Top News:
Bloomberg:
A US district court judge temporarily blocks an FTC probe into Media Matters, part of an antitrust investigation into ad boycotts, calling the probe retaliatory — Nonprofit Media Matters for America won a court order blocking a Federal Trade Commission information demand for documents …
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Times, @ardenthistorian.bsky.social, @adamsteinbaugh.bsky.social, Media Matters for America, Raw Story, @mmasnick.bsky.social, @dystopian-fashion.bsky.social, Deadline, Washington Post, @adamsteinbaugh.bsky.social, @beingsass.bsky.social, @adamsteinbaugh.bsky.social, @dandrezner.bsky.social, MLex and US District Court for the District of Columbia, more at Techmeme »
Matthew Belloni / @mattbelloni:
Sources: Stranger Things creators the Duffer brothers are leaving Netflix for Paramount; the deciding factor was Paramount's support for theatrical releases — News: Duffers made their choice: They're leaving Netflix for Paramount. The theatrical film component was the dealbreaker, per sources.
Free Press:
A coalition of press freedom groups urges Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to release Atlanta journalist Mario Guevara, detained by ICE for two months — In a powerful letter to Noem, groups including the Committee to Protect Journalists, Free Press, PEN America and Reporters Without Borders mark …
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Memo: PBS is cutting its current budget by 21% and reducing dues paid by local stations by $35M to deal with Congress' decision to eliminate ~$500M in funding — The nonprofit will receive less revenue from its members, which are under pressure to make up for shortfalls of their own.
Discussion:
CBS News, Deadline, @deggans, Scott Sauer on LinkedIn, TV Tech, The Verge, @tylerborchers.com, The Washington Free Beacon, Radio & Television …, Cord Cutters News, BroadwayWorld, American Prospect, New Jersey Globe, ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix, TVNewsCheck, @benmullin, @ndhapple.bsky.social, @grovesprof.bsky.social and Nieman Lab
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
TikTok is updating its Community Guidelines, adding new rules for Live creators, including a requirement that commercial content must be disclosed — TikTok is preparing an update to its Community Guidelines, which dictate the rules for participating on the social video platform …
Discussion:
Tech in Asia, MediaPost, Social Media Today and TikTok, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
Fox CEO of DTC Pete Distad says Fox will consider bundling Fox One with other streamers and adding podcasts, and that profit projections are “aggressive” — Rupert Murdoch's Fox Corp. has largely stayed on the sidelines of the streaming wars. — That ends next week.
Discussion:
TheDesk.net, The Streamable, Newser and nScreenMedia
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Digital Content Next survey: 19 US online publishers, including major newsrooms, saw a median 10% YoY decline in Google referral traffic in the May-June period — Leading US online publishers reported an average fall in referral traffic from Google search of 10% in May and June compared to a year earlier.
Discussion:
Digital Content Next, TheDesk.net, @shanumathew93, @ednewtonrex, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @pressgazette.co.uk and PPA
Raquel ‘Rocky’ Harris / The Wrap:
The LA Times Guild plans to hold its first-ever strike authorization vote as contract talks near their third year; the union lost about 200 members since 2022 — Since negotiations began in September 2022, the guild has seen layoffs impact approximately 200 Times staffers
Discussion:
@jamesqueallylat, @katie_robertson, @katie_robertson, @mattdpearce.com and @jqwritesstuff.bsky.social
Mojtaba Pourmohsen / Iran International:
Iran International says a cyber operation intended to intimidate its journalists has ties to a senior Iranian intelligence official and a network of operatives — A senior Iranian intelligence official and a network of operatives have been identified as key figures in a cyber group …
Discussion:
Religion Unplugged, @mattlevitt.bsky.social and NewsMax.com
Murray Stassen / Music Business Worldwide:
Sources: Chord Music Partners, a music rights investment vehicle, raised $2B+ so far in a round due to close in October; Searchlight Capital has invested $400M — Universal Music Group-backed investment vehicle Chord Music Partners has raised over USD $2 billion in investable capital to buy music rights.
Discussion:
Billboard, Music Ally, Digital Music News, Business Wire, Sky News and The Hollywood Reporter
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:
Gannett is launching a morning newscast, Connecting America, on its USA Today streaming channel and on YouTube, on August 18; it will air weekdays 7am-9am ET — Gannett Company is launching a new morning newscast on its USA Today-branded free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel, the company announced on Thursday.
Discussion:
NCS | NewscastStudio
Bobby Allyn / NPR:
A look at anti-Trump podcast MeidasTouch, one of the few left-leaning video podcasts that at times dethrones Joe Rogan's top position on YouTube rankings — Ben Meiselas is pacing in front of his home in the foothills of the Verdugo Mountains in Los Angeles, talking on the phone with one hand, a Starbucks coffee cup in the other.
