Top News:
Adi Robertson / The Verge:
Texas' AG, “troubled” by Elon Musk's claims, probes Media Matters, which calls X's suit “frivolous”; X avoids anti-SLAPP statutes by filing in the 5th Circuit — X, formerly Twitter, has followed through with owner Elon Musk's threat to sue the left-leaning nonprofit Media Matters.
Discussion:
The Messenger, Reuters, Wired, Lawyers, Guns & Money, @kenpaxtontx, Texas Attorney General, The Hill, @originalspin@threads.net, Android Headlines, CoinGape, Livemint, @collinrugg, @esqueer_@threads.net, @joshuaerlich, Tech Xplore, @deanobeidallah@threads.net, @noturtlesoup17@threads.net, @davmicrot@threads.net, @rodhilton@threads.net, @chancerydaily@threads.net, @aridrennen@threads.net, MediaPost, @swaffordaustin@threads.net, @jamisonfoser, @chrisgeidner@threads.net, NBC News, @oneunderscore__@threads.net, @dogs10gods0@threads.net, @tristansnell@threads.net, @matthewcortland@threads.net, @bettybowers, @malwaretech@threads.net, @nicholasrfish@threads.net, @chrisgeidner, @advisercounsel, @wendysiegelman, @rmac18, @datadrivenmd@threads.net, @matthewcortland@threads.net, Cryptopolitan, Fox News, @carnage4life@mas.to, Business Insider, Social Media Today, Politico, Reclaim The Net, New York Times, The Popehat Report, Associated Press, CNN, New Republic, Mediaite, Variety, New York Post, Semafor and The Hollywood Reporter, more at Techmeme »
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Sharon Knolle / The Wrap:
X files a defamation lawsuit against Media Matters, claiming the outlet “knowingly and maliciously” misrepresented the amount of antisemitic content on X — Musk says the watchdog org “would not let truth get in the way of a story” — Elon Musk has followed through on his threat …
Discussion:
CNN, @lindayax, United States District Court, The Northern District of Texas, Adweek, MediaPost, Observer, Axios, Variety, Ad Age, Reuters, New Republic, @parkermolloy, TMZ.com, @jason_kint, @watcherguru, @eriqgardner, @jason_kint, @mike.hixenbaugh@threads.net, @elonmusk, @xdaily, @oneunderscore__, @xdaily, @scottbudman, @nandoodles, Mashable, @parismarx, @oneunderscore__, @jason, @yashar, @jason_kint, @ggreenwald, @_cingraham, @ehananoki, @oneunderscore__, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, BBC, @carnage4life@mas.to, Deadline, Mediaite, @kenwhite.bsky.social, The Desk, Rolling Stone, The Messenger, Boing Boing, Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, TechCrunch and news.ycombinator.com, more at Techmeme »
Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch:
Media Matters' claims that some companies' ads appeared next to antisemitic content do not seem to be “manufactured”, contrary to what X alleges in its suit
Media Matters' claims that some companies' ads appeared next to antisemitic content do not seem to be “manufactured”, contrary to what X alleges in its suit
Discussion:
Fast Company, @bostonjoan, The Information, Decrypt, @carnage4life@threads.net, @matthewcortland@threads.net, 9to5Mac, @georgescriban@threads.net, @realjuddlegum@threads.net, CNN, @timothyjchambers@threads.net, @oneunderscore__@threads.net, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @matthewcortland@threads.net, @kenpopehat@threads.net, Reuters, Engadget, The Register, @tchambers@indieweb.social and The Wrap, more at Techmeme »
Kylie Robison / Fortune:
At a hastily assembled all-hands, Linda Yaccarino said Media Matters is known “to force a narrative” and asked staff to “be as fiscally responsible as possible”
At a hastily assembled all-hands, Linda Yaccarino said Media Matters is known “to force a narrative” and asked staff to “be as fiscally responsible as possible”
Discussion:
New York Post, Ars Technica, The Register, @travis_view, The Verge, @oneunderscore__, Business Insider, Gizmodo, @edzitron, Ars Technica, @kyliebytes, @kyliebytes, @dancow, @kyliebytes, @edzitron, Bill George on LinkedIn, @christaylor_nyc, Boing Boing, @realfrankbrank, @byajperez, @kyliebytes, Engadget, The Hollywood Reporter, The Hill, @mjk_4mjk@mastodon.ie, The Information, Ad Age, CNN, Axios, Bloomberg, The Messenger, The Wrap, Mediaite and Financial Times
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: Luminar CEO Austin Russell missed a deadline to get his $800M bid together to buy Forbes; Sun Group, which led the bid, is no longer in the deal — Austin Russell, the 28-year-old CEO of electric vehicle company Luminar Technologies, is trying to replace hundreds of millions …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, @maxwelltani, Bloomberg, Press Gazette, Talking Biz News, The Messenger, The Information, @sarafischer and @rafat
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Jenny Gross / New York Times:
The BBC pauses production of Top Gear after a presenter was injured in a crash during filming in 2022; the show generated ~£20M in profit each year since 2015 — The BBC decision to halt production of the car show came after a presenter, Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, was seriously injured in a crash during filming last year.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, BBC, The Sun, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, The A.V. Club, TVLine, Reuters, GB News and The Wrap
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Spotify unveils new royalty policies from 2024: tracks must hit 1,000 streams in the previous year and noise recordings must be over two minutes — The company claims the updates will drive an additional $1 billion toward artists, by re-directing the payments that had previously gone to fraudulent streams …
Yana Lyushnevskaya / Nieman Reports:
How Ukrainian media is balancing war coverage, with national TV speaking in a highly patriotic, pro-government voice and critical reporting thriving online — Yana Lyushnevskaya, NF '24, on the difficult dilemma Ukrainian journalists face when covering war in their own country
Discussion:
Committee to Protect … and New York Post
Bloomberg:
Analysis: X's Community Notes operate slowly and inconsistently during the Israel-Hamas war; across nearly 400 posts, a typical Note took seven hours to appear — In late September, Elon Musk wrote on X that he hoped “people around the world engage in citizen journalism …
Discussion:
Business Insider and @Leonyin@mastodon.social, more at Techmeme »
Scott Roxborough / The Hollywood Reporter:
EAO: global streamers spent €4.9B on European original content in 2022, up 70% YoY; Netflix spent €2.2B, Amazon €1.1B, Disney €500K, and HBO and Apple €400K — Global streamers spent $5.4 billion on original European content last year, but still account for just under a quarter of total spend in the region.
Discussion:
@euavobservatory and European Audiovisual …, more at Techmeme »
Jem Aswad / Variety:
A New Mountain Capital-led group announces a growth investment for a majority stake in performing rights company BMI; the deal is expected to close in Q1 2024 — Along with ASCAP, which remains a not-for-profit organization, BMI is one of the two largest performing rights organizations in the U.S.; …
Discussion:
Radio & Television …, Billboard and @rwmead
Lachlan Cartwright / The Daily Beast:
Sources: Jezebel has four potential buyers; two of them submitted seven-figure offers, and the front-runner would rehire former Jezebel EIC Laura Bassett — Weeks after its shock shuttering, Jezebel is poised to be resurrected, Confider has learned—thanks to several bidders who've come out of the woodwork.
Discussion:
@ethangach
Nicolas Parasie / Bloomberg:
Middle East-based streamers OSN+ and Anghami plan to merge; OSN Group plans to inject $50M into Anghami and become a majority shareholder in the company — - Entity to have over 120 million users, $100 million in revenue — OSN Group to continue to run its pay TV business separately
Reuters:
Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen says an Israeli strike killed two of its journalists and a third person in south Lebanon, near the border with Israel — An Israeli strike killed two journalists working for a Lebanese TV channel and a third person near the border with Israel on Tuesday …