Top News:
Ben Smith / Semafor:
Former SI and The Players' Tribune executives launch OffBall, a site, newsletter, and social feed with curated sports news from social media and other sources — The Scoop — A new brand is hoping to provide a hub for the booming conversation around the culture of sports.
New York Times:
Insiders detail how Bob Iger undermined and outmaneuvered Bob Chapek and returned to power at Disney, as the question of how Iger misjudged Chapek still lingers — At 5 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2020, Bob Chapek and Bob Iger settled into matching directors' chairs on the Disney studio lot for a series of live media interviews.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
DirecTV files FCC complaint, accusing Disney of bad faith negotiations and trying to block DirecTV from taking legal action against its anticompetitive demands — The acrimony between DirecTV and Disney in their contract fight is getting more heated, as the blackout of Disney-owned networks …
Discussion:
The Streamable, Adweek, CNBC, Associated Press, CNN, Awful Announcing, @tvanswerman, The Wrap, @jbflint, @jbflint, The Verge, Streaming Better, The Desk, @tim_bays, TVNewsCheck, Federal Communications Commission, The Hollywood Reporter, Media Play News, Cord Cutters News, Next TV, Radio & Television … and Deadline
Washington Post:
The DOJ's case against Google's ad business may benefit major news organizations that pay Google to broker their website ads and have faced financial struggles — Federal prosecutors are seeking a divestment of Google's multibillion-dollar online advertising business, saying its monopoly power harms advertisers and publishers.
Discussion:
The Media Leader, AdExchanger, The Keyword, Politico, Business Insider, The Verge, New York Times, Digiday, BNN Bloomberg and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »
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Jennifer Elias / CNBC:
A look at the DOJ's and multiple states' antitrust lawsuit against Google's ad business, as its trial is set to begin on September 9
Discussion:
The Guardian, MediaPost, Adweek, Reuters, Associated Press, Bloomberg, CNN, Wired, New York Times, Politico, AdExchanger, Digiday, Financial Times, @jason_kint, @kendraebarnett, @jenn_elias, @kayjebelli, @ariellesgarcia, @leehepner, The Verge, AdExchanger, The Drum, The Information, MarTech and The Media Leader
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
An interview with Brian Stelter about Reliable Sources, which will now publish each weekday morning “in beta mode”, with a shorter and “sharper” format — Starting Monday, “RS” will publish each weekday morning, Monday through Friday, and the next edition …
Discussion:
The Wrap, @brianstelter@threads.net, @bristei, @brianstelter@threads.net and @brianstelter
Reuters:
Indian news agency ANI sues Netflix for using “copyright archival footage of ANI without licence” and the ANI trademark, in a drama about a 1999 hijacking — Indian news agency ANI has sued Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) and producers of an Indian series about a plane hijack …
Discussion:
Forbes
Todd Spangler / Variety:
DirecTV plans price increases on October 6: DirecTV Stream Choice will go up by $6 to $114.99 per month, and DirecTV Stream Ultimate by $10 to $129.99 per month — The higher pricing for DirecTV's satellite TV and streaming television services will take effect on or after Oct. 6, 2024 …
Discussion:
@tvgrimreaper, Next TV, Advanced Television and Cord Cutters News
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Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
As the DirecTV-Disney carriage dispute continues, DirecTV nudges customers to Fubo or Sling and offers a $30 credit, and Disney offers $30 off Hulu with Live TV
Discussion:
CNN, TVNewsCheck, The Verge, Streaming Better, Slate, Awful Announcing, Cord Cutters News, Matthew Keys on LinkedIn, Variety, Media Play News, Next TV, The Wrap, Deadline, The Desk and Forbes
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post:
Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter James Grimaldi is leaving the WSJ after 12 years to become the top editor of the National Catholic Reporter — The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist said he's ready to start a new chapter in his career. His exit comes at a time of turmoil at the Wall Street Journal.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Patrick Egwu / Reuters Institute:
Q&A with Nigerian journalist Philip Obaji Jr. on covering the Yevgeny Prigozhin-founded Wagner Group's activities in Africa since 2018 despite risks to his life — “Covering Wagner is dangerous. You should build contacts everywhere and have a strong sense of mind," says award-winning reporter Philip Obaji Jr.
Discussion:
Philip Obaji Jr on LinkedIn and @philipobaji
Kadia Goba / Semafor:
Sources: some conservative influencers, who participated anonymously in a mysterious network, were recently paid over $20K to spread sexual smears of VP Harris — The Scoop — The organizers of a mysterious network paid influencers to promote sexual smears of Vice President Kamala Harris …
Discussion:
@MikeElgan@mastodon.social
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Sinclair ousts Ken Solomon, CEO of the Tennis Channel since 2005, citing his time spent advising Dr. Phil McGraw's company as a growing distraction — As the tennis world focuses on the U.S. Open, the network is embroiled in off-court drama.
Discussion:
Adweek, @bpmehlman, @benrothenberg, Deadline, @jbflint, @christophclarey, Awful Announcing, Sports Media Watch, Front Office Sports, The Desk and TVNewsCheck
Parker Molloy / New Republic:
Media “sanewashing”, or reframing Trump's incoherent and dangerous rhetoric as conventional political discourse, is a form of misinfo that distorts reality — Four years ago, in an article for Media Matters for America, I warned that journalists were sanitizing Donald Trump's incoherent ramblings …
Discussion:
Times of India, Columbia Journalism Review, @paulkrugman, @newrepublic, @blackamazon, Status, @mcuban, The Present Age, American Crisis, @atrupar, @parkermolloy, @newsjennifer, @mikeelgan, @froomkin, @froomkin, @jamisonfoser, @mlcalderone, @ok_post_guy, @judisgarcia, @therickwilson, @langdongrant2, @riseandgrindcor, @hemantmehta, @jimwurst1, @cavandy, @briannawu, @ilpomodoro2, @frozencanuck@mas.to, @acwardblueridge@threads.net, @michael.chabon@threads.net, @MikeElgan@mastodon.social, It's the democracy, stupid, Boing Boing, @parkermolloy@threads.net and New Republic
Mathias-Felipe de-Lima-Santos / The Conversation:
Study: many Google News Initiative-funded projects in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East have struggled to progress or sustain themselves after launch — We've long been warned about the looming demise of traditional journalism in the face of digital disruption.
Discussion:
@conversationedu, @mathias_felipe and Sage Journals
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