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Max Tani / Semafor:
Sources: in May 2024, Business Insider sent some staff a recommended reading list that included seemingly AI-generated books that did not appear to exist — The Scoop — Business Insider announced this week that it wants staff to better incorporate AI into its journalism.
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Taylor Swift is the most business-savvy artist alive, reacquiring her music by driving negotiations between major music groups, streamers, and social networks — Pop star regains control of albums from her early years after a long fight — Good afternoon from Los Angeles, wherever you may be.
Discussion:
FemaleFirst, Lefsetz Letter, Star Magazine, AV Club, TODAY.com, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, Daily Voice, The Hill, The Indian Express, Variety, E! Online, Just Jared, Axios, The Wrap, UNILAD and The Sun
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Chris Willman / Variety:
Taylor Swift acquires the rights to her first six albums from Shamrock Capital; sources say the deal was in the mid-$300M range
Taylor Swift acquires the rights to her first six albums from Shamrock Capital; sources say the deal was in the mid-$300M range
Discussion:
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Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: UMG, Warner Music, and Sony Music are in talks to license their work to AI music startups Udio and Suno and settle copyright infringement lawsuits — Music companies would settle lawsuits with startups they accused of copyright infringement — Major music companies are in talks …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Music Business Worldwide, Fortune, Music Ally, @lucas_shaw, Cryptopolitan and WinBuzzer, more at Techmeme »
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Meta aims to help brands fully create and target ads using AI by the end of 2026, including images and budgetary goals, building on its current tools — AI-powered advertising is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision for the company's future — Meta Platforms is betting that automation is the future of ads.
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
Marc Maron plans to end WTF With Marc Maron podcast in the fall; the groundbreaking podcast helped define the medium with 1,600+ episodes after its 2009 launch — Marc Maron has announced that he and producer Brendan McDonald have decided to end “WTF With Marc Maron,” the groundbreaking podcast …
David Remnick / New Yorker:
Q&A with Lesley Stahl on the pressures at CBS News and 60 Minutes, Trump's lawsuit and likely settlement, Shari Redstone, Bill Owens stepping down, and more — The veteran journalist Lesley Stahl on the pressures at CBS News, the history of Presidential attacks on the news media, and how journalists today should respond.
Discussion:
Mediaite, New York Post, Fox News, TVNewsCheck, Fortune, TV Insider, @marcowenjones.bsky.social, @socialmedialab.ca, @brianstelter, @alexanderrusso, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @newyorker, New York Sun, TVNewsCheck, @pamspaulding.bsky.social, @csmcdaniel.bsky.social, @michaelluo.bsky.social, @shacharbaron.bsky.social, AV Club, Deadline and The Washington Free Beacon
Lillian Rizzo / CNBC:
Allen Media Group confirms it plans to sell its 28 broadcast TV stations, which it operates and has spent $1B+ over the past six years to acquire — Byron Allen is putting his broadcast TV stations up for sale. — Allen Media Group said on Monday it has retained investment bank Moelis & Co …
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The Desk, Multicast News, TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, Bloomberg, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline
Ally Jarmanning / New Hampshire Public Radio:
The US charges addiction treatment network founder Eric Spofford with orchestrating vandalism at NHPR reporters' homes after a report into alleged sexual abuse — The founder of New Hampshire's largest network of addiction treatment centers is accused of orchestrating a conspiracy to vandalize …
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
Disney's live-action Lilo & Stitch grossed $610M globally in just 10 days, and could reach $950M; the film cost $100M and may make $300M+ in box office profit — The film was originally aimed for Disney+. But it was rerouted to a theatrical release and is on pace for at least $950 million in ticket sales.
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Comic Book, @thispersonstinks.bsky.social, SlashFilm, Media Play News, Variety, Daily Voice, Beebom and Screen Rant
Brian Stelter / CNN:
OAN chief Pentagon correspondent Gabrielle Cuccia says she was fired after criticizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's media restrictions at the Pentagon — Gabrielle Cuccia criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's crackdown on press access at the Pentagon. And then, she said, she was fired.
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
A profile of Kari Lake, a former TV anchor who won two regional Emmy Awards for her work in Cambodia and is now tasked with dismantling the USAGM — The former anchor won TV news Emmys years ago for work she did in Cambodia, one of the countries affected by sweeping layoffs at Voice of America and Radio Free Asia.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @newsguy.bsky.social and @scottnover.bsky.social
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Q&A with Tom Llamas, the new permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News, on the importance of network news despite a shrinking audience, low trust in media, and more — When Tom Llamas finishes his first night as permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News on Monday, he'll go right on into his next assignment …
