Mediagazer: 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 (PEN America)

5:40 PM ET, September 22, 2023

Top News:

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

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, Variety, Breitbart, NPR, @dbattistella@mstdn.ca, New Republic, The Hill, CNN, Rolling Stone and Boing Boing

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 — The mogul's ‘obituary’ opens the buzzy upcoming book, ‘The End: The Fall of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty’

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

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 — He solidified his rise to the top of his father's media empire on Thursday. — Lachlan Murdoch's path to succession has been rocky at times …

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

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 — ‘For my entire professional life, I have been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change’

Discussion: The Wrap, Fox Corporation, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, New Republic, @brianstelter, Vox, Washington Post, @edmundlee, Mediaite, @muiiio@mst.muiiio.com, American Press Institute, @brianstelter, Talking Biz News, CNN, @semaforben, @peterjukes, @murdoch_rc, Variety, @maynereport, @lukeoneil47, Adweek, @davidfolkenflik, CNN, Associated Press, @pkafka, @janemartinson, News Corp, New York Post, @bencjacobs, @justinbaragona, @projectlincoln, @pickardje, @frasernelson, @mattgertz, @karaswisher, @gtconway3d, @moorehn, @farhip, @karaswisher, @dougjballoon, @djrothkopf, @edsbs, @eduardosuarez, @stefmowords, @ayocaesar, @emilybell, @dhtoomey, @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, Sydney Morning Herald, Mumbrella, Politico, The Hollywood Reporter, Australian Financial Review, Mediaite, @tomgara@threads.net, Newser, Insider, Media Matters for America, The Sun, @timbray@cosocial.ca, Bloomberg, New York Magazine, Breitbart, @BrayingBoozehound …, @karaswisher@threads.net, UPI, @john_b_taylor@threads.net, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Mediaite, al.com, The A.V. Club, The Desk, NPR, Bleeding Cool News, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Spectator, Politico, USA Today, Fortune, Poynter, HuffPost, Cord Cutters News, ITV News, CBS News, Rolling Stone, Financial Times, BBC, The Wrap, The Verge, Deadline, Semafor, Axios, @coreypein.bsky.social, The Hollywood Reporter, Guido Fawkes, Daily Mail, The Daily Beast and Forbes

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, City A.M., Sydney Morning Herald, Reuters, Insider, Wired, Rolling Stone, The Messenger and Vanity Fair

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 …

Discussion: Sportico, @geoffgagnon, The Sun, @tsoh_investing, @samschube, 9to5Mac, The Messenger and UPI, more at Techmeme »

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: Publishers Weekly, Orange County Register, @JaneRLaForge@mstdn.social, New Republic, The Rural Blog, Publishing Perspectives and The Hill

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

The FT debuts an e-paper app for international readers; ABC: the FT digital edition had a 16,343 average circulation in August, of which 81% was outside the UK — The FT's e-paper has evolved since it first launched on desktop in 2015. — The Financial Times has launched an app …

Discussion: Journalism.co.uk

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Memo: Snap President of Americas Rob Wilk leaves, after joining the company in March 2023, replaced by Patrick Harris, who joined Snap after 10+ years at Meta — Snap Inc. has promoted former Meta executive Patrick Harris to the position of President of Americas, overseeing sales …

Discussion: The Information

Wendy Lee / Los Angeles Times:

Studio CEOs attended another marathon bargaining session with the WGA on September 21; talks between the WGA and studios resumed on September 22 — Jobs, Labor & Workplace — The Writers Guild of America and major studios — held a marathon bargaining session Thursday …

Discussion: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline, @jorgecoolreyes, @megjameslat, @slack2thefuture, Next TV, Bleeding Cool News, The Messenger, CNN, The Wrap and Reuters

Tom Ambrose / The Guardian:

WBD announces an expansion of Warner Bros Studios Leavesden, in Hertfordshire, UK, including adding 10 sound stages starting in early 2024 and finishing in 2027 — Studios behind Harry Potter films to undergo 400,000 sq ft expansion by 2027, in boost to struggling industry

Discussion: Variety, Advanced Television, CNN, @wes_greer, @bobdigi69, @wbd, Press Association, Collider, Bleeding Cool News, The Wrap, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter

Louise Story:

AI tools can help reporters, news outlets, and readers with tasks such as querying large data files, alerting about potential stories, and personalizing content — Today, understanding artificial intelligence is an essential skill for a media leader. This is not simply because you need …