As the DirecTV-Disney carriage dispute continues, DirecTV nudges customers to Fubo or Sling and offers a $30 credit, and Disney offers $30 off Hulu with Live TV (Alex Weprin/The Hollywood Reporter)

Mediagazer: As the DirecTV-Disney carriage dispute continues, DirecTV nudges customers to Fubo or Sling and offers a $30 credit, and Disney offers $30 off Hulu with Live TV (Alex Weprin/The Hollywood Reporter)

Top News:

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter:

The Tenet Media case highlights both the lack of transparency in the creator economy and the threat this poses to media integrity— We need to know who is funding the creator economy — Yesterday, a federal indictment revealed that a Tennessee media company working with right-wing …
Discussion: @jvlast@threads.net, Tubefilter, Mercury News, @taylorlorenz@mastodon.social, The Bulwark, @mastodonmigration …, @jvlast@threads.net, @taylorlorenz@mastodon.social, Byline Times, Know Your Meme, Zoe Scaman on LinkedIn, NPR, @katieboue@threads.net, @taylorlorenz@threads.net and Channel 4 News

Discussion:

Jonathan V. Last /
@jvlast@threads.net: Some inside-baseball on the Tenet Media / Tim Pool / Benny Johnson / Dave Ruben story: I know a fair amount about the economics of YouTube and when you look that the channels these guys are running, you can tell pretty quickly . . . 1/6 Mercury News: Want to be an ‘influencer’? Texas university launches new degree for digital influencing

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz@mastodon.social: Without full knowledge of who is financing the creators we follow, watch, and read, how will any of us know whether the content we're consuming is shaped by dangerous hidden agendas or foreign interference? https://taylorlorenz.substack.com/ ...

Jonathan V. Last /
The Bulwark: The Tenet Media Guys Are Worse Than Useful Idiots @mastodonmigration@mastodon.online: Related to guestions about who's behind all this right wing bro content, Taylor Lorenz @taylorlorenz has an excellent piece out today asking this very question... 'Who's funding these guys?' — https://taylorlorenz.substack.com/ ... See also: https://mastodon.social/...

Jonathan V. Last /
@jvlast@threads.net: This scheme was so shady that SEB GORKA looked at it and said, Bro that money is dirty: 5/6

Jonathan V. Last /
@jvlast@threads.net: TL;DR: These Tenet guys aren't victims. They're not even dupes, or profiteers. They're collaborators. /fin https://www.thebulwark.com/...

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz@mastodon.social: “The robust financial backing the right wing content creator ecosystem enjoys, allows extremists the ability to fund professional production teams, social media ad buys, and marketing initiatives that give them a competitive advantage online. …

Pekka Kallioniemi /
Byline Times: Russia Allegedly Spent $10 Million Funding US Media Company and its ‘Superspreader’ Creators to Push Pro-Kremlin Disinformation

Zoe Scaman /
Zoe Scaman on LinkedIn: Taylor Lorenz's latest piece uncovers something we need to be paying attention to: who is funding our creators? … @katieboue@threads.net: The way I just GASPED when I heard that number on the radio earlier. For a very, very brief moment I chuckled and thought “get that bag content creators” 😂💀

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz@threads.net: Stop letting right wing influencers cosplay as ‘independent’ media! https://taylorlorenz.substack.com/ ...

Paraic O'Brien /
Channel 4 News: Is there an army of influencers peddling Russian propaganda worldwide?

RELATED:

Reuters:

YouTube terminates Tenet Media's channel and four channels operated by Tenet owner Lauren Chen— Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) YouTube said on Thursday it was terminating the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by Tenet owner Lauren Chen, following an indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Discussion:
Engadget, New York Times, Forbes, NewsBytes, @chickenpuppet.bsky.social and Tampa Free Press

Discussion:

Will Shanklin /
Engadget: YouTube terminates five right-wing channels linked to the DOJ's Russia indictments

Katie Robertson /
New York Times: Tucker Carlson Sharply Criticized for Hosting Holocaust Revisionist

Siladitya Ray /
Forbes: YouTube Removes Alleged Russia-Funded Outlet Hosting Tim Pool, Benny Johnson Videos @chickenpuppet.bsky.social: “We need to kill all the f*gs” - completely fine — “We need to kill all the f*gs. This video sponsored by Russia” - very bad [embedded post]

Mother Jones:
A Tenet Media contributor tweeted that Tenet “has ended”; its X, Instagram, TikTok, and Rumble pages are online but haven't been updated since the indictment

Discussion:
The Atlantic, NBC News, New Republic, Nextgov/FCW, Reuters, @taylerusa, @annamerlan, @researchbuzz@researchbuzz … and The Daily Beast

Discussion:

Charlie Warzel /
The Atlantic: Don't Forget to Like and подпишись! NBC News: Russian money was funneled to right-wing creators through a pro-Trump media outlet, prosecutors say

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling /
New Republic: Pro-Trump Media Firm Abruptly Folds After Russia Scheme Exposed

David DiMolfetta /
Nextgov/FCW: Russia's influence operations aim to tip US election in favor of Donald Trump, intel official says

Katie Paul /
Reuters: Social media platforms leave alleged Russian influence network largely untouched

Tayler Hansen /
@taylerusa: Announcement: TENET Media has ended after the DOJ indictment and I will now be pursuing other job opportunities so I may continue to report on vital news stories this election season. If you'd like to independently fund my work or think I'd fit in well at another source let

Anna Merlan /
@annamerlan: One day after the DOJ accused Tenet Media of receiving $10 million in covert funding, a “reporter” for the company announced that Tenet “has ended.” Tenet's founder Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan still haven't commented on any of this. Normal! https://www.motherjones.com/ ...

Anna Merlan /
@annamerlan: I wonder if media companies generally roll up like faulty umbrellas and blow away without a single word? @researchbuzz@researchbuzz.masto.host: #politics #Russia #disinformation #propaganda #InformationWarfare #TenetMedia — 'A contributor for Tenet Media announced on Twitter Thursday night that the company has abruptly shuttered, one day after the Department of Justice unsealed an indictment that accused it of being covertly funded by employees of a Russian state-controlled media outlet. … Wired: An analysis of Tenet Media's videos shows frequent use of terms including “white people”, “Black people”, “civil war”, “Elon Musk”, and “illegal immigrants”

Discussion:
@dmehro, @wired, @katiedrumm@threads.net, @dmehro, Axios, New York Post, Washington Post, Fortune, New Republic, Gizmodo, Rolling Stone, Mediaite, HuffPost and The Hollywood Reporter, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
@wired: Using our interactive tool, you can search terms that were most mentioned in videos by influencers working for Tenet Media like Tim Pool and Benny Johnson. Try it yourself here: https://www.wired.com/... [video]

Katie Drummond /
@katiedrumm@threads.net: Using closed captioning of the Tenet Media videos we downloaded before YouTube removed them, @wired compiled lists of terms frequently mentioned in them, along with a searchable database: https://www.wired.com/...

Dhruv Mehrotra /
@dmehro: We analyzed hundreds of deleted Youtube videos of right-wing influencers working for Tenet Media—a company the DOJ alleges was financed and guided by a state-backed Russian news network. Here's what the paid influencers talked about: https://www.wired.com/...

Zachary Basu /
Axios: MAGA's media meltdown

Josh Christenson /
New York Post: ‘Secret’ Russian influence campaign paid $10M to prop up right-wing US commentators: indictment

Gerrit De Vynck /
Washington Post: YouTube takes down right-wing channels linked to DOJ Russia indictments

Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez /
Fortune: Elon Musk repeatedly interacted on X with right-wing influencers allegedly backed by a Russia-funded company

Matthew Gault /
Gizmodo: Right-Wing Influencers Like Tim Pool Allegedly Paid by Kremlin Influence Campaign

Nikki McCann Ramirez /
Rolling Stone: Right-Wing Influencers Deny Knowledge of Russian Funding

Colby Hall /
Mediaite: WATCH: Alleged Russian Propagandist Tim Pool Screams That ‘Ukraine is the Enemy of the US’

Paul Blumenthal /
HuffPost: DOJ Says 2 Russians Funded Big-Name Online Conservative Media Personalities

Zoe G. Phillips /
The Hollywood Reporter: DOJ Investigation Alleges Russia Sent $10M to U.S. Media Company

Washington Post:
Most of the six members of Tenet's “talent” team claim they did not know the money they were paid allegedly came from Russia; Lauren Southern has not commented

Discussion:
@pkafka@threads.net, Public Notice, NBC News, Adweek, @davidfrum, @anneapplebaum, @davidfrum, @anneapplebaum, @urbanachievr, @taylorlorenz@threads.net, Crikey, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @crumbler@threads.net, @drewharwell@threads.net, Fox News, Chicago Sun Times, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @angiebaby@mas.to, Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, @aridrennen@threads.net, Raw Story, The Wrap, Newser, Forbes, Boing Boing and The Guardian

Discussion:

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka@threads.net: “Even after recruiting their talent, though, the Russians purportedly running Tenet were frustrated with Tenet's lack of success. Like many media executives, they worried that their employees were doing more to promote their personal social media brands than their new outlet.” — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Lisa Needham /
Public Notice: Russia's useful idiots

NBC News:
How some of the internet's most popular pro-Trump pundits ended up as paid messengers for Russian propaganda

Brad Pareso /
Adweek: Russia Promises ‘a Response’ to Media Charges, Russian TV Presenter Charged, Tenet Media's Connection to RT

Anne Applebaum /
@anneapplebaum: It wasn't even subtle

David Frum /
@davidfrum: “Just asking questions” on every subject except, “Who is paying me absurdly above-market prices for my videos?” and “Why are they doing it?”

Anne Applebaum /
@anneapplebaum: I am shocked, shocked to discover that the Russian state funded far-right “influencers” in the state of Tennessee and I am sure they had absolutely no idea where the money was coming from https://www.theguardian.com/ ...

Christian Vanderbrouk /
@urbanachievr: these guys see made-up “psyops” everywhere until a mysterious foreigner offers them fantastic amounts of money for practically nothing then they turn into Mr Magoo

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz@threads.net: If I was getting paid $400,000 a month to make shitty youtube videos I would work for exactly one year then retire and delete the internet from my phone

Charlie Lewis /
Crikey: An evangelic candidate for governor bought hundreds of bootleg pornos in the 90s and that's not the weirdest part

Renee DiResta /
@renee.diresta@threads.net: Well-resourced state actors use broadcast&social media simultaneously, across the overt to covert spectrum. At this point there are a bunch of strategies Russia is working concurrently; as one is made more costly/less effective, they leverage others. …

Casey Newton /
@crumbler@threads.net: The Tenet indictments show how Russia has shifted its election interference tactics since 2016. Will right-wing dupes prove to be more effective than Macedonian teens and bot farms? https://www.platformer.news/ ...

Drew Harwell /
@drewharwell@threads.net: “these guys see made-up ‘psyops’ everywhere until a mysterious foreigner offers them fantastic amounts of money for practically nothing then they turn into Mr Magoo” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... Fox News: Conservative influencers linked to company in Russian election influence case speak out, say they're victims

Frank Main /
Chicago Sun Times: How right wing podcaster from Chicago landed at center of federal probe into Russian meddling

Renee DiResta /
@renee.diresta@threads.net: I have read many cases of content creators being approached by state actors, discussing how they were misled. This is a thing that happens. Front media is an old strategy. Professional manipulators succeed in duping the unwitting. But something like this — this is an ethical failure on the part of the creator. …

Angie /
@angiebaby@mas.to: @Mediagazer — “$100K per episode for a channel that gets roughly 4,500 views per video? This seems totally above board, we don't need to do any due diligence.” @aridrennen@threads.net: Tim Pool on his future after an indictment alleging that Russia paid him $100K per video: “It will be the exact same show it's always been and will continue to advance whatever it is we are advancing. And it's totally independent and whatever.”

Brad Reed /
Raw Story: Right-wing media group fires contributor after she allegedly took Russian cash

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: Blaze Fires YouTube Contributor Linked to Alleged Russian Influence Campaign

Siladitya Ray /
Forbes: These Right-Wing Pundits Were Allegedly Funded By Russia—What To Know About DOJ Indictment

Rob Beschizza /
Boing Boing: Justice departmen: right-wing influencers paid by Russians

Semafor:
Blaze Media's CEO says it has ended its contract with BlazeTV contributor Lauren Chen of Tenet Media, which is alleged to have been funded by Russia

Discussion:

Matthew Gault /
Gizmodo: YouTube Deletes Tim Pool's Embarrassing Kremlin-Backed Videos

Julia Davis /
The Daily Beast: Putin Pals Say Accused MAGA Media Stars Should Come to Russia for Protection

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: Right-Wing Influencers Claim Victimhood in Alleged Russian Interference Scheme

David Kurtz /
Talking Points Memo: Alleged Assailants In Trump's Arlington Cemetery Fiasco Identified

Tom Nichols /
The Atlantic: The Russian Propaganda Attack on America @servelan@newsie.social: “Chen and her husband, Liam Donovan, are the co-founders of Tenet Media, a previously obscure media company that paid eye-popping sums to right-wing influencers to produce videos that echoed #Russian #propaganda and other right-wing talking points, according to an indictment.” …

Isaac Schorr /
Mediaite: Right-Wing Provocateur Lauren Chen Fired By The Blaze Amid Russian Propaganda Scandal

Andrew Beaujon /
Washingtonian: These Are the Conservative Commentators Who Allegedly Got Hoodwinked (and Indirectly Paid!) by Russia @Myerman@toot.bldrweb.org: A conservative American media company has fired one of the YouTubers implicated in an alleged Russian influence operation exposed by the US Department of Justice this week. — “Lauren Chen was an independent contractor, whose contract has been terminated,” Blaze Media CEO Tyler Cardon said in an email to Semafor. … Barrett Media: TheBlaze Terminates Contract of Lauren Chen After DOJ Reveals She Worked For Russian Propaganda Operation

The Hollywood Reporter:

As the DirecTV-Disney carriage dispute continues, DirecTV nudges customers to Fubo or Sling and offers a $30 credit, and Disney offers $30 off Hulu with Live TV— DirecTV is offering discounts and a $30 credit toward Fubo or Sling, while Disney is offering $30 off the first month of Hulu with Live TV …

Discussion:
The Wrap, The Desk, Variety, Next TV, The Streamable, Deadline, The US Sun and Engadget

Discussion:

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Disney Offers $30 Credits for Hulu + Live TV Plans Amid DirecTV Carriage Dispute

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Amid Disney Blackout, DirecTV Is Offering Customers a $30 Credit Toward Dish's Sling or Fubo Streaming Services

Jon Lafayette /
Next TV: DirecTV Offers $30 Credit to Subscribers Who Sign Up for Rivals Fubo and Sling to Watch Football Games During Disney Blackout

Matt Tamanini /
The Streamable: How to Watch Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State 2024 Football Game Live Without Cable

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Disney-DirecTV Carriage Fight Grinds On As ‘Monday Night Football’ Debut Looms; Both Sides Point Customers To Pay-TV Alternatives

Mackenzie Tatananni /
The US Sun: Amazon Fire Stick down from $50 to $29.99 in ‘limited time deal’ and shoppers can claim 6-month streaming freebie too

Bloomberg:

Sources: Shari Redstone will get $180M in severance and other benefits on top of $350M from the sale of her 20% stake in National Amusements— Shari Redstone, chair of Paramount Global, will get $180 million in severance and other benefits on top of hundreds of millions from the sale …

Discussion:
Quartz, Advanced Television, Financial Times and Reuters

Discussion:

Bruce Gil /
Quartz: Shari Redstone is reportedly set to make $530 million from the Paramount-Skydance deal

RELATED:

Bloomberg:

FCC filing: Larry Ellison will own 77.5% of Paramount Global parent company National Amusements after his son David completes Skydance's Paramount acquisition— Paramount Global, the parent of CBS, will be controlled by software billionaire Larry Ellison after a group led by his son David completes …

Discussion:
Deadline: Skydance Tells FCC Paramount Deal Will Boost CBS And Local Stations; Larry Ellison Will Control Company After Merger

Samantha Masunaga /
Los Angeles Times: Larry Ellison to control Paramount Global after Skydance deal closes

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Tech Tycoon Larry Ellison Will Control Paramount Global After Skydance Deal Closes: Filing

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Tech billionaire Larry Ellison to control Paramount

Christopher Palmeri /
TVNewsCheck: Paramount's Redstone To Reap $180 Million In Severance, Benefits

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Oracle Founder Larry Ellison Reportedly Set to Take Over Shari Redstone's Controlling Interest in Paramount Global

Chris Palmeri /
Chris Palmeri on LinkedIn: Many of us media reporters breathed a sign of relief a couple of weeks ago when it looked like the long, drawn-out saga of who would control Paramount was over. …

Simon Sharwood /
The Register: SQL king Larry Ellison becomes sequel sultan with controlling interest in Paramount Global

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Larry Ellison. 4th-richest man in the world. Owns a big chunk of Hawaii, where his pal Elon stayed when he launched his Twitter bid. Owns a chunk of Twitter. Backs Donald Trump. Is buying CBS/Paramount for his son David. We really ought to spend more time talking about him. [image]

Brad Pareso /
Adweek: Tech Tycoon Larry Ellison Will Control Paramount Global After Skydance Deal Closes

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: Larry Ellison is the new Shari Redstone. The tech billionaire will control Paramount when its deal with Skydance is done. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ ...

Martin Peers /
The Information: Verizon's Backflip — It's the investment bankers' dream—a company so desperate for growth …

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: New Plan to “Revitalize” CBS Revealed In Filing by Skydance and Paramount

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Larry Ellison will control majority of Paramount as result of Skydance deal

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Larry Ellison Will Hold Controlling Stake in Paramount Global With Skydance Merger, Filing Shows

CNBC:

The UK CMA objects to Google's ad tech practices, and says Google's “self-preferences” on its own ad exchange harms competition, advertisers, and publishers— LONDON — Britain's competition watchdog on Friday issued a statement of objections over Google's ad tech practices …

Discussion:
GOV.UK, BNN Bloomberg, AdExchanger, The Sun, The Information, Damien Geradin on LinkedIn, Lara O'Reilly on LinkedIn, MediaPost, Financial Times, The Media Leader, UPI, The Guardian, The Drum, Associated Press, TechCrunch, The Register, Advanced Television, London Evening Standard, Quartz, Engadget, Reuters, Press Gazette, City A.M. and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Alyssa Boyle /
AdExchanger: The CMA Objects To Google's Ad Tech Practices Ahead Of DOJ Antitrust Trial

Ashley Armstrong /
The Sun: Google using its dominant position to rig the online advertising market, watchdog finds

Damien Geradin /
Damien Geradin on LinkedIn: The sending of a statement of objections by the Competition and Markets Authority to Google is another important development in Google's adtech saga. …

Lara O'Reilly /
Lara O'Reilly on LinkedIn: Interesting timing. The CMA just released that it “has provisionally found that Google is using anti-competitive practices in open-display ad tech.” …

Laurie Sullivan /
MediaPost: Google Takes Another Blow From UK Regulators For Anti-Competitive Behavior

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Google heads back to court to defend ad empire

Doug Cunningham /
UPI: Britain's CMA finds Google is using anti-competitive practices in ad tech

Kendra Barnett /
The Drum: UK regulators accuse Google of self-preferencing its ad exchange in new antitrust charges

Natasha Lomas /
TechCrunch: Google faces provisional antitrust charges in UK for ‘self-preferencing’ its ad exchange

Richard Speed /
The Register: Competition watchdog accuses Google of abusing ad dominance

Colin Mann /
Advanced Television: CMA objects to Google's ad tech practices

William Gavin /
Quartz: Google has abused its power over the ad tech sector for almost a decade, British regulator says

Paul Sandle /
Reuters: Google abusing power over website ads, UK regulator says

George Shealy /
Press Gazette: Google ad tech practices harming ‘thousands of UK publishers and advertisers’, watchdog believes

Adweek:

AdImpact: the NFL kickoff game averaged 48.9M US viewers, up from 40.1M in 2023; YouTube and YouTube TV had 16% of the audience, and other streamers had 34%— The NFL kickoff game on Thursday averaged 48.9 million viewers, according to AdImpact — The Kansas City Chiefs may have won …

Discussion:
USA Today, ESPN and Tv Technology

Discussion:

Anthony Gharib /
ESPN: Taylor Swift arrives to support Travis Kelce at Ravens-Chiefs

George Winslow /
Tv Technology: NFL Opener Draws 48.9M Average Audience

Washington Post:

US politicians could curtail the free press using tactics common among some foreign leaders, but the press must resist being baited into taking a political side— Some foreign leaders have ruthlessly curtailed journalism. U.S. politicians could draw from their playbook.

Discussion:
Poynter, Dan Gillmor, American Press Institute, New York Times, @taylorlorenz@threads.net, Axios, @nxthompson, @froomkin, @scarylawyerguy, @albertemartinez, @maloney4nassau, @robertbalkovich, @jeffjarvis, @robertbalkovich, @jeffjarvis, @bgrueskin, @brucewilson, @brianstelter, @nytimespr, Adweek, @mbrauchli@threads.net, The Hill, Cristina Tardáguila on LinkedIn, Newsbusters, Warwick Sabin on LinkedIn, Anne Applebaum on LinkedIn, Nicholas Thompson on LinkedIn, @davmicrot@threads.net, @tomgara@threads.net, @kevinmkruse@threads.net, Campaign Trails, CNN, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, Mediaite, @KathyLK@universeodon.com, @SohanDsouza@mstdn.social, @mastodonmigration …, Fox News, @edmundlee@threads.net, Media Nation, @brianstelter@threads.net, @dankennedy_nu@journa.host, @jackcarterbenjamin …, @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social and r/Journalism

Discussion:

David Leonhardt /
New York Times: Smartphones in Schools — How educators are fighting against distractions.

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz@threads.net: You can't write something like this while ur paper is reblogging the Free Beacon and laundering extreme far right manufactured outrage campaigns to a liberal audience. I agree that press freedom is an issue, but in many ways NYT has been complicit in its erosion https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz@threads.net: You want to talk about press freedom? Stop playing a crucial role in far right Gamergate style manufactured outrage campaigns aimed at pushing women, POC, and LGBTQ people out of the media. This is a global issue silencing prominent women reporters around the globe, as I reported here https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Sara Fischer /
Axios: U.S. news leaders sound alarm on press freedom @nxthompson: “A new model is being crafted that aims to undermine the ability of journalists to freely gather and report the news. It's worth getting to know what this model looks like in action.” Very important piece by AG Sulzberger on the war on press freedom abroad—and what might

Dan Froomkin /
@froomkin: NYT's Sulzberger warns of the threat Trump poses to a free press, but insists that he has “no interest in wading into politics” and that the NYT shouldn't take sides. This is not “independence,” it's nonsense. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... @scarylawyerguy: Head spinning and also the height of absurdity for AG Sulzberger to pen this opinion piece when the newspaper he owns is among the worst perpetrators of sanitizing the threat Trump poses to the country. Just completely divorced from reality. [image]

Alberto E. Martinez /
@albertemartinez: 4000 words of fan service to mainstream journos about ‘press freedom’ in Hungary and Brazil. 0 words about how the media's disgraceful passivity toward Kamala Harris undermines Americans' already low regard for the news industry.

Michael Maloney /
@maloney4nassau: The role of the New York Times & other media, according to NYT publisher A.G. Sulzberger, is not to protect democracy, but rather to simply chronicle its demise. 1/3

Robert Balkovich /
@robertbalkovich: You cannot both spill thousands of words on the dangers the free press currently faces while also saying that the appearance of neutrality must be upheld above all else and expect that to make any difference in this world. Are you willing to fight for your freedoms or not?

Robert Balkovich /
@robertbalkovich: The grave miscalculation Sulzberger et al have made is that neutrality is the same thing as the truth. It is not. If you are remaining neutral in the face of an obviously lopsided situation, you are actually aiding one side. In this case, it's the side that wants to destroy you. @jeffjarvis: A.G. Sulzberger warns that fascists hate the press. Perhaps he should care more about how they hate education, immigration, personal freedom and speech... Why fascists hate universities https://www.theguardian.com/ ...

@jeffjarvis:
I see surprisingly little discussion of AG Sulzberger's cris de cœur over Trump's threat to freedom of the press—but no one else's freedom—on Twitter (but much on Bluesky). Here is my thread about it. (Gift link to the column included.) https://x.com/...

Robert Balkovich /
@robertbalkovich: This is a passionate but fundamentally unserious essay. Sulzberger profiles how three world leaders curtailed press freedoms but refuses to acknowledge that they are all far-right politicians. That is not “neutrality,” it is denying a fundamental truth of the dynamic.

@jeffjarvis:
Shorter Sulzberger: First they came for Black, Latino, LGBTQ, Muslim, immigrant, pregnant, & poor people—their rights & their speech—but now that Trump could come for us... 1/ How the quiet war against press freedom could come to America (Gift link) https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: NY Times Publisher AG Sulzberger takes to the pages of the Washington Post to warn about threats to press freedom — abroad and in the US. He also writes about distinguishing between doing this and taking sides in the November election. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]

Bruce Wilson /
@brucewilson: @BGrueskin He thinks the NYT has, in terms of the upcoming election, shown journalistic neutrality? Oh my. Shall I remind us of 2016, when the NYT's relentless coverage of the Hillary Clinton email pseudo-scandal may have, in itself, tipped the 2016 election to Trump?

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: NYT publisher A.G. Sulzberger is out with a crucial new essay about risks to press freedom. Read it: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image] @nytimespr: The publisher of The New York Times, A.G. Sulzberger, has studied how attacks on press freedom have eroded democracies around the world. “This playbook should not be underestimated,” he writes in a @PostOpinions essay. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Marcus Brauchli /
@mbrauchli@threads.net: Reading AG Sulzberger's excellent piece today recalled this piece I wrote eight years ago, which foreshadowed but didn't fully anticipate how bad it would get. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Miranda Nazzaro /
The Hill: NYT publisher warns Trump could crack down on press freedom in Washington Post editorial

Cristina Tardáguila /
Cristina Tardáguila on LinkedIn: Today was the day A.G. Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, quoted me in an article about the state of democracies and media, highlighting the risks Brazilian journalists face today. …

Tim Graham /
Newsbusters: Sulzberger with Cheese: NYT Publisher Claims He's Not Political, But Trump's Authoritarian!

Warwick Sabin /
Warwick Sabin on LinkedIn: A powerful and comprehensive rundown of the threats to press freedom by The New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger in today's The Washington Post includes …

Anne Applebaum /
Anne Applebaum on LinkedIn: This - written, yes, by AG Sulzberger - is an excellent description of how democratically elected leaders in Hungary, India and elsewhere have used the law …

Nicholas Thompson /
Nicholas Thompson on LinkedIn: “A new model is being crafted that aims to undermine the ability of journalists to freely gather and report the news. …

David Rothschild /
@davmicrot@threads.net: AG Sulzberger XXXVIII is one of greatest threats to US democracy. Key quote in his absurd, meandering, self-aggrandizing op-ed: “I disagree with those who have suggested that the risk Trump poses to the free press is so high that news orgs such as mine should cast aside neutrality and directly oppose his reelection.” …

Tom Gara /
@tomgara@threads.net: You see a post like this on here, buddy you better believe the replies are going to be absolutely insane

Kevin Kruse /
@kevinmkruse@threads.net: This is embarrassingly bad, and you should be embarrassed for promoting it.

Kevin M. Kruse /
Campaign Trails: Fair and Balanced — This morning, New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger authored a piece … CNN: New York Times publisher sounds the alarm on Trump employing authoritarian anti-press ‘playbook’

Dan Gillmor /
@dangillmor@mastodon.social: It's mind-boggling that the publisher of the New York Times didn't post this on his own organization's website. — And it is perfectly in keeping with his organization's refusal to recognize reality — and its relentless normalization of extremists who hate democracy and want to kill freedom of the press …

David Gilmour /
Mediaite: NY Times Publisher Sounds Alarm on Trump Employing Anti-Press ‘Authoritarian’ Playbook in Washington Post Editorial @KathyLK@universeodon.com: Sulzberger, the publisher of the #NYT, whines today in the #WashingtonPost about “freedom of the press.” Considering the New York Times has been at the forefront of normalizing Trump and treating him as though he is a “serious” candidate for president, while taking potshots at Harris …

Sohan Dsouza /
@SohanDsouza@mstdn.social: 〝Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has a history of carrying out these “tax surveys,” as authorities called them, against independent Indian news organizations whose reporting has incurred his regime's wrath. Given the timing, it wasn't difficult to discern what triggered the government raid.〞 …

@mastodonmigration@mastodon.online:
Well worth reading today is New York Times publisher A. G. Sulberger's long opinion piece in the Washington Post ostensibly in defense of press freedom from Trump. — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... Would also recommend reading the comments. …

Fox News:
NYT publisher warns of Trump using authoritarian playbook to ‘increase attacks’ on press during 2nd term

Ed Lee /
@edmundlee@threads.net: AG Sulzberger, the publisher of @nytimes, lays out the playbook that authoritarians like Viktor Orban and Narendra Modi have used to successfully kill an independent press. — Trump now looks to these guys for inspiration if he wins a second term: — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter@threads.net: NYT publisher A.G. Sulzberger is out with a crucial new essay about risks to press freedom. Read it: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]

Dan Kennedy /
@dankennedy_nu@journa.host: Trump's anti-free press, anti-First Amendment agenda follows a playbook designed in Hungary, India and Brazil, writes New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger in — uh, the Washington Post. JournalismThreads https://wapo.st/3ZfmRNg

Jack Benjamin /
@jackcarterbenjamin@threads.net: In an extensive op-ed for WaPo, NYT publisher AG Sulzberger warned of Trump's efforts to undermine the free press but stayed firm in his paper's commitment to remaining politically neutral. — “I disagree with those who have suggested that the risk Trump poses to the free press is so high that news organizations such as mine should cast aside neutrality and directly oppose his reelection. …

Warner Crocker /
@WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social: Odd coming from Sulzberger given his paper's approach to this election. Also that it's in the Washington Post. — Opinion | How the quiet war against press freedom could come to America — #politics #journalism — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]

New York Times:

The judge in the Google monopoly ruling says he'll take until August 2025 to determine remedies in the case and asks the DOJ to propose fixes by the end of 2024— After ruling against Google last month, Judge Amit P. Mehta said he would take until next August to determine fixes that the company must make.

Discussion:

Martin Peers /
The Information: Benioff Comes Into His Own

Sabrina Willmer /
Bloomberg: Google Judge Eyes August for Decision on Remedy in Monopoly Case

Jennifer Elias /
NBC News: Google's second antitrust trial could help shape the future of online ads Associated Press: Judge gives US regulators until December to propose penalties for Google's illegal search monopoly

Lauren Feiner /
The Verge: The DOJ wants info on Google's AI strategy to bust up its search monopoly

Charles Arthur /
@charlesarthur: That'll definitely teach Google a lesson won't it.

Barry Schwartz /
@rustybrick: So another year or so from now until the DOJ will come up with the punishment for Google's monopoly ruling...

Tyler King /
@tylerking.bsky.social: Sure. No hurry. What could they possibly harm in the mean— Oh, I'm being told they have a monopoly on internet search and searching the internet is important. [embedded post] @itnewsbot@schleuss.online: Remedies to Google's Search Monopoly Will Be Decided by August 2025, Judge Says - After ruling against Google last month, Judge Amit P. Mehta said he would take until next... - https://www.nytimes.com/... #regulationandderegulationofindustry #antitrustlawsandcompetitionissues #suitsandlitigation …

Louis Ashworth /
Financial Times: How to fix Google search

Ethan Baron /
SGV Tribune: Future of Google search rests with judge who will strip away monopoly power

Columbia Journalism Review:

The decline of local news has made it harder for political campaigns to connect to locals and forced them to run on national issues to get cable news attention— At a post-Memorial Day event earlier this year, Elissa Slotkin, one of the nation's top Democratic candidates for US Senate …

Nieman Lab:

The INN approved 48% of newsrooms that applied for its membership in 2023, as others failed to meet its standards which include prohibitions on “dark money”— Here's a nugget from the Institute for Nonprofit News that might come up as we creep ever closer to the 2024 elections.

The Information:

Filing: OnlyFans revenue rose 20% YoY to ~$1.31B for the FY ending November 2023; creator accounts grew 29% YoY to ~4.1M and gross payments reached $6.6B— OnlyFans revenue rose 20% to about $1.31 billion for the fiscal year ending November 2023, compared to the previous year …

Discussion:
Variety, The Guardian, New York Post, Financial Times, Fortune, Forbes, @ballmatthew and @jimwaterson, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Todd Spangler /
Variety: OnlyFans Payments Surged to Record $6.6 Billion in 2023, up 19%

Dan Milmo /
The Guardian: OnlyFans owner paid £359m dividend as company's revenues grow 20% in a year

Adriana Diaz /
New York Post: I worked for OnlyFans — the ‘disturbing’ things I saw scared me out of the adult business and back into church

Daniel Thomas /
Financial Times: Porn streamer OnlyFans paid owner $630mn in dividends

Benoit Berthelot /
Fortune: OnlyFans owner has made $1 billion in dividends since 2021

Iain Martin /
Forbes: OnlyFans Billionaire Owner Pockets $472 Million Dividend

Matthew Ball /
@ballmatthew: OnlyFans P&L (2019-2023, USD) 2023: • $6.6B in user spend • $5.3B paid out to creators • $1.3B in net revenue • $820MM in gross profit • $650MM in operating profit (10% of gross revenue, 50% of net) • All figures up ~20% YoY (versus ~17% YoY in 2022) [image]

Jim Waterson /