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, @azi, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, The Independent, Mediaite, @farhip, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @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, @andrewmarchand, ESPN, Tubefilter, 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
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 »
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, Metro.co.uk, Le Monde, @seandablack, @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 »
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
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, Deadline, @stokel, The Sun, The Athletic, BBC and @sebsb.bsky.social
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:
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
Steve Holland / Reuters:
The White House launches an official TikTok account, aiming to communicate President Trump's messages; the first video shows Trump declaring “I am your voice” — The White House launched an official TikTok account on Tuesday, taking advantage of its more than 150 million U.S. users …
Discussion:
Engadget, @joef-3.bsky.social, ABC11, PCMag, Economic news, Arabian Business, The Independent, Times of India, @bselena.bsky.social, Mashable, Tech Times, Business Insider, Benzinga, Anadolu Ajansı …, New York Times, Africanews, Fox News, Telegraph, Ukrainian National News, @toasterposey.art, Hindustan Times, @gayguycandleco.bsky.social, @justinling.ca, India Today, Bloomberg, Newsweek, The Post Millennial, The Hill, BERNAMA and GMA News Online, more at Techmeme »
Rick Porter / The Hollywood Reporter:
Matt and Ross Duffer officially sign a four-year exclusive deal with Paramount for theatrical films, TV, and streaming projects, starting in April 2026 — The ‘Stranger Things’ creators will create movie, TV and streaming projects for the studio, with a focus on tentpole films.
Discussion:
Variety, The Indian Express, CNBC, NDTV Profit, Hypebeast, mxdwn Television, FemaleFirst, CinemaBlend, Benzinga, Screen, Nerdist, The Wrap, Deadline and Screen Rant
