Top News:
New York Times:
Sources: Walmart has held talks with Paramount, Disney, and Comcast, as the retailer explores bundling a streaming service into its Walmart+ membership program — The retail giant is exploring bundling a streaming service into its Walmart+ membership program.
Peter Kafka / Vox:
Axios, Politico, Punchbowl, and other Washington-focused outlets owe a lot of their success to ad deals with Meta, Alphabet, and other Big Tech companies — Money from Meta — and the rest of Big Tech — is pouring into Washington publications. — Axios is an against-the-grain success story …
Discussion:
The Rebooting, @jessicalessin, @pkafka, @kent_pubcitizen, @delrey, @sarafischer, @leah_nylen, @chafkin, @bluestein, @lucas_shaw, @lutherlowe, @kerrymflynn, @benmullin, @johncarreyrou and @amyaharder
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Kara Swisher plans to stop hosting the Code Conference after the 2022 edition to focus on new projects that explore topics beyond tech and reach more people — After 20 years, this year's annual Code Conference from Vox Media will be Kara Swisher's last year hosting and organizing the event, Swisher told Axios.
Discussion:
@taylorlorenz and @sarafischer
Reuters:
AppLovin offers to buy Unity for $58.85 per share, an 18% premium to Unity's Monday closing price, in a $17.54B all-stock deal; AppLovin's stock drops 10.29% — Gaming software company AppLovin Corp (APP.O) on Tuesday made an offer to buy peer Unity Software Inc (U.N) in a $17.54 billion all-stock deal …
Anna Menta / Decider:
Warner Bros. movies are no longer guaranteed to hit HBO Max after 45 days in theaters; source: the company will decide streaming dates on a “case-by-case basis” — After 48 hours of industry rumors, speculation, and panic over HBO Max, a clearer picture is starting to form.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Gamereactor UK, @canadagraphs, Media Play News, @decider, @lancestlaurent, @unclegrambo, Collider, ScreenRant, CBR, The Streamable, @regulartweetsuk and @amid
RELATED:
Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:
Spotify gives its Android app's home screen separate feeds for Music and Podcasts & Shows to better highlight recommendations, will bring the change to iOS soon — Spotify announced today that it's launching a new Home experience that includes separate feeds for “Music” and “Podcasts & Shows.”
Discussion:
Spotify, The Verge and @alexhern, more at Techmeme »
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The New York Times plans to expand its ad business across its bundled products like games and sports, under new ad executive Mohit Lohia, who joined from Amazon — The New York Times is planning to aggressively expand its advertising business across its bundled products, like games and sports, executives tell Axios.
Discussion:
@stephentotilo, MediaPost, The New York Times Company, @raju and @alex_hardiman
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
The UN raises “grave concerns” with Iran over the treatment of BBC News Persian staff, as Iran claims BBC journalists aimed to “overthrow the Islamic Republic” — In an unprecedented move, the United Nations has formally raised “grave concerns” with Iranian officials …
Discussion:
Variety
Scott Roxborough / The Hollywood Reporter:
German public broadcaster RBB's director, Patricia Schlesinger, resigned on Sunday, amid media reports she used public funds to bankroll a luxury lifestyle — Patricia Schlesinger, head of Berlin public broadcaster RBB, resigned Sunday amid media reports she used public funds to bankroll …
Wall Street Journal:
Despite YouTube suspending hundreds of Kremlin-linked channels, Russia has yet to ban the service, some argue because the Kremlin views it as too big to block — Access to the video site allows Russians access to one of the few sources of independent information about the Ukraine war
Discussion:
@rachaelmyrow, @samschech, @anthony, @mhbergen and Beyond Search
Bloomberg:
Sources: the US DOJ is preparing to sue Google over its ad market business as soon as September, as the DOJ's antitrust division lawyers interview publishers — The US Justice Department is preparing to sue Google as soon as next month, according to people familiar with the matter …
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sports media startup Overtime, which targets Gen-Z and millennials, has raised a $100M Series D led by Liberty Media, a source says at a $500M+ valuation — Overtime, a sports media company targeting Gen-Z and millennials, has raised $100 million in series D funding, its co-founder and president Zack Weiner told Axios.
Discussion:
@aforevc, @anamitra, @sarafischer, @sarafischer, Sportico, Bloomberg and @epjackson