Top News:
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Filing: Trump's lawyers argue that Rupert Murdoch should be deposed within 15 days because of his advanced age, in the $10B libel suit against Murdoch and WSJ — The president's legal team argued in a legal filing that discovery process for the media mogul should be expedited because of his age and health.
Alice Brooker / Press Gazette:
The UK's The Times closes its Money Mentor, launched in 2019 as a free section designed to “demystify finance”, but relaunches its personal finance offering — The Times has closed its Money Mentor section but says it is relaunching its personal finance offering instead.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Axios:
Rupert Murdoch's media empire is playing both sides of the Trump-Epstein scandal, with the WSJ breaking bombshell news that Fox News is largely ignoring — Rupert Murdoch's media empire is playing both sides of the Trump-Epstein scandal, breaking bombshell news with one hand and largely ignoring it with the other.
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Hope Hicks, the ex-Trump White House communications director and Fox communications chief, joins Megyn Kelly's production company Devil May Care Media as COO — Hope Hicks, the former Trump White House communicatoins director and Fox Corp. communications chief, will join Megyn Kelly's production company …
Drew Harwell / Washington Post:
YouTube mega streamer IShowSpeed's recent visits to Lithuania and China show how countries are focusing on creators' fan bases as a new strategy for soft power — The streamer IShowSpeed drank pink soup in the Baltics and marveled at cars in China. Are his tours propaganda, or just good advertising?
Discussion:
NZ Herald and Jian Xu on LinkedIn
Press Gazette:
The UK government appoints News UK COO and ex-Sun editor David Dinsmore to the new role of permanent secretary for communications — News UK chief operating officer David Dinsmore is taking up a senior communications role at the heart of Government. — David Dinsmore, who was editor …
Discussion:
Telegraph and The Guardian
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
The BBC appoints ex-Meta executive Anjali Kapoor to the newly created role of director for BBC News AI, Innovation, and Growth, to “accelerate AI adoption” — Anjali Kapoor was previously Meta's Director for Media Partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region but takes …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, BBC, Yahoo Finance, Broadband TV News and TVBEurope
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Imax partners with Runway AI to screen 10 films selected as finalists in the company's AI Film Festival at 10 Imax locations across the US — Imax is teaming with tech firm Runway to present commercial screenings of selections from the company's AI Film Festival.
Discussion:
GamesRadar, @realjaredgilman, @imax, The Decoder, The Hollywood Reporter, Livemint and WinBuzzer
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:
After the spinoff, WBD's streaming and studios business will be called The Warner Bros Company and its cable networks business will be called Discovery Global — Executives at Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) have lifted the curtain on the new names for their film studio and cable networks business once …
Discussion:
Adweek, TV Tech, Axios, The Hollywood Reporter, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, CNBC, Reuters, The Wrap, Variety, Sports Business Journal, Advanced Television, Engadget, The Information, Cord Cutters News, @gentledoofus, Broadband TV News, @mikeisaac, @dylanbyers, Streaming Better, Barrett Media, @discussingfilm, @benmullin, @matthewkeyslive and Media Play News
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism promotes editor Franz Wild as its next CEO and EIC, succeeding Rozina Breen, who is leaving to join the Pulitzer Center — The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has appointed Franz Wild as its next chief executive and editor-in-chief.
Discussion:
TBIJ, Franz Wild on LinkedIn and Journalism.co.uk
Nick Vivarelli / Variety:
Netflix agrees a deal with Middle East broadcaster MBC Group to bundle Netflix and MBC's Shahid in addition to its linear TV channels in one subscription — Top Middle East broadcaster MBC Group has forged a groundbreaking partnership with Netflix under which the U.S. streaming giant …
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, The Wrap, Screen, Broadband TV News, Deadline, Kidscreen, The National, Gulf News, Advanced Television, Media Play News, WORLD SCREEN and Realscreen
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Sky News expands its data and forensics team as part of the Sky News 2030 project to build a newsroom focused on premium video journalism — Sky News is hiring journalists to expand its data and forensics team as part of its plan to produce more premium journalism that people might pay for.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Paramount says it expects its merger with Skydance to close on August 7; the new company will trade on Nasdaq as PSKY — In just under two weeks, Paramount Global will complete its takeover by the smaller Skydance Media to form “Paramount Skydance Corp.” — and bringing a rollercoaster M&A ride to its conclusion.
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