Top News:


Sources: the NBA is closing in on deals with NBC, ESPN, and Amazon that would bring in ~$76B in media revenue over 11 years; the deals will include WNBA rights — The National Basketball Association entered its first TV negotiations in a decade with a problem: Its main business partners seemed to be on shaky footing.
Discussion:
The Desk, Adweek, Los Angeles Times, Amol Sharma on LinkedIn, Front Office Sports, Business Insider, Vibe, Next TV, Awful Announcing, @morningbrew, @asharma, @benfritz, @jbflint, @jbflint, @patrick1kennedy, @webbarr, Christian Grece on LinkedIn, @asharma, ESPN Press Room U.S., Cord Cutters News, Barrett Media, @jbflint, @benfritz, The Wrap, Chris Pfaff on LinkedIn, New York Post, Sports Media Watch, Media Play News and The Ringer


CEO Nicholas Thompson shares why The Atlantic partnered with OpenAI: publishers can benefit from tech platforms, as long as they avoid becoming wholly dependent — Shortly before The Atlantic announced “a product and content” partnership with OpenAI, the magazine published a piece …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, LinkedIn, @sarahscire, @jessicalessin, Business Insider and MIT Technology Review


Bloomberg Media unveils product updates, including more deep-dive long reads on Businessweek, set to become a monthly in July, and reports 540K subscribers — Bloomberg Media is betting on increased website functionality and deeper reporting to keep it ahead of generative AI-based information providers.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News and Dominic Ponsford on LinkedIn


China-linked app NewsBreak used AI to write 40+ inaccurate local US stories since 2021 and in March added a note that its content “may not always be error-free” — Last Christmas Eve, NewsBreak, a free app with roots in China that is the most downloaded news app in the United States …
Discussion:
@wexler, @niubi, @nastyoldwomyn, @reuters, @reuters, @robdecola, @pearswick, @reuters, @magneticcrow@catcatnya.com and @nanditab1


New Jersey's governor signs a bill overhauling state public records law; critics say the bill makes it harder for journalists and the public to get documents — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation on Wednesday overhauling access to the state's public records …
Discussion:
@lwvnj, Courthouse News Service, Politico, New Jersey Globe, @aclunj, @brizzyc and NewsGuild of New York


Five former colleagues of exiled Uyghur journalist Kasim Kashgar have been imprisoned in China's Xinjiang region, seemingly over their ties to the VOA reporter — Former colleagues of exiled Uyghur journalist Kasim Kashgar have been imprisoned in China's Xinjiang region …


An interview with Netflix VP of External Games Leanne Loombe about the popularity of interactive fiction games on the service, reality TV shows, and more — And while the “serious gamer” might be enticed by the pending arrival of The Case of the Golden Idol or Don't Starve Together …


Founder Shane Smith returns to Vice as Vice News EIC, but with no management responsibilities, and will host a series of shows and create social media content — Shane Smith is sorry, but not sorry. The 54-year-old co-founder of Vice Media said he has few regrets as he embarks on a new role …


YouTube plans to restrict some content pertaining to the real use of guns from viewers under 18 starting on June 18, a year after a watchdog group report — Last year, a nonprofit flagged gun-related videos recommended to children's accounts. — YouTube quietly snuck in a policy change …
Discussion:
The Hill and Associated Press, more at Techmeme »


Netflix plans to donate $1M to the Innocence Project to settle a defamation lawsuit by ex-prosecutor Linda Fairstein over a 2019 Central Park Five show — Netflix (NFLX.O) settled a defamation lawsuit brought by best-selling author and former Manhattan sex crimes prosecutor Linda Fairstein …
Discussion:
@theferocity.bsky.social, Vibe, UPI, The Wrap, Deadline, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Beast, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter


Substack adds the ability for writers to send videos to their subscribers via its direct messaging feature Chat — Newsletter platform Substack is introducing the ability for writers to send videos to their subscribers via Chat, its direct messaging feature, the company announced on Wednesday.
Discussion:
On Substack


Unions at eight Tribune publications including The Virginian-Pilot and Orlando Sentinel ratify their first contract with Alden after five years of talks — After five long years of negotiations between Alden Global Capital and a joint bargaining committee, journalists at eight Tribune …
Discussion:
@newsguild