Mediagazer: The WGA demands studios take “immediate legal action” against companies that used writers' work to train AI, in a letter to CEOs of Disney, Netflix, and others (Katie Kilkenny/The Hollywood Reporter)

7:55 PM ET, December 12, 2024

Top News:

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

BuzzFeed reaches a deal to sell Hot Ones owner First We Feast for $82.5M in cash to a consortium of investors led by an affiliate of Soros Fund Management — The sale, to a group that includes the show's host, Sean Evans, and Soros Fund Management, will allow BuzzFeed to pay down tens of millions of dollars in debt.

Todd Spangler / Variety:
BuzzFeed says selling First We Feast will cut its outstanding debt by $89M to $30M and let it operate with a cash balance larger than its total outstanding debt

Discussion: The Desk, Adweek, The Daily Caller, Karim Lateef on LinkedIn, Reuters, Just Jared, Rummel A Medina on LinkedIn, NBC News, Brian Samuels on LinkedIn, Todd Spangler on LinkedIn, Benzinga, BuzzFeed, Inc., Rich Antoniello on LinkedIn, New York Daily News and The Verge

Katie Robertson / New York Times:

Sources: Patrick Soon-Shiong told LA Times opinion leaders not to publish an editorial critical of Trump's cabinet picks without publishing an opposing view — Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong's public comments and actions, including recently blocking an editorial weighing in on President-elect Trump's cabinet picks …

Discussion: Mediaite, @damon.kiesow.net, The Present Age, @emilybell.bsky.social, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @noahshachtman.bsky.social, @katierobertson.bsky.social, @cephalopod.bsky.social, @jamellebouie.net, @ashtonlattimore.bsky.social, @edmundlee.bsky.social, @rmac.bsky.social, @katekilla.bsky.social, @scottjohnson.wtf and Slate

Katie Kilkenny / The Hollywood Reporter:

The WGA demands studios take “immediate legal action” against companies that used writers' work to train AI, in a letter to CEOs of Disney, Netflix, and others — The union is arguing that tech companies “looted the studios' intellectual property” while Hollywood's major companies stood by.

Discussion: IndieWire, The Wrap, Variety, AV Club, Los Angeles Times, @ninametz.bsky.social, @lainna.bsky.social and Deadline

Brian Steinberg / Variety:

Warner Bros. Discovery announces a restructuring to create two separate units: one for linear TV networks and one for production studios and streaming platforms — The maneuver was unveiled just days after Comcast said it planned to spin off the bulk of its NBCUniversal cable networks …

Brian Stelter / CNN:

Warner Bros. Discovery's shares jump 13%+ after the company announced a restructuring that is expected to take effect by mid-2025 — Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's corporate parent, announced Thursday, it is establishing a new corporate structure that splits its cable networks off from its growing streaming business.

Discussion: Adweek, @lucas_shaw and @mediaevan

Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:

Current and former Netflix staff say the company has walked back its parental-leave benefits, after shifting its focus from subscriber growth to profitability — Employees worry the pullback and other new restrictions mean the entertainment giant is losing the identity that fueled its success

Discussion: Business Insider, @rwhelanwsj, Cord Cutters News, @cpoetzscher, @kedseconomist.com, @joshsternberg.com, Marc Effron on LinkedIn, @wsjbusiness, Jessica Toonkel on LinkedIn and Benzinga, more at Techmeme »

Costas Pitas / Reuters:

Donald Trump picks former news anchor and hardline Republican Kari Lake to be the director of US government-funded media outlet Voice of America — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was picking Kari Lake, a former news anchor and a hardline Republican who failed to win …

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, USA Today, One America News Network, WXIA-TV, Vanity Fair, Tv Technology, Scripps News, Truthout, Raw Story, Adweek, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @backyardpolitics.bsky.social, The Independent, Townhall, @brianstelter, NPR, Forbes, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, Nicole Carr on LinkedIn, Washington Post, RedState, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, The Hill, @nicksortor, @admcrlsn, @damintoell, @usa_polling, @aidnmclaughlin, The American Spectator, @andrewfeinberg, @libbeydean_, @farhip, @samstein, Alternet.org, Roll Call, @yashar, Politico, Mediaite, Twitchy, Breitbart, Daily Mail, Al Jazeera, UPI, Arizona Mirror, Fox News, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @dangillmor.mastodon …, Crooks and Liars, New York Post, WTTG-TV, Los Angeles Times, Washington Examiner, NBC News, CityNews Halifax, The Desk, @matthewkeys.net, The Gateway Pundit, CBS News, @bubbaprog.lol, @davidakaye.bsky.social, @helenkennedy.bsky.social, @olgalautman.bsky.social, @samlitzinger.bsky.social, @dandrezner.bsky.social, @kerravon.bsky.social, @joshtpm.bsky.social, Voice of America, Axios, Bloomberg, Deadline, HuffPost, Washington Times, Daily Kos, ABC News and Bloomberg

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

An interview with Business Insider CTO Harry Hope on BI's use of AI, including AI-powered search and ad tools, shifting away from mass audience, and more — Business Insider's chief technology officer has said advancements in AI technology are helping the publisher “to do a bit more to punch above our weight class”.

Discussion: Talking Biz News

U.S. Press Freedom Tracker:

In 2024, police arrested or detained US journalists at least 48 times, more than in 2022 and 2023 combined; nearly half of arrests were by New York City police — Stephanie Sugars from Freedom of the Press Foundation — Nearly all 48 arrests took place during demonstrations; half at hands of NYPD

Discussion: @freedomofpress@social …, Columbia Journalism Review, CityNews Halifax, @knightcolumbia.org and @kamccudden.bsky.social

Daniele Lepido / Bloomberg:

Italian broadcaster MediaForEurope says it is looking to accelerate its plan to build a pan-European free-to-air TV hub after securing a €3.4B credit facility — - Broadcaster adds financial muscle to bankroll future plans — CEO doesn't rule out a bid for rest of Germany's ProSieben

Discussion: Broadband TV News and Reuters

Ken Klippenstein:

Slack messages: NYT editors tell reporters to “dial back” on using photos of alleged UnitedHealth gunman Luigi Mangione and to avoid publishing his “manifesto” — Times management directs staff to “dial back” Luigi Mangione headshots

Discussion: BET, @noturtlesoup17, @williamturton, @matthewkeys.net, @snarlsdegaulle, @peter@thepit.social, @gianmarcosoresi, @heerjeet, Boing Boing, @yc, @goldstein.bsky.social, @kenklippenstein.bsky.social, New York Times and Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Former NBC News president Noah Oppenheim, Lloyd Braun, and Sarah Bremner launch indie studio Prologue Entertainment, backed by Jeff Zucker and RedBird Capital — A trio of entertainment veterans — Lloyd Braun, Sarah Bremner and Noah Oppenheim — have come together to form independent …

Discussion: The Wrap, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter

Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:

Email: the Guardian Media Group declined to engage with an alternative bid enquiry for The Observer due to exclusivity terms with Tortoise — Guardian Media Group declined to engage with an alternative bid enquiry for The Observer on Tuesday, telling the interested party it could not speak …

Discussion: @dominicponsford.bsky.social

The Guardian:
Guardian and Observer journalists hold a second 48-hour strike against The Observer sale to Tortoise Media; the Scott Trust has agreed to the sale in principle

Discussion: National Union of Journalists …, @susannajrustin.bsky.social, @gonuj.org, @isaaqtomkins.bsky.social, @nujofficial.bsky.social and Press Gazette

Archived Page Info:

This is a snapshot of Mediagazer at 7:55 PM ET, December 12, 2024.

View the current page or another snapshot:

Who's Hiring in Media?

Energy & Commodities Editor, Tokyo — Bloomberg

Politics Reporter, TX — Texas Tribune

Consumer Brands Reporter, GA — AJC

Deputy Editor - Health Care, VA — Politico

Product Editor, CA — CalMatters

Indigenous Affairs Editor, Sydney — Guardian US

China Markets Correspondent, Shanghai — Reuters

Bangor Reporter, ME — Bangor Daily News

Commerce Editor - Health, Remote US — Yahoo

Sports Editor, MI — Detroit News

Deputy Politics Editor, CA — Sacramento Bee

Alphaville Reporter, London — FT

See Also:

Mediagazer: site main

Mediagazer River: reverse chronological Mediagazer

Mediagazer Mobile: for phones

Mediagazer Leaderboard: Mediagazer's top sources

Subscribe:

Mediagazer RSS feed

Mediagazer on X

Mediagazer on Mastodon

More News:

Matt Hardigree / The Autopian:
Hearst Magazines, owner of Car and Driver, Autoweek, and Road & Track, is acquiring MotorTrend Group, which owns MotorTrend, Automobile, and Hot Rod, from WBD

Discussion: Variety, @matthardigree, HEARST and The Drive

Nilay Patel / The Verge:
YouTube removed the ability to click video titles in YouTube Player for Publishers; outlets lose ad revenue by using the standard player to link to YouTube

Discussion: @reckless.bsky.social, @ianbetteridge.com and @mookie@shumai.xyz

Matt Yoder / Awful Announcing:
YouTube tells customers that the monthly price for YouTube TV's base plan will jump from $73 to $83 in January 2025, after raising it from $65 to $73 in 2023

Discussion: The Desk, Deadline, New York Times, Quartz, Arizona Republic, Business Insider, Tv Technology, MacRumors, CBS News, Associated Press, Barron's Online, New York Daily News, The Streamable, @tvanswerman, @tvgrimreaper, Sportico, CNET, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Hollywood Life, @joepompliano, RetailWire, @gimmetheludt, Streaming Better, Cord Cutters News, @tvgrimreaper, Google Help Center, Front Office Sports, @youtubetv, Engadget, BetaNews, The Verge, The Wrap, BGR, @sherman4949, The Hill, Media Play News, masslive.com, @youtubetv, @maxwelltani, @chrisjbakke, @chriswelch@threads.net, @kellycnbc, @mikejanela, @jd60pe5, @seldo.com, Ars Technica, Droid Life, @youtubetv, @austin_rief, 9to5Google, The Information, @justafamilyman_, @maxwelltani, @bigseanq_, @rheidrick24, @jyarow, Cord Cutters News, Digital Trends, KCTV, @mgsiegler@threads.net, TVLine, Decider, Consequence and Barrett Media, more at Techmeme »

Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
In a letter to UK ministers, the Copyright Alliance, representing Disney, Fox, and others, opposes potential laws allowing AI companies to scrape their content

Discussion: TechCrunch, @ednewtonrex.bsky.social and The Guardian, more at Techmeme »

Earlier Picks:

Julia Jacobs / New York Times:
The NLRB issues a complaint against Netflix's Love Is Blind and classifies its contestants as employees, a case that could have ripple effects across reality TV

Discussion: CNN, Rolling Stone, Decider, Vulture, Deadline, Reuters, Quartz, The Hollywood Reporter, @poniewozik.bsky.social, Axios, @noamscheiber.bsky.social, AV Club, The Wrap and Media Play News, more at Techmeme »

Nic Fildes / Financial Times:
Australia plans a levy on tech companies like Meta with $250M+ in local revenue to force them to pay publishers for journalism, after Meta quit the prior deal

Katie Robertson / New York Times:
The NYT Tech Guild and its 600+ members reach a tentative deal with management on a contract enhancing job security, setting flexible hybrid schedules, and more

Discussion: New York Post, @nytguildtech, @nytguildtech, @nytguildtech, @nytguildtech, @viccro, @code_cwa, @chobeat@mastodon.bida.im, Reuters, The Wrap, The Verge, NewsGuild of New York and @nytguildtech

Clayton Davis / Variety:
In a first, the 97th Academy Awards will stream live on Hulu, along with airing on ABC, giving it an unprecedented boost in accessibility and viewership

Discussion: Deadline, ABC13, Engadget, @tvgrimreaper, AV Club, Decider, Rolling Stone, The Streamable, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap and GoldDerby

From Techmeme:

TechCrunch:
SensorTower: users in India have spent $8M on ChatGPT subscriptions through IAP since 2023, not including web app purchases, versus ~$330M spent by US users

Google Online Security Blog:
Google announces Sec-Gemini v1, an experimental AI model for cybersecurity, claiming it outperforms others on the leading CTI-MCQ threat intelligence benchmark

Reuters:
Sources: a TikTok US deal, which was largely finalized by April 2, was put on hold after China indicated it would reject the deal over President Trump's tariffs

Sister Sites:

Techmeme
Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web

memeorandum
What US political commentators are discussing online right now

WeSmirch
The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page