A Delaware judge rules that Smartmatic's defamation case against Newsmax over 2020 election lies will proceed to trial later this month (Marshall Cohen/CNN)

Mediagazer: A Delaware judge rules that Smartmatic's defamation case against Newsmax over 2020 election lies will proceed to trial later this month (Marshall Cohen/CNN)

Top News:

Variety:

The Toronto International Film Festival pauses screenings of Russians at War due to “significant threats to festival operations and public safety”— The Toronto International Film Festival has decided to halt screenings of the controversial documentary, “Russians at War,” …
Discussion: TIFF, Global News, Deadline, CBC News, The Wrap, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter and Toronto Star

Discussion:

Anthony D'Alessandro /
Deadline: ‘Russians At War’ TIFF Screenings Paused “Immediately” After Fest Learns Of “Significant Threats”; Producers Say “Suppression Is Shockingly Un-Canadian” - Update

Benjamin Lindsay /
The Wrap: TIFF Suspends ‘Russians at War’ Doc Screenings, Citing Threats to Public Safety

Brian Welk /
IndieWire: TIFF Cancels ‘Russians at War’ Screenings After ‘Significant Threats’ to ‘Public Safety’

Mia Galuppo /
The Hollywood Reporter: TIFF Halts Screenings of ‘Russians at War’ After Threats to Safety

Bloomberg:

Sources: Spotify is trying to entice video-oriented creators to distribute shows on the platform in addition to YouTube, sometimes offering them seven figures— The music and podcast service wants to beef up its video catalog and will pay up to seven-figures to do so — Hello again.

Discussion:
Digiday, @mikeisaac, @ashleyrcarman, The Desk, @mikeisaac, The Information, Castos, New York Times and Business Insider, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Kimeko McCoy /
Digiday: Trademarks, drinks and podcasts: How viral creators like ‘Hawk Tuah Girl’ stretch their 15 minutes of fame

Rat King /
@mikeisaac: enjoyed this from @ashleyrcarman about the spotify push into video i remember being at the event in NYC where they tried their first video push and had Maxwell perform think this is more relevant now b/c all major consumer apps feel like video apps — from IG to even the NYT [image]

Ashley Carman /
@ashleyrcarman: Scoop: Spotify is looking to pay video creators to put their shows on the service. This is different from the podcast deals it's made in the past that often involved exclusive sales rights and production [image]

Rat King /
@mikeisaac: i dont think this works ten years ago (and it didnt for spotify) but i think that there's been enough time where people have been trained to watch video on their phones and now expect it across diff apps (wait till you see my mug on the NYT homescreen) https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Laura Mandaro /
The Information: Stripe Likes Creators—as Long as They're SFW

Dennis /
Castos: How to Submit a Podcast to Spotify

Sarah Jackson /
Business Insider: Mark Zuckerberg just sold out a stadium

The Wrap:

Fubo's antitrust trial against Fox, WBD, and Disney over Venu Sports is set for October 2025; Fox, WBD, Disney have also appealed the injunction blocking launch— Fubo's legal fight with Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney over antitrust concerns surrounding the trio's plans …

Discussion:
Deadline, Bloomberg, Deadline, Awful Announcing, The Streamable, Reuters and Cord Cutters News

Discussion:

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Fubo Tells Judge In Antitrust Case It Will Reveal Long-Secret Details Of Carriage Negotiations By Disney, Fox & Warner Bros. Discovery

Chris Dolmetsch /
Bloomberg: FuboTV Suit Against Disney, Fox, Warner Gets October 2025 Trial

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Trial Date Set For October 2025 In Fubo Antitrust Lawsuit Against Disney, Fox And Warner Bros. Discovery

Daniel Kaplan /
Awful Announcing: Everything you need to know about the ongoing Fubo-Venu Sports dispute

Harshita Mary Varghese /
Reuters: FuboTV's antitrust trial against Disney, media giants set to begin in October 2025

CNN:

A Delaware judge rules that Smartmatic's defamation case against Newsmax over 2020 election lies will proceed to trial later this month— A major defamation case against Newsmax will proceed to trial later this month, a judge ruled Thursday, dealing a blow to the right-wing network and setting …

Discussion:
The Hill, TVNewsCheck and Deadline

Discussion:

Dominic Patten /
TVNewsCheck: Rupert Murdoch Succession Battle Will Remain Behind Closed Doors, Court Rules

Deadline:

A Nevada court rules that hearings about Rupert Murdoch's effort to modify his family's succession plans will remain closed to the public and to the media— “The Motion for Access to the hearings in this case is denied,” probate commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr. recommended late today …

Discussion:

Rebecca Falconer /
Axios: Murdoch succession fight to play out in closed Nevada courtroom

Dawn Chmielewski /
Reuters: Murdoch succession battle to play out in Nevada courtroom

Deadline:

Francis Ford Coppola sues Variety and two of its journalists over a July 26 article documenting Megalopolis crew members' claims that he tried to kiss extras— The 85-year-old filmmaker is seeking $15 million and further punitive and exemplary damages from defendants Variety Media LLC …

Discussion:
Jezebel, New York Post, Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, HuffPost, AV Club, Vulture, Global News, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, Breitbart, TVNewsCheck and The Wrap

Discussion:

Audra Heinrichs /
Jezebel: Francis Ford Coppola Sues ‘Variety’ Over On-Set Allegations

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: Francis Ford Coppola sues Variety for $15M over ‘Megalopolis’ article claiming bad behavior

Andrew Dalton /
Associated Press: Francis Ford Coppola sues Variety over story alleging ‘Megalopolis’ misconduct

Maureen Lee Lenker /
Entertainment Weekly: Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is bloated and unforgivably dull

Kelby Vera /
HuffPost: Francis Ford Coppola Attacks ‘Jealous’ Variety Reporters In Suit Over Exposé Into On-Set Behavior

Emma Keates /
AV Club: Francis Ford Coppola accuses Variety of being “jealous and resentful of genius” in libel lawsuit

Jason P. Frank /
Vulture: Francis Ford Coppola Sues Variety for $15 Million

Michelle Butterfield /
Global News: Francis Ford Coppola sues Variety for $15M over ‘Megalopolis’ story

Cheyenne Roundtree /
Rolling Stone: Francis Ford Coppola Sues ‘Variety’ for $15 Million Over ‘Megalopolis’ Article

Winston Cho /
The Hollywood Reporter: Francis Ford Coppola's ‘Megalopolis’ Drama Now Turns to the Courtroom

John Nolte /
Breitbart: Francis Ford Coppola Files $15 Million Suit Against Variety for #MeToo Libel

Ross A. Lincoln /
TVNewsCheck: Francis Ford Coppola Sues Variety, Executive Editors For $15M

Washington Post:

News photographers object after their seats in Kamala Harris' plane travel pool were cut from four to one and push for more access for “a fair and free press”— White House News Photographers Association criticized the limited seating on the vice president's plane.

Discussion:
New York Post, @redsteeze, @albertomiguelf5, @kentnish@threads.net, Axios, @kentnish@threads.net, @kinseyandrew, @briannalyman2, White House News …, @armandondk, @kentnish@threads.net, @alexthomp, @kentnish@threads.net, @richardgrenell, @pettylupone, @alexthomp, @noahpollak and @chrisharihar

Discussion:

Victor Nava /
New York Post: White House photographers decry ‘unprecedented reduction in access’ to Kamala Harris

Stephen L. Miller /
@redsteeze: Weird.

Alberto Miguel Fernandez /
@albertomiguelf5: They saw that a “basement strategy” worked in 2020 with the Senile One, so they're trying it with Harris. Don't worry, if she wins, there will be lots of photos in Vogue and Vanity Fair.

Kent Nishimura /
@kentnish@threads.net: This photo by the incomparable @heislerphoto is an important example of the significant importance of having a full pool of photographers with @VP.

Kent Nishimura /
@kentnish@threads.net: On 8/29 the WHNPA sent a letter to the Harris campaign regarding the “unprecedented reduction in access” for the press as @VP campaigns for the Presidency. https://whnpa.org/...

Andrew Kinsey /
@kinseyandrew: Axios really wrote an entire hit piece because there were a few fewer photographers traveling on Air Force 2 because of extra security personnel. They don't mention anything that was missed, any critical news that was hidden, or anything else. They just amplified whining.

Brianna Lyman /
@briannalyman2: This can't be true because I've been reliably informed the Biden-Harris administration is one of truth and transparency

Armando /
@armandondk: The argument is about getting a free plane ride, not access. They want free plane rides. That's what the fight is about.

Kent Nishimura /
@kentnish@threads.net: The @VP's office responded to the WHNPA 11 days after receiving the letter, only after @Axios reached out for comment. https://www.axios.com/...

Alex Thompson /
@alexthomp: The president of the WH news photographer association told Axios in response to the VP's letter last night: “It's very disappointing. This is the smallest number of media to travel for presidential race in my memory. When Vice President Harris became the presidential nominee, it

Alex Thompson /
@alexthomp: Veteran WH news photographer Doug Mills, speaking in his personal capacity, told Axios that “the current situation puts the still photographers at a distinct disadvantage on every trip.” He added: “It's essential to us for people to understand the importance of having a full

Kent Nishimura /
@kentnish@threads.net: It highlights the ongoing and growing frustration among the larger press corps about the limiting of access to leaders at the top of the Democratic Party.

Richard Grenell /
@richardgrenell: This letter would have leaked within 20 mins if this were about a Republican White House. What a pathetic double standard - fascist governments enjoy this media protection.

Renee /
@pettylupone: The same media who never covered Kamala Harris before want more access now. A handful of photogs were reduced to make way for more security and AF2 is smaller so this is a non-story. MSM isn't the kingmaker it once was. I'm enjoying watching them realize that in real time. [image]

Alex Thompson /
@alexthomp: New: In an Aug. 28 letter obtained by Axios, the WH News Photographers Association said Harris' team was engaging in an “unprecedented reduction in access.” The VP's team didn't respond until last night after we asked about the letter W/ @sarafischer https://www.axios.com/... [image]

Noah Pollak /
@noahpollak: She doesn't talk to the press in the first place. What does it matter? Oh right — they're complaining about something trivial in order to distract from how they're not complaining about something massive

Chris Harihar /
@chrisharihar: They're asking that a “chaser plane” be provided to accommodate journalists. Who pays for it? Taxpayers? The campaign? Media access has been a big issue this election. While fair, demands for more access can seem tone-deaf to the public, whose support is key for getting it. [image]

Status:

Vox Media says its annual Code Conference has been put on hold, calling it a “strong franchise” but declining to share further information about its future— Outside missing a year during the Covid-19 pandemic, it's the first time the annual technology conference has not taken place in its more than two-decade history.

Discussion:
@kylie.robison@threads.net

Press Gazette:

A look at “consent or pay” in the UK and Europe, where news sites charge fees for users to avoid personalized ads; six of the top 50 UK sites ask readers to pay— Six of the top 50 news websites in the UK are now asking people to hand over cash if they don't want to share their personal data for advertising purposes.

Discussion:
Elena Morin on LinkedIn

Nieman Lab:

The Archival Producers Alliance releases new guidelines for the use of generative AI, emphasizing transparency and laying out ethical considerations— The Archival Producers Alliance's new generative AI guardrails put audience transparency first. — Last year, Rachel Antell was working on her latest documentary.

Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter

Discussion:

Axios:

Box office revenue for movies in 2024 still trails 2023 by almost 14% in the US, but Q3 box office is now expected to come in above projections— - Summer got off to a slow start, including the weakest Memorial Day weekend in nearly three decades, but the box office has rallied with a string of hits since.

Discussion:
Collider

Discussion:

Media Play News:

Antenna: 31% of US SVOD users transacted with a specialty SVOD service by the end of Q2; Amazon Channels generated 58% of specialty SVOD sign-ups in H1— While the trend of stacking subscription streaming VOD services seems to be cooling, consumers continue to gravitate toward niche streaming platforms.

Discussion:
The Desk, Next TV and The Streamable

Discussion: