Top News:
Nellie Andreeva / Deadline:
Paramount DTC Chair Cindy Holland says Paramount+ is now open to buying third party content, reminiscent of Holland's strategy when she was at Netflix — At a Los Angeles press event on Wednesday, new Paramount CEO David Ellison touted the move to empower Paramount+ team …
Discussion:
Media Play News and Collider
RELATED:
Matt Donnelly / Variety:
Paramount's streaming head Cindy Holland says streaming movies are “not a priority”, as CEO David Ellison says debate on value of theatrical releases is “over” — The leadership team at Skydance's Paramount have no interest in playing the original streaming movies game …
Discussion:
Media Play News, @variety, TV Insider, Deadline, TrekMovie.com, The Wrap and Deadline
James Rogers / MarketWatch:
Paramount Skydance's shares jumped 36.7% on August 13, and trading volume exploded; CNBC's Jim Cramer called the stock a meme stock earlier in the day
Cynthia Littleton / Variety:
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison says BET Networks is no longer for sale and he plans to operate the new company with Paramount's assets intact
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison says BET Networks is no longer for sale and he plans to operate the new company with Paramount's assets intact
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, Deadline, Cord Cutters News, @tvgrimreaper, TheDesk.net, TVNewsCheck, Benzinga and Collider
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
The GAO launches a probe into USAGM for potential overreach; sources say congressional staffers warned Kari Lake that she illegally used appropriated funds — As Trump lieutenant tells a federal judge she is following the law in dismantling the international broadcasting agency …
RELATED:
Neel Dhanesha / Nieman Lab:
CPB's closure threatens tribal radio and TV stations, endangering critical services like emergency alerts in areas lacking broadband or reliable cell service — “These stations are not just media outlets, they are cultural infrastructure.” — In the most remote parts of Alaska …
Discussion:
The Guardian
Hadas Gold / CNN:
A US judge rules Infowars will go up for sale yet again, paving the way for The Onion to revive its bid for the conspiracy-driven outlet and its assets — Alex Jones' far-right platform Infowars can be sold once again to help pay the more than $1 billion he owes the families …
Discussion:
The Hill, Courthouse News Service, Bloomberg Law, Wall Street Journal and NPR
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
Ampd: South Korea's premium VOD revenue hit $1.1B in H1 2025, with paid subscriptions up 1.5M to 24.5M; Netflix has 8.2M subscribers and ~50% of the market — The Korean streaming wars are heating up. New data shows the country's premium video-on-demand sector reached $1.1 billion …
Discussion:
WORLD SCREEN
Elsa Keslassy / Variety:
Mubi founder and CEO Efe Cakarel responds to criticism of Mubi's Sequoia funding, after some directors criticized it over Sequoia's ties to Israeli military — “Any suggestion that our work is connected to funding the war is simply untrue,” Cakarel wrote in a statement
Discussion:
The Wrap, IndieWire, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Screen
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Tubi expands its partnerships with MrBeast and other creators, and hires former TikTok executive Kudzi Chikumbu as VP of creator partnerships — The company has also hired TikTok executive Kudzi Chikumbu to manage partnerships with creators on the platform.
Discussion:
The Streamable, The Wrap, Streaming Better, Cord Cutters News and WORLD SCREEN
Jessica Yellin / The Atlantic:
A former CNN correspondent discusses the challenges facing “evidence-based creators”, journalists doing original reporting primarily on social media platforms — Truth is still alive on social media—but it's not easy enough to find. — There's a quiet revolution in how millions of Americans decide what's real.
Discussion:
@andria.bsky.social and Mashable
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
How the NFL changed its streaming strategy as the TV landscape shifted; in a first, every NFL game will be available on streaming by the end of August — The league isn't content to be a ratings juggernaut for partners. As it takes equity in ESPN and Paramount Skydance, it's muscling into Hollywood's end zone.
Discussion:
Awful Announcing
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
A look at MicroCo, a Hollywood startup aiming to tap into the micro drama craze, as Chinese apps gain US traction with millions of downloads, per Sensor Tower — A new app will focus on super-short TV shows shot for phones, a bit like Quibi, an earlier app aimed at quick content. — Remember Quibi?
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Paramount investor Mario Gabelli sues Shari Redstone's National Amusements, claiming NAI received “unfair and inequitable” terms in the Skydance merger — Now his investment firm has officially taken the matter to court. — On Wednesday, Gabelli's GAMCO filed a lawsuit …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, The Wrap and Business Wire
