Top News:
New York Times:
Sources: Barry Diller is exploring a bid to take control of Paramount; his digital media conglomerate, IAC, has signed NDAs with National Amusements — Mr. Diller, a digital media pioneer, lost a bidding war for Paramount Pictures decades ago. Now, he's making a run at its parent company.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @benmullin, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, @jbmp51, @webbarr, Forbes, @jgdean14, @davidgura, @davidkeithlaw, Los Angeles Times, @davidpoland, IndieWire, @susanlitv, TVNewsCheck, Deadline and Bloomberg
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Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Sources: Paramount Global is in discussions with other companies about merging Paramount+ with their streamers; WBD is interested in merging Max and Paramount+ — Paramount Global is holding talks with other entertainment companies about merging its Paramount+ streaming service with an existing platform.
Melanie Goodfellow / Deadline:
VFX company DNEG raised $200M from Abu Dhabi's UASG at a $2B valuation, to expand its division Brahma, which is developing an AI-powered, photo-real CGI creator — London-based The DNEG Group has secured a $200M capital injection from Abu Dhabi investment firm United Al Saqer Group (UASG).
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Proactive, Business Standard, @dneg, DNEG, @malhotra_namit and Financial Times
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Imagine Entertainment, led by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, is seeking a buyer after receiving some inbound interest from a potential suitor — Production company behind ‘Apollo 13’ is working with bankers to explore a sale — Imagine Entertainment, the Hollywood production company known …
Discussion:
Deadline, Variety, The Wrap and TVNewsCheck
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Terence Samuel, the editor-in-chief of USA Today, leaves the role after a year; Caren Bohan, the executive editor of politics, is named interim EIC — Terence Samuel, a veteran journalist, had been in the role for a year. — Terence Samuel, the editor in chief of USA Today …
Discussion:
USA Today, Poynter, The Wrap, @tatecurtis, @davidfolkenflik, @deggans, TVNewsCheck, @dankennedy_nu, @katie_robertson, MediaPost, The Hill and Deadline
Marc Schneider / Billboard:
Merck Mercuriadis plans to step down as the chairman of Hipgnosis Song Management after closing the proposed acquisition of Hipgnosis Songs Fund to Blackstone — The company's founder calls it the “right time” to “undertake a strategic shift of focus.” — Hipgnosis Song Management announced …
Discussion:
Digital Music News, Music Week and Music Business Worldwide
Sara Fischer / Axios:
CNBC launches a sports vertical as part of its broader plan to shift its editorial and business focus to cross-platform verticals led by subject-matter experts — - The company is expected to make more announcements about other topic areas soon. … - CNBC has hired sports valuation expert …
Discussion:
Variety, @bmccandless and CNBC Press Releases
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Ampere Analysis: in Q1 2024, Netflix and Amazon commissioned 53% of all original streaming titles globally, spurred by increased investment outside of the US — The growth comes from increased investment in international territories, according to Ampere Analysis
The Moscow Times:
Spotify has removed the songs and profiles of pro-war Russian artists sanctioned by the EU; their profiles remain accessible on Apple Music and YouTube — Music streaming service Spotify has removed the songs and profiles of pro-war Russian artists sanctioned by the West, the Sweden-based company told The Moscow Times on Thursday.
Discussion:
Music Ally, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Breitbart, @moscowtimes, @irgarner, Stereogum, Billboard, The Kyiv Independent, Consequence, Digital Music News and Hotpress
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
YouTube rolled out a policy change in June that lets people request the takedown of AI-generated or other synthetic content that simulates their face or voice — Meta is not the only company grappling with the rise in AI-generated content and how it affects its platform.
Discussion:
Shelly Palmer, @baekdal, Engadget, MEDIANAMA, Mashable and The Register, more at Techmeme »
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Meta changes its “Made with AI” label to “AI info”, to indicate images were not necessarily created with AI but that AI editing tools may have been used — After Meta started tagging photos with a “Made with AI” label in May, photographers complained …
Discussion:
The Verge, Fast Company and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Preliminary findings: the EU says Meta's pay or consent ad model breaches the DMA; Meta faces a fine of up to 10% of its global annual turnover if found guilty — Meta Platforms (META.O) was charged by EU antitrust regulators on Monday for failing to comply with landmark tech rules …
Discussion:
European Commission, The Guardian, MEDIANAMA, Music Ally, Wall Street Journal, The Overspill, @thierrybreton, @eu_competition, The Register, @eu_commission, New York Post, @jason_kint, @benedictevans@threads.net, @edri@eupolicy.social, @andrewpardoe@threads.net, MarTech, @tjasa_pet, @florian4gamers, @vestager, @jefflonsdale, Benedict Evans on LinkedIn, @benedictevans@threads.net, The Information, AdExchanger, @beuc, @pernillet@mastodon.online, The Verge, @GottaLaff@mastodon.social, Quartz, @Jeremiah@alpaca.gold, Financial Times, @Frederik_Borgesius …, Wired, @Jeremiah@alpaca.gold, TechCrunch, @maik.zumstrull.net, CNN, Engadget and TVNewsCheck
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