Top News:
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
ABC is airing direct appeals to its audience for The View and for stations it owns, asking viewers to comment on FCC actions challenging the show and stations — The spots, which will start airing on Monday, are the latest pushback from The Walt Disney Co. and the network …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Daily Mail, Washington Post, Mediaite, The Hill, New York Post, TheDesk.net, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, NewsMax.com, MS NOW, Raw Story, New York Sun, The Guardian, Washington Examiner, CNN, The Daily Caller, Variety, Reuters, @brendancarrfcc, Cord Cutters News, Wall Street Journal, The Wrap, @jeremymbarr, Reality Tea, Just Jared and Bloomberg
Ben Fritz / Wall Street Journal:
Google invests in independent movie studio A24 as part of a new AI partnership; sources say Google is investing $75M, equal to what Thrive invested in 2024 — Search giant is putting about $75 million into the film company as part of an artificial-intelligence research partnership
Discussion:
The Keyword, TechCrunch, /Film, PitchBook, CNET, Reuters, IndieWire, The A.V. Club, Techstrong.ai, The Independent, The Next Web, Los Angeles Times, Gizmodo, The Verge, Hindustan Times, The Wrap, How-To Geek, Digital Trends, Decrypt, Consequence, @discussingfilm.net, Helena Malikova on LinkedIn, Screen, Sherwood News, Neil Parris on LinkedIn, Far Out Magazine, Scott Belsky on LinkedIn, DualShockers, Proactive, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Showbiz411, Yahoo Finance, Ben Fritz on LinkedIn, The Hollywood Reporter, World of Reel, Inc.com, San Francisco Business Times, Deadline, Variety and The Decoder, more at Techmeme »
Max Tani / Semafor:
The Atlantic ramps up its video podcasts, doubling its video team from ~10 to ~20, and says its podcast revenue is up 104% YoY and downloads rose ~50% YoY — One of America's oldest magazines is investing in video after seeing notable growth in its audience in recent months.
Discussion:
@johnspurlock
Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
Netflix names Hannah Minghella as head of its Animation Studios, as it streamlines its animation efforts; VP Kira Goldberg will lead live-action family division — Hannah Minghella was named head of Netflix Animation Studios in an effort by the streaming giant to streamline all things animated.
Discussion:
Animation Magazine and Deadline
New York Times:
People Inc., a major food content creator, is ramping up social media video production that emphasizes human-made recipes and testing to stand out from AI slop — People Inc., the home of Food & Wine and Southern Living, publishes more food content than anyone else.
Katie Kilkenny / The Hollywood Reporter:
Instagram is testing horizontal video on Instagram for TV, plans to experiment with longer-form storytelling and episodic series, and launches on Samsung TV — The Meta-owned company is going decidedly retro by experimenting with time-honored video formats with its creators.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Meta Newsroom, PYMNTS, Neowin, WeRSM, @kennysmith.org, The Next Web, iThinkDifferent, The Wrap, Digital Trends and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Mark Bergen / Bloomberg:
Getty Images signs a licensing deal with OpenAI, letting its image library appear in ChatGPT's search and discovery features; GETY jumps 120%+ and is up 5%+ YTD — Shares of Getty Images Holdings Inc. jumped about 200% in premarket trading on Monday after the photography repository announced a licensing deal with OpenAI.
Discussion:
Forbes, Benzinga, The Decoder, GlobeNewswire News Room, @danyahenninger.bsky.social, Engadget, Yahoo Finance, The Next Web, Proactive, The Decoder, ZeroHedge News, Blockonomi, PetaPixel, @kennysmith.org, Fast Company, Zeina Tabbara on LinkedIn, iThinkDifferent, Digital Trends and heise online, more at Techmeme »
Ben Sisario / New York Times:
Clive Davis, one of music's most powerful executives who guided Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow, and Whitney Houston's careers, dies at 94 — He rose from a midlevel position at Columbia Records to become one of music's most powerful executives, shepherding stars like Barry Manilow and Whitney Houston.
Discussion:
Billboard, HuffPost, The Hollywood Reporter, Gold Derby, The Guardian, Breitbart, NBC Bay Area, Deadline, Reuters, Rolling Stone, HOLA!, David Ellis on LinkedIn, The Cut, Forbes, RADAR, KFOR-TV, Mirror, Vanity Fair, The Stranger, Vibe, E! Online, TODAY.com, The Wrap, Los Angeles Times, HELLO!, Fox News, Page Six, @newyorktheater.bsky.social, @larrytenney.bsky.social, Suggest, @canaansdad1987.bsky.social, Just Jared, Digital Music News, The Detroit News, Bossip, The Sun, Daily Star, @katiestereo.bsky.social, Us Weekly, Instapundit, Hypebot, The Daily Caller, TMZ.com, The Gateway Pundit, Reality Tea, Daily Mail, KOIN.com and WPXI-TV
PYMNTS:
Walmart integrates its US and international ad operations into one framework and rebrands Sam's Club Member Access Platform to Sam's Club Connect — Walmart is integrating its advertising operations into one framework amid growing ad revenue. — Get the Full Story
Discussion:
Walmart Inc.
Associated Press:
Staff of Czech public broadcasters stage a warning strike, protesting government plans to shift funding from license fees to the state budget starting next year — Journalists and other employees formed a human chain around the Czech public radio in Prague on Monday as part of a warning strike …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Associated Press and Newser
Borys Kit / The Hollywood Reporter:
Netflix wins rights to the Sesame Street movie; Rideback, the production company behind live-action Lilo & Stitch and Aladdin movies, will produce the feature — Rideback, the production company behind the billion-dollar live-action “Lilo & Stitch” and “Aladdin” movies, brought it to the studio and will produce.
Discussion:
Gizmodo, IGN, Just Jared, @rwmead.bsky.social, World of Reel and The InSneider
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Disney plans an interactive hub called ESPN Fan House alongside ESPN's College GameDay in August, with fan experiences like live polls and merchandise showcases — Disney wants to help advertisers reach more of the sports fans under its own roof. — The entertainment giant this August …
Discussion:
Sports Business Journal, ESPN Press Room U.S., MediaPost, Adweek and Deadline
