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Q&A with Justine Bateman, a member of the DGA, the WGA, and SAG-AFTRA, on how AI may change the industry, the importance of the timing of the strike, and more — Audio of this conversation is available via your favorite podcast service. — Artificial intelligence will likely impact every type of job.
Discussion:
@emilymbender@dair … and @justinhendrix
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The previous big strikes reshaped Hollywood and fueled reality TV's rise; the current ones will likely turn established actors into TikTok stars and vice versa
Discussion:
@videodrew, Brightcove, Digiday, @drewharwell, @shiralazar, The Information, Rolling Stone, Study Hall and Foreign Policy


Netflix rolls out a My Netflix tab on iOS, superseding the Downloads tab to offer downloads, watch lists, reminders, and more; Android gets My Netflix in August — Netflix has rolled out a new feature designed to — what else? — get you to stream as much as possible on the service.
Discussion:
About Netflix, Broadband TV News, The Verge, The Hollywood Reporter, CNET, Media Play News, Engadget, Deadline, UPROXX and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »


SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance says Dwayne Johnson donated a seven-figure sum to the SAG-AFTRA Relief Fund, the largest single donation ever — On July 13, as SAG-AFTRA leadership declared the union was going on strike, SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance …
Discussion:
Forbes, The Guardian, Fortune, Vanity Fair, @carolinerenard_, @rufushound, @emmatolkin, @realjaredgilman, @sherazfarooqi_, @mancitykd, @comicgirlashley, @bootsriley, @vinn_ayy, @ecto_fun, ET Canada, @hankofjuly, Metro, @shayz0rz@mastodon.online, @discussingfilm, @riteshwriter.bsky.social, UPROXX, New York Daily News, The A.V. Club, Gizmodo, Deadline and Comic Book


Instagram rolls out creator subscriptions in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the UK, expanding on support in the US — Meta announced today that it's rolling out Instagram subscriptions to all eligible creators in Australia, Brazil, Canada …
Discussion:
9to5Mac, Instagram and Tubefilter, more at Techmeme »


Sources: TikTok plans to launch an e-commerce business in the US in early August to sell made-in-China goods to consumers — TikTok wants to replicate the success of other popular China-founded shopping platforms Shein and Temu — TikTok is launching an e-commerce business in the U.S …
Discussion:
The Verge, @michaelsobolik and @sino_market, more at Techmeme »


Threads adds an option for a chronological feed of posts from people the user follows — Meta's text-based social network Threads is rolling out one of the most requested features after its launch — a following feed. — In a post on his Instagram Channel, Mark Zuckerberg said that the company …
Discussion:
The Verge, @sarahfrier, @tomwarren, 9to5Mac, @zuck@threads.net, @reckless1280@threads.net and Digital Music News


Nexstar names Fox distribution head Michael Biard as its president and COO, effective August 21; Fox Corp. names David Espinosa to succeed Biard — David Espinosa named president of distribution at Fox — Nexstar Media Group named Fox distribution head Mike Biard as president and chief operating officer, effective August 21, 2023.
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, Business Wire, Fox Corporation, Deadline, Radio & Television …, The Hollywood Reporter, Media Play News, @jbflint, TVNewsCheck and WORLD SCREEN


In response to MPs questions over The Sun's Huw Edwards reporting, its EIC says the story had “significant scrutiny pre-publication” and corroborative evidence — MPs wanted to know how The Sun verifies its stories. — MPs asked The Sun how it verifies its stories following …
Discussion:
The Guardian, @craftyoldgit, @archewellbaby, @adambienkov, @dave43law, @stuzi_pants, @_not__happy_, @j_a_warrington, @lorna_tveditor, @adambienkov, PinkNews, Variety and Deadline


The UK plans to force social media and ad platforms like Google Ads to stop scam ads including fake celebrity endorsements and pop-ups with malware — - Ad-tech will be forced to crack down on scam advertisements — Measures are intended to complement the Online Safety Bill
Discussion:
Financial Times, more at Techmeme »


Spotify reports Q2 revenue rose 11% YoY to €3.2B, Premium subscribers grew 17% YoY to 220M, MAUs rose 27% YoY to 551M, and a €112M adjusted operating loss — Spotify Technology SA, the Swedish audio streaming platform, beat analyst expectations in its second-quarter results …
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Spotify confirms raising US Premium to $10.99/month, up from $9.99, the first increase since its US launch in 2011; Duo rises by $2, Family and Student by $1
Discussion:
Spotify, Variety, 9to5Mac, Global News, Light Reading, Complete Music Update, CNN, @bennjordan, @trengriffin, @lucas_shaw, @tomwarren, Inside Radio, @chrismessina@mastodon.xyz, CNET, Deadline, RAIN News, Insider, @jordanuhl_@threads.net, NBC News, Engadget, 9to5Google, CNBC, Gizmodo, UPROXX, Music Business Worldwide, Hollywood Reporter, TechCrunch and Billboard, more at Techmeme »


Reach reports revenue fell 6.1% YoY to £279.4M and operating profit dropped 23.5% YoY to £36.1M; print revenue fell 2.7% YoY and digital slid 16.1% YoY — Reach half-year results hit by falling page views and lower online ad yields. — The UK's largest regional news publisher Reach …
Discussion:
Investegate, Financial Times and HoldtheFrontPage


A look at NDTV, India's last mainstream TV network willing to critically cover the Modi government, as Adani Group's NDTV takeover leaves few independent voices — The hostile takeover of NDTV — one of India's last channels willing to report critically on the Modi government …
Discussion:
@vidyakrishnan and Columbia Journalism Review