Top News:


Sources: Disney and Comcast's NBCUniversal hit an impasse in Disney's buyout plans for NBCU's 33% Hulu stake, with a significant disagreement over valuation — Companies are discussing a Disney buyout of Comcast's stake in streaming service; with a big valuation gap, the prospect of a court battle looms
Discussion:
The Desk, The Streamable, The Media Leader, The Information and @tvgrimreaper


Details of CNN's ad packages for its Biden-Trump debate on June 27: a top-tier level with a $1.5M minimum, limits on spending by campaigns and PACs, and more — The Scoop — The Donald Trump-driven boom times are back for the business of American television — at least, for one night in June.
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Sources: a Paramount special committee approved the sweetened offer from Skydance; Paramount's board, chaired by Shari Redstone, will vote on the deal June 4 — Final decision over Hollywood studio group rests with controlling shareholder Shari Redstone — A special committee …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Desk, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times and Variety


Salem Media is halting distribution of the film and book 2000 Mules and removing the film from its platforms; it apologized to a man who sued for defamation — The conservative media company behind the book and film “2,000 Mules,” which alleged a widespread conspiracy by Democrats to steal …


A look at Robert Allbritton's NOTUS, a nonprofit national politics outlet that employs 10 full-time fellows and is intended to act as a journalist incubator — When he was the owner of Politico, Robert Allbritton sat atop a farm system that hired scores of young reporters to work alongside veteran editors …


Moonbug Entertainment names Courtney Holt, previously Spotify's head of studios and video, as managing director for the Americas, taking over from Andy Yeatman — Holt takes over the position from Andy Yeatman, who is departing Moonbug for an unspecified new gig.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Courtney Holt on LinkedIn, Deadline and Advanced Television


Startup Fable Studio announces Showrunner, a streaming service that lets users watch AI-generated series and create their own series by writing prompts — Fable, the studio behind the viral AI-generated ‘South Park’ clips, has announced a streaming platform that allows users to create their own content.
Discussion:
B. Earl on LinkedIn, Tubefilter, The Guardian, Gizmodo, VentureBeat and IndieWire, more at Techmeme »


LA-based Webtoon, owned by South Korea's Naver, files for a US IPO; sources: the online comics platform could seek to raise up to $500M at a $3B-$4B valuation — Los Angeles-based Webtoon said in a filing Friday with the US Securities and Exchange Commission that South Korean internet company Naver …
Discussion:
US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, Reuters, The Korea Times and @ca_ecostrategy


A look at the term “fact-based journalism”: its rise coincided with “fake news” in 2016, but the term is redundant as all journalism is fact-based — “To describe one form of journalism as ‘fact-based’ is to tacitly acknowledge that there is also such a thing as ‘non-fact-based journalism.’ And there isn't."
Discussion:
Josh M. on LinkedIn, @davidpwhelan@mastodon.world and @nw@ioc.exchange


Rest of World retracts an article on WhatsApp misinformation “tip lines” in India after several fact-checking orgs detail how it was “riddled with inaccuracies” — Last week, the technology site Rest of World published a story on the apparent failings of WhatsApp misinformation “tip lines” in India.
Discussion:
@dau_mca and @india_mca, more at Techmeme »


Eric Bolling, formerly of Sinclair and Fox News and host of Newsmax's 8pm show The Balance, is leaving the network after three years — Eric Bolling has parted ways with Newsmax. — The veteran television host, who helmed the conservative network's 8 p.m. hour with The Balance …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, The Wrap, Deadline, The Daily Beast, @ericbolling and Media Matters for America


Sampling of King Willonius' AI-generated “BBL Drizzy” creates a new precedent; the recording is public domain but Willonius' lyrics give him publishing rights — After “BBL Drizzy” was sampled in Sexyy Red and Drake's new single “U My Everything,” it required a lawyer to create a procedure for clearing AI samples.
Discussion:
Willonius Hatcher on LinkedIn and Daniel Rowland on LinkedIn