Top News:
CNBC:
Paramount leadership presents a plan that includes job cuts, a potential streaming JV, and divesting non-core assets if a sale of the company doesn't happen — The current leadership of Paramount Global presented a go-forward plan at the company's annual shareholder meeting Tuesday in the event a sale of the company doesn't happen.
Discussion:
IndieWire, Reuters, The Information, Axios, The Hollywood Reporter, @allie_canal, @allie_canal and @sherman4949
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Lillian Rizzo / CNBC:
Source: Paramount and Skydance agree to the terms of a merger, which will likely be announced in the coming days; Shari Redstone still needs to sign the deal
Source: Paramount and Skydance agree to the terms of a merger, which will likely be announced in the coming days; Shari Redstone still needs to sign the deal
Discussion:
Variety, Deadline, CNBC, Front Office Sports, The Wrap, @tvgrimreaper, Fast Company, The Desk, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, World of Reel, The Information, Barrett Media, SlashFilm, The Streamable, New York Post, Media Play News, Business Insider, Mediaite, Advanced Television, New York Times and Wall Street Journal
Matt Stieb / New York Magazine:
US prosecutors charge The Epoch Times' CFO Bill Guan with conspiracy to commit money laundering for allegedly moving at least $67M in illegally obtained funds — One of the strangest stories in media over the past decade is the Epoch Times, a formerly free newspaper distributed on the streets …
Discussion:
US Department of Justice, New York Post, The Guardian, @brandyzadrozny, @will_bunch, @brandyzadrozny, New York Times, @brandyzadrozny, @justinbaragona, @trueanonpod, @davidgerard, @daveweigel, @bryson_m, Al Jazeera, @jaredlholt, @emilybell, Associated Press, @scottnover, Rolling Stone, @semaforben, NPR, @annamerlan, Business Insider, Courthouse News Service, @howelloneill@infosec.exchange, @jbillinson@threads.net, The Daily Beast, @kurtsh@mastodon.social, Mediaite and @nickheer@c.im
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
A profile of Robert Winnett, the low-key, scoop-obsessed UK editor who will take charge of WaPo's newsroom this fall after 17 years at The Telegraph — Robert Winnett is virtually unknown in the U.S. and keeps a low profile in his native Britain, too. This fall, he will oversee the newsroom of Woodward and Bernstein.
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Media Leader, @grynbaum, @benmullin, The Desk, Press Gazette, The Guardian, Talking Biz News and Washington Post
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New York Times:
Source: Will Lewis told Sally Buzbee she could run one of the new WaPo divisions, in what would've been an effective demotion for her; Buzbee chafed at the idea
Source: Will Lewis told Sally Buzbee she could run one of the new WaPo divisions, in what would've been an effective demotion for her; Buzbee chafed at the idea
Washington Post:
A WaPo staff meeting to introduce new top editor Matt Murray turned contentious when staff questioned CEO William Lewis about Sally Buzbee's abrupt replacement
A WaPo staff meeting to introduce new top editor Matt Murray turned contentious when staff questioned CEO William Lewis about Sally Buzbee's abrupt replacement
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Associated Press, NPR, @brianstelter, Fox News, @genepark, @ericschultz, @angela_denker, @scotbertram, @vibinc, @jamesrbuk, @barbarahoff52, @maxwelltani, @nkulw, Mediaite, New York Post, @brianvastag@sciencemastodon …, The Wrap, @samlitzinger@journa.host, MediaPost, New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
WBD increases the price for Max's ad-free version from $15.99 to $16.99 per month and the Ultimate ad-free tier from $19.99 to $20.99 per month — Warner Bros. Discovery has increased the price for its ad-free versions of streamer Max just ahead of HBO's “House of the Dragon” Season 2 premiere on June 16.
Discussion:
The Verge, IndieWire, The Streamable, The Wrap, TVLine, Deadline, Next TV, The Hollywood Reporter, BGR, Cord Cutters News, @tvgrimreaper, @variety, Digital Trends, ComingSoon.net and CNN
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The WSJ introduced a multimillion-dollar brand advertising campaign on June 3, its first major brand campaign in years, focused on broadening subscriber appeal — - This is the Journal's first major brand campaign in years. … - The campaign tagline, “It's Your Business,” is meant to …
Discussion:
@jpodhoretz, @bobbybigwheel, @ericnewcomer, @jaycodon, @stevenjduffield, @mattrosoff, @pressgazette, @samueljscott, @sarafischer and @kantrowitz
Max Tani / @maxwelltani:
Memo: Ben Sherwood says Daily Beast EIC Tracy Connor is leaving; Hugh Dougherty, most recently Deputy Editor of The New York Post, will be new executive editor — NEW: In a note to Daily Beast staff, Ben Sherwood announces that EIC Tracy Connor is leaving. Hugh Dougherty is the publication's new executive editor. [image]
Discussion:
@blackamazon, @ajbauer, @lachcartwright, @jakeswearingen, @lisatozzi, @sambrodey, @jaredlholt and @loudmouthjulia
Wayne Ma / The Information:
Sources: Apple was in talks last year to debut Apple TV+ in China via a deal with China Mobile, which would make it the only US video streaming service in China — Apple was in talks last year to launch its Apple TV+ video streaming service in China via a deal with China Mobile …
Discussion:
AppleInsider, @niubi, @waynema and 9to5Mac
Rob Rose / Financial Times:
South Africa's MultiChoice recommends that shareholders accept Canal+'s buyout offer that values the company at $2.9B and will remain open until April 2025 — Takeover of Africa's largest pay-TV operator must overcome regulatory hurdles — Africa's largest pay-TV operator, MultiChoice …
Discussion:
Reuters, WORLD SCREEN, Advanced Television, Business Insider and Bloomberg
Brody Ford / Bloomberg:
Shutterstock CEO Paul Hennessy says the company's licensing business with AI companies made $104M in revenue in 2023 — - Reka AI is latest customer to announced deal with Shutterstock — OpenAI, Meta, among others using Shutterstock images for AI
Discussion:
@webjournalist.bsky.social and Brody Ford on LinkedIn
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Dinesh D'Souza's 2000 Mules, which Salem Media pulled from distribution only last week, is a case study in how appealing, lucrative falsehoods endure — “2000 Mules” is a case study in how appealing, lucrative falsehoods endure. — I was sitting at dinner with my editor in early 2022 …
Discussion:
@w7voa@journa.host, @pbump and Inside Radio
Jane Croft / The Guardian:
UK broadcasters like Channel 4 and ITV are taking stakes in early-stage digital companies, often by providing advertising airtime in return for equity — With advertisers slashing their spend, channels have found a new way to fill unsold ad space — When Kubos, a semiconductor company …
Discussion:
Diana Florescu on LinkedIn
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
Disney EMEA President Jan Koeppen says Disney spent £3.5B on production in the UK since 2019, including on 29 films; Netflix spent $6B in the UK in 2019 to 2023 — Disney has spent £3.5B ($4.5B) on production in the UK since 2019, EMEA boss Jan Koeppen has revealed.
Discussion:
Variety and The Hollywood Reporter
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Antenna: Spotify users are the least likely to cancel among major video or audio streaming services in the US, with a ~2% monthly churn rate, similar to Netflix — Its customers are the least likely to cancel among major video or audio streaming services. — Good afternoon from Chicago …
Discussion:
Music Ally, @lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw, The Information and Deadline, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Tom Warren / The Verge:
Spotify plans to raise US prices: Premium from $10.99 to $11.99 per month, Duo from $14.99 to $16.99, and Family from $16.99 to $19.99, after a July 2023 hike
Spotify plans to raise US prices: Premium from $10.99 to $11.99 per month, Duo from $14.99 to $16.99, and Family from $16.99 to $19.99, after a July 2023 hike
Discussion:
Spotify, The Hill, 9to5Google, @ccm_brett, @radnorcapital, @film_girl, The Hollywood Reporter, @alexweprin, @tomwarren, The Desk, Engadget, BGR, CBS News, Gizmodo, Bloomberg, The Media Leader, Micah Willbrand on LinkedIn, CNBC, Digital Trends, Variety, Music Ally, 9to5Mac, The Wrap, TechCrunch and KTVX-TV
New York Times:
The Monday night shows of Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart are luring viewers back to basic cable, a sign of the staying power of established TV personalities — Once a week, Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart are luring viewers back to basic cable. — Liberal TV viewers have a new mantra: T.G.I.M.!
Discussion:
@johnnydollar01, @johnnydollar01, HuffPost, Liza Burnett Fefferman on LinkedIn, Rolling Stone and LateNighter