Top News:
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
ESPN's forthcoming standalone streaming service will cost $30 per month, or $36 per month in a bundle with Disney+'s and Hulu's ad-supported tiers — ESPN's new streaming application, featuring everything the sports media arm of Disney has to offer, will cost $29.99 per month.
Discussion:
Variety, Business Insider, Reuters, ESPN Press Room U.S., The Wrap, Awful Announcing, The Streamable, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, The Information, The Hollywood Reporter, Bloomberg, Sports Media Watch, New York Times, Deadline, @willmckinley.bsky.social, Cord Cutters News, 9to5Mac, Streaming Better, @dannygroner.bsky.social, @tvgrimreaper, @jbflint, @sarafischer, @mmccarthyrev, @corey_mcl, @sherman4949, @tim_bays, Barrett Media, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @jbflint, Media Play News, TVNewsCheck and TV Tech
Associated Press:
The WHCA says it is “disturbed” that the Trump administration barred wire service reporters from traveling with Trump on Air Force One to the Middle East — The group representing White House journalists said Monday it was disturbed that the Trump administration barred …
Discussion:
@whca, The Wrap, National Press Club, White House Correspondents …, Mediaite, HuffPost, @kampeas, @marlownyc, @defensebaron, @curtishouck, @normornstein, @oknox, @weijia, Raw Story, Sky News, Washington Examiner, Time and NPR
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Audible partners with US publishers to convert print books and e-books into audiobooks narrated by 100+ AI voices across English, Spanish, French, and Italian — The audiobook platform wants to ‘close the gap’ between the number of print and e-books in existence and audiobooks
Discussion:
Audible.com, TechCrunch, Publishers Weekly and The Bookseller, more at Techmeme »
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
The MPA, SAG-AFTRA, WGAW, the Teamsters, and other Hollywood unions urge President Trump to support tax deductions for the industry, without mentioning tariffs — A coalition of entertainment unions, joined by the Motion Picture Association, urged President Trump on Monday to support tax deductions …
Discussion:
New York Times, IATSE, The MPA, Politico, The Guardian, Deadline, Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
TelevisaUnivision says it plans to debut ~40 microdramas on ViX in ~1 min episodes before expanding into other genres, following the format's popularity in Asia — Music events, 24/7 live reality concepts and vertical video mini telenovelas are among the ideas the Spanish-language media company is pushing this year.
Discussion:
Adweek and StreamTV Insider
Scott Roxborough / The Hollywood Reporter:
Film-focused social media platform Letterboxd plans to launch the Letterboxd Video Store, a curated transactional VOD service themed around rental “shelves” — The film lovers' social media platform is looking to leverage its 20 million-strong community with a curated online rental store.
Discussion:
The Verge
Reuters:
Tencent Music reports Q1 revenue up 8.7% YoY to ~$1.02B, vs. ~$1.01B est., paying users up 8.3%, and social entertainment services revenue down 11.9% to ~$215M — Tencent Music Entertainment (1698.HK) exceeded analysts' expectations for first-quarter revenue on Tuesday, driven by growth in subscribers for its online music services.
Melissa Heikkilä / Financial Times:
Dealroom.co: content licensing and data marketplace startups like Pip Labs and ProRata have raised $215M since 2022 to help artists sell content for AI training — New crop of companies are offering artists ability to sell content to big tech firms to train AI
Discussion:
Advanced Television
Reuters:
Czech investment group PPF launches a bid to lift its stake in German broadcaster ProSieben to 29.99%, countering MediaForEurope's plans to increase control — Czech investment group PPF on Monday launched a bid to lift its stake in German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 (PSMGn.DE) to just under 30% …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Broadcast, C21Media, Telecompaper, PPF Group, Broadband TV News, Deadline and WORLD SCREEN
Jess Weatherbed / The Verge:
Spotify updates its AI DJ to let Premium subscribers use English voice commands to personalize what music it plays, like taking artist, genre, and mood requests — Voice commands allow users to change the vibe or play specific artists and genres.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, 9to5Google, Fast Company, Engadget, TechRadar, @spotifynews, Spotify and Mashable, more at Techmeme »
Anna Brakha / Committee to Protect Journalists:
Analysis: more than 60 Belarusian journalists in exile are under investigation or facing criminal charges in cases that were opened after they left Belarus — Documentary filmmaker Maryia Bulavinskaya's love of history led her to buy a traditional wood home in the Belarusian village of Rogi-Iletsky in 2019.
Taylor Lorenz / User Mag:
Progressive streamer Hasan Piker says he was detained by US CBP and questioned about his journalistic activities and political beliefs; Piker is a US citizen — To unlock more of my reporting on how the internet is reshaping politics, business, media, and culture, and to read my deep dives …
Discussion:
Hasan Daily on YouTube, TechCrunch, Washington Post, The Handbasket, The Hill, @hasanthehun, Reclaim The Net, Raw Story, @cecianasta, @taylorlorenz, @taylorlorenz, @taylorlorenz, @taylorlorenz, @alexjordanatl, HuffPost, DNyuz, The Independent, @andrewmceo.bsky.social, Rolling Stone, @aclu.org, USA Today, New York Post, Newsweek, @menomaminx.bsky.social, @jessielilley.bsky.social, @thetnholler.bsky.social, @cult-papa.com, @cdarwin@c.im, Bloomberg, @makenakelly.bsky.social, @marklittle.bsky.social, @michaelsderby.bsky.social, @lizthegrey.com, @onthemedia.bsky.social, @cbarbermd@med-mastodon.com, @braak.bsky.social, @taylorlorenz.bsky.social, @katie-drummond.bsky.social and @aricohn.com
Assistant Standards Editor, NY — 
Asia Metals Correspondent, Singapore — 
Economic Policy Reporter, DC — 
Senior Director - Editorial, NY — 
Senior Editor, FL — 
Senior Sydney Correspondent — 
Investigative Reporter, OR — 
Reporter I, Remote — 
Reporter, CO — 
Digital Content Editor, CT — 
Sr. Political Reporter, CA — 
Editor, DC — 
Data Reporter, TX — 
Local Editor, MD — 
Editor - Founder Brew, NY — 
Senior Content Strategist, CA — 
Audience Strategist, CO — 
Senior Editor, Remote US — 
Community Newspaper Editor, FL — 
Managing Editor, NY — 
IT Industry Reporter, MA — 
Multimedia Reporter, TX — 
Food Correspondent, OR — 
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, NY — 
Breaking News Editor, Toronto — 
Breaking News Reporter, Remote — 
Digital Editor, OH — 
Senior Political Reporter, ME — 
Head of Multimedia, Sydney — 
Editorial & Opinion Page Editor, NV — 
Deputy Editor, HI — 
Principal Writer - Investigative & Trust — 
Culture & Travel Reporter, NY — 
Wealth & Philanthropy Reporter, TX — 
