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 …
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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
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:
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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, 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, @msrachelcooke, @mck_beth, @slurmsmackenzie.bsky.social, @msrachelcooke, @shattenstone, @carolecadwalla.bsky.social, Sky News and The Irish Times
Dan Sheldon / New York Times:
FIFA agrees a deal with DAZN to broadcast 2025's Club World Cup in the US, sources say in a deal worth $1B; all 63 matches will be available for free on DAZN — FIFA has agreed a deal with DAZN to broadcast next year's Club World Cup in the United States. — As part of the overall agreement …
Discussion:
Agence France-Presse, @robharris and Associated Press
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Disney unveils an ESPN tile on Disney+, making ~100 live games available for Disney+ subscribers without ESPN+; ESPN is creating two studio shows for Disney+ — ESPN is coming to Disney+. Now, the sports network wants to make sure Disney+ users come to ESPN.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, Sportico, The Hollywood Reporter, The Verge, Los Angeles Times, Deadline and @sherman4949
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
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 …
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
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 …
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