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
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:
@bennyjohnson, NBC News, Chicago Sun Times, The Hollywood Reporter, CBS News, @ariehkovler, Forbes, @timcast, The Daily Dot, The Tennessean, New York Daily News, @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, New Republic, @joshtpm, @lawindsor, @jaredlholt, @rob_lowy912, @amydentata@tech.lgbt, @Doreen32128@universeodon.com, @cturnbull1968, @deedotknudsen.bsky.social, @meidastouch, @joshtpm, @joshtpm, @heerjeet, @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
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, Washington Post, Wired, Voice of America, @oneunderscore__, Matthew Devost on LinkedIn, @oneunderscore__, @osullyville.bsky.social, Wired, @skykiss@sfba.social, @kareemrifai, @eelarson, @eelarson, @eelarson, Adweek, @rolandsmartin, US Department of Justice, @willsommer, @lrozen, @sewingdilemma, @lrozen, @willsommer, @willsommer, @mtaibbi, NPR, @thetnholler, @yashar, @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, KXTV, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @griffinkyle@threads.net, @griffinkyle@threads.net, Semafor, Fox News and Mediaite, 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:
New York Times, Variety, The Information, The Hill, Reuters, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Post, @pkafka and @lucas_shaw
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
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, @nytimespr, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @brianstelter@threads.net, @mastodonmigration …, Fox News, @dankennedy_nu@journa.host, Mediaite, @edmundlee@threads.net, CNN, Media Nation, @jackcarterbenjamin …, @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social and r/Journalism
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 …
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, MediaPost, Tubefilter, BBC, Alison Lomax on LinkedIn, TechCrunch, The Wrap, @svenvd_zee, Engadget, UPI 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:
Billboard, Rolling Stone and Music Business Worldwide
Associated Press:
The US charges Dimitri Simes, a Russian-born US citizen and ex-Trump adviser, with working for a sanctioned Russian state TV network and laundering the proceeds — The U.S. government has charged a Russian-born U.S. citizen and former adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign …