Instagram confirms it is testing an unskippable ad format with a countdown timer that briefly prevents feed scrolling (Sarah Perez/TechCrunch)

Mediagazer: Instagram confirms it is testing an unskippable ad format with a countdown timer that briefly prevents feed scrolling (Sarah Perez/TechCrunch)

Top News:

Washington Post:

WaPo says Matt Murray will be Executive Editor until the US presidential election, after which Robert Winnett will take on the new role of Editor— The Washington Post also announced today its intention to launch a new division of the newsroom dedicated to better serving audiences …
Discussion: New York Times, The Wrap, Media Nation, The Media Leader, CNN, @nkulw, @brianstelter, MediaPost, Fox News, @ckshowalter.bsky.social, Axios, @cherylrofer.bsky.social, @dandrezner.bsky.social, @cnn@threads.net, @callmem0se@threads.net, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @tomgara@threads.net, The Guardian, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @mattgreenfield@threads.net, @joshuajfriedman.com, The Daily Beast, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @davidfolkenflik, @warrenterra.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, @jswatz_tx@threads.net, @brianstelter@threads.net, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters and Deadline

Discussion:

Mike Roe /
The Wrap: Washington Post Executive Editor Sally Buzbee Exits After 3 Years, New Leaders Named in Newsroom Restructure

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: Jeff Bezos is reinventing The Washington Post — again. And this time he's on his own.

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Washington Post shakes up leadership as Buzbee steps down

Noah Kulwin /
@nkulw: Will Lewis sounds like a proper cunt (britishism favored for low quality individuals)

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Hearing that this morning's all-hands meeting at the @washingtonpost turned rather testy - journalists asked sharp questions of CEO Will Lewis and incoming editor Matt Murray - Lewis bluntly told them to get with the program, so to speak

Ray Schultz /
MediaPost: ‘Washington Post’ Shakeup: Exec Editor Buzbee Out Fox News: Washington Post executive editor steps down in surprise move, just months before November election

CK DexterHaven /
@ckshowalter.bsky.social: Okay but I'm curious about flexible payment methods. I'd love to be in a situation where I can pay for news on demand vs needing a subscription. Post's micropayments were very cool that way. I keep my subscriptions, but say I want to read the Boston Globe's article on something, I can do that

Cheryl Rofer /
@cherylrofer.bsky.social: The worst part of the WaPo reorg is they haven't fired any of their columnists @cnn@threads.net: Sally Buzbee, the executive editor of The Washington Post, is stepping down from her role after leading the newspaper for three tumultuous years, the newspaper announced late Sunday. “Sally is an incredible leader and a supremely talented media executive who will be sorely missed. …

Rob Killion /
@callmem0se@threads.net: Another Murdoch protege. Awesome.

Jeff Jarvis /
@jeffjarvis@mastodon.social: Oh, Lord: The anodyne AP journalism of Buzbee to be replaced—in the design of the Murdochian henchman Willand, as bad if not worse, a Telegraph editor. The crisis in US national journalism worsens! — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Tom Gara /
@tomgara@threads.net: WSJ has been on an incredibly lively & scoopy run on the news side over the last decade, from Theranos to Stormy Daniels - IMO the WaPo is incredibly lucky to pick up its top news editor

Jane Croft /
The Guardian: Washington Post: Telegraph veteran to take over from Sally Buzbee as executive editor @jeffjarvis.bsky.social: I'd already given up on The Times and was despairing for The Post. The crisis in American news isn't just local. It is national, with outlets that will credulously or willfully usher in fascism. This is bad. — medium.com/whither-news...

Joshua J. Friedman /
@joshuajfriedman.com: Here's part two. Very hard to know what this means and how much of it is original or desirable. I will be curious to see how their experiments go with flexible payment methods. www.washingtonpost.com/pr/2024/06/ 0... [image]

@jeffjarvis.bsky.social:
I can't parse what the “third newsroom” is but it sounds very 2015—SEO, social, pivot to video—just as AI threatens to be a new web. I am worried that serving “Americans who feel traditional news is not for them but still want to be kept informed” is code for Post as Murdoch.

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Probably relevant tonight re WashPost changes: In 2010, when Will Lewis won UK journalist of the year at the Telegraph - Rob Winnett won best UK political reporter of the year as deputy politics editor of the Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ ...

Warren Terra /
@warrenterra.bsky.social: They've announced they're going to: — Pivot. — To. — Video. — (while “embracing AI to help")

@jeffjarvis.bsky.social:
Keep in mind that Post boss Lewis is under suspicion of clearing away evidence of Murdoch's hacks' hacking. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/ media/...

John Schwartz /
@jswatz_tx@threads.net: Very worried about The Post.

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter@threads.net: Out with the “one-size-fits-all approach,” the Post says, we need to create news for a “broader range of readers and customers. This will focus more on video storytelling, embracing AI to help, and flexible payment methods.” It will be operational in Q3.

Carly Thomas /
The Hollywood Reporter: Sally Buzbee Steps Down as Executive Editor of The Washington Post

Costas Pitas /
Reuters: Washington Post executive editor Sally Buzbee steps down

RELATED:

New York Times:

The Washington Post Executive Editor Sally Buzbee steps down, replaced by Matt Murray, former editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal— Matt Murray, the former editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal, will take her place. — The executive editor of The Washington Post, Sally Buzbee …

Discussion:
@maxwelltani, Mediaite, @froomkin, @criticalbill76, @dlboardman, @plbarghouty, @brianstelter, @genepark, @brianstelter, @davidbeard@threads.net, @sarafischer, @fbajak, Talking Biz News, Associated Press, @sivavaidhyanathan@threads.net, @danmitchell.bsky.social, @kateefeldman, @sulliview, @hugolowell, @rasmus_kleis, @misterblifil@threads.net, @brianstelter, @jayrosen_nyu, @brianstelter, @jamesrbuk, @eduardosuarez, @brianstelter and @dankennedy_nu@threads.net

Discussion:

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: During the meeting, Lewis was asked leadership diversity and the decision to get rid of Sally Buzbee, the paper's first female top editor. One staffer also said on the call that Buzbee deserved better treatment, prompting some cheering/applause from staff.

Jamie Frevele /
Mediaite: Washington Post Executive Editor Sally Buzbee Steps Down

Dan Froomkin /
@froomkin: This could be really, really bad news @criticalbill76: @froomkin WaPo lost 50% of it's audience since 2020. A cornered animal does irrational things.

David Boardman /
@dlboardman: This theory makes some sense — or at least more sense than the “third newsroom” memo put out by the @washingtonpost CEO. The reorg may be more about “meeting readers where they are” politically than digitally.

Leila Barghouty /
@plbarghouty: I don't know what happened to our editor in chief Sally Buzbee, but I've been the only Palestinian journalist in so many organizations and she was the first newsroom director to ever tell me that my existence in this country and industry was an asset and not a liability.

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt The big change: The Post is restructuring itself as “three newsrooms.” One, the main newsroom that currently exists. Two, the “opinions newsroom” led by Editorial Page Editor David Shipley. And three, something new and nontraditional...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt Right after election day, Matt Murray will segue full-time to be “leader of the third newsroom,” while Winnett will run all existing “core coverage areas, including politics, investigations, business, technology, sports and features.” (Nope, I've never seen anything like this.)

Dave Beard /
@davidbeard@threads.net: Sally Buzbee is an extraordinary editor who had the misfortune to run the Post in the slumpy era after Trump lost in 2020. The last paragraph in this story gets at her later accomplishments; a path-breaking effort at @AP will come another time.

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: The Post's new CEO and Publisher Will Lewis last week laid out his vision to put subscriptions at the center of the Post's business, but he didn't provide a clear picture of the company's plan to revamp its editorial offering. Now we know why.

Frank Bajak /
@fbajak: Shakep at WaPo. Sally Buzbee out as exec editor. Replaced by three white men, one a Brit with no U.S. experience. Twist: New WaPo CEO Will Lewis has been accused of covering up UK celebrity voicemail hacking under Murdoch in former job. https://www.npr.org/...

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: Former WSJ editor Murray to run Washington Post

Siva Vaidhyanathan /
@sivavaidhyanathan@threads.net: His own people? Seems like Murdoch's people.

Elrond Hubbard /
@danmitchell.bsky.social: Meet the new boss. [embedded post]

Margaret Sullivan /
@sulliview: Radical restructuring

Hugo Lowell /
@hugolowell: wow — rob winnett going to wapo from the telegraph to lead core political coverage. will be very english-centric

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen /
@rasmus_kleis: I hope not - leaving aside whether it's right to do, while the Post is competing is a /extremely/ crowded space for affluent centrist/liberal/left-leaning US audiences, the idea I think would only make sense on paper - legacy news brands are really hard to re-position editorially

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen /
@rasmus_kleis: As @SallyBuzbee has overseen newsroom that has won 6 Pulitzers in 3 years, and new leaders - whatever their editorial record - come from titles that are not exactly ahead digitally, is the idea to try to reposition the Post center-right à la the Telegraph? https://www.axios.com/...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Shakeup atop the @WashingtonPost: “Sally Buzbee has stepped down as Executive Editor.” Many Post staffers have been wondering about Buzbee's status ever since William Lewis was announced as CEO last November. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Jay Rosen /
@jayrosen_nyu: Read Brian's thread. The Post is parting ways with its top editor and reorganizing into three newsrooms: one for news, one for opinion, a third — to be run separately — for “service and social media.” To the extent I understand it, this third thing could be a fruitful idea.

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: The transition plan: @MurrayMatt “will replace Buzbee as Executive Editor until the 2024 U.S presidential election, after which Robert Winnett, Deputy Editor of The Telegraph Media Group, will take on the new role of Editor... responsible for overseeing our core coverage areas,

Eduardo Suárez /
@eduardosuarez: “The Washington Post won six Pulitzers during Buzbee's three-year reign as executive editor” Incredible to wake up to @SallyBuzbee being fired and replaced (from the autumn) by a UK journalist with no experience whatsoever in the US https://www.axios.com/...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt WaPo's @AmyArgetsinger: “The shakeup at the top of the Post is the biggest move by far since Lewis — himself a veteran of both the Telegraph and the Journal — took over as CEO in January.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Dan Kennedy /
@dankennedy_nu@threads.net: It's too soon to say whether the @washingtonpost's declining fortunes were Sally Buzbee's fault, but it certainly made it easier for Will Lewis to replace her with his own people. The Marty Baron era is starting to look like a lost golden age. JournalismThreads https://www.thewrap.com/...

Washington Post:

A WaPo staff meeting to introduce new top editor Matt Murray turned contentious when staff questioned CEO William Lewis about Sally Buzbee's abrupt replacement— Murray, a veteran of the Wall Street Journal, said he plans to oversee an era of growth and innovation.

Discussion:
@genepark, @ericschultz, @angela_denker, @scotbertram, @vibinc, @jamesrbuk and @barbarahoff52

Discussion:

Gene Park /
@genepark: I want to express my eternal gratitude to the Washington Post's departing editor in chief, @SallyBuzbee. While I was sick, she made sure I was taken care of, that I stayed employed and paid, made accommodations while I recovered. She also read and enjoyed my work, went out of

Eric Schultz /
@ericschultz: my favorite version of this is @jmpalmieri's “time to get with what's happening”

Rev. Angela Denker /
@angela_denker: This makes me really sad, and also glad that I already canceled my subscription @washingtonpost - despite the many very talented journalists who continue to work there, clearly the ship is turning the other direction.

Scot Bertram /
@scotbertram: Lose $100M in a year and all of the sudden people want the activity causing that to stop. Go figure.

Steve Ross /
@vibinc: Exactly what “program” is that? Maybe @washingtonpost needs to disclose just what this “program” is to its readers.

James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: One notable thing given the number of senior Brits in different US newsrooms: UK newsroom leaders tolerate *markedly* less dissent than US ones. And have an especial distaste for disagreements escaping the newsroom and being reported elsewhere.

@davidfolkenflik:

— Some WashPost thoughts, based on conversations with six people with knowledge of events, overlaid with a touch of analysis. Let's even call it a 🧵 First: Will Lewis wanted to force out Sally Buzbee and bring a trusted pal to run the WaPo newsroom. He wanted to make his mark.

Discussion:
@dlknowles, @froomkin, @tanzinavega, @davidfolkenflik, @jpodhoretz, @davidfolkenflik, @tanzinavega@threads.net, @burnerobserv2, @moorehn, @25thcenturygirl, @moorehn, @sulliview, @davidfolkenflik, @edmundlee, @davidfolkenflik, @maxwelltani, @davidfolkenflik, @lorna_tveditor, @williams_paige, @loisbeckett, @jeffjarvis, @davidfolkenflik, @deggans and @paulamoore

Discussion:

Daniel Knowles /
@dlknowles: I wonder why struggling American newspapers might want to hire executives from British newspapers with rising revenues, rising headcounts and rising profits

Tanzina Vega /
@tanzinavega: When you want to understand that newsroom leadership is often not about talent, but power. And when the good old boys want you out...they want you out.

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: 5. Murray is well regarded from his stint at the WSJ - many Journal alums are saluting him tonight. He is seen as nimble rather than a radical innovator. Fwiw, it has not gone unnoticed that all three Lewis newsrooms are headed by white males.

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: 2/ Buzbee didn't want to give up her job for an ill-defined position. Though Lewis praised her as “an incredible leader and a supremely talented media executive who will be sorely missed,” Buzbee offered no comments in statement announcing her departure /con't

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: 8. Another observation: there is queasiness among some at WaPo that these moves represent Lewis' drive to consolidate power after newsroom gave thorough coverage to troubling Qs facing him in U.K. No evidence one way or the other on that - may be clarified by detailing timing.

John Podhoretz /
@jpodhoretz: OK, I'll say it. Sally Buzbee did a terrible job. You know it and I know it and she probably knows it too.

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: 6. But Murray won't be the long-term editor of the paper - despite his title as executive editor. Nor will he oversee the conventional newsroom's chief. That will be Rob Winnett As I noted earlier, Winnett was a key reporter on Lewis team breaking Parliamentary expenses scandal

Tanzina /
@tanzinavega@threads.net: Apparently there are no qualified people who can run a newsroom in the United States. We must import talent from the UK to lead us. @burnerobserv2: The Wall Street Journal, CNN & Washington Post are now run by Brits. I hate it and want them out of USA media. They will turn those three into a tabloid shit show:

Heidi N. Moore /
@moorehn: Buzbee took an SA survivor off of any sexual assault stories, then gaslighted and persecuted her in the newsroom, then fired her. She elevated a bunch of sexist white guys. We need more women in news, we just don't need more patriarchal sellouts like Sally Buzbee. @25thcenturygirl: Murdoch henchman who ALLEGEDLY oversaw email deletion to cover up phone hacking at News Uk? https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ ...

Heidi N. Moore /
@moorehn: She was a total disaster as EIC and they should have recognized it years ago tbh

Margaret Sullivan /
@sulliview: Each of our three newsrooms will be led by an outstanding white male, which we feel is especially appropriate in Washington DC. If these three newsrooms are successful, we will consider a fourth and fifth

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: I'm an idiot. Also, Bloomberg News. Others? (Sky News in UK run by ex CBS News president David Rhodes)

Edmund Lee /
@edmundlee: David explains what's behind the restructuring moves at WaPo... good reporting

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: 3/ That left Lewis with a conundrum: His pal, a Brit with no US experience, could not lead the WaPo newsroom during a heated presidential election cycle (not mention unprecendented legal troubles for a former and potentially future president). Enter Murray.

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: 7. A lingering question: Why Winnett, beyond the shared history with Lewis? Another: Will they foreswear paying sources for scoops, as they did for the British MP expense database? or are they open to redefining US and WaPo journalistic standards against such payments?

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Note from Washington Post CEO Will Lewis to staff annoucing executive editor Sally Buzbee's departure and the appointment of Matt Murray to lead the newsroom through the election [image]

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: WashPost exec editor Sally Buzbee out - replaced till election by ex WSJ editor Matt Murray. Then Murray will oversee “service and social media journalism” After elex, Telegraph Media Group (UK)'s Rob Winnett to lead conventional newsroom @lorna_tveditor: Washington Post's executive editor Sally Buzbee has stepped down and will eventually be replaced by Torygraph's Robert Winnett. Brits at the helm of very American media outlets the Wall Street Journal, CNN and Washington Post? Blimey. Good thread. 👇🏾

Paige Williams /
@williams_paige: dingdingding: “Will they foreswear paying sources for scoops, as they did for the British MP expense database?” As if American journalism weren't already struggling w/credibility issues.

Lois Beckett /
@loisbeckett: Who was involved in this bizarre decision, and have they ever been on TikTok? (Which is FULL of people with ZERO expertise LITERALLY READING NEWS ARTICLES ALOUD) (also using them as a background and gesturing at them with angry expressions) https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image] @jeffjarvis: Oh, Lord: The anodyne AP journalism of Buzbee to be replaced—in the design of the Murdochian henchman Will Lewis—by a Murdochian WSJ editor, then, as bad if not worse, a Telegraph editor. The crisis in US national journalism worsens! https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: 9. Bonus reminder: the WSJ - CNN - WaPo all run by Brits right now / fin @deggans: Great analysis as usual by David in this thread. Kind of blows my mind that three of America's most impactful news outlets are now run by Brits...

Washington Post:
Email: Washington Post Publisher and CEO William Lewis says the outlet plans to launch a newsroom unit in 2024 focused on “service and social media journalism”

Discussion:
New York Times, @maxwelltani, Poynter, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, @very__regular, @adriana_lacy, @bgrueskin, @jasonshevrin, @ninaburleigh, @willoremus@mastodon.social, Al Jazeera, @jayrosen_nyu, The Information, Press Gazette, New York Post, @susanbordson, @loudmouthjulia, @michaelroston, @maleve@zeroes.ca, @brianstelter, @davejorgenson and @sherman4949

Discussion:

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Much more negative reception than last month's meeting. Lewis emphasized that the Post needs to reach untapped audiences, saying it is falling behind competitors. “You haven't done it,” he said when asked about reaching new audiences through the current newsroom structure.

Dan Gillmor /
@dangillmor@mastodon.social: The Washington Post is about to lurch sharply to the right politically as former Murdoch apparatchik solidifies his grip on the organization. Current editor Buzbee is out, and he's bringing in people from Murdoch's Wall Street Journal and the Telegraph (right-wing UK news org). …

Lauren /
@very__regular: looking for a bright side: keeping all the AI generated crap walled off from actual news might be really beneficial when that bubble finally bursts and leadership pivots to the next dumb tech scheme

Adriana Lacy /
@adriana_lacy: In this fragmented social media ecosystem, curious how and if this will work out. Also curious about why this needs to be another newsroom

Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: The Washpost will now have a news section. And an opinion section. And a news section for people who don't like traditional news. [image]

Jason Shevrin /
@jasonshevrin: not news not opinion but a secret third newsroom

Nina Burleigh /
@ninaburleigh: What exactly is so non “exciting, accurate and compelling” in news as it is, or was when a woman ran the newsroom?

Will Oremus /
@willoremus@mastodon.social: Washington Post editor in chief Sally Buzbee has stepped down, effective immediately, new CEO Will Lewis just announced. — She'll be replaced temporarily by former WSJ editor Matt Murray, and then permanently by Robert Winnett of the Telegraph. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Jay Rosen /
@jayrosen_nyu: Need to know a lot more about it, but I can see a logic to this “third newsroom.” Instead of persuading the newsroom to try some new practice— whatever it may be— you can demo it in world three, then let the newsroom cherry pick. (Not saying this is some radical new approach.)

Charlotte Tobitt /
Press Gazette: Telegraph deputy of ten years Robert Winnett named Washington Post editor

Patrick Reilly /
New York Post: Sally Buzbee abruptly resigns as editor of The Washington Post after 3 years

Susan /
@susanbordson: News consumer habits have changed dramatically the last 8 years and social feeds are now many people's “news sources”. The downside, of course, is less detail — which results in less nuance & depth. Pls let this new effort prioritize giving most *accurate impressions* possible

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Where it gets less interesting is if the move here is pure SEO play. Obviously some of it is. Every e-commerce and service journalism post is SEO play. Bad when Google wants to automate that entirely back to their page. But habit forming is so hard to do, not the worst start.

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Lot of immediate takes on how this is bad, but if you use a lower price point (even free to start) shorter form news vertical tied to specific interests, video, and eCommerce, you try to redirect scrolling behavior from one app to yours. Not the worst idea At least it's an idea!

Michael Roston /
@michaelroston: This has LATimes 2018 plan written all over it. Good luck with that!

Matti Aleve /
@maleve@zeroes.ca: Sally Buzbee steps down as editor of The Washington Post - The Washington Post — So pushing the paper even further right. “Weird” how billionaires are buying up publications and pushing and agenda. — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: @murraymatt “This third newsroom will be comprised of service and social media journalism and run separately from the core news operation,” The Post says. “The aim is to give the millions of Americans - who feel traditional news is not for them but still want to be kept informed -compelling, @davejorgenson: My team has been doing this for five years - and it works! Excited to lean into it even more. (follow the Washington Post Universe on tiktok, shorts and reels!)

CNBC:

Source: Paramount and Skydance agree to the terms of a merger, which will likely be announced in the coming days; Shari Redstone still needs to sign the deal— - CNBC Councils — CNBC on Peacock — Join the CNBC Panel — Supply Chain Values — Select Shopping — Ad Choices

Discussion:
Variety, SlashFilm, The Wrap, Mediaite, Business Insider, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Barrett Media, New York Post, Media Play News and @tvgrimreaper

Discussion:

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Paramount, Skydance Agree on New M&A Deal Terms but Shari Redstone Hasn't Approved Pact Yet

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Paramount and Skydance Agree to Deal Terms as Merger Inches Closer, Shares Rise Over 7%

Alex Griffing /
Mediaite: Paramount Reportedly Set to be Acquired By Skydance

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Paramount Nears Finish Line With Skydance On Eve Of Shareholder Meeting And Town Hall - Update

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Shari's Choice: Paramount's Future in the Balance as Redstone Weighs Skydance's Revised Deal

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Skydance Media Reportedly Nearing Deal to Acquire Paramount Global

RELATED:

New York Times:

Sources: Paramount and Skydance deal sticking points include legal expenses in case of shareholder lawsuits, potential “go-shop” period, and a shareholder vote— A special committee of Paramount's board of directors supports a merger with Skydance, a studio that has increased its offer in recent days.

Discussion:
Wall Street Journal: Revised Skydance Offer Gives Paramount Shareholders Opportunity to Cash Out at Roughly $15 a Share

Dawn Chmielewski /
Reuters: Skydance awaits word on its enhanced bid for Paramount

Meg James /
Los Angeles Times: Skydance's David Ellison nearing deal for Paramount after sweetened offer

David Satin /
The Streamable: Skydance, Paramount Appear Ready to Announce Merger Deal After Ellison Improves Offer

Jeremy Fuster /
The Wrap: Why Hollywood Creatives Prefer a Skydance Deal With Paramount

Jordan Ruimy /
World of Reel: Paramount and Skydance Agree to $8 Billion Merger

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: scoop: Skydance has now agreed to put in at least $1.5 billion to pay down debt in event of a deal, plus a $15 a share tender offer. But there's still a big issue outstanding: Who would pay for a shareholder lawsuit? w/@LaurenSHirsch $PARA https://www.nytimes.com/...

Jessica Toonkel /
Jessica Toonkel on LinkedIn: Sources tell me and Miriam Gottfried that Skydance's revised offer would give Paramount nonvoting shareholders the opportunity to cash out at around $15 a share …

The Verge:

Spotify plans to raise US prices: Premium from $10.99 to $11.99 per month, Duo from $14.99 to $16.99, and Family from $16.99 to $19.99, after a July 2023 hike— A year after Spotify first increased the price of Spotify Premium in the US, it's happening again.

Discussion:
Spotify, 9to5Google, The Media Leader, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, @radnorcapital, Gizmodo, The Wrap, @film_girl, Bloomberg, Variety, CNBC, Music Ally, Digital Trends, @alexweprin, @tomwarren, Music Business Worldwide, CNN, Micah Willbrand on LinkedIn, 9to5Mac, TechCrunch and KTVX-TV, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Ben Schoon /
9to5Google: Spotify is raising prices in the US; $12 for single accounts, $20 for Family

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Spotify hits users with another price hike in less than a year

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Spotify Hikes Prices of Premium Plans Again as Streaming Inflation Continues

Marc Schneider /
Billboard: Spotify Again Raising Prices in U.S. — With Families Seeing Biggest Increase

Khristopher J. Brooks /
CBS News: Spotify hikes price of memberships as company reaches profitability @radnorcapital: Spotify $SPOT is raising prices again in the US and the stock is up ~5%. Individual +$1 or +9% to $11.99, Duo +$2 or +13% to $16.99 and Family Plan +$3 or +18% $19.99. Given the stock reaction, this move was likely sooner and/or larger vs. expectations. At the risk of stating

Dua Rashid /
Gizmodo: Spotify Is Raising Prices Yet Again

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: Spotify Raises Premium Plan Price for US Subscribers by 20%

Christina Warren /
@film_girl: Honestly, I'm going to have to consider charging the people who squat on my Spotify Family plan rent b/c this is like a $50 a year increase. Which is small but also WTAF. https://www.theverge.com/...

Ashley Carman /
Bloomberg: Spotify Shares Jump on US Price Increase

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Spotify Raises U.S. Prices of Premium Streaming Plans for Second Time in One Year

Ashley Capoot /
CNBC: Spotify raises prices of premium subscription plans

Stuart Dredge /
Music Ally: Spotify raises its subscription prices in the US again

Phil Nickinson /
Digital Trends: Spotify is getting more expensive, again

Alex Weprin /
@alexweprin: The price of individual plans is going up by $1 a month. Family plans? $3 a month.

Tom Warren /
@tomwarren: Spotify is increasing its US prices again. Premium, Duo, and Family plans are all getting price hikes — the second in one year https://www.theverge.com/...

Murray Stassen /
Music Business Worldwide: Spotify hikes prices for Premium subscribers in the US... again

Jordan Valinsky /
CNN: Spotify is hiking its prices again

Micah Willbrand /
Micah Willbrand on LinkedIn: Have talked a bit on food costs but not it's time for streaming chats. — Fascinating that a company which eliminated 20% of it's work force …

Benjamin Mayo /
9to5Mac: Spotify raising prices again, Family plan now $3/mo more expensive than Apple Music

GQ:

Q&A with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on his new docuseries Up For Debate: The Evolution of Sports Media, streaming on ESPN+, his motivation for the series, and more— The reigning king of sports media discusses his new docuseries, his upcoming contract negotiations, and his pick for the next Disney CEO.

Discussion:
Mediaite and Stephen A. Smith on LinkedIn

Discussion:

Ahmad Austin Jr /
Mediaite: FIREWORKS! Stephen A. Smith Called Out By ESPN's Monica McNutt in HEATED Debate About His Coverage of Women's Sports

TechCrunch:

Instagram confirms it is testing an unskippable ad format with a countdown timer that briefly prevents feed scrolling— Instagram confirmed it's testing unskippable ads after screenshots of the feature began circulating across social media. These new ad breaks will display a countdown timer …

Discussion:
@howfxr, @dexerto, @georgescriban@threads.net, @hi.im.vijay@threads.net, @actualscott@threads.net, @crumbler@threads.net, @katzish@threads.net, @robmoses, @thedanlevy, @ajcousins.bsky.social, @isobelcarr.com, @pauljdavies.bsky.social, @smi.bsky.social, @faineg.bsky.social and Metro.co.uk, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
@howfxr: Instagram is testing unskippable ads called “Ad Breaks” for some users 👀 Screenshots: @TheDanLevy, u/notthatogwiththename [image] @dexerto: Instagram is reportedly testing unskippable ads The “ad break” will require a user to wait before a period of time before being allowed to scroll again [image] @georgescriban@threads.net: OT1H, IG has completely ceased to function for me as a way to keep up with friends and to follow photographers whose work catches my eye. OTOH, it has very successfully figured out that I think good doggos all deserve their own TV show.

Vijay Pemmaraju /
@hi.im.vijay@threads.net: There's about a 99% chance I would stop using the Instagram feed if this were to go live. Don't jack my scrolling

Scott Johnson /
@actualscott@threads.net: This will go over like a fart in church, but I am guessing people will just live with it in the end.

Casey Newton /
@crumbler@threads.net: Finally!! The one Instagram feature we've all been demanding for years

Amanda Katz /
@katzish@threads.net: There were still some pesky users on the platform, but this should solve that

Rob Moses /
@robmoses: Instagram ad break 😐. Maybe I'll just finally move over to TikTok, cuz fuck this shit.

Dan Levy /
@thedanlevy: Holy moly! Meta seemingly is now forcing us to watch ads in our feeds on Instagram! The app legit stopped me from scrolling past this ad which is just a bonkers move to me. [image]

Amy Jo Cousins /
@ajcousins.bsky.social: I probably oughta be grateful someone is inventing a way to get me off social media. [embedded post]

Isobel Carr /
@isobelcarr.com: They already made the app nearly useless by wrecking hashtag functionality. Guess it's time to accept that I will barely use IG going forward. [embedded post]

Paul J Davies /
@pauljdavies.bsky.social: OMG they've thought of a way to make it *worse*? [embedded post]

Stacy-Marie Ishmael /
@smi.bsky.social: In the meantime various of the artists I follow on IG are deleting their posts and saying it's because they don't want Meta training their models on their art. [embedded post]

Faine Greenwood /
@faineg.bsky.social: it's like they're actively trying to chase off all their users [embedded post]

Katherine Fidler /
Metro.co.uk: Instagram is testing a new feature that ‘makes users want to scream’

Semafor:

A look at The Intercept's internal tensions, as it fails to raise funding and staff implore the board to fire CEO Annie Chabel and its chief strategy officer— The Scoop — Staff at the Intercept are imploring the nonprofit's board to fire its CEO and chief strategy officer amid a dispute …

Discussion:
@kamran_fareedi, @nkulw, @mattdpearce and @maxwelltani

Discussion:

Kamran Fareedi /
@kamran_fareedi: “Grim and Scahill also appear likely to exit in the coming weeks. With their bid to take over the Intercept stalled, the duo have mulled resigning and starting their own project outright.” https://www.semafor.com/...

Noah Kulwin /
@nkulw: “Two Intercept writers, Ken Klippenstein and Daniel Boguslaw, announced last month that they were leaving the organization amid frustrations with business and some recent editorial moves. Grim and Scahill also appear likely to exit in the coming weeks.” https://www.semafor.com/...

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: Intercept caught in a vise grip between the Big Tech referral crunch and a philanthropy shortfall. https://www.semafor.com/... [image]

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: From last night's media newsletter: In a letter to its board, Intercept staff called for the organization's CEO to resign. The organization's leadership has accused the staff union of bias against its female executives, a claim staff say is ridiculous. https://www.semafor.com/...

Reuters:

Zara plans to expand live shopping broadcasts in the UK, Europe, and the US between August and October 2024, testing a format that is wildly popular in China— Zara will expand its live shopping broadcasts to the UK, Europe and the United States this year, testing a format …

TechCrunch:

X changes its adult content policies, formally letting users post consensual NSFW and AI content “provided it's properly labeled and not prominently displayed”— The internet has been home to all kinds of content for a long time, so it was no surprise to anyone when people started tweeting porn at each other.

Discussion: