Top News:
Chance Miller / 9to5Mac:
Plex says the price for the Lifetime tier of its Plex Pass plan will increase from $249.99 to $749.99 in July — Plex has announced a massive price increase for the Lifetime tier of its Plex Pass plan. Starting in July, Plex says that the Lifetime Plex Pass price will increase from $249.99 to a whopping $749.99.
Erik Wemple / New York Times:
NYT files a second lawsuit against the DOD, alleging a March mandate requiring official escorts for journalists at the Pentagon violates the First Amendment — The Times is challenging a new requirement that reporters covering the military complex have an official escort …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Washington Post, @fpwellman, @hansmahncke, @freedomofpress, @macfarlanenews, @meghannmyers_, Poynter, @johnkonrad, @seanparnellasw, Wall Street Journal, @alexbruell, @joshgerstein, @nielslesniewski, Deadline, @danlamothe, @ktoropin, @kylegriffin1, Politico, @scottnover, Raw Story, CBS News, NewsMax.com, The Wrap, Courthouse News Service, Bloomberg Law, The Guardian and Mediaite
Sophie Culpepper / Nieman Lab:
Rebuild Local News and Syracuse University are launching the Local News Research Hub, a curated, searchable database for data-driven research on local news — The Local News Research Hub aims to make academic research more accessible to audiences including policymakers, funders, and journalists.
Discussion:
Joshua Darr on LinkedIn, Lisa H. Macpherson on LinkedIn and @tongli.bsky.social
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Steven Rosenbaum acknowledges that The Future of Truth, his book about truth in the AI age, released this month to great fanfare, contains quotes made up by AI — Steven Rosenbaum, author of “The Future of Truth,” said he had started his own investigation after The New York Times asked about the fake quotes.
Discussion:
Futurism, @chrisbaraniuk.com, @beyerstein.bsky.social, @sarahweinman.com, @tamarhaspel.bsky.social, @gbrumfiel.bsky.social, @lopatto.bsky.social, @amanbatheja.bsky.social, @thedavidrindexp, @judah-grunstein.bsky.social, @katzish.bsky.social, @benmullin, @jtemple.bsky.social and @michaelmossc
Nadia Khomami / The Guardian:
Canal+ says it will no longer work with 600+ cinema figures who signed a petition voicing concern over the influence of its right-wing owner Vincent Bolloré — Canal+ head says he will not work with hundreds of actors and directors who signed protest against Vincent Bolloré's political sway
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Memo: NPR is restructuring its newsroom and offers buyouts to ~300 staffers, mostly in newsgathering desks, expecting to earn $15M less in station fees in 2026 — NPR is restructuring its newsroom, including cutting some reporting and editing jobs, as it attempts to keep pace …
Discussion:
Radio & Television …, @benmullin, @valentinenews_, @jen_rice_, Inside Radio, @davidfolkenflik, @benmullin, @seamushughes, @benmullin, @davidfolkenflik, Cord Cutters News, Fox News, Current, @stevemullis.net, @paleofuture.bsky.social, @seanokane.bsky.social, @nickbaumann.bsky.social and Press Gazette
Corbin Bolies / The Wrap:
Paramount says Bari Weiss has the “full support of Paramount and David Ellison”, disputing a report that it held informal talks on reducing her control — The editor-in-chief has come under fire from critics for several fumbles while spearheading CBS News
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, New York Post and U.S. Home
RELATED:
Lawrence Bonk / Engadget:
Spotify launches a “Verified by Spotify” badge for podcasts to help “authenticate creator identity”, after releasing it for music in April — The platform recently did something similar for music. — Spotify is launching verification badges for podcasts to help “authenticate creator identity and likeness.”
Discussion:
Digital Music News, Variety, The Wrap, The Verge, Android Authority, Sherwood News and Spotify
RELATED:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Amazon's Alexa+ now produces AI-generated “podcasts” on various topics in the US, featuring chats between two AI “co-hosts”, using content from media outlets
Amazon's Alexa+ now produces AI-generated “podcasts” on various topics in the US, featuring chats between two AI “co-hosts”, using content from media outlets
Discussion:
The Wrap, Mashable, Digital Trends, The Indian Express, eWeek, The Hans India, Business Standard, Music Ally, About Amazon, MakeUseOf, Inc.com, @karlbode.com, Neowin, Thurrott, The Next Web, iPhone in Canada, PCMag, The Verge, @kennysmith.org, @devonheinen.bsky.social, @jonathanjarry.bsky.social, TechCrunch, Android Authority and TechSpot
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Roku launches a creator hub with licensed creator content and programming from partners like Peacock and HBO Max, alongside new FAST channels from top creators — Roku will also expand its licensing of creator content, its content chief tells THR. — Roku is making a big bet on creator content …
Discussion:
Roku, Realscreen, Cord Cutters News, Media Play News, The Streamable and Social Media Today
Liz Skalka / Columbia Journalism Review:
A look at the WHCA's efforts to maintain diplomacy with President Trump, as White House journalists and the WHCA continue to endure anti-press machinations — In April, not long after law enforcement intercepted a suspected gunman at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner …
Discussion:
Associated Press, CBS News and Fox News
Jessica Davies / Digiday:
The Economist is testing parallel versions of marketing and B2B sales content, one optimized for humans and another clearly structured, Q&A-style for AI agents — The Economist is testing new ways of structuring content to be read solely by agents as AI engines increasingly surface and summarize news.
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Sources: Amazon restructured its Associates program, including slashing commissions rates by as much as 50% and cutting bonuses for high-performing publishers — Publishers are scrambling to reorient their commerce businesses after the tech giant also gut reporting tools
Discussion:
@markstenberg3
Jake Coyle / Associated Press:
Q&A with Steven Soderbergh about using AI to visualize 10% of his John Lennon documentary after running out of “time and money”, facing a backlash, and more — The day John Lennon was shot, on Dec. 8, 1980, he and Yoko Ono gave an interview to a San Francisco radio crew from their home in New York's Dakota Apartments.
Discussion:
NME, El País, PetaPixel and Rolling Stone
