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 Independent, Entertainment Weekly, New York County Supreme Court, CBS News, @theneedledrop, theJasmineBRAND, Associated Press, The Wrap, @daviddennisjr.bsky.social, @phil_lewis_, New York Daily News, Rolling Stone, @mford.bsky.social, @mannyfidel, @annaknicolaou, @myfakeironlung.bsky.social, Sandra Rose, @annaknicolaou, @janecoaston, Bossip, Los Angeles Times, Stereogum, UPROXX, @kashana.bsky.social, @brianzisook, @joshgondelman, @fadamgotdajuice, @billdonahue.bsky.social, @darrylc.bsky.social, @wowthatshiphop, @markroebuck.bsky.social, @mikemadden.bsky.social, @wickednfine, @skrappy83, TMZ.com, @big_business_, @arianfoster, Variety, @phil_lewis_, @engineeringbae.bsky.social, Music Business Worldwide, The Verge, Forbes, Deadline, Consequence, Fox News 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, Reuters, The Times, Deadline, City A.M., Bloomberg, Advanced Television and RTÉ
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: NBC's new deal with Macy's to keep the Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC and Peacock has an average annual fee of $60M+, up from ~$20M in the current deal — Macy's and NBC near pact that would raise the spectacle's annual average price to $60 million.
Discussion:
The Wrap, New York Post, @bsdtectr.bsky.social, @wsj.com, Benzinga, TVNewsCheck and Just Jared
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:
MediaPost, @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, The Daily Dot, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, @drethelin, @deadendgg.bsky.social, @snazzylabs, Business Insider, @andrewlseidel.bsky.social, Motley Fool, @seyitaylor, @almostmedia, @melsengem.bsky.social, @stuartbuck1, The Independent, @ernie@writing.exchange, @phl43, @clawrence, @mattnavarra.com, @markbrooks, @alicekeeler.com, Althouse, HuffPost 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
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
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
A UK House of Lords committee warns that UK news coverage is at risk of “fracturing irreparably” within 10 years as people rely on “dubious online sources” — Lords communications committee calls on government to take steps to avert ‘two-tier’ media environment
Discussion:
HoldtheFrontPage and UnHerd
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
Dominic Patten / Deadline:
Filing: Disney agrees to pay $43.25M to settle a 2019 lawsuit over pay equity for up to 14,000 female Disney employees; the trial was set to begin in May 2025 — We now know how much Disney is writing a check for to end the pay equity class-action suit that has loomed over the company for the past five years.
Discussion:
Variety, Wall Street Journal, The Wrap, TVNewsCheck, @barkjack_ and @rwhelanwsj
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
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:
The Desk and TVNewsCheck
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