Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
BuzzFeed sells Complex, acquired for $300M in 2021, to livestream shopping platform Ntwrk for $108.6M; BuzzFeed plans to lay off 16% of its workforce — - The Wall Street Journal reported that BuzzFeed is also looking to possibly sell its social media food brand Tasty.
Discussion:
Variety, The Guardian, Music Ally, The Hollywood Reporter, @benmullin, @jaycodon, @milkman__dead, @runciedan, @almighty_red, @iramadisonthree, CNN, Digital Music News, @natjarv, The Desk, New York Post, Newser, @nicholasadeleon, @sarafischer, The Hill, Deadline, Adweek, Music Business Worldwide, Semafor, @jalefkowit@octodon.social, The Information, Business Wire, The Wrap, Billboard and New York Times, more at Techmeme »
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Sources: Amazon plans to shut its FAST service Freevee in the coming weeks, as part of a broader effort to focus its ad and product efforts on Prime Video — The service has become redundant following the introduction of ads to Prime Video — Amazon is planning to sunset its free …
Discussion:
CarterMatt, @seriestalks, @webbarr, @takeshikitano3, @jackgen0vese, @imperfecttl, Dan Rayburn on LinkedIn, The Desk, The Streamable, 9to5Google, Deadline, UPROXX, TechHive, Geoff Clark on LinkedIn, Metro, The Information, TVLine, @markstenberg3@threads.net, Media Play News, Consequence and Appleosophy
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Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Amazon says there are “no changes” coming to Freevee, following reports that the company plans to shutter its FAST service in the coming weeks — The statement comes after AdWeek reported that the free, ad-supported streamer was shutting down — Amazon is pushing back against reports …
Discussion:
Fast Company, Broadband TV News, The Streamable, MediaPost, Media Play News, The A.V. Club, UPROXX, Variety and Cord Cutters News
Corbin Bolies / The Daily Beast:
Newsmax joins the New York Post's editorial board and other right-leaning outlets criticizing a pair of Florida bills making it easier to sue for defamation — The cable channel joins a growing list of right-wing outlets bashing Florida GOP legislation that takes square aim at the news media.
Discussion:
Raw Story, @aaron.rupar@threads.net, New York Post and Fox News
Amelia Pollard / Bloomberg:
Filing: a US court gives Audacy, the second-largest radio broadcaster in the US, approval to exit bankruptcy, slashing ~$1.7B of its debt in a restructuring — - Soros Fund Management slated to own largest stake in company — Firm to slash $1.7 billion of debt through restructuring plan
Discussion:
The Desk, Inside Radio and Radio & Television …
Josh Peck / TPR:
Journalists at Hearst's San Antonio Express-News and MySA.com say they intend to unionize, becoming the fourth Texas newsroom to announce a union effort in 2024 — Journalists at the San Antonio Express-News and MySA.com announced their intent to unionize on Wednesday …
Discussion:
@mediaguildwest, San Antonio Express-News, @susanrinkunas.com, The NewsGuild and MediaPost
Stanley Widianto / Reuters:
Meta says “we understand Meta will not be required to pay for news content that publishers voluntarily post to our platforms” in Indonesia under a new law — Facebook parent Meta Platforms (META.O) on Thursday said it believes that a new Indonesia law does not require …
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Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Instagram launches its marketplace tool to connect brands with creators for paid partnerships or ads in eight new countries, including India, Japan, and the UK — Instagram said today that it is expanding its marketplace tool to connect brands with creators for paid partnerships or ads in eight new countries.
Discussion:
B&T and Meta, more at Techmeme »
Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
The first trial in the death of a cinematographer on the set of Rust begins; weapons handler Hannah Gutierrez pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter — More than two years after Alec Baldwin fired the deadly shot, questions persist about who was responsible for the accidental death …
Discussion:
KTAR.com, @megjameslat, @megjameslat, NewsNation, UPI, KGW-TV, Rolling Stone, Raw Story, Reuters and Deadline
Lachlan Cartwright / The Hollywood Reporter:
A look at Dana Walden's reorganization of ABC News, which is an effort to stabilize the unit and showcase her mettle as a top decision-maker at Disney — Dana Walden undertakes a major shake-up at ABC News with hopes to stabilize the unit and showcase her mettle as a top decision-maker in Bob Iger's empire.
Discussion:
New York Post
Reuters:
Sources: Reddit has inked a deal with Google to make its content available for training the search giant's AI models; source: the contract is worth ~$60M a year — Social media platform Reddit has struck a deal with Google (GOOGL.O) to make its content available for training …
Discussion:
@annatonger, @reuters, @chirag_mehta, @reuters, @reuters, @toddlombardo, The Verge, @mrjnowlin, @basedtorba, @brij and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »
Kristen Hare / Poynter:
Press Forward, the philanthropic initiative to invest $500M over five years in local news, says 11 new communities have joined six established chapters — 11 more communities have joined the movement — On Wednesday, Press Forward announced an expansion of its local chapters at the opening of the Knight Media Forum.