Top News:
Jesse Whittock / Deadline:
DLT Entertainment buys TV production company Juniper from BBC Chair Samir Shah, who was forced to step down from Juniper to avoid a conflict of interest — Financial terms of the deal weren't announced, but London-based DLT said the acquisition marked “a significant expansion of its portfolio in the factual programming space.”
Discussion:
Advanced Television
Neel Dhanesha / Nieman Lab:
Q&A with Ear Hustle's Earlonne Woods and Bruce Wallace on producing podcasts in prison, the expansion to a women's prison, creating a training program, and more — The studio, at the California Institution for Women, will bring more incarcerated women's voices to the podcast — and kickstart an ambitious training program.
Discussion:
@reportertracy
CNN:
A look at the five-person Gen Z team running Kamala Harris' TikTok account @KamalaHQ, capitalizing on the VP's viral moments and averaging 6M views per post — Vice President Kamala Harris, quoting her mother, told a group of newly sworn-in commissioners for a White House initiative …
Variety:
How David Zaslav's famously hard-nosed approach to negotiations has alienated contributors to WBD's cash flow, including advertisers, sports leagues, and more — In recent days, it's become clear that the pink glow from that box office juggernaut has long since faded.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @bristei and Business Insider
Patrick Brzeski / The Hollywood Reporter:
A look at Tving, a streaming JV between three South Korean media firms, which has 30% market share, viewership growth up 6% YoY in H1 2024, and 4.2M subscribers — Tving's share of premium video viewership in Korea grew in the first half of 2024, while Netflix's slipped, even though the global giant remained the market leader.
Sara Fischer / Axios:
NYT plans to launch a Wirecutter podcast on August 21; its deputy publisher says the brand drove $1B in commerce in 2023 and its newsletter has 2.5M subscribers — - “Wirecutter is not only branching out in terms of its business model, it's also branching out in terms of its platforms,” …
Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch:
President Biden speaks at the first White House Creator Economy Conference, with about 100 startup founders, industry stakeholders, and creators in attendance — At the first ever White House Creator Economy Conference, the most popular man to drop by was not a TikTok superstar or a YouTube sensation.
Discussion:
Fox News, Sky News, The Information, Tubefilter, New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox News, UPI, The Hill and Deadline, more at Techmeme »
Jordan Valinsky / CNN:
Docs: Disney seeks to dismiss a wrongful death suit because the widower agreed to arbitrate all disputes with the company when he signed up for a Disney+ trial — New York CNN — — A man suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for the wrongful death of his wife is facing a new legal hurdle …
Discussion:
The Guardian, BBC, The Verge, WWL-TV, @heavyspoilers, @geerlingguy, @robertfreundlaw, TMZ.com, @tomcoates, The Wrap, @justinwhang, @morningbrew, @cattailxc, Ars Technica, @bigblackjacobin, @alexandra_ewing, @discussingfilm, @investmentshulk, @buccocapital, Business Insider, @rowbyyt, @ethanofkrypton, AV Club, New York Post, Cord Cutters News, @rvbdrm.com, Los Angeles Times, The Mirror, Boing Boing, The Daily Beast, @jetton@mastodon.online, New York Daily News and @jon@henshaw.social
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
SEC filing: Lionsgate extends CEO Jon Feltheimer's contract for another five years through July 31, 2029 — The exec signed a new deal in 2020 and the indie studio has extended it for another five years through to July 31, 2029. — Lionsgate has extended longtime CEO Jon Feltheimer's contract …
Jess Weatherbed / The Verge:
Apple approves Spotify updating its app to show in-app pricing information for iPhone users in the EU starting today, after Spotify's yearslong legal battle — Spotify will begin showing in-app pricing information for iPhone users in the European Union starting today, following a yearslong legal battle against Apple.
Discussion:
Reuters, Digital Music News, Billboard, Daring Fireball, BGR, MacRumors and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Dara Kerr / NPR:
Meta shuts down CrowdTangle, less than three months before the US election, in favor of the Meta Content Library; Mozilla says 50K+ petitioned against the move — Meta has been bombarded by academics, researchers, politicians and regulators about a tool called CrowdTangle, which most people probably haven't heard of.
Discussion:
Twin Cities, @djandjava, @tbij, @louisstaples, @matthewgmull, @niamh_mcintyre, The Information, @whotargetsme, @leelum, MediaPost, Bloomberg and @BruceMirken@mas.to
Max Tani / @maxwelltani:
Memo: New York Public Radio CEO LaFontaine Oliver says WNYC plans to reduce staff by 8% “at minimum” before next month via layoffs or buyouts — WNYC is reducing staff by 8% “at minimum” before next month via layoffs/buyouts. In a memo this afternoon to staff, New York Public Radio CEO LaFontaine Oliver said “without swift action, we will soon face significant questions about our ability to continue to serve New York.”
Discussion:
@bgrueskin