Mediagazer: AI tools can help reporters, news outlets, and readers with tasks such as querying large data files, alerting about potential stories, and personalizing content (Louise Story/Nieman Lab)

7:50 PM ET, September 23, 2023

Top News:

Sources: studio CEOs and the WGA wrapped up their September 22 bargaining session without reaching an agreement; WGA plans to meet the AMPTP on September 23 — Jobs, Labor & Workplace — The Writers Guild of America and major studio representatives met Friday for the third consecutive day …

Discussion: CNN, The Wrap, Variety, The Ankler, WDW News Today, World of Reel, Bleeding Cool News, @jbflint, New York Times, @thewendylee, @wgawest, @lucas_shaw, Deadline, The Wrap and LAist

The Hollywood Reporter:

Filing: Rupert Murdoch's Fox Corp. pay package was $22.9M in the fiscal year 2023, compared to $18.4M in 2022, while Lachlan Murdoch received $21.7M, flat YoY — The company unveiled compensation packages for the moguls for the latest fiscal year. — Rupert Murdoch and son Lachlan received …

Discussion: @kimmasters, @alexweprin, Reuters, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, Deadline, Deadline, The Wrap and The Hill

Michael Wolff / The Ankler:
Excerpt from Michael Wolff's The Fall: the first chapter imagines an eventual Rupert Murdoch obituary that details his life and career at Fox Corp and News Corp

Discussion: The Atlantic, Variety, The Guardian, Bloomberg, @sharonwaxman, The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia Journalism Review, Puck, Crikey, New York Times, The Messenger and The Ringer

David Rutz / Fox News:
Rupert Murdoch transitions from chair of Fox Corp and News Corp to the new role of Chairman Emeritus; Lachlan Murdoch becomes the sole chair of both companies

Discussion: Mediaite, Financial Times, New York Times, Fox Corporation, @brianstelter, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, @brianstelter, Talking Biz News, @edmundlee, The Wrap, American Press Institute, @semaforben, @peterjukes, @murdoch_rc, @maynereport, New Republic, @lukeoneil47, @muiiio@mst.muiiio.com, @davidfolkenflik, @pkafka, @janemartinson, Vox, @bencjacobs, @justinbaragona, @projectlincoln, @pickardje, @frasernelson, @mattgertz, @karaswisher, @gtconway3d, @moorehn, @farhip, @karaswisher, @dougjballoon, @djrothkopf, @edsbs, @eduardosuarez, @stefmowords, @ayocaesar, @emilybell, @dhtoomey, Adweek, @aaronblake, @therickydavila, @imjasondiamond, @michaelbarthel, @tomgara, @bgrueskin, @grantstern, @mikegalsworthy, @eriqgardner, @sree, @baseballcrank, @kelvmackenzie, @zaleskiluke, @piersmorgan, @stan_chow, @lizaoutlives, @misterabk, @mattgertz, @goangelo, @mehdirhasan, @yashar, @johncleese, @kylenabecker, @jbflint, @ahmedbaba_, @jojofromjerz, @travisakers, @reflog_18, @reflog_18, @youngvulgarian, @jeremynewberger, @piersmorgan, @eyesontheright, @aidnmclaughlin, @exavierpope, @jaheale, @peltzmadeline, @leximcmenamin, @bobbybigwheel, @keitholbermann, @markdistef, @sherman4949, @deggans, @edzitron, @scottygb, @pkafka, @dylanbyers, @arusbridger, @pinboard, @chrchristensen, @sarafischer, @davidmackau, @sherman4949, @pkafka, @brianstelter, @maggienyt, @annaknicolaou, @sarafischer, @jimrutenberg, Washington Post, Associated Press, Variety, CNN, Sydney Morning Herald, Associated Press, Mumbrella, CNN, News Corp, New York Post, Australian Financial Review, The Hollywood Reporter, Politico, @tomgara@threads.net, Newser, Media Matters for America, Mediaite, Insider, @timbray@cosocial.ca, The Sun, Breitbart, @BrayingBoozehound …, @karaswisher@threads.net, UPI, @john_b_taylor@threads.net, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, New York Magazine, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Mediaite, Bloomberg, al.com, The A.V. Club, The Desk, NPR, Bleeding Cool News, Vanity Fair, Spectator, The Guardian, Politico, USA Today, Fortune, Poynter, The Verge, HuffPost, Cord Cutters News, ITV News, CBS News, Rolling Stone, Financial Times, BBC, The Wrap, Deadline, Semafor, Axios, @coreypein.bsky.social, The Hollywood Reporter, Guido Fawkes, Daily Mail, The Daily Beast and Forbes

New York Times:
A profile of Lachlan Murdoch, who is less overtly political than his father, has led Fox through lawsuits, and has some proven successes, such as acquiring Tubi

Discussion: The Guardian, Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, New Republic, Sydney Morning Herald, Financial Times, @Lilmikesf@c.im, Variety, Forbes and New York Post

Matthew Garrahan / Financial Times:
The way Rupert Murdoch structured the ownership of his companies doesn't necessarily mean Lachlan's ascension ends the fight for control of the family empire

Discussion: Forbes, The Guardian, Axios, Sydney Morning Herald, City A.M., Reuters, Insider, Wired, Rolling Stone, The Messenger and Vanity Fair

Bloomberg:

Amazon plans to run limited ads on Prime Video in the US, the UK, Germany, and Canada starting in early 2024, charging $2.99/month extra in the US to avoid ads — - Prime Video will offer a more expensive ad-free option — Streamers want to increase revenue as production costs soar

Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:

A profile of UTA Head of Audio Oren Rosenbaum, who helped grow podcasting by being an agent for stars like Emma Chamberlain, as the podcasting industry deflates — Talent Agent Oren Rosenbaum fueled podcasting's multibillion dollar boom. Now he must navigate its acrimonious deflation.

Washington Post:

Academics and US agencies are overhauling or ending the study of online misinformation due to escalating pressure from Rep. Jim Jordan and other Republicans — An escalating campaign, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and other Republicans, has cast a pall over programs that study political disinformation …

Paresh Dave / Wired:

A look at the antitrust activists attending the DOJ's Google antitrust trial every day and documenting their observations through social media and newsletters — A historic antitrust trial sees Google accused of unlawfully monopolizing search. A handful of antitrust activists are trying to make sure the world sees all the action.

Discussion: Breitbart, New York Post and UPI, more at Techmeme »

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: Disney's Beijing team had access to US user data and the company worried that could be a red flag to Congress; Disney laid off 300+ in Beijing in March — Disney's China layoffs led to technical malfunctions, delayed efforts to troubleshoot — abruptly laid off more than 300 people …

Discussion: @albertemartinez, @jamestareddy, @rwhelanwsj, @rwhelanwsj, @rwhelanwsj and @rwhelanwsj

Max Seddon / Financial Times:

Russia's flagship state news TV channel, Rossiya 24, is running ads for a Tucker Carlson show “at the weekend”, but Carlson denies hosting a show on Russian TV — Rightwing former Fox News presenter said he was unaware of the ‘absurd’ claim — Russia's flagship state news channel …

Discussion: BBC, Insider, Forbes, @pogue.bsky.social, @anneapplebaum, @anneapplebaum, @maxseddon, @edbott.com, Mediaite, Newser and @anneapplebaum@journa.host

New York Times:

Sophia Huang Xueqin, a journalist who covered China's #MeToo movement, and Wang Jianbing, a labor activist, stand trial on subversion charges in a Chinese court — Huang Xueqin, the journalist, and Wang Jianbing, a labor activist, have been accused of inciting subversion as the authorities expand a campaign to quash dissent.

Discussion: Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, @behlihyi, @kenroth, Voice of America, Reuters, Fédération …, Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, Amnesty International, BBC, Front Line Defenders, CNN, The Guardian and r/Journalism

Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns tries to distance himself from SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas after ProPublica published a photo of the two alongside David Koch — The documentary filmmaker says he has not had contact with Thomas beyond taking a photo. — Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns …

Discussion: ProPublica, Insider, The Daily Beast, UPROXX, Slate, @ernie@writing.exchange, Breitbart, Boing Boing, NPR, Variety, @dbattistella@mstdn.ca, @bespacific@newsie.social, New Republic, The Mercury News, The Hill, Rolling Stone, Talking Points Memo and CNN

PEN America:

US public schools had 3,362 book bans from July 1, 2022, to June 31, 2023, up 33% from the previous school year; Florida schools accounted for 40%+ of the bans — Banned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censor — Introduction — The freedom to read is under assault in the United States …

Discussion: Politico, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, The Rural Blog, Orange County Register, Publishers Weekly, @JaneRLaForge@mstdn.social, New Republic, Publishing Perspectives, The Hill and Popular Information

Sam Schube / GQ:

How Apple SVP of Services Eddy Cue led the company's push into live sports streaming and is using its MLS deal to test reshaping how sports are consumed — Longtime Apple executive Eddy Cue happens to be an enormous sports fan. And with Apple entering the wild west of broadcasting live sports …