Mediagazer: Email: X no longer lets advertisers promote accounts within the platform's timeline to gain followers; a source says Follower Objective ads made $100M+ annually (Sara Fischer/Axios)

Jon Porter / The Verge:

YouTube starts mass removal of videos promoting “cancer treatments proven to be harmful or ineffective” or discouraging “seeking professional medical treatment” — YouTube will remove content that promotes “cancer treatments proven to be harmful or ineffective” …

Discussion: TechCrunch, Beyond Search, CNN and Engadget, more at Techmeme »

Jim Waterson / The Guardian:

Sources: Vice reporters' critical coverage of Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly blocked by corporate execs who cite concerns for safety of staff in Saudi Arabia — Exclusive: Media company recently signed lucrative deal with Saudi government-controlled MBC Group

Discussion: @nkulw, @direthoughts, @bbhorne@kolektiva.social, @jamesballiol, @patrickgaley, @rolandoliphant, @aymondo, @taniabranigan, @jimwaterson.bsky.social and @acookiecrumbles …

Christian Paz / Vox:

A look at Pop Crave and Pop Base, two pop culture X accounts doing newsgathering and aggregation, and sharing headlines that eliminate the need to click through — Are Pop Crave and Pop Base the future of political journalism? — If you've spent any time on Instagram, Threads, or …

Discussion: New York Times, @studyhallxyz, @jazzmineabriana and MIT Technology Review

Bloomberg:

Sources: the AMPTP offers writers a new deal that includes sharing viewer streaming data, a 20%+ residual payments increase, and a 5% base pay hike in year one — - New proposal includes sharing of viewer data on streaming — Media companies assure screenwriters AI won't replace them

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, @mescottvrooman, Variety, @jfafilms, @news_by_nick, The Wrap, @hatemdhiab, @teroterotero.bsky.social and Wall Street Journal

Rick Porter / The Hollywood Reporter:

Nielsen: linear TV made up less than 50% of all US TV use in July, a first in two years of tracking, and streaming hit a record high of 38.7% of TV use — Nielsen's monthly platform rankings show broadcast and cable making up less than half of all TV use. — Broadcast and cable networks …

Discussion: Nielsen, TVLine, IndieWire, Variety, MediaPost, Next TV, Fortune, Wall Street Journal, Consequence, WORLD SCREEN, @digitalshields, Deadline, Nielsen, Bloomberg and Media Play News, more at Techmeme »

Jay Peters / The Verge:

Netflix begins a “limited beta test” of its cloud-streamed games on the web, TVs, and streaming devices from Roku, LG, Amazon, and more, in Canada and the UK — Netflix is kicking off the first public tests of its cloud-streamed games. … In a blog post, Netflix VP …

Discussion: About Netflix, MediaPost, ZDNet, Metro, The Sun, 9to5Google, Decrypt, CNET, Mashable, The Hill, ComingSoon.net, Gizmodo, MobileSyrup, Engadget, TechCrunch, 9to5Mac and CBS News, more at Techmeme »

Brian Steinberg / Variety:

ESPN sportscaster Sage Steele says she is leaving the network having settled her lawsuit that alleged ESPN violated her free speech rights — Sage Steele, the veteran ESPN sportscaster who became better known in recent years for her stances on hot topics like coronavirus vaccinations, has left the Disney sports giant.

Discussion: @sagesteele, TVLine, Awful Announcing, Deadline, New York Post, @ourand_sbj, Barrett Media, The Hollywood Reporter and Fox News

Jay Peters / The Verge:

Substack now lets users follow an individual writer without having to subscribe to their newsletter, a further expansion into social networking after Notes — Substack now lets you follow writers, offering a way for you to keep tabs on what a writer is doing without having to subscribe to their newsletter.

Discussion: On Substack, more at Techmeme »

Patrick Frater / Variety:

Disney-owned Lucasfilm plans to shut down its VFX and animation facility in Singapore, which employs 300+ staff, due to “economic factors” — Disney-owned Lucasfilm/ Industrial Light & Magic is to close its VFX and animation facility in Singapore, where more than 300 people are employed.

Discussion: Gizmodo, Bloomberg, Insider and Deadline

Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:

Podcast and video editing tool Descript acquires SquadCast, which helps hosts record conversations, another sign of consolidation; Descript has raised $100M — Descript, an editing tool for podcasts and video, has acquired SquadCast, which helps podcast hosts record their conversations with guests …

Discussion: PRWeb

Matt Burgess / Wired:

How a scam tied to ad firm CPABuild hosts malicious PDFs, indexed by search engines, on hacked .gov, .org, and .edu sites, often luring Fortnite or Roblox users — The wide-ranging scams, often disguised as game promotions, can all be linked back to one network.

Discussion: @mattburgess@infosec.exchange, more at Techmeme »

Kayla Cobb / The Wrap:

CBS names Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews as the president of CBS News, reporting directly to the newly appointed Wendy McMahon — This appointment comes in the wake of Wendy McMahon becoming president and CEO of CBS News and Stations — Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews has been named the new president of CBS News.

Discussion: FTVLive, The Desk, CBS News, Deadline, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Radio & Television … and Adweek

Ted Johnson / Deadline:
CBS names Wendy McMahon as president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, after Neeraj Khemlani stepped down to pursue a CBS production deal

Discussion: New York Times, Talking Biz News, PR Newswire, The Hill, Axios, CNN, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, The Desk, Variety, Adweek, MediaPost, The Ankler, KNSD-TV, Los Angeles Times and Variety

Greg Stohr / Bloomberg:

Filing: the Biden administration urges SCOTUS to review key parts of Florida's and Texas' laws meant to restrict how social media companies can moderate content — - Biden administration urges review of laws in Texas, Florida — Filing largely backs social media challenges to state laws

Discussion: The Hill, MediaPost, @gregstohr, @wendyndavis, @netchoice, @wendyndavis, @jess_miers, @carnage4life@mas.to, Washington Examiner, NetChoice, New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and The Verge, more at Techmeme »