Top News:
Financial Times:
Sources: WBD weighs splitting off its streaming and studio businesses from its legacy TV networks including CNN, leaving most of its debt with the TV networks — Group behind CNN and HBO has discussed options including spin-off of its streaming service and movie studio
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Apple is launching new immersive video content for the Vision Pro over the next few months, including content from The Weeknd and the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend — Apple is launching new “immersive” video content for the Vision Pro over the next few months, including one from The Weeknd …
Discussion:
Apple and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »
Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple has spoken to many of the largest Hollywood studios about acquiring more programming from their libraries to offer customers in the US and abroad — - Apple TV+ has relied on original series like ‘Ted Lasso’ … The iPhone maker has spoken to several of the largest studios …
Discussion:
The Streamable, Spyglass, AppleInsider, Reuters and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »
Reuters:
An Italian court orders a journalist to pay PM Giorgia Meloni €5K for mocking her height; in 2023, journalist Roberto Saviano was fined €1K for insulting Meloni — A Milan court has ordered a journalist to pay Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni damages of 5,000 euros ($5,465) …
Discussion:
The Guardian
Adam Crafton / New York Times:
CBS Sports secures a four-year deal to air at least 250 English Football League matches per season, starting in August 2024 — CBS Sports is the new home of the English Football League (EFL) and Carabao Cup in the United States after agreeing a four-deal to prise coverage of the competitions away from ESPN.
Discussion:
Radio & Television …, Variety, Boris Gartner on LinkedIn, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and TVNewsCheck
New York Times:
A profile of Carlos Espina, who has 9.4M TikTok followers, posts in Spanish about immigration and politics, and whom the White House treats as a broadcaster — Carlos Espina is among a new kind of social media personalities whom politicians, especially those in the Biden White House, view as modern-day broadcasters.
Discussion:
@taylorlorenz, @sapna and @sapna
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
WPP's GroupM names Brian Lesser, a veteran Madison Avenue operative who has worked in senior media investment roles on both sides of the table, as global CEO — Brian Lesser, a veteran Madison Avenue operative who has worked in senior media-investment roles on both sides of the table …
Discussion:
Ad Age, Radio Ink, Digiday, Mumbrella, The Information, MediaPost, Adweek, AdExchanger, Next TV and The Media Leader
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Verizon offers customers who subscribe to Peacock Premium at the new $79.99 per year rate one year of Netflix Premium for free — Verizon keeps reshuffling its deck of various and sundry streaming bundle deals, aiming for new ways to appeal to bargain hunters — and to cater to particular sign-up goals of its content partners.
Discussion:
The Streamable, MediaPost, Next TV, Media Play News, Deadline, ComingSoon.net, The Hollywood Reporter and @tvgrimreaper
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Publicis reports H1 2024 revenue up 7.7% YoY to €7.7B and raises revenue growth guidance from 4%-5% to 5%-6% for 2024, as US tech clients' ad spending picks up — Paris-based advertising agency nudges up annual forecast on recovery in marketing budgets
Discussion:
Ad Age, Publicis Groupe, Bloomberg, Reuters, Publicis Groupe, Wall Street Journal, Publicis Groupe, The Drum, Adweek and MediaPost
Mike Vorkunov / New York Times:
Sources: the WNBA's media rights deals mirror the NBA's, and the league is set to get at least $2.2B over 11 years or $200M/year, up from the current ~$50M/year — The WNBA's next national media rights package has come into shape. The league is set to receive roughly $2.2 billion …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, The Streamable, @ourand_puck, New York Post, Frazer Rice on LinkedIn, Brittany Gropp on LinkedIn, TVNewsCheck, Sportico, @kennysmith.bsky.social, Front Office Sports, Deadline, Chelsee Washington on LinkedIn, Sports Illustrated, Next TV, New York Post, Mediaite, Front Office Sports, The Guardian, Black America Web, USA Today, Sports Media Watch and Associated Press
Bloomberg:
The US SEC sues former DWAC CEO Patrick Orlando for allegedly misleading investors about his company's plans for a SPAC merger with Trump's social media company — - Patrick Orlando eyed Trump Media before IPO, SEC claim — SEC settled with DWAC for $18 million over similar issue
Discussion:
Quartz, @hugolowell, Raw Story and Reuters, more at Techmeme »
Ben Werdmuller / Werd I/O:
The news media seems to be trapped in a place where technical innovation is nonexistent, perhaps due to the risks of experimentation or due to top-down culture — If you're waiting for permission to build something, or if you want to see how well something has worked for your peers …