Mediagazer: A review of OpenAI's Sora video generator: excels at landscapes, people, and stylistic content, but often fails with basic physics like object permanence (Marques Brownlee/Marques Brownlee on YouTube)

4:15 AM ET, December 10, 2024

Top News:

Sealed doc: Rupert Murdoch failed in an attempt to change his family trust to consolidate Lachlan's control of his empire and lock in Fox News' right-wing bent — A Nevada commissioner ruled resoundingly against Mr. Murdoch, who was trying to give full control of his empire to his son Lachlan …

Discussion: Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian, Crikey, Associated Press, The Age, The Independent, Press Association, Deadline, Greensburg Tribune-Review, Hindustan Times, @danielthomasldn, The Wrap, KVIA-TV, @hadas_gold, The Hollywood Reporter, @joypress.bsky.social, Financial Times, Reuters, @karaswisher.bsky.social, Adam Heimlich on LinkedIn, @timobrien.bsky.social, ABC, The Information, @aeppel.bsky.social, Los Angeles Times, @kimmasters.bsky.social, Adweek, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, @katie_robertson, @owillis.bsky.social, @brianstelter, @clarajeffery.bsky.social, @pgourevitch.bsky.social, @bernardzuel.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @annabower.bsky.social, @loudmouthjulia, @ericcolumbus.bsky.social, @davidkarol.bsky.social, Digby's Hullabaloo, @srl, @nowhere.bsky.social, Axios, @mediaevan, Agence France-Presse, Newser, Raw Story, The Hill, Al Jazeera, Quartz, Forbes, Benzinga, Variety, TVNewsCheck, Australian Financial Review and Alternet.org

OpenAI:

OpenAI launches Sora in select countries; ChatGPT Pro offers up to 500 videos per month at up to 1080p, and ChatGPT Plus offers up to 50 videos at up to 720p — We're moving our video generation model out of research preview. — Learn more System Card — Our video generation model …

Marques Brownlee / Marques Brownlee on YouTube:

A review of OpenAI's Sora video generator: excels at landscapes, people, and stylistic content, but often fails with basic physics like object permanence — SORA generates videos. This is the first review.Get up to 40% off on last minute gifts at https://ridge.com/MKBHDThe (real) birding video: https://youtu.be/F...

Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch:
OpenAI says it will give only a “subset” of Sora users access to a feature for creating videos of a real person using uploaded photos or footage of the person

Discussion: The Mirror, @thisguyoftheai and Benzinga, more at Techmeme »

David Folkenflik / NPR:

Sources: The Washington Post Acting Executive Editor Matt Murray blocked a story on the departure of Matea Gold, a contender to be WaPo's new executive editor — As the Washington Post newsroom awaits the appointment of a new top editor, its acting news chief intervened to block an article …

Discussion: New York Times, @farhip, @chopeski.bsky.social, @watchdogdiva.bsky.social, @exum.bsky.social, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @stphnfwlr.com, @davidfolkenflik, @kennysmith.bsky.social, @tyleraking.com, @froomkin.bsky.social, @amandabecker.bsky.social, @joshuaeaton.bsky.social, @jimnaughton.bsky.social and MediaPost

The New York Times Company:
Matea Gold, who has been a managing editor of The Washington Post for the past 15 months, joins The New York Times as Washington editor

Discussion: Status, @ktumulty, @francesssellers, @shaneharris, @deggans, Marc Lacey on LinkedIn, @raineytime, @cathleendecker, The Wrap, @ktumulty, @mateagold, @timjgraham, @maxwelltani, @dylanbyers and @cherijacobus

Bloomberg:

Omnicom Group agrees to buy Interpublic Group in a deal that will create the largest ad company in the world, with a combined $25B+ in annual revenue — Under the terms of the agreement announced Monday, Interpublic shareholders will receive 0.344 Omnicom shares for each share of Interpublic common stock they own.

Ben Sisario / New York Times:

Taylor Swift Touring says the Eras Tour made $2B in ticket sales, double the gross of any other concert tour in history, with an average seat price of ~$204 — Over 21 months, the pop superstar's culture-dominating stage show doubled the gross of its closest competitor, according to ticket sales figures confirmed for the first time.

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Comcast and WBD announce a multiyear distribution pact, including letting Comcast bundle Max in the US; Sky will launch the Max app in the UK in April 2025 — Sky gets U.K. rights to HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter series, will distribute Max in the country

Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:

The Guardian publishes a letter by 125 Guardian and Observer staff contradicting Scott Trust claims of “extensive consultations” with staff over Observer sale — The Guardian has published two letters from current and former staff attacking the chair of the Scott Trust, the limited company which owns Guardian Media Group.

Max Tani / Semafor:

Source: Vox Media will not renew its deal to distribute Taylor Lorenz's video podcast, set to expire at the start of 2025; the first episode aired in March 2024 — The Scoop — Vox Media is ending its deal to distribute Taylor Lorenz's podcast and YouTube show.

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

Reach hires Conde Nast executive Ellen Stewart in the new role of performance director for editorial to enhance “data-led decision making” across its newsrooms — Ellen Stewart is currently director of content strategy and growth at Conde Nast.

Discussion: HoldtheFrontPage

Jason Koebler / 404 Media:

404 Media is fighting a subpoena from Texas AG Ken Paxton that demands info on reporting and a source to help in an unrelated case TX is pursuing against Google — In October, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subpoenaed 404 Media, demanding that we hand over confidential information …

Discussion: @mediaanddemocracy.bsky.social, @mshelton.bsky.social, @samleecole, @SnowshadowII@beige.party, @newsnut.bsky.social, @dhm.bsky.social, @oliviamesser.bsky.social, @josephfcox, @jason_koebler, @emanuelmaiberg.bsky.social, @katie-drummond.bsky.social, @greene.haus, @hoonofthe.day, @rondeibert.bsky.social, @michaelsderby.bsky.social, @seanokane.bsky.social and @josephfcox

Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:

A Florida judge allows a contractor's defamation case against CNN over a November 2021 report on war profiteers during the US' Afghanistan withdrawal to proceed — A judge ruled Friday that a security contractor can seek punitive damages against CNN over a November 2021 report about war profiteers …

Discussion: TVNewsCheck, Deadline, The National Pulse, Breitbart, Twitchy, Mediaite and Fox News

Archived Page Info:

This is a snapshot of Mediagazer at 4:15 AM ET, December 10, 2024.

View the current page or another snapshot:

Who's Hiring in Media?

Output Producer, CA — AP

News Publishing Specialist, Bengaluru — Reuters

Senior Correspondent - Wealth, NY — WSJ

Switzerland Bureau Chief, Zurich — Bloomberg

Research Director, CA — OCBJ

Immigration Enforcement Reporter — Documented

Jackson Reporter, MS — Mississippi Today

Contributing Parks Ed. - SW, CA — SFGATE

Copy Editor, Remote US — The Verge

Legislative Reporter, TN — Daily Memphian

Editorial Assistant, FL — Launch Potato

Elon Musk Reporter, NY or CA — The Information

Government & Politics Editor, WA — Seattle Times

Reporter, FL — Palatka Daily News

Sports Reporter, WA — Everett Herald

Energy Reporter, TX — Houston Chronicle

Senior Reporter, SC — Island Packet

Politics Editor, TX — Texas Tribune

Local Editor - Midwest, Remote — Axios

Staff Writer, ME — Mainebiz

L.A. Issues Reporter, CA — CalMatters

Senior Editor, Remote — Raw Story

Political Newsletter Writer, CO — The Lever

Jackson Reporter, MS — Verite

Audience Dev. Editor, NY — Adirondack Explorer

Climate Finance Reporter, VA — Politico

Breaking News Reporter, NV — Las Vegas Sun

Fearless Reporter/Producer, IA — BPC

Reporter II - Technology, Remote — NPR

Editor, Remote US — Daily Kos

Business Reporter, WA — Longview Daily News

Senior Writer/Editor, FL — Gulfshore Business

Network TV Features Journalist, OR — Screen Rant

Add your company here

See Also:

Mediagazer: site main

Mediagazer River: reverse chronological Mediagazer

Mediagazer Mobile: for phones

Mediagazer Leaderboard: Mediagazer's top sources

Subscribe:

Mediagazer RSS feed

Mediagazer on X

Mediagazer on Mastodon

More News:

Bron Maher / Press Gazette:
In a letter to subscribers, Wired UK says it is dropping from a bimonthly to a quarterly print schedule, as it unites its global newsroom into a single team

Discussion: Talking Biz News

Max Tani / @maxwelltani:
In a staff meeting, LA Times executive editor Terry Tang said Scott Jennings is “not joining staff of LA Times. He's not joining the editorial board”

Elsa Keslassy / Variety:
Vivendi's shareholders approve a plan to spin off Canal+, Havas, and Louis Hachette; Canal+ will list in London, Havas in Amsterdam, and Louis Hachette in Paris

Discussion: Financial Times, Deadline, Reuters, Advanced Television and Bloomberg

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
In mockups on GitHub, Bluesky teases Bluesky+, a $72-per-year or $8-per-month subscription offering profile customizations, higher video upload limits, and more

Discussion: @saeri.xyz, @koree.bsky.social, @dennisobell.bsky.social, @saeri.xyz, @daithikelly.com, @deck.blue, @idavey.me, @zoocoup.bsky.social, @jeffgreco.com, The Desk, @saeri.xyz, @scalzi.com, @brianstorms@mastodon.social, @samuel.bsky.team, @themountaingoats.bsky.social and MediaPost, more at Techmeme »

Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
Netflix scores the most Golden Globe nominations of any media company in 2024, with 13 nominations for film and 23 for TV

Ben Smith / Semafor:
Source: Fox is talking to potential acquisition targets in political media, particularly on the right, including Daily Wire and Red Seat Ventures

Discussion: @brianstelter, @semaforben and @bmccandless

Earlier Picks:

Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
ITV CEO Carolyn McCall has fared well in an embattled sector, turning around the UK's biggest commercial public broadcaster despite a stubbornly low share price

Oliver Darcy / Status:
Q&A with Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff on The Verge's paywall, New York Magazine's new app, podcast renewal talks, and layoffs at Thrillist, PS, and Eater

Discussion: @oliverdarcy.bsky.social and @carlquintanilla.bsky.social

Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
GroupM expects global ad industry revenue to hit $1T for the first time in 2024; Google, Meta, ByteDance, Amazon, and Alibaba are set to earn 50%+ of the total

Discussion: Inside Radio, Search Engine Land, Tammy Thị Phan on LinkedIn, Axios, Simon Francis on LinkedIn, Adweek, The Irish Times, The Times, Wall Street Journal, The Media Leader, Reuters and The Hollywood Reporter

Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Brendan Carr, Donald Trump's pick to chair the FCC, vowed to back local TV stations even if it conflicts “with the interests of national broadcast networks”

Discussion: TVNewsCheck

Josef Adalian / Vulture:
Disney's addition of an ESPN tile within Disney+ shows how Bob Iger's strategy has evolved since 2019, when he wanted to avoid “one gigantic fat bundle”

Discussion: @tvgrimreaper and @tvmojoe.bsky.social

From Techmeme:

Bloomberg:
Google debuts Gemini 2.0 and plans to test the model in search and AI Overviews, saying it enables “agents that can think, remember, plan, and even take action”

Igor Bonifacic / Engadget:
Apple rolls out iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, with Apple Intelligence features including ChatGPT integration, Image Playground, and Genmoji

Lawrence Abrams / BleepingComputer:
A global outage has hit Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, starting at approximately 12:40pm ET; Meta says it's “99% of the way” to resolving the issue

Sister Sites:

Techmeme
Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web

memeorandum
What US political commentators are discussing online right now

WeSmirch
The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page