Top News:
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Spotify and UMG plan to let Premium users create AI covers and remixes using music from participating UMG artists as a paid add-on, without giving a launch date — Spotify and Universal Music Group have announced a major recorded-music and music-publishing licensing agreements …
RELATED:
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Spotify Labs launches Studio, a NotebookLM-like desktop app to generate private, AI-powered podcasts, in research preview across 20+ markets — One of the common features for companies to build in the age of AI is to connect services like email, calendar, documents, and notes to create a daily brief in text or audio format.
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
ElevenLabs, which aims to build an all-in-one AI voice app, licensed 200K human-voiced audiobooks from major publishers, available in ElevenReader for $11/mo. — ElevenLabs is taking on Spotify and Audible in a looming battle over becoming the go-to platform for audiobooks — Welcome back to Soundbite.
Discussion:
The Wrap, New York Times and TechRadar
Samantha Subin / CNBC:
Spotify closes up 13% after announcing new features and 2030 guidance, forecasting a compound annual growth rate in the mid-teens and gross margins of 35%-40% — Spotify shares jumped 13% on Thursday after the music streaming platform laid out guidance for 2030 and reached an artificial intelligence deal …
Discussion:
Spotify, TechCrunch, Axios, Dexerto, CNET, The Next Web, Rolling Stone, Yahoo Finance, Dow Jones Newswires, Blockonomi, Digital Trends, Digital Music News, Sherwood News, Billboard, Music Ally, Baller Alert, Spotify, RTÉ, Reuters, Barrett Media, The Verge and Variety
Ethan Millman / The Hollywood Reporter:
Spotify partners with Live Nation to launch Reserved, a new feature that sets aside tickets for the most dedicated fans, starting with Premium users in the US
Discussion:
Digital Trends, NBC News, Dexerto, Tom's Guide, KTFT, Bloomberg, Music Business Worldwide, How-To Geek, TechRadar, Hypebot, @paleofuture.bsky.social, CNET, Billboard, @carnage4life.bsky.social, Mashable, Consequence, Spotify, iPhone in Canada, NBC Bay Area, The Tab and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Felix Gillette / Bloomberg:
As Stephen Colbert hosts the last episode of The Late Show, analysts attribute the ratings collapse of late-night talk shows to the rise of YouTube and podcasts — The network TV talk-and-comedy show faces too much competition from streaming and podcasts. — One day last week …
Discussion:
The Wrap, YouTube, New York Post, Deadline, The Don Lemon Show, Variety, NBC News, People, Fortune, USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter, Zeteo, Hollywood Life, @steveberkowitz.bsky.social, IndieWire, CinemaBlend, LaineyGossip, Suggest, HuffPost, @opposablethumbs.bsky.social, CNN, New York Times, New Republic, ME, Los Angeles Times, Reality Tea, The Independent, Mediaite, The A.V. Club, Just Jared, Rolling Stone, Associated Press, LateNighter, twitchy.com, Cord Cutters News, Fox News and Slate
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Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Guideline: in 2025, Colbert's Late Show accounted for 27% of overall ad spending on late-night TV shows, which reached $209M, down from $519.7M in 2017 — On Election Night, Colbert and crew mounted a live special for the Showtime cable network, and as more electoral votes were called for Donald Trump …
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Imax is exploring a sale and has approached entertainment companies as potential buyers — High-end movie screen company's search for a buyer comes as premium theatrical experiences are growing faster than overall box office — IMAX is exploring a sale and has approached entertainment companies …
Discussion:
Reuters, The Wrap, ScreenRant, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, Benzinga and Screen
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Sources: Penske Media is likely to acquire one or more unsold Vox Media brands, internally called Remain Co., which include The Verge, SB Nation, and Eater — As the portfolio is parceled up, a key revenue leader plots his exit … Following the Wednesday sale of New York Magazine …
RELATED:
Peter Kafka / Business Insider:
Q&A with Vox CEO Jim Bankoff on the sale of Vox Media's podcast network, why buyers were interested in that network, and how remaining sites are in “good shape”
Q&A with Vox CEO Jim Bankoff on the sale of Vox Media's podcast network, why buyers were interested in that network, and how remaining sites are in “good shape”
Discussion:
The American Bazaar, Forbes, @pkafka, Puck, Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, Vox Media, Reuters, Mumbrella, Capital Brief, Associated Press, Times of India, Sydney Morning Herald, Fast Company, Awful Announcing, Inside Radio, UPI, Al Jazeera, Australian Financial Review, CNN, Daily Caller News Foundation, Washington …, The Daily Wire, Barrett Media, Wall Street Journal, Aftermath, New York Post, Washington Post, Newser, Mediaite, The Information, Adweek, Press Gazette, The Wrap, The Indian Express, Politico, The A.V. Club, Bloomberg and The Hollywood Reporter
Nieman Lab:
Analysis: 382 news sites, including 342 local outlets, are blocking Internet Archive's crawlers amid AI concerns, an increase from 241 sites in January 2026 — McClatchy, Advance Local, Tribune Publishing and other major newspaper chains are restricting the nonprofit's archiving bots.
Anne Steele / Wall Street Journal:
Netflix and iHeartMedia say Charlamagne tha God's The Breakfast Club will stream live on Netflix on weekdays from June 1, the service's first daily live show — Charlamagne tha God's morning radio show has been a standout success among the streamer's video podcast efforts
Patrick Brzeski / The Hollywood Reporter:
The Hollywood Reporter launches an Australia edition headed by EIC Sean Sennett, in partnership with Raine Media — Veteran journalist Sean Sennett joins as editor-in-chief of the Sydney-based title, which will cover Australia's booming screen sector across digital, print and video.
Discussion:
Mediaweek
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Apple plans to broadcast an MLS game on Saturday shot entirely on 15 iPhone 17 Pros, the first major live sports event to be captured using only smartphones — Apple has frequently touted the use of professional-grade iPhones by filmmakers to make shorts, commercials and even feature-length movies.
