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 Information, The Streamable, The Media Leader 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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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


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 …


Sources: TikTok pauses plans to launch its e-commerce business in major European markets to focus on growth in the US where it's fighting the divest-or-ban law — - ByteDance halts plan to roll out shopping from Spain to Italy — Company aims to entrench itself in its most lucrative market
Discussion:
Benzinga, @carnage4life, PYMNTS.com, The Register, Tubefilter, The Information, 9to5Mac, New York Times and Reuters, more at Techmeme »


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:
Tubefilter, The Guardian, B. Earl on LinkedIn, Gizmodo, VentureBeat and IndieWire, more at Techmeme »


Meta says 40M+ US and Canadian adults aged 18 to 29 use Facebook daily, the highest number in three years, reflecting efforts to win back younger users — - Feed now features a broader array of posts based on interest — More young adults are back on Facebook after years of declines
Discussion:
Reuters, Engadget, Meta and Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, more at Techmeme »


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


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


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, Deadline, The Daily Beast, @ericbolling, The Wrap and Media Matters for America


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 …