Mediagazer: YouTube adds enhanced bitrate 1080p video support, first available on iOS, to Android, the web, and smart TVs, and debuts achievement badges for users 18 and up (Aisha Malik/TechCrunch)

Interviews with 100+ people detail David Zaslav's WBD tenure, including deep cuts and a 50%+ stock drop, during a tumultuous time for the entertainment industry — A merger put him in the driver's seat at Warner Brothers, one of the industry's biggest studios. It has been a wild ride.

Discussion: IndieWire, Variety, Los Angeles Times, Deadline, ComingSoon.net, @benmullin, The Hollywood Reporter, @sidhubaba, @brianstelter, @mileskahn, @tsoh_investing and @stcroix2020

New York Times:

Interviews with 12+ CNN insiders describe how David Zaslav cultivated friendships with some of CNN's biggest names, which did not stop him from then firing them — David Zaslav, the chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery, was friends with some of the network's biggest names.

Discussion: The Daily Beast, @blakerutherford, @omunderdal, @benmullin, @benmullin, @jayrosen_nyu and @jamesstewartnyt

Financial Times:

As Rupert Murdoch cedes control to Lachlan this week, a look at the issues facing Fox: the $2.7B Smartmatic lawsuit, shareholder complaints, Ray Epps, and more — As the new chair completes his takeover, he must contend with unresolved claims hanging over the media company

Discussion: Politico and Cord Cutters News

Discussion: @waywardboobs.bsky.social, @brianstelter and NPR

Thomas Wilde / GeekWire:

Amazon is merging the Comixology app with Kindle on December 4, and all comics that users own via Comixology will be integrated into their Kindle libraries — In-depth Amazon coverage from the tech giant's hometown, including e-commerce, AWS, Amazon Prime, Alexa, logistics, devices, and more.

Discussion: The Verge, @comixology and AIPT

Salvador Rodriguez / Wall Street Journal:

In 2022, Meta quietly began letting ads say past US elections were “rigged” or “stolen”; sources say executives decided this based on free speech considerations — Company weighed free-speech considerations in changing its policy last year

Discussion: The Guardian, Mother Jones, Melissa Ryan on LinkedIn, @vanbadham, @benpershing, @zamaan_qureshi, @jayrosen_nyu, New Republic, @melissaryan@me.dm, The Rural Blog and @Noupside@saturation.social, more at Techmeme »

Ben Smith / @semaforben:

Internal memo: opinion columnist Farhad Manjoo is leaving The New York Times — Farhad Manjoo @fmanjoo leaving the New York Times, per an internal note from opinion editor.

Discussion: @rachelmetz, @followtheh, @samuelaadams, @gadyepstein, @gamoid, @jasonabbruzzese, @howardkushlan, @fmanjoo and @fmanjoo

Steve McClellan / MediaPost:

GroupM partners with Google to assess the impact of Privacy Sandbox APIs on advertising; Chrome currently plans to complete cookie deprecation in H2 2024 — GroupM is teaming with Google Chrome on a post-cookie technology readiness program. — The companies will be working with a select group …

Discussion: Ad Age, Digiday and AdExchanger

Anna Wiener / New Yorker:

A profile of Holly Herndon, an artist and musician who uses AI in her work and who co-founded Spawning, a company building a “consent layer for AI” for artists — The artist and musician uses machine learning to make strange, playful work. She also advocates for artists' autonomy in a world shaped by A.I.

Discussion: @kcesq, @totalvibration, @newyorker, @joelvmills, @hollyherndon and @annawiener

Gene Maddaus / Variety:

Two SAG-AFTRA board members say they voted against the new contract because it did not have enough protections against AI, though they also had other concerns — Two members of the SAG-AFTRA board said they voted against the new contract because it does not do enough to protect actors against artificial intelligence.

Discussion: SAG-AFTRA, Collider, @ladykatebond, @ladykatebond, @ladykatebond, Wired, @alexwinter.com and KNSD-TV

Charlotte Klein / Vanity Fair:

A look at Jazmine Hughes' resignation, as sources say the NYT's guild has objected to the handling of the New York Times Magazine staff writer's resignation — The paper's guild has objected to the handling of award-winning journalist Jazmine Hughes's resignation, an episode that comes …

Discussion: @charlottetklein

Lili Bayer / The Guardian:

Slovakian journalists and watchdogs express alarm after Slovakia's new prime minister described some media outlets as hostile and warned of restricting access — Robert Fico describes leading broadcasters and newspapers as hostile and says they are ‘unwelcome guests at government office’

Discussion: The Kyiv Independent

Aisha Malik / TechCrunch:

YouTube adds enhanced bitrate 1080p video support, first available on iOS, to Android, the web, and smart TVs, and debuts achievement badges for users 18 and up — YouTube is expanding a few new features for premium users, the company announced on Wednesday.

Discussion: The Verge, more at Techmeme »