Top News:
Will Sommer / Washington Post:
Most of the six members of Tenet's “talent” team claim they did not know the money they were paid allegedly came from Russia; Lauren Southern has not commented — Even some of the right-wing stars hired by the group last year wondered why it existed. Now, a new federal indictment claims it was a propaganda front.
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Ben Smith / Semafor:
Blaze Media's CEO says it has ended its contract with BlazeTV contributor Lauren Chen of Tenet Media, which is alleged to have been funded by Russia — The Scoop — A conservative American media company has fired one of the YouTubers implicated in an alleged Russian influence operation exposed …
CNN:
Source: Tenet Media is the Tennessee-based company the US DOJ alleges was being funded by Russia; Benny Johnson and Tim Pool say they were victims of the scheme
Discussion:
Reuters, @bennyjohnson, NBC News, Raw Story, CBS News, @ariehkovler, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, The Tennessean, @timcast, New York Daily News, The Daily Dot, @kenklippenstein, @youranonnews, @gravitysra1nbow, @ok_post_guy, @jayinkyiv, @mattgertz, Gizmodo, @luke_metro, Newser, @joohnchoe, Variety, @very__regular, @aridrennen@threads.net, @luke_metro, Rolling Stone, Mediaite, @igorsushko, @markhertling, @markhertling, @davidsacks, @joshtpm, @lawindsor, @jaredlholt, New Republic, @rob_lowy912, @cturnbull1968, @meidastouch, @joshtpm, @joshtpm, @heerjeet, @amydentata@tech.lgbt, @Doreen32128@universeodon.com, @deedotknudsen.bsky.social, @michaeldweiss, @nashvilleresist, @mattgertz, @mattgertz, @mattgertz, @ariehkovler, @ariehkovler, @ariehkovler, @lukeoneil47, @ariehkovler, @farhip, @taliaotg, @willsommer, @willsommer, @donie, @taylorlorenz, @joeperticone, @justinbaragona, @oneunderscore__, @andycat3, @capitolhunters, @capitolhunters, @bradmossesq, @alecluhn, @ariehkovler, @jaredlholt, @lopezmotorscars, @emptywheel, @itsmelissabrown, @itsmelissabrown, @itsmelissabrown, @aaronblake, @emptywheel, @emptywheel, @thejusticedept, @vastarien.bsky.social, @wxdylan.bsky.social, The Daily Beast, Associated Press, Mother Jones, NPR, @totallynomadic.bsky.social, The Tennessean, @texaspaulschroder@threads.net, @greg.doucette@threads.net, @greg.doucette@threads.net, HuffPost, @oldskoolguitar.bsky.social, New York Post, Tampa Free Press, @rjdeal.bsky.social, @furnace.bsky.social, @mollyknight.bsky.social, @crj418.bsky.social, @wiczipedia@threads.net, @wiczipedia@threads.net, @wiczipedia@threads.net, @wiczipedia@threads.net, @coachfinstock.bsky.social, @bangatank.bsky.social, @mathandstuff.bsky.social, @r.v.cx, @georebekahjones@threads.net, @striderhlc.bsky.social, @tommyg.bsky.social, @markbarrington.bsky.social, @franklinjay.bsky.social, @theferocity.bsky.social, Mediaite, @protecttruth@mastodon.online, Raw Story, New Republic, @metacurity@infosec.exchange, The Independent, The Daily Dot, @mollyknight.bsky.social and Talking Points Memo
New York Times:
The US sanctions five Russian news outlets including RT, sanctions RT's EIC, indicts two RT staffers, and seizes 32 domains, as it fights Russian influence
Discussion:
US Department of Justice, CNN, New York Post, @semaforben, Voice of America, @oneunderscore__, Wired, Washington Post, @oneunderscore__, @osullyville.bsky.social, Matthew Devost on LinkedIn, Wired, @skykiss@sfba.social, @kareemrifai, @eelarson, @eelarson, @eelarson, Adweek, @rolandsmartin, @willsommer, @lrozen, @sewingdilemma, @lrozen, @willsommer, @willsommer, US Department of Justice, @mtaibbi, @thetnholler, @yashar, NPR, @shanlonwu, @arictoler, @arictoler, @arictoler, @stevanzetti, @christogrozev, @alanfeuer, @alanfeuer, @muellershewrote, The Guardian, The Register, @1elizabeth_jacobs@threads.net, @info_rosalie@threads.net, @info_rosalie@threads.net, The Record, The Record, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Agence France-Presse, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Bloomberg, Associated Press, @waldoj@mastodon.social, @joeabodnar@threads.net, @renee.diresta@threads.net, UPI, @crispinburke@threads.net, @joeabodnar@threads.net, The Verge, BleepingComputer, CBS News, @renee.diresta@threads.net, CNBC, Axios, Engadget, Tampa Free Press, The Moscow Times, Reuters, USA Today, Nextgov/FCW, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @griffinkyle@threads.net and @griffinkyle@threads.net, more at Techmeme »
Christopher Palmeri / Bloomberg:
FCC filing: Larry Ellison will own 77.5% of National Amusements via a trust and series of corporations after his son David completes the purchase of Paramount — Paramount Global, the parent of CBS, will be controlled by software billionaire Larry Ellison after a group led by his son David completes …
Discussion:
Deadline, New York Times, The Information, Reuters, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Post, The Wrap, @pkafka, The Hill and @lucas_shaw
A.G. Sulzberger / Washington Post:
US politicians could curtail the free press using tactics common among some foreign leaders, but the press must resist being baited into taking a political side — Some foreign leaders have ruthlessly curtailed journalism. U.S. politicians could draw from their playbook.
Discussion:
The Hill, Newsbusters, Warwick Sabin on LinkedIn, Anne Applebaum on LinkedIn, @nxthompson, @froomkin, @scarylawyerguy, Nicholas Thompson on LinkedIn, @albertemartinez, @maloney4nassau, @robertbalkovich, @robertbalkovich, @jeffjarvis, @jeffjarvis, @robertbalkovich, @jeffjarvis, @bgrueskin, @brucewilson, @davmicrot@threads.net, @tomgara@threads.net, @kevinmkruse@threads.net, Campaign Trails, @brianstelter, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @brianstelter@threads.net, @mastodonmigration …, Fox News, @nytimespr, @dankennedy_nu@journa.host, Mediaite, @edmundlee@threads.net, CNN, Media Nation, @jackcarterbenjamin …, @KathyLK@universeodon.com, @SohanDsouza@mstdn.social, @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social and r/Journalism
Wall Street Journal:
Leaked Disney files include personal data of some staff and customers and show that Disney+ had $2.4B+ revenue in Disney's March quarter, or ~43% of DTC revenue — Data trove sheds light on entertainment giant's operations, and exposes personal data of some staff and customers
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
YouTube announces AI detection tools to protect against copying creators' likeness, including their faces and voices, and plans to offer AI scraping controls — YouTube on Thursday announced a new set of AI detection tools to protect creators, including artists, actors …
Clay Risen / New York Times:
J. Richard Munro, who was Time's CEO from 1980 to 1990 and led the publication through its acquisition of Warner Communications, died on August 11 at age 93 — As president and C.E.O., he expanded Time Inc.'s offerings, fended off a hostile takeover and built the world's largest media company.
Discussion:
BNN Bloomberg and Deadline
Dan Milmo / The Guardian:
YouTube begins limiting repeated video recommendations about fitness levels, body weights, physical features, and more to teens globally, expanding from the US — Platform will ensure algorithms do not keep pushing similar content to young viewers, even though it does not breach guidelines
Discussion:
YouTube Official Blog, Alison Lomax on LinkedIn, TechCrunch, The Wrap, @svenvd_zee, Tubefilter, Engadget, UPI, BBC, MediaPost and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post:
Mehdi Hasan's Zeteo News, launched in April, has 31K paid subs, including more than 1,000 at the $500+ “founder” level, accounting for ~$3M in annual revenue — The former MSNBC host's Substack-based Zeteo News has 31,000 paid subscribers and $3 million in annual revenue in just four months
Discussion:
@simondowens@threads.net, @jeremymbarr, @brianstelter and TVNewsCheck
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The Guardian's CFO says the outlet plans to start making product recommendations with the aim of diversifying revenue through affiliate links — The Guardian is preparing to launch an e-commerce platform as it continues to look for new areas of revenue diversification.
Discussion:
@baekdal and Stephen Hurrell on LinkedIn
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
The Salt Lake Tribune's first annual report shows $15.3M in 2023 revenue and $779K net profit; in July 2024, it had 9K print subscribers and 30K digital — The first daily newspaper in the U.S. to become a nonprofit has published a refreshingly readable and transparent annual report.
Discussion:
Dave Patel on LinkedIn and What Works
Mark Savage / BBC:
Spotify wins a long-running, complicated music rights case in US district court, where Eminem publisher Eight Mile Style claimed Spotify lacked proper licenses — Spotify has won a long-running court case, in which it was accused of streaming Eminem's music without permission.
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, Billboard and Music Business Worldwide
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