Top News:
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 …
Discussion:
@Myerman@toot.bldrweb.org
RELATED:
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 — The unnamed Tennessee-based company that the Justice Department alleges was being funded by Russian operatives working as part …
Discussion:
@bennyjohnson, Variety, NBC News, CBS News, Mediaite, The Tennessean, Newser, Gizmodo, @jayinkyiv, Boing Boing, The Daily Dot, @ariehkovler, Forbes, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, @ariehkovler, @igorsushko, @kenklippenstein, @amydentata@tech.lgbt, @taliaotg, @youranonnews, @deedotknudsen.bsky.social, @davidsacks, @vastarien.bsky.social, @mattgertz, @ariehkovler, @mattgertz, @ariehkovler, @lawindsor, @willsommer, @gravitysra1nbow, @ok_post_guy, @joshtpm, @nashvilleresist, @michaeldweiss, @markhertling, @meidastouch, @markhertling, @mattgertz, @rob_lowy912, @jaredlholt, @joshtpm, @joshtpm, @luke_metro, @willsommer, @heerjeet, @joohnchoe, @very__regular, @lukeoneil47, @Doreen32128@universeodon.com, @ariehkovler, @farhip, @mattgertz, @cturnbull1968, @luke_metro, @wxdylan.bsky.social, @donie, @taylorlorenz, @joeperticone, @justinbaragona, @oneunderscore__, @andycat3, @capitolhunters, @capitolhunters, @bradmossesq, @timcast, @alecluhn, @ariehkovler, @jaredlholt, @lopezmotorscars, @emptywheel, @itsmelissabrown, @itsmelissabrown, @itsmelissabrown, @aaronblake, Associated Press, @emptywheel, @emptywheel, Mother Jones, @thejusticedept, NPR, @totallynomadic.bsky.social, The Tennessean, @texaspaulschroder@threads.net, @greg.doucette@threads.net, @greg.doucette@threads.net, HuffPost, The Hollywood Reporter, @oldskoolguitar.bsky.social, New York Post, Tampa Free Press, The Guardian, @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, Voice of America, Mediaite, Semafor, @osullyville.bsky.social, @oneunderscore__, @oneunderscore__, Wired, @semaforben, Adweek, US Department of Justice, NPR, @eelarson, @kareemrifai, @eelarson, @eelarson, @rolandsmartin, @willsommer, @lrozen, @sewingdilemma, @lrozen, @willsommer, @willsommer, @mtaibbi, @thetnholler, @yashar, The Guardian, @shanlonwu, @arictoler, @arictoler, @arictoler, @stevanzetti, @christogrozev, @alanfeuer, @alanfeuer, @muellershewrote, 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, CBS News, @crispinburke@threads.net, @joeabodnar@threads.net, The Verge, BleepingComputer, @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 and Fox News, more at Techmeme »
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
Discussion:
The Streamable, The Media Leader, New York Post, Fox Business and Cord Cutters News
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 …
Discussion:
YouTube Official Blog, The Media Leader and The Hollywood Reporter
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
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 …
Discussion:
Reuters and New York Times
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Email: the FT US Guild says it has reached a tentative three-year deal setting minimum salaries at $75K; the contract still needs to be voted on by members — Journalists at the Financial Times (FT) have secured a pay deal, including a new minimum salary of $75,000 (£57,000), after almost two years of negotiations.
Discussion:
@newsguild, @coreypein.bsky.social, The NewsGuild and Talking Biz News
John Jurgensen / Wall Street Journal:
Filmmakers from the small budget, parallel world of faith-based entertainment are going mainstream, as Amazon, Netflix, and others focus on heartland viewers — Christian filmmakers have surprised the world with a series of box office hits. Their success could change the entertainment industry.
Discussion:
Luke Roush 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:
Media Nation
Helen Bushby / BBC:
The UK's CMA launches an investigation into whether the sale of Oasis tickets on Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law, including via “dynamic pricing” — The UK competition regulator has launched an investigation into the sale of Oasis tickets, including the use of “dynamic pricing”.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, CNN, Variety, Billboard, UPI, GOV.UK, @gergelyorosz, @deandunham, @cmagovuk, @daviddavismp, London Evening Standard, CMU, NME, The Guardian, Music Business Worldwide, Engadget, WATN, The Sun, Financial Times, NBC News, Politico, KXTV, Press Association and Big Issue, more at Techmeme »
Maia Coleman / New York Times:
US prosecutors charge a man for allegedly using AI to create hundreds of thousands of songs and using bots to play them and get $10M in streaming royalties — Federal prosecutors charged a North Carolina musician with gaming the system to win royalties from streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.