Top News:
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Edgar Bronfman Jr. raises his Paramount bid to $6B, adding $1.7B to let non-Redstone, nonvoting Paramount shareholders cash out at $16 a share — The bid gives non-Redstone, nonvoting Paramount shareholders an option to sell shares at a premium — Edgar Bronfman Jr. has sweetened …
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Politico:
Google and the state of California strike a deal to jointly contribute $125M+ over five years to support local news; it also includes support for an AI project — The agreement includes funding for artificial intelligence, a technology many journalists fear could replace their jobs.
Discussion:
a14.asmdc.org, Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, Free Press, CalMatters, @jeffjarvis and @jeffjarvis, more at Techmeme »
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Editor and Publisher:
A draft plan circulating among California lawmakers and media leaders would create a Local News Fund with Google and state money, run by a board at UC Berkeley — Following years of legislative work, a draft deal between Google, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks …
Peter White / Deadline:
Sources: Chick-Fil-A plans to launch a slate of original media productions for its own streaming platform and has worked with studios on family-friendly shows — Deadline understands that the fast-food firm has been working with a number of major production companies, including some of the studios …
Discussion:
The Verge, The Media Leader, The Desk, SlashFilm, Vibe, Vanity Fair, Ars Technica, @kennysmith@mstdn.social, @LilahTovMoon@tech.lgbt, CBR, The Daily Beast, AV Club, @sleestak.bsky.social, Quartz, @deadline, Cord Cutters News, @mfg_iwpj, @acidrains.bsky.social, @deadline, Streaming Better, @c_a_huggins, @cafastfoodunion, @chrisvalentino0 and @deadline
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Rotten Tomatoes debuts a Verified Hot badge for films that have a Verified Audience Score of 90% or higher, among other requirements — Movies that are ‘Verified Hot’ by filmgoers will join those that are ‘Certified Fresh’ from critics, in a move meant to give more weight to consumer opinions …
Tommy Craggs / Bloomberg:
How the end of a federal ban on sports gambling transformed the way sports media is funded and changed what kind of stories get covered and published — The $10 billion industry transformed how sports media is funded—and written. — Few journalists embody the gambling industry's capture …
Discussion:
@ghaleonq, @patrickhayes_13, @tcraggs22, CommonWealth Beacon, @albertburneko, @kevinmdraper and @travis_waldron
Catherine Perloff / Adweek:
Sources and docs: Google sales reps have suggested advertisers target teens on YouTube via an “unknown” category, seemingly violating the company's policies — This activity is broader than the agreement between Google and Meta that the FT reported this month
Naomi LaChance / Rolling Stone:
Fact checkers' reviews of Democrats' statements about Trump have routinely botched the facts, earning one correction so far and an X Community Note — Fact checkers' reviews of DNC speeches about Trump have routinely botched the facts — earning one correction so far and a community note on X
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
Ormax Media estimates that India currently has 547M streaming users, or 38% of the population, up 14% YoY and driven by ad-supported streaming — The latest edition of Ormax Media's streaming audience research reveals significant growth in India's streaming landscape, albeit driven entirely by ad-supported viewership.
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Paramount and Canal+ unveil an updated deal under which Canal+ subscribers in France get Paramount+ at no additional cost — Under the updated deal, Canal+ subscribers can access Paramount+ at no additional cost, no matter which subscription plan they have.
Discussion:
Advanced Television, Marco Nobili on LinkedIn, Broadband TV News, Media Play News, WORLD SCREEN and Engadget
Salman Masood / New York Times:
Pakistan police charge a man who worked for news aggregator Channel3Now with cyberterrorism, accusing him of spreading misinfo about the Southport, UK, attacker — Local police sources indicated that the arrest was made at the request of the British authorities, although there was no official confirmation.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Washington Post, London Evening Standard, UPI, @marcowenjones, Reclaim The Net, @fascinatorfun and Reuters
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Disney's board names James Gorman, executive chairman of Morgan Stanley, as chair of a succession planning committee to identify Bob Iger's replacement as CEO — Gorman, who joined the Disney board earlier this year, oversaw the recent succession process at Morgan Stanley, where he had previously served as the firm's CEO.
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The Desk, The Wrap, Radio & Television …, Next TV, Los Angeles Times, The Information, Deadline and Bloomberg
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