Top News:
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Netflix says roughly 300 titles used generative AI this year, mostly in post-production, “to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost” — Some titles used AI to create ‘enhanced crowds, historical battle sequences, and worldbuilding establishing shots.’
Discussion:
Netflix Press Site, IndieWire, Consequence, MobileSyrup, @kennysmith.org, Bloomberg, Kotaku, Variety and @techwire@social.gamefan.net, more at Techmeme »
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Lillian Rizzo / CNBC:
Netflix reports Q2 revenue up 13% YoY to $12.56B, vs. $12.59B est., and says it will give fewer engagement updates starting in 2027; NFLX drops 7%+ after hours — Netflix reported second-quarter revenue and earnings that were in line with analyst estimates on Thursday as Wall Street is keeping …
Discussion:
MediaPost, TheDesk.net, AdExchanger, Forbes, Reuters, B&T, Business Insider, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Thurrott, AdNews News, Livemint, @lucas_shaw, The Hollywood Reporter, Financial Times, Quartz, Proactiveinvestors UK, Investing.com, Wall Street Journal, Variety, Adweek, Investor's Business Daily, @lucas_shaw, Lillian Rizzo on LinkedIn, Vulture, Sweden Herald, Yahoo Finance, Benzinga, The Wrap, Cord Cutters News, Radio & Television …, Media Play News, Next in Media, Blockonomi, Netflix, Proactive, Bloomberg, The Economist, Deadline and MarketWatch, more at Techmeme »
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
In a filing disputing state AGs' request for a temporary restraining order, Paramount argued its merger with WBD would increase theatrical motion picture output — Paramount Skydance began to lay out its legal argument Thursday against an antitrust lawsuit brought by a dozen states …
Discussion:
Deadline, The Wrap, TV Central, Bloomberg, Cosmic Book News, @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social, eMarketer and CNN
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Todd Spangler / Variety:
A Paramount shareholder lawsuit claims David and Larry Ellison made an illegal deal with Trump in trade for approval of the WBD merger, promising to revamp CNN
A Paramount shareholder lawsuit claims David and Larry Ellison made an illegal deal with Trump in trade for approval of the WBD merger, promising to revamp CNN
Discussion:
The Wrap, Brendan Ballou on LinkedIn, Cosmic Book News, Graphic Policy, Benzinga, New York Post, New York Post, Deadline, Cord Cutters News, The Ankler, Chancery Court of the state of Delaware, Freddie deBoer, @andrewlevesque.bsky.social, @williamrknecht.bsky.social, The Hill, Los Angeles Times, @freedom.press, The Hill, @mleeds2048.bsky.social, Baller Alert, NewsMax.com, Free Press Action Fund Feed, Media Play News, Freedom of the Press …, @leftocorangehater.bsky.social, The Wrap, @fizzvstheworld.bsky.social, Annotated DC, The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, Bloomberg Law, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety, Los Angeles Business Journal, Raw Story, FTVLive, Columbia Journalism Review and r/MediaMergers
Ariel Zilber / New York Post:
Madison Square Garden files a defamation suit against Wired over an article alleging MSG kept a list of gay celebrities; Wired says it stands by its reporting — Wired Magazine used stolen data to falsely accuse Madison Square Garden of creepily surveilling a “list” of gay celeb fans …
Discussion:
The Wrap, @wired, @noahshachtman, @wired, USA Today, Consequence, Stereogum, Front Office Sports and @benhorney
Borys Kit / The Hollywood Reporter:
Marvel Comics is moving from NYC to Burbank, CA, asks 100+ employees to relocate by July 2027, and names Stephen Wacker editor-in-chief, replacing C.B. Cebulski — The Disney-owned publisher is also getting a new editor in chief as 100 employees are being asked to relocate to Burbank by next July.
Discussion:
Forbes, Marvel, Sandy Resnick on LinkedIn, @alejandrobot.com, Cosmic Book News, The Wrap, @matthollingsworth.com, The A.V. Club, Polygon.com, @tomblargh.bsky.social, Graphic Policy, New York Post, @zackquaintance.bsky.social, Gizmodo, @benzilla.bsky.social, @davidaja.com, @scottedelman.bsky.social, Comic Book, @nerdsherpa.bsky.social, @jsphctrl.ft.com, @mford.bsky.social, @blumjordan.bsky.social, @ethansacks.bsky.social, @droog811.bsky.social and IGN
Connor Stringer / Telegraph:
Court docs: Trump drops part of his BBC lawsuit, dismissing claims against its commercial and production arms but continuing the lawsuit against the broadcaster — President dismisses claims against broadcaster's commercial and production arms — Donald Trump has dropped part of his lawsuit against the BBC.
Discussion:
The Wrap and Seoul Economic Daily
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Sara Fischer / Axios:
Trump Media plans to launch the Truth API on August 1, providing real-time data from trending Truth Social accounts to news organizations and trading firms — Trump Media & Technology Group is launching a backend interface that will allow financial services companies to access real …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Wrap, Cointelegraph, New York Times, Quartz, @senblumenthal, Associated Press, The Hill, BBC, New Republic, Washington Examiner, Financial Times, Truthout, @annmlipton@esq.social, NewsMax.com, @phl43, Barron's Online, CNN, crypto.news, @danielsgoldman, Fast Company, CoinGape, @annmlipton@esq.social, @lawrencelepard, @brian-noble.bsky.social, @samstein, @richardhanania, @amandacarpenter, @faustianwigger, @acyn, @pitdesi, @adamscochran, @jessicatarlov, CBS News, @jiratickets, @adamkinzinger, @peterschiff, @benpershing, @mr_derivatives, @garymarcus, @radiofreetom, @annmlipton@esq.social, @growing_daniel, @senwarren, The American Bazaar, @darrigomelanie, @allenanalysis, Wccftech, @andrewcurran_, Bloomberg, @rory_johnston, @stanveuger, @david_dierking, @brendanpedersen, NOTUS, @wittywebhandle.bsky.social, CNBC, Dow Jones Newswires, @jakelahut.bsky.social and Trump Media & …, more at Techmeme »
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
The EU accepts X's plan to meet DSA transparency obligations and give researchers access to data, giving X six months to implement it, following a €120M fine — The European Union, which fined Elon Musk's social media network X €120 million ($137.2 million) last year …
Discussion:
European Commission, Social Media Today, The American Bazaar, MediaPost, The New Stack, El País, Bloomberg Law, The Verge and Metro.co.uk
Tim Ingham / Music Business Worldwide:
Sony Music Publishing completes its acquisition of the full music rights portfolio of Recognition Music Group, backed by Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC — Sony Music Publishing (SMP) has completed its acquisition of the entire music rights portfolio of Recognition Music Group.
Discussion:
Billboard
Gary Baum / The Hollywood Reporter:
Peter Thiel-backed Objection, initially an AI “tribunal” assessing reporters' articles, rebrands as The Primary to rank journalists “on the rigor” of their work — Rebranded as The Primary, the service ranks media outlets and reporters.
Discussion:
@chrisyogerst.com, @raphae.li, @kriswernowsky.com and @maxwelltani
Kashmir Hill / New York Times:
An NYT reporter finds AI-generated, unauthorized biographies of herself and other journalists on Amazon, where AI-made books with elusive “authors” proliferate — Recently, I received a strange text from a new acquaintance. “You have your own biography???” it read.
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Versant plans to overhaul its free streaming service, dropping the “Fandango At Home” branding in favor of a streamlined “Fandango” name and adding new features — The Versant-owned media company is adding content, changing the brand name and adding new features …
