Top News:
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Sources: Amazon plans to shut its FAST service Freevee in the coming weeks, as part of a broader effort to focus its ad and product efforts on Prime Video — The service has become redundant following the introduction of ads to Prime Video — Amazon is planning to sunset its free …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Streamable, TVLine, Deadline, 9to5Google, The A.V. Club, UPROXX, Metro, TechHive, @seriestalks, @jackgen0vese, @imperfecttl, @webbarr, @takeshikitano3, Geoff Clark on LinkedIn, The Information, @markstenberg3@threads.net, Appleosophy, Media Play News, Consequence and Cord Cutters News
Margi Murphy / Bloomberg:
A profile of ElevenLabs, whose AI voice cloning tech is being used to spoof politicians; five of the startup's 40 employees are dedicated to trust and safety — ElevenLabs' technology is already being used to spoof political candidates and promote scammy products.
Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
ABC report: UK magazines' digital sales rose 15.4% YoY to an average of 2.6M per edition, including 1.2M from “all you can read” sales via Readly and others — UK magazine titles report surge in access to digital editions according to ABC. — Digital sales of UK magazines rose 15.4% year …
Discussion:
@pressgazette and Press Gazette
Katie Paul / Reuters:
Israel-based BRIA, a Getty-backed AI image generation startup that licenses 1B+ images from 18 stock providers, raised a $24M Series A from Publicis and others — A “responsible” AI image generation startup backed by stock photo provider Getty Images (GETY.N) has raised $24 million in a Series …
Patrick Brzeski / The Hollywood Reporter:
Q&A with Disney President of Asia-Pacific Luke Kang on the Asian entertainment business, evolving Disney's streaming strategy, growing Disney+, ads, and more — Luke Kang shares how the media giant has come to its streaming strategy for the region and his current views on major content markets like China, South Korea and Japan.
Discussion:
Claudia Zhang on LinkedIn
HouseFresh:
How some big publishers are inundating the web with subpar product recommendations without testing the products, and how Google is helping them through inaction — And why you shouldn't trust product recommendations from big media publishers ranking at the top of Google
Discussion:
Search Engine Land, Mostly signs, Scott Messer on LinkedIn, Nieman Lab, Alison Barretta on LinkedIn, @jasonkoebler@mastodon.social, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @jason_koebler, Jill Caren on LinkedIn, Jonathan Berthold on LinkedIn, @weaselproof.bsky.social, Jean-Christophe Chouinard on LinkedIn, Ian Betteridge on LinkedIn, Mark Williams-Cook on LinkedIn, @danack@threads.net, @clive@saturation.social, @mdekstrand@hci.social, @metin@graphics.social, @Infloop@indieweb.social, @mhucka@fediscience.org, @mpesce@arvr.social, @dmitriid, @ichbingisele, @ichbingisele, @thishousefresh, @shanejones and @stevage1
Amelia Pollard / Bloomberg:
Filing: a US court gives Audacy, the second-largest radio broadcaster in the US, approval to exit bankruptcy, slashing ~$1.7B of its debt in a restructuring — - Soros Fund Management slated to own largest stake in company — Firm to slash $1.7 billion of debt through restructuring plan
Discussion:
The Desk, Inside Radio and Radio & Television …
Max Tani / Semafor:
Mehdi Hasan joins The Guardian US as a regular columnist; the outlet has been staffing up in recent months, adding well-known writers and an investigative unit — The Scoop — The progressive pundit Mehdi Hasan is joining The Guardian following his abrupt departure from MSNBC.
Discussion:
The Hill, The Guardian, The Wrap, Press Gazette and @pressgazette
Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
Sony Pictures Entertainment strikes a deal to manufacture, distribute, and market Disney's DVD, Blu-ray discs, and other physical media in the US and Canada — Disney is outsourcing a big piece of its home entertainment division to Sony Pictures Entertainment, which will manufacture …
Cat Zakrzewski / Washington Post:
FTC letter: Twitter did not violate an order restricting its data practices, as staff prevented the “Twitter Files” writers from directly accessing its systems — After investigating his handling of the ‘Twitter Files’ for more than a year, the agency found no evidence the company violated consent order
Discussion:
Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »
Lachlan Cartwright / The Hollywood Reporter:
Q&A with Jeff Zucker about RedBird IMI's approach to news investments, backlash from The Telegraph journalists, lessons from The Messenger launch, and more — Two years after his ouster from the network, the mogul explains why his investment firm RedBird IMI is snapping up media properties at a frantic clip.
Discussion:
@lachcartwright, @jeremymbarr and @pressgazette
Reuters:
Indonesia issues a regulation requiring digital platforms, including Facebook and Google, to pay media outlets that provide them with content — Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday he had signed a regulation requiring digital platforms to pay media outlets that provide them with content …
Discussion:
@courtneyr, Bloomberg and Digital Scholarship
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