Top News:
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Netflix publishes its first What We Watched report, detailing the most-watched content from January to June 2023; The Night Agent was #1 with 812M+ hours viewed — Netflix is going to start publishing a new report twice a year that details the most popular shows and movies on the platform.
Discussion:
About Netflix, The Wrap, Los Angeles Times, The Streamable, Variety, CNBC, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, Media Play News, @netflix and The Hollywood Reporter, more at Techmeme »
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
The New York Times hires Quartz co-founder Zach Seward to work with its newsroom's leadership to establish principles around using and not using generative AI — Quartz co-founder Zach Seward tasked with establishing principles for how the Times will and won't use generative AI
Paresh Dave / Wired:
On November 17, YouTube removed code that said if a channel is in the YouTube Partner Program, which gives a cut of ad revenue, leaving researchers in the dark — YouTube removed a snippet of code that publicly disclosed whether a channel receives ad and subscription payouts, obscuring which creators benefit most from the platform.
Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Paramount Global is considering laying off more than 1,000 staffers in early 2024, after paring down its head count since earlier this year — Shari Redstone considers sale of controlling stake in National Amusements amid pressures from Paramount's cable business, ad market
Discussion:
Variety, The Desk, Jessica Toonkel on LinkedIn, The Wrap, Bloomberg, Madison and Wall, The Messenger and New York Post
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:
Russian state media: in a new case, Russia accuses RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, in Russian custody since October, of spreading fake news about its army — Russian investigators have reportedly filed another case against veteran RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who is already being held …
Discussion:
Agence France-Presse, The Straits Times, The Moscow Times and Meduza.io
Tiny News Collective:
The Tiny News Collective announces the hiring of Amy L. Kovac-Ashley as its first executive director and says it has helped launch 25 newsrooms since 2021 — A Note from Kara Meyberg Guzman, Board Chair — Since 2020, the Tiny News Collective's board and staff have worked to build …
Discussion:
Chris Krewson on LinkedIn, @terabithia4, @terabithia4, Tiny News Collective and Tiny News Collective
News Leaders Association:
The News Leaders Association's board approves members' vote to dissolve by June 2024 and distribute assets, including Sunshine Week, to journalism nonprofits — During its final meeting of the year, the News Leaders Association Board of Directors unanimously approved the NLA membership's November vote …
Discussion:
Poynter
David W. Dunlap / New York Times:
As The New York Times prints its 60,000th issue, the newspaper explains how a news assistant discovered in 1999 a numbering sequence error dating back to 1898 — In 1999, a news assistant's number crunching revealed that The Times had gotten ahead of itself.
Discussion:
The Hill, @silvermanjacob, @peterbakernyt, @elwasson, @michaelstarobin, Marc Lacey on LinkedIn, @benhoffmannyt and @nytimespr
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Liberty Media's LSXM combines with SiriusXM to form a new public company, called New SiriusXM, which will continue to operate under the SiriusXM brand — “This combination will create value for all stockholders by eliminating the tracking stock structure” and “enhancing liquidity.”
Discussion:
Inside Radio, RADIO ONLINE, Radio Ink, Radio & Television … and Cord Cutters News
Financial Times:
Sources: RedBird IMI is in advanced talks with Warner Bros. Discovery and Liberty Global to acquire UK TV and film producer All3Media in a deal worth ~£1B — Zucker-Cardinale investment group leads rivals circling the ‘Fleabag’ and ‘Call the Midwife’ producer
Discussion:
Reuters, The Guardian and Variety
Anto Antony / Bloomberg:
Sources: Disney and Reliance are expected to sign a non-binding pact as early as December 18 to merge their media operations in India in a cash-and-stock deal — - Ambani's group to own majority stake in the new media entity — Non-binding deal terms likely to be signed on Monday: sources
Discussion:
Times of India, @amit6060, Inc42 Media, India Today, Gadgets 360, Benzinga, The Economic Times and The Business Times
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Spotify partners with Warner Bros. Discovery to host and distribute some podcasts from WBD, including CNN and HBO shows, and become a WBD monetization partner — Podcasts in the partnership include CNN's ‘All There Is with Anderson Cooper’ and HBO's ‘The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon.’
Discussion:
Observer, Media Play News, Radio Ink and Digital Music News