Top News:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify launches Spotify Wrapped, adding an AI podcast of users' 2024 Wrapped created with Google's NotebookLM summarizer, and a Your Music Evolution data story — Spotify Wrapped, the streamer's highly anticipated annual listening recap, has arrived. In addition to its usual personalized …
Discussion:
Billboard, Adweek, Fast Company, Mumbrella, The Verge, WXIA-TV, WPXI-TV, @tim, Engadget, Business Insider, Axios, Wired, Time, 9to5Google, The Verge, Metro.co.uk, @jappleby, @shivlestat, @joannastern, Spotify, UPROXX, @spotify, @google, @mattrosoff, PinkNews, Digital Trends, @variety, @variety, The Keyword, The Sun, Columbia Journalism Review and Forbes, more at Techmeme »
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Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Spotify releases a ranking of the top audiobooks on the platform for the first time, showing A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas was 2024's top book — This is the fifth consecutive year The Joe Rogan Experience has been the top podcast on Spotify.
Discussion:
Variety
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Spotify says The Joe Rogan Experience was its top US podcast for the fourth year running, followed by Call Her Daddy, and 33%+ of the top 50 podcasts had video — Streamer says more than one-third of top 50 podcasts in U.S. are now available as video episodes
Discussion:
Business Insider, Spotify and Inside Radio, more at Techmeme »
NBC News:
Three current and seven former Fox employees say Pete Hegseth drank in ways that concerned his colleagues; Fox News did not respond to requests for comment — Ten current and former Fox employees say Trump's pick for defense secretary drank in ways that concerned his co-workers.
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Hill, Mediaite, The Guardian, Talking Points Memo, Forbes, CNN, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Axios, WXIA-TV, Hollywood Life, @alanhe, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, Florida Phoenix, @newsjennifer.bsky.social, @willcain, @brendannyhan.bsky.social, Columbia Journalism Review, BizPac Review, Raw Story, @brianstelter, @robsmithonline, Washington Examiner, @kylenabecker, @dbongino, @rlocker12, American Greatness, @kelmej, Newser, @mattgertz, @piersmorgan, @yashar, @alexkoppelman, @willcain, HuffPost, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Rolling Stone, @drewharwell.com, Twitchy, @msignorile.bsky.social, The Gateway Pundit, @janecoaston.bsky.social, Alternet.org, @loisromano.bsky.social, @jamellebouie.net, The Independent, @dandrezner.bsky.social, @andreapitzer.bsky.social, CNBC, @democracydmv.bsky.social, @ndrew.bsky.social, @brianstelter.bsky.social, @brianstelter.bsky.social, @brianstelter@threads.net, @lisalck.bsky.social, The Independent, @volts.wtf, New Jersey Online, @timothysnyder.bsky.social, Daily Kos, @passantino.bsky.social and New Republic
The Guardian:
Guardian and Observer journalists hold a 48-hour strike against a planned sale of The Observer to Tortoise Media; it is The Guardian's first strike in 50+ years — Forty-eight-hour strike, first at Guardian in more than 50 years, to take place on Wednesday and Thursday
Discussion:
Byline Times, New York Times, Press Gazette, London Evening Standard, Tortoise, New Statesman, Variety, @danielthomasldn, @dalevince, @msrachelcooke, @msrachelcooke, RTÉ, NPR, @patrickbarkham.bsky.social, National Union of Journalists …, @hirstphotos, @vicksrb.bsky.social, @lukeharding1968, @urban_seagull, @hcachesshistory.bsky.social, @fisherandrew79, The New European, @saulstaniforth, @picketlinepoets, @pressgazette, @soniasodha, @hannahep, @danielkebedeneu, @mck_beth, @slurmsmackenzie.bsky.social, @shattenstone, @carolecadwalla.bsky.social, Sky News and The Irish Times
Emma Roth / The Verge:
WBD launches a set of always-on channels, including HBO Comedy, HBO Signature for dramas, and HBO Zone for classics, in a test with some ad-free US subscribers — Max is joining the growing list of streaming services that offer 24/7 cable-like channels. On Wednesday, Warner Bros. Discovery announced …
Discussion:
Cord Cutters News
Jamie Heller / Business Insider:
Business Insider hires Steve Russolillo, who has worked for most of the last 17 years at The Wall Street Journal, for the new role of Chief News Editor — I'm excited to announce that Steve Russolillo will be joining Business Insider in a new role, as Chief News Editor.
Discussion:
Steven Russolillo on LinkedIn
New York Times:
South Korea's press did not acquiesce to President Yoon Suk Yeol declaring martial law, and even right-leaning outlets stood united in criticism of his actions — Journalists criticized the president's attempt to place the press under military control, hardened by years of challenges …
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
CISAC study: generative AI risks costing music artists ~20% of their revenues by 2028; Abba's Björn Ulvaeus warns that AI “has the power to cause great damage” — ‘Very unfair’ for tech companies to use artists' work without paying them, says pop legend and head of advocacy group
Discussion:
CISAC, Music Business Worldwide and Music Ally
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Sources: MSNBC President Rashida Jones is mulling an exit after she finishes guiding the organization through Donald Trump's second inauguration in early 2025 — The MSNBC chief, who has led the progressive network since February 2021, is mulling a departure after Donald Trump's inauguration.
Sam Nussey / Reuters:
Netflix says Netflix Japan passed 10M+ subscribers in H1 2024 and has doubled its subscriber base in the past four years thanks to Japanese-language programming — Netflix's (NFLX.O) subscribers passed 10 million in Japan in the first half of this year with the streaming firm's Japanese …
Lily Hay Newman / Wired:
Malwarebytes: 77% of ad accounts used for “malvertising” are used just once, and 90% of malicious ads in search results come from Pakistan and Vietnam — The scourge of “malvertising” is nothing new, but the tactic is still so effective that it's contributing to the rise …
Discussion:
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