Top News:
Harmeet Kaur / CNN:
Olivia Nuzzi's book American Canto is seeing slow initial sales, with the hardcover edition ranked No. 6,709 on Amazon's bestseller list as of early December 3 — Storms — The news that Olivia Nuzzi had a book coming out was, in political and journalistic circles, the sensation of the fall season.
Discussion:
The Atlantic, @oldnumberseven.bsky.social, @kathygriffin@threads.com, @erikforrestjackson.com, @themountaingoats.bsky.social, @jayshams, @thestackspod@threads.com, @_eileenie_@threads.com, @tds153.bsky.social, @smurfburger.bsky.social, @nataliekorach.bsky.social, Fox News, Mediaite, @tylerhuckabee.bsky.social, @noupside.bsky.social, @usili.bsky.social, @lessweirdjack.bsky.social, @vicmrodriguez.bsky.social, @3fecta.bsky.social, @joshuaeaton.bsky.social, @artologica.net, @jmrivera.bsky.social, @ericmgarcia.bsky.social, @davekarpf.bsky.social, @keptsimple.bsky.social, @whetmoser.com, @sarahweinman.com, Poynter, New York Post, Variety, Showbiz411, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Page Six, San Francisco Chronicle, The Hill and Boston.com
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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, Puck, @bulwarkonline, @anthonymemerson, @bulwarkonline, @timodc, RADAR, @moorehn, @peterawolf, @lizskalka, @nicksolheim, @a_picazo, NOTUS, @therickwilson, @bulwarkonline, @sarahjeong.bsky.social, Daily Mail, Page Six, IJR, New York Post, DNYUZ, @kennysmith.bsky.social, Fox News, National Enquirer, Showbiz411, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, Mediaite, Us Weekly, @msmilack75.bsky.social, The Independent, HotAir, New York Sun and The Daily Beast
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 …
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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, @lucas_shaw, @cgasparino, @peoplesjackson, Motley Fool, @madmads33.bsky.social, @madmads33.bsky.social, @danteatkins.bsky.social, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, Techdirt, StreamTV Insider, Android Headlines and Above Avalon
Jeremy Barr / The Guardian:
Internal documents: CBS News EIC Bari Weiss is scheduled to moderate a town hall with Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, set 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
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, Business Wire and Sports Media Watch
A.J. Goldmann / Columbia Journalism Review:
An interview with Laura Poitras about her new film, Cover-Up, which examines the career of Seymour Hersh and the role of investigative journalism — The filmmaker on her twenty-year project, the “crisis” in investigative journalism, and how truth-telling can still change the world.
Discussion:
@ajgoldmann and @freedom.press
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, @jeremymbarr, New York Sun, NewsMax.com, Axios, TVNewsCheck, House Committee …, The Independent, Joe.My.God. and NewsNation
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, Gizmodo and nextbigwhat, more at Techmeme »
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, Business Insider, Mediaweek, Business Standard, Digit, Moneycontrol, Lawyer Monthly, Android Headlines, Vogue, Gabrielle Ambrosio on LinkedIn, TheTruthAboutCars, SheKnows, Boston.com, Forbes, Mashable, Android Central, The Verge, PCMag, Android Police, BGR, Pocket-lint, WeRSM, Mirror, Billboard, The Tab, Axios, KnowTechie, Tom's Guide, Windows Central, Thurrott, Beebom, Trusted Reviews, MakeUseOf, WPXI-TV, CNET, StyleCaster, New York Times, GB News, MobileSyrup and Android Authority, more at Techmeme »
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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.
Discussion:
The Sun, Satish Konakalla on LinkedIn, @fabiochiusi.bsky.social and @gabriellanonino.com
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
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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