Top News:
Peter Kafka / Vox:
G/O Media executives plan to publish more AI-generated stories, despite the blowback from employees and media circles for their first botched attempts — Why G/O Media thinks we should have more stories written by bots. — In early July, managers at G/O media, the digital publisher …
Discussion:
@kylebrussell, @mollytaft, @gmgunion, @gmgunion, @maura, @ryanbarwick, @dloehr, @pkafka, @tomgara, @mediaevan, @ryanvailbrown, @sportsrapport, @dkthomp and @jeffjarvis, more at Techmeme »
Lisa Richwine / Reuters:
The AMPTP says it offered SAG-AFTRA a deal that included $1B+ in wage increases, pension, and more, alongside “first-of-their-kind” AI protections — Major film and television studios offered Hollywood actors more than $1 billion in higher compensation and enhanced benefits …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Gizmodo, Screen Rant, Media Play News, CNN, Variety and Deadline
Reuters:
OpenAI commits $5M to the American Journalism Project in support of local news and $5M in API credits to help its members assess and deploy emerging AI tech — OpenAI is committing $5 million to the American Journalism Project (AJP) under a partnership that will look for ways …
Discussion:
VentureBeat, Axios and American Journalism Project
Axios:
Sources: Vox Media plans to stop using its Chorus CMS, which it licensed until 2022, and move its websites to WordPress — Vox Media, the parent company to websites such as New York Magazine, Eater and SB Nation, will no longer use Chorus — its proprietary content management system — to power its own websites, sources told Axios.
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Since Bloomberg shut off its open-market programmatic advertising, CPMs are up about 20%, average ad-load time is down 15%, and page-load time is down 40% — Page load, viewability, CPMs and clickthrough rates have improved — On Jan. 1, the privately owned business publisher Bloomberg Media shut off …
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
TNT Sports goes live in the UK and Ireland as a BT Sport rebrand, and will present BT's premium live sports plus other events, including the 2024 Olympic Games — TNT Sports went live on Tuesday across the U.K. and Ireland, replacing BT Sport. … TNT Sports is already used as WBD's sports brand in Latin America and the U.S.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Deadline, The Athletic, The Desk, Broadband TV News and The Hollywood Reporter
Axios:
Over 600 local broadcast stations form a coalition to urge the FCC to close a loophole that lets live TV streamers bypass distribution negotiations with them — Hundreds of local broadcast stations have come together to create a new advocacy coalition that will urge the Federal Communications Commission …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Coalition for Local News, The Streamable, Radio & Television … and @ben@werd.social
Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
A pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC used an AI version of Donald Trump's voice that appeared to narrate a Truth Social post of his, in a statewide TV attack ad in Iowa — The spot illustrates the new frontiers in political advertising. — A pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC uses an Artificial Intelligence version …
Discussion:
Insider, CBS News, The Wrap, Gizmodo, UPROXX, The Hill, Fox Business, @mikehahn_, @robseamans, @gsterling, @carnage4life@mas.to, @mattortega, @alexthomp, @saletan, @yolo304741, @timcast, Bloomberg and Fox News, more at Techmeme »
Shawn McCreesh / New York Magazine:
Many of Penguin Random House's most influential editors have decided to take buyouts, following layoffs on Monday, the beginning of a changing of the guard — Penguin Random House, the biggest book publisher in America, is cleaning house. — After CEO Markus Dohle failed in his attempted megamerger …
Discussion:
Publishers Weekly, New York Times, @alex_shephard and Associated Press
Jesse Whittock / Deadline:
German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 plans to cut 400 roles, or ~10% of staff, mostly in its entertainment business, as it prepares for a “digital transformation” — Germany's ProSiebenSat.1 is cutting around 400 roles, as it continues to reshape its business into a digital-first operation.
Discussion:
Variety, Broadband TV News and Reuters
Chris Murphy / Vanity Fair:
SAG-AFTRA's strike FAQ: influencers can pursue commercial work, but cannot promote studios' or streamers' content, including on social media or at conventions — SAG-AFTRA has laid out specific do's and don'ts for the new class of entertainers, from pursuing commercial work to participating in ComicCon.
Mark Di Stefano / Australian Financial Review:
Internal data for Australia's ABC reveals that 80%+ of the public broadcaster's viewers for its 7pm news program are over 55 and less than 8% are under 40 — Key Points — Why it matters: Younger viewers are no longer tuning into flagship ABC programs
Discussion:
@markdistef and @markdistef