Top News:
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Tech startup Channel 1, which debuted a newscast hosted by AI-generated anchors in 2023, unveils AI tools to improve the production and distribution processes — The products, First Cut and Prism, help automate workflows and put videos into different formats.
Discussion:
@kevinerb.bsky.social
Bloomberg:
Sources: David Ellison plans sweeping changes at Paramount after merger, including consolidation of its TV networks; co-CEO Brian Robbins is expected to leave — - CBS Chief George Cheeks is expected to stay after deal closes — Plans include consolidation of the company's TV networks
Discussion:
New York Post, The Wrap, The Desk and Deadline
Kendall Tietz / Fox News:
Forbes editorial staffers walk off the job, saying that management has been stalling at the bargaining table for nearly three years — The annual launch of Forbes' 30 Under 30 list is a significant day for the company — FIRST ON FOX— The Forbes Union, which represents the magazine's editorial staffers …
Marc Schneider / Billboard:
Stephen King will close his three radio stations in Bangor, Maine, on New Year's Eve, citing financial losses and his advancing age as reasons for the shutdown — A desire to “get his business affairs in better order” leads the 77-year-old horror author to shutter his trio of stations in the Bangor area.
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Sean Hannity will debut a new monthly longform interview program on Fox News Media's streaming service Fox Nation, with the first episode premiering today — The longtime Fox News opinion host will debut a new monthly longform interview program on Fox Nation, the subscription-backed streaming outlet …
Discussion:
Adweek, TVNewsCheck, The Real Deal, The Desk, @seanhannity, @bristei, Fox News, Media Play News and Deadline
Mediapart:
Investigation: the US government funds about half the budget of OCCRP, which reports on corruption in places like Russia, and has veto power over key personnel — The OCCRP, the largest organised network of investigative media in the world, hid the extent of its links with the US government, this investigation can reveal.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Walmart completes its $2.3B acquisition of TV maker Vizio, saying the purchase will let it offer new ways for advertisers to reach customers via Walmart Connect — Walmart announced the completion of its $2.3 billion all-cash acquisition of TV maker Vizio, a move by the retailing giant to expand its advertising business.
Nilay Patel / The Verge:
The Verge unveils a $7/mo. or $50/year “dynamic metered paywall”; some content like the social feed-like homepage, live blogs, and core news posts will be free — Okay, we're doing this. — Today we're launching a Verge subscription that lets you get rid of a bunch of ads …
Discussion:
@drewharwell.com, @thatchriscarley@threads.net, @timcarmody@threads.net, @alex, @matthewkeyslive, The Verge, @davidimel@threads.net, @davidpierce.xyz, @reckless1280@threads.net, @simonowens.bsky.social, Semafor, @anoraker.com, @philipiova@threads.net, @caseynewton.bsky.social, @danack@threads.net, Payday Report, @torriangray.bsky.social, @bdsams.com and Talking Biz News
Peter Kafka / Business Insider:
BuzzFeed is $123.5M in debt with interest payments due, and a plan to cut debt will likely come soon; it earlier tried to sell Hot Ones' parent company for $70M — - A few years ago BuzzFeed was supposedly worth close to $2 billion. — Now it's worth much less, and it has been scrambling …
Discussion:
@katienotopoulos.bsky.social
Noor Nanji / BBC:
The BBC pulls MasterChef Christmas specials following allegations of inappropriate behavior against host Gregg Wallace, after initially saying it would air them — The BBC is pulling its MasterChef Christmas specials after the allegations against presenter Gregg Wallace.
Discussion:
The Mirror, @braddesmond.bsky.social, The Sun, The Independent, Telegraph, @annolivarius, Deadline, @sarahmanavis, Metro.co.uk, London Evening Standard, spiked, London Evening Standard, @cantseyy, The Mirror, The Independent, Sky News, Daily Express, ITV News, The Guardian, LBC, Daily Star, The Irish Sun, Sky News, Daily Mail, GB News, The Guardian, Variety, Daily Mail, The Sun, @parodypm.bsky.social, Associated Press, Us Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter
Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar / Science:
India plans to pay ~$715M over three years to let ~18M students, faculty, and researchers access ~13K journals for free, under a scheme launching on January 1 — Deal allows scholars to read paywalled articles for free and will cover open-access fees — India was the third largest producer …
Discussion:
@shalinsshah, Tuhin A. Sinha on LinkedIn, @nikomccarty, @nileshtrivedi, @narendramodi, pib.gov.in, The Hindu, The Hindu, NDTV, India Today, Research Information, NDTV, DD News and Slashdot
Alex Heath / The Verge:
Nick Clegg says Meta's moderation “error rates are still too high” and pledges to “improve the precision and accuracy with which we act on our rules” — Meta is mistakenly removing too much content across its apps, according to a top executive.
Discussion:
Reuters, The Hill, Meta, The National Pulse, The Guardian, Business Insider, @karaswisher.bsky.social, Financial Times, @reckless.bsky.social, @evelyndouek.bsky.social, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, @alexeheath, TechCrunch, New York Post, @alexeheath, @kcoxdc.bsky.social and Washington Examiner, more at Techmeme »