Top News:
New York Times:
Court docs detail a smear campaign against actor Blake Lively via media articles and social media posts after she accused director Justin Baldoni of misconduct — Last summer, as the release of “It Ends With Us” approached, Justin Baldoni, the director and a star of the film, and Jamey Heath …
Discussion:
TMZ.com, People, E! Online, World of Reel, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Post, @kattenbarge.bsky.social, Socialite Life, SheKnows, Digital Trends, Variety, Deadline, Daily Mail, @vanderhoofy.bsky.social, @dontlikeacidrck, Rolling Stone, @stanrmitchell, @claytoonz, Page Six, Business Insider, KTVU-TV, The Mirror, @mega2e, @meredithconroy.bsky.social, @suhaunah, @femmevillain, @nicolerprause, @davidpoland, @simoneumba, @johnmcquaid.bsky.social, Us Weekly, RADAR, @farhip, CBS News, @emilyctamkin.bsky.social, @nikelodeon2021, @iwatchiam, Vanity Fair, Full Feed, Vogue, @nick_field90, The Wrap, @roxanegay.bsky.social, @joshsternberg.com, @dkthomp.bsky.social, @sunsprite33, @charliencontext.bsky.social, @saskiapopescu.bsky.social, @sarahwatson42.bsky.social, @aaronhuertas.bsky.social, @ellysmelancholy, AV Club, Fox News, @rainesford.bsky.social, @hunteryharris, @maria_portugal2, IndieWire, Screen Rant, @chloemelas, @eidyngray.scot, Suggest, @meghanncuniff.bsky.social, Los Angeles Times, @temalone, HotAir, @effoff1988, Perez Hilton, @mikeisaac, @jonfortt, @mmiedl.bsky.social, Entertainment Weekly, @fifilamoura@eldritch.cafe, @melissaryan.bsky.social, @ekp.bsky.social, @evanromano, heartofbusan, @justsayrad, @mistershila, @normalguy8, Consequence, The Guardian, @yourombudsmom.bsky.social, @karenho.bsky.social, @millhousebooty.bsky.social, New York Daily News, UPI, Sky News, OK!, Associated Press, @service-worker.bsky.social, @michellegoldberg.bsky.social, @mollyknight.bsky.social, Daily Star, The Hollywood Gossip, Celebrity News & …, TVLine, Metro.co.uk, Extra, Just Jared and Kat
Max Tani / @maxwelltani:
Memo: WaPo's Matt Murray lays out plans for WP Ventures, the “third newsroom”; Krissah Thompson will be editor and Samantha Henig will be general manager — New: In a note to staff, WaPo lays out details about the third newsroom, WP Ventures. The company announces that Krissah Thompson will lead WP Ventures, Samantha Henig will be GM. Video, audio, newsletters, special initiatives, other verticals will be part of WP Ventures. [image]
Discussion:
On my Om, @benmullin, @dylanbyers, @bybethrankin, @benmullin, @davidfolkenflik, Talking Biz News and The Wrap
RELATED:
Jack Dunn / Variety:
Trump appoints Mark Burnett, the British TV executive who created and produced the reality show The Apprentice, as a special envoy to the UK — Donald Trump has appointed British television producer Mark Burnett, who produced the president-elect's reality show “The Apprentice,” as a special envoy to the United Kingdom.
Discussion:
CBS News, @realDonaldTrump …, Daily Mail, TVNewsCheck, New York Post, GB News, HuffPost, Deadline, Mediaite, The Wrap, Bloomberg, NBC News, The US Sun, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, @1gregtodd.bsky.social, UPI, Politico, @cynblogger@sfba.social, WTSP, Fox News, RedState, The Hill, The Post Millennial, The Hollywood Reporter and djt.nucleusemail.com
Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:
A deep dive into Paramount's sale to Skydance; sources: Skydance may integrate Pluto into Paramount+, and CBS head George Cheeks is expected to be head of TV — An $8 billion deal Shari Redstone struck with Skydance Media must go through the FCC next year; new owners seek over $2 billion in cost cuts
Discussion:
@nkulw, @mattzeitlin, @tvgrimreaper and @jtoonkel
Liz Pelly / Harper's:
How Spotify used its Perfect Fit Content program to rig its system against musicians, filling popular playlists with “ghost artists” to cut its royalty payouts — I first heard about ghost artists in the summer of 2017. At the time, I was new to the music-streaming beat.
Discussion:
@kevinrothrock.me, @baldur@toot.cafe, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, Michael Lewis on LinkedIn, @danielpemberton.bsky.social, @joshgondelman.bsky.social, @kevinmarks.com, @mathver.bsky.social, @nanobii.com, @harpers, @mrsimonraymonde, @philosopher70, @zervel, @sr_lazarus, @jhv85, @iliasalami, @jgrayatua, @rulesdisobeyer, @calsthoughts, @1000timesyes, @alias_eitel, @roneilr, @future_of_music, @diemkay, @niurn_writes, @umaw_, @jimmyjacktoth, @teakagee, @sandiptodg, @98migrocha, @kennytorrella, @joeyquits, @karonliu, @elcharlemagne2, @larrypareigis, @glenn_mcdonald, @harpers, @briancrain, @big_keez, @lawrencedonegan, @umaw_, @joeyquits, @dfeldman.org, @mossbergwalt@threads.net, @paperaviator.bsky.social, @thelarchmage.bsky.social, @bullivant@mastodon.ie, @carnage4life@mas.to, Owen Grover on LinkedIn, @thetonearm.com, Ethan Holben on LinkedIn, Cole Davis on LinkedIn, Jacob Sanders on LinkedIn, AV Club, @caseynewton.bsky.social, @tsalmoth.bsky.social, @draglikepull.bsky.social, @nightrazor.bsky.social, @bernardzuel.bsky.social, @slowmusicmovement.bsky.social, @kyokokitamura.bsky.social, @robhorning.bsky.social, @trashpandaqc@mastodon.online, @carnage4life.bsky.social, @obrhoff@chaos.social, @dante@masto.posting.haus, @lardmotel@mastodon.sdf.org, @madskjeldgaard@sonomu.club, @alisonwillmore.bsky.social, @paco@infosec.exchange, Futurism, Digital Music News and Associated Press
Stephen Alpher / CoinDesk:
Rumble announces a $775M investment from Tether and plans to use $525M to fund a tender offer for ~70M shares of its common stock; RUM jumped 50%+ after hours — YouTube competitor Rumble (RUM) is in a deal for a $775 million strategic investment from stablecoin giant Tether.
Discussion:
BeInCrypto, Reclaim The Net, Benzinga, Decrypt, Rumble, Inc., Fortune, Tether, The Information and The Hollywood Reporter
Leo Schwartz / Fortune:
Sources: CoinDesk owner Bullish fired three editors, including EIC Kevin Reynold, amid controversy over forcing editors to take down an article on Justin Sun — Bullish, the owner of leading crypto publication CoinDesk, abruptly dismissed three top editors on Friday, according to sources familiar …
Wall Street Journal:
Sources detail creative differences between the Broccoli family, which has creative control over the James Bond franchise, and Amazon, which owns the franchise — A clash between the Broccoli family, which has creative control over 007, and the e-commerce giant, which owns the franchise, has put Bond's future on pause
Discussion:
@harrymccracken@mastodon …, AV Club, Exposing the role …, Frontpage Mag, Fox News, Collider, @cinephiliabeyond.org, @mannyfidel, The InSneider, @cade_onder, @matthewstoller, @xenocryptsite, @worldofreel, Screen Rant, @tvgrimreaper, BGR, @jb007_news, @joegalarn, The Information, Comic Book, Metro.co.uk, The Playlist, Consequence, The Sun, Daily Mail, @thefienprint.bsky.social, @simondowens@threads.net, SlashFilm, New York Post, Digital Trends, @jmrivera.bsky.social, World of Reel, TVNewsCheck, CNN, Just Jared and CBS News
Bloomberg:
A look at the challenges facing Crunchyroll, as current and ex-staffers say its management is out of touch, amid Disney and Netflix's expansion into anime — Disney and Netflix are expanding in the popular Japanese cartoon genre — At first glance, Sony Group Corp.'s $1.2 billion acquisition …
Discussion:
The Streamable, Collider, @unangbangkay.bsky.social, @cecianasta, Screen Rant, Cord Cutters News and Media Play News
Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
The US Senate gives final approval to a bill loosening restrictions on commercial filming and photography in national parks; Biden is expected to sign it — The measure was passed a day after a lawsuit was filed against the government accusing it of censoring speech by making filmmakers pay …
Discussion:
FIRE, Outdoor Life and National Parks Traveler
Catherine Komp / NC Local News Workshop:
Q&A with Laura Lee, news director of Blue Ridge Public Radio, on managing a team after Hurricane Helene, focusing on producing info about basic needs, and more — In the early days of Helene, when we spent our nights in the dark and our days clearing debris, one of the only places to get news and information was BPR.
Discussion:
John Robinson on LinkedIn and @timcollinsavl.bsky.social
Robert Booth / The Guardian:
The UK ICO criticizes Google as “irresponsible” after the company announced plans to let advertisers employ fingerprinting techniques from February 16, 2025 — ICO says allowing advertisers to track digital ‘fingerprints’ will undermine consumers' control over information
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Source: producers of My Favorite Murder, which signed a 3-year Wondery deal for $100M+ in 2022, secured a new deal with iHeartMedia; they had sought $10M/year — Plus: music, podcasting and audiobook predictions for the year ahead — Hello, hello. Welcome back to Soundbite for our last issue of 2024.