Dish-owned streamer Sling TV plans to show pause ads, which could contain a video or static content; users can turn off pause ads from the settings menu (Emma Roth/The Verge)

Mediagazer: Dish-owned streamer Sling TV plans to show pause ads, which could contain a video or static content; users can turn off pause ads from the settings menu (Emma Roth/The Verge)

Top News:

Reuters:

Paramount Global and Skydance Media announce a merger of the two companies, ending months of chaotic talks; a memo says the deal is expected to close in H1 2025— Skydance Media and Paramount Global (PARA.O) agreed to merge, the companies announced late Sunday evening, opening a new chapter for one of Hollywood's oldest studios.
Discussion: Paramount, Engadget, Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, @jbflint, TrekMovie.com, @aepstein_, @xpangler, @pkafka, @lucas_shaw, New York Times, @jbflint, Business Insider, @benmullin, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek, The Drum, The Desk, StreamTV Insider, SlashFilm, @richlightshed, @mattbelloni, Newser, The A.V. Club, The Streamable, @harrisharrisev9, @mattnicholas, @andykleinman, @btmcclure, @xpangler, @benmullin, The Hollywood Reporter, @loudmouthjulia, The Wrap, CNBC, Fast Company, The Information, Associated Press, The Verge, @lucas_shaw, The Guardian, The Media Leader, @lucas_shaw, New York Times, CNN, Financial Times, B&T, MediaPost, Deadline, Mumbrella, @lkimmasters@threads.net, CBS News, Sara Fischer on LinkedIn, Axios, Wall Street Journal, Deadline, Variety, Media Play News, Los Angeles Times, Cord Cutters News, The Information, Reuters, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, The Daily Beast, Bloomberg, r/boxoffice, r/wallstreetbets, r/MediaMergers and r/startrek

Discussion:
Paramount: Skydance Media and Paramount Global Sign Definitive Agreement to Advance Paramount as a World-Class Media and Technology Enterprise

Mariella Moon /
Engadget: Paramount and Skydance will merge to create new tech-media giant

Samantha Masunaga /
Los Angeles Times: David Ellison's goal for Paramount: Make it a ‘media and technology’ company

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Paramount Global incoming president Jeff Shell says essentially company will sell content to all vs hoarding for Paramount+.

Anthony Pascale /
TrekMovie.com: Paramount Global Officially Agrees To Skydance Merger, With Potential Big Impact On Star Trek's Future

Adam Epstein /
@aepstein_: The demise of Paramount+ is the canary in the coal mine for subscale streaming platforms. Most will cease to exist in 2-3 years. There will be a concentration of all streaming TV ad revenue to 5-6 sizeable big tech / big media co's. The winners will be decided by their

Todd Spangler /
@xpangler: David Ellison, son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and his investors are blaring the message that the new Paramount will be a “confluence of art, first and foremost, working hand in hand with technology.” https://variety.com/...

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Paramount is going to compete with tech companies by becoming a tech company, says its owner-to-be. Which is what his team was whispering about back in April, when it also didn't really make sense. Drumroll for the link!

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: I take reader questions and pose one of my own. Such as: Would you pay $25 a month for Spotify? https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Paramount Global co-head Chris McCarthy says the success is all possible because of the people associated with Paramount. ((Ed. Note: Now lets move onto that cost-cutting and layoff agenda))

Peter Kafka /
Business Insider: Paramount's new owner says he's building a tech company. Come again?

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: The Paramount investor call about the Skydance merger is a big Avengers team up. Basically everyone except Shari Redstone is on the call.

Kendra Barnett /
The Drum: Skydance merger will ‘inject new life’ into Paramount as streaming wars heat up, pros say

Bevin Fletcher /
StreamTV Insider: Paramount to merge with Skydance Media

Ryan Scott /
SlashFilm: The Paramount Merger Is Finally Official - And It Could Have Been So Much Worse @richlightshed: Most telling paragraph of the @Skydance merger with @paramountco release $PARA Speaks to “why” this deal won for Shari Redstone (beyond the 💰💰💰) “Importantly, the transaction preserves the over 100-year-old legacy of Paramount as one of Hollywood's most iconic production

Matthew Belloni /
@mattbelloni: Money wins! [image]

Jenn Gidman /
Newser: Say Hello to the ‘New Paramount’ — And goodbye to the reign of the Redstone family, as Paramount plans its merger with Skydance

Mary Kate Carr /
The A.V. Club: Paramount is finally welcoming their new Skydance overlords

David Satin /
The Streamable: Paramount Global's Deal with Skydance Gets Board Approval, Set to Close by 2025

Evan /
@harrisharrisev9: This is BEST case scenario and I'm so glad the deal got approved. From everything I've heard, yhe people at Skydance respect the legacy and work from Paramount Global and won't drastically change things moving forward.

Matt Nicholas /
@mattnicholas: Skydance officially bought NA & with that, full control of Paramount Global. I hope David Ellison keeps Paramount + and some of their core linear assets, but I know changes will come. Hoping for the best for all of my friends still working there per the upcoming layoffs 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽.

Andy Kleinman /
@andykleinman: I'm personally excited and intrigued about the Skydance and Paramount merger. The growing, disruptive studio absorbing the large (but shrinking) legacy studio. I like that combination much better than Amazon/MGM or WBD/Discovery. Let's see what they do.

Brandon T. McClure /
@btmcclure: Well... this is honestly the best case scenario for Paramount if they were so determined to sell. At least it wasn't to another giant media company. Small buying big is the better of two evils 🤷 ♂️

Todd Spangler /
@xpangler: Shari Redstone, Paramount Co-CEOs Tell Employees Skydance ‘Has a Clear Strategic Vision for the Future’ https://variety.com/... via @variety

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: Shari Redstone emails Paramount employees: “My father was governed in all of his decisions by his belief that content was indeed king. That has never been more important than it is today...” [image]

Etan Vlessing /
The Hollywood Reporter: Movie Theater Owners to “Look Closely” at New Paramount-Skydance Deal Terms

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: If I'm to understand what just happened between Paramount and Skydance — the selling of one former mogul family's declining media empire to a wealthier new mogul family who got a strong boost from the patriarchal tech lord — then this guy is about to be CEO. [image]

Kayla Cobb /
The Wrap: Paramount Global Will Pay Skydance $400 Million Breakup Fee If It Accepts a Stronger Offer

Lillian Rizzo /
CNBC: Paramount agrees to merge with Skydance, ending monthslong negotiations and Redstone era

Michael Grothaus /
Fast Company: Everything you need to know about the Paramount Skydance merger

Martin Peers /
The Information: Skydance and Paramount Unveil Merger Associated Press: Paramount and Skydance merge, signaling end of a family rein in Hollywood and the rise of new power

Jess Weatherbed /
The Verge: Paramount agrees to sweetened Skydance merger deal

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: Shari Redstone has agreed to sell her company to David Ellison. Paramount's special committee has agreed to merge with Ellison's Skydance. Neither one blessed this deal last month. What changed? https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Ella Sagar /
The Media Leader: Paramount ends merger saga after reaching ‘definitive’ Skydance agreement

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: The deal still needs to be formally signed. Considering everything that has happened in this negotiation... it's official when it's announced.

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: News: Paramount's board has approved a merger with Skydance. Link TK. A deal should be announced officially tomorrow.

Benjamin Mullin /
New York Times: Meet David Ellison, Paramount's Future Boss and Hollywood's Newest Mogul

Arvind Hickman /
B&T: Paramount Global & Skydance Agree To Merge

Wayne Friedman /
MediaPost: Paramount Global, Skydance Media To Merge In $8B Deal

Anthony D'Alessandro /
Deadline: Shari Redstone Tells Staff That Skydance Has “Resources To Build On Paramount Global's Competitive Advantages”

Kim Masters /
@lkimmasters@threads.net: So we're on the cusp of a deal for Skydance to end up with Paramount. The Skydance guys really hung in there. David Ellison gets his dream: running a studio. (Beware what you wish for?) Jeff Shell gets back in the game after that little contretemps at NBC Universal. …

Sara Fischer /
Sara Fischer on LinkedIn: #Breaking: It's a done deal. Paramount's board has approved a deal to merge with Skydance Media. — The deal breathes new life …

Jessica Toonkel /
Wall Street Journal: Paramount Global Agrees to Skydance Deal

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Skydance Media Gets Board Committee Approval For Control Of Paramount Global After Lengthy Chase

Cynthia Littleton /
Variety: David Ellison Set as Chairman-CEO, Jeff Shell as President of Paramount; Shari Redstone to Sell Family Empire to Skydance Media in $8 Billion Deal

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Paramount Agrees to Tentative Merger With Skydance Media Los Angeles Times: Paramount and Skydance agree to merge, marking a new chapter for the storied media company

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: The Sale of Paramount+ & Pluto TV to Skydance Gets Several Major Approvals to Move Forward

Martin Peers /
The Information: Ellison's Skydance Gets Closer to Paramount Deal

Reuters:
Special committee of Paramount Global endorses plan to merge with Skydance Media, source says

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: New Paramount-Skydance Deal Nears Finish Line As Board Special Committee Signs Off

AJ McDougall /
The Daily Beast: Paramount Board OK's Merger Deal With Skydance After False Start: Report

Lucas Shaw /
Bloomberg: Source: Paramount board's special committee approves Skydance merger; the board is set to approve the deal today, with an announcement coming as soon as Monday

RELATED:

Axios:

Source: Oracle founder Larry Ellison will invest ~$6B into the Paramount-Skydance deal, with RedBird Capital Partners contributing the remaining $2B— - The Ellisons and RedBird have transactional covenants that require they be consulted on any major business decisions by Paramount in the interim, RedBird's Jeff Shell tells Axios.

Discussion:
Bloomberg, @tvgrimreaper, @danprimack, The Wrap and Deadline

Discussion:

Christopher Palmeri /
Bloomberg: Paramount Merger Is Latest Prize for RedBird Dealmaker Cardinale

Dan Primack /
@danprimack: Small scoop on Paramount deal: Larry Ellison and his fam are investing $6 billion of the $8 billion purchase price, w/ RedBird contributing the remainder. KKR not putting in new $$. Earlier reporting on that was wrong. $PARA https://www.axios.com/...

Variety:
Jeff Shell, set to become “New Paramount” president, says Skydance executives have identified $2B+ in cost cuts, much of it from its linear media operations

Discussion:
@jbflint, @alexweprin, The Wrap, Sanjay Raina on LinkedIn, The Hollywood Reporter, Sportico, Deadline, CBS News and IndieWire

Discussion:

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Sky Dance has a $400 million breakup fee if Paramount finds another buyer in next 45 days. (I think I got that figure right)

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: “We know we're getting a lot of great, talented people at Paramount,” says incoming Paramount SKD president Jeff Shell. (some reason animal house “There's a lot of great guys here...” scene playing in my head.

Alex Weprin /
@alexweprin: Skydance would get a $400 million breakup fee if Paramount finds another buyer in the next 45 days.

Sanjay Raina /
Sanjay Raina on LinkedIn: Same story being played over and over again. It started with the ‘mouse’ gobbling Fox and we all know what has subsequently been the state of affairs. …

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Jeff Shell and David Ellison Dish on Paramount Plans: It'll Be “Creator-Friendly Again”

Anthony Crupi /
Sportico: Paramount and Skydance Will Beef Up CBS' Sports Portfolio

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Paramount President-To-Be Jeff Shell Says Linear TV Will Remain “A Strong Business For Decades To Come”

Brian Welk /
IndieWire: It's Official: Paramount and Skydance Are Merging

Variety:
A look at Skydance's vision for “New Paramount”, of which David Ellison will be the CEO: a $1.5B cash infusion to help woo creatives, a focus on tech, and more

Discussion:
@jbflint, @colbyhall, @jbflint, @alexweprin, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Radio & Television …, The Wrap, The Ringer, Broadband TV News and Next TV

Discussion:

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: “There is going to have to be some form of bundled solution,” to streaming says Jeff Shell, incoming president of Paramount Global-SKD. To hard to “sort through the muck” of how streaming is delivered.

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Incoming Paramount Global - Sky Dance head David Ellison says better user experience needed at Par+ to continue to build and scale it. “We are also open to partnership,” Ellison says, including sharing licensing (of content).

Colby Hall /
@colbyhall: I'm having a very hard time not seeing this guy as the real life Kendall Roy.

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Jeff Shell says, “you would literally spit out David Ellison” if you went into a lab to create an entertainment executive for the future of the biz.

Alex Weprin /
@alexweprin: Jeff Shell: “If you went into a lab and designed the perfect executive for the next-generation Hollywood company, you would literally spit out David Ellison.”

Zoe G. Phillips /
The Hollywood Reporter: Tyler Perry, John Krasinski, Mark Wahlberg and More React to Paramount-Skydance Deal: “I'm Thrilled”

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Skydance Chief David Ellison Says Paramount Must “Not Be Paralyzed” During Long Run-Up To Merger Close; Asset Sales Can Continue In Interim

Adam Chitwood /
The Wrap: Theater Owners to ‘Look Closely’ at Details of Skydance-Paramount Deal, Stress Need for More Movies in Cinemas

Matthew Belloni /
The Ringer: Skydance's David Ellison on His Plans for Paramount

Julian Clover /
Broadband TV News: Paramount signs agreement with Skydance Media The Hollywood Reporter: The Paramount-Skydance deal has a “go shop” policy, where Paramount would pay Skydance a $400M breakup fee if Paramount finds another buyer within 45 days

Discussion:

David Satin /
The Streamable: Incoming Paramount Owners Lay Out Company Vision; Paramount+ Rebuild on the Way

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly /
Observer: David Ellison Has Ambitious Plans for Paramount Following the Skydance Merger

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: Skydance CEO David Ellison — and scandal-scarred media exec Jeff Shell — signal $2B in cost cuts for Paramount

David August /
@davidaugust@mastodon.online: Yeah, 'cause people always say they don't subscribe to Paramount+ because of the tech stack, yeah, sure: that's why. — “'Our intention is to rebuild the Paramount+ platform. And believe that with the technological prowess and relationships that we have, we can expand our DTC [direct-to-consumer] …

Anthony D'Alessandro /
Deadline: Sony's Tom Rothman On Skydance-Paramount Deal, Calls David Ellison “A Very Capable Executive” - ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ Premiere

Sean McNulty /
The Ankler: ☀️ PARAMOUNT: What's Actually About to Happen

Chris Morris /
Fast Company: Now that Paramount has found a buyer, what's next?

Dawn Chmielewski /
Reuters: Skydance's David Ellison describes Paramount's tech-media hybrid future

Samantha Masunaga /
Los Angeles Times: David Ellison is taking control of Paramount. Now the real work begins

Paige Bruton /
Business Insider: Meet David Ellison, Larry Ellison's son who is about to take over at Paramount

Matt Donnelly /
Variety: David Ellison Meets the Press, Talks Paramount and CBS Vision With Gerry Cardinale, Jeff Shell

Alex Kirshner /
Slate: The Slow-Motion Paramount Saga Is Over. A New Rich Kid Will Take Control of the Iconic Brand.

Jon Lafayette /
Next TV: David Ellison Spells Out Goals for ‘New Paramount’

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: David Ellison and Jeff Shell Outline Plan for New Paramount: Tech, Animation and Rebuilding Paramount+

Mansha Daswani /
WORLD SCREEN: Paramount & Skydance Clinch Merger Deal

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Paramount Global Will Pay Skydance $400 Million Breakup Fee if It Lands a Better Offer

Thomas K. Arnold /
Media Play News: Skydance, Paramount Global Agree on Deal; David Ellison, Jeff Shell to Lead ‘New Paramount’

Reuters:
Memo: Paramount's co-CEOs say Paramount will continue reducing the size of its workforce and look to divest some of its assets until the Skydance deal closes

Discussion:
@jimmy_stick, @tvgrimreaper, Business Insider and Deadline

Discussion:

Codename Dutchess /
@jimmy_stick: Paramount was worth like 10 billion and they've found a way to cut 1/5 of their value there's going to be an insane amount of layoffs. I'd imagine it be more on the cable side of things but It's gonna be pretty shocking if I survive the next year and half at this company. @tvgrimreaper: Bad news: Lots of you will be fired. Good news: The new owners can't do anything until 2025.

Geoff Weiss /
Business Insider: Paramount co-CEOs tell workers it's ‘business as usual’ — and remind them that there'll be layoffs

Anthony D'Alessandro /
Deadline: Paramount Global Co-CEOs Tell Staff “It's Business As Usual” Until Skydance Deal Closes

Variety:
Memo: Shari Redstone says Skydance “have a clear strategic vision for the future”; Paramount co-CEOs say “it's business as usual” until the deal closes in 2025

Discussion:
IF Magazine and The Wrap

The Intercept:

Leaked code: NYT tested using OpenAI tech to generate article headlines and help apply its styleguide; NYT says the “experiment was not taken beyond testing”— In the courtroom, the New York Times has taken a hard line against OpenAI. The newspaper sued the artificial …

Discussion:
@florian4gamers, @mvario1 and Media Voices

Discussion:

Florian Mueller /
@florian4gamers: Suing and/or using OpenAI.

Michael Vario /
@mvario1: A.I. couldn't do a worse job than the NY Times editors are currently doing... The New York Times Is Suing OpenAI — and Experimenting With It for Writing Headlines and Copy Editing https://theintercept.com/...

RELATED:

Entrepreneur:

OpenAI last week requested NYT documents, including reporters' notes and interview memos, to show that its articles are original; NYT calls it harassment— Key Takeaways … Now OpenAI is asking for proof that NYT articles are actually original — and the NYT is calling the request “irrelevant, improper, and harassing.”

Discussion:
@bobbyallyn, @loudmouthjulia, @rahll and Ianka Fleerackers on LinkedIn

Discussion:

Bobby Allyn /
@bobbyallyn: OpenAI's legal team trying to get all “reporter's notes” in discovery in NYT lawsuit. [image]

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Completely missed OpenAI was demanding to see NYT reporters' “notes, interview memos, records of materials cited or other ‘files’” to prove articles are original as it pertains to the copyright suit. And cites the WBD/The Batman copyright case as precedent https://storage.courtlistener.com/ ...

Reid Southen /
@rahll: OpenAI is making wild demands in the NYT lawsuit, in an effort to try and claim after the fact that the articles they stole weren't protectable IP. It's cartoonishly absurd.

The Verge:

Dish-owned streamer Sling TV plans to show pause ads, which could contain a video or static content; users can turn off pause ads from the settings menu— Sling TV will now put ads on your screen when you pause live or on-demand content, according to an announcement from its parent company, Dish.

Discussion:
The Streamable, About DISH, Next TV and Cord Cutters News

Discussion:
About DISH: DISH Media Unveils Pause Ads, Bolstering Interactive, Customized Ad Solutions on Sling TV

Jon Lafayette /
Next TV: Dish Media Rolls Out Pause Ads On Sling TV

The Verge:

Spotify adds the ability for users to leave comments on podcasts, expanding on polls and Q&As; comments will be private by default, and creators can opt out— The company already lets Spotify podcasters offer polls and Q&As, so this new feature could give creators new ways to interact with their audiences.

Discussion:
Engadget, TechCrunch, WinBuzzer, 9to5Mac, Spotify and Dataconomy, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Mariella Moon /
Engadget: Spotify is launching a comment section for podcasts

Sarah Perez /
TechCrunch: Chasing YouTube, Spotify adds comments to podcasts

Luke Jones /
WinBuzzer: Spotify Introduces Comment Section for Podcasts

Ryan Christoffel /
9to5Mac: Podcasts now support comments on Spotify; should Apple do the same?

Eray Eliaçık /
Dataconomy: Yes, Crunchyroll comments gone, and here is why

Washington Post:

Q&A with NYT Executive Editor Joe Kahn about the NYT's Biden age coverage, the WSJ's investigative approach to the story, using anonymous GOP sources, and more— The New York Times executive editor takes on detractors. — In April 2023, President Biden felt comfortable enough …

Discussion:
Poynter

Discussion:

Nieman Lab:

A look at the Institute for Poetjournalism, which aims to be a wire service for “newspoems” that focuses on the emotion behind events and is courting donors— Institute for Poetjournalism founder Aaron Dworkin hopes a cash prize and a wire service for “newspoems” will help the form take off.

Discussion:
@shimmo23, @jester and @spj_tweets

Discussion:
@shimmo23: Poetjournalism anyone? As a career journalist (34 years and counting) and more recent convert to poetry, I'm intrigued. But where is the crossover? “Poetjournalism” slouches forth from Michigan to be born | Nieman Journalism Lab https://www.niemanlab.org/...

Jess McCabe /
@jester: “Dworkin has big plans for poetjournalism: he's currently courting donors to fund a $150,000 prize, which he says is the largest in either poetry or journalism” https://www.niemanlab.org/... I don't know whether to say please do or please don't start pitching me news poems (newspoems?)

Bloomberg:

Switzerland announces an advertising ban on Russian outlets Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta, but lets them continue broadcasting— Switzerland will allow four Russian media outlets to continue broadcasting even after they were banned by the European Union.

Variety:

ABC News names Rick Klein, who has been political director since 2013, as VP and Washington, DC bureau chief, succeeding Jonathan Greenberger who left in April— “As a seasoned and highly respected journalist, Rick is uniquely qualified to lead our Washington bureau at such a pivotal moment …

Discussion:

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: ABC News Promotes Rick Klein to Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief

Greta Van Susteren /
@greta: Great choice by @ABC ...@rickklein [image]

Michael Malone /
Next TV: ABC News Names Rick Klein VP and Washington Bureau Chief

Mark Mwachiro /
Adweek: Rick Klein is Named ABC News' New Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief

Caitlin Huston /
The Hollywood Reporter: ABC News Names Rick Klein as Washington Bureau Chief

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Rick Klein Named ABC News' Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief

TechCrunch:

DreamFlare, a studio where creators make videos using third-party AI tools and distribute them through a subscription service, emerges from stealth with $1.6M— A startup called DreamFlare AI is emerging from stealth on Tuesday with the goal of helping content creators make and monetize short-form AI-generated content.

Billboard:

Filing: Hipgnosis shareholders vote to sell the fund to Blackstone for $1.58B, ending a roller coaster year for shareholders and the fund's board— Six years after going public on the London Stock exchange, a majority of Hipgnosis Songs Fund shareholders voted on Monday (July 8) …

Discussion: