Top News:
Washington Post:
X added five-second delays, some now removed, on t.co links to Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Substack, the NYT, Reuters, and other sites Musk attacks — The site formerly known as Twitter has added a five-second delay when a user clicks on a shortened link to the New York Times …
Discussion:
The Guardian, @kenli729, @mikeisaac, @drewharwell@mastodon.social, @sheila_dang, @billbrown, @schwarz, AdExchanger, B&T, @minimaxir, @mattsclancy, @minimaxir, @drewharwell, @yoyoel.com, @mikeisaac, CNN, @reporterzoe@threads.net, TechCrunch, The Verge, New York Times, 9to5Mac, @piattodelgatto.bsky.social, Mediaite, @drewharwell.com, @drewharwell.com, Music Ally, @mmasnick.bsky.social, @ben@werd.social, @dsilverman@mastodon.social, @jimray@mastodon.social, @yair-rosenberg.bsky.social, @yoyoel.com, @Claeshs@newsie.social, @adamserwer.bsky.social, @endeavorance@astral.camp, Variety, @martinsfp.bsky.social, @mtsw.bsky.social and Hacker News, more at Techmeme »
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Jay Peters / The Verge:
Users of XPro, previously TweetDeck, report encountering paywalls to use the service; X said on July 3 that “in 30 days” XPro would be a subscriber-only feature — X, the social network formally known as Twitter, appears to be finally following through on its promise to make TweetDeck a paid service.
Murray Stassen / Music Business Worldwide:
X files for dismissal of a copyright lawsuit filed in June by the US National Music Publishers' Association over alleged infringements of ~1,700 works — Unlike rivals like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, X - the Elon Musk-owned social media service formerly known as Twitter …
Discussion:
@drewharwell@mastodon.social, Rolling Stone, Billboard and Digital Music News
Clay Risen / New York Times:
Joann Meyer, who worked for nearly 60 years at the The Marion County Record in Kansas, died on August 12, a day after police searched the newspaper's offices — She collapsed a day after the police raided her home and the offices of The Marion County Record, a weekly paper in Kansas.
Claudia Chiappa / Politico:
Russia expels Eva Hartog, Politico Europe's reporter in Moscow, after 10 years reporting in the country, without giving any details on how the ruling was made — As Putin escalates crackdown on foreign media, longtime correspondent Eva Hartog is forced out by the Kremlin.
Discussion:
@mariageorgieva, @jason_corcoran and @polinaivanovva
Soraya Amiri / The Walrus:
A female Afghan journalist recounts leaving Kabul after the Taliban regained power in the country in 2021, as she reflects on life as a journalist in exile — I left Kabul after the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021. As a female journalist in exile, I'm learning what it means to help my country from afar
Discussion:
@jhrnews, @thewalrus, @jenniferhollett, @inamdarsiddhesh, @thewalrus, Reporters Without Borders, Al Jazeera, Fox News and Semafor
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Amazon hikes the price of Music Unlimited for Prime subscribers, up $1/month to $9.99 for individual plans and family plans up $1/month to $16.99 — Amazon previously raised the prime of Amazon Music Unlimited for non-Prime members earlier this year. — Amazon Music Unlimited …
Discussion:
Music Ally, Deadline, Billboard, Variety, The Verge, Cord Cutters News and Digital Music News
Wall Street Journal:
Analysis: the average price of major ad-free streaming services is up nearly 25% in about a year, as companies try to push users toward ad-supported tiers — Price push by Disney, others is part of effort to trim losses, steer users toward more-lucrative ad-supported plans — Call it streamflation.
Discussion:
The Verge, Digiday, The Streamable, Washington Post, Digital Content Next and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
WGA and AMPTP representatives met on August 15 in an effort to end the 106-day strike; sources: the sides remain at odds on streaming residuals and other issues — The Writers Guild of America responded Tuesday to the latest proposal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers …
Patrick Frater / Variety:
Tencent Music reports Q2 revenue up 6% YoY to ~$1.01B, revenue from music subscriptions up 37% YoY to ~$399M, and subscribers up 20% YoY to 99.4M — Subscriber numbers increased by 20% year on year and by 5 million quarter on quarter, to hit 99.4 million, the company said.
Discussion:
Music Ally, Reuters, Digital Music News and Music Business Worldwide
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
A lawsuit that threatens to bankrupt a Wisconsin local news website highlights a trend of wealthy and powerful people using defamation law for retribution — When a north-central Wisconsin news site reported that a businessman had uttered a homophobic slur, he sued, claiming defamation.
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
TSG sues Twentieth Century Fox and parent Disney, claiming the studio withheld profits and cut deals to boost Hulu, Disney+, and its stock, at partners' expense — TSG's lawsuit, which also names Disney unit Twentieth Century Fox, is similar to Scarlett Johansson's 2021 suit against company