Top News:
Paul Sawers / TechCrunch:
Spotify pulls support for two music festivals in France, in protest against a new tax that would impose a levy of 1.5% to 1.75% on all music streaming services — Spotify is pulling support for two music festivals in protest against a controversial new tax directed at music-streaming platforms operating …
Discussion:
NME and Digital Music News, more at Techmeme »
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
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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
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
Discussion:
The Verge, Ars Technica, Adweek, Daring Fireball, The Wrap, Deadline, Variety, Insider Intelligence, Vanity Fair, Fast Company, KEYT-TV, @bruienne@infosec.exchange, Broadband TV News, Barrett Media, CNBC, TVLine, TrekMovie.com, Sports Media Watch, The A.V. Club, ScreenRant, ComingSoon.net and The Desk
New York Times:
Sources: Apple discussed multiyear deals worth $50M+ with publishers including NBC News, Condé Nast, and IAC to train its generative AI systems on news articles — The company has discussed multiyear deals worth at least $50 million to train its generative A.I. systems on publishers' news articles.
Discussion:
MacRumors, 9to5Mac and @benmullin, more at Techmeme »
Tory Shepherd / The Guardian:
Australian ABC radio journalist Antoinette Lattouf files an unlawful termination claim, saying she was fired over her social media posts on the Israel-Hamas war — Journalist's submission seeks a declaration the ABC breached the Fair Work Act, compensation and a penalty for the broadcaster
Discussion:
Mumbrella, Sydney Morning Herald, @Qldaah@aus.social, Mumbrella, Crikey and ABC
Liam Reilly / CNN:
The Washington Post Guild reaches a tentative deal for a new contract, guaranteeing employee rights, securing raises, and nearly doubling salary floors — The Washington Post Guild, the union that represents roughly 1,000 of the newspaper's staffers, reached a tentative agreement Friday …
Discussion:
@postguild, New York Times, The Hill, @postguild, Fox News, Reuters, Washingtonian, @maxwelltani, @postguild and The Daily Beast
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
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.
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:
Substack, The Popehat Report, @zitron.bsky.social, @ryanvis@a2mi.social, @paul@oldfriends.live, @gerryconway, @davezatz, @gartenberg, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @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, @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
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 …
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, Reporters Without Borders, Washington Post, @brianstelter, @pressfreedom, Mohamed Mandour on LinkedIn, Associated Press, Voice of America, Sarika Bansal on LinkedIn, Peter Rinko on LinkedIn, Dr. Otilia Rocha Vieira on LinkedIn, Ayman Fahmy on LinkedIn, Reuters, The Guardian, Committee to Protect … and BBC
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:
@michellemanafy@journa.host and Nature
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:
@darrenlinvill, @darrenlinvill, @dhammikax, @darrenlinvill, @darrenlinvill, @tderyugina, @darrenlinvill, @clemsonhub, @mike_eckel, @plwarre, @plwarre, @plwarre, @crisleemaza, New York Daily News, @darrenlinvill, @plwarre, @juliadavisnews, Enda Eames on LinkedIn, Mark Millot on LinkedIn, Bjørn Johan Berger on LinkedIn, Associated Press, @shawngoldwater@mstdn.ca, @yarkot@mastodon.social, @hanse_mina@nafo.uk, @rvps2001@mastodon.social and TigerPrints