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 …
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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 — The merger catapults new power players to the top of Hollywood and ends a tortuous process that has lasted well over a year.
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 — David Ellison formally introduced himself to the industry and Wall Street as chairman CEO of the new Paramount in a letter posted …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Reuters, 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
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Variety, Paramount Skydance, Los Angeles Times, The Wrap, Deadline and @edgarallandoh.bsky.social
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:
PRWeek, Wall Street Journal, PRWeek, The Economic Times, Telegraph, PRWeek, WPP, City A.M., The Guardian, Reuters, MediaCat UK, The Times, Adweek and The Standard
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, Sherwood News, Variety and Deadline
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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.
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:
MediaPost, TechCrunch, Engadget, WeRSM, PYMNTS.com, @viraldonutz.bsky.social, @dannygroner.bsky.social, Business Insider and The Information
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
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 …
Reuters:
Kyrgyzstan enacts a law requiring media to register with authorities and limiting foreign ownership to 35%, after approving penalties for “false information” — Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed a controversial media law that expands government control over independent outlets …
Discussion:
@msmitham.bsky.social, @aigiturgunbaeva, 24.kg and @msmitham.bsky.social
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:
Nexstar reports Q2 revenue down 3% YoY to $1.23B, primarily due to reduced political ad revenue in a US non-election year, and net income down 14% YoY to $91M — Key Points: — Nexstar reported $1.23 billion in Q2 revenue, down 3.2% on a year-over basis due to lower political ad spending in a non-election year.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Variety, Nexstar and Radio & Television …
Kenneth Li / Reuters:
Thomson Reuters reports Reuters News Q2 revenue up 5% YoY to $218M, driven by its agency and professional business and a contractual price increase from LSEG — Thomson Reuters (TRI.TO) reported higher revenue for the second quarter, during which it launched new AI features in its tax and accounting and legal divisions.
Discussion:
Press Gazette, Thomson Reuters, Yahoo Finance, Insider Monkey, Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, Talking Biz News, Sherwood News, Benzinga and MarketWatch
Julian Wyllie / Current:
PBS North Carolina says it will offer voluntary buyouts as it anticipates an annual loss of $4.8M in federal funding and may also lose $4M in state funding — PBS North Carolina announced Tuesday that it will offer voluntary buyouts to staff due to an anticipated revenue shortfall caused by the loss of federal funding.
Discussion:
Fast Company, TVNewsCheck and PBS North Carolina
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