Top News:
Reuters:
Some analysts say a WBD and Paramount merger would likely leave the companies “worse off”: billions deeper in debt and saddled with dying traditional TV assets — Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O) and Paramount Global (PARA.O) are likely to be “worse off” together as a merger …
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Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
A look at the financial pressures on National Amusements and Paramount, as Shari Redstone weighs a sale of her family's controlling stake in National Amusements — She fought to keep control of her family's media empire. Now she's considering an exit as financial pressures mount.
Discussion:
Variety, @benmullin, Awful Announcing, Financial Times, TrekMovie.com and New York Post
Arlene Getz / Committee to Protect Journalists:
At least 68 journalists have been killed in the first 10 weeks of the Israel-Hamas war, more than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year — More journalists have been killed in the first 10 weeks of the Israel-Gaza war than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year, according to CPJ data.
Discussion:
Committee to Protect …, Caitlin Johnstone, Mohamed Mandour on LinkedIn, @brianstelter, @pressfreedom, Voice of America, Sarika Bansal on LinkedIn, Peter Rinko on LinkedIn, Dr. Otilia Rocha Vieira on LinkedIn, Ayman Fahmy on LinkedIn, Reuters, The Guardian, Associated Press, Committee to Protect … and BBC
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
Lionsgate unveils a deal to spin off its studio business, comprising its TV and movie divisions and an 18K-title library, in a SPAC deal worth $4.6B — The Hollywood giant has tied up with a blank check company to create a separately traded public company and eventually separate its studio businesss from Starz.
Albany Times Union:
A hyperlocal site falsely reported a murder in Newburgh, New York, prompting a debate about its media ethics and the city's policy for handling media inquiries — A hyperlocal news site falsely reports a killing, and city officials pounce — NEWBURGH — On Dec. 4, a hyperlocal digital news site based …
Discussion:
@revkin and @brianstelter@threads.net
Lauren Leffer / Scientific American:
In five experiments, encouraging people to use search engines to evaluate the veracity of fake news posts increased the likelihood of them being rated as true — Data voids in search results can lead down rabbit holes that bolster belief in fake news — Politics
Discussion:
Nature
Ashley Joannou / Canadian Press:
Local News Research Project: 36 local news outlets closed in Canada from January 1 to December 1, 2023; 29 were community papers, 7 were private radio stations — Online News Act: Canada caps how much private broadcasters will get from Google deal — Jessica Wallace stood in Ottawa's Rideau Hall …
BBC:
Investigation: The DC Weekly, a Russia-linked “news” site using AI-written posts and “reporters” with fake names and photos, fueled false claims about Zelenskyy — A website founded by a former US Marine who now lives in Russia has fuelled a rumour that Volodymyr Zelensky purchased …
Discussion:
New York Daily News, @darrenlinvill, @darrenlinvill, @dhammikax, @darrenlinvill, @darrenlinvill, Enda Eames on LinkedIn, @tderyugina, @darrenlinvill, @clemsonhub, @mike_eckel, @plwarre, Mark Millot on LinkedIn, Bjørn Johan Berger on LinkedIn, @plwarre, @plwarre, @crisleemaza, @darrenlinvill, Associated Press, @plwarre, @juliadavisnews, @shawngoldwater@mstdn.ca, @yarkot@mastodon.social, @hanse_mina@nafo.uk, @rvps2001@mastodon.social and TigerPrints
Richard Lawler / The Verge:
Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie doubles down on not moderating Nazi content, after 200+ authors criticize the company for “platforming and monetizing Nazis” — More than 200 Substack authors asked the platform to explain why it's “platforming and monetizing Nazis,” …
Discussion:
The Popehat Report, Substack, @davezatz, @gartenberg, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @gerryconway, @timothyjchambers@threads.net, @aaronrosspowell@threads.net, @daveleebbg@threads.net, @ricmac@threads.net, @tchambers@indieweb.social, @matt@matthewbogart.com, @darylbaxter@mastodon.social, @A_C_McGregor@topspicy.social, @idoubtit@mstdn.social, @overholt@glammr.us, Substack, Substack, @dougiec3@libretooth.gr, @ernie.tedium.co, @jessdkant.bsky.social, @drskyskull.bsky.social, @jessdkant.bsky.social, @kevinnewburn.bsky.social, @bextraordinary.bsky.social, @hankgreen@threads.net, @wfnycraig@threads.net, @grantmcconnaughey@threads.net, @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social, @reckless1280@threads.net, @paul@oldfriends.live, @jessdkant.bsky.social, @jkottke@threads.net, @sepinwall.bsky.social, @foglandia@threads.net, @quillmatiq@threads.net, @sethcotlar.bsky.social, @sethcotlar.bsky.social, @sethcotlar.bsky.social, @adamserwer.bsky.social, @cmfederico.bsky.social, @glecharles@zirk.us, Writing Exchange, @leavittalone.bsky.social, @runwithskizzers.bsky.social, @melissagiragrant.com, @marisakabas.bsky.social and Reason, more at Techmeme »
Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
A jury awards VFX company Rearden ~$600K after finding Disney knew it could be infringing on copyright by using MOVA Contour software on Beauty and the Beast — The $600,000 award signals that jurors didn't attribute much of the film's success to use of Rearden's MOVA Contour.
Robinhood Newsroom:
Robinhood's Sherwood Media acquires UK-based Chartr Limited, a “data-driven media company and newsletter publisher”, to complement Sherwood's Snacks newsletter — Sherwood Media, LLC has added U.K.-based Chartr Limited, a data-driven media company and newsletter publisher …
Andrew Beaujon / Washingtonian:
The Washington Post Guild says “the company seems to have exceeded its buyout goal”, and it's unclear whether the Guild and management can reach a deal in 2023 — Managers “are attempting to bribe some colleagues to stay,” the Washington Post Guild told members Tuesday.
Discussion:
Fox News, CNN, New York Post, Talking Biz News and Poynter
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