Fake AI albums targeting real artists are flooding Spotify to profit from royalty fraud, abusing a distribution process effectively based on the honor system (Elizabeth Lopatto/The Verge)
Mediagazer: Fake AI albums targeting real artists are flooding Spotify to profit from royalty fraud, abusing a distribution process effectively based on the honor system (Elizabeth Lopatto/The Verge)
Top News:
New York Times:
The Onion, backed by some Sandy Hook families and Everytown for Gun Safety, buys Infowars in a bankruptcy auction, and plans a January 2025 relaunch as a parody— The satirical news site planned to turn Infowars into a parody of itself, mocking “weird internet personalities” who peddle conspiracy theories and health supplements.
Discussion: The Onion, Washington Post, Associated Press, NPR, Inside Radio, @maxwelltani, @bencollins.bsky.social, @oneunderscore__, NBC News, @bencollins.bsky.social, San Francisco Chronicle, CNN, FOX 35 Orlando, PCMag, @oneunderscore__, Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, @zimbalist, @semaforben, To the Contrary, @hadas_gold, @jamesrbuk, David Wyatt on LinkedIn, TMZ.com, Cele|bitchy, @colbyhall, Laurel Pinson on LinkedIn, @benmullin, Raw Story, @sherman4949, @jamesrbuk, Houston Public Media, The Information, Fortune, Mashable, @BalooUriza@social.tulsa.ok.us, Block Club Chicago, @carkner@historians.social, The Present Age, Inc.com, Lawyers, Guns & Money, @oneunderscore__, @daithaigilbert, The Barbed Wire, @pkafka, Nieman Lab, Le Monde, Newser, @FuckElon@mastodon.social, Alternet.org, @johnlogic@sfba.social, @cyberlyra@hachyderm.io, @RPBook@historians.social, The Ankler, @brianstelter, @everytown@threads.net, New Republic, Hollywood Life, Haojun S. on LinkedIn, @claireatki, Paula Maki on LinkedIn, @sherman4949, @bruno_j_navarro …, Engadget, Above the Law, Capital Brief, Perez Hilton, The Daily Caller, OMG.BLOG, @Av8rdan@squawk …, Al Jazeera, @willguyatt, @pbump, Fast Company, @brianstelter, @lisagetspolitik@union.place, @beecycling@romancelandia.club, @chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca, New York Magazine, @rufflejax@dice.camp, @MicheleV_AK@sfba.social, @theonion, Fox Business, UPI, AV Club, Digby's Hullabaloo, Benzinga, Plain Dealer, I guess this is a …, Laura Seaton on LinkedIn, One America News Network, Mediaite, Breitbart, @yonetteajoseph@threads.net, Politico, @mick@cosocial.ca, @xtaldave@xtaldave.net, Mother Jones, Financial Times, Esquire, The Verge, Washington Examiner, RedState, USA Today, The Hill, The Guardian, 6abc, ZeroHedge News, The Desk, @laurenthomanwrites …, Business Insider, The Hollywood Reporter, Axios, @bencollins.bsky.social, TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, Twin Cities, @web_martin@mastodon.social, The Gateway Pundit, @vwampage@xoxo.zone, Variety, @bencollins.bsky.social, Status, Rolling Stone, Law & Crime, Just Jared, CBS News, Barrett Media, New York Post, RTÉ, Boing Boing, Deadline, HuffPost, Not the Bee, Consequence, New York Daily News, The National Pulse, Daring Fireball, Forbes, Press Herald, Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, WHEC.com, Austin American-Statesman and UnHerd
Discussion:
Dave Collins /
Associated Press: Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with Sandy Hook families' backing
Tovia Smith /
NPR: The Onion wins auction for Alex Jones' media company
Daniel Anstandig /
Inside Radio: No Joke: ‘The Onion’ Purchases Infowars Assets.
Tim Onion /
@bencollins.bsky.social: Also, part of the reason we did bought InfoWars is because people on Bluesky told us it would be funny to buy InfoWars. And those people were right. This is the funniest thing that has ever happened.
Tim Onion /
@bencollins.bsky.social: I would like to reiterate: We own everything. The broadcasting equipment, the supplements, the intellectual property for Brain Force Plus. We are still trying to figure out what to do with it.
St. John Barned-Smith /
San Francisco Chronicle: Who is S.F. tech exec Jeff Lawson, owner of the Onion and now Infowars?
Hadas Gold /
CNN: The Onion wins bidding for InfoWars assets
Fox Tv /
FOX 35 Orlando: The Onion acquires Alex Jones' Infowars with support from Sandy Hook families
Emily Dreibelbis Forlini /
PCMag: The Onion Wins Infowars Auction, Will Turn Misinformation Hub Into Parody Site @oneunderscore__: Hello! The Onion, with the help of the Sandy Hook families, has purchased InfoWars. We're planning on making a very stupid website. We've retained some Onion and Clickhole Hall of Famers to pull it off. I can't wait to show you what we cooked up. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Michael Zimbalist /
@zimbalist: This is a great outcome!
Charlie Sykes /
To the Contrary: They Broke it. They Bought It. — “Are you shitting me? No.” Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) …
Hadas Gold /
@hadas_gold: BREAKING: THE ONION backed by some of the Sandy Hook families and in a special deal with Everytown for Gun Safety has acquired INFOWARS story coming
James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: The absolute best bit The Onion could do with this would be to continue the output entirely unchanged, but with a tiny satire tag somewhere.
David Wyatt /
David Wyatt on LinkedIn: A master stroke. — Via the The New York Times: “The Onion, a satirical publication that skewers newsmakers and current events …
Colby Hall /
@colbyhall: Public Service Announcement: Bryce P. Tetraender, CEO of The Onion's so-called parent company, Global Tetrahendra, is not real. People are missing the intended satire of a story rooted in the massacre of 21 innocent lives, many of whom were 6 years old. Enormous fail by
Laurel Pinson /
Laurel Pinson on LinkedIn: Wow, this is absolutely brilliant. — {slow clap} — Talk about shifting the narrative! Genius-tier acquisition from the Onion team 👏 …
Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: scoop: in an insane twist, The Onion has acquired Infowars in a bankruptcy auction. They're planning to relaunch the site next year with a new sponsor: Everytown for Gun Safety https://www.nytimes.com/...
Matthew Chapman /
Raw Story: ‘Karmic Justice’: The Onion's owner takes victory lap after acquiring Infowars
Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: Not The Onion. Wait, Yes The Onion.
James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: I'm deeply worried that buying the Infowars brand will damage The Onion's commitment to in-depth, fact-checked reported journalism.
Andrew Weber /
Houston Public Media: The Onion buys Infowars at Alex Jones' bankruptcy auction. No, seriously.
Tim Marcin /
Mashable: Yes, The Onion really bought Alex Jones' InfoWars @BalooUriza@social.tulsa.ok.us: This honestly couldn't have had a better buyer. — https://apnews.com/... #NotTheOnion #TheOnion #AlexJones #InfoWars #FuckAroundFindOut
Clint Worthington /
Block Club Chicago: The Onion Buys Alex Jones' InfoWars As ‘A Hilarious Joke’
Daniel Carkner /
@carkner@historians.social: They knew we needed a smile this week😏 — https://apnews.com/... #infowars #TheOnion
Parker Molloy /
The Present Age: The Onion Now Owns Infowars, Because Reality's Ridiculousness Finally Outpaced Satire
Bruce Crumley /
Inc.com: Not a Joke: The Onion Buys Up Alex Jones's Infowars Site
Scott Lemieux /
Lawyers, Guns & Money: Actually the Onion — We will return to the decline and fall of the American republic shortly …
David Gilbert /
@daithaigilbert: Congrats to @oneunderscore__ on buying Alex Jones' InfoWars. Looking forward to seeing what supplements they are going to be selling.... [image]
Jeff Rotkoff /
The Barbed Wire: We're Fucking Delighted The Onion Bought Infowars
Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Oliver Darcy: “The Onion has successfully acquired Infowars. The satirical news outlet purchased Alex Jones' right-wing conspiracy empire at a court-ordered auction.” https://www.status.news/...
Joshua Benton /
Nieman Lab: The Onion adds a new layer, buying Alex Jones' Infowars and turning it into a parody of itself Le Monde: Satirical US site The Onion buys Infowars with the backing of Sandy Hook victims' families
Polly Davis Doig /
Newser: The Onion Just Bought Alex Jones' Infowars @FuckElon@mastodon.social: It is official. We are in a fucking simulation, ran by The Onion. — https://apnews.com/... #politics #news #AlexJones #InfoWars #WTF #GunControl
Carl Gibson /
Alternet.org: How Sandy Hook families got the last laugh in legal battle with Alex Jones
John Carlsen /
@johnlogic@sfba.social: “Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families” — By DAVE COLLINS — Updated 6:34 AM PST, November 14, 2024 — https://apnews.com/... #AlexJones owned by #TheOnion and #SandyHook families
Janet Vertesi /
@cyberlyra@hachyderm.io: As in many other totalitarian states through history and today, The Onion is stepping in to be a bastion of relaying underlying truths in an oligarch-controlled media sphere, wielding elliptical commentary, satire and absurdities that shine light on the outrageous and distortionary tactics of the mirror world. …
Russell Phillips /
@RPBook@historians.social: I'm really not sure that we deserve #TheOnion, but by the gods, I love them. — https://apnews.com/... #AlexJones #Infowars
Sean McNulty /
The Ankler: ☀️DISNEY Price Hikes, Movies Save Linear TV Melt
Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Quoting the press release: “The Onion's goal with the acquisition is to end Infowars' relentless barrage of disinformation for the sake of selling supplements and replace it with The Onion's relentless barrage of humor for good.”
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling /
New Republic: Alex Jones Is Having a Total Meltdown Over The Onion Buying Infowars
Elisabeth McGowan /
Hollywood Life: Alex Jones' Net Worth: How Much Money the ‘Infowars’ Creator Has Now
Haojun S. /
Haojun S. on LinkedIn: Owner of The Onion now owns InfoWars. Brilliant! — Here's his menacingly hilarious statement on why they did it. …
Claire Atkinson /
@claireatki: The best revenge! Congrats Ben. [image]
Paula Maki /
Paula Maki on LinkedIn: Welcome to the neo-misinformation era. Information so fake it's true. Check mate 🧅
Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: For those asking, yes, I had this on my 2024 Bingo Card.
Bruno J. Navarro /
@bruno_j_navarro@mastodon.social: The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones's Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than $1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax. — https://apnews.com/...
Will Shanklin /
Engadget: In an outcome beyond parody, The Onion has bought Infowars
Liz Dye /
Above the Law: The Onion Peels Infowars
Nicole Silverio /
The Daily Caller: ‘The Onion’ Buys Alex Jones' Infowars Network
Igor /
OMG.BLOG: OMG, The Onion buys InfoWars @Av8rdan@squawk.mytransponder.com: I mean really, who could even make this stuff up? — This apparently is not satire: — Via AP: — “Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families” — I cannot wrap my head around this so early in my day without sufficient coffee. …
Will Guyatt /
@willguyatt: What a satisfying end to a terrible website.
Philip Bump /
@pbump: Absolutely legendary. https://x.com/...
Joe Berkowitz /
Fast Company: ‘The Onion’ buys Alex Jones's ‘Infowars’—and it's already having fun with the purchase
Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: CNN's @Hadas_Gold was the first to report that The Onion was in the mix as a potential bidder for Infowars. Here's her full story about this 🤯 outcome https://www.cnn.com/... @lisagetspolitik@union.place: This brings me joy. — More of this, please. — #Satire — #TheOnion — #USPol — https://apnews.com/... @beecycling@romancelandia.club: In hilarious news, The Onion has bought Infowars and all its assets in the bankruptcy sale of Alex Jones' assets to pay off his $1 billion fines. This includes the website, the social media accounts, a studio, all its trademarks, and its video archive. …
Chris Alemany /
@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca: A glimmer of hope and justice in the darkness. I hope the parents of the murdered children of Sandy Hook feel some well deserved satisfaction after being forced to fight with this ghoul and his acolytes for so long. — #alexjones #infowars #sandyhook #altright #hate — https://apnews.com/... @rufflejax@dice.camp: screaming crying throwing up — THERE IS SOME JUSTICE IN THE WORLD AND IT NECESSARILY COMES WITH A SENSE OF EMPATHY AND HUMOR — https://apnews.com/... @MicheleV_AK@sfba.social: For some utterly pleasant news, The Onion was the top bidder and bought Infowars. I LOVE IT!! #GoodNews — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... @theonion: Via our parent company @GlobTetrahedron CEO @BryceTetraeder: https://theonion.com/... [image]
Doug Cunningham /
UPI: Satire publication The Onion wins Alex Jones' Infowars in bankruptcy auction
Tom Sullivan /
Digby's Hullabaloo: Onionized — Alex Jones found out — NBC News: — The Onion, the satirical news company …
Anthony Noto /
Benzinga: Joke's On Jones: Onion, Backed By Families Of Sandy Hook Victims, Buys Info Wars I guess this is a political blog now: The Onion has won the bid for Infowars' assets | CNN Business — Finally, some good fucking news! …
Laura Seaton /
Laura Seaton on LinkedIn: 🚨This is NOT a joke. The Onion buys Infowars out of bankruptcy. — Really looking forward to seeing what the champion of satire does with the platform. …
James Meyers /
One America News Network: The Onion Purchases Infowars At Auction With Support From Sandy Hook Families
Sarah Rumpf /
Mediaite: JUST IN: The Onion Acquires Infowars from Alex Jones in Court-Ordered Auction
Simon Kent /
Breitbart: The Onion Buys Alex Jones' Infowars at Auction with Backing from Sandy Hook Families
Yonette Joseph /
@yonetteajoseph@threads.net: The Onion said that the bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who in 2022 won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Alex Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems. …
Irie Sentner /
Politico: Bad day for Alex Jones as The Onion buys Infowars
Mick /
@mick@cosocial.ca: “Through it all, InfoWars has shown an unswerving commitment to manufacturing anger and radicalizing the most vulnerable members of society—values that resonate deeply with all of us at Global Tetrahedron.” — #TheOnion #NotTheOnion — https://theonion.com/... @xtaldave@xtaldave.net: Amazing. — Satire slinger The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families. — Apparently it is going to become a pro gun safety spoof of it's former self. — #TheOnion #Infowars — https://apnews.com/...
Daniel Thomas /
Financial Times: The Onion to acquire InfoWars from bankruptcy
Charles P. Pierce /
Esquire: Congrats To ‘The Onion’, Which Bought Vile Misinformation Site ‘Infowars’ Out Of Bankruptcy
Emma Roth /
The Verge: The Onion just bought Infowars
Teri Christoph /
RedState: WHOA: The Onion, Aided by Sandy Hook Parents, Has Bought Infowars; Alex Jones Reacts
Jeanine Santucci /
USA Today: Satire publication The Onion acquires Alex Jones' Infowars at auction
Lauren Irwin /
The Hill: The Onion buys Alex Jones's Infowars at auction
Anna Betts /
The Guardian: The Onion buys conspiracy theory site Infowars with plans to make it ‘very funny, very stupid’
Aaron Katersky /
6abc: Satire news site The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families
Lauren Thoman /
@laurenthomanwrites@threads.net: Okay so I know @theonion said they're going to shutter Infowars and turn it into a humor site but WHAT IF they just kept the branding exactly the same but just started putting out actual real news instead of misinformation and conspiracy theories so that Infowars fans who didn't realize the change had happened would accidentally start hearing some actual facts?
Grace Eliza Goodwin /
Business Insider: The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars — and that's not a joke
Caitlin Huston /
The Hollywood Reporter: The Onion Buys Alex Jones' Infowars With Plans to Make It a “Cosmic Joke”
Tim Baysinger /
Axios: The Onion acquires Alex Jones' Infowars
Tim Onion /
@bencollins.bsky.social: I am hearing word that Alex Jones, in true Alex Jones fashion, is reading the press release from our fictitious CEO as fact.
Dave Collins /
Twin Cities: Satire slinger The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families
Martin Weber /
@web_martin@mastodon.social: Congrats. What a stunt. (Free to read) #theonion https://www.nytimes.com/...
Cassandra MacDonald /
The Gateway Pundit: BREAKING: The Onion Purchases InfoWars at Auction, Plans to Turn it Into Satirical Version of Iconic Brand
Todd Spangler /
Variety: The Onion Buys Infowars in Bankruptcy Auction
Tim Onion /
@bencollins.bsky.social: You better fucking subscribe to The Onion. This is the kind of thing we will do with your money. — It allowed us to buy InfoWars. Now help us staff it. — membership.theonion.com
Tim Onion /
@bencollins.bsky.social: Hi everyone. — The Onion, with the help of the Sandy Hook families, has purchased InfoWars. — We are planning on making it a very funny, very stupid website. — We have retained the services of some Onion and Clickhole Hall of Famers to pull this off. — I can't wait to show you what we have cooked up.
Oliver Darcy /
Status: Not Satire: The Onion acquires Infowars
Nikki McCann Ramirez /
Rolling Stone: The Onion Just Bought Infowars — and Alex Jones Is Pissed
Jerry Lambe /
Law & Crime: Alex Jones promises ‘injunctions’ after The Onion wins auction to buy Infowars with help of Sandy Hook families Just Jared: The Onion Picks Up Alex Jones' Bankrupt Infowars, Reveals Plans to Relaunch Site With New Vision
Aimee Picchi /
CBS News: The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at bankruptcy auction
Rob Beschizza /
Boing Boing: The Onion nabs Infowars in bankruptcy auction, plans to make it ‘very funny, very stupid’
Muri Assunção /
New York Daily News: The Onion wins Alex Jones' Infowars auction, backed by Sandy Hook victims
Jack Montgomery /
The National Pulse: Satire Site The Onion Purchases Alex Jones's Infowars.
Dave Collins /
Press Herald: The Onion, Sandy Hook families team up to win Alex Jones' Infowars at auction WHEC.com: Bankruptcy judge orders hearing on Infowars sale to satirical site The Onion after Alex Jones challenges auction
Karoline Leonard /
Austin American-Statesman: Alex Jones' Infowars to be auctioned Wednesday. One bid is in the ‘seven-figure range’
Oliver Bateman /
UnHerd: Infowars auction won't be the end of Alex Jones
The Desk:
Disney said Disney+ Q4 ARPU in the US and Canada, down 1% QoQ to $7.70, was affected partly by new wholesale arrangements with some distributors— The Walt Disney Company's recent distribution agreements with Charter Communications and DirecTV impacted a key metric that analysts …
Discussion:
The Verge, The Streamable, StreamTV Insider and Cord Cutters News
Discussion:
Daniel Frankel /
StreamTV Insider: Disney DTC streaming income surges to $321M
Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: Disney+ Sees Ad Revenue Jump 14% Helping Drive Profitability at Disney
RELATED:
Variety:
Disney plans to add an ESPN “tile” to Disney+ for US subscribers on December 4, giving users access to some free ESPN content
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, AdExchanger, @sherman4949, Tv Technology, Deadline and Barrett Media
Discussion:
Victoria McNally /
AdExchanger: ESPN+ Content Is Coming To Disney+ This Winter
Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: ESPN “Flagship” direct-to-consumer will be “in my opinion the best product the consumer has ever seen in sports,” Disney CEO Bob Iger says on earnings conference call.
George Winslow /
Tv Technology: Disney+ to Add ESPN Content Dec. 4
Deadline:
Disney investor call: Bob Iger says 60% of all new Disney+ subscribers are for the ad tier, and in a hot-mic moment wonders if he should have said the detail
Discussion:
Observer, Adweek, Rameez Tase on LinkedIn, The Wrap, IndieWire, Marketplace and Tubefilter
Discussion:
Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly /
Observer: Disney's Streaming Business Finally Finds Its Rhythm
Saleah Blancaflor /
Adweek: Disney CEO Might've Mistakenly Revealed Ad-Supported Subscriber Numbers
Rameez Tase /
Rameez Tase on LinkedIn: In a ‘hot mic’ moment during Disney earnings, Bob Iger revealed Disney+ has 37% ad supported plan US subscribers. — Bob said 37%. — Antenna came in at 35%. …
Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Bob Iger Has Hot Mic Moment on Disney Earnings Call After Accidentally Revealing Ad-Tier Streaming Numbers
Tony Maglio /
IndieWire: Bob Iger Accidentally Reveals Disney's Ad-Supported Streaming Subscriber Numbers
The Hollywood Reporter:
Disney expects to spend $24B on content in 2025, up from $23.4B in 2024, due to sports programming expenses rising after NFL rate increases and NBA contracts— Rate hikes at the NFL and NBA may mean that sports drive the slight spending increase, with the company reporting $23.4 billion for this past year.
Discussion:
@philthepill.bsky.social
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal: Disney reports Q4 revenue up 6% YoY to $22.6B, TV network revenue down 6% YoY to $2.5B, and a $321M DTC streaming profit, up from a $387M loss in Q4 2023
Discussion:
The Walt Disney Company: THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR EARNINGS FOR FISCAL 2024
Jessica Toonkel /
@jtoonkel: Disney is the latest company to report streamig profit, growth this quarter....seems like it's not such a terrible business after all https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ
Dewayne Bevil /
Orlando Sentinel: Disney present quarterly earnings gains, optimism about theme parks
Jon Houke /
RetailWire: Disney Reports Strong Q4 2024 Earnings as Streaming Services Remain Profitable @thetranscript_: Disney CEO: “In Q4 we saw one of the best quarters in the history of our film studio, improved profitability in our streaming businesses, a record-breaking 60 Emmy Awards for the company, the continued power of live sports...” $DIS: +2.4% Pre-Market [image]
Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Disney CEO Bob Iger, responding to earnings q about M&A in Trump 2.0: “we've already consolidated... we don't really need more assets right now.”
Sam Gillmer /
Sam Gillmer on LinkedIn: This was always the game with streaming. Netflix had the lead, but there was space for 1-2 other top tier options. …
Dylan Jones /
Dylan Jones on LinkedIn: Wouldn't be unsurprising to see chatter accelerating about a possible spin out the cable networks from The Walt Disney Company after this latest earnings announcement. …
Thomas Buckley /
Bloomberg: Disney Profit Beats Expectations as Movies, Streaming Post Gains
Samantha Masunaga /
Los Angeles Times: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and ‘Inside Out 2’ propel Disney studio earnings
Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Disney Swings to Streaming Profit of $321 Million in Q4, $134 Million for 2024
Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Streaming and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Power Disney Fiscal Q4 Earnings
Variety:
In Q4, Disney added 4.4M Disney+ Core paid subscribers, reaching 120M in total, Disney+ Hotstar subscribers rose 1% YoY to 35.9M, and Hulu subscribers hit 52M
Discussion:
IndieWire and Advanced Television
Discussion:
Tony Maglio /
IndieWire: Disney Had a Much Better Summer Than Spring
TechCrunch:
Reliance and Disney complete their $8.5B Indian media merger, creating India's largest media group with $3.1B in annual revenue and 50M+ streaming subscribers
Discussion:
Times of India, Financial Times, Reuters, Deadline, The Wrap, Hindustan Times, The Hollywood Reporter and YourStory.com
Discussion:
Times of India: Reliance Industries, Walt Disney completes merger to create Rs 70,352 crore joint venture
Chris Kay /
Financial Times: Disney-Reliance Indian media giant says TV ‘is not dead’ following $8.5bn merger
Jesse Whittock /
Deadline: Bob Iger Says Disney EMEA & APAC Content Investments “Slowing” But Will Continue On “Selective” Basis: “We're Being Careful Until We Get The Technology Right”
Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Disney, Reliance Industries Close $8.5 Billion Merger of Star India and Viacom18
Georg Szalai /
The Hollywood Reporter: Disney, Reliance Close Mega-Deal to Form Indian Entertainment Powerhouse
New York Times:
In its Q4 report, Disney, which rarely offers guidance, shares growth expectations to 2027, including a ~$700M operating profit in DTC streaming in 2025
Discussion:
The Information, Orange County Register, @brianstelter, Benzinga, WHEC.com, Yahoo Finance, Financial Times, Reuters and WORLD SCREEN, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: NYT's @brooksbarnesNYT: “Disney Paints a Rosy Picture for Coming Years” “The company, which does not typically release guidance to investors, said that profit would jump over the next three years” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Anusuya Lahiri /
Benzinga: Disney Q4 Earnings: Revenue And Profit Beat, Best Film Studio Performance, 3-Year Outlook And More
WHEC.com:
Disney Q4 bolstered by strong results from streaming, ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
Alexandra Canal /
Yahoo Finance: Disney posts earnings beat as streaming profit tops estimates
Christopher Grimes /
Financial Times: Disney boosted by ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Inside Out 2’
Mansha Daswani /
WORLD SCREEN: Q4 Revenue Boost For Disney
Voice of America:
Reporters Without Borders sues X in France for “complicity in disseminating false information”, after X failed to block a fake video with RSF's logo— The press freedom group Reporters Without Borders on Thursday announced that it is suing the social media company X, accusing it of spreading disinformation.
Discussion:
@shayne.bsky.social, @digiphile.bsky.social and Al Jazeera
Discussion:
Alexander Howard /
@digiphile.bsky.social: After discovering it was targeted by a disinformation campaign, REPORTERS SANS FRONTIÈRES flagged accounts responsible. X did not remove posts. Now, RSF is suing X in France “for its complicity in disseminating false information, misrepresentation and identity theft.” rsf.org/en/rsf-press...
The Verge:
Fake AI albums targeting real artists are flooding Spotify to profit from royalty fraud, abusing a distribution process effectively based on the honor system— How fake music targets real artists. … I first noticed something weird when a HEALTH album dropped on my Spotify new release radar.
Discussion:
@jzellis, @js@podcastindex.social, @waxy@xoxo.zone and Spotify, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Josh Ellis /
@jzellis: Gupta Music and Ameritz Music are flooding Spotify with fake AI records under real band names to scam royalties. As if musicians weren't scammed enough by their labels and the streaming services to begin with. https://www.theverge.com/...
John Spurlock /
@js@podcastindex.social: '"There's all these mechanisms around assuming this stuff is correct," he says. But right now, those mechanisms are broken — and people who truly care, like artists themselves, don't have their hands on the controls.' — https://www.theverge.com/... @waxy@xoxo.zone: Fake AI albums on Spotify are damaging real artists: Elizabeth Lopatto investigates streaming music distributors profiting off royalty fraud by not policing bad metadata https://www.theverge.com/...
Deadline:
Small to mid-sized US unscripted producers like Lucky 8 are looking overseas to find new business and co-producers as the US market contraction hits budgets— Last month at MIPCOM, many regulars at the Cannes TV market noticed more American accents on the Croisette than usual.
Columbia Journalism Review:
Just before the election, a Trump lawyer demanded $10B in damages from the NYT and Penguin Random House, part of a flurry of Trump's legal threats to media— Legal letter follows complaints aimed at CBS News, the Washington Post, and the Daily Beast. — The letter, addressed to lawyers …
Discussion:
@lachcartwright
Discussion:
Lachlan Cartwright /
@lachcartwright: Days before the presidential election, a lawyer for Donald Trump sent a letter to the New York Times and Penguin Random House demanding $10b in damages over critical articles. “It really has a mental chilling effect to be under a microscope like that.” https://www.cjr.org/...
The Hollywood Reporter:
YouTube: 45M+ people in the US watched election content on November 5; top livestreams were from Fox News, NBC News, LiveNOW, ABC News, and the PBD Podcast— The Google-owned video platform released data Thursday indicating that tens of millions of Americans decided to watch their election returns there.
Discussion:
@youtubeinsider, @alexweprin, @youtubeinsider, Fox News, TVNewsCheck, Business Insider and Forbes
Discussion:
@youtubeinsider: NEW: The biggest U.S.-based live stream on Election Night was Fox News's coverage of President Trump's speech, with over 1 million peak concurrent viewers - followed by live streams from NBC News, ABC News, and the PBD Podcast.
Alex Weprin /
@alexweprin: I have data from YouTube from election night: More than 45 million Americans watched election returns on YouTube, suggesting a major shift in media consumption habits: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...
@youtubeinsider:
NEW: In the 2 weeks before the election, the most viewed election-related videos were: - Joe Rogan's interviews w/ Trump & Vance - Dylan Anderson's Short of Trump at McDonald's - SNL's Cold Open w/ Harris - Jubilee's Surrounded episode “1 Republican vs. 25 Kamala Harris voters”
Alex Weprin /
TVNewsCheck: Where Did Election Night TV Viewers Disappear To? New Data Suggests They Flocked To YouTube
Peter Kafka /
Business Insider: Let's call it the YouTube election
Brad Adgate /
Forbes: Some Viewers Abandon Television Networks On Election Day
The Verge:
TikTok adds Getty Images to its AI ad creation tool, Symphony Creative Studio, which lets advertisers use the images to make videos, create AI avatars, and more— TikTok will let advertisers pull in content from Getty Images when using the platform's AI ad creation tool.
Discussion:
Reuters and TikTok For Business, more at Techmeme »
UnHerd:
Scientific American EIC Laura Helmuth is stepping down, following criticism for her social media posts suggesting Trump voters were racist, sexist, and fascist— The embattled Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American is leaving her role after her anti-Trump social media posts gained national attention.
Discussion:
Washington Post, KFOX-TV, @laurahelmuth.bsky.social, @marynmck.bsky.social, @starrevartan.bsky.social, @asherelbein.bsky.social, @laurahelmuth.bsky.social, @profphoebe.bsky.social, @alexwild.bsky.social, Daily Mail, @janehu.bsky.social, @erinbiba.bsky.social, @andreapitzer.bsky.social, @pardoguerra.bsky.social, @leahshaffer.bsky.social, @ee1ss1.bsky.social, @irishwriterme.bsky.social, @evanurquhart.bsky.social, @sarahmyhre.bsky.social, @sethfletcher.bsky.social, @salvagni.org, @leebillings.bsky.social, @shannonstirone.bsky.social, @rockdocgeoarch.bsky.social, @robinjp.bsky.social, @drmariannet.bsky.social, @self.agency, @danfagin.bsky.social, @jimdaleywrites.bsky.social, @erinbiba.bsky.social, The Post Millennial, @jetjocko.bsky.social, @philplait.bsky.social, @deborahb.bsky.social, @sciraven.bsky.social and @sanjanacurtis.bsky.social
Discussion:
Herb Scribner /
Washington Post: Scientific American editor steps down after election comments draw backlash
Ray Lewis /
KFOX-TV: Scientific American editor-in-chief leaves magazine after ‘offensive’ election night posts
Laura Helmuth /
@laurahelmuth.bsky.social: I've decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor in chief. I'm going to take some time to think about what comes next (and go birdwatching), but for now I'd like to share a very small sample of the work I've been so proud to support (thread)
Maryn McKenna /
@marynmck.bsky.social: Every story linked in this thread demonstrates the ways in which Laura has been a creative, inspiring, genius EIC. The news that she is leaving is crushing. [embedded post]
Starre Vartan /
@starrevartan.bsky.social: VERY sorry to hear this! Such an incredible (and responsive, compassionate, brilliant) editor you are Laura. Thank you, thank you, it's been awesome working with you and hopefully will get to do so again. [embedded post]
Asher Elbein /
@asherelbein.bsky.social: This is a real loss for Scientific American, and I hope it will be a tremendous gain for whenever Laura ends up next. [embedded post]
Laura Helmuth /
@laurahelmuth.bsky.social: Things get better through long-term thinking, investments in research, wide and welcoming collaborations, honest education, mentorship and sponsorship, not catastrophizing failure, justice, hope, and solidarity. xoxoxo www.scientificamerican.com/article/ appl... (13/13)
Phoebe Lostroh /
@profphoebe.bsky.social: This resignation is a tremendous loss to science and I write to say THANK YOU to @laurahelmuth.bsky.social for your courageous leadership in anti-science times. [embedded post]
Alex Wild /
@alexwild.bsky.social: Context: Elon Musk dislikes Scientific American's editorial perspectives on social and climate justice, and has been fanning a targetted harassment campaign this week in an effort to silence the magazine. — It appears to have worked. [embedded post]
Brittany Chain /
Daily Mail: Instant justice for foul-mouthed anti-Trump editor of America's oldest magazine - as it releases shock update
Jane C. Hu /
@janehu.bsky.social: @laurahelmuth.bsky.social's work at SciAm elevated an already great magazine to an even higher level, and her leadership in science journalism has pushed our field to be better, smarter, and more generous. looking forward to seeing her make magic elsewhere after a much-deserved rest. [embedded post]
Erin Biba /
@erinbiba.bsky.social: This is absolutely devastating I don't even know where to begin. [embedded post]
Andrea Pitzer /
@andreapitzer.bsky.social: Hi Laura! Your standards for what science reporting should be have long been an inspiration to me. And when writing for you—whether at SciAm, WaPo, or Slate—I've always been grateful for your edits. Looking forward to seeing what you'll do next.
Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra /
@pardoguerra.bsky.social: Thank you for your impeccable, professional work! [embedded post]
Leah Shaffer /
@leahshaffer.bsky.social: Laura is a treasure of a science journalism and this thread is packed with wonderful stories that will make you very curious. (there is strength and hope in curiosity). 🧪 [embedded post] @ee1ss1.bsky.social: Thank you for the excellent articles re COVID-19!! I can't tell you how many times I cited SciAm as I advocate for cleaner air or linked SciAm articles on Facebook. — Best wishes for your next steps.
G. Byrne /
@irishwriterme.bsky.social: The campaign against science has another victim @laurahelmuth.bsky.social has done a brilliant job @sciam.bsky.social . I wish her well and hope that society will take steps to keep our scientific community intact. [embedded post]
Evan Urquhart /
@evanurquhart.bsky.social: Laura Helmuth edited the first piece of science journalism I ever wrote, way back when she was still at Slate. She's an incredible editor, a class act, a brilliant force in science journalism. Wherever she goes next, the next people who get to work with her are going to be some lucky bastards. …
Sarah E Myhre PhD /
@sarahmyhre.bsky.social: Absolute stand up job Laura. Thank you. Your work has changed the world. [embedded post]
Seth Fletcher /
@sethfletcher.bsky.social: Laura was an extraordinary leader through some incredibly challenging years. I don't know how she did it. She's also been a deeply caring manager to me personally. We will miss her immensely. [embedded post]
Jason D. Salvagni /
@salvagni.org: Trump voters ARE racist, sexist, and fascist. — There is no honest, factual “criticism” to be levied. [embedded post]
Lee Billings /
@leebillings.bsky.social: Laura started as SciAm's EiC at a very dark time, April 2020, just as U.S. COVID deaths peaked. Nationwide, morale was low and fears were high. — She led SciAm thru that storm—and beyond—with extraordinary brilliance, vigor, and compassion. — I'm sad to see her go, but eager to see what she does next. …
Shannon Stirone /
@shannonstirone.bsky.social: For anyone who doesn't somehow know—Laura is a science writing champion. She's a master of the job. She's also incredibly kind and thoughtful and brilliant. This thread is worth exploring as are the words in the attached stories. [embedded post]
Dr. Laura Murphy /
@rockdocgeoarch.bsky.social: It is impossible to not learn something new and sciencey and awesome in this thread! What's your favorite story? Guinness & the t-test for me! Sláinte! [embedded post] @drmariannet.bsky.social: Fantastic thread on a fantastic editor in chief. Well done! [embedded post]
Daniel Sieradski /
@self.agency: this comes on the heels of being targeted on x, including by musk, for her political posts here on bluesky [embedded post]
Dan Fagin /
@danfagin.bsky.social: This is a huge loss for science journalism, and therefore the planet, but I have every expectation SciAm will continue to provide superb coverage of our world (and worlds beyond!) even without Laura. Now more than ever, we need great journalism about all aspects of the scientific enterprise. …
Jim Daley /
@jimdaleywrites.bsky.social: Solidarity to @laurahelmuth.bsky.social and sadness for Scientific American, which is losing a great EIC. — The only people who will celebrate this are everyone's meanest, dumbest, most bigoted former high-school classmates, and truly: fuck them to the moon and back [embedded post]
Erin Biba /
@erinbiba.bsky.social: Musk and the Twitter Nazis have been targeting her all week after she made some posts about being upset by the election on Election Day.
Katie Daviscourt /
The Post Millennial: BREAKING: Scientific American editor-in-chief resigns under pressure after calling voters ‘fascists,’ ‘bigots’
Adam Rogers /
@jetjocko.bsky.social: This is a real blow to great science journalism. I'm sure the next EIC will be terrific, but Laura's work at SciAm has been phenomenal. [embedded post]
Phil Plait /
@philplait.bsky.social: Laura's impact on the magazine has been huge, including (and this is huge to me) bringing me on as a writer without hesitation. I owe her a lot — a LOT — and I'm very sad she's leaving. — I also know that whatever she does next will rock. She's kinda like that. [embedded post]
Deborah Blum /
@deborahb.bsky.social: Thread. And a reminder that Laura has always been a smart, positive force in science journalism, at SciAm, at the Washington Post, at Slate, in countless ways. [embedded post] @sciraven.bsky.social: Impossible not to view this in the context of the shitstorm elon & conservative pundits kicked up over her comments. What do we do about this? How do we safeguard institutions from alt-right assholes making it untenable to work there for people of basic moral decency? [embedded post]
The Verge:
Google plans to stop showing political ads to users in the EU in 2025 due to uncertainties around new transparency rules coming into effect in October 2025— Google has announced it will stop showing political ads to users in the European Union next year due to uncertainties around the bloc's new transparency regulations.
Discussion:
The Keyword and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Annette Kroeber-Riel /
The Keyword: An update on political advertising in the European Union
Wired:
The PRESS Act, shielding journalists from US government spying, stalls as Senate Democrats juggle legislative priorities before ceding control January 3— The PRESS Act, which would protect journalists from government spying, enjoys broad bipartisan support and has passed the House …
Discussion:
Senator Ron Wyden /
@wyden.senate.gov: Yes. Anyone who cares about protecting journalism and a free press should tell their elected officials to bring it to the floor for a vote.
Paul Chambers /
@paul@oldfriends.live: Senate Democrats Are Running Out of Time to Pass a Shield Law to Protect Journalism. I support that. — Although, it would have been nice if many journalists, esp mainstream, had reported to protect democracy, instead of this Bothsidesism crap and even worse cover for Trump. … @runwithskizzers.bsky.social: I just called both my Senators about this AND the judiciary confirmations. Spoke to two very nice staffers, took less than five minutes. I know we all hate talking on the phone, and it is very anxiety inducing, but if you can do it, please do so today! — Find your senator > [embedded post]
Timothy Burke /
@bubbaprog.ilovecitr.us: This is such an obvious bill to pass that it's supported by Jim Jordan, @wyden.senate.gov, and everyone in between. It's absolutely bonkers that Schumer won't let it come to a vote, and every single person in NY who works as a journalist or with journalists should be lighting up his switchboard. …
Clara Jeffery /
@clarajeffery.bsky.social: Very very very important. Call your reps. [embedded post] @freedomofpress: The PRESS Act “has so much bipartisan support and barely any opposition,” @TrevorTimm told @WIRED. “But the only chance it has is to pass during the lame-duck session.” https://www.wired.com/... @freedomofpress@newsie.social: The PRESS Act “has so much bipartisan support and barely any opposition,” Trevor Timm told @WIRED. — “But the only chance it has is to pass during the lame-duck session.” — https://www.wired.com/...
Washington Post:
WaPo names Liz Seymour managing editor; she has held various roles over 25 years at the outlet, including deputy managing editor and executive features editor— A veteran Washington Post newsroom leader, Seymour marks her 25th year at the publication — The Washington Post today named …
Discussion:
Kathy Baird on LinkedIn, The Wrap and MediaPost
Discussion:
Kathy Baird /