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:
Insider, The Wrap, Talking Biz News, Futurism, @cpautoscribe, @bigmeaninternet, @rachelmetz, Variety, @edzitron, @gloria_sin, @vikkie, @qwongsj, @greene_dm, @xoxogossipgita, @scalzi, @scottnover, @zemotion, @jessicalessin, @sdw, @klawls, @chrishayner, @chrishayner, @bcmerchant, @jaredbkeller, @stevenewing, @karlbode, @karlbode, @karlbode, @jake_k, @paleofuture, @miarsato, @miarsato and @miarsato
RELATED:
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 …
David Wildstein / New Jersey Globe:
Two US senators and 11 US House members sent a letter to Star-Ledger and NJ Advance Media executives protesting the decision to close their Washington bureau — Lawmakers: ‘"Our constituents rely on this coverage to be informed participants in our democracy’
Discussion:
@mattrooneynj, @frankpallone, @onejerseyschorr, @senatormenendez, @brianstelter, @donaldnorcross, @tencor_7144, @jdsalant, @wildstein and @claireatki
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:
The Streamable, MediaPost, @sherman4949, Broadband TV News, @andy_staples, @sarthakgh, @ourand_sbj, @rltsports, @sallyjenkinswa1, @bachscore, @dalter, @sallyjenkinswa1, @jacobfeldman4, @pkafka, @tim_bays, @sherman4949, @great_katzby, @keitholbermann, @mediumbuying, @sportstvratings, @sherman4949, Awful Announcing and Barrett Media
Gideon Lichfield / Wired:
Wired publishes rules for its use of generative AI tools, saying it will not publish text written or edited by AI but may use AI for headlines and story ideas — Some publications are already using text and image generators. Here's how WIRED will—and won't—use the technology.
Discussion:
@martinstabe, @emilybell, @waltmossberg, @glichfield, @laurengoode, @ndiakopoulos, @rifish, @nickstatt, @mtrc and @mediaevan
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:
Digital Music News, Complete Music Update, @dada_drummer and Music Business Worldwide
RELATED:
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:
tools.eurolandir.com, Music Business Worldwide, Variety, Reuters and The Hollywood Reporter
Lane Brown / Vulture:
A look at the projection issues ruining movie theaters, where the use of aging digital projectors and worn-out light bulbs contribute to poor picture quality — Multiplexes are failing at their most basic function: delivering a bright, sharp image. — Michelle Pfeiffer and Jonathan Majors look like crap.
Discussion:
Marketing Charts, The Wrap and Villages-News
James Hale / Tubefilter:
London-based Electrify Video Partners, which invests in and acquires YouTube channels, raised $50M led by MEP Capital — Electrify Video Partners has raised $50 million to invest in and acquire YouTube channels. — London-based Electrify was co-founded in May 2021 by Ian Shepherd …
Bloomberg:
Filings: Murdoch claims he delegates “everything” at Fox News to CEO Suzanne Scott and hosts claim no one from Fox Corp. gave election coverage instructions — Back in 2021, Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch was described by President Joe Biden as the “the most dangerous man in the world …
Discussion:
CNN, Mediaite, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, FTVLive, Deadline, Vicky Ward Investigates, Media Matters for America, The Guardian, Slate, The Week, abc7NY, SheKnows and Forbes
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:
@risj_oxford, @mariabustillos and @optoutnews
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:
@bbcafrica, @chloefarand, @stylian65, @jpmarthoz, OCCRP and Plagiarism Today