Top News:
Bill Donahue / Billboard:
Drake launches legal action against UMG and Spotify for allegedly using bots, payola, and more to inflate Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us, a track attacking Drake — Drake has initiated legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify over allegations that the two companies conspired …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Independent, New York County Supreme Court, Variety, @phil_lewis_, @joshgondelman, Music Business Worldwide, Rolling Stone, New York Daily News, Bossip, @mannyfidel, Deadline, Stereogum, @arianfoster, Forbes, @darrylc.bsky.social, The Verge, @wickednfine, @annaknicolaou, @annaknicolaou, TMZ.com, @mikemadden.bsky.social, Los Angeles Times, UPROXX, @mford.bsky.social, @big_business_, @janecoaston, @fadamgotdajuice, @wowthatshiphop, @brianzisook, @skrappy83, @daviddennisjr.bsky.social, @phil_lewis_, @myfakeironlung.bsky.social, @kashana.bsky.social, @billdonahue.bsky.social, @markroebuck.bsky.social, Fox News, Consequence and Oh No They Didn't!
Mark Kleinman / Sky News:
Sources: CVC Capital Partners and a major European broadcaster, thought to be France's Groupe TF1, are among those considering a takeover of the UK's ITV — The commercial broadcaster is back on alert for takeover approaches as financial and industry players evaluate offers which could lead …
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Times, Deadline, City A.M., Bloomberg, Advanced Television and RTÉ
Brian Stelter / CNN:
As Elon Musk posts memes about buying MSNBC, sources say one liberal billionaire expressed interest in buying the channel; Comcast is not looking to sell MSNBC — Elon Musk has called MSNBC “the utter scum of the Earth.” He has said the channel “peddles puerile propaganda.”
David Gilmour / Mediaite:
Elon Musk appears to confirm that posts containing links in their main text are deprioritized on X, saying it is to stop “lazy linking” — Elon Musk confirmed that posts containing links in their main text are deprioritized on X in a revelation that renews criticism that the platform …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, The Daily Dot, HuffPost, Business Insider, @paulg, @romansphoto.bsky.social, @mikeshenderson.bsky.social, @skdh, @elonmusk, @stevesi, @paulg, @designationsix.bsky.social, @katienotopoulos.bsky.social, @dcurtis, City & State New York, @nickadobos, @kwanza.bsky.social, @binarybits, New Republic, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, @drethelin, @deadendgg.bsky.social, @snazzylabs, @andrewlseidel.bsky.social, @seyitaylor, @almostmedia, @melsengem.bsky.social, @stuartbuck1, @ernie@writing.exchange, @phl43, @clawrence, @mattnavarra.com, @markbrooks, @alicekeeler.com, Althouse and Benzinga, more at Techmeme »
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Trade body data: copyrighted music revenue was $45.5B in 2023, above cinema box office spending of $33.2B in 2023 and $41.9B in 2019; record labels made $28.5B — Annual revenues from copyrighted music hit almost $46bn last year, against $33.2bn for cinema
Discussion:
Pivotal Economics, Benzinga, Music Ally, Billboard, CMU, Will Page on LinkedIn and Music Business Worldwide
Jason Zinoman / New York Times:
A look at Disney's plans to compete with Netflix in standup comedy through Hulu, emphasizing quality over quantity while largely avoiding controversy — Under the Hulu banner, the company says it will offer quality over quantity while largely avoiding controversy. Many comedians are ready to give it a shot.
Discussion:
Deadline, IndieWire and Comic Book
Geneva Abdul / The Guardian:
Internal email: the UK's Reach plans to merge staff at The Daily Mirror and celebrity magazine OK! to cut costs, but the move won't result in cutting of roles — Merging of daily newspaper and celebrity magazine employees is latest move by owner, Reach, to cut costs
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
The music industry is entering a cycle of consolidation, driven by a slowdown at the major labels, the growing market for independents, and the rapacity of PE — The music industry is entering new era, one driven by a slowdown at the major labels, the growing market for independents and the rapacity of private equity.
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw and @lucas_shaw
Max Tani / Semafor:
Sources: CNN is considering making network anchor Kaitlan Collins its chief White House correspondent and relocating her show from New York to DC — The Scoop — CNN's leadership says it doesn't want to go back to its wall-to-wall 24-hour coverage of Donald Trump when he returns to the White House in January.
Discussion:
New York Post and TVNewsCheck
Anna Marie de la Fuente / Variety:
NBC News launches its 24/7 streaming service NBC News Now in Latin America in two of its biggest markets, Mexico and Brazil — NBC News' 24/7 streaming platform, NBC News Now, is launching in Mexico and Brazil, Latin America's biggest markets, as it continues to expand across the world.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck and The Desk
Washington Post:
The US DOJ and Google made their closing arguments in the ad-market antitrust case before Judge Leonie Brinkema, who expressed some skepticism toward both sides — Federal prosecutors say Google's dominance of online advertising illegally hurts consumers and small businesses, while the company says it earned its place by being better.
Discussion:
The Information, The Hill, Adweek, The Verge, Ars Technica, Bloomberg, New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, Digiday and Benzinga, more at Techmeme »
Greg Stohr / Bloomberg:
SCOTUS seeks the US government's views in the $1B copyright fight between Cox Communications and Sony, Warner Music, Universal Music, and other music companies — - Sony among companies suing Cox over customer song downloads — Appeals court tossed out big 2019 jury award against Cox
Discussion:
MediaPost, Billboard, Ars Technica and Reuters
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