Top News:
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Sources: Shari Redstone has held talks with Skydance to sell a controlling stake in National Amusements, the parent company of MTV, CBS, and Paramount's studio — Ms. Redstone waged a bitter battle for control of National Amusements, the parent company of MTV, CBS and the Paramount movie studio.
Discussion:
@pucknews, Puck, @benmullin and Mediaite
Dasha Litvinova / Associated Press:
Russia places journalist and author Masha Gessen on a wanted list after opening a criminal case on charges of spreading “false information” about Russia's army — Russian police have put prominent Russian-American journalist and author Masha Gessen on a wanted list after opening …
Shelby Talcott / Semafor:
Sources: NBC has demanded Donald Trump's campaign remove a video with audio deceptively edited to seem like it's from an NBC reporter after the third GOP debate — The Scoop — NBC News has demanded that Donald Trump's campaign remove a video that includes audio deceptively edited to seem …
Discussion:
@ben_orner
Associated Press:
X lifts the permanent ban on Infowars host Alex Jones, after Elon Musk conducted a 24-hour poll, resulting in 70.1% voting in favor of restoring Jones' account — Elon Musk has restored the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pointing to a poll on the social media platform formerly known …
Discussion:
Engadget, Washington Post, TechCrunch, The Hill, @elonmusk, USA Today, @goatburgler@threads.net, @oliverdarcy@threads.net, @epro.social, @shannonrwatts@threads.net, Rolling Stone, The Wrap, @cwarzel@threads.net, Mastodon, NPR, Fox News, @realjuddlegum@threads.net, @jaketapper, @adamkinzinger, @maryangelaperna, @keubikooriginal@threads.net, @ruthzknits@threads.net, @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social, @adnan.social, Vanity Fair, The Messenger, @oneunderscore__, @JoshuaHolland@mastodon.social, UPI, @noturtlesoup17@threads.net, @keubikooriginal@threads.net, @danny2462.bsky.social, @danprimack, @shayan86, @scottdagostino.bsky.social, @mmasnick.bsky.social, @moskov@threads.net, @karaswisher, @seth.abramson@threads.net, @LeslieBurns@legal.social, @benjysarlin, Mediaite, TMZ.com, @dankim312@threads.net, @kattenbarge.bsky.social, BizPac Review, @erosalie@infosec.exchange, @travisview.bsky.social, Newser, @bencollins.bsky.social, Axios, @carnage4life@threads.net, @shannonrwatts, CNBC, South China Morning Post, @anneapplebaum2000@threads.net, Reuters, @kenpopehat@threads.net, @mossbergwalt@threads.net, @mmasnick.bsky.social, @ian_bassin@threads.net, @danalarsen, @jnewberger@threads.net, @realjuddlegum@threads.net, @marceelias, @ianbetteridge@threads.net, @johnwilson, @oliverdarcy@threads.net, @carnage4life@threads.net, @karaswisher@threads.net, @vivekgramaswamy, @oliverdarcy@threads.net, @eliothiggins, @nntaleb, @jason, @david_leavitt, @karaswisher, @dsilverman@threads.net, @shannonrwatts@threads.net, CBS News, @John@socks.masto.host, @tapaseaswar@threads.net, @edzitron, @eliothiggins, @oliverdarcy@threads.net, @lorakolodny@threads.net, Reclaim The Net, B&T, @agoldmund, The Daily Beast, @damonimani, @benjamin_goggin_@threads.net, @caseynewton.bsky.social, @kenwhite.bsky.social, @Andy_European@mastodon.online, @UlrikeHahn@fediscience.org, @ariegoldshlager@mstdn.social, @davidakin@mstdn.ca, Reuters, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, New York Daily News, Variety, Boing Boing and New York Post, more at Techmeme »
John Koblin / New York Times:
USA Network and others, once rich with original scripted shows, now air endless reruns, part of a downward spiral increasingly leading advertisers to pull money — Many of the most popular channels have largely ditched original dramas and comedies, morphing into vessels for endless reruns.
Discussion:
Deadline and ScreenRant
Poynter:
Medill Journalism School's research shows that ~83% of the US counties with no news source or in danger of becoming a news desert voted for Donald Trump in 2020 — Strengthening local news would have broad civic benefits and could lead to happier, healthier communities, whether red, purple or blue.
Discussion:
Inside Radio, Local News Initiative, @stevenwaldman and @stevenwaldman
Washington Post:
Sources detail Disinfo Lab: run by an Indian intelligence officer and behind a covert influence operation on social media discrediting Narendra Modi's critics — NEW DELHI — Since 2020, an opaque organization calling itself the Disinfo Lab has published lengthy dossiers and social media posts claiming …
Discussion:
Foreign Affairs, more at Techmeme »
Oliver Barnes / Financial Times:
Source: MailOnline plans to put 10 to 15 articles behind a paywall daily, out of the nearly 1,500 published daily, in the UK, starting as early as January 2024 — One of world's most popular news sites to move towards ‘freemium’ model for UK readers — The publisher of the Daily Mail plans …
Discussion:
Telegraph
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Moonbug Entertainment, the studio behind CoComelon, plans to restructure, produce fewer CoComelon episodes in 2024, and slow down its spinoff channel creation — Not even the most popular kids show on YouTube (and Netflix) is immune to the media recession.
Penelope Green / New York Times:
Maria Emilia Martin, who founded Latino USA, now the longest-running public radio show in the country covering Latino communities, died on December 2 at 72 — As a radio journalist committed to the goal of representing all voices, she fought to tell the stories of Latino communities in the Americas.
Discussion:
NPR, NPR, @usccrcc, @latinousa, @nahj, @lcfgeorgia, @kut, @usccrcc, @nytimes, @juliancastro, @radioactive22, @latinousa, @mojazzart, Los Angeles Times, @hannahbloch1@threads.net, Los Angeles Times, Axios, @usccrcc@threads.net, @jenn1ferlyn@threads.net, NBC News, Current, Latino USA and Latino USA
Daphne Keller / @daphnehk:
[Thread] Texas' and Florida's online speech rules for platforms cannot be justified, as less restrictive tools that give users control over online content exist — There was an amazing outpouring of S. Ct. amicus briefs opposing Texas's and Florida's online speech regulations yesterday. Here's what mine's about. 1/
Mike Fleming Jr / Deadline:
Dave Robb, a longtime investigative reporter and considered the dean of the Hollywood labor beat who most recently worked for Deadline, died on December 8 at 74 — Longtime Deadline reporter Dave Robb has passed away at age 74. Considered the dean of the Hollywood labor beat …