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Sources: Paramount Global's board is preparing to fire CEO Bob Bakish as soon as Monday, after he lost the trust of controlling shareholder Shari Redstone — Bob Bakish, then president and chief executive officer of Viacom Inc., speaks during the Mobile World Congress Americas event in Los Angeles …
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Sources: Paramount Global's board is considering replacing CEO Bob Bakish with an “Office of the CEO” made up of division heads on an interim basis — Entertainment giant would install a committee of top executives to run an ‘Office of the CEO’ on an interim basis; no decision has been made on Bakish's future


Sources: Paramount is planning for what happens if no big deal happens, mulling cutting $2B in costs, selling BET and TV stations, starting a streaming JV, more — The storied Hollywood company behind ‘The Godfather’ faces its biggest battle yet as Shari Redstone's merger plans collide with shareholder fury and a CEO on the outs
Discussion:
@jtoonkel and @waystarcroixco


Some founders say TikTok ban won't impact creator economy startups much, as they have diversified across multiple platforms after Trump tried banning it in 2020 — ‘Two years ago, this would have been devastating’ — President Joe Biden signed a bill on Wednesday that could ban TikTok — for real this time.
Discussion:
@robertoblake, TIME, Traackr, Polygon and ICYMI, more at Techmeme »


Russia arrests two journalists, Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin, on “extremism” charges for allegedly working for a group founded by the late Alexei Navalny — Two Russian journalists were arrested by their government on “extremism” charges and ordered by courts there on Saturday …


Producers United, a grassroots group of 86 top Hollywood “career producers”, launches to advocate for reforms, including changing their fee structure — EXCLUSIVE: As signatories prepare to negotiate new deals with IATSE and Teamsters, it might seem like the last thing the town wants …
Discussion:
@mynette, @deadline, @ezhossington, @franklinleonard, @lynettehtaylor and New York Times


BBC presenter Liz Bonnin's likeness was used in an ad after the company running the campaign was tricked by a fake, likely AI-generated, version of her voice — Exclusive: Liz Bonnin's face used on insect repellant advert after deal negotiated via WhatsApp and voice notes generated by AI
Discussion:
The Overspill, @sammygecsoyler and Steve Gray on LinkedIn


Large protests outside the annual WHCD event condemned both the Western news' media coverage of the war in Gaza and President Biden's handling of the conflict — An election-year roast of President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents …
Discussion:
C-SPAN on YouTube, Axios, Reuters, Variety, New York Times, @cspan, @brianstelter@threads.net, Politico, @barakravid, @farnoushamiri, @anacabrera, @chuckmodi1, @sullycnbc, @curtishouck, @yarongalai, Vanity Fair, @cspan, @lukerussert, @tarasetmayer, @emiliepfrank, @brianstelter@threads.net, @chuckmodi1, Al Jazeera, @brianstelter@threads.net, @brianstelter, Adweek, Newser, @cspan, Mother Jones, @farnoushamiri, @curtishouck, @joeygarrison, @brianstelter, @curtishouck, @thebelaaz, @cspan, @chuckmodi1, @shutdown_dc, @curtishouck, Associated Press, Rolling Stone, Mediaite, New York Times, C-SPAN on YouTube, Deadline, Deadline, Vogue, The Hollywood Reporter, Agence France-Presse, The Daily Beast, The Wrap and The Hill


Meta, Alphabet, and Snap beat analysts' estimates in their Q1 results, showing acceleration in advertising growth after struggling to rebound from a dismal 2022 — A view of Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California, United States on March 23, 2024. — Advertising is so back.
Discussion:
The Media Leader, The Verge, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Ad Age, MediaPost and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »


Sources: Nicholas Carlson, who has been the global editor-in-chief of Business Insider since 2017, is expected to leave the publication later this summer — After a nine-month span in 2020, in which social media furors forced the resignations of editors at Condé Nast titles …


A look at the rise in video podcasts, as YouTube leads in podcast consumption in the US and companies invest in video to gain new audiences and boost ad revenue — To some, “video podcasts” are a contradiction in terms. That hasn't made them any less popular.
Discussion:
@uugwuu, @jaimeblack, Michael Rivo on LinkedIn and Ausha, more at Techmeme »


An Iranian court sentences rapper Toomaj Salehi to death over songs criticizing the Iranian government; the Recording Academy and others denounced the decision — The Recording Academy, Meek Mill and more artists have denounced Salehi's sentencing. — Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi …
Discussion:
@recordingacad, @meekmill, @usenvoyiran, @meekmill, @hrw, @smohyeddin, @yashar, @un_spexperts, @irandetainees, @repritchie, @mdubowitz, @amnesty, @hosseinronaghi, @ichri, @elicalebon, @indexcensorship, @nufdiran, @jerusalem_post, @jasonmbrodsky, @calisdi, @iophrpress, @jakesullivan46, @michael_lipin, @nufdiran, Jerusalem Post, Human Rights Watch, Index on Censorship, Yashar Ali, OHCHR, Deadline, Reclaim The Net, Rolling Stone, MENASource, The Sun and The Sun