Mediagazer: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2426, which forces digital stores to tell customers they are getting a revocable license when “buying” digital media (Emma Roth/The Verge)

5:00 PM ET, September 26, 2024

Top News:

Ted Johnson / Deadline:

Newsmax and election systems company Smartmatic reach a confidential settlement that averts Smartmatic's defamation lawsuit over 2020 election lies — Newsmax has reached a settlement with election systems company Smartmatic, averting a defamation trial that was set to start next week.

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

Sources: CNN will begin experimenting in early October with a metered paywall, charging some readers for digital access after they read a set number of articles — CNN will begin experimenting in October with a subscription model, in a major initiative from its chief executive, Mark Thompson.

Discussion: TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, @dankennedy_nu@threads.net, Barrett Media, @benmullin, @sherman4949, @2xaught7.bsky.social, @benmullin, @dylanbyers, @paulwiggins and @kalihays1@threads.net

Carly Thomas / The Hollywood Reporter:

CNN won 11 awards in the 2024 News & Documentary Emmy Awards, ABC News won eight including three credited to Hulu, and National Geographic won five — The awards were handed out at the Palladium Times Square in New York City on Wednesday. — CNN, ABC and National Geographic are among …

Discussion: Variety, Barrett Media, Deadline, CNN, TVNewsCheck and GoldDerby

Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap:
Palestinian journalist Bisan Atef Owda wins the Emmy for Outstanding Hard News Feature: Short Form, after the Academy rejected a push to rescind her nomination

Discussion: The Wrap and The Emmys

New York Times:

Hoda Kotb plans to leave NBC's Today early next year but will remain an occasional contributor to NBC; her exit will create two vacancies in the Today franchise — Her exit, planned for early next year, is a seismic shift for NBC and opens up a pair of morning TV's most coveted anchor chairs.

Thomas Claburn / The Register:

Matt Mullenweg says WP Engine no longer has free WordPress.org access and directs WP Engine customers having trouble with their websites to WP Engine support — WordPress on Wednesday escalated its conflict with WP Engine, a hosting provider, by blocking the latter's servers …

Discussion: WordPress News, @viewfromthebox, Dave Martin, WP Engine's Status Page, @jbenton, @bgardner, @bgardner, @photomatt, @automattic, @carlhancock, @bowefrankema, @ozskier, @photomatt, @davidtaggart, @photomatt, @vinnysgreen, @benjmay, @patchstackapp, @mgeheren, @stshank, @rmccue, @fjzeit, @bgardner, @shendison, @joshmanders, @keithdevon, @itsdavemartin, @thespacedmonkey, MarTech, @thedannorris, @dcurtis, @wpdavidv, @taraclaeys, @mrlanphear, @danielcid, @tomfrankly, @seldo, @pressable, @t3dotgg, @williamsba, @raymmar_, @slexaxton, @photomatt, @photomatt, @deviorobert, @tealou, @wordpress, @photomatt, @timbouchard, @tmeister, Search Engine Journal, @runakog@threads.net, @dvk@toot.re, TechRadar, TechCrunch, @Kye@tech.lgbt, @Jayhoffmann@mastodon.social, @bretcarmichael@mastodon …, @jalefkowit@vmst.io, @chris@mastodon …, One Man & His Blog and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »

Matt Mullenweg:
Matt Mullenweg says Automattic has “been attempting to make a licensing deal” with WP Engine “for a very long time, and all they have done is string us along”

Discussion: TechCrunch, Fast Company, @photomatt@mastodon.social and Automattic, more at Techmeme »

Andrew Marchand / New York Times:

Sources: ESPN lays off NBA senior writer Zach Lowe as part of continuing cost cutting; his salary, in excess of seven figures annually, was the biggest factor — ESPN has parted ways with NBA senior writer Zach Lowe as part of the network's continuing layoffs, sources briefed on the decision told The Athletic on Thursday.

Discussion: Mediaite, Washington Post, Awful Announcing, Sports Media Watch, New Jersey Online, Front Office Sports, @marcatracy, @yourmandevine, @philiprr_omd, @howelloneill.bsky.social, @waldersports, UPROXX, @tyler_greever, @fmaddennba, @sherman4949, @johnjf125, Barrett Media and USA Today

Elizabeth Lopatto / The Verge:

X is blocking links to Ken Klippenstein's newsletter with a hacked JD Vance dossier and suspended Klippenstein's X account for posting Vance's private info — X is preventing users from posting links to a newsletter containing a hacked document that's alleged to be the Trump campaign's research …

Discussion: @pkafka@threads.net, Mediaite, Ken Klippenstein, @thezedwards, @alibreland, @alibreland, @rmac18, @justinbaragona, @leahmcelrath, @leahmcelrath, @leahmcelrath, @leahmcelrath, @rmac18, @emptywheel, @jessicalburbank, Elizabeth Lopatto on LinkedIn and @passantino@threads.net, more at Techmeme »

Emma Roth / The Verge:

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2426, which forces digital stores to tell customers they are getting a revocable license when “buying” digital media — California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law (AB 2426) to combat “disappearing” purchases of digital games, movies, music, and ebooks.

Discussion: Engadget, Ars Technica, @owlyph@cosocial.ca, @rustoleumlove@mastodon.online, @theotherfrost, @nintendeal, @mzagaja@mastodon.social, @SuffolkLITLab@esq.social, @ipstenu@tech.lgbt, @asm_irwin, Governor of California and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »

Todd Spangler / Variety:

AI company Runway launches The Hundred Film Fund, offering grants of $5,000 to $1M for 100 short films and feature-length movies that use generative AI — Runway is launching The Hundred Film Fund, an initiative to help produce and fund as many as 100 short films and feature-length movies …

Discussion: The Wrap, @dfwsam.bsky.social, Christina Lee Storm on LinkedIn, The Hollywood Reporter, @fifilamoura@eldritch.cafe, @YakyuNightOwl@mastodon.world and IndieWire

Hadas Gold / CNN:

Nevada court hearings in the Murdoch family succession fight ended outside of public view; resolution may take weeks and be appealed to Nevada's Supreme Court — New York CNN — — The fate of Rupert Murdoch's vast media empire, including Fox News, is now in the hands of a Reno probate commissioner …

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Subscription management platform RevenueCat acquires Dipsea, an app that offers subscriptions for “spicy” audiobooks, as a test ground for RevenueCat's features — On the heels of its earlier $12 million fundraise, subscription management platform RevenueCat has made its first acquisition — and it's an unusual one.

Marci McCue / Flipboard:

Flipboard says it is federating 250 publisher profiles and 4,000 of their curated Magazines, including ABC News, the AP, The Atlantic, PBS, and USA Today — BYMARCI MCCUE — Today Flipboard is federating 250 publisher profiles and 4,000 of their curated Magazines, making it possible …

Discussion: DNyuz, @mike@flipboard.social, @Flipboard@flipboard.social and @tchambers@indieweb.social

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More News:

The Guardian:
The Economist's events division, Economist Impact, faces backlash after an investigation found it has large sponsorship contracts with three tobacco companies

Discussion: @qubcancerprof and @mattjhodgkinson@scicomm.xyz

Nick Vivarelli / Variety:
Al Jazeera launched free Arabic streaming service Al Jazeera 360 on September 15, offering its news channels and 50,000 hours of content from its archives

Kayleigh Barber / Digiday:
Business Insider Chief Subscriptions Officer Katie Friedman says a test of an AI smart paywall from December 2023 to April 2024 increased conversions by 75%

Discussion: Insider, Inc. on LinkedIn, David Clinch on LinkedIn, Katie Friedman on LinkedIn, Thomas Swann on LinkedIn, Talking Biz News, @bipressroom and @simondowens@threads.net

Alan Wong / Bloomberg:
Hong Kong District Court sentences now-shuttered Stand News editor Chung Pui-kuen to 21 months in prison, the first jailing of a journalist on sedition charges

Discussion: Washington Post, Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, Associated Press, The Guardian, Reuters, Reporters Without Borders, New York Times, Fox News, Committee to Protect … and KSTP-TV

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The London Standard launches its first weekly edition with an AI-generated picture of Keir Starmer and a feature about London's potential as an AI capital

Discussion: The Guardian, Adweek, The Art Newspaper and The Media Leader

Rasmus Larsen / FlatpanelsHD:
LG rolls out full-screen screensaver ads from LG and its partners to its smart TVs, including its expensive OLED models; the ads, on by default, can be disabled

Discussion: TechHive, Engadget, Mashable, TechRadar, iPhone in Canada Blog, The Verge, Advanced Television, Ars Technica, Digital Trends and Streaming Better, more at Techmeme »

Earlier Picks:

Angela Fu / Poynter:
A Muck Rack survey of 402 US journalists found that their primary sources of stress include workload, salary, and the expectation that they always be “on”

Discussion: Media Nation, @risj_oxford, @jackcarterbenjamin …, Muck Rack and r/Journalism

Deadline:
Sources: Disney is laying off ~300 people in the US in corporate operations, including in communications; ESPN, Disney Entertainment, and parks are not affected

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Awful Announcing, Breitbart, @tvgrimreaper, Fast Company, New York Post, USA Today, Bloomberg, The Wrap and Variety

Tom Jones / Poynter:
The New York Post reporter covering top Wisconsin political races has strong ties to Republicans and conservatives and was paid by Republican entities in 2023

Discussion: @mattortega, @mattortega, @patrickdmarley, @coffeebean26, @kennysmith@mstdn.social, Crooks and Liars and JSOnline

iMore:
iMore, which covers Apple products and services and is owned by Future PLC, says it will no longer post new content; its forum will stay active until November 1

Discussion: Adam Zeis on LinkedIn, @rileytestut@mastodon.social, Ally Kazmucha on LinkedIn, @beardedtechguy …, Abhinav Anand on LinkedIn, Karen Freeman on LinkedIn, @davemark@mastodon.social, @jareddipane, Rene Ritchie on LinkedIn, @HilliTech@techhub.social and @darylbaxter@mastodon.social

Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
A look at Project 2025's plans for the news media, including defunding NPR, PBS, and other public broadcasters and removing restrictions on media ownership

Discussion: @johnastoehr, @newsjennifer, @laurengbarton, @jillgeisler, @froomkin, TVNewsCheck, @jbenton and Tong Li on LinkedIn

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Disney officially launches its password sharing crackdown; users can add an “Extra Member” for $6.99/month for Disney+ Basic or $9.99/month for Disney+ Premium

From Techmeme:

Paresh Dave / Wired:
Google says it wouldn't force its device makers, browser, and wireless carrier licensees to distribute Gemini to US users for three years, in a proposed remedy

Reuters:
Albania bans TikTok for a year from January 2025, part of a broader plan to make schools safer following the killing of a 14-year-old near a school in November

Satviki Sanjay / Bloomberg:
A look at India's quick food delivery market as Swiggy and Zomato enter the sector; report: online food delivery market in India to reach $15B by March 2029

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