Mediagazer: Lionsgate and BuzzFeed announce a motion picture partnership for a slate of socially relevant and high-concept feature films, with plans to launch in 2021 (Justin Kroll/Deadline)

2:35 PM ET, July 29, 2020

Top News:

Frank Pallotta / CNN:

AMC and Universal agree to shorten the theatrical window for films to 17 days, or 3 weekends, before Universal can release them onto premium on-demand platforms — New York (CNN Business)Universal and AMC are mending their frayed relationship in a deal that not only reverses the theater chain's ban …

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Spotify reports Q2 revenue of €1.89B, up 13% YoY, with MAUs up 29% YoY to 299M, premium users up 27% to 138M, and ad-supported MAUs up 31% to 170M — In addition, ad revenue fell 21% — which Spotify blamed on the coronavirus pandemic — but the drop wasn't quite as bad as forecast.

Discussion: Ad Age, TechCrunch, Business Wire, The Wrap, AdExchanger, Fast Company, VentureBeat, @markdistef, The Wrap, @thr, 9to5Mac, @kerrymflynn, @lucas_shaw, Spotify and Variety, more at Techmeme »

Justin Kroll / Deadline:

Lionsgate and BuzzFeed announce a motion picture partnership for a slate of socially relevant and high-concept feature films, with plans to launch in 2021 — EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate and BuzzFeed are partnering on a new venture to develop, produce and distribute a multi-picture slate …

Discussion: @laura_kramer, @awallenstein and The Wrap

Marc Santora / New York Times:

Turkey passes law extending sweeping powers over social media platforms, ordering those with 1M+ DAU to open offices in the country and store user data locally — The legislation extends control over social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Discussion: @rudawenglish, @m_clem, @senmarkey, @satariano and @chrchristensen, more at Techmeme »

What's New in Publishing:

Digital Spy, UK's biggest TV and movies website, launches its first digital magazine, available exclusively on Apple News+ in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia — The #1 entertainment website in the UK unveils interactive magazine custom-designed for Apple News+

Discussion: Digital Spy

Olga Kharif / Bloomberg:

At least three streamers banned or suspended from Twitch and Facebook following accusations of sexual harassment have moved to YouTube — When a handful of streamers were recently banned or suspended by the live-streaming platforms Twitch and Facebook following accusations of sexual harassment, their careers didn't end.

Discussion: @lucas_shaw

Alex Ritman / Hollywood Reporter:

British Film Institute unveils details of a £30M recovery fund for struggling independent cinemas across the UK — The financial lifeline for COVID-19 hit indie exhibitors is part of the U.K. government's $2 billion arts and culture recovery fund. — The British Film Institute …

@kerrymflynn:

Access Intelligence, which owns AdExchanger and others, announces layoffs and furloughs affecting 35 staffers and the folding of Folio into AdMonsters — News: Access Intelligence, which owns several B2B media brands including PRNews, Cablefax and AdExchanger, announced a mix of layoffs and furloughs today. 35 staffers were affected (about 16% of staff). Also, Folio is being folded more into the AdMonster brand

Discussion: @pbannist, @tonysilber and @seangriffey

MediaPost:

Condé Nast's healthcare advertising unit introduces Obsidian, a cookie-less audience tracking tool available through CitizenNet, its marketing service — Conde Nast's unit for healthcare advertising last week touted its new technology to track its digital audience without using cookies …

Eric Tucker / Associated Press:

Sources: Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites by an information agency called InfoRos to spread disinfo about COVID-19 — WASHINGTON (AP) — Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation …

Discussion: @file411, @michaeldweiss, Washington Free Beacon, New York Times, @brooklynmarie, Business Insider, @megkinnardap and @joncoopertweets

Matt Gertz / Media Matters for America:

After Trump praised doctor promoting COVID-19 “cures”, right-wing media rushed to defend her from the reporters and social platforms allegedly silencing her — Here's how the right-wing media's obsession with conspiracy theories and the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine resulted in “demon sperm” trending on Twitter.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Daily Beast and @oliverdarcy

Erik Hayden / Hollywood Reporter:

Talent agency CAA says it will lay off about 90 agents and execs and furlough about 275 assistants, of whose health plan premiums will still be paid in full — The Century City-based firm had been the last of the major talent agencies to undergo staff cuts.

Discussion: Deadline, @yashar, @mmonticolo, @erinsk8, @danielleweisber, @richlightshed, Publishers Lunch and The Wrap

Dade Hayes / Deadline:

Crunchyroll reaches 3M streaming subscribers, and the anime portal's GM Joanne Waage says WarnerMedia's goal is to fuel both Crunchyroll and HBO Max — GM Joanne Waage, who took the helm of Crunchyroll in late 2018, said the platform has seen accelerating growth.

Discussion: @rolandkelts, @leojtravis10 and Cord Cutters News

Karlene Lukovitz / MediaPost:
WarnerMedia says that 23% of HBO Max users are between 18 and 24 and that Friends is the most watched show on the streaming service

Discussion: Multichannel News

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More News:

Judd Legum / Popular Information:
UTM codes show Sarah Palin's Facebook page promotes an obscure right-wing site and ForAmerica's page pushes The Washington Times; Facebook demoted Palin's page

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Todd Spangler / Variety:
NHL partners with Twitter and Disney Streaming Services to offer live “look-ins” to some Stanley Cup qualifying and playoff games, showing four minutes per game

Discussion: Deadline, MediaPost, Cord Cutters News and Adweek

Adam B. Vary / Variety:
Tweets about Comic-Con@Home were down 95% vs 2019's San Diego Comic-Con and the lack of interaction with panelists made it a poor replacement for the live event

Discussion: @lanceulanoff, @edmachina, @variety, @whos_nick, @mister_batfieck and @notajenny

Emily Bell / Columbia Journalism Review:
Some journalists debate the safety and ethics of using TikTok for publishing news, amid concerns about how China could influence their content

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, @cjr, @latimes, @bgrueskin, @taylorlorenz, Los Angeles Times, The Wrap, Fox News, Mediaite, New York Post and Business Insider

Earlier Picks:

Alexis Lloyd / The Official Medium Blog:
Medium announces it will roll out a private beta of features including color and type options; the beta will include access to its new newsletters product

Discussion: @dlberes, @joshelman, @alexislloyd and @ev

Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune:
Tribune Publishing's board has adopted a “poison pill” plan to thwart any potential hostile takeover, after Alden's co-founder Randall Smith joined the board

Discussion: @toddlighty, @ctguild and @ckrewson

John Koblin / New York Times:
Netflix breaks the record for most Emmy nominations with 160, as the industrywide number of TV series hit a high and submissions rose 15% over last year

Discussion: Variety, The Wrap, Multichannel News, The Wrap, @jbflint, @edmundlee, @matthewmercer, @deggans, What to Watch, The Week, The Hill, The A.V. Club, Forbes, Protocol and Deadline

Marc Tracy / New York Times:
Ex-Deadspin staff launch digital media company Defector Media, which they will own and operate, led by EIC Tom Ley and open to subscribers for $8 per month

From Techmeme:

Financial Times:
Microsoft invests $1.5B in Abu Dhabi-based AI startup G42 for a minority stake, after G42 severed ties with Chinese suppliers; Brad Smith will join G42's board

Raphael Satter / Reuters:
The Open Source Security Foundation and the OpenJS Foundation say the attempt to insert a secret backdoor into XZ Utils “may not be an isolated incident”

Benjamin Sandofsky / Sandofsky:
A look at the failure of Humane's Ai Pin, which took six years to ship after raising $230M, including building the device “the Apple way” and raising too much

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