Top News:
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Roku says hackers accessed ~576K accounts using credential stuffing, and made purchases in ~400 cases, after a similar breach affecting ~15K accounts in March — The new security incident was discovered a month after the company learned that 15,000 accounts were impacted in a similar breach.
Discussion:
Roku Blog, Variety, GB News, Tom's Guide, UPROXX, Digital Trends, CNN, CBS News, The Verge, BGR, Engadget, MobileSyrup, @ppatel@mstdn.social, The Streamable, Forbes, The Desk, Deadline, TechCrunch, Los Angeles Times, Next TV, The Wrap, Reuters and Cord Cutters News, more at Techmeme »
Jack Brewster / Wall Street Journal:
A case study of the creation of an AI-powered local “news” website, directed to produce partisan stories on a US Senate race; a Fiverr developer made it for $80 — I paid a website developer to create a fully automated, AI-generated ‘pink-slime’ news site, programmed to create false political stories.
Jaffer Zaidi / The Keyword:
Google tests removing links to CA news sites to measure the impact of the California Journalism Preservation Act and pauses investments in the CA news ecosystem — A pending bill in the California state legislature, the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA), would create a “link tax” …
Discussion:
Politico, CNBC, Matt Pearce, @megjameslat, @jason_kint, @noah__goldberg, @killedbygoogle, @raminskibba, @shelbygrad, @no_such_zone, @erika_d_smith, @jeffjarvis, @jason_kint, @newsguild, @adamkovac, The Mercury News, The Guardian, Orange County Register, Bloomberg, NPR, The NewsGuild, Whittier Daily News, The Wrap, @carnage4life@mas.to, Gizmodo, Sam Hoisington on LinkedIn, @mattdpearce@threads.net, Engadget, Los Angeles Times, Press Gazette, The Verge, Chris Krewson on LinkedIn and Free Press
Katherine Maher / NPR:
Memo: NPR's Katherine Maher says questioning whether NPR is living up to its mission is fair, but questioning staff integrity based on identity is disrespectful — The message below was sent by NPR's President and CEO to all staff: — Dear all, — This has been a long week.
Discussion:
@stphnfwlr, @fritschner, @amandabecker, @emptywheel, @ericdchenoweth, @yasminamer, @farhip, @stphnfwlr, @will_bunch, @benmullin, @serps, @fritschner, @fritschner, @isalara, @rjhintz, @rottenindenmark, @jayrosen_nyu, @mad_democracy, @fritschner, Fox News, Isabel Lara on LinkedIn, The Hill, The Daily Beast, @leilafadelnpr@threads.net, NPR, @scottdetrow_npr@threads.net, The Wrap, @jbouie.bsky.social and @edeggans.bsky.social
RELATED:
New York Times:
Uri Berliner's essay about NPR reignited criticism of the outlet on social media, especially by conservatives, and spurred vehement pushback from some staffers
Uri Berliner's essay about NPR reignited criticism of the outlet on social media, especially by conservatives, and spurred vehement pushback from some staffers
Discussion:
Fox News, @briankrebs@infosec.exchange, The Daily Caller, New York Post, @kalihays1@threads.net, The Verge, @brianmannadk, @brianmannadk, @brianmannadk, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @titonka, @jpederzane, @shannonpareil@threads.net, @shannonpareil@threads.net, @emilybellnyc@threads.net, @anildash@threads.net, @micah_loewinger@threads.net, @lpolgreen@threads.net, New York Magazine, @jbouie@threads.net, @jbouie@threads.net, @matt.bachand@threads.net, @greenloopstore@threads.net, @digiphile@threads.net, @digiphile@threads.net, @digiphile@threads.net, @jenniferschulzechi …, @dankennedy_nu@threads.net, @maxkennerly.bsky.social, The Hill, Media Nation and CNN
Elizabeth Jensen / New York Times:
Robert MacNeil, who anchored evening newscasts for over two decades on PBS and delivered evenhanded, non-flashy news with Jim Lehrer, dies at 93 — With his longtime co-host Jim Lehrer, he delivered thoughtful reports that stood in stark contrast to the commercial networks' ever more sensational newscasts.
Discussion:
@judywoodruff, Washington Post, Variety, Deadline, Adweek, @OwenK@fosstodon.org, @jbflint, @hannahbloch1@threads.net, The Hollywood Reporter, Current, PBS NewsHour, The Wrap, @newshour@threads.net, @newshour@threads.net, @newshour@threads.net, @sherrilynifill@threads.net, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, CNN, The Daily Caller, Newser, TVNewsCheck, The Hill, Media Nation and CBS News
Sherwood News:
Twitch has become a major Spanish-language platform, with streamers like TheGrefg and Ibai Llanos hosting live sporting events that attract massive audiences — Spanish streamers are redefining Twitch's relationship to traditional media. — One of the most interesting stories our data …
Discussion:
New York Times and @joshuatopolsky
Bloomberg:
Adobe used images created by tools like Midjourney and uploaded to its stock marketplace by users to train Firefly; Adobe says ~5% of images were AI-generated — Company promotes its tool as safe from content scraped from the internet. — When Adobe Inc. released its Firefly image-generating software …
Discussion:
Aaron Creighton on LinkedIn, Axel C. on LinkedIn, Brody Ford on LinkedIn and Tom's Guide
Media Matters for America:
A district court judge sides with Media Matters against Texas AG Ken Paxton, blocking Paxton's probe for now into the outlet's reporting on advertising on X — Media Matters President and CEO Angelo Carusone issued the following statement after Judge Amit Mehta of the United States District Court …
Reuters:
SAG-AFTRA reaches a tentative deal with major record labels, including WMG and Sony Music Entertainment, that includes protections over the use of AI — Hollywood performers and media professionals have reached a tentative deal with major record labels such as Warner Music Group (WMG.O) …
Discussion:
SAG-AFTRA and The Drum, more at Techmeme »
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
A look at the NYT's upheaval over sensitive topics like the Israel-Gaza war and management's push to emphasize neutrality, including via a probe of staff leaks — After internal upheaval over coverage of sensitive topics like the Israel-Gaza war, management renews emphasis on independence and neutrality
Paul McLane / Radio World:
Audacy announces it is partnering with ElevenLabs, which uses AI to create and edit synthetic voices, to build a library of voices for listeners and ad clients — It announced a partnership with AI company ElevenLabs — One of the largest radio groups in the U.S. is escalating its use of synthetic voices.
Discussion:
Inside Radio, Audacy Inc. and RADIO ONLINE
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
A look at TikTok and Instagram videos that are really ads made to look like podcast clips, as some brands hire actors using podcast staging to convey authority — Brands like the validating veneer of the podcast look without having to pay premium prices for actual spots on shows — Welcome back to Soundbite.
Discussion:
@camwilsonreporter@threads.net, RAIN News, The Ankler and On Substack