Top News:
Amy Thomson / Bloomberg:
AT&T agrees to sell its majority stake in DirecTV to private equity firm TPG for $7.6B in cash, including $1.7B in pre-tax quarterly distributions in H2 2024 — - DirecTV is holding advanced talks to merge with rival Dish — AT&T and TPG are owners of DirecTV, which was founded in 1994
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Todd Spangler / Variety:
A combined DirecTV and Dish would have ~18M customers total, down 63% from the peak levels in 2016; DirecTV has ~10M pay-TV subscribers, down from 25.5M in 2016 — TPG will acquire AT&T's 70% stake in DirecTV, giving it 100% ownership in the pay-TV provider
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
DirecTV and EchoStar reach a definitive agreement for DirecTV to acquire EchoStar's video business Dish DBS, including Dish TV and Sling TV
Discussion:
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Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Sony Pictures says its CEO, Tony Vinciquerra, will step down at the beginning of 2025 and be succeeded by the studio's president and COO, Ravi Ahuja — Mr. Ahuja, president and chief operating officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, will succeed its current chief executive, Tony Vinciquerra.
Discussion:
IndieWire, Wall Street Journal, The Wrap, Variety, Reuters, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, @tvmojoe, @megjameslat and @benmullin
New York Times:
CBS plans to show an onscreen QR code for the VP debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz to direct users to fact checks on the CBS News website — CBS is experimenting with a novel way to offer real-time fact-checking of the vice-presidential debate on Tuesday. Just don't expect the moderators to frequently jump in.
Discussion:
Adweek, Business Insider, Associated Press, @jayrosen_nyu, @repriggleman, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, The Hill, @benjaminjs, @bloodravenlib@mas.to, @PamelaBarroway@mstdn.social, @jayrosen_nyu, @cindyweinstein@mastodon.world, Axios, @markagee, @cmclymer, @chrismohney, Fox News, @mollyjongfast, @GottaLaff@mastodon.social, @CindyWeinstein@zirk.us, Media Matters for America, @williambibbiani, @patrickdehahn, @jrubinblogger, @samlindauer, @rotopat, @davewiner, @bdquinn, @cindyweinstein@mastodon.world, @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social, @budrykzack, @wtflanksteak, @jrubinblogger, NPR, Mediaite, @barney@mas.to, Poynter, @sykoscorch, Boing Boing, The Wrap, TVNewsCheck, The Daily Beast and Mother Jones
Nicole Sperling / New York Times:
CNN revives CNN Films, which was shut down in 2022, with plans to finance and release documentary series and films as part of an overhaul by Mark Thompson — The network is again financing and releasing documentary series and films after backing away from the genre two years ago.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Reddit moderators must now submit a request to Reddit staff before changing a subreddit's public/private status, making sitewide mod-led protests much harder — Reddit is giving its staff a lot more power over the communities on its platform. Starting today, Reddit moderators will not be able …
Umar Shakir / The Verge:
YouTube reaches a deal with SESAC that will bring back songs by Adele, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, and others that were removed over the weekend in the US — YouTube has reached a deal with the music licensing organization SESAC that will bring back songs that were removed over the weekend.
Max Tani / Semafor:
Politico and Capitol AI partner for an AI tool to let users create topical reports from Politico and Politico Pro content, available for Pro users later in 2024 — THE SCOOP — Politico is launching a strategic partnership with a Y Combinator-backed artificial intelligence startup …
Bron Maher / Press Gazette:
Gaming and entertainment media publisher Gamurs Group cuts 30 staff worldwide, blaming Google changes in late 2023, including its “helpful content” update — Gaming and entertainment media publisher Gamurs Group has cut 30 staff worldwide, saying the layoffs were necessitated …
Discussion:
@matthewkeyslive
Mark Landler / New York Times:
How the opacity of The Jewish Chronicle's ownership has reinforced suspicions that it is being used to promote the agenda of right-wing Israeli politicians — When several prominent journalists resigned this month from the British newspaper over false news articles, they also raised a broader question: Who owns it now?
Discussion:
@arusbridger and @marklandler
Matthew Keys / The Desk:
Fox News Media's streaming service Fox Nation plans to launch faith-based original shows under a new brand vertical called Fox Faith — Fox News Media's premium streaming service Fox Nation will debut a handful of faith-based original series under a new brand vertical called Fox Faith.
Discussion:
Variety, TVNewsCheck and Media Play News
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Audacy wins regulatory approval for the transfer of its licenses to George Soros-backed Fund for Policy Reform, letting Audacy emerge from Chapter 11 — Under the restructuring approved by the court in February, the new, closely held company will be controlled by the Fund for Policy Reform …
Discussion:
Inside Radio, Axios, CNN, Radio & Television …, Radio Ink, Radio World and Reuters
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