Top News:
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
WBD Chair Emeritus John Malone says he discussed WBD-Fox merger with Rupert Murdoch in July 2024; sources say a possible deal was raised but not pursued — ‘Cable cowboy’ reveals talks as he reorganises media empire and prepares to give most of his $10bn fortune to good causes
Discussion:
Mumbrella, TheDesk.net, Broadband TV News and @jeffjarvis.bsky.social
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Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
An interview with John Malone on his upcoming memoir, CNN being an “anti-Trump news service”, advising David Zaslav on his compensation package, and more — John Malone helped create the modern media industry over the last half century. In a new memoir, “Born to Be Wired,” he looks back on what he has wrought.
Discussion:
Sydney Morning Herald, @bristei, @benmullin, @joshkraushaar, @pkafka and @katzish.bsky.social
Chip Reid / CBS News:
Mark Knoller, a former CBS News White House correspondent known for keeping meticulous records of every presidential act, dies at the age of 73 — Longtime CBS News correspondent Mark Knoller has died at the age of 73. — He died in Washington, D.C., according to a close friend.
Discussion:
Mediaite, HuffPost, @ianbremmer, @peterbakernyt, @edokeefe, @johngizzi, @johnjharwood, @joshgerstein, @samstein, @stevenportnoy, @thirdwaymattb, @bretbaier, @jerry_cipriano, @margbrennan, @yashar, @brithume, @keegan_tweets, @eamonjavers, @sfutterman, @fangsbites, @tvietor08, @davidgoodmantv, @kellyo, @exjon, Joie Chen on LinkedIn, @rorycooper, @katiecouric, @andrewfeinberg, @steveholland1, @horsleyscott, Suggest, @chucktodd, @kenbazinet.bsky.social, @westwingreport, @danaperino, @kevincorke, @devorahleah.bsky.social, @brianstelter, @robt_gibbs, @w7voa, @cehoskinson, @mcfaul, @jordanfabian, @johannamaska, The Gateway Pundit, @nickbryantny, @aghamilton29, KARE-TV, Deadline, Variety, Irish Star, Fox News, The Hollywood Reporter, @lukerussert.bsky.social, @tamarakeithnpr.bsky.social and TVNewsCheck
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
KPop Demon Hunters' rise to become the most-watched Netflix original movie followed a slow burn and reaffirms the old Hollywood rule that nobody knows anything — We take readers' questions on the surprise summer hit, the future of Peacock and Netflix's toughest competition — Good afternoon from 35,000 feet.
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Joshua Rothman / New Yorker:
A look at the potential future of personalized, AI-generated entertainment, and how it could both submerge human originality and enable new forms of expression — We're used to algorithms guiding our choices. When machines can effortlessly generate the content we consume, though, what's left for the human imagination?
Phil Hoad / The Guardian:
An inside look at how Netflix's use of data led to generic “algorithm films” intended for broad appeal, with AI set to further entrench the production style
Discussion:
Mirror, Us Weekly, Links I Would Gchat …, Celebrity Insider, GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT, Boston.com, Town & Country, @rwstinner.bsky.social, TVNewsCheck, Glasgow Live, What's on Netflix, @berthac.bsky.social, Digital Trends, @arjun.bsky.social, @cliffharris.bsky.social, Reading Chronicle, Screen Rant, @abdecker.bsky.social, @Ruth_Mottram@fediscience.org, @timrichards@aus.social and Decider, more at Techmeme »
Minho Kim / New York Times:
Kari Lake says the USAGM sent layoff notices to 532 VOA employees, leaving ~100 staffers still employed; Lake had to rescind a previous layoff effort in June — The layoffs set up a potential battle with a federal judge who blocked previous efforts by Kari Lake, a fierce Trump ally, to restructure the agency.
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Daily Caller, The Kyiv Independent, ZeroHedge News, NewsMax.com, The Indian Express, UPI, @scottnover, The Gateway Pundit, Newser, TVNewsCheck, Los Angeles Times, The Hill, Associated Press, Politico, Washington Times, The Wrap, @savevoa.bsky.social, @albadawn.bsky.social, Washington Examiner, NPR, Raw Story and CNN
Matt Alt / New Yorker:
A profile of Weekly Shōnen Jump, Japan's top manga magazine and home to Naruto, which has created a formula for generating hit franchises from young talent — The magazine, home to such series as “Naruto” and “One Piece,” has created a formula for coaxing hit franchises out of young talents.
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Sources: Google is set to face a modest EU antitrust fine over adtech practices, in an investigation triggered by a complaint by the European Publishers Council — Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google is set to face a modest EU antitrust fine in the coming weeks for allegedly anti-competitive practices …
Stefanno Sulaiman / Reuters:
TikTok suspends its live feature for the “next few days” in Indonesia, citing “increasing violence in protests” over lawmakers' pay — ByteDance's TikTok has suspended its live feature for the “next few days” in Indonesia following protests in the country, its spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
Discussion:
Tempo, The Japan Times, @wisnu_prasetya, Metro.co.uk, Travel And Tour World, @toomuchidea, @0xtequilaa, @veronicakoman, Chicago Tribune, @vngnc, New York Times, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, Antara News, Al Jazeera, The Straits Times and Semafor, more at Techmeme »
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Mastodon says it does not “have the means to apply age verification” to its services and it's up to server admins to observe local laws in places they operate — Decentralized social network Mastodon says it can't comply with Mississippi's age verification law …
Discussion:
@paulywill@mstdn.ca, @dyckron@mstdn.ca, Ace of Spades HQ, @BrideOfLinux@mastodon …, Victor Wynne, @Greguti@pouet.chapril.org, @vik@mastodon.nzoss.nz, @darkswordsman.com, @art@mastodon.sdf.org, @literalgrill@sakurajima.moe, @profcarroll@federate.social, Pixel Envy, @jenbanim@mastodo.neoliber.al, @kim_harding@mastodon.scot, @cdarwin@c.im, @jdp23.thenexus.today, @kentindell.bsky.social, @laurenshof@indieweb.social, @AAKL@infosec.exchange and @TechCrunch@mstdn.social
Trishla Ostwal / Adweek:
Perplexity's head of advertising and shopping Taz Patel has left after nine months; its ad business reportedly generated only about $20,000 in Q4 2024 — Perplexity push into advertising has so far brought in modest revenue as the company eyes new growth and faces mounting legal battles
Discussion:
@glenngabe, Trishla Ostwal on LinkedIn and The Information
Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review:
Hurricane Katrina's 20-year anniversary prompts at least seven new documentaries, as well as reflections on criticisms of the press coverage after the storm — Race, climate, and the media legacy of an “unnatural” disaster. — Twenty years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina slammed …
Discussion:
City Journal, Slack Tide, Mississippi Free Press, CBS News, @faineg.bsky.social, Daily Record, NewsNation, The Lens, al.com, The Nation, New Yorker, Associated Press, TV Insider, WSVN-TV, WPXI-TV, New York Times, New York Post, Scientific American, The Contrarian, Media Matters for America and Yale Climate Connections
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