Mediagazer: Source: Runway, a startup focusing on generative AI video for Hollywood and other filmmakers, is in talks to raise $450M at about a $4B valuation (Stephanie Palazzolo/The Information)

Top News:

Sources: Barry Diller is exploring a bid to take control of Paramount; his digital media conglomerate, IAC, has signed NDAs with National Amusements — Mr. Diller, a digital media pioneer, lost a bidding war for Paramount Pictures decades ago. Now, he's making a run at its parent company.

Discussion: Axios, The Streamable, CNBC, NewscastStudio, Cord Cutters News, @benmullin, @jbmp51, @webbarr, The Wrap, @jgdean14, @davidgura, @davidkeithlaw, @davidpoland, @susanlitv, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, Variety, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, TVNewsCheck, Deadline and Bloomberg

Alex Sherman / CNBC:

Sources: Paramount Global is in discussions with other companies about merging Paramount+ with their streamers; WBD is interested in merging Max and Paramount+ — Paramount Global is holding talks with other entertainment companies about merging its Paramount+ streaming service with an existing platform.

Discussion: The Streamable, Variety, @cynicalfate, @sherman4949, @culturecrave, Broadband TV News, @rdd147, @cnschedules, MediaPost, The Information, The Wrap, The Desk, Alex Sherman on LinkedIn, Cord Cutters News and Media Play News

Melanie Goodfellow / Deadline:

VFX company DNEG raised $200M from Abu Dhabi's UASG at a $2B+ valuation to expand its Brahma division, which is developing an AI-powered, photo-real CGI creator — London-based The DNEG Group has secured a $200M capital injection from Abu Dhabi investment firm United Al Saqer Group (UASG).

Discussion: The Wrap, @dneg, Business Standard, Financial Times, Proactive, DNEG, @malhotra_namit and The Hollywood Reporter

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Following Paramount's takedown of MTV News, the Internet Archive has assembled a searchable index of 460,575 web pages earlier published at MTV.com/news — MTV News lives! Well, sort of. … You can search the MTV News archive on the organization's Wayback Machine at this link.

Discussion: Rolling Stone, @jillpantozzi, @center4popmusic, @internetarchive, @variety, Internet Archive Blogs and POP!

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: Imagine Entertainment, led by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, is seeking a buyer after receiving some inbound interest from a potential suitor — Production company behind ‘Apollo 13’ is working with bankers to explore a sale — Imagine Entertainment, the Hollywood production company known …

Discussion: The Wrap, Variety, The Wrap, Deadline and TVNewsCheck

Stephanie Palazzolo / The Information:

Source: Runway, a startup focusing on generative AI video for Hollywood and other filmmakers, is in talks to raise $450M at about a $4B valuation — Runway, already the best funded among a cluster of startups developing artificial intelligence software to generate videos for Hollywood …

Discussion: @steph_palazzolo

Eugen Rochko / Mastodon Blog:

Mastodon adds clickable bylines under article links, pointing to the author's fediverse account; The Verge and MacRumors are among the pubs using the feature — A new feature for media organizations, journalists and bloggers — To reinforce and encourage Mastodon as the go-to place for journalism …

Discussion: TechCrunch, @buddiesofbudgie@floss.social and J. Nathan Matias on LinkedIn

The Moscow Times:

Spotify has removed the songs and profiles of pro-war Russian artists sanctioned by the EU; their profiles remain accessible on Apple Music and YouTube — Music streaming service Spotify has removed the songs and profiles of pro-war Russian artists sanctioned by the West, the Sweden-based company told The Moscow Times on Thursday.

Discussion: Music Ally, @irgarner, @moscowtimes, Stereogum, Billboard, The Kyiv Independent, Consequence, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Digital Music News, Hotpress and Breitbart

Lloyd Coombes / Tom's Guide:

Generative AI music service Suno launches its iOS app in the US, with plans for a global rollout and an Android app — An AI studio in your pocket. — You're in luck if you've ever wanted to make music using Suno while away from your computer. It is now available on iOS — at least, it is if you're in the U.S.

Discussion: VentureBeat, more at Techmeme »

Sara Fischer / Axios:

CNBC launches a sports vertical as part of its broader plan to shift its editorial and business focus to cross-platform verticals led by subject-matter experts — - The company is expected to make more announcements about other topic areas soon. … - CNBC has hired sports valuation expert …

Discussion: Talking Biz News, Variety, NewscastStudio, TVNewsCheck, @sherman4949, @bmccandless and CNBC Press Releases

Paresh Dave / Wired:

Some YouTube employees detail internal deliberations about content relating to the Israel-Hamas war and accuse the company of inconsistent moderation — Insiders have shared YouTube's playbook for handling the Gaza crisis. They argue that it shows inconsistent enforcement.

Discussion: The Guardian, more at Techmeme »

Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:

Ampere Analysis: in Q1 2024, Netflix and Amazon commissioned 53% of all original streaming titles globally, spurred by increased investment outside of the US — The growth comes from increased investment in international territories, according to Ampere Analysis

Discussion: IndieWire, Next TV, New York Times, The Desk, The Streamable, WORLD SCREEN, Media Play News, Broadband TV News, Variety, Deadline, Advanced Television and The Hollywood Reporter