About 500 actors and other SAG-AFTRA members picketed outside WB Games in Burbank over contract protections for workers amid the growth of AI (Variety)

Mediagazer: About 500 actors and other SAG-AFTRA members picketed outside WB Games in Burbank over contract protections for workers amid the growth of AI (Variety)

Top News:

Wall Street Journal:

Russia frees Evan Gershkovich, RFE/RL reporter Alsu Kurmasheva, and others as part of a prisoner swap involving 24 prisoners and at least six countries— Release of 32-year-old American from Russia secured as part of largest East-West prisoner swap since Cold War
Discussion: New York Times, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Los Angeles Times, ABC News, CBS News, New York Times, Fox News, The Desk, The White House, Society of Professional …, The Independent, Washington Post, @katie_robertson, Fox Business, Semafor, Reuters, Mediaite, Committee to Protect …, New York Post, BBC, Alistair MacDonald on LinkedIn, @annielinskey, The Hill, The Sun, New Republic, New York Daily News, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, National Review, Mia Lehmkuhl Libby on LinkedIn, Associated Press, @paulwsj, Emma Tucker on LinkedIn, ABC Columbia, NPR, Forbes, @billclinton, USAGM, @jamesrbuk, San Diego Union-Tribune, ABC7, @ishaantharoor, UPI, Maura Webber Sadovi on LinkedIn, @silviakillings, Melanie Evans on LinkedIn, El País, @edmundlee@threads.net, Voice of America, Deadline, Reporters Without Borders, @potus@threads.net, Meduza.io, Rebecca Feng on LinkedIn, The Information, The Guardian, @conorsen, @mattdpearce, Vanessa Otero on LinkedIn, @byrontau, Mother Jones, Financial Times, @potus@threads.net, The Reporters Committee …, @srabil, @noahcrothman, Elayne Gan on LinkedIn, @paulwsj, @jaketapper, @potus, Politico, WFLA, @potus, @brianbeutler, @terellwright2, The Guardian, @samberkhead, Julie Wernau on LinkedIn, @benjaminwittes@threads.net, @abarbashin, @joannastern, Washington Post, Lisa Barnhart on LinkedIn, The Guardian, Sky News, Hani Durzy on LinkedIn, Boston Herald, @ianbremmer, @kaivanshroff@threads.net, Foreign Policy, @edokeefecbs@threads.net, Poynter, Deutsche Welle, @peterbakernyt, @yonetteajoseph@threads.net, HuffPost, @nicktimiraos, @natashabertrand, @hadas_gold, @vp@threads.net, Rolling Stone, KPNX, CNN, Variety, Barrett Media, The Mirror, The i Paper, Telegraph, TVNewsCheck, News/Media Alliance and Agence France-Presse, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
New York Times: Live Updates: Russia Releases Evan Gershkovich in Sweeping Prisoner Swap, Turkish Officials Say Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Kurmasheva, Gershkovich, Whelan, Kara-Murza Included In Historic U.S.-Russia Prisoner Swap CBS News: U.S., Russia agree to prisoner swap to free Americans Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and others

Katie Robertson /
New York Times: The Wall Street Journal Kept Gershkovich's Detention Front and Center

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Prisoner swap frees Evan Gershkovich from Russian detention The White House: Statement by President Joe Biden on Securing the Release of Americans Detained in Russia Society of Professional Journalists: SPJ celebrates the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich

Alexander Butler /
The Independent: Russia and West ‘prepare for prisoner swap’ Washington Post: Evan Gershkovich, others to be freed by Russia in landmark prisoner swap, Turkish government says

Katie Robertson /
@katie_robertson: NEW: WSJ editor in chief @emmatuckerWSJ emails staff with the good news that Evan Gershkovich is free [image] Fox Business: Russian swapped in Evan Gershkovich prisoner exchange smuggled US tech and ammo to Russian military

Caroline Anders /
Semafor: US-Russia prisoner swap could encourage hostage-taking, critics caution

Phillip Nieto /
Mediaite: ‘Always An Embarrassment’: Trump Slams U.S. Negotiating Team That Freed WSJ Reporter From Russia Committee to Protect Journalists: CPJ: Release of Gershkovich, Kurmasheva welcome, but Russia must stop stifling reporting

Alistair MacDonald /
Alistair MacDonald on LinkedIn: Evan, finally free after 491 days of being unjustly imprisoned. #journalismisnotacrime

Annie Linskey /
@annielinskey: Applause breaks out in WSJ's DC office, as editors here get confirmation that Evan Gershkovich is off a Russian plane. [image]

Juliana Cruz Lima /
The Sun: WSJ's Evan Gershkovich's family breaks their silence as journalist is FREED after 491 days in jail

John Annese /
New York Daily News: Suspected Russian spy locked up in Brooklyn freed in prisoner swap for Evan Gershovich, Paul Whelan

Jennifer Jacobs /
Bloomberg: US Reporter Released by Russia in Multi-Country Prisoner Swap

Anna Nemtsova /
The Atlantic: The Real Trade-Off With Russia

Mia Lehmkuhl Libby /
Mia Lehmkuhl Libby on LinkedIn: Today is a momentous day for Evan, his family and everyone who worked tirelessly for his release. #istandwithevan — https://lnkd.in/... Associated Press: Prisoner Swap Latest: Americans Gershkovich and Whelan among the 24 freed in US-Russia prisoner swap

Paul Beckett /
@paulwsj: @WSJ newsroom on the news Evan is free. ⁦@emmatuckerWSJ⁩ addresses the troops. “This is a historical day for The Wall Street Journal.” [image]

Emma Tucker /
Emma Tucker on LinkedIn: WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is free and heading back to the U.S. This is a day of great joy and relief for Evan, his family, WSJ colleagues … ABC Columbia: Russia releases US journalist and other Americans and dissidents in massive 24-person prisoner swap

Jason Breslow /
NPR: Who's who in the prisoner swap that has freed Evan Gershkovich from Russian prison

Mary Whitfill Roeloffs /
Forbes: Paul Whelan And Evan Gershkovich Freed From Russia: What To Know About Their Cases

Bill Clinton /
@billclinton: I'm deeply grateful that Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva are coming home thanks to the Biden Administration's tremendous diplomatic efforts. There are still far too many journalists and other political prisoners wrongfully detained in Russia and around the

James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: Absolutely fantastic news, if long-long overdue. Credit to his friends and colleagues for their relentless campaigning. San Diego Union-Tribune: US and Russia complete biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, freeing Gershkovich and Whelan

Meredith Deliso /
ABC7: Why were Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and others being held prisoner in Russia?

Ishaan Tharoor /
@ishaantharoor: The Post respected a embargo imposed by US officials who didn't want this to be derailed last minute, so other outlets (and Ankara) got ahead of us Live updates: Evan Gershkovich, others to be freed in U.S.-Russia prisoner swap, Turkish government says https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Doug Cunningham /
UPI: Americans held in Russia including Gershkovich, Whelan freed in prisoner swap

Maura Webber Sadovi /
Maura Webber Sadovi on LinkedIn: Evan Gershkovich, The Wall Street Journal reporter who has been wrongfully detained in Russia since March 29, 2023, has been freed, the WSJ reported …

Silvia Killingsworth /
@silviakillings: It is one of the greatest honors of my career to have helped break this news. I love my job and my colleagues. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Melanie Evans /
Melanie Evans on LinkedIn: I can't adequately reflect the joy and relief in the newsroom today. I know many people elsewhere share the feeling. Evan is free. #IStandWithEvan El País: Russia frees reporter Evan Gershkovich and others in biggest prisoner swap with the West in decades

Ed Lee /
@edmundlee@threads.net: that's fucking badass ... a reporter through and through — RE: https://www.threads.net/...

Liam Scott /
Voice of America: Historic prisoner swap sees Americans Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva freed from Russia

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Joe Biden Celebrates Release Of Evan Gershkovich And Other Americans Held In Russia As “A Feat Of Diplomacy And Friendship” Reporters Without Borders: Free at last: American journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva swapped in Russian prisoner exchange

President Joe Biden /
@potus@threads.net: Today, I stood beside the families of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir in the Oval Office as they spoke to their loved ones for the first time since they regained freedom. These families never lost hope. And today, they'll each be reunited with the missing piece of their soul. Meduza.io: Russia prepares release of Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and other political prisoners in major exchange with West

Rebecca Feng /
Rebecca Feng on LinkedIn: After 491 days, Evan is free. — His ordeal reminds all of us that freedom is not free and motivates his colleagues like me to carry on what we are doing.

Martin Pengelly /
The Guardian: ‘Day of great joy’: Wall Street Journal's crusade to free Gershkovich succeeds

Conor Sen /
@conorsen: It was really admirable how the WSJ and its reporters, through articles and Twitter avatar changes, kept Evan front-of-mind for the past 17 months.

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: Deeply grateful that Evan Gershkovich is free after unjust prosecution by the Russian government. The scores of journalists killed on and after Oct. 7, mostly Palestinian and mostly at the hands of the Israeli military, also deserve justice.

Vanessa Otero /
Vanessa Otero on LinkedIn: Wow. I got goosebumps reading this great news today. Clearly this took a ton of work in the background to release Evan, Paul Whelan, and so many others. …

Byron Tau /
@byrontau: It brings me great pleasure to have removed this sign from my window. Welcome home, Evan. [image]

Julianne McShane /
Mother Jones: After More Than a Year in Russian Detention, Evan Gershkovich Is Finally Released

President Joe Biden /
@potus@threads.net: The deal that secured the freedom of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we've negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia - some of whom were unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering. Today, their agony is over. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Reporters Committee statement on the release of Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza

Sarah Rabil /
@srabil: 70 WEEKS. Evan Gershkovich, a WSJ reporter, has been imprisoned in Russia for 70 weeks. It's hard to fathom. Take a moment to think about all that you have done in that time. Join us in calling for his immediate release #IStandWithEvan #FreeEvan #Journalismisnotacrime [image]

Noah Rothman /
@noahcrothman: Very heartening to hear US captives in Russia — Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Gordon Black - are released. They were bargaining chips for Moscow but yet to see what the Kremlin got in return. Putin traded a notorious arms dealer and a convicted hitman for Brittney Griner.

Elayne Gan /
Elayne Gan on LinkedIn: The day we have been waiting for. The countdown is finally over. — Welcome home Evan! — https://lnkd.in/...

Paul Beckett /
@paulwsj: 1: Smiles of joy, tears of relief: Evan Gershkovich and others held in Russia are on their way home. It has been 16 months of wrongful imprisonment for Evan. We celebrate with his wonderful family and all the families reunited today. #IStandWithEvan #WelcomeHomeEvan

Jake Tapper /
@jaketapper: PAUL WHELAN IS FREE!!!! It's Thursday, August 1, 2024 Former US Marine Paul Whelan has been held hostage by Russia since December 28, 2018 — 2,043 days ago. Paul was released earlier today in a prisoner swap. PAUL IS NOW FREE!

President Biden /
@potus: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza are coming home. [image]

President Biden /
@potus: The deal that secured the freedom of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we've negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia - some of whom were unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering. Today, their agony is over.

Brian Beutler /
@brianbeutler: Truly fucked up that Trump tried to keep Gershkovich imprisoned, but since he did that, claiming only he could secure Gershkovich's release, shouldn't campaign headlines read “U.S. journalist freed from wrongful Russian imprisonment in major setback for Trump?”

Terell /
@terellwright2: Tears of joy at the @WSJ newsroom, as Evan Gershkovich has been freed. Paul Beckett, former DC bureau chief, has ensued all the interns have champagne. [video]

Shaun Walker /
The Guardian: Russia frees Evan Gershkovich and others in biggest prisoner swap since cold war

Samantha Berkhead /
@samberkhead: SCOOP: Between 20 to 30 people may be released from Russian prison in a matter of hours, incl. Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin and many others, a source familiar with planning for the exchange says. Surreal to think about https://www.themoscowtimes.com/ ...

Julie Wernau /
Julie Wernau on LinkedIn: Evan is free! Spontaneous sobbing and hugs all around the newsroom. This is a tremendous day.

Benjamin Wittes /
@benjaminwittes@threads.net: The Biden administration did good work today getting good people held hostage home. The President and his team deserve credit for an ambitious deal kept quiet and then executed. Please remember, however, that a lot of people are still being held hostage …

Anton Barbashin /
@abarbashin: This is the most Cold War moment since after the USSR. Russia - West prisoner exchange. The very fact of exchange indicates that diplomacy is alive and well though one should treat this as indicator of much larger successful negotiations. 1/

Joanna Stern /
@joannastern: A historic @wsj push alert. Emma Tucker confirms to all of us in the Wall Street Journal newsroom that Evan is in fact free. #evanisfree [image]

Lisa Barnhart /
Lisa Barnhart on LinkedIn: Evan Gershkovich is free! Evan and his family have shown such resilience and strength during this ordeal. … The Guardian: How Evan Gershkovich was finally freed after a 500-day odyssey in Russia's prison system

Michael Drummond /
Sky News: British citizen among high-profile prisoners released in massive swap between Russia and the West

Hani Durzy /
Hani Durzy on LinkedIn: If you've ever worked in communications — hell, if you've ever picked up a newspaper in the US or another democracy and read a story that makes …

Jessica Schladebeck /
Boston Herald: Gershkovich, Whelan freed with several others in prisoner swap with Russia

Ian Bremmer /
@ianbremmer: have heard illegally detained wsj reporter evan gershkovich was released by russia in prisoner exchange and flying to nyc tomorrow. most excellent news if true.

Kaivan Shroff /
@kaivanshroff@threads.net: Contrast.

Ed O'Keefe /
@edokeefecbs@threads.net: “Their brutal ordeal is over and they're free.” @POTUS Biden heralds the release of Americans detained in Russia, surrounded by their families at the White House.

Tom Jones /
Poynter: Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich freed in a prisoner swap with Russia, according to Turkish officials

Peter Baker /
@peterbakernyt: Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Also Kurmasheva and Vladimir Kara-Murza are freed from Russian custody in the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War. BIden to address the nation at 12 noon. @antontroian @MarkMazzettiNYT @NYTBen https://www.nytimes.com/...

Yonette Joseph /
@yonetteajoseph@threads.net: Paul Whelan's family celebrated his release and thanked dozens of U.S. officials and others for their help while denouncing Russia for its “blighted initiative to use humans as pawns to extract concessions.” The Whelans said they had been discouraged from speaking out about his case. …

Nick Timiraos /
@nicktimiraos: Evan Gershkovish is free. This is profoundly good news. https://www.wsj.com/... [image]

Natasha Bertrand /
@natashabertrand: Biden: “Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.” [image]

Hadas Gold /
@hadas_gold: For month the @WSJ has continued its campaign #FreeEvan - regular updates, pins at major events, social media campaigns, advertisements and even colleagues shaving their heads to look like him after prison authorities shaved his hair. What a wonderful day this could be.

Vice President Kamala Harris /
@vp@threads.net: Today, we celebrate the release of Paul, Evan, Alsu, Vladimir, and others who were unjustly held in Russia. It gives me great comfort to know that their horrible ordeal is over and that they will soon be reunited with their families. @POTUS and I will not stop working until every American who is wrongfully detained or held hostage is brought home.

Nikki McCann Ramirez /
Rolling Stone: Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan To Be Released in Prisoner Swap

Ellise Shafer /
Variety: Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich to Be Released From Russia in Prisoner Swap Barrett Media: NAB After Release of Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich: ‘No Journalist Should Face Violance, Fear, Intimidation, or Detainment’

Melanie Goodfellow /
TVNewsCheck: Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich Could Be Freed By Russia In Prisoner Swap News/Media Alliance: News/Media Alliance Statement: Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich is Freed

Kaisa Alliksaar /
Agence France-Presse: Who Has Russia Released In Biggest Prisoner Swap Since Cold War?

RELATED:

Wall Street Journal:

A detailed timeline of Evan Gershkovich's arrest and release and the months of negotiations involving spy agencies, billionaires, politicians, and his mother— The secret negotiations to free The Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich unfolded on three continents, involving spy agencies …

Discussion:
Washington Post, Fox News, @davidgura@threads.net, The Information, New York Times, New York Post, Mediaite, New Yorker, The Sun, ABC7, Semafor, The Hill, @efindell, Associated Press, Florida Phoenix, Reuters, @Nonilex@masto.ai, Jamie Heller on LinkedIn, Ben Eisen on LinkedIn, @mikeisaac, Slate, NPR, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and Talking Biz News

Discussion:
Fox News: Kirby on swap being called ‘success’ for Putin: No one's ‘doing backflips over here’ for Russian assassin

David Gura /
@davidgura@threads.net: The @wsj's piece about the secret negotiations to free Evan Gershkovich ends with an incredible anecdote:

Theo Wayt /
The Information: Prime Video Ads Have Yet to Pay Off

Neil MacFarquhar /
New York Times: Who Is the Russian Assassin Freed as Part of a Sweeping Prisoner Swap?

Ronny Reyes /
New York Post: Evan Gershkovich requested one-on-one interview with Putin before historic release deal

Zachary Leeman /
Mediaite: ‘American Bada**’: Freed Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich Asked Captors For an Interview With Putin

Joshua Yaffa /
New Yorker: Evan Gershkovich Is Finally Coming Home

Owen Leonard /
The Sun: Bungling Russian assassin who ‘shot man twice in head in wig-wearing bicycle hit job’ released back to Putin in swap ABC7: Putin called him a patriot. But who is Vadim Krasikov, a Russian released in the mass prisoner swap?

Caroline Anders /
Semafor: Russia frees WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich in prisoner swap with US

Tara Suter /
The Hill: Gershkovich requested interview with Putin in Russian form finalizing his release

Elizabeth Findell /
@efindell: How Evan was freed: “The secret negotiations to free The Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich unfolded on three continents, involving spy agencies, billionaires, political power players and his fiercest advocate—his mom” https://www.wsj.com/...

Jennifer Shutt /
Florida Phoenix: Wall Street Journal reporter, former Marine, Putin critics freed in prisoner swap @Nonilex@masto.ai: #EvanGershkovich is a badass: — “The Russian Federation had a few final items of protocol to tick through w/the man who had become its most famous prisoner. One, he would be allowed to leave w/the papers he'd penned in detention, the letters he'd scrawled out & the makings of a book he'd labored over. …

Jamie Heller /
Jamie Heller on LinkedIn: We waited to rejoice until he walked off the Russian plane, and thank god he did. This is our story of Evan's plight, and the remarkable efforts that culminated in his release today. …

Ben Eisen /
Ben Eisen on LinkedIn: Evan Gershkovich is free. A great day for WSJ, journalists everywhere and the world. This is the story of the behind-the-scenes effort to get him released:

Steve Gutterman /
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: The Prisoner Swap: What's In It For Putin?

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: How the Gershkovich negotiations ended

Washington Post:

Vladimir Kara-Murza, one of the journalists released after being held by Russia, wrote some of his Pulitzer-winning WaPo columns from Moscow's detention center— The Russian journalist, author and opposition politician won a Pulitzer Prize for columns written at a Moscow detention center.

Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and Washington Post

Discussion:

James Hookway /
Wall Street Journal: For Vladimir Kara-Murza, Release Could Mean Survival

Wall Street Journal:
WSJ Editor Emma Tucker thanks the Biden administration, other governments, especially Germany's, and Evan Gershkovich in the effort to release him and others

Discussion:
MediaPost, The Hill, Kerry Kennedy on LinkedIn, New York Times, Fox News, @emmatuckerwsj, @edmundlee@threads.net, @jbillinson@threads.net, Press Gazette, Associated Press, TMZ.com, New York Post, Nikhil Deogun on LinkedIn, Gordon Friedrich on LinkedIn, Talking Biz News, Mediaite, The Wrap, The Guardian, Politico, TVNewsCheck, CBS News, ABC Columbia, Boston Herald and NPR

Discussion:

Kerry Kennedy /
Kerry Kennedy on LinkedIn: We are encouraged by the news of the ongoing prisoner swap that would result in the release of The Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich …

Emma Tucker /
@emmatuckerwsj: Today is a joyous day. There are many people who played a part in the safe return of our colleague Evan Gershkovich, and today I thank them wholeheartedly. My greatest thanks, though, must go to Evan himself. Read my letter in full https://www.wsj.com/...

Ed Lee /
@edmundlee@threads.net: Emma Tucker thanks Biden: — “We are grateful to President Biden and his administration for working with persistence and determination to bring Evan home rather than see him shipped off to a Russian work camp for a crime he didn't commit.” — RE: https://www.threads.net/...

Josh Billinson /
@jbillinson@threads.net: WSJ reports President Biden was working on details of the prisoner swap an hour before he dropped out of the presidential race.

Charlotte Tobitt /
Press Gazette: WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is free in Russia prisoner exchange

Steven Nelson /
New York Post: President Biden speaks on Evan Gershkovich prisoner swap: ‘Their brutal ordeal is over’

Nikhil Deogun /
Nikhil Deogun on LinkedIn: After almost 500 days since he was wrongfully detained by Russia, The Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich is on his way home. …

Gordon Friedrich /
Gordon Friedrich on LinkedIn: Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia on March 29, 2023. For more than 14 months; Evan, Evan's family, his friends and colleagues have thought about this day never knowing if it would come. …

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: WSJ's Tucker, Latour statement on Gershkovich

Phillip Nieto /
Mediaite: ‘Evan Gershkovich is Free’: WSJ Celebrates Freed Reporter With Backstory of His Stunning Release

Josh Dickey /
The Wrap: Russia Frees American Prisoners Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan in Multi-Country Swap

Shaun Walker /
The Guardian: Russia prisoner swap involving US journalist Evan Gershkovich under way

Don Mangan /
TVNewsCheck: WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich, Ex-Marine Whelan Released In U.S.-Russia Prisoner Swap

CBS News:
Understanding the complexity of the U.S.-Russia prisoner swap that includes Gershkovich, Whelan Boston Herald: Russia to release Wall Street Journal reporter and former U.S. Marine in swap: reports

Billboard:

Court filings: AI startups Suno and Udio respond to copyright lawsuits from major music labels, saying their use of proprietary music to train AI is fair use— In their first responses to the sweeping copyright lawsuits that could define AI music, lawyers for Suno and Udio don't exactly hold back.

Discussion:
Suno, TechCrunch, Engadget, 404 Media, Deadline, Reuters, CMU, Rolling Stone, Axios and TorrentFreak, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Mikey Shulman /
Suno: The Future of Music — An update on the recent legal action from the RIAA and what is at stake

Lauren Forristal /
TechCrunch: AI music startup Suno claims training model on copyrighted music is ‘fair use’

Jason Koebler /
404 Media: AI Music Generator Suno Admits It Was Trained on ‘Essentially All Music Files on the Internet’

Bruce Haring /
Deadline: AI Startup Suno Claims “Fair Use” Copyright Doctrine Allows Training On Major Recordings

Blake Brittain /
Reuters: Music AI startups Suno and Udio slam record label lawsuits in court filings

Chris Cooke /
CMU: Suno admits it trained on major-owned music, accuses labels of misusing copyright

Brian Hiatt /
Rolling Stone: A.I. Music Startup Suno Fires Back at Record Labels, Admits Training on Copyrighted Music

Hope King /
Axios: AI music startup Suno hits back at record labels

Andy Maxwell /
TorrentFreak: Suno & Udio to RIAA: Your Music is Copyrighted, You Can't Copyright Styles

New York Times:

Don Lemon sues Elon Musk and X, arguing Musk refused to pay him after a $1.5M/year exclusive X content deal fell apart; Lemon did not sign a formal contract— The former CNN reporter said in a lawsuit that X had refused to pay him after a testy interview with its billionaire owner.

Discussion:
The Verge, MediaPost, Variety, Vibe, The Guardian, The Daily Beast, CBS News, Engadget, Financial Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, CNN, Page Six, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, The Wrap, The Hill, TVLine, Bloomberg, Quartz, TMZ.com, Mediaite, @kurtwag8@threads.net, Newser, Barrett Media, Business Insider, TVNewsCheck and Deadline, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Gaby Del Valle /
The Verge: Don Lemon sues Elon Musk and X for canceling his talk show

Colin Kirkland /
MediaPost: Don Lemon Sues Musk After X Show Canceled With No Compensation

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk and X, Alleging Fraud and Breach of Contract Over Canceled Talk Show

Marc Griffin /
Vibe: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk Following Canned X/Twitter Talk Show

Corbin Bolies /
The Daily Beast: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk Over Botched X Deal

Aimee Picchi /
CBS News: Don Lemon sues Elon Musk and X for $35 million, claiming fraud over canceled content deal

Danny Gallagher /
Engadget: Don Lemon is suing Elon Musk and X

Hannah Murphy /
Financial Times: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon sues Elon Musk and X over cancelled show

Ethan Millman /
Rolling Stone: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk, X Over Canceled Talk Show

Oliver Darcy /
CNN: Don Lemon sues Elon Musk and X over scrapped talk show

Eileen Reslen /
Page Six: Don Lemon sues Elon Musk for fraud over canceled X deal after billionaire allegedly refused to pay out contract

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk and X Over Content Deal Gone Sour

Lauren Sforza /
The Hill: Don Lemon files suit against Elon Musk over canceled X show

Rebecca Iannucci /
TVLine: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk and X Over Cancelled Talk Show Partnership

Don Lemon Hard /
TMZ.com: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk for Fraud After Failed X Deal

Kurt Wagner /
@kurtwag8@threads.net: omg. Don Lemon is suing Elon Musk and X for failing to uphold their $1.5 million video partnership agreement. I'm sure no one is shocked. BUT Lemon admits there was “no signed agreement”!? given everything that happened with Musk/Twitter, how do you let that happen?

Rob Quinn /
Newser: Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk Over Canceled Deal

Jordan Hart /
Business Insider: Don Lemon sues Elon Musk over axed X partnership

The Hollywood Reporter:

Amazon MGM Studios names Colin Jost as host of its new Jeopardy spinoff show, Pop Culture Jeopardy; production starts in September— The ‘Saturday Night Live’ star has been cast as the host of Prime Video's new ‘Jeopardy!’ series. — Colin Jost's new TV gig: Jeopardy! host.

Discussion:
Deadline, AV Club, Rolling Stone, Consequence, LateNighter, TVLine and TV Insider

Discussion:

William Hughes /
AV Club: Colin Jost to Colin Host new Pop Culture Jeopardy! spin-off

Ethan Millman /
Rolling Stone: Colin Jost to Host ‘Jeopardy!’ Pop Culture Spinoff

Kelly Martinez /
LateNighter: Colin Jost Tapped to Host Pop Culture Jeopardy! for Prime Video

Andy Swift /
TVLine: Colin Jost to Host Pop Culture Jeopardy!

The Logic:

Email: Google is adding a 2.5% “Canada DST fee” for ads served in Canada starting October 1 to cover “part of the costs” of new digital services tax legislation— The search giant will start taking an additional 2.5 per cent “Canada DST fee” beginning in October …

Discussion:
Chris Krewson on LinkedIn, Chuck Lapointe on LinkedIn, All The Way Up Media, @muradhem and r/PPC

Discussion:

Chris Krewson /
Chris Krewson on LinkedIn: Also instructive as California's bill from Sen. Glazer — which passed the state Senate and is active in the Assembly — would most likely end the same way.

Chuck Lapointe /
Chuck Lapointe on LinkedIn: Welcome to Canada 🇨🇦 — Where our Government time and again underestimates Big Tech's stronghold on the advertising market. …

Murad Hemmadi /
@muradhem: Google will start adding a 2.5 per cent “Canada DST fee” to Canadian ad sales from October, passing on the bulk of the Liberal government's recently-enacted digital services tax. https://thelogic.co/...

Vanity Fair:

Entertainment news outlets like Pop Base, the Shade Room, and more have been posting nonstop about Kamala Harris, and her campaign aims to leverage the coverage— Celeb-news-only accounts like Pop Crave are suddenly coconut-pilled, posting religiously about the Harris campaign to their millions of followers.

Discussion:
@noahshachtman, @dougheye and Cartoons Hate Her

Discussion:

Noah Shachtman /
@noahshachtman: Wrote a bit about how @PopCrave, @PopBase, @TheShadeRoom and other celebrity-focused accounts are suddenly coconut-pilled, posting non-stop about @KamalaHarris. The switch could be “a great strategic advantage” for her campaign, one political vet says. https://www.vanityfair.com/...

Doug Heye /
@dougheye: Media being completely in the tank for Kamala is an advantage, no doubt about that.

MarketWatch:

Gannett Q2: revenue down 4.8% YoY to $639.8M, vs. $645M est., $13.7M net income, vs. $12.7M loss in Q2 2023, digital subs revenue up 22.3%; GCI closed down ~8%— Digital revenue rose 6.2% to account for 44% of all revenue — Gannett Co. Inc.'s stock shed early losses to trade down 10% Thursday …

Discussion:
Providence Business News and Gannett

Variety:

About 500 actors and other SAG-AFTRA members picketed outside WB Games in Burbank over contract protections for workers amid the growth of AI— In a replay of last year's strike, hundreds of actors picketed Thursday outside WB Games in Burbank, demanding protection from artificial intelligence.

Discussion:
Reuters, Deadline, Associated Press, BBC and Los Angeles Times

Discussion:

Danielle Broadway /
Reuters: Striking U.S. video game actors say AI threatens their jobs

Marc Cieslak /
BBC: Video games strike rumbles on in row over AI

Reuters:

Snap reports Q2 revenue up 16% YoY to $1.24B vs. $1.25B est., DAUs up 9% YoY to 432M, and forecasts Q3 revenue below expectations; SNAP drops 15%+ after hours— Snap (SNAP.N) forecast current-quarter sales and adjusted core earnings below market expectations on Thursday as the Snapchat owner grapples …

Discussion:
The Information, Ad Age, Bloomberg, Snap Inc. and Deadline, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Kaya Yurieff /
The Information: Snap Adds to Chilly Advertising Outlook

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Amazon Stock Drops After Q2 Revenue Misses Estimates, Q3 Guidance Underwhelms Street

The Hollywood Reporter:

Apple reports Q3 revenue from Services, which includes Apple TV+ and Apple Music, rose 14% YoY to $24.21B, vs. $23.96B estimated, an all-time record— The company is seeing double digit year growth in its services division, which includes Apple TV+.

Discussion:
Variety, CNBC, Media Play News, Apple, The Information, Deadline, BGR and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Apple Services Quarterly Revenue Hits New Record, Growing 14% to $24.2 Billion

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Apple Ups Q3 Services Revenue 14% to $24.2 Billion

Nick Wingfield /
The Information: Apple Revenue Rises 5% Despite Weak iPhone Results

Jill Goldsmith /
Deadline: Apple's IPhone Sales Down In June Quarter But IPad, Services Grow As Tech Giant Beats Forecasts

Yoni Heisler /
BGR: Apple posts Q3 earnings as revenue hits $85.8 billion

CNBC:

Amazon misses Q2 estimates, reporting $147.98B in revenue vs $148.56B expected, $12.8B in ad revenue vs $13B estimated, and gives weaker-than-expected guidance— Amazon missed on revenue in its second-quarter earnings report on Thursday and issued a weaker-than-expected forecast for the current period.

Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Wrap, Variety and Quartz, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Sebastian Herrera /
Wall Street Journal: Amazon Sales Rise as Cloud Unit Shows Strength

Kayla Cobb /
The Wrap: Amazon Doubles Q2 Net Income to $13.49 Billion on Strength of Amazon Web Services

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Amazon Q2 Ad Revenue up 20% to $12.8 Billion, Short of Wall Street Forecasts

Britney Nguyen /
Quartz: Amazon misses revenue expectations in second-quarter earnings

Reuters:

A US appeals court blocks the FCC's reinstatement of net neutrality rules, saying broadband providers are likely to succeed in a legal challenge— A U.S. appeals court on Thursday blocked the Federal Communications Commission's reinstatement of landmark net neutrality rules …

Discussion:

Lauren Feiner /
The Verge: Net neutrality is on ice

Issie Lapowsky /
Fast Company: Net neutrality deja vu: The Biden administration's attempt to regulate broadband giants was just blocked in court—again

Wendy Davis /
MediaPost: Court Extends Block On Open Internet Rules

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: A US Court Blocks Net Neutrality

Steven L Herman /
@newsguyusa@threads.net: “The American public wants an internet that is fast, open, and fair. Today's decision by the Sixth Circuit is a setback but we will not give up the fight for net neutrality.” - FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel

Shauneen Miranda /