Mediagazer: 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 (Wendy Lee/Los Angeles Times)

11:30 AM 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, @jbflint, New York Times, Deadline, The Wrap, @thewendylee and Variety

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, Reuters, @alexweprin, Deadline, Los Angeles Times, Deadline, The Wrap, Bloomberg 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, The Hollywood Reporter, @sharonwaxman, Columbia Journalism Review, 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

Discussion: The Guardian, Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, New Republic, 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

Discussion: New York Times, Fox Corporation, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, @brianstelter, The Guardian, @brianstelter, Talking Biz News, The Wrap, Mediaite, American Press Institute, New Republic, @edmundlee, @semaforben, @peterjukes, @murdoch_rc, @maynereport, Vox, @muiiio@mst.muiiio.com, @lukeoneil47, Washington Post, @davidfolkenflik, @pkafka, @janemartinson, @bencjacobs, @justinbaragona, @projectlincoln, @pickardje, @frasernelson, @mattgertz, Variety, @karaswisher, @gtconway3d, Adweek, @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, CNN, Associated Press, News Corp, New York Post, Sydney Morning Herald, Mumbrella, Politico, The Hollywood Reporter, Australian Financial Review, @tomgara@threads.net, Newser, Media Matters for America, Mediaite, Insider, The Sun, @timbray@cosocial.ca, Breitbart, New York Magazine, @BrayingBoozehound …, Bloomberg, @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, Vanity Fair, The Guardian, Spectator, Politico, USA Today, Fortune, Poynter, HuffPost, Cord Cutters News, ITV News, CBS News, The Verge, 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

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: The Guardian, Forbes, 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.

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, @rwhelanwsj, @rwhelanwsj, @rwhelanwsj, @jamestareddy 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, @edbott.com, @maxseddon, 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, Voice of America, Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, Amnesty International, Fédération …, Front Line Defenders, CNN, @behlihyi, Reuters, BBC, @kenroth, 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, Slate, @ernie@writing.exchange, Breitbart, NPR, Variety, @dbattistella@mstdn.ca, @bespacific@newsie.social, New Republic, Talking Points Memo, The Mercury News, The Hill, Rolling Stone, CNN and Boing Boing

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: Los Angeles Times, Politico, New York Post, The Rural Blog, Publishers Weekly, Orange County Register, @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 …

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

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