Top News:
Matt Binder / Mashable:
X appears to be rolling out a new mobile ad format that can't be reported or blocked, lacks an ad label and user profile, and doesn't disclose the advertiser — The new ads also don't disclose who the advertiser is or that they are even ads. — X, the Elon Musk-owned platform formerly known as Twitter …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Messenger, @wolverinethad.bsky.social, @SirTapTap@mastodon.social, New York Magazine, @rhawkets, @foufoutos@kafeneio.social, @flipnotemachine, @paul@tapbots.social, The Information, Insider Intelligence, @forevernever.xyz, @mattbinder.bsky.social, 9to5Mac, @xxiainxx.bsky.social, @saudades.bsky.social, @lynxnoirs, @MattBinder@mastodon.social, @Tibor@mastodon.social, @garbu.bsky.social, The Hill, Breakfast At Ralf's, New York Post, NME, TechCrunch and Reuters, more at Techmeme »
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Aisha Counts / Bloomberg:
Source: Linda Yaccarino told the banks that funded Elon Musk's Twitter takeover that X is testing three premium service tiers that vary how many ads are shown — - CEO Linda Yaccarino discusses plan in briefing to lenders — X advertisers have been returning, but with smaller budgets
Discussion:
@aaronp613, MediaPost, The Verge, The Information, @oneunderscore__, The Register, Media Matters for America, 9to5Mac, TechCrunch, @karaswisher, The Wrap, Engadget, @karaswisher, @karaswisher, The Messenger, @chrispirillo, @karissabe, @aishacounts, @aishacounts, @sheila_dang, Boing Boing, Insider, @danhon@dan.mastohon.com, @carnage4life@mas.to, @chris@threads.net, Reuters and Wall Street Journal, more at Techmeme »
Financial Times:
Sources: major Hipgnosis Songs Fund shareholders aim to block a $440M music rights sale to a private Blackstone fund, a source says because the price is too low — Some investors believe the sale of music rights to a private sister fund owned by Blackstone undervalues the assets
Discussion:
Rolling Stone and Reuters
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Ethan Millman / Rolling Stone:
Hipgnosis Songs Fund subsidiary Hipgnosis Songs Group places CEO Kenny MacPherson on leave after a former colleague alleges he sexually assaulted her in 2005 — MacPherson was accused of sexually assaulting a colleague 15 years ago while he was the president of the music publishing company Chrysalis
Discussion:
Billboard, CMU, NME, New Model Adviser, Variety and Digital Music News
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
Trump's increasingly aggressive words, including advocacy of extrajudicial killings, get little attention, suggesting media still doesn't know how to cover him — After eight years of Trump in politics, is a ‘banality of crazy’ setting in? — Last week, the Republican Party's leading …
Discussion:
Press Watch, @superwuster, @superwuster, @katemanning10, @hugh_ryan, @johnrobinson, @superwuster, @spytalker, @gregjaffe, @superwuster, @kimmasters, @andrewbatesnc, @ijbailey, @svdate, @tvietor08, Democrats, @wdlindsy@toad.social, @EricKHoward@mastodon.social, Associated Press and New Yorker
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
The Athletic canceled many local podcasts a few weeks ago or has left them dormant for months, telling its writers they can relaunch and monetize them elsewhere — The sports news site built its model around comprehensive beat reporting. But in recent months, The Athletic has pulled …
Katelyn Newberg / Las Vegas Review-Journal:
The Nevada Supreme Court protects murdered reporter Jeff German's devices from police searches, calling for a third party to search his journalistic materials — The Nevada Supreme Court has moved to protect slain Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German's personal devices …
Discussion:
Voice of America, @freedomofpress, Poynter, @freedomofpress, @pressfreedom, @freedomofpress, @arthurmkane and @danielrothberg
Agence France-Presse:
Canada's heritage minister says the country “will not back down” despite tech opposition to the Online News Act; Google says draft rules don't address concerns — Canada “will not back down” in the face of opposition from tech giants to a new law requiring companies like Google …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Globe and Mail, Canadian Press, @mikenelson, @jason_kint, @mgeist, @mgeist and Michael Geist
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: Candle Media expects 2023 profit of $140M-$170M, vs. $330M est., as acquisitions fall short: less than $10M from Hello Sunshine and ~$150M from Moonbug — - Former Disney executives spent freely at top of the market — Hollywood strikes, industry cutbacks have crimped profits
Discussion:
New York Post, The Wrap and The Information
Edison Research:
Survey of 2,637 US Hispanic/Latino adults: a record 38% are monthly podcast listeners in 2023, up from 25% in 2020, rising nearly 4X faster than all US adults — Latino Podcast Listeners Engage with Ads as Listening Grows … Monthly podcast listenership among Latinos increased by 52% since 2020 …
Discussion:
RADIO ONLINE, RAIN News and Radio & Television …
Tori Yorgey / WTAE:
Pittsburgh newspaper employees rally to mark the one-year anniversary of their ongoing strike against Block Communications' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Rally to be held Friday afternoon — Friday marked one year since workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette walked out of their workplace and onto the picket line.
Discussion:
Pittsburgh Union Progress, Pittsburgh Union Progress, @alleghenylabor, @pghguild, @mattjnemeth and @newsguild
The Wire:
After arrests of NewsClick journalists, 18 media groups urge India's chief justice to uphold free speech and intervene against agencies' intimidation of media — 'The developments over the past 24 hours have left us no option but to appeal to your good conscience to take cognisance and intervene …
Discussion:
ucanews.com, MediaNama, Scroll.in, Scroll.in, Scroll.in and Associated Press