Top News:
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 …
Discussion:
Deadline, LateNighter, NBC News, Bloomberg, New York Daily News, People, The Wrap, Entertainment Weekly, NBC Bay Area, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, @dangercart.bsky.social, @nochorus.bsky.social, @brianstelter, @mathowie@xoxo.zone, Podnews, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, @mrbeverages.bsky.social, @jasondashbailey.com, Consequence, Barrett Media and Just Jared
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:
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:
Billboard, TechCrunch, Digital Music News, PCMag, @lucas_shaw, Cryptopolitan, Fortune, Music Ally, UPROXX, WinBuzzer and Music Business Worldwide, 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.
Discussion:
WebProNews, Adweek, Investor's Business Daily, PCMag, Cryptopolitan, Yahoo Finance, Neowin, Reuters, Benzinga, Proactive, Morningstar, Inc., WinBuzzer, @hypervisible.bsky.social, The Guardian, Trak.in, @meghanbobrowsky, Business Today, Quartz, KnowTechie, TVNewsCheck, The Economic Times, TheCable, Sherwood News and The Motley Fool
Jeremy Fuster / The Wrap:
Mattel combines its film and television production units into a single unit under the direction of Mattel Films president and Barbie producer Robbie Brenner — The exec and “Barbie” producer will be president and chief content officer of the unified company
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline
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, The Independent, New York Post, Fortune, Fox News, TV Insider, @marcowenjones.bsky.social, TVNewsCheck, @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
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
CNN's chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, whose 2021 story led to a suit in which a jury awarded $5M to an ex-CIA operative, is leaving CNN — CNN's chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, whose 2021 story on a military contractor led to a defamation suit loss in court …
Discussion:
Fox News, The Wrap, TVNewsCheck, The Hollywood Reporter, The Western Journal, @marquardta, Newsbusters, Deadline and Barrett Media
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 …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Sources: Disney is laying off several hundred employees globally across multiple teams, including TV and film — Disney is swinging the axe again, laying off several hundred employees globally across multiple teams. … Disney is positioning the cuts as enhancing its ability to operate more efficiently.
Discussion:
Deadline, Reuters, Adweek, TVNewsCheck, Business Insider, TheStreet, Los Angeles Times, Daily Voice, MarketWatch, CBS News, The Economic Times and Bloomberg
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.
Discussion:
UK Press, Comic Book, Breitbart, @thispersonstinks.bsky.social, SlashFilm, Daily Voice, Variety, Media Play News, Beebom and Screen Rant
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:
Cele|bitchy, FemaleFirst, Gamereactor UK, Suggest, Benzinga, Lefsetz Letter, Star Magazine, Time, AV Club, TODAY.com, The Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Daily Voice, The Hill, Mediaite, The Indian Express, The Cut, Variety, Global News, The Verge, Just Jared, E! Online, Deadline, Extra, Axios, The Wrap, Los Angeles Times, UNILAD, The Sun, WPXI-TV and Variety
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:
@newsguy.bsky.social, @scottnover.bsky.social and TVNewsCheck
