Top News:
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: Spotify's difficulties lining up partnerships have delayed its super premium service, which Spotify has been talking about for a couple of years — The company has spent a couple years talking about a more-expensive version of its music service for superfans. Where is it?
Discussion:
Digital Trends, How-To Geek and Android Police
RELATED:
Financial Times:
Spotify Co-President and CBO Alex Norström says price increases are “part of our toolbox now”, adding that they will be accompanied by new services and features — Price increases and cost-cutting led to streamer's first annual profit last year
Discussion:
Benzinga, PhoneArena, Moneycontrol and Daily Sabah, more at Techmeme »
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
How Spotify's Discovery Mode has become the new normal in music marketing, five years after its 2020 launch when it faced a backlash and “payola” accusations — Spotify's Discovery Mode allows rightsholders to boost their songs in exchange for a lower royalty rate. Most everyone is using it.
Discussion:
Ashley Carman on LinkedIn, more at Techmeme »
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Netflix plans to open its first Netflix House locations, 100K-sq-ft entertainment and shopping venues, in Philadelphia on November 12 and Dallas on December 11 — Netflix has set the opening dates for its much-hyped, 100,000-square-foot permanent entertainment and shopping destinations in Philadelphia and Dallas.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, The Verge, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Netflix Tudum
Melanie Goodfellow / Deadline:
Gaza Health Ministry says four journalists working for Reuters, AP, Al-Jazeera, and NBC were among 15 people killed in an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital — Double-tap Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday killed at least 15 people, including four journalists, the Gaza Health Ministry said in a statement.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Reporters Without Borders, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, KSTP-TV, Metro.co.uk, Semafor and Al Jazeera
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Q&A with Wired's global editorial director Katie Drummond on how it is impossible to disambiguate tech from politics as the US turns toward authoritarianism — The lines between Silicon Valley and Washington have blurred beyond recognition, necessitating a news organization that is fluent in both worlds.
Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
Netflix's theatrical debut of KPop Demon Hunters is estimated to earn $18M-$20M this weekend, topping the domestic box office; it came out on Netflix in June — In a box office twist, a film from the theatrical-averse Netflix appears to be No. 1 on North American charts.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Associated Press, Music Business Worldwide, Financial Express, Chris Heatherly on LinkedIn, @resonantjustice, Showbiz411, Forbes, @erikdavis, @mattbelloni, Comic Book, @luiz_fernando_j, @ercboxoffice, @lucas_shaw, DIPE.CO.KR, Boxoffice Pro, Vulture, Collider, @discussingfilm, Digital Music News, Screen, CBR, The Wrap, @resonantjustice, Animation Magazine, TechCrunch, @radsechrist, @great_katzby, The Hollywood Reporter, @vivziepop.bsky.social, Just Jared, Deadline and r/boxoffice
Swati Pandey / Bloomberg:
President Trump says he would support the FCC revoking NBC and ABC's station licenses and calls them “two of the worst and most biased networks in history” — US President Donald Trump berated NBC and ABC as “two of the worst and most biased networks in history,” …
Tatum Hunter / Washington Post:
Vertical streaming apps charging $20/week are beating Netflix and other SVOD platforms in user growth with their mini-dramas optimized for mobile viewing — Streaming apps that charge $20 a week for absurd, 60-second soap operas are winning audiences that rival Hulu and Paramount+.
Discussion:
The Indian Express, more at Techmeme »
Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
Comscore: US box office revenue from May 1 have reached $3.53B, making it clear sales will be short of the $4B summer threshold, last attained in 2023 — Heading into the summer, Hollywood was bullish that several promising blockbusters would be able to propel ticket sales above $4 billion for only the second time since the pandemic.
Discussion:
CNBC
CNBC:
A profile of Gunnar Wiedenfels, the “hard-nosed accountant” who is WBD CFO and future Discovery Global CEO after the split from WBD, managing CNN, HGTV and TNT — By day, Gunnar Wiedenfels is the chief financial officer of Warner Bros. Discovery and the CEO-elect of Discovery Global …
Discussion:
Adweek and Awful Announcing
Matt Donnelly / Variety:
Sources: Disney is on the hunt for original movie concepts to lure young men aged 13-28 back to the brand, as audiences dwindle for the superhero genre — Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty aren't the only ones looking for a prince. — Leadership at Walt Disney Studios has been pressing Hollywood creatives …
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