Mediagazer: Max introduces a higher-priced tier: Ultimate Ad-Free for $20/month, offering four concurrent streams, 100 offline downloads, and 1,000+ 4K UHD films and shows (Todd Spangler/Variety)

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Zack Beauchamp / Vox:

The uproar after right-wing outlet Daily Signal accused Fox of being pro-trans due to state workplace rules signals ongoing backlash after Tucker Carlson's exit — A conservative outlet is attacking Fox for being too respectful of trans employees. It's a sign of the times on the right.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Daily Signal, @mattwalshblog, @brynntannehill, @noamchompers, @sulliview, @andreancaruso, @walshfreedom, @catturd2, @paleozoomer99, @kimmasters, @kf_crow, @jessicashortall, The Daily Beast, Rolling Stone and Insider

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

BuzzFeed launches Botatouille, a chatbot that recommends Tasty recipes; BuzzFeed plans to sell subscriptions to AI-powered personalized services — Jonah Peretti, the company's chief executive, has embraced artificial intelligence more than most publishers. His latest offering: Botatouille, an A.I.-powered kitchen assistant.

Discussion: @benmullin, @mccarthyryanj, @zachsilberberg, @benmullin, @buzzfeedpr and MediaPost, more at Techmeme »

Bill Donahue / Billboard:

A US judge rules that a case claiming YouTube enables piracy by restricting access to copyright tools to record labels may not proceed as a class action — The case claimed that YouTube offers tools like Content ID to record labels but refuses to allow “ordinary” copyright owners to use them.

Discussion: Plagiarism Today, Complete Music Update, Music Ally and Cord Cutters News

Yuvraj Malik / Reuters:

Shutterstock plans to acquire Giphy from Meta for $53M in cash, after the UK CMA blocked Meta's acquisition in 2022; Meta can still access Giphy content — Stock photos repository Shutterstock Inc (SSTK.N) said on Tuesday it would buy animated-images platform Giphy Inc from Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) for $53 million in cash.

Discussion: Axios, The Verge, Adweek, CNN, TechCrunch, The Wrap, MediaPost, Variety, The Information, Quartz, Bloomberg, @morningbrew, @kerrymflynn, @lutherlowe, @shaig, @danprimack, @robpegoraro, @axios, The Messenger and @lanceulanoff, more at Techmeme »

Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:

Nielsen: from May 15 to May 19, CNN averaged 429K daily viewers, its lowest week since June 2015; Fox News had its worst key demo ratings since September 2001 — This reporting is featured in this week's edition of Confider, The Daily Beast's media newsletter. Subscribe here and send your questions, tips, and complaints here.

Discussion: @schotthappens, @stevenjcbuckley and UPROXX

Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:

Comcast unveils plans for Now TV, a $20/month streaming package that includes 40+ live channels, 20 FAST channels, and a subscription to Peacock Premium — The NBCUniversal parent, led by CEO Brian Roberts, is building on technology developed for Sky's Now TV platform as part of its latest direct-to-consumer offering.

Discussion: Deadline, The Wrap, Variety, The Streamable, Light Reading, Media Play News and @michaelmiraflor

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Google plans to start experimenting with Search and Shopping ads that are fully customized based on users' search terms within conversational AI Search — AI chatbots have only just been put into consumers' hands, but tech giants are rushing to monetize them.

Discussion: MediaPost, Ad Age, The Drum and The Keyword, more at Techmeme »

New York Times:

US Department of Education settles with a Georgia school district, which the agency says may have violated students' civil rights by removing some library books — The U.S. Department of Education reached a settlement with a Georgia school district after launching an investigation …

Discussion: Fox News, Reason, @paisleyrekdal, Washington Post and The Daily Signal

Elias Leight / Billboard:

Endel, a company that produces AI-driven “functional music”, partners with UMG to transform the label's music into soundscapes for relaxing or studying — Endel, a leader in the lucrative “functional music” space, will transform projects from UMG's roster into soundscapes for relaxing or studying.

Discussion: Forbes, The Hollywood Reporter, Music Ally, Music Business Worldwide and Rolling Stone

Catherine Shu / TechCrunch:

Singapore-based BandLab Technologies, which offers a social music creation platform and has 60M+ registered users, raised a $25M Series B1 at a $425M valuation — Singapore-based BandLab Technologies, the parent company of social music creation platform BandLab, has raised $25 million …

Discussion: Billboard and Music Business Worldwide, more at Techmeme »

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Max introduces a higher-priced tier: Ultimate Ad-Free for $20/month, offering four concurrent streams, 100 offline downloads, and 1,000+ 4K UHD films and shows — With HBO Max turning into Max, Warner Bros. Discovery is introducing a higher-priced plan — $19.99 per month …

Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:

As music revenue slows, record labels may force Spotify, which has never changed its US base plan's price, to follow Apple, Amazon, and others in raising prices — Good evening from Cannes, where I saw a three-hour Argentine heist movie, a Pedro Almodovar short starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, and Martin Scorsese's latest.

Discussion: @realkunalashah, @tiagodf, @lucas_shaw, @guillermosmind, @pkedrosky, @kouroshshafi, @lucas_shaw and Billboard, more at Techmeme »