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.
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
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, Mediaite, White House Correspondents …, National Press Club, HuffPost, @kampeas, @marlownyc, @defensebaron, @curtishouck, @normornstein, @oknox, @weijia, Raw Story, Sky News, Washington Examiner, Time and NPR
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.
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
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, Broadband TV News, C21Media, Telecompaper, PPF Group, 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, Fast Company, TechRadar, Engadget, @spotifynews, Mashable and Spotify
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, 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
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.
Columbia Journalism Review:
Semafor Executive Editor Gina Chua, The Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson, NYT Editorial Director of AI Zach Seward, and others share how they are using AI — The rapid development of AI is already changing how journalists operate. Reporters, editors, executives, and others across …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @semaforben, @palewire, @sternbergh.bsky.social, @elizabethminkel.bsky.social, @lukeoneil47.bsky.social, @adrianhon.bsky.social, @joshsternberg.com, @hypervisible.bsky.social, @suze.bsky.social, @chasingray.bsky.social, @bcmerchant.bsky.social, PRNEWS, @pdpj.bsky.social, @stephenkb.bsky.social, @mattdpearce.com, @palewi.re and Fox News
Rana Foroohar / Financial Times:
Trump's film tariffs may be economically flawed but politically strategic, targeting precariat Hollywood workers worried about cheap foreign productions and AI — Trump's new film tariff proposal is bad economics but smart politics — Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free
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