Top News:
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: Paramount has raised a proposed breakup fee in its WBD bid to $5B, up from a $2.1B fee; WBD would receive it if a deal is agreed to but not finalized — Paramount Skydance Corp. has raised the proposed breakup fee in its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. to $5 billion …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, Lucas Shaw on LinkedIn, Media Play News, @andkenbrbr.bsky.social, @pkafka.bsky.social, @pkafka.bsky.social, @pkafka.bsky.social, Bloomberg Law, Mediaweek, Realscreen, The American Bazaar, The Movie Blog, Barrett Media, Sports Business Journal, Broadband TV News and r/MediaMergers
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Charles Gasparino / New York Post:
Sources: DOJ's Gail Slater and her senior reports have discussed plans to launch a multiyear investigation into Netflix if the company wins the WBD bid — Netflix is making headway wooing Warner Bros. Discovery with an offer for the media giant's Hollywood studio and streaming service …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, @cgasparino, @cgasparino, @madmads33.bsky.social, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, @danteatkins.bsky.social, StreamTV Insider, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, Techdirt, Motley Fool, @madmads33.bsky.social, Android Headlines, Cord Cutters News, International Business Times, MediaPost, The Wrap, Decode TV, Blockonomi, TVBEurope and Advanced Television
Jeremy Barr / The Guardian:
Internal docs: Bari Weiss, EIC of CBS News, is scheduled to moderate a town hall with Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, to air on December 13 — Exclusive: event, scheduled to air on 13 December, will focus on ‘grief, faith, politics, and more’, according to internal files
Tim Miller / The Bulwark:
An interview with Olivia Nuzzi about her affair with RFK Jr., her book, and more; Nuzzi says “I did something wrong, like those ethics rules exist for a reason” — The author at the center of two major scandals—one roiling journalism, the other implicating Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—speaks with Tim Miller.
Discussion:
Status, Slate, Feed Me, Semafor, Showbiz411, RADAR, DNYUZ, @bulwarkonline, Daily Mail, @anthonymemerson, @bulwarkonline, Mediaite, Page Six, @timodc, The Hollywood Reporter, @sarahjeong.bsky.social, Variety, @moorehn, @peterawolf, @lizskalka, @nicksolheim, @a_picazo, @kennysmith.bsky.social, NOTUS, National Enquirer, KVIA-TV, New York Post, @therickwilson, @bulwarkonline, Fox News, The Wrap, IJR, Us Weekly, Poynter, @msmilack75.bsky.social, The Independent, HotAir, The Daily Beast, New York Sun and Cele|bitchy
Jill Goldsmith / Deadline:
Comcast's board approves the spinoff of Comcast's cable TV networks and their digital platforms to create Versant Media Group, trading as VSNT as of January 5 — The spinoff has been a year in the making and comes as the Philadelphia-based media giant is bidding to acquire the studio …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Sports Media Watch and Business Wire
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify releases Wrapped 2025, which adds features like Wrapped Party, its first live interactive experience, Top Song Quiz, Listening Age, and Wrapped Clubs — Spotify Wrapped is back. After last year's widely criticized flop that included an AI podcast as its highlight …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Spotify, Forbes, Vogue, Billboard, PCMag, Axios, Mashable, Lawyer Monthly, Boston.com, BGR, Android Headlines, WeRSM, The Tab, The Verge, Android Central, Gabrielle Ambrosio on LinkedIn, Android Police, Mirror, TheTruthAboutCars, SheKnows, Pocket-lint, KnowTechie, Windows Central, Thurrott, Beebom, Trusted Reviews, MakeUseOf, WPXI-TV, Tom's Guide, CNET, StyleCaster, New York Times, GB News, MobileSyrup and Android Authority, more at Techmeme »
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Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill:
US Rep. Jamie Raskin demands CBS explain how it edited a recent Trump interview, saying Trump seems to be exercising “direct control” over editorial choices — Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) is demanding that CBS, and its parent company Paramount, provide more information about how it edited …
Discussion:
Deadline, The Wrap, Entertainment Weekly, New York Sun, House Committee …, NewsNation, NewsMax.com, Joe.My.God., @jeremymbarr, TVNewsCheck, Axios and The Independent
Jeremy Barr / The Guardian:
Smartmatic v. Fox News: a Smartmatic lawyer says Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch authorized a plan for Fox News to embrace Trump's 2020 claims to win back viewers — In key hearing in defamation case, Fox counters that network simply covered allegations by Trump associates
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Alexandra S. Levine / Bloomberg:
Some YouTube creators are using AI tools to make videos for kids and babies, raising concerns that such AI content may negatively impact early brain development — As younger children spend more time on the platform, concern is growing that their brains are being shaped by AI-generated videos purporting to be educational.
Discussion:
Shona Ghosh on LinkedIn, Dexerto and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »
James Whitbrook / Gizmodo:
After an online backlash, Amazon Prime Video removes AI-generated English and Spanish dubs that it had quietly rolled out in beta for several anime titles — As quickly as they arrived, many of Prime Video's controversial generated dubs have been removed from the streamer. — READING TIME 2 MINUTES
Discussion:
Ars Technica, @otakuspirited, @vinlandworld, About Amazon, @kennysmith.bsky.social, @tenbinzan, @saltydkdan, @lawprofblawg.bsky.social, @real_kilometers, @zachtothefuller, Cord Cutters News, Inverse, The A.V. Club, @jwhitbrook.bsky.social, @gizmodo.com, Engadget, Mashable, Polygon.com, Nerdist, Kotaku, Aftermath, DNYUZ and Comic Book, more at Techmeme »
Dan Milmo / The Guardian:
AI Forensics: 354 AI-focused TikTok accounts pushed 43K posts made with GenAI tools that hit 4.5B views, including posts with anti-immigrant and sexual material — Researchers uncovered 354 AI-focused accounts that had accumulated 4.5bn views in a month — By Dan Milmo, Global technology editor.
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman says the company is “moving away” from r/popular, the default feed for new users, and will replace it with more personalized feeds — Reddit is also limiting how many popular communities one person can moderate, and pushing more personalized feeds.
Discussion:
@alextecplayz@techhub.social and spez on Reddit, more at Techmeme »
URL Media:
URL Media, a network of community publishers that serve BIPOC audiences, receives a three-year, $5M Knight Foundation grant as it works to expand partnerships — Three-Year Grant Fuels Critical Infrastructure and Network Growth from 37 to 100 Publisher Partners Plus 250 Creators …
Discussion:
S. Mitra Kalita on LinkedIn and Adweek
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