Top News:
Financial Times:
Microsoft strikes an AI deal with Semafor for a breaking news feed called Signals; Ben Smith says it will be written by journalists, using AI as a research tool — Collaboration comes as tech giant faces multibillion-dollar lawsuit from the New York Times Microsoft is working with media start …
Discussion:
Semafor, MIT Technology Review, Engadget, @naomi_rovnick and @semaforben
Chris McGreal / The Guardian:
Sources describe internal discontent about CNN's Gaza coverage and complaints about editorial policies preferring Israeli claims over Palestinian perspectives — Insiders say pressure from the top results in credulous reporting of Israeli claims and silencing of Palestinian perspectives
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
CBS News confirms that President Biden will not do a pre-game Super Bowl interview with CBS, the second year in a row that he has turned down the opportunity — An interview with the U.S. President in the hours before the Super Bowl has become a tradition in recent decades.
K.J. Yossman / Variety:
Eurovision organizer European Broadcasting Union launches Eurovision Sport, a free streaming service to complement public service broadcasters' coverage — A free direct-to-consumer service offering thousands of hours live sports broadcasting, the streamer is available for desktop, mobile and both ioS and Android apps.
Discussion:
Associated Press, BNN Breaking, TVBEurope, Deadline and Broadband TV News
Max Tani / Semafor:
How Condé Nast bought and destroyed Pitchfork by absorbing its creative teams and trying to fit it into the audience-driven terms of programmatic ad sales — The News — In 2015, Condé Nast was nearing a deal to buy the music site Pitchfork, its first major editorial acquisition in years.
Discussion:
@sam_schulman, @michaelroston, @mazi_emekar, @Zeb_Larson@zirk.us, @timothypmurphy, @mikeisaac, @maxwelltani and @ositanwanevu
Financial Times:
Sources: the UK shelved plans to publish rules on the training of AI models using copyrighted material, after artists and tech groups failed to agree terms — Government-led talks stall as artists and tech groups fail to agree terms over access to copyrighted work
Discussion:
Antreas Athanassopoulos on LinkedIn and CMU, more at Techmeme »
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
UK's Reach strikes a deal with Amazon for “contextual” first-party data to target online ads, as the media industry responds to end of third party cookies — Media sector scrambles to deal with fallout from phase out of cross-website trackers — Tech giant Amazon has struck …
Financial Times:
A look at the potential deal between Skydance and Shari Redstone's National Amusements, as a tough media industry landscape forces Redstone to consider offers — Interest from Skydance and other bidders could split shareholders in studio behind ‘The Godfather’
Rebecca Jennings / Vox:
How the creator economy is forcing writers and artists to build personal brands and become influencers, making many artists uncomfortable and feel like sellouts — So you want to be an artist. Do you have to start a TikTok? — When Rachael Kay Albers was shopping around her book proposal …
Discussion:
@maclethal@threads.net, AdExchanger, @kbeninato@mstdn.party, @taylorlorenz@mastodon.social, @damianogerli@mastodon.social, @LAGilman@raggedfeathers.com, @lilithsaintcrow …, Caitlin Dewey on LinkedIn, @jon@gruene.social, @taimanzano, @caerickson, @98migrocha, @greenlitcrit, @iamlouislaroche, @ramzeerawkz, @chaykak, @pronounced_ing, @bigmeaninternet, @nmamatas, @ibrahim_m_, @molenasreddin, @rebexxxxa, @_zeets, @jonathangarelick@threads.net and @joanwestenberg@threads.net, more at Techmeme »
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Freely, a free UK streaming service backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 that will deliver live TV over broadband, plans to launch in Q2 2024 — With more than half of U.K. homes expecting to watch TV exclusively via broadband by 2030, it “will bring live and on-demand content together …
Discussion:
Variety
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
A look at UMG's TikTok retreat, stemming from issues like low payouts and a lack of assurances on fighting deepfakes, and TikTok's role in the music industry — We're about to find out how important TikTok is to the music industry. — Happy Grammy Sunday to those of you who celebrate.
Discussion:
Music Business Worldwide, more at Techmeme »
Wall Street Journal:
A look at Charter's rise to become the biggest US cable TV provider, with 14.12M subscribers, topping Comcast and highlighting the dire state of cable TV — Charter tops Comcast as No. 1 pay-TV provider by subscribers, months after hinting it may exit the business
Discussion:
@tvgrimreaper, @patiencehaggin, @patiencehaggin, @david_marcelis, @patiencehaggin, The Desk and Media Play News
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