Mediagazer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt criticizes AI, calling Hollywood a “canary in the coal mine” for other industries, and says studios “own the IP and I don't own any of it” (Erich Schwartzel/Wall Street Journal)

The US charges a general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards in connection with a failed plot to kill Iranian American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad in 2022 — The failed plot to kill Masih Alinejad, a human-rights activist, has already led to murder-for-hire charges against members …

Discussion: Agence France-Presse, Al Jazeera, UPI, New York Post, Voice of America, KDFX-TV, The Hill, Associated Press, US Department of Justice, Axios, Semafor and Reuters

Erich Schwartzel / Wall Street Journal:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt criticizes AI, calling Hollywood a “canary in the coal mine” for other industries, and says studios “own the IP and I don't own any of it” — Actor says AI companies use movies and TV to make money without fairly compensating actors; industry should ‘get ahead of that flood’

Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:

The UK's Reach plans to hire 60 new editorial staff, including “audience writers” and “general assignment journalists”, after cutting 700 staff in 2023 — Reach has said it is hiring 60 new editorial staff which will include “audience writers” and “general assignment journalists”.

Discussion: HoldtheFrontPage

Jacky Wong / Wall Street Journal:

Jefferies says the anime market in North America has grown from $1.6B in 2018 to $4B in 2024, as once-niche anime is shaping up as Japan's next big export — As Japanese animation and comics go global, opportunities abound for investors — Move over, Marvel. The next blockbuster entertainment franchise might come from Japan.

Discussion: Douglas Montgomery on LinkedIn and Semafor

Mark Caro / Local News Initiative:

With aid from Journalism Funding Partners, a retired Chicago Tribune architecture critic funded his replacement, a biweekly architecture columnist at the outlet — After the Chicago Tribune didn't replace retiring architecture critic Blair Kamin, he funded his own successor

Discussion: @troutgirl.bsky.social

Eduardo Suárez / Reuters Institute:

Q&A with Benjamin Toff, recently senior research fellow at the Reuters Institute, about how news avoidance could shape the US election and candidates' tactics — “News avoiders see journalists as part of a disconnected elite,” says Benjamin Toff, who led our Trust in News Project and authored a book on the subject

Aroon Deep / The Hindu:

Wikipedia takes down a page about its court case with Asian News International, after a Delhi High Court order; Wikipedia is fighting to keep user IDs private — The takedown follows an order by the Delhi High Court that the Wikipedia page describing criticism of the lawsuit ‘amounts to interference in Court proceedings’

Discussion: Bar and Bench and Scroll.in

Sara Fischer / Axios:

TollBit, which recently launched a content monetization marketplace for publishers and AI companies, raised a $24M Series A led by Lightspeed Ventures — - “As AI agents become more accessible and proliferate at an exponential rate, publishers and digital content owners need a way to monetize content …

Discussion: Campbell Brown on LinkedIn, Lightspeed Venture Partners, @f_fatemi21, VC News Daily, FinSMEs, @sarafischer, TollBit, @mediaevan and @tollbitofficial

Sara Merican / Deadline:

MPA expects Japan's online video industry to grow at a 7% compound annual rate and to account for 45% of total screen revenue by 2029, up from 35% in 2024 — This will account for 45% of total screen revenue by 2029, including free TV, pay-TV and theatrical, versus 35% in 2024.

Discussion: WORLD SCREEN, Media Partners Asia and Variety

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Source: Trump is planning to record an interview for Joe Rogan's podcast on October 25; Harris has also reportedly been in talks to go on Rogan's podcast — Former President Donald Trump is expected to record an interview with podcasting behemoth Joe Rogan on Friday.

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:

Q&A with Bryan Curtis, editor at large at the Ringer, on why podcasts are dominating the 2024 US election, covering the podcast sector, and more — Candidates are changing the way they try to reach new audiences. Traditional media need to keep up. … Monopolies and oligopolies don't yield courteously to competition.

Lori Lewis / Inside Radio:

Insignia Capital Group strikes two deals targeting audio and advertising, agreeing to acquire Veritone One, for as much as $104M, and ad agency Oxford Road — Insignia Capital Group, a San Francisco Bay Area private equity firm focused on lower middle-market companies …

Discussion: Podnews, Veritone, Radio Ink, MediaPost, Barrett Media and Bloomberg