The EU tells Meta its "pay or consent" model for Facebook and Instagram may violate consumer protection laws, giving Meta until September 1 to propose changes (Wes Davis/The Verge)

Mediagazer: The EU tells Meta its “pay or consent” model for Facebook and Instagram may violate consumer protection laws, giving Meta until September 1 to propose changes (Wes Davis/The Verge)

Top News:

Sky News:

Source: former UK Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi approached billionaire backers like the Reuben family to prepare a £600M bid for The Daily Telegraph and Spectator— Nadhim Zahawi, who stepped down as an MP at the recent general election, has approached prospective billionaire backers including …
Discussion: The Guardian, The Independent, Reuters, @evandxle and @markkleinmansky

Discussion:

Mark Sweney /
The Guardian: Former Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi ‘seeks backers for £600m Telegraph bid’

Athena Stavrou /
The Independent: Former Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi planning ‘£600m Telegraph takeover bid’

Radhika Anilkumar /
Reuters: Former UK finance minister Zahawi working on 600 mln pound Telegraph bid, Sky News reports

Evan Dale /
@evandxle: Nadhim Zahawi, plots £600m Telegraph bid, Sky News can reveal He stepped down as an MP at the recent general election, and has approached prospective billionaire backers about an offer for the Telegraph and Spectator titles. cc: @MarkKleinmanSky https://news.sky.com/...

Mark Kleinman /
@markkleinmansky: EXCLUSIVE: Nadhim Zahawi, the former Tory chancellor, is sounding out billionaire investors about backing a bid for The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator magazine in a move which could up-end the auction of some of Britain's most influential media assets. https://news.sky.com/...

The Verge:

The EU tells Meta its “pay or consent” model for Facebook and Instagram may violate consumer protection laws, giving Meta until September 1 to propose changes— The European Union says it has notified Meta that its “pay or consent” model for Facebook and Instagram might violate consumer protection laws.

Discussion:
European Commission and Silicon Republic, more at Techmeme »

Press Gazette:

Free London paper City AM says Christian May will return as EIC after four years away, and signs a deal to provide business and financial news to Reach titles— City AM will provide business and financial news for many of Reach's biggest newspaper titles including the Daily Express.

Discussion:

Charlotte Tobitt /
Charlotte Tobitt on LinkedIn: Double bubble big news from City AM this morning as Christian May returns as editor and it signs a major content sharing deal with David Higgerson and co at Reach plc. …

Christian May /
Christian May on LinkedIn: I'm absolutely thrilled to be returning as City A.M.'s Editor at such an exciting time. — https://lnkd.in/...

New York Times:

A Florida judge refuses to dismiss Donald Trump's libel lawsuit against the Pulitzer Board over its 2022 statement reaffirming awards for Russiagate coverage— Donald Trump sued the Pulitzer Prize Board over its 2022 statement reaffirming its decision to award a prize for coverage of the 2016 Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

Discussion:
@jeffjarvis and Politico

Washington Post:

A profile of John Paul Vranesevich, the owner and only full-time reporter for the Beaver Countian who beat the national media on a Donald Trump shooting scoop— The owner of the Beaver Countian is the western Pennsylvania news site's only full-time reporter.

Discussion:
@seungminkim, @weldpond, @cdarwin@c.im, @jackiegardina … and TVNewsCheck

Discussion:

Seung Min Kim /
@seungminkim: Why local news matters: “What they know about me is I was here before the big story happened, and I'll be here after the big story happened.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... @weldpond: I'm sure some of remember John Vraneshevich from AntiOnline, one of the first hacker news sites. How a one-man news site beat the national media on a Trump shooting scoop https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Chuck Darwin /
@cdarwin@c.im: How a one-man news site beat the national media on a Trump shooting scoop — The owner of the Beaver Countian is the western Pennsylvania news site's only full-time reporter. — He says there are reasons why his sources wanted to share certain details with a local journalist. …

Jackie Gardina /
@jackiegardina@awscommunity.social: This is (another reason) why local newspaper and journalist are so important. We have lost so much with the consolidation and corporatization of media. — #media #journalism #democracy — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]

Financial Times:

WPP-owned ad agency Ogilvy unveils Influence Shield, a new service that aims to help clients deal with reputational issues arising from social media influencers— WPP-owned advertising agency claims new product will prevent reputational damage — Ogilvy, the WPP-owned advertising agency …

Discussion:
El País

Discussion:

Bloomberg:

Sources: Apple's Eddy Cue has pushed TV+ studio chiefs to exert more control over budgets, hoping to change Apple's reputation as the biggest spender in town— The iPhone maker is starting to exert more control over its production partners — Netflix extended its lead over fellow streaming services …

Discussion:
Business Insider, The Streamable, The Verge, @lucas_shaw, @carnage4life, BGR, @lucas_shaw, 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Peter Kafka /
Business Insider: Apple quietly admits it's paying too much to run its streaming service

Matt Tamanini /
The Streamable: Apple TV+ Pulling Back Spending Despite Emmy Nomination Success; What Can It Learn From Netflix?

Jess Weatherbed /
The Verge: Apple's original content spending spree might finally be over

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: Apple is paying both Reese Witherspoon & Jennifer Aniston more than $2 million/episode for the upcoming season of Morning Show. It spent more than $20M/episode on the new season of Severance. It spent more than $250 million on Masters of the Air. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Dare Obasanjo /
@carnage4life: The final nail in the coffin for the streaming wars. After spending $20B on shows and movies since the launch of Apple TV+ to generate less views in a month than Netflix does in a day, Apple plans to cut back on TV spending. It was fun while it lasted. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

José Adorno /
BGR: Apple TV+ reportedly has less viewers in a month than Netflix does in a single day

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: A number of people refer to Apple as the ‘new HBO.’ While one could make this case creatively — not my area of expertise — this overlooks that HBO has produced many massive hits. Apple has not. Caveat: It's early. HBO didn't even fund big scripted programs until 20 years in.

Lucas Shaw /
@lucas_shaw: Over the last several years, Apple has spent more than $20B on programs with lots of critical raves but few hits. The company is starting to closely examine its spending, hoping to push back on its reputation in Hollywood. This week's newsletter: https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Benjamin Mayo /
9to5Mac: Apple TV+ attempts to rein in budgets on new projects, as The Morning Show season four spends $50 million on cast alone

Australian Financial Review:

Google has quietly renewed deals with Australian outlets, sources say as year-long deals, worth tens of millions of dollars under the News Media Bargaining Code— Google has been quietly renewing deals worth tens of millions of dollars with Australian publishers under the News Media Bargaining Code …

Discussion:
Mumbrella

Discussion:

Nathan Jolly /
Mumbrella: Google agrees to renew news media deals... for now

International Journalists' Network:

A look at China Fact Check, an independent group of volunteer fact checkers of international news reports for Chinese audiences operating exclusively via WeChat— False information is especially widespread in China due to government censorship, the country's pervasive Great Firewall …

Sky News:

A Russian court sentences Russian-American RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to six and a half years in prison for spreading “false info” about Russian army— Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was convicted for six and a half years in a secret trial, a court spokesperson said.

Discussion:
The Guardian, Voice of America, Reuters, BBC, CNN, @bentavener, @reidstan, @rebecca_vincent, @janlipavsky, @samagreene, @pressgazette, @bbcstever, European Federation …, @hadas_gold and CBS News

Discussion:

Pjotr Sauer /
The Guardian: Russian court jails journalist for six-and-a-half years after secret trial

Robert Greenall /
BBC: Russian-US journalist jailed for ‘false information’

Jennifer Hansler /
CNN: Family of another American journalist held in Russia calls on Biden administration to do more to help

Ben Tavener /
@bentavener: In a statement to the BBC Alsu Kurmasheva's husband Pavel Butorin & his two daughters wrote: “The girls & I know Alsu has done nothing wrong. And the world knows it too. We need her home.”

Reid Standish /
@reidstan: My colleague Alsu Kurmasheva was just sentenced in a secret trial to 6 1/2 years in a Russian prison on baseless charges. DC journalists, her husband @PashaButorin will be in Washington this week and is available to talk. https://x.com/...

Rebecca Vincent /
@rebecca_vincent: Just three days after the outrageous sentencing of Evan Gershkovich, there's been another shameful verdict against an American journalist in Russia. Alsu Kurmasheva should be immediately released - and the US government must up the ante NOW to better support her. #FreeAlsu

Jan Lipavský /
@janlipavsky: Day after day, Russia confirms that basic human rights mean nothing to it. The trial and the sentence of @RFERL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva is a mockery of the law. Czech diplomacy will continue to fight for her release and for justice for other political prisoners. #FreeAlsu

Sam Greene /
@samagreene: The news that a Russian court sentenced Alsu Kurmasheva on the same day as Evan Gershkovich suggests—but does not prove—that the Kremlin is preparing a deal. More likely, they are preparing to offer up a negotiating table that Washington will find it difficult to ignore. /1 @pressgazette: Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor for US govt-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, sentenced to 6.5 yrs in jail in Russia accused of spreading false information- as WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich sentenced to 16 yrs in a penal colony https://www.bbc.com/...

Steve Rosenberg /
@bbcstever: Turns out that last Friday, while we were witnessing one Russian court sentencing Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison, another Russian court (in Kazan) was sentencing US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to 6 ½ years behind bars for allegedly spreading “false information”

Hadas Gold /
@hadas_gold: A Russian court has sentenced Alsu Kurmasheva, a longtime American-Russian journalist for US-backed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), to six and a half years to be served in a general regime colony https://cnn.com/...

The Information:

Reddit COO Jen Wong says the company has revenue sharing deals with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and others to get video and other content, hoping to draw advertisers— Reddit, known for its chat forums on everything from Proust to Wall Street stocks, is going big on sports.

Discussion:
Reuters, Quartz, The Verge, @amir and Cord Cutters News, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Zaheer Kachwala /
Reuters: Reddit partners with NFL, NBA to boost revenue

Laura Bratton /
Quartz: Reddit's big sports move is boosting the stock

Amir Efrati /
@amir: Reddit shares up 5% on sports league content deals reported by @sizpatel https://www.theinformation.com/ ... $rddt [image]

Raymond McCain /
Cord Cutters News: Reddit Partners With NFL, NBA, MLB & More to Offer Highlight Videos on Reddit

The Guardian:

Australian Financial Review Editor-in-Chief Michael Stutchbury plans to step down after 13 years, as AFR owner Nine Entertainment cuts 200 jobs to save $30M— Publication's longest-serving editor calls time amid unrest at Nine Entertainment over job cuts and and latest pay offer

Discussion:
Sydney Morning Herald and Mumbrella

Discussion:

Colin Kruger /
Sydney Morning Herald: Michael Stutchbury retires from AFR, James Chessell appointed editor-in-chief

Lauren McNamara /
Mumbrella: AFR's Michael Stutchbury steps down after 13 years

CNN:

Hunter Biden drops his lawsuit against Fox News over its “mock trial” miniseries about his overseas financial dealings, after filing it last month— Hunter Biden on Sunday abruptly dropped a lawsuit he filed last month against Fox News over the network's fictionalized miniseries …

Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, Deadline, Axios, Variety, Reuters, The Hollywood Reporter, HuffPost and TVNewsCheck

Discussion:

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Hunter Biden drops Fox News lawsuit

Ross O'Keefe /
Washington Examiner: Hunter Biden dismisses lawsuit against Fox News Associated Press: Hunter Biden drops lawsuit against Fox News over use of explicit images in streaming series

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Hunter Biden Ends Fox News Suit Over Mock Trial Series; Could Refile Later - Update

Rebecca Falconer /
Axios: Hunter Biden drops lawsuit against Fox News over miniseries

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Hunter Biden Drops Lawsuit Against Fox News

Alex Weprin /