Mediagazer: James Larkin, one of two Backpage.com owners and former publisher of New Times, dies at 74 by suicide, days before his trial on charges of aiding prostitution (Richard Ruelas/Arizona Republic)

5:35 AM ET, August 2, 2023

Top News:

The Writers Guild of America told screenwriters in an email that it agreed to restart talks with Carol Lombardini, the studio negotiator, on Friday, August 4 — A strike by writers and actors has caused nearly a complete production shutdown of scripted entertainment.

Discussion: CBS News, Deadline, Screen Rant, Los Angeles Times, The A.V. Club and Vanity Fair

Reuters:

Meta begins the process to end news access on Facebook and Instagram in Canada, in response to a law forcing some companies to negotiate deals to pay publishers — Meta Platforms (META.O) has begun the process to end access to news on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada …

John Herrman / New York Magazine:

Three theories about how AI will change the news: replace some outlets entirely, be a helpful tool, or turn news organizations into wire services — Here are three theories of the case. — In early July, the Associated Press made a deal with OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, to license …

Discussion: New York Post and What's New in Publishing

Sahil Patel / The Information:

Sources: some top ad agency executives plan to commit at least 10% to 20% more with YouTube this fall than in 2022; traditional TV ad commitments are down 15% — The Hollywood labor strikes have proven a boon for YouTube, with Google's video-streaming service luring television ad buyers …

Discussion: @carnage4life@mas.to, @aagave and @theinformation, more at Techmeme »

Patrick Frater / Variety:

Pluto TV plans to launch in Australia on August 31 with over 50 FAST channels, as a branded area within Paramount Australian and New Zealand's 10 Play — Comprising more than 50 free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, Pluto TV will be sold as a dedicated branded area within Paramount Australian …

Discussion: The Desk, Mumbrella, Paramount ANZ and Cord Cutters News

Paul Farhi / Washington Post:

A look at news avoidance, a real threat to the news business, as many once-loyal readers and viewers say some news topics have become relentlessly toxic — The news was a lifelong habit for Claudia Caplan. It surrounded her like a blanket. Two newspapers in the morning, read nearly in full.

Discussion: @jonathanstray, @melissafleming, @dabeard, @lauranissen, @kncukier and @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social

The Daily Beast:

Current and former Los Angeles magazine staff claim the new owners blur the lines between editorial and advertising and pay freelancers late or not at all — In this week's edition of Confider, we reveal how new ownership at Los Angeles has been accused of neutering the punchy mag and stiffing writers.

Discussion: @zacestrada and @mediaevan

Natalie Korach / The Wrap:

Internal memo: Vice Media's SVP of Global News and Entertainment, its senior director of global news operations, and Motherboard's EIC are stepping down — Three top executives at Vice Media will be leaving the company, a memo to staff said Tuesday, a day after its $350 million sale closed …

Discussion: @katie_robertson, The Information, @lorenzofb, @eriksherman, @karlbode, @petersterne, @pahwa_nitish, @sidhubaba, Deadline, Variety, New York Post and The Daily Beast

Richard Ruelas / Arizona Republic:

James Larkin, one of two Backpage.com owners and former publisher of New Times, dies at 74 by suicide, days before his trial on charges of aiding prostitution — James Larkin, who helped turn the Phoenix alternative weekly New Times into a chain that took over the venerated Village Voice in New York …

Discussion: @msmaggiemayhem, @jackshafer, @jrgzztx and @gabrielle_qld

Pete Thamel / ESPN:

Sources: the Pac-12 commissioner presented conference members with a primarily subscription-based Apple streaming deal that would start in 2024-25 — After months of negotiations and uncertainty, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff on Tuesday presented the conference's presidents and chancellors …

Discussion: @petethamel, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, Sportico, 9to5Mac, Awful Announcing, Front Office Sports, The Streamable and Cord Cutters News

Manuela Lazic / The Guardian:

How film criticism has deteriorated as studios invite influencers to screenings, critics seek to promote cinema, and expertise and writing are devalued — A shift from knowledgable writers to those simply in search of free tickets devalues cinema - and audience experience

Discussion: @labuzamovies, @bjcolangelo, @labuzamovies.bsky.social, @kylepinion.bsky.social, @midimyers.bsky.social, @bastardsheep@aus.social and @mattthr.bsky.social

Brian Conway / Nieman Lab:

A look at the decline of Pittsburgh news site The Incline, launched in 2016 by Jim Brady with a $2.6M investment from Gannett, as its last journalist leaves — An online Pittsburgh newsroom's last remaining journalist says goodbye, as the city's media landscape sputters.

Discussion: @brian__conway, @ckrewson, @sarahscire and MediaPost

Archived Page Info:

This is a snapshot of Mediagazer at 5:35 AM ET, August 2, 2023.

View the current page or another snapshot:

Who's Hiring in Media?

Commissioning Editor - Practical Law — Reuters

Energy Markets Reporter, London — WSJ

Oil Reporter, Singapore — Bloomberg

Newsperson - State Govt. & Politics, CA — AP

Business Reporter, SC — Post & Courier

State Government Reporter, WA — Seattle Times

Climate Crisis Columnist — Prospect UK

Multimedia Journalist, CA — Paramount

Community Engagement Mgr., DC — Freedom Forum

Staff Writer - Business, NY — WIRED

Editor, MA — Nieman Reports

Team Editor - Breaking News, ON — Toronto Star

Senior Reporter & Event Host, NY/CA — Newcomer

Climate & Weather Reporter, MN — Star Tribune

Senior Tech Editor, Remote US — The Verge

News Reporter, MA — Berkshire Eagle

Multimedia Journalist, PA — Observer-Reporter

Managing Editor, WA — Everett Herald

Private Credit Reporter, NY — Debtwire

Legislative Reporter, CA — Sacramento Bee

Reporter, PA — Tribune-Review

Visual Editor, Remote — Rest of World

Staff Writer, MI — Watershed Voice

California Playbook Writer, CA — Politico

Senior Media Editor — Digiday

National Investigative Reporter, NY — HuffPost

Business & Gaming Reporter, NV — Las Vegas Sun

Coastal Climate Reporter, SC — Island Packet

Environment & Energy Reporter, CT — CT Mirror

Coordinating Editor, OR — OPB

Staff Reporter, CA — Daily Kos

Data Editor, NY — ProPublica

Editor-in-Chief, AZ — Phoenix New Times

Add your company here

See Also:

Mediagazer: site main

Mediagazer River: reverse chronological Mediagazer

Mediagazer Mobile: for phones

Mediagazer Leaderboard: Mediagazer's top sources

Subscribe:

Mediagazer RSS feed

Mediagazer on X

Mediagazer on Mastodon

More News:

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
In a challenge to TikTok, YouTube releases new Shorts creation tools for remixing, adding effects, going live, as well as an interactive Q&A sticker, and more

Discussion: Tubefilter, 9to5Google, Engadget, The Verge and Android Police, more at Techmeme »

Nicole Sperling / New York Times:
As audiences shrink, TV networks cut costs on long-running series by having casts take pay cuts and reclassifying series regulars as recurring cast members

Discussion: @avocalistsrival, @sonyasteele@mastodon.social and TVLine

Bryan Pietsch / Washington Post:
X sues the Center for Countering Digital Hate, alleging CCDH researchers violated Twitter's terms of service and the CFAA while studying hate speech on the site

Giorgio Leali / Politico:
Journalists at France-based Le Journal du Dimanche vote to end the 40-day strike protesting the JDD's new right-wing editor; many plan to leave the newspaper

Discussion: New York Times, Financial Times and Agence France-Presse

Chethan Rao / Android Police:
YouTube asks a small number of viewers to share their feedback on a test that generates AI-based “quick overview” summaries on some English-language videos

Discussion: 9to5Google, Engadget, TechCrunch and The Verge, more at Techmeme »

Sam Schechner / Wall Street Journal:
Under pressure from EU regulators, Meta offers to seek user consent in the EU for targeted ads based on users' activity, sources say as soon as October 2023

Discussion: AdExchanger, TechCrunch, The Verge and Insider Intelligence, more at Techmeme »

Earlier Picks:

Yadarisa Shabong / Reuters:
Cineworld emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after 11 months, cutting its debt by $4.53B, raising ~$800M in new equity, and securing ~$1.71B in debt financing

Discussion: The Hollywood Reporter, CNN, Variety and Deadline

Amanda Bright / Nieman Lab:
How a 149-year-old Georgia weekly taken over by UGA's journalism school added digital products, won awards, tripled ads, and doubled subscriptions in 18 months

Ray Schultz / MediaPost:
DoubleVerify, which sells digital media measurement and analytics software, plans to acquire digital ad campaign optimization company Scibids for $125M

Discussion: @doubleverify, @ainvest_wire, @larakiara, AdExchanger, DoubleVerify, Dow Jones Newswires and Insider

Emma Roth / The Verge:
The BBC launches social.bbc, an “experimental” Mastodon server with posts from a handful of BBC accounts, and plans to try out the server for six months

Discussion: Media Voices, BBC R&D, TechCrunch, @davemolloy, @1br0wn, @Lats@aus.social, @john_fisherman@mastodon …, @adrianpolglase@mastodon …, @BenjaminHan@sigmoid.social, @hrefna@hachyderm.io, @renwillis@mstdn.social, @BBCRadio4@social.bbc, @BBC5Live@social.bbc, @BBC_News_Labs@social.bbc, @hamatti@mastodon.world, @BBCRD@social.bbc, @BBCRD@social.bbc and @BBCTaster@social.bbc

Eriq Gardner / Puck:
Sources: Trump subpoenaed Fox News for Tucker Carlson's unaired interview with a former US Capitol Police chief, as part of a lawsuit defense; Fox News refused

Discussion: The Hill, Media Matters for America, @eriqgardner, CNN and Mediaite

From Techmeme:

Bloomberg:
Polymarket says the FBI seized CEO Shayne Coplan's phone and electronics; source: the DOJ is investigating Polymarket for allegedly accepting bets from US users

David Pierce / The Verge:
Google releases a new free Gemini app for iOS, letting users ask questions and chat via text, voice, or camera, as well as use conversational Gemini Live

Tony Romm / Washington Post:
Sources: the CFPB moves to place Google under formal federal supervision, an extraordinary move that may lead to regular inspections; Google fiercely resisted

Sister Sites:

Techmeme
Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web

memeorandum
What US political commentators are discussing online right now

WeSmirch
The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page