Top News:
Tatiana Siegel / Variety:
GQ EIC Will Welch, who sources say made the call to pull a piece critical of WBD CEO David Zaslav, is producing a Warner Bros. movie, a likely ethical conflict — On July 3, GQ.com rolled out a hot-take story titled “How Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav Became Public Enemy Number One in Hollywood.”
Discussion:
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Will Sommer / Washington Post:
GQ pulls an article criticizing David Zaslav; sources say a Zaslav spokesman complained, causing extensive edits and the author asking GQ to remove his byline — The writer said he asked to have his byline removed after GQ made extensive changes after publication. The magazine removed the story instead.
Discussion:
New York Times, @benmullin, Deadline, Poynter, @jasondashbailey, @themaxburns, Showbiz411, @ishaantharoor, @affineincontrol, @abbyliv817, @jeremypgordon, @zachwritesstuff, @staradvertiser, @ethangach, @markberman, @tsalmoth, @alexnpress, @wilmcmillen, @rmayemsinger, @laurawags, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @emilynussbaum, @joshmankiewicz, @samyoungman, The Independent, @bendwalsh, @jasondashbailey, @w7voa, @brian_tallerico, @pastemagazine, @slack2thefuture, @mrbeaks, @dabeard, @scottnover, @sstarkm, @jbflint, @mikeisaac, @justincchang, @deadline, @markjacob16, @samitsarkar, @ckwest542, @jeffjarvis, Mediaite, IndieWire, The Desk, Rolling Stone, @graemem.bsky.social, @dcseifert@mastodon.social, The Wrap, @dinoray.bsky.social, @ahjohnson.bsky.social, The Hill, AllYourScreens.com and Boing Boing
Sean Keeley / Awful Announcing:
G/O Media sites start posting AI-generated content despite staff pushback; a Gizmodo editor calls an AI-generated Star Wars list with errors “embarrassing” — A few weeks back, we wrote about the seemingly never-ending drama at G/O Media, wondering why writers would want to continue working …
Discussion:
@velocciraptor, @jwhitbrook, Variety, Mediaite, Gizmodo, Futurism, @jezcorden, @missanabeem, @discourse_blog, @superimiles, @mythbri, @billroper, @harrymccracken, @six6jiang, @michaelsalfino, The Wrap, @robaeprice, @cmwashby, @maxwelltani, @davidgross_man, The Desk, @tyschalter, @gigawattconduit, @velocciraptor, @drewlevin, @ryanjthomas83, @bobservo, @mxdshipwreck, @lorieliebig, @maura, @mattdpearce, @vahn16, @refocusedmedia, @vincemancini and Talking Biz News
Jonathan Vanian / CNBC:
Meta launches Instagram's Threads, available on the App Store and Google Play in 100+ countries; users log in via Instagram and can follow the same accounts — - Threads is a text-based messaging app that looks very similar to Twitter. — People will be able to use their Instagram usernames …
Discussion:
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Casey Newton / Platformer:
Hands-on with Threads: fairly basic text-based messaging app, log in via Instagram, no hashtags, can't search for anything other than user handles, and more — Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on the company's big new swing at Twitter … I. — In early December, when word first leaked …
Discussion:
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Kris Holt / Engadget:
Twitter quietly backtracks on requiring users to log in to see individual tweets, ending Elon Musk's “temporary emergency measure”; profiles remain blocked — The platform is becoming slightly more usable just as Meta opens up its Twitter competitor.
Discussion:
The New European, TechCrunch, Madison and Wall, The Guardian, Reuters, @digitaldutta, @yoda, @joshuaphilll, CNN, @metacurity@infosec.exchange, @yoda, Ad Age, Insider, Bloomberg, Media Nation, Complete Music Update, Digital Journal, Daring Fireball, The Week and Boing Boing, more at Techmeme »
Randy Thanthong-Knight / Bloomberg:
Canada's government, media company Quebecor, and cable TV operator Cogeco suspend advertising on Facebook and Instagram in response to Meta's move to drop news — The Canadian government is suspending its advertisements on Facebook and Instagram in response to Meta Platforms Inc.'s plan …
Discussion:
@pablorodriguez, CBC News, National Post, @mathieu_dion, @awudrick, @paulvieira, @drjacobsrad, @awudrick, @markmackinnon, @jbenton, @ezralevant, @jonkay, The Desk, Gizmodo, Politico, CTV News, CP24, Reuters and Global News
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Brian Merchant / Los Angeles Times:
California and Canada should call Google's and Facebook's bluff, given the success of Australia's 2021 media law, as the companies threaten to remove news links — In June, Canada passed a law that will require major tech platforms such as Google and Facebook to pay a small fee when they host news …
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: Andy Jassy asked Amazon's Hollywood studio for detailed budgets to scrutinize ballooning costs; Amazon spent $7B on originals, sports, and more in 2022 — Good afternoon from Orient, New York, wherever you may be. I am spending the next month on the East Coast, so please reach out if you are around.
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw, @iankar_, @aherman2006, @tomgara, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @leokelion, @kylebuchanan, @mrsambarlow, @alexh_johnson, @sarthakgh, @jacoboller, @joshkrugerphl, @sidhubaba, @sonnybunch, @tvgrimreaper, @blackamazon, The Streamable, Screen Rant, IGN, IndieWire, The Information, @judyberman.bsky.social and @mtsw.bsky.social
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Peter Chernin's North Road Company names David Nevins as CEO; Nevins was previously Paramount Premium Group CEO — Formerly chairman and CEO of Paramount Premium Group and chief creative officer of Paramount+ scripted series, Nevins will oversee North Road's portfolio of brands …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Deadline, @richlightshed and The Hollywood Reporter
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Spotify no longer lets subscribers still paying via the App Store use it as a payment method; new subscribers were barred from using Apple's service in May 2016 — Spotify hasn't let new Premium subscribers pay for service using in-app purchases via Apple's App Store since May 2016 …
Discussion:
Complete Music Update, Digital Music News, MacRumors, Engadget, 9to5Mac and AppleInsider, more at Techmeme »
Wall Street Journal:
Paramount, Comcast, Disney, and Netflix's total market value has dropped $280B+ since the end of 2020; WBD lost ~50% of its value since its 2022 trading debut — Streaming losses and layoffs were already leading to an industry retrenchment. Then the writers' strike hit.
Discussion:
@sarthakgh, @blackamazon, @helaineolen, @herbscribner, @jyarow, @bysarahkrouse and @asharma