ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro says the company has suggested to sports leagues that it could help distribute games to specific markets via its streaming products (Brian Steinberg/Variety)

Mediagazer: ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro says the company has suggested to sports leagues that it could help distribute games to specific markets via its streaming products (Brian Steinberg/Variety)

Top News:

The Verge:

ESPN launches a Where to Watch feature on its website and app, which aims to be a universal guide for streaming sports with data from 250+ streaming services— ESPN's newest feature will be a welcome bookmark for sports fans everywhere: the company just launched “Where to Watch,” …
Discussion: Awful Announcing, The Streamable, The Hill, 9to5Mac, @coreypein.bsky.social and What's On Disney Plus, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

David Satin /
The Streamable: ESPN Is Trying to Make It Easier to Find Out Where Games Are Streaming

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: ESPN launching first of its kind ‘Where to Watch’ feature in app

Ryan Christoffel /
9to5Mac: Apple TV tried being a sports hub, but now ESPN's launching a competitor

Roger Palmer /
What's On Disney Plus: ESPN Launches New “Where To Watch” Feature

RELATED:
Variety:

ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro says the company has suggested to sports leagues that it could help distribute games to specific markets via its streaming products— BRISTOL, Conn. — ESPN, best known for its comprehensive portfolio of national sports rights, sees a chance to get into the business …

Discussion:
The Streamable, The Wrap, Deadline, TVNewsCheck, Front Office Sports, The Hollywood Reporter and Media Play News

Discussion:

David Satin /
The Streamable: ESPN Aims to Add Local Rights as ‘Flagship’ Streamer Prepares for 2025 Launch

Kayla Cobb /
The Wrap: ESPN Launches ‘Where to Watch’ on ESPN App and Website to Find Games Anywhere

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: ESPN Launches ‘What To Watch’ Digital Feature To Guide Viewers To Games Across The Dial

Brian Steinberg /
TVNewsCheck: ESPN Will Vie For Local Sports Rights

Eric Fisher /
Front Office Sports: ESPN's Pitaro: RSN Turmoil Is Chance to Expand Local Game Coverage

Caitlin Huston /
The Hollywood Reporter: ESPN Launches New ‘Where to Watch’ Feature Online

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Hub: Sports Fans Open to Live-Streaming Events, Games

Bloomberg:

Sources: Apple lays off ~100 people in its services group, impacting Apple Books, News, and other teams, a rare move as part of a shift in the unit's priorities— - Layoffs will include some workers in Books and News apps — Company is eliminating about 100 positions in Tuesday's move

Discussion:

Laurie Sullivan /
MediaPost: Apple Job Cuts In Digital Services Make Room For Startups

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Apple laying off dozens amid cuts to services division

Jess Weatherbed /
The Verge: Apple is cutting jobs across its Books and News apps

Samuel Axon /
Ars Technica: Apple lays off employees working on Books and News

Mark Gurman /
@markgurman: This marks the third known layoff at Apple this year, following the major cuts after the self driving car and microLED projects were shut down in February.

Melanie Oyler /
Melanie Oyler on LinkedIn: Interesting strategic decision from Apple in minimizing their global media focus on their Books and News apps. …

Mark Gurman /
@markgurman: NEW: Apple is laying off about 100 people in its Services division in a rare move. The cuts impact Apple Books, News and other teams in Eddy Cue's growing division https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Francisco Tolmasky /
@tolmasky@mastodon.social: Asked for comment about gutting the Apple Books department, Tim Cook laughed that “books were for nerds” and then repeatedly asked our correspondent whether he was “going to cry about it”. — https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Miguel de Icaza /
@migueldeicaza.bsky.social: Don't make me regret going to Apple Books over kindle [embedded post]

Zac Hall /
9to5Mac: Gurman: Apple issues fourth known round of layoffs this year with Services job cuts

Sports Business Journal:

Sources: Amazon recently pulled its January 2024 offer to invest $115M in Diamond Sports Group, as the broadcast landscape changed— Amazon recently pulled its eight-month-old offer to infuse Diamond Sports Group with $115M in cash, multiple sources told SBJ, a development that has delayed …

Discussion:

Dan Rayburn /
StreamTV Insider: Rayburn recap: YouTube Sunday Ticket multiview, Disney shutters TVE apps

Daniel Frankel /
Next TV: Amazon Pulls Back From $115 Million Bally Sports Investment

Arthur Weinstein /
Awful Announcing: Amazon reportedly withdraws $115 million offer to Diamond Sports Group

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: Amazon Reportedly Pulls Out of Bally Sports Deal, Will Not Stream NBA Games & Won't Invest $115 Million

Reuters:

The Second US Circuit Court of Appeals grants Sarah Palin a new trial in her defamation suit against the New York Times over a 2017 editorial— Sarah Palin on Wednesday won her bid for a new trial against the New York Times (NYT.N) over an editorial that the former Alaska governor said was defamatory.

Discussion:
New York Times, Mediaite, Reason, Deadline and Reuters

Discussion:

Eugene Volokh /
Reason: Sarah Palin Gets New Trial in Libel Lawsuit Against N.Y. Times

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Appeals Court Revives Sarah Palin's Defamation Lawsuit Against The New York Times

Lydia Moynihan /
Reuters: Sarah Palin scores victory with new trial in NY Times defamation case

Press Gazette:

The Daily Telegraph's annual statement shows it had the most UK Editors' Code breaches upheld by IPSO in 2023; IPSO had 8K complaints in 2023 vs. 36K in 2022— The Daily Telegraph had the most breaches of the Editors' Code upheld by IPSO in 2023, its annual statement to the regulator shows.

Axios:

Gallery Media Group CEO Ryan Harwood says GMG, which owns PureWow and 50+ lifestyle brands primarily on social media, aims to end 2024 with $50M in revenue— - Its executives credit cautious spending, smart owners and a relentless focus on their consumers.

Discussion:
Ryan Harwood on LinkedIn

The Information:

Memo: TikTok Global Head of Content Nicole Iacopetti plans to leave on September 6, after joining in 2020 from Disney; she helped shape TikTok's news strategy— It's been a tumultuous year for TikTok employees, between a looming potential ban of the app in the U.S. to its first widespread layoffs earlier this year.

TechCrunch:

VerSe Innovation, the parent of Indian news aggregator Dailyhunt, buys digital marketing agency Valueleaf for an undisclosed sum in a cash and equity deal— VerSe Innovation, India's content tech unicorn that owns local language news aggregator Dailyhunt, digital newsstand platform Magzter …

Discussion:
Entrackr

Discussion:

Kunal Manchanada /
Entrackr: Dailyhunt-parent VerSe acquires digital marketing firm Valueleaf

Axios:

Snap launches new safety tools and resources for US educators, and says Snapchat has 20M+ US teen users; Pew says 51% of US teens used Snapchat daily in 2023— - Snapchat was the third most used app among teens in a 2023 Pew study, behind YouTube and Instagram.

Discussion:
TechCrunch, Snapchat, Engadget and Christopher Rinkus on LinkedIn

Discussion:

Bloomberg:

Russians, from Kremlin officials to Putin's harshest critics, see Telegram as a source of both uncensored info, including on Ukraine, and problematic content— - Many Russians view Telegram as source of uncensored content — Opposition, government united in outrage over Durov's arrest

Discussion:
Al Jazeera and New York Post

Reuters:

India's antitrust body clears the $8.5B Reliance-Disney merger, a source says after getting commitments over not raising ad rates on cricket streaming and more— Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and Reliance Industries (RELI.NS) have won approval for an $8.5 billion merger of their Indian media assets subject …

Discussion:
Financial Times, Deadline, Aditya Kalra on LinkedIn, Variety, @adityakalra, What's On Disney Plus and Bloomberg

Discussion:

Jesse Whittock /
Deadline: Disney India-Reliance Merger Gets Go-Ahead From Antitrust Watchdog

Aditya Kalra /
Aditya Kalra on LinkedIn: India antitrust body clears Reliance-Disney $8.5 billion media assets merger — Approval after scrutiny over cricket rights; source says clearance after commitment on ad rates on cricket streaming. …

Aditya Kalra /
@adityakalra: India antitrust body says it has cleared Reliance-Disney $8.5 billion media merger after scrutiny over cricket rights; source says commitment given on ad rates on cricket streaming & that they won't bundle and sell ad slots for different tournaments https://www.reuters.com/...

Roger Palmer /