Top News:
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Will Lewis repeatedly offered an exclusive interview about WaPo's future, in exchange for dropping a story on claims he helped cover up UK phone hacking scandal — The Washington Post has written twice this spring about allegations that have cropped up in British court proceedings involving its new publisher and CEO, Will Lewis.
Discussion:
New York Times, Press Watch, Mediaite, CNN, @markjacobnews@threads.net, Newser, @karaswisher@threads.net, @_cingraham, The Wrap, @jlgolson, @sallyjenx@threads.net, @bgrueskin, @dankennedy_nu@journa.host, @sdkstl, @juwanthecurator.bsky.social, @arusbridger, @arusbridger, @kslane, @jackshafer, @mariaramirezny, @froomkin, @bradkleinnews, @keitholbermann, @TonyStark@progressivecafe …, @dan1763, @gtconway3d, @nick_field90, @davidfolkenflik, @jswatz_tx@threads.net and @craigmwhitlock
RELATED:
New York Times:
Sources: Washington Post CEO Will Lewis criticized Sally Buzbee's judgment in publishing a May 2024 article about a UK phone-hacking lawsuit that involved him — Will Lewis, the chief executive of The Washington Post, objected to coverage of a legal development involving him in a phone hacking case.
Discussion:
SFGATE, The Daily Beast, Politico, Axios, Financial Times, @drewmagary, @emilybell, Media Nation, @pkafka, Talking Points Memo, @karaswisher@threads.net, @farhip, @rcmacleod, @harrymccracken, @peterjukes, @fredvultee, @nick_field90, @janecoaston, @tvhilton, @sulliview, @eisingerj, @paulvieira, @eisingerj, @silvermanjacob, @farnazfassihi, @nick_field90, @benmullin, @edmundlee, @kevinmdraper, @katie_robertson, @davidbeard@threads.net, @geisler_jill@threads.net, @davidbeard@threads.net, @jswatz_tx@threads.net, The Wrap, @kennysmith@mstdn.social, Digiday, @edmundlee@threads.net, @mattdpearce@threads.net, Puck, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @ChrisBoese@newsie.social and @rogerford.org
Mia Sato / The Verge:
Twitch announces a program that lets DJs use copyrighted music in their streams by paying a fee; Twitch signed deals with UMG, WMG, Sony Music, and indie labels — Livestreaming platform Twitch announced a new program aimed at DJs today that will allow creators to use copyrighted music in their streams by paying a fee.
Discussion:
Engadget, Deadline, Music Business Worldwide, Twitch, TechCrunch, MediaPost, Ethan Hammerman on LinkedIn and Music Ally, more at Techmeme »
Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch:
Cara, an artist-run, anti-AI social platform, grew from 40K to 650K users in the past week, as some Instagram artists leave over plans to train AI on user data — ‘Building a product is a bit like making art,’ said founder Jingna Zhang — Artists have finally had enough with Meta's predatory AI policies …
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
SiriusXM will launch Mediaite's Press Club, a weekly show on events and people in media and politics, on June 8, hosted by Mediaite Editor Aidan McLaughlin — Several upstarts are trying to take advantage of it. — SiriusXM will launch “Mediaite's Press Club,” a new weekly hour-long show …
Discussion:
The Desk, Mediaite, @aidnmclaughlin, Radio Ink and @bristei
Samanth Subramanian / Wired:
Q&A with Bellingcat's Eliot Higgins on how being declared a foreign agent by Russia has affected his work, helping lawyers use open source evidence, and more — Eliot Higgins and his 28,000 forensic foot soldiers at Bellingcat have kept a miraculous nose for truth—and a sharp sense of its limits …
Discussion:
@wired, Nathan May on LinkedIn, @wired, @glocalreporting and Jonathan Luff on LinkedIn
OPB:
Rachel Smolkin, SVP of global news for CNN Digital, is leaving to become president and CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting — today announced that Rachel Smolkin has been chosen as the next president and chief executive officer, bringing a veteran journalist focused on changing audience needs to lead the organization.
Discussion:
CNN, Adweek, @benmullin, Current, Radio Ink, Deadline, The Wrap, @madhulikasikka and Inside Radio
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Amazon acquires Indian video streaming service MX Player's key assets from Times Internet, a source says valuing MX at <$100M, below its $500M valuation in 2019 — Amazon has agreed to acquire key assets of Indian video streaming service MX Player from the local media powerhouse Times Internet …
Discussion:
The Information and Aniruddha Jaju on LinkedIn, more at Techmeme »
New York Times:
A look at the now-shuttered news site BNN Breaking, which former staff say mostly published AI-generated content; Microsoft had licensed BNN content for MSN.com — The news was featured on MSN.com: “Prominent Irish broadcaster faces trial over alleged sexual misconduct.”
Discussion:
@tessasproule@threads.net, @kashhill, @structstories and The Desk, more at Techmeme »
CNN:
The WSJ article on Biden's mental acuity relies largely on comments from Republican sources and Kevin McCarthy, who praised Biden's performance a year prior — The Wall Street Journal owes its readers — and the public — better. — The business broadsheet published and hyped …
Discussion:
Poynter, @hadas_gold, The Hill, Media Matters for America, Heartland Signal, @kbode@threads.net, @johnjharwood, @bgrueskin, @andykaczynski@threads.net, @karlbode.bsky.social, @jonfavs, Axios, Mediaite, Fox News, @tomricks1, @jrothfeder, @radiofreetom, @tvmojoe, Talking Biz News, The Independent, New Republic, Raw Story, HuffPost, NewsNation, The Daily Beast, who13.com and Deadline
Neel Dhanesha / Nieman Lab:
Climate Nexus, a communications firm that incubated The Water Hub and gave updates during UN climate meetings, is closing June 21; The Water Hub will continue — Last week, Zack Colman of Politico reported that Climate Nexus, a climate communications firm that's been a stalwart …
Discussion:
@shravya_, @michael_shank, @raylongdc, @mollytaft, Yale Climate Connections, @mollytaft, @timmcdonnell and Climate
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Regional UK news startup Mill Media, which offers online newsletters, plans to launch in London, as the Evening Standard scales back, and open a Glasgow office — Regional UK news start-up says there is an opportunity after years of savage cutbacks in local media industry
Discussion:
Mill Media and City A.M.