Top News:
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
A coalition of 12 states led by California files an antitrust lawsuit to block Paramount's WBD merger, alleging it lessens competition in three markets — A coalition of 12 states filed an antitrust lawsuit on Monday to block the merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. …
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Status, State of California, Wall Street Journal, Deadline, The Wrap, Politico, Townhall, Los Angeles Business Journal, Gizmodo, Al Jazeera, The Hollywood Reporter, Salon, @rogoswami, Wall Street Journal, NPR, @pweiser, @matthewstoller, @markruffalo, NBC Los Angeles, @johnmarknewman, The Verge, UPI, Quartz, Financial Times, @agrobbonta, @jbflint, @eriqgardner, The Wrap, @eriqgardner, @choprausa, @bedoyausa, @profpaulnary, @gigibsohn, @laurenshirsch, One America News Network, @pressgirlk.bsky.social, @bedoyausa, Deadline, @eriqgardner, @ddayen, @richardrushfield, CNN, @garyheff, @tedstew, @keithellison, @brianstelter, @sharonwaxman, Bloomberg, @maxwelltani, @moondogrick.bsky.social, @tdogmedia.bsky.social, @jbflint, @jeremymbarr, New York Times, @bradlander.bsky.social, @profpaulnary, Graphic Policy, @alexweprin, Paramount Skydance Corporation, How-To Geek, @tedstew, The Guardian, PCMag, Politico, TechCrunch, @newyorkstateag, @danielnmiller, CNET, @nycmayor, @kimmasters.bsky.social, @brianstelter, New Republic, KRON4, Annotated DC and New York Post, more at Techmeme »
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Rohan Goswami / Semafor:
Sources: David Ellison's advisers are urging him to move Paramount's HQ and much of its spending out of California if AG Rob Bonta sues to block the WBD merger — The Scoop — As California tries to derail Paramount's $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery …
Discussion:
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Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Paramount says states' lawsuit “reflects a fundamentally flawed application of the antitrust laws” and the delay “will only harm entertainment workers” — Paramount hit back at an antitrust lawsuit filed Monday by attorneys general of 12 states seeking to block …
Discussion:
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Variety:
Sources say David Ellison has, for several months, been meeting about a bill to launch a federal film tax incentive, which is said to have bipartisan support — Ellison has spent at least six months in exploratory meetings for the proposed legislation, two sources added …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, @lucas_shaw and @danielnmiller
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap:
Oregon's AG withdraws a motion to delay the Paramount-WBD merger while he sought company documents; EU agencies and some state AGs are still examining the deal
Discussion:
Deadline, StreamTV Insider, CBS News, NewsMax.com, Seoul Economic Daily, Lawyer Monthly, Axios, New York Post, Media Play News, @brianstelter, @brianstelter and The Verge
New York Times:
Sources: the White House directed FBI Director Kash Patel to personally oversee the probe into NYT reporting about Air Force One, before subpoenas were issued — The F.B.I. director spent about eight hours at the White House Friday focused on the effort, which led to the subpoenaing …
Discussion:
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Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
The Trump administration issued subpoenas to several NYT reporters after the outlet reported on security concerns involving the new Qatari-donated Air Force One — The Justice Department is seeking to compel testimony from reporters who wrote about the new Air Force One. The Times called the move a “brazen act.”
Discussion:
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Natalie Korach / Status:
Memo: NYT CEO Meredith Kopit Levien says the five reporters subpoenaed by the DOJ, and the whole newsroom, have the “full weight of The Times” behind them — Over the last few days, as The New York Times braces for a potential precedent-setting legal showdown with the Trump administration …
Discussion:
@protecttruth.bsky.social, @jayrosen.bsky.social and CNN
Anna Betts / The Guardian:
Pete Hegseth announces that the DOD and DOJ have created a joint taskforce to identify and prosecute “unauthorized disclosure” of information to the press
Discussion:
Fox News, One America News Network, Washington Times, UPI, The Hill, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Staff Stories, @farhip, @freedomofpress, Reuters, NewsMax.com, The Daily Wire, @secwar and Raw Story
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
Lionsgate's Michael crosses $1B at the global box office, its first film to reach the milestone, per Rentrak, reviving Hollywood's last major independent studio — Shunned by bigger studios as too risky, “Michael” and other hits have revived Hollywood's last major independent studio. But is it enough?
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, UPI, Gamereactor UK, Media Play News and Deadline
The Guardian:
Christopher Nolan says there's a “disdain” for AI, the idea that it “replaces” human creativity is “nonsense”, and he expects it to be useful in “imaging tools” — Odyssey director addresses industry fears over artificial intelligence …
Discussion:
@subtoconnorpls, Dexerto, @brookstweetz, @detectivespade_, @wyattyhalpert, Radio Times, Gadget Review, @shadowknightdk, @filmupdates, @r0sylns, Variety, Kotaku and Telegraph
Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
Disney says its live-action Moana was set to collect ~$43M at the Box Office over the weekend, below its $60M goal, and just ~$95M worldwide; Moana cost ~$250M — The live-action remake took in roughly $43 million over the weekend in North America, about 30 percent less than Disney had expected.
Discussion:
Forbes, IndieWire, The Wrap, Comic Book, TechRadar, Business Insider, ScreenRant, The Ankler, GamesRadar, UPI, Oh No They Didn't!, CinemaBlend, Bloomberg and Media Play News
Joe Mandese / MediaPost:
The Media Rating Council's quarterly accreditation status updates show VideoAmp and Nielsen One have pulled out of the accreditation process — In moves that have implications for both the “alternative” ad currency marketplace, as well as cross-media measurement, VideoAmp and Nielsen …
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
The UK's culture secretary Lisa Nandy says she backs an expansion of the BBC license fee to include subscribers to streamers, though many ideas remain in play — The UK's Culture Secretary has publicly signaled that she backs an expansion of the BBC license fee to include subscribers to streamers like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video.
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