Top News:
New York Times:
Sources: UK police saw Will Lewis as an impediment to their phone hacking investigation; plaintiffs say Lewis gave the “green light” to delete News Corp. emails — Will Lewis, now the publisher of the Washington Post, was in full crisis mode in 2011.
Discussion:
@chrchristensen, @bgrueskin, @jswatz_tx@threads.net, @lizzieohreally, @harrymccracken@mastodon …, @edmundlee and @jo_becker
RELATED:
Washington Post:
WaPo and The News Movement, in which Will Lewis holds a stake, agreed in recent months to pursue brand partnerships; TNM made two major pitches involving WaPo
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Politico, @obrien_kat@mastodon.world, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @davidbeard@threads.net, @farhip, @farhip, @ianshapira, @dastonerl, @davidrlurie, @zackstanton, Diane Ravitch's blog, Financial Times, @noahshachtman@threads.net, @yonetteajoseph@threads.net, The Daily Beast, The Atlantic, @lpolgreen@threads.net and Media Nation
Dave Collins / Associated Press:
A US bankruptcy court trustee discloses plans to shut down Infowars and liquidate its assets to help pay the $1.5B in lawsuit judgments that Alex Jones owes — A U.S. bankruptcy court trustee is planning to shut down conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars media platform and liquidate …
Discussion:
Axios, CNN, Washington Examiner, The Guardian, The Daily Beast, Mediaite, New Republic and @rpsagainsttrump
Mia Sato / The Verge:
The RIAA files two copyright-infringement cases against the AI music services Suno and Udio; Udio was used to create the viral song BBL Drizzy — A group of record labels including the big three — Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Records …
Discussion:
Engadget, MediaPost, Bloomberg, The Register, @carnage4life, Reuters, @abelowrob, The Wrap, @robertfreundlaw, @riaa, @tb_num, @mitch_glazier, @reckless1280@threads.net, @komaniecki_r, @jason_koebler, @future_of_music, @kerrymuzzey, @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social, @maximumadhd, @jess_miers, Music Business Worldwide, @riaa, Wall Street Journal, Digital Music News, @rachelmetz, Wired, Consequence, Rolling Stone, Billboard, @rahll, @rachelmetz, Drew Thurlow on LinkedIn, Variety, Music Ally, @emilylazar_sm, Ars Technica, @ednewtonrex, @lucas_shaw, @human_artistry, 404 Media, CMU, @dada_drummer, @patrickmoorhead, @human_artistry, @mattbelloni, @riaa, @justinebateman, CNN, @andybaio@xoxo.zone, Music Technology Policy, @johnpstrohm, @miasato.2@threads.net, @dada_drummer, @rachelmetz, @riaa, @riaa, Quartz, @carnage4life and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »
Dan Primack / Axios:
Filing: Vivek Ramaswamy's BuzzFeed stake grew to 8.9%; sources: Ramaswamy recently met Jonah Peretti and wants Patrick Bet-David and two others on the board — - Ramaswamy has continued to increase his stake, this morning disclosing that it's risen to 8.9%.
Discussion:
New York Post, Fox Business, @theclubmember04, Business Insider, @danprimack and @claytravis
RELATED:
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: BuzzFeed is struggling to sell Hot Ones owner First We Feast, which is profitable and has ~$30M revenue per year; interested parties balk at $70M price — - Several parties are interested but balk at $70 million price — Proceeds of about $50 million would help company pay off debt
NBC News:
Court docs: Julian Assange plans to plead guilty as part of a plea deal with the US, allowing him to go free after spending five years in a British prison — The WikiLeaks founder has been held in a prison outside London for the last five years and fought extradition to the United States.
Discussion:
Reuters, CNN, Mediaite, The Wrap, Mumbrella, CBS News, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, Rolling Stone, New York Times, Fox News, Deadline, The Verge, Gizmodo, Axios, New York Post, Reclaim The Net, New York Times, BBC, Politico, Associated Press, @robertkennedyjr, Bloomberg, @stella_assange, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, @jeffjarvis, @wikileaks, @mbrauchli@threads.net, @lemonslayer.bsky.social, The Register, @martinsfp@threads.net, ABC7, @joeo10@mastodon.sdf.org, @jamesrbuk, @jamesrbuk, @jamesrbuk, @lemonslayer.bsky.social, @benburgis, @autismcapital, @zcohencnn, @sgurman and Washington Examiner
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Prices of ad-free Paramount+ With Showtime plan will rise by $1 to $12.99/month, and of Paramount+ Essential plan with ads by $2 to $7.99, starting August 20 — As Paramount Global looks to push its streaming business into the black, it's hiking the prices for most Paramount+ plans later this summer.
Discussion:
The Verge, Los Angeles Times, The Desk, Gizmodo, Comic Book, Fox Business, Bloomberg, IndieWire, The Wrap, CNBC, Cord Cutters News, TVLine, ComingSoon.net, Deadline, BGR, Adweek, Engadget, The Streamable and Quartz
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
CNN is in charge of every aspect of Thursday's Biden-Trump debate, a major shift from previous years; rival channels will leave CNN's on-air watermark untouched — One network is in charge of every aspect of the Biden-Trump debate, a major shift from previous years. Tens of millions of viewers are expected to be watching.
Discussion:
Adweek, Politico, @protecttruth@mastodon.online, @scarylawyerguy, Poynter, @farhip, @katierogers, Gizmodo, @nminow@c.im, @matthewkeyslive, New York Post, @markjacob16, @bristei, The Hill, @fcchambers, @jeremymbarr, @kairyssdal, @ronfilipkowski, Washington Examiner, Mediaite and Los Angeles Times
RELATED:
Makena Kelly / Wired:
Some TikTok creators are hosting their own town halls with third-party candidates like RFK Jr., bypassing mainstream media and often platforming conspiracies — TikTok creators are hosting their own town halls with third-party candidates, bypassing mainstream media and platforming conspiracies.
Discussion:
@kellymakena
Jesse Whittock / Deadline:
Sony Pictures Networks India names Disney+ Hotstar content chief Gaurav Banerjee as its new Managing Director and CEO — Sony Pictures Networks India has named Disney+ Hotstar content chief Gaurav Banerjee as its new Managing Director and CEO. — He'll replace N.P. Singh …
Discussion:
Variety and WORLD SCREEN
Todd Spangler / Variety:
MTV appears to have fully pulled down MTV News website, scrubbing two decades' worth of content from its archives; Paramount Global shut down MTV News in 2023 — Some two decades' worth of content published on MTVNews.com is no longer available after MTV appears to have fully pulled down the site.
Discussion:
@patrickhosken, The A.V. Club, @martinsfp@threads.net, @kalihays1@threads.net, @stephentotilo, @annetdonahue, @lakewitchhouse.bsky.social, @crystalbell, @greene.haus, @sam_piroton, @lymoula, @mirrorman.bsky.social, @jemaswad, @meelztv, @tirhakahlove, @jaytingle.bsky.social, @kashana.bsky.social, @hiattb, @brendonkleen14, @jhoffman, @film_girl, @smi.bsky.social and @kevdgrussing
New York Times:
Interviews with ~12 media executives, such as Brian Roberts, John Malone, Barry Diller, and Ted Sarandos, about the future of streaming, bundling, ads, and more — Who will survive? Die? Thrive? And how? We talked to nearly a dozen top media executives and asked them to predict what lies ahead.
Local Breaking News Reporter, DC — 
US Leveraged Finance Reporter, NY — 
Finance Editor, NY — 
Senior Associate Editor - Bankruptcy — 
Food & Nutrition Reporter - Ireland — 
Local News Editor, AR — 
Austin Scene Reporter, TX — 
Charleston Business Reporter, SC — 
Senior Editor, Remote US — 
Editor in Chief, NY — 
Graphics Reporter, CA — 
Sr. Writer - Games Dev & Tech — 
Computational Journalist, NY — 
EU News Editor, Remote Europe — 
Senior Editor - Editorial Review, DC — 
Senior Technology Reporter, Remote — 
Senior Business Reporter, ME — 
Reporter - China Economy, Singapore — 
Editor, MA — 
Managing Editor, NE — 
Senior Editor - Culture Desk — 
Political Reporter, LA — 
General Assignment Reporter, NV — 
California Governor Reporter, CA — 
Private Equity Reporter, NY — 
Multi Media Reporter, NC — 
Managing Editor, Remote US — 
Emerging News Reporter, NC — 
Staff Editor - News, CA — 
Short-Term Rental Reporter, Remote — 
Senior Tech Reporter, NY — 
State Editor, TX — 
Executive Editor, OR — 
Newsletter Reporter, Remote US — 
