Mediagazer: Spotify updates its desktop app with redesigned “Your Library” and “Now Playing” user interfaces, meant to align the experience with the company's mobile app (Aisha Malik/TechCrunch)

3:25 PM ET, June 20, 2023

Top News:

Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:

Source: Spotify plans a more expensive “Supremium” tier with HiFi audio, audiobooks, and more, launching outside the US later in 2023; Premium costs $9.99/month — Spotify Technology SA is planning a more expensive subscription option that's expected to include high-fidelity audio …

Discussion: CNET, Billboard, The Wrap, RAIN News, @elite_gz, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Music Business Worldwide, AppleInsider, 9to5Mac, @ashleyrcarman, BGR, The Verge, Digital Music News and Cord Cutters News, more at Techmeme »

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Spotify signs a deal with Trevor Noah for a weekly podcast, available on multiple platforms, set to launch later in 2023, signaling a commitment to podcasts — The weekly podcast will blend Noah's “signature humor and razor-sharp wit with his global perspective to deliver a unique …

Discussion: The Hollywood Reporter, Spotify, The Hill, UPI, The Hollywood Reporter, @eldsjal, @brianstelter, The Wrap, Podnews, Billboard, Axios, Adweek, Deadline, Vibe, New York Daily News, Digital Music News, Nitter and Sydney Morning Herald

Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:

Spotify updates its desktop app with redesigned “Your Library” and “Now Playing” user interfaces, meant to align the experience with the company's mobile app — Spotify is updating its desktop experience with redesigned “Your Library” and “Now Playing” interfaces, the company announced on Tuesday.

Discussion: Spotify, AppleInsider and 9to5Mac

Jon Henley / The Guardian:

Report: Germany's Bild plans to replace a range of editorial jobs with AI as part of a €100M cost-cutting program expected to lead to hundreds of redundancies — Hundreds of redundancies expected as Axel Springer tells staff certain roles will ‘no longer exist as they do today’

Discussion: Telegraph, @johnkoetsier, @jamesrbuk, @yuanyi_z, @carmen_gray, @tiagodf, @arthistorynews, @greg_jenner, @t0nyyates, @jayrosen_nyu and @skoknic

Lauren Feiner / CNBC:

Gannett sues Google over its alleged ad tech monopoly, claiming that online readership has grown while online ad spending has decreased for publishers — - USA Today publisher Gannett is suing Google for allegedly illegally monopolizing the advertising technology market.

Sabrina Ortiz / ZDNet:

Vimeo announces AI tools, coming on July 17, to automate parts of the video creation process: a script generator, a teleprompter, and a text-based video editor — Have you ever had a great video idea that you just never got to because of how much work was involved?

Discussion: @glenngabe, @anjsud, The Verge, @anjsud, TechCrunch, Gizmodo and Vimeo.com, Inc., more at Techmeme »

Jake Kanter / Deadline:

Sources: staff criticize the BBC for its treatment of five seasoned female presenters, many of whom have been unable to work for months during the restructuring — EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is facing growing pressure to find a resolution for five seasoned female presenters, many of whom have been unable …

Discussion: The Sun, @jake_kanter and @jake_kanter

Patrick Coffee / Wall Street Journal:

Celebrities, including aging star athletes, are signing deals to put AI duplicates of themselves into ad campaigns, helping brands de-age them, among other uses — Using AI-generated duplicates, brands also benefit, using stars in ways they never could before

Discussion: @chetmitchell@masto.ai, @textually, @falcongrovepro and Shelly Palmer, more at Techmeme »

Jody Serrano / Gizmodo:

Streams Charts: Twitch's new Partner Plus program, which offers a 70/30 revenue split, will benefit just ~1,066 Twitch partners, or ~2.5% of the 71,000+ total — Only a thousand people qualify for Twitch's Partner Plus program, which will give streamers 70% of subscription revenues, according to Streams Charts.

Discussion: TechCrunch, Tubefilter and Forbes, more at Techmeme »

Brooks Barnes / New York Times:

After Elemental had the worst opening in Pixar's 30 year history, some argue Disney may have weakened the Pixar brand by using its films as “just Disney+ food” — The original animated film took in $29.5 million at the box office, by far the worst opening in Pixar's three-decade history.

Discussion: Forbes, @tvgrimreaper, @jonpyle, @_cingraham, @lucas_shaw, @johndellaporta, @sapphjack, @stacymcanulty, ComingSoon.net, The Wrap, Wired, Looper and IndieWire

Patrick Frater / Variety:

NBCUniversal expands its One Platform digital ad system globally and announces partnerships with Comcast's FreeWheel, the UK's Channel 4, and others — NBCUniversal is to expand its One Platform advertising, technology, data and measurement system further into global markets through an alliance …

Discussion: Ad Age, NBCUniversal Together, Deadline, Broadband TV News, Hollywood Reporter and MediaPost

Alexandra Sternlicht / Fortune:

A look at Kick, a live streaming service launched in March 2023 with lax moderation and gambling company ties, that lets creators keep 95% of subscriber revenue — Video game streamer Tyler Blevins, known as “Ninja” — Video game streamers, who display their prowess in real time playing …

Discussion: Music Ally

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Rebecca Tan / Washington Post:
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Emily Flitter / New York Times:
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Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
Black-owned media investor Group Black strikes a deal with NBCU to sell ads in Peacock shows popular among Black audiences, keeping the majority of the revenue

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Spotify executive Bill Simmons calls Harry and Meghan “grifters” after their $20M deal ends with 12 episodes; sources say their staff did some of the interviews

Bron Maher / Press Gazette:
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Discussion: Media Voices and MediaPost

Ben Smith / Semafor:
Internal presentation: ~70% of the Los Angeles Times' $232.5M projected 2023 revenue is coming from print, which executives used to explain plans to cut 70 jobs

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From Techmeme:

Paresh Dave / Wired:
Google says it wouldn't force its device makers, browser, and wireless carrier licensees to distribute Gemini to US users for three years, in a proposed remedy

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Reuters:
Albania bans TikTok for a year from January 2025, part of a broader plan to make schools safer following the killing of a 14-year-old near a school in November

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