Top News:
Kelcee Griffis / Bloomberg:
Two FCC commissioners announce that they'll depart this week, creating three vacancies on the five-member panel amid reviews of the Paramount-Skydance merger — Two members of the Federal Communications Commission announced they'll depart this week, leaving the agency with three vacancies …
Discussion:
Deadline, @lucas_shaw and Techdirt
Barbara Tasch / BBC:
The BBC rejects a White House claim that it took down a Gaza story, after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the BBC of taking “the word of Hamas” — The BBC has rejected incorrect White House criticism of its Gaza coverage, describing a claim that it had taken down a story as “completely wrong”.
Discussion:
The Hill, Deadline, Canadian Press, NPR, New York Times, Le Monde, NBC News, The Daily Caller, KRDO, @adamemedia, @saulstaniforth, @mrneilmorrow, @owenjonesjourno, @efischberger, @alhewitt6, TheJournal.ie, The Guardian, @mishtal, @brianstelter, NewsMax.com, Mediaite, HuffPost and Townhall
Sean Burch / The Wrap:
WGA East threatens a strike by Vox employees without a new contract that includes The Dodo Union staffers along with better pay, AI protections, and more — The strike threat, made by WGA East, says it wants a joint contract that includes The Dodo Union colleagues
Discussion:
@mediaevan and @mediaevan.bsky.social
Attila Mong / Committee to Protect Journalists:
Since November 2024, Serbia had a sharp rise in attacks on journalists amid political unrest, including 23 physical assaults and 128 total attacks and threats — What journalists called a “witch hunt” atmosphere against government critics in Serbia one year ago has since escalated into a rise …
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, BBC and TheJournal.ie
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Russell Simmons sues HBO and the directors of On the Record for $20M, alleging they defamed him in their documentary on sexual assault allegations against him — Russell Simmons is suing HBO and the filmmakers behind the “On the Record” documentary for $20 million, alleging they defamed …
Discussion:
The Wrap, TVNewsCheck, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, New York Post, TMZ.com, Vibe and Baller Alert
Tom Levitt / The Guardian:
UK-based BBC Persian journalists say their families in Iran are being terrorised and punished by the Iranian regime, with a sharp escalation in 2025 — BBC says ‘sharp and deeply troubling escalation’ this year of Iran targeting families of UK-based BBC Persian journalists
Discussion:
@Wen@mastodon.scot and @ianmoody.bsky.social
Thomas Buckley / Bloomberg:
AMC Entertainment has reached an agreement with National CineMedia to run ads right before the start of a film, starting July 1 — Starting July 1, AMC theaters will feature a “platinum spot” that's shown on screens right before the start of a film. The theater chain, which has struggled financially …
Discussion:
Kotaku, SlashFilm, The Ankler and Media Play News
Jake Kanter / Deadline:
An analysis of 61 settlements signed by Channel 4 staff who left amid employment disputes between 2017 and 2021 shows it paid out ~£5M and all but two had NDAs — Deadline has analyzed 61 settlement deals signed by former staff members who exited Channel 4 amid an employment dispute between 2017 and 2021.
Discussion:
@johnmcm1 and @jake_kanter
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Meta has talked with Disney, A24, and other companies about exclusive content for a premium VR device it plans to launch next year for less than $1,000 — Tech company has talked with Disney and A24 about exclusive content for a premium VR device — Meta Platforms is courting Hollywood …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, MarketWatch, @jtoonkel, Sherwood News, @mikeisaac, @frydawolff.bsky.social and @peark.es, more at Techmeme »
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
The Nevada Legislature rejects a proposal to create a $95M annual tax credit for the Sony- and WBD-backed Summerlin Studios project in Las Vegas — A proposal to build a movie studio in Las Vegas died in the Nevada Legislature on Monday night, as lawmakers refused to grant a $95 million annual subsidy.
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Sources: WaPo is working on an initiative to publish opinion articles from other US papers, writers on Substack, and eventually nonprofessional writers — A new program, known internally as Ripple, would open The Post to journalists at other publications and influential writers on Substack.
Discussion:
The Verge, Mediaite, Pivot to AI, Breitbart, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, PR Daily, Media Nation, @jayrosen.bsky.social, Futurism, Annemarie Dooling on LinkedIn, Todd Pruzan on LinkedIn, @benmullin, American Wire News, @hannahgais.bsky.social, Poynter, @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social, @maxread.info, Spyglass, TVNewsCheck, @kevinmdraper, @nausjcaa, @jonallendc, @jarroddicker, @benmullin, @benmullin, @damon.kiesow.net, Chris Cillizza on LinkedIn, @contrariannews.org, @froomkin.bsky.social, NewsMax.com, @poniewozik.bsky.social, @newsjennifer.bsky.social and @adamkeiper.com
Steven Zeitchik / The Hollywood Reporter:
AMC signs a deal with Runway to use its AI tech to generate marketing images and pre-visualize unproduced shows, the first cable player to work with Runway — The ‘Mad Men’ and ‘The Walking Dead’ producer is the latest Hollywood company to sign a pact with the generative AI firm.
