Top News:
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, Breitbart, Rob Morlano on LinkedIn, Morningstar, Inc., RetailWire, AV Club, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, New York Daily News, The Hill, Quartz, Benzinga, TVNewsCheck, Nathan Fletcher on LinkedIn, TheStreet, @lisa-catara.bsky.social, @fizzvstheworld.bsky.social, Boston.com, Yahoo Finance, Daily Voice, @thespoilist.bsky.social, @chancesecond.bsky.social, The Post Millennial, Adweek, MarketWatch, Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, The Hollywood Reporter, CBS News, Entrepreneur, The Economic Times, 9-1-1 Behind The Scenes and Bloomberg
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:
Marketing Dive, MediaPost, Mike Mallazzo on LinkedIn, AdNews News, Legit.ng, Motley Fool, CNET, Benzinga, Deadline, Morningstar, Inc., Neowin, PCMag, Reuters, WinBuzzer, Proactive, WebProNews, Yahoo Finance, Adweek, @hypervisible.bsky.social, Investor's Business Daily, PYMNTS.com, The Guardian, Trak.in, Dora Moldovan on LinkedIn, Cryptopolitan, Beet.TV, @meghanbobrowsky, Business Today, KnowTechie, TVNewsCheck, The Economic Times, Quartz, WeRSM, TheCable and Sherwood News, more at Techmeme »
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:
Deadline, Mediaweek, @thispersonstinks.bsky.social, SlashFilm, Comic Book, UK Press, Variety, Daily Voice, Breitbart, Media Play News, Beebom and Screen Rant
New York Times:
Sources: the FTC is investigating whether roughly a dozen advertising and advocacy groups violated antitrust law by coordinating boycotts among advertisers — The regulator is looking into whether roughly a dozen groups violated antitrust law by coordinating boycotts among advertisers.
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.
Discussion:
@shelleybwoke.bsky.social, Meredith Schwartz on LinkedIn, @reckless.bsky.social, @damonberes.com, @criminalerin.bsky.social, @paris.nyc, @paulconstant.com, @harrymccracken.com, @maxwelltani, @maris.bsky.social, @alexthomp, @kenklippenstein, @knguyen.bsky.social, @maxwelltani, @maxtani.bsky.social, @eduardosuarez.bsky.social and Talking Biz News
Andy Meek / Forbes:
An interview with Henry Blodget on BI's layoffs, media market changes in the past five years, why the future is direct distribution and subscriptions, and more — Following the announcement that Business Insider would lay off 21% of its staff, a move driven largely by Google's AI-centric search changes …
Discussion:
@jayrosen.bsky.social, MediaPost and Pivot to AI
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, Associated Press, New Jersey Online, San Francisco Examiner, AV Club, Plain Dealer, Los Angeles Times, @dstapf63.bsky.social, People, The Wrap, @pjmaciak.bsky.social, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, @dangercart.bsky.social, @nochorus.bsky.social, @brianstelter, @mathowie@xoxo.zone, Podnews, @danagould.bsky.social, NBC News, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, NextDraft, Rolling Stone, @mrbeverages.bsky.social, @jasondashbailey.com, Bloomberg, New York Daily News, NBC Bay Area, Consequence, Barrett Media, Business Insider and Just Jared
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:
Wall Street Journal, AV Club, TechCrunch, Fortune, Digital Music News, PCMag, Music Ally, UPROXX, Billboard, Music Business Worldwide, @lucas_shaw, Cryptopolitan and WinBuzzer
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 …
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:
Reuters, Insider Monkey, The Toy Book, Mattel, Inc., Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and TVNewsCheck
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 …
BBC:
Syrian intelligence files show that missing American journalist Austin Tice was imprisoned by the regime of the now-deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — Top secret intelligence files uncovered by the BBC confirm for the first time that missing American journalist Austin Tice …
