Top News:
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison visited CBS News early Thursday, expressing admiration for the news division and acknowledging recent stresses — Control of Paramount, the legendary but troubled TV and movie maker, shifted to Silicon Valley scion David Ellison on Thursday …
Discussion:
Paramount, Deadline, The Information, Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter, Slate, New York Sun, Business Insider, The Independent, Deadline, @loudmouthjulia, @brianstelter.bsky.social, StreamTV Insider, New York Post, Reuters, HuffPost, New York Times, TVNewsCheck, Status, The Ankler and Fox News
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Erik Hayden / The Hollywood Reporter:
In a press conference, Paramount Skydance execs emphasize better tech, deflect questions on recent controversies, and put off layoff questions until November — “We're ready to move past the noise,” the CEO said, despite the lobbed questions geared toward Trump, ‘60 Minutes’ independence …
Discussion:
Deadline, Status, World of Reel, NewsMax.com, The Guardian, Deadline, Business Insider, Deadline, Deadline and The Information
New York Times:
Paramount and Skydance's $8B merger closes, giving Paramount stronger financial wherewithal and ending a tortuous process that has lasted well over a year
Discussion:
Paramount Skydance Corporation, Variety, @dylanbyers, Associated Press, Scotty Eagleton on LinkedIn, Sports Business Journal, Screen, @benmullin, Yvette Moyo on LinkedIn, The Verge, The Independent, The Wrap, Fox Business, TMZ.com, Reuters, Mediaite, The Streamable, TheDesk.net, IndieWire, Business Insider and Yahoo Finance
Jill Goldsmith / Deadline:
Paramount CEO David Ellison outlines the new company's plans, including a reorganization into three business units: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media
Paramount CEO David Ellison outlines the new company's plans, including a reorganization into three business units: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, The Boston Globe and TVNewsCheck
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
SEC filing: Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison and President Jeff Shell will get paid no less than $3.5M per year and have bonus targets of $1.5M per year
SEC filing: Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison and President Jeff Shell will get paid no less than $3.5M per year and have bonus targets of $1.5M per year
Discussion:
Paramount Skydance, Deadline, Variety, Los Angeles Times, TVNewsCheck, @edgarallandoh.bsky.social, The Wrap and Variety
Katcy Stephan / Variety:
Disney and Lucasfilm settle with Gina Carano, who sued for discrimination over her firing from The Mandalorian after she shared controversial social media posts — Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney Company have reached a mutual agreement in their legal dispute with Gina Carano following her firing from “The Mandalorian.”
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, Reuters, New York Post, The Wrap, New York Times, NBC News, National Review, HotAir, Daily Disney News, Screen Rant, World of Reel, RedState, FemaleFirst, Comic Book, TVLine, TMZ.com, Entertainment Weekly, Ace of Spades HQ, CBS News, Deadline, Gizmodo, Cord Cutters News, Reclaim The Net, twitchy.com, Polygon, @jadpeanut.bsky.social, Bleeding Cool News, That Park Place, NewsMax.com, New York Daily News, Full Feed, Bloomberg, The Post Millennial, Collider and Just Jared
Angie Orellana Hernandez / Washington Post:
Stanford's student newspaper and two former students sue the Trump administration, saying arrests and deportation attempts against students hinder free speech — The lawsuit challenges Secretary of State Marco Rubio's ability to revoke student visas and deem an individual deportable based on the content of their speech.
Vox Media Union:
Vox Media's union says 15 members working at Eater were told without warning that their jobs were being cut, eliminating roughly a third of Eater's union jobs — Vox Media Union statement on today's devastating round of layoffs at Eater. We stand with all of our wonderful colleagues. #solidarityforever #unionstrong #1u [image]
Discussion:
@drewkerr, @inkydojikko.bsky.social, @coachfinstock.bsky.social, @slateunion.bsky.social, @welch.bsky.social, @funkelly.bsky.social, @vicmsong.bsky.social, @bastein410.bsky.social, @jlrmarin.bsky.social, @aemccarthy.bsky.social, @darcyjamesargue.com, @dylanbyers, @ryansutton.bsky.social, @dougmessel.com, @mattufford.bsky.social, @lancehartz.bsky.social, @jlrmarin.bsky.social, @arjun.bsky.social, @miasato.bsky.social, @nymagunion.bsky.social, @alvinsdream.bsky.social, @sethrosenthal.bsky.social, @bookshop.bsky.social and @wgaeast.bsky.social
John Volk / Local News Initiative:
FOIA docs: Illinois news entities operating 120 outlets are receiving a combined $4M in 2025 state tax credits under a new law for employing local journalists — Forty Illinois local news entities operating 120 outlets are receiving $4 million in state tax credits under a new law designed …
Discussion:
Newser
Janko Roettgers / The Verge:
Sources detail Google's struggles to monetize Google TV, which has been costing the company hundreds of millions of dollars annually and has yet to break even — Losing money and internal support, Google TV is feeling the heat. … Last year, Google surprised online video publishers …
Discussion:
Janko Roettgers on LinkedIn and Android Headlines, more at Techmeme »
Kieran Smith / Financial Times:
WPP reports H1 2025 operating profit down 48% YoY to £221M and halves its interim dividend ahead of a strategic review, weeks after cutting its FY 2025 guidance — Shares hit 16-year low as interim operating profits plunge 48% for first half — WPP halved its interim dividend …
Discussion:
The Straits Times, MediaCat UK, PRWeek, The Economic Times, PRWeek, PRWeek, Reuters, WPP, The Times, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Telegraph, Adweek, City A.M. and The Standard
Francesca Ebel / Washington Post:
Mzia Amaghlobeli, a prominent independent journalist in the country of Georgia, was sentenced to two years in prison for slapping a police officer at a protest — Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder of two media outlets, had slapped a police officer at an anti-government protest …
Hannah Murphy / Financial Times:
In a live discussion on X, Elon Musk tells advertisers that X plans to introduce advertising into Grok's answers — Billionaire owner outlines plans to improve advertising on social media platform in rare overture to marketers — Elon Musk plans to introduce advertising into the answers …
Discussion:
WeRSM, Adweek, @viraldonutz.bsky.social, @dannygroner.bsky.social, TechCrunch, Engadget, MediaPost, Business Insider, PYMNTS.com and The Information
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
Lionsgate reports Q1 studio revenue down 6% YoY to $556M, above est., motion picture revenue down 24% to $267.3M, and TV production revenue up 20% to $288.5M — The newly single Hollywood studio saw overall revenues fall to $556 million, compared to a year-earlier $590.7 million.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, TheDesk.net, Media Play News, investors.lionsgate.com and Deadline
Harshita Mary Varghese / Reuters:
WBD reports Q2 revenue up 1% YoY to $9.81B, vs. $9.76B est., boosted by the HBO Max expansion and blockbuster hits, and subscribers up 3.4M QoQ, vs. 2.71M est. — Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O) topped Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue on Thursday, boosted by the international expansion …
Abid Rahman / The Hollywood Reporter:
Sony Pictures reports Q1 revenue up 4% YoY to ~$2.26B, operating income up 76% YoY to $129M, and motion pictures unit revenue down 13% YoY to $742M — The studio's releases in the period included ‘28 Years Later’ and ‘Karate Kid: Legends.’ … SPE comprises the motion pictures division, television productions and media networks.
Discussion:
Sony Group Corporation, Sony Group Corporation, Variety and Deadline
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