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Drake launches legal action against UMG and Spotify for allegedly using bots, payola, and more to inflate Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us, a track attacking Drake — Drake has initiated legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify over allegations that the two companies conspired …
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Sources: CVC Capital Partners and a major European broadcaster, thought to be France's Groupe TF1, are among those considering a takeover of the UK's ITV — The commercial broadcaster is back on alert for takeover approaches as financial and industry players evaluate offers which could lead …
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Times, Deadline, City A.M., Bloomberg, Advanced Television and RTÉ

As Elon Musk posts memes about buying MSNBC, sources say one liberal billionaire expressed interest in buying the channel; Comcast is not looking to sell MSNBC — Elon Musk has called MSNBC “the utter scum of the Earth.” He has said the channel “peddles puerile propaganda.”

Elon Musk appears to confirm that posts containing links in their main text are deprioritized on X, saying it is to stop “lazy linking” — Elon Musk confirmed that posts containing links in their main text are deprioritized on X in a revelation that renews criticism that the platform …
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TechCrunch, The Daily Dot, HuffPost, Business Insider, @paulg, @romansphoto.bsky.social, @mikeshenderson.bsky.social, @skdh, @elonmusk, @stevesi, @paulg, @designationsix.bsky.social, @katienotopoulos.bsky.social, @dcurtis, City & State New York, @nickadobos, @kwanza.bsky.social, @binarybits, New Republic, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, @drethelin, @deadendgg.bsky.social, @snazzylabs, @andrewlseidel.bsky.social, @seyitaylor, @almostmedia, @melsengem.bsky.social, @stuartbuck1, @ernie@writing.exchange, @phl43, @clawrence, @mattnavarra.com, @markbrooks, @alicekeeler.com, Althouse and Benzinga, more at Techmeme »

Trade body data: copyrighted music revenue was $45.5B in 2023, above cinema box office spending of $33.2B in 2023 and $41.9B in 2019; record labels made $28.5B — Annual revenues from copyrighted music hit almost $46bn last year, against $33.2bn for cinema
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Pivotal Economics, Benzinga, Music Ally, Billboard, CMU, Will Page on LinkedIn and Music Business Worldwide

A look at Disney's plans to compete with Netflix in standup comedy through Hulu, emphasizing quality over quantity while largely avoiding controversy — Under the Hulu banner, the company says it will offer quality over quantity while largely avoiding controversy. Many comedians are ready to give it a shot.
Discussion:
Deadline, IndieWire and Comic Book

Internal email: the UK's Reach plans to merge staff at The Daily Mirror and celebrity magazine OK! to cut costs, but the move won't result in cutting of roles — Merging of daily newspaper and celebrity magazine employees is latest move by owner, Reach, to cut costs

The music industry is entering a cycle of consolidation, driven by a slowdown at the major labels, the growing market for independents, and the rapacity of PE — The music industry is entering new era, one driven by a slowdown at the major labels, the growing market for independents and the rapacity of private equity.
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw and @lucas_shaw

Sources: CNN is considering making network anchor Kaitlan Collins its chief White House correspondent and relocating her show from New York to DC — The Scoop — CNN's leadership says it doesn't want to go back to its wall-to-wall 24-hour coverage of Donald Trump when he returns to the White House in January.
Discussion:
New York Post and TVNewsCheck

NBC News launches its 24/7 streaming service NBC News Now in Latin America in two of its biggest markets, Mexico and Brazil — NBC News' 24/7 streaming platform, NBC News Now, is launching in Mexico and Brazil, Latin America's biggest markets, as it continues to expand across the world.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck and The Desk

The US DOJ and Google made their closing arguments in the ad-market antitrust case before Judge Leonie Brinkema, who expressed some skepticism toward both sides — Federal prosecutors say Google's dominance of online advertising illegally hurts consumers and small businesses, while the company says it earned its place by being better.
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The Information, The Hill, Adweek, The Verge, Ars Technica, Bloomberg, New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, Digiday and Benzinga, more at Techmeme »

SCOTUS seeks the US government's views in the $1B copyright fight between Cox Communications and Sony, Warner Music, Universal Music, and other music companies — - Sony among companies suing Cox over customer song downloads — Appeals court tossed out big 2019 jury award against Cox
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MediaPost, Billboard, Ars Technica and Reuters