Mediagazer: Source: Bari Weiss let Netanyahu choose Major Garrett to interview him over veteran reporter Lesley Stahl for 60 Minutes; Garrett also interviewed Pete Hegseth (Alexandra Steigrad/New York Post)

Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post:

Source: Bari Weiss let Netanyahu choose Major Garrett to interview him over veteran reporter Lesley Stahl for 60 Minutes; Garrett also interviewed Pete Hegseth — Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to a newsy interview with “60 Minutes” with Major Garrett that aired …

Discussion: Status, @semaforben, @michaelsavage, @timjgraham, @adamrose.bsky.social, Barrett Media, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, RADAR, Mondoweiss, The Independent, The Wrap, Raw Story, ZeroHedge News, CBS News, The Dean's Report and Megyn Kelly

Adam Jacobson / Radio & Television Business Report:

Salem Media agrees to be acquired by The Christian Community Foundation, doing business as WaterStone, in a deal that will take Salem Media private — Salem Media Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by The Christian Community Foundation, Inc., doing business as WaterStone …

Discussion: Inside Radio, @larryoconnor, Pulse 2.0, Barrett Media, NewsMax.com, @ounkaonx, @johnnycast60804, HotAir, Radio World, Salem Media Group, Inc., Radio Ink and Barrett Media

Brian Steinberg / Variety:

NBCUniversal, WBD, Paramount, Fox, and five other major TV companies partner with OpenAP to launch a pilot program for measuring TV commercial “outcomes” — A+E Global Media, AMC Global Media, Fox, Hallmark Media, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Scripps Networks, TelevisaUnivision …

Discussion: Advanced Television, MediaPost and @bristei

Podnews:

Amazon Music starts rolling out video podcasts, initially in the US for customers across all subscription tiers on iOS and Android — Exclusive: Amazon Music begins rolling out video podcasts from today. Video podcasts will initially be available for customers in the US on iOS and Android, across all subscription tiers.

Discussion: Inside Radio

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

Grazia Editor-in-Chief Hattie Brett is stepping down in September after an eight-year tenure during which the outlet launched brand extensions like Grazia CASA — Grazia editor-in-chief Hattie Brett will leave the publication in September after eight years at the helm.

Blake Brittain / Reuters:

A group of award-winning journalists, podcasters, and audiobook narrators sue Google for allegedly misusing recordings of their voices to train AI models — Google (GOOGL.O) has been sued by a group of award-winning journalists, podcasters and audiobook narrators in Illinois federal court …

Gene Maddaus / Variety:

SAG-AFTRA's tentative contract lets studios use synthetic actors if they add “significant” value and requires bargaining if studios license performances for AI — The deal, unveiled on Monday, allows studios to use synthetic performers only if they bring “significant additional value” to a project.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap

Rohan Goswami / Semafor:

Paramount sent a letter to California AG Rob Bonta last week saying “Paramount and WBD have every intention” to keep filling theaters in the state and worldwide — THE SCOOP — Paramount is racing to reassure Hollywood that its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery …

Discussion: Variety, T3, @ooccouchgags, @tvgrimreaper, @shipwreckedintexas …, @chevistian1, @variety, Paramount Skydance Corporation, PYMNTS, @rogoswami, American Prospect, The Hollywood Reporter, The Post Millennial, The Wrap, Deadline, Reuters and TheDesk.net

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:

More TV news anchors are considering digital options like video podcasts and YouTube shows, as lucrative TV contracts become less valuable and more scarce — As cost cuts roil the networks, A-list talent (and their agents) are mulling ways to go indie to make up for slashed salaries — a move that's not only risky but expensive.

Discussion: @kylec.bsky.social, @wajali.bsky.social and @mehdirhasan.bsky.social

John Koblin / New York Times:

YouTube is shifting its creator monetization strategy by acting as a matchmaker between creators and sponsors, as Netflix and TikTok increasingly woo creators — The company is trying to help streaming influencers, who are increasingly being wooed by competitors like Netflix and TikTok.

Discussion: Variety, MediaPost, Wall Street Journal, Tubefilter, Social Media Today, Financial Post, WeRSM, PCMag and Communicate Online

Sam Schube / Wall Street Journal:

A profile of Kareem Rahma, host of Subway Takes, which has 2M Instagram followers, as he prepares to launch 10-episode YouTube series Keep the Meter Running — Kareem Rahma is making programs for the one screen everyone's watching — | Photography by Tonje Thilesen for WSJ. Magazine

Discussion: Poynter, Cultured Mag and Deadline

Wall Street Journal:

Antenna: ad-supported tiers make up ~50% of all US premium subscription VOD sign-ups; ad tiers drove 78% of ~65M net subscriber adds in the past nine quarters — Advertiser spending on streaming is projected to hit $20 billion by 2029, as consumers flock to cheaper ad-supported plans

Discussion: eMarketer and Jamnews in English