Top News:
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Spotify and UMG plan to let Premium users create AI covers and remixes using music from participating UMG artists as a paid add-on, without giving a launch date — Spotify and Universal Music Group have announced a major recorded-music and music-publishing licensing agreements …
RELATED:
Ethan Millman / The Hollywood Reporter:
Spotify partners with Live Nation to launch Reserved, a new feature that sets aside tickets for the most dedicated fans, starting with Premium users in the US — The streaming service will use streams and shares to determine an artist's most dedicated fans and set aside pairs of tickets …
Discussion:
Billboard, CNET, TechRadar, Music Business Worldwide, Bloomberg, The Tab, The Verge, Mashable, @paleofuture.bsky.social and Spotify, more at Techmeme »
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Spotify says it has 1M+ subscriptions to Audiobook+, which is on track for $100M in ARR, and unveils an ElevenLabs-powered audiobook self-publishing tool — Alongside tools for AI-generated podcasts, Spotify on Thursday introduced a new, ElevenLabs-powered AI tool for self-publishing audiobooks within the Spotify for Authors platform.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Spotify and Digital Music News
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Spotify Labs launches Studio, a NotebookLM-like desktop app to generate private, AI-powered podcasts, in research preview across 20+ markets — One of the common features for companies to build in the age of AI is to connect services like email, calendar, documents, and notes to create a daily brief in text or audio format.
Discussion:
The Verge, TechRadar, 9to5Google, The Hollywood Reporter, Spotify, DataverseNO, Music Business Worldwide, The Indian Express and Music Ally
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
Sources: Penske Media is likely to acquire one or more unsold Vox Media brands, internally called Remain Co., which include The Verge, SB Nation, and Eater — As the portfolio is parceled up, a key revenue leader plots his exit … Following the Wednesday sale of New York Magazine …
Discussion:
Vox Media, @adweek, The Business of Fashion, @ncrabbithole.com, Business Insider and Variety
RELATED:
Peter Kafka / Business Insider:
Q&A with Vox CEO Jim Bankoff on the sale of Vox Media's podcast network, why buyers were interested in that network, and how remaining sites are in “good shape”
Discussion:
The American Bazaar, Vox Media, Reuters, Forbes, @pkafka, Sydney Morning Herald, Puck, Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, Mumbrella, Capital Brief, Times of India, Fast Company, Awful Announcing, Inside Radio, UPI, Associated Press, Al Jazeera, CNN, Australian Financial Review, Wall Street Journal, Daily Caller News Foundation, Washington …, The Daily Wire, Barrett Media, Aftermath, New York Post, Washington Post, Newser, The Information, Adweek, Mediaite, Press Gazette, The Wrap, The Indian Express, The A.V. Club, Politico, Bloomberg and The Hollywood Reporter
Nieman Lab:
Analysis: 382 news sites, including 342 local outlets, are blocking Internet Archive's crawlers amid AI concerns, an increase from 241 sites in January 2026 — McClatchy, Advance Local, Tribune Publishing and other major newspaper chains are restricting the nonprofit's archiving bots.
Discussion:
@karlbode.com, @josemurilo@mato.social and @annaleen.bsky.social
Fox News:
Jeff Bezos defends WaPo layoffs, saying the outlet needs to be a profitable enterprise as “a measure of its relevance”, and noted it won a Pulitzer in 2026 — Billionaire Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos on Wednesday responded to criticism of the brutal round of layoffs …
Discussion:
CNBC, CNBC, New York Times, The Daily Wire, @maxwelltani, Drezner's World, Mediaite, @stevemistler, @nick_field90, @douthatnyt, @nick_field90, Status, @lawprofblawg, @pitdesi, @reedgalen, @briannaatucker, @jeremymbarr, @extremearturo, @primarycinema, @richarddeitsch, @greg_travis, @blowryontv, @kainazamaria, @childpleez007, @marquardta, @grantstern, @atrupar, NewsMax.com, Breitbart, Staff Stories, @joshuaholland.bsky.social, twitchy.com, @jackjenkins.me, Barrett Media, The Wrap, @gillianbrockell.com, @genebensinger.bsky.social, @douglasmack.bsky.social, @gillianbrockell.com, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, Cele|bitchy and Diane Ravitch's blog, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Jeff Bezos says Amazon MGM Studios' decision to acquire and release Melania “was a good business decision”, denying that it was “a way of buying influence”
Discussion:
Us Weekly, CNBC, Reality Tea, RADAR, The A.V. Club, @JohnSullivan@mastodonapp.uk, Deadline, New York Magazine, CNN, U.S. Home, Consequence, @fangsbites.bsky.social, The Guardian, HuffPost, The Hill, @storyslug.bsky.social, New Republic, @luckyadams.bsky.social, The Hollywood Reporter, @justinbaragona.bsky.social and Mediaite
Patrick Brzeski / The Hollywood Reporter:
The Hollywood Reporter launches an Australia edition headed by EIC Sean Sennett, in partnership with Raine Media — Veteran journalist Sean Sennett joins as editor-in-chief of the Sydney-based title, which will cover Australia's booming screen sector across digital, print and video.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News and Mediaweek
Anne Steele / Wall Street Journal:
Netflix and iHeartMedia say Charlamagne tha God's The Breakfast Club will stream live on Netflix on weekdays from June 1, the service's first daily live show — Charlamagne tha God's morning radio show has been a standout success among the streamer's video podcast efforts
Todd Spangler / Variety:
S&P Global says it plans to cut Paramount Skydance's credit rating from BB+ to BB after the WBD merger, indicating company debt securities are speculative grade — S&P Global Ratings already has placed Paramount Skydance's credit rating in junk-status territory — indicating …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Apple plans to broadcast an MLS game on Saturday shot entirely on 15 iPhone 17 Pros, the first major live sports event to be captured using only smartphones — Apple has frequently touted the use of professional-grade iPhones by filmmakers to make shorts, commercials and even feature-length movies.
Discussion:
TV Tech, Cult of Mac, iClarified, AppleInsider, MacRumors, Apple and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »
Eoin Higgins / The Flashpoint:
Eoin Higgins and Hachette file an anti-SLAPP request with a NY court to obtain attorney's fees from Matt Taibbi, after Taibbi's defamation suit was dismissed — I'm seeking attorney's fees from the conservative pundit over his spurious defamation suit—and I'm doing it to protect free speech.
Discussion:
@joestar020 and @jaredlholt
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