports, is leaving the publication to become head of content at SmartNews.


AMC Networks names former ViacomCBS CFO Christina Spade as CEO, starting on September 9, and says it had 10.8M paying subscribers in Q2 2022, up from 9.5M in Q1 — Christina Spade, a veteran media executive who was previously chief financial officer of the former ViacomCBS …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek, The Wrap, The Streamable, The Wrap, GlobeNewswire News Room, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline