Top News:
Mia Sato / The Verge:
Sources: CNET lays off around a dozen people, or ~10% of its staff, including several longtime employees, after revelations the outlet used AI to write articles — Just weeks after news broke that tech site CNET was quietly using artificial intelligence to produce articles …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Futurism, @qwongsj, @rachelmetz, @jaredbkeller, @cpautoscribe, @jake_k, @miarsato, @scottnover, @chrishayner, @karlbode, @jessicalessin, @bcmerchant, @miarsato, @miarsato, @zemotion, @chrishayner, @paleofuture, @vikkie, @karlbode, @sdw, @klawls, @greene_dm, @scalzi, @stevenewing, @karlbode, Variety and Talking Biz News
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Mia Sato / The Verge:
Memo: CNET EIC Connie Guglielmo, who defended CNET's use of AI tools, plans to step down to become Red Ventures' SVP of AI content strategy and editor-at-large — Following monthslong questions about how CNET uses artificial intelligence tools, longtime CNET editor-in-chief Connie Guglielmo …
Discussion:
The Desk, @yoda, @jaredbkeller, @matthewkeyslive, @mikurubaeahina, @miarsato and @adariostrange, more at Techmeme »
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Sources: ESPN in talks with sports leagues and media partners about offering a live sports guide with direct links, possibly in exchange for a subscription cut — - ESPN has talked with major sports leagues and media partners about launching a feature that would link users directly …
Discussion:
@sherman4949, @sallyjenkinswa1, @sallyjenkinswa1, @ourand_sbj, @bachscore, @dalter, @sherman4949, @andy_staples, @sportstvratings, Awful Announcing, @mediumbuying, @rltsports, @sherman4949, @keitholbermann, @tim_bays, @jacobfeldman4, @pkafka, @great_katzby, Barrett Media and The Streamable
Elizabeth Dilts Marshall / Billboard:
Universal Music Group 2022 earnings: revenue of $10.96B, up 21.6% YOY, subscription and streaming revenue up 18.7% to $5.6B, operating profit up 14.8% to $1.69B — UMG also reported publishing revenues rose nearly 35% on the year. — Universal Music Group's revenues surged 21.6% to 10.34 billion euros …
Discussion:
Reuters, Music Business Worldwide, tools.eurolandir.com, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter
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Billboard:
UMG CEO Lucian Grainge says the company is working with Deezer on a “new model” of streaming payments, similar to its earlier announced partnership with Tidal — The partnership, which follows a similar collaboration with TIDAL, was announced by UMG CEO Lucian Grainge on an earnings call.
Discussion:
@dada_drummer, Music Business Worldwide and Complete Music Update
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab:
A look at OptOut News, an app launched in March 2022 by journalists Alex Kotch and Walker Bragman to aggregate news “100% free from corporate media narratives” — After Alex Kotch got into the habit of scrolling Apple News every morning in 2020, he started to find the offering a little limited.
Discussion:
@mariabustillos and @optoutnews
Tim Rogers / D Magazine:
The Dallas Morning News fired reporter Meghan Mangrum for violating its social media policy by calling a mayor “bruh” on Twitter; her union objected to the NLRB — Meghan Mangrum moved to Dallas to cover education. — Meghan Mangrum moved to Dallas last summer to cover education …
Reuters:
African pay TV company MultiChoice signs a deal with Comcast to create a pan-Africa video streaming service built on MultiChoice's streaming service Showmax — Africa's biggest pay TV company, MultiChoice Group (MCGJ.J), said on Thursday it had entered into an agreement …
Discussion:
WebWire, Deadline and Broadband TV News
BBC:
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project says unknown actors used false US DMCA copyright claims to take down some Equatorial Guinea news reports — By BBC Trending — Journalists have been forced to temporarily take down articles critical of powerful oil lobbyists due …
Discussion:
@chloefarand, OCCRP, @stylian65, Plagiarism Today and @jpmarthoz
Mike Janssen / Current:
An analysis of 461 CPB-funded stations' FY 2021 reports: nonfederal financial support peaked at nearly $2.2B, surpassing 2019's prepandemic total by $118M — To understand how the disruptions of COVID-19 affected public media's financial health, Public Media Company analyzed CPB's station revenue data …
Discussion:
@eaxlr
Center for Public Integrity:
The Center for Public Integrity acquires The Accountability Project, which lets journalists search and organize 1.8B public records on campaign finance and more — The Center for Public Integrity will steward and grow a powerful tool that puts public records at the fingertips of journalists across …
Discussion:
@publicintegrity, @mattderienzo, @pennyriordan1, @publicintegrity and @jinkding
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Netflix dominates in subscriptions and ARPU, followed by Disney+/Hulu, and WBD's HBO Max/Discovery+; Amazon and Apple don't disclose Prime Video and TV+ numbers — Netflix continues to dominate but Disney, Paramount, Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery all expect big DTC growth this year and next
Discussion:
Wine Binge TV and Slate
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
ITV reports 2022 revenue up 7% YoY to £4.3B, external revenue up 8% YoY to £3.7B, ITV Studios revenue up 19% YoY to £2B, and digital revenue up 18% YoY to £411M — U.K. commercial broadcaster ITV's annual results for 2022 were revealed Thursday and the picture is robust.
Discussion:
The Drum, ITV, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter
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