Top News:
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post:
Newly unredacted documents in the Smartmatic-Fox News defamation case show former host Jeanine Pirro, now a US attorney, bragging about aiding Trump and the GOP — The former Fox host complained of “CENSORSHIP” by Fox over her coverage of the 2020 election, according to newly unredacted documents in the Smartmatic defamation case.
Discussion:
New York Times, TVNewsCheck, TV Insider, Mediaite, @farhip, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @azi, The Independent, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, @emptywheel.bsky.social, @jenhayden.bsky.social, @nasaisright.bsky.social, @Nonilex@masto.ai, @amyewest.bsky.social, @kylegriffin1.bsky.social, @mattortega.com and @washingtonpost.com
Alice Brooker / Press Gazette:
US newsletter publisher The Flyover now has 25 staff, 2.5M subscribers, nine state-specific daily editions, and one national edition, after its 2023 launch — A US-based email-first news publication now has 25 full-time staff after targeting a gap in the market for state-level coverage.
Andrew Marchand / The Athletic:
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro bets big on streaming after eight years of planning, calling the new DTC app launch “the first inning” with more features to come — ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro's big bet is not all-or-nothing. — On Thursday, Pitaro and the sports media behemoth …
Discussion:
Sportico, Business Insider, @andrewmarchand, ESPN, Awful Announcing, Awful Announcing, Barrett Media and Cord Cutters News
RELATED:
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
How bundling ESPN's new streamer, launching August 21, with Disney+ could boost daily engagement with Disney's streamer, reduce churn, and attract sports fans
How bundling ESPN's new streamer, launching August 21, with Disney+ could boost daily engagement with Disney's streamer, reduce churn, and attract sports fans
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Sports Business Journal, Awful Announcing, Digital Content Next, Mirror and Tom's Guide
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Yahoo Sports launches a free, ad-supported streaming TV channel called Yahoo Sports Network, featuring original programming covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and more — ESPN and Fox aren't the only media companies trying to reach an emerging generation of sports fans who are more at home in digital realms then they are traditional ones.
Discussion:
The Streamable, TheDesk.net, Adweek, Advanced Television, Barrett Media and Cord Cutters News
Tom McArthur / BBC:
Kick says it is “urgently reviewing” the circumstances around the death of a French livestreamer subjected to violence and sleep deprivation during streams — An investigation has been launched into the death of a French streamer known for extreme challenges.
Discussion:
The Sun, Le Monde, @seandablack, Dexerto, @louispisano, LADbible, @springbris, @louispisano, @dexertonox, @brndxix, @harrynotaverage, @63grussell63, @thatonecongolese.bsky.social, New York Post, Dexerto, Kotaku, Distractify, Mirror, People, r/LeftoversH3 and r/Fauxmoi, more at Techmeme »
Molly White / Citation Needed:
A look at Justin Sun's lawsuit against Bloomberg for publishing his crypto assets, which he says he shared confidentially to qualify for its Billionaires Index — A crypto billionaire who once feared arrest in the US is now a Trump business adviser and White House guest.
Discussion:
@pinemikey.bsky.social, @molly.wiki, Talking Biz News and Molly White, more at Techmeme »
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor / The Athletic:
Germany's Bundesliga awards part of its UK live broadcasting rights to a YouTube content creator, Mark Goldbridge, a first for a major European soccer league — The Bundesliga has become the first major European football league to award part of its live broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom …
Discussion:
The Times, @stokel, Deadline, The Sun, The Athletic, BBC and @sebsb.bsky.social
Claire Atkinson / The Media Mix:
A look at Swerve Sports, a FAST TV channel for women's sports launched by veteran TV executive Christy Tanner, as FAST TV grows despite data challenges — Christy Tanner is ready for a FAST fight to get more data from the platforms and put women's sport on the map. Plus streaming is almost half of all viewing now.
Discussion:
nScreenMedia
Nicole Acevedo / NBC News:
A researcher found 88 TikTok accounts that used AI-generated versions of Jorge Ramos and other Spanish-language journalists to spread misinformation for profit — The accounts point to the challenge of stopping or controlling the surge in fake images and misinformation targeting Spanish speakers in the U.S. as AI technology advances.
Discussion:
Daily Mail, The Verge, KEYE, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, @mantzarlis.com and @mantzarlis.com
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:
Sling TV launches Sling Select, a smaller bundle with Fox News, FX, and FS1, for $20/month in some places and rising to $25-$30/month with ABC, Fox, and NBC — Sling TV has added a new low-cost option to its streaming lineup with the launch of Sling Select, a smaller television package …
Sara Merican / Deadline:
Chinese media conglomerate COL launches a global content distribution division, offering over 1,000 microdramas in both English and Chinese — Chinese media conglomerate COL today announced the launch of its global content distribution division, seeking to become the world's largest reseller of micro-dramas.
Discussion:
PRovoke Media and Variety
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The Spectator, which launched a US print edition in 2019, plans to double its print output in the US to 24 issues annually as part of a relaunch this fall — The Spectator's U.S. edition plans to double its print output to 24 issues annually as part of a broader relaunch this fall, its deputy editor Kate Andrews tells Axios.
