Mediagazer: Politico names co-founder John Harris as its top editor, overseeing US and European newsrooms; Matt Kaminski shifts to editor at large at the end of August 2023 (New York Times)

9:25 AM ET, July 18, 2023

Top News:

Politico names co-founder John Harris as its top editor, overseeing US and European newsrooms; Matt Kaminski shifts to editor at large at the end of August 2023 — Mr. Harris, who helped found the media outlet in 2007, will succeed Matt Kaminski as the publication's editor in the United States …

Discussion: Poynter, Washington Post, @bdayspring, @maxwelltani, @cmarinucci, @katie_robertson, @maggienyt, @kenvogel, @djtweets, @washingtonpost, The Wrap, Deadline and Talking Biz News

Carl Franzen / VentureBeat:

OpenAI partners with the American Journalism Project to access content to train its AI model in exchange for $5M in funding and $5M in developer credits — OpenAI isn't done making waves in the media industry — far from it. — The Sam Altman-led private company behind ChatGPT …

Discussion: Axios

Naman Ramachandran / Variety:

TNT Sports goes live in the UK and Ireland as a BT Sport rebrand, and will present BT's premium live sports plus other events, including the 2024 Olympic Games — TNT Sports went live on Tuesday across the U.K. and Ireland, replacing BT Sport. … TNT Sports is already used as WBD's sports brand in Latin America and the U.S.

Discussion: The Guardian, Deadline, The Athletic, The Hollywood Reporter, Broadband TV News and The Desk

Mark Di Stefano / Australian Financial Review:

Internal data for Australia's ABC reveals that 80%+ of the public broadcaster's viewers for its 7pm news program are over 55 and less than 8% are under 40 — Key Points — Why it matters: Younger viewers are no longer tuning into flagship ABC programs

Discussion: @markdistef and @markdistef

Sophie Culpepper / Nieman Lab:

How Detroit-based local TV broadcaster Graham Media Group plans to use a GPT 3.5 bot that asks positive questions to spark productive comments for news articles — Graham Media Group developed the idea for a “first dibs” comment bot through NYC Media Lab's AI & Local News Challenge.

Discussion: Engadget, @nbj914, @niemanlab, @coreyhutchins and @rji

Chris Murphy / Vanity Fair:

SAG-AFTRA's strike FAQ: influencers can pursue commercial work, but cannot promote studios' or streamers' content, including on social media or at conventions — SAG-AFTRA has laid out specific do's and don'ts for the new class of entertainers, from pursuing commercial work to participating in ComicCon.

Discussion: The Wrap, Insider, NBC News, Gizmodo, Deadline, Variety and Tubefilter

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

A pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC used an AI version of Trump's voice, which appears to be narrating Trump's Truth Social post, in a statewide TV attack ad in Iowa — The spot illustrates the new frontiers in political advertising. — A pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC uses an Artificial Intelligence version …

Discussion: Fox Business, @mikehahn_, @robseamans, @gsterling, The Hill, @mattortega, Fox News, @alexthomp, @saletan, @yolo304741, @timcast, NPR, Bloomberg and Associated Press

Jesse Whittock / Deadline:

German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 plans to cut 400 roles, or ~10% of staff, mostly in its entertainment business, as it prepares for a “digital transformation” — Germany's ProSiebenSat.1 is cutting around 400 roles, as it continues to reshape its business into a digital-first operation.

Discussion: Variety, Reuters, Broadband TV News and Reuters

Bryan Alexander / USA Today:

An interview with Jesse Watters about how his controversial comments are “brutally honest”, Tucker Carlson's firing, and more, as he moves to Carlson's 8pm slot — “Jesse Watters Primetime” will finally live up to its name. — The Fox News host won the conservative commentator golden ticket …

Discussion: Variety, Rolling Stone, @jessebwatters, Media Matters for America, @davidfolkenflik, The Wrap, @decodingfoxnews, @abughazalehkat, Mediaite, The Daily Beast and NPR

Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:

NYC-based private equity firm Integrated Media Company plans to acquire Toon Boom Animation from Corus Entertainment's cartoon company Nelvana for CA$147.5M — The software firm, owned by cartoon company Nelvana and part of Corus Entertainment, was sold to a New York-based equity firm, Integrated Media Company.

Discussion: Corus Entertainment, @valuenotdeadyet, TVKIDS, @nonobviously, @tfankawaii, C21Media, @cartoonbrew, Cartoon Brew and Castanet.net

Hayden Vernon / The Guardian:

Report: the BBC faces a UK government review of its funding model; potential alternatives to the license fee include a subscription, a broadband levy, and ads — Alternatives reportedly being considered include a premium subscription model and a broadband levy

Discussion: Broadband TV News, GB News, @gbnews, @kelvmackenzie, The Times, The Times and Irish Examiner

Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:

Peacock raises its Premium price by $1 to $5.99/month and Premium Plus by $2 to $11.99/month, at once for new customers and on August 17 for current subscribers — Peacock is delivering bad news to its subscribers tonight. Beginning at 12 a.m. EDT, the streamer is notifying existing customers …

Byline Times:

Investigation: GB News' Dan Wootton used fake online identities from 2008 to 2018 to bribe media executives and others into sharing compromising sexual material — Receive our Behind the Headlines email and we'll post a free copy of Byline Times — GB News presenter and MailOnline columnist …

Discussion: @rubytrubes, @adambienkov, @stevenjcbuckley, @imshanereaction, @imshanereaction and @adambienkov

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Who's Hiring in Media?

Output Producer, CA — AP

China Markets Correspondent, Shanghai — Reuters

Senior Assignment Editor, DC — WaPo

Breaking News Editor, Tokyo — Bloomberg

Senior Correspondent - Wealth, NY — WSJ

Reporter - Ottawa Bureau — Globe & Mail

Local Government Reporter, IA — The Gazette

Research Director, CA — OCBJ

Immigration Enforcement Reporter — Documented

Presque Island Reporter, ME — Bangor Daily News

Contributing Parks Ed. - SW, CA — SFGATE

AI Content Editor, WA — Outlier

Legislative Reporter, TN — Daily Memphian

Editorial Assistant, Remote US — Launch Potato

Elon Musk Reporter, NY or CA — The Information

Government & Politics Editor, WA — Seattle Times

Business & GA Reporter. VT — VTDigger

Sports Reporter, WA — Everett Herald

Energy Reporter, TX — Houston Chronicle

Senior Reporter, SC — Island Packet

Trade & Climate Correspondent, DC — FT

Reporter, WI — Racine County Eye

Political Newsletter Writer, CO — The Lever

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Music Editor, AZ — Phoenix New Times

Breaking News Reporter, NV — Las Vegas Sun

Fearless Reporter/Producer, IA — BPC

Reporter II - Technology, Remote — NPR

Editor, Remote US — Daily Kos

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