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 …
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Samantha Subin / CNBC:
Spotify closes up 13% after announcing new features and 2030 guidance, forecasting a compound annual growth rate in the mid-teens and gross margins of 35%-40% — Spotify shares jumped 13% on Thursday after the music streaming platform laid out guidance for 2030 and reached an artificial intelligence deal …
Discussion:
Spotify, @carnage4life@mas.to, TechCrunch, Axios, Dexerto, CNET, Yahoo Finance, Dow Jones Newswires, Blockonomi, Digital Trends, Digital Music News, Sherwood News, Billboard, Music Ally, Baller Alert, Spotify, Rolling Stone, RTÉ, Reuters, The Next Web, Barrett Media, The Verge and Variety, more at Techmeme »
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 Hollywood Reporter, @alexpaknadel.bsky.social, @ktompkinsii.bsky.social, Digital Trends, Android Authority, Implicator.ai, Spotify, TechRadar, The Verge, How-To Geek, 9to5Google, Android Police, DataverseNO, Music Business Worldwide, The Indian Express and Music Ally, more at Techmeme »
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:
Digital Music News, TODAY.com, Dexerto, Tom's Guide, NBC News, WBIR-TV, Bloomberg, Music Business Worldwide, How-To Geek, TechRadar, Hypebot, @paleofuture.bsky.social, CNET, Billboard, @carnage4life.bsky.social, Mashable, Consequence, Spotify, iPhone in Canada, Digital Trends, NBC Bay Area, The Tab and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Imax is exploring a sale and has approached entertainment companies as potential buyers — High-end movie screen company's search for a buyer comes as premium theatrical experiences are growing faster than overall box office — IMAX is exploring a sale and has approached entertainment companies …
Discussion:
Reuters, The Wrap, ScreenRant, CNBC, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, @mgsiegler.com, Benzinga and Screen
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 …
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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, Forbes, @pkafka, Puck, Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, Vox Media, Reuters, Mumbrella, Capital Brief, Times of India, Sydney Morning Herald, Fast Company, Awful Announcing, Inside Radio, UPI, Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Australian Financial Review, CNN, Daily Caller News Foundation, Washington …, The Daily Wire, Barrett Media, Wall Street Journal, Aftermath, New York Post, Washington Post, Newser, Mediaite, The Information, Adweek, Press Gazette, The Wrap, The Indian Express, Politico, The A.V. Club, Bloomberg and The Hollywood Reporter
Felix Gillette / Bloomberg:
As Stephen Colbert hosts the last episode of The Late Show, analysts attribute the ratings collapse of late-night talk shows to the rise of YouTube and podcasts — The network TV talk-and-comedy show faces too much competition from streaming and podcasts. — One day last week …
Discussion:
The Wrap, YouTube, Deadline, The Don Lemon Show, @chrislhayes.bsky.social, @petersagal.bsky.social, Variety, Deadline, New York Post, The Hollywood Reporter, Zeteo, USA Today, Fortune, @bristei.bsky.social, Hollywood Life, Dan Sullivan on LinkedIn, @steveberkowitz.bsky.social, IndieWire, NBC News, CinemaBlend, LaineyGossip, People, HuffPost, Suggest, @opposablethumbs.bsky.social, Reality Tea, CNN, New York Times, New Republic, ME, Los Angeles Times, The Independent, Just Jared, Mediaite, The A.V. Club, Rolling Stone, Associated Press, LateNighter, Cord Cutters News, Fox News and Slate
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Globe and Mail:
Canada's CRTC formalizes rules requiring streamers to contribute 15% of Canadian revenue to support domestic programming, up from a 5% baseline set in 2024 — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has formalized new rules for streamers that will force …
Discussion:
Canadian Press, The Logic, Motion Picture Association, Bloomberg, Dow Jones Newswires and CBC News
DPA:
Axel Springer reports consolidated 2025 revenue of €2.2B and adjusted EBITDA up 12.9% YoY to €364M, in its first results since splitting with KKR and CPP — German media giant Axel Springer on Thursday reported increased revenue and operating profit for 2025 as it announced …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal and Axel Springer SE
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
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
ElevenLabs, which aims to build an all-in-one AI voice app, licensed 200K human-voiced audiobooks from major publishers, available in ElevenReader for $11/mo. — ElevenLabs is taking on Spotify and Audible in a looming battle over becoming the go-to platform for audiobooks — Welcome back to Soundbite.
Alexandra Alter / New York Times:
For publishers, pirated audiobooks made with AI on YouTube are a growing issue: removal is cumbersome, and some are hiring tech companies to take them down — Illegal, synthetically narrated copies of “The Hunger Games,” hit self-help books and everything in between are increasingly common on the platform.
Discussion:
Publishers Weekly
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