Mediagazer: Sources: Disney and Reliance signed a non-binding term sheet last week to merge their media operations in India, with Reliance paying for a majority 51% stake (The Economic Times)

12:50 PM ET, December 26, 2023

Top News:

Gene Maddaus / Variety:

The earliest versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse enter the public domain on January 1, as Disney's copyright suits have slowed to a trickle in recent years — Dan O'Neill was 53 years ahead of his time. … In his underground comic book, “Air Pirates Funnies,” the lovable mouse …

Jennifer Jenkins / Duke University School of Law:

Books, movies, and music from 1928 and sound recordings from 1923 enter the US public domain on January 1; works include D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover — Director, Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain — Please note that this site is only about US law; the copyright terms in other countries may be different.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, @doctorow, @dukecspd, @doctorow, @internetarchive, @JMarkOckerbloom … and @biz

The Economic Times:

Sources: Disney and Reliance signed a non-binding term sheet last week to merge their media operations in India, with Reliance paying for a majority 51% stake — Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive brought back in July by chief executive Bob Iger as an adviser to help him navigate …

Discussion: The Streamable, The Wrap, CNBC-TV18, Reuters, Media Play News, @xshenoy, BizzBuzz, @datta_arvind, SwarajyaMag, Times of India, @ishanagarwal24, @indiansportsott, @nycknp, India Today, @stufflistings, Arijit Barman on LinkedIn, Business Today and Hindustan Times

Maris Kreizman / New York Times:

Goodreads' current combative culture is antithetical to the spirit in which the service began, and fixing that requires more human moderation to monitor users — If you have not kept up with the latest scandal in the world of young adult publishing, it is a doozy.

Discussion: @derekkrissoff, @joshgondelman, @mariskreizman, @mariskreizman, @jenreadsromance, @harikunzru, @contemptonly, @mattzollerseitz, @mariskreizman, @rhappe@threads.net and @raisingself@threads.net

New York Times:

Skyhorse Publishing, known for releasing books other houses consider too controversial to publish, signs a deal to buy conservative press Regnery Publishing — An independent publishing company known for releasing books with opposing political viewpoints is buying Regnery, a well-known conservative press.

Discussion: Publishers Lunch and Publishers Weekly

The Information:

Sources: Reddit expects 2023 ad revenue to grow 20%+ YoY to slightly over $800M; a source says Reddit was not profitable through the first nine months of 2023 — If the market for initial public offerings recovers in the new year, one company that aims to go public early on is Reddit.

Discussion: The Verge, @nickit_s@threads.net, @carnage4life@mas.to and @trace_cohen

Helen Davidson / The Guardian:

An interview with Sebastien Lai about his father and media tycoon Jimmy Lai's sham trial, how Hong Kong “weaponized the law” to shut down Apple Daily, and more — Sebastien Lai hasn't spoken to his father in three years, but says he supports the stance the veteran pro-democracy activist has taken

Discussion: @heguisen

@apnewsguild:

The AP News Guild reaches an agreement on a three-year deal after 19+ months of bargaining, securing raises and protection against “riskier aspects” of AI — After more than 19 months of bargaining, the @APNewsGuild has reached an agreement with @AP on a three-year deal. [image]

Discussion: @bobbycalvan, @mikesisak, @wandrme, @kkruesi, @mikesisak, @kkruesi and The Hill

Ethan Zuckerman:

A study estimates that there are 13.3B+ videos on YouTube, of which 4B+ were posted to the platform in 2023, and the median YouTube video has 39 views — I got interested in this question a few years ago, when I started writing about the “denominator problem”.

Stephanie Sugars / U.S. Press Freedom Tracker:

A look at instances of the US criminalizing routine journalism in 2023, from arrests or detainments to courts demanding that journalists identify their sources — Stephanie Sugars from Freedom of the Press Foundation — Charges criminalized routine newsgathering, from seeking comment to protecting sources

Discussion: Reuters Institute, @uspresstracker, @uspresstracker and @robert_gerhardt