Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Spotify is paying hundreds of millions for audiobooks annually; US audiobook users average five more hours on the app in the 60 days after starting a book — - Without Spotify, the audiobook industry in the U.S. grew 14% in unit sales between Q4 2022 and Q4 2023, according to Bookstat.
Discussion:
Spotify, Publishers Weekly, Neowin, The Bookseller, Digital Music News and Thurrott
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Five ex-Pitchfork journalists launch online subscription music outlet Hearing Things, aiming to capture Pitchfork's independent spirit, starting at $70 per year — After the popular publication was folded into GQ, a group of them is striking out on its own. One of the first orders of business: doing away with album scores.
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
The NYT sends a cease-and-desist letter to AI startup Perplexity to stop using its content; Perplexity says it is “interested in working with every” publisher — Publisher demands that Perplexity stop accessing its content. Startup isn't interested “in being anyone's antagonist,” CEO says.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Reuters, The Information, The Verge, Seeking Alpha, PCMag, @scottadamssays, @rustybrick, @glenngabe, @brianstelter and @lutherlowe, more at Techmeme »
Jessica Testa / New York Times:
Tina Brown, who became synonymous with Manhattan media in the 1980s and 1990s, launches Fresh Hell, a weekly Substack diary newsletter in “notebook form” — Tina Brown's decision to join Substack is a coup for the newsletter company, which considers prestigious names to be magnets …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Fresh Hell, @mediaevan and @jtes
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Internal memo: the BBC plans to cut 155 BBC News jobs, including closing Asian Network News and the HARDtalk program, to save £24M, or 4% of BBC News' budget — Broadcaster hopes move will save £24mn from budget, according to internal memo sent to staff
Discussion:
The Guardian, Press Gazette, Advanced Television, @stephensackur, Telegraph, Daily Star, Deadline, @dougalshaw, @j_bloodworth, @winterdakhan, @mazzucatom, @mrpmharrison, @ericlatiff, @timothy_stanley, @joannenadler, @doylech, @lucy_pawle, @mathewhulbert, @pankajpachauri, @oflynnsocial, @carmenkamanlau, @goldenmatonga, @john_foremancbe, @aflemingbrown, @soniasodha, @helenclarknz, Prolific North, @gideonrachman, @piersmorgan, @kimghattas, @mikehughes_, @bill_emmott, Clean Feed, @raymondsnoddy, @tmchivers, @robburl, @thusi_kumar, @nickbryantny, @stephensackur, @amitbasu71, @martp132, @peterboghossian and @afneil
Associated Press:
Taliban-run media stops showing images of living beings in some Afghan provinces to comply with morality laws, sparking press freedom concerns — Taliban run-media have stopped showing images of living beings in some Afghan provinces to comply with morality laws, an official confirmed Tuesday.
Discussion:
Telegraph, Times of India, Daily Mail, @natiqmalikzada, @visegrad24, LBC, The Independent, Global Village Space, @qaisalamdar, WION, Amu TV, Outlook India, Boing Boing and PetaPixel
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap:
WBD plans to launch Max in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand on November 19, with pricing details to be announced — Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand also among new countries where you'll be able to see “Dune: Prophecy”
Discussion:
The Desk, Deadline, Media Play News, Broadband TV News, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Bloomberg, Reuters, WORLD SCREEN and Advanced Television
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
The Athletic names Fubo as its first streaming partner in a multi-year deal to integrate Fubo initially into live game blogs and then into newsletters and more — The partnership will see Fubo integrated throughout The Athletic's website — The New York Times sports publisher …
Sifted:
UK tech journalist Steve O'Hear, who worked for TechCrunch for over a decade before leaving to work in tech in 2021, and had muscular dystrophy, died at age 49 — Former TechCrunch reporter Steve O'Hear has died after a short illness, his team announced today
Discussion:
TechCrunch, @mgsiegler, Cordelia Meacher on LinkedIn, @shonaghosh, Martin Sfp Bryant on LinkedIn, @mattwichrowski, Sam Shead on LinkedIn, @jamesliamcook, @yoda, @lynseybarber, @hkanji, Danvers Baillieu on LinkedIn, @amyrlewin, @richleighpr, @sarahdrinkwater, @megancaywood, @techcrunch, @mikebutcher, @riptari, @jimmym, @emilyjnicolle, @slh, Freya Pratty on LinkedIn, @matthewclifford, James Cook on LinkedIn, Ron Miller on LinkedIn, @tomwarren, @simonbalmain, @vojtech and Talking Biz News
Kathryn Lundstrom / Adweek:
Amazon expands its suite of AI-powered ad tools to let US advertisers use generative AI to make audio ads, available now in beta, and unveils AI creative studio — The tech giant announced new products at its annual ad conference — Soon, you'll hear more audio ads on Amazon's properties that were created with generative AI.
Discussion:
MediaPost, About Amazon and Mumbrella, more at Techmeme »
Abner Li / 9to5Google:
YouTube rolls out new features: granular playback speed controls, an improved miniplayer on iOS and Android, updated playlists, a sleep timer, and more — YouTube is making official a number of updates that it's been testing in recent months, like the new miniplayer and several design updates.
Discussion:
YouTube Official Blog, The Wrap, Engadget, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Neowin, The Verge, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Digital Trends and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Spotify starts rolling out music videos in beta for Premium subscribers in 85 additional markets, after introducing the feature in 12 markets earlier in 2024 — Music streaming company Spotify said today that it is testing music videos for premium users in 85 additional markets.
Discussion:
Thurrott, Benzinga, Spotify, The Verge, Neowin, Music Business Worldwide and Digital Music News, more at Techmeme »
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