Internal memo: Axios CEO Jim VandeHei says the company is laying off ~50 people as part of "changes to adapt fast to a rapidly changing media landscape" (Katie Robertson/@katie_robertson)

Mediagazer: Internal memo: Axios CEO Jim VandeHei says the company is laying off ~50 people as part of “changes to adapt fast to a rapidly changing media landscape” (Katie Robertson/@katie_robertson)

Top News:

Mediaite:

Jennifer Jacobs, the Bloomberg News reporter fired for allegedly breaking Russian prisoner swap story embargo, suggests she didn't decide to publish prematurely— Bloomberg News senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs shot back at the news outlet on Monday after she was fired …
Discussion: @charlottetklein, @jenniferjjacobs, New York Times, @politicussarah, @arrowofartemis, @shiramstein, @saramorrison, @mctothstl, @genepark, @schreckreports, @scottnover, @bendreyfuss, @mattdpearce, @brianmfloyd, @johnmcquaid@threads.net, @aulia@mementomori.social, @johnmcquaid@threads.net, @neontaster, The Desk, @ericnewcomer, HuffPost, @jim_newell, @justinbaragona, @byajperez, @eisingerj, @moorehn and Talking Biz News

Discussion:

Charlotte Klein /
@charlottetklein: Jennifer Jacobs—one of the two Bloomberg reporters who bylined the embargo-breaking Gershkovich piece—has been fired, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Jennifer Jacobs /
@jenniferjjacobs:

Katie Robertson /
New York Times: Bloomberg Disciplines Journalists Over Prisoner Swap Article

Sarah Reese Jones /
@politicussarah: @JenniferJJacobs I've always learned something from your questions on WH calls and deeply respect your work. Rather horrified that you are being blamed for the publication timing. No one worth anything thinks you would jeopardize a fellow journalist. I'm so sorry for what you're going

CeCe Q /
@arrowofartemis: @JenniferJJacobs Then who exactly was responsible for publishing the article in violation of the embargo which is what Bloomberg did?

Shira Stein /
@shiramstein: Proud to know @JenniferJJacobs. One of the best reporters I've ever worked with and kindest humans I've ever known. She didn't deserve this; the blame should lay at her editors' feet.

Sara Morrison /
@saramorrison: not too hard to read between the lines on this one

Mark Toth /
@mctothstl: @JenniferJJacobs To be sure, as I can personally attest, journalists do not decide when stories are published or what headlines are used. Sometimes, not even the presiding editors make those choices. In some online publications, timing & headlines are determined by the web admins — and long

Gene Park /
@genepark: reporters never hit the publish button, especially not at a place like Bloomberg. i obviously don't know what happened but putting the onus on a reporter doesn't sound right

Ben Schreckinger /
@schreckreports: “The chain of events here could happen to any reporter tasked with reporting the news” Don't know the details of what occurred here, but it seems reminiscent of when @JimLaPorta was fired for the screw-ups of his higher-ups at the AP

Scott Nover /
@scottnover: The more I've thought about this story, the more I cannot imagine a reporter being the one at fault for breaking an embargo that every editor involved and their superiors should be aware of—all the way up to the top for a story as big as this.

Ben Dreyfuss /
@bendreyfuss: this whole story is so weird. I'm very curious to eventually get the tick-tock of what happened. like, it seems like it was probably just a mistake, but it's a strange mistake. it's also not the sort of mistake you'd normally blame on the reporter.

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: implication here is that Bloomberg threw Jennifer under the bus for an institutional failure

Brian Floyd /
@brianmfloyd: still have some follow up questions about the very high up news editor who was celebrating breaking this story before deleting their tweet

John McQuaid /
@johnmcquaid@threads.net: Would be useful to know how/why such a major editorial breakdown took place, and how staffers high-fiving each other on social media could have been unaware of the problem ... over to you, Bloomberg ombudsman https://www.thewrap.com/...

Aulia Masna /
@aulia@mementomori.social: Yeah, this whole thing with Bloomberg firing Jennifer Jacobs is weird to me because in my more than a decade of being a journalist reporters don't get a final say on when a story gets published, that's solely the responsibility of the managing editor or the chief editor if there isn't one. …

John McQuaid /
@johnmcquaid@threads.net: Jennifer Jacobs, who was fired over Bloomberg's embargo breaking, implies that she did not make the decision to publish prematurely https://www.huffpost.com/... https://x.com/...

Noam Blum /
@neontaster: Jacobs denying any wrongdoing in a statement. Wouldn't be the first or second or third time I've seen editors throw bylined writers under the bus for something that's ultimately their fault. We need more information about what happened here.

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Bloomberg fires reporter who broke prisoner swap story

Eric Newcomer /
@ericnewcomer: bloomberg really should explain what happened here. given the power of editors at bloomberg, there needs to be more transparency about what played out exactly. unfair to put all the blame with a respected reporter.

Paige Skinner /
HuffPost: Bloomberg Reporter Fired Over Breaking Embargo On Evan Gershkovich's Release: Reports

Justin Baragona /
@justinbaragona: The implication here is that Jennifer was thrown under the bus by Bloomberg for something where the fault almost certainly lies with her editors.

A.J. Perez /
@byajperez: @JenniferJJacobs This is maddening. I'm sorry you had to take the fall for your bosses.

Jesse Eisinger /
@eisingerj: Reporters don't edit stories. Reporters don't top-edit stories. Reporters don't schedule stories. Reporters don't copyedit. Reporters don't publish stories. This was a big fuckup. But I'm not sure it's a firing offense*—and I especially don't think it was down to one person.

Heidi N. Moore /
@moorehn: @JenniferJJacobs it's awful that they threw you under the bus. Hoping you land somewhere good 🙏

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: Bloomberg White House reporter Jacobs departs

RELATED:

The Wrap:
Email: Bloomberg EIC John Micklethwait says the outlet has taken disciplinary action against those involved in breaking the Russia prisoner swap embargo

Discussion:
@katie_robertson, CNN, @jayrosen_nyu, @deggans, @dan_munz, @parismartineau, @weareyourfek, Fox News, @taliaotg, @dpd_, Associated Press, @jimlaporta, @dnvolz, @maxwelltani, @warondumb, @bgrueskin, Newser, @benadida, The Hill and Deadline

Discussion:

Katie Robertson /
@katie_robertson: NEW: Bloomberg says it has taken disciplinary action against a number of people involved in breaking the prisoner swap embargo last week, email here from EIC John Micklethwait [image]

Jay Rosen /
@jayrosen_nyu: Bloomberg's editor in chief: “We prematurely published a story on the release of Evan Gershkovich and the other prisoners, which could have endangered the negotiated swap that set them free.” Read the rest: https://x.com/...

Paris Martineau /
@parismartineau: notes app apology on terminal

Foster Kamer /
@weareyourfek: Apologies for the galaxy-brained read, here, but nobody needed this mea culpa but the people involved in the swap. I'm reading self-aggrandizing BS that really feels like a crass marketing blast ("sorry for being first") and self-flagellation to recover favor. No thanks! Fox News: Bloomberg admits it ‘prematurely published’ story on historic prisoner swap, disciplines journalists

Daniel D'Addario /
@dpd_: It takes a lot to shock me at this point, and one prominent Bloomberg editor crowing about this “scoop” on here — a scoop anyone with common sense could have seen was a truly disastrous misjudgment — did. This is the right call. Associated Press: Bloomberg apologizes for premature story on prisoner swap, disciplines journalists involved

Jim LaPorta /
@jimlaporta: I broke the story of President Biden going into Ukraine before anyone. Even though I wasn't under embargo like the press pool traveling with him. I held the story until well after he arrived because I knew security was paramount. These types of stories need additional restraint.

Dustin Volz /
@dnvolz: I want to thank Bloomberg for this apology. Their premature story on Thursday caused a lot of people to panic and could have led to real harm. It didn't, thankfully, but it's nice to see them own the mistake.

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Follows an internal review, which we first reported in last night's @semafor media newsletter https://www.semafor.com/... [image]

Kyle Whitmire /
@warondumb: I had wondered why Bloomberg was so far out front without corroborating reports from other outlets.

Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: WSJ Publisher @almarlatour is asked by @JoeNBC about news orgs that reported Evan Gershkovich's release before he cleared Russian airspace. “Embargoes are embargoes. When people's lives are at stake, you take those embargoes even more seriously.”

Rob Quinn /
Newser: Bloomberg Broke Embargo on Reporting Prisoner Swap

Ben Adida /
@benadida: I will always applaud those who correct their mistakes and apologize. The willingness to admit a mistake and make amends is the most important skill, and also the one in far too short supply today. Thank you Bloomberg.

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Bloomberg disciplines multiple staff over premature prisoner swap story

Mediaite:
Bloomberg EIC John Micklethwait says he has apologized to the freed prisoners and to the Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief over breaking the embargo

Discussion:
Poynter, New York Post, The Guardian, Talking Biz News and TVNewsCheck

Discussion:

Ariel Zilber /
New York Post: Bloomberg reportedly fires White House reporter for breaking embargo on Evan Gershkovich deal

Andrew Roth /
The Guardian: Bloomberg fires reporter for ‘premature’ publication of Evan Gershkovich release - reports

The Verge:

A US federal judge rules Google has a monopoly in “general search text advertising” and Google's exclusive agreements enabled it to raise prices on that product— A federal judge ruled that Google violated US antitrust law by maintaining a monopoly in the search and advertising markets.

Discussion:
CNN, US District Court for the District of Columbia, Politico, One Man & His Blog, New York Times, Sportico, Engadget, Boing Boing, Ars Technica, AV Club, TVNewsCheck, Financial Times, 9to5Google, Reuters, Ad Age, WTOL-TV, Bloomberg, @jeff@newsie.social, PhoneArena, ScheerPost.com, @Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to, The Information, @webology@mastodon.social, @digitalsamiam, TechCrunch, MarTech, MediaPost, Quartz, The Wrap, BGR, Deadline, 9to5Mac, @jason_kint, Variety, AdExchanger, Jill Caren on LinkedIn, @parismarx@mastodon.online, Fox Business, CNBC, @theory@xoxo.zone, New York Post, @kottke@mastodon.social, @SomeGadgetGuy@techhub.social, W Media Research, The Hollywood Reporter, The Drum, @jason_kint, @marie_haynes, UPI, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and News/Media Alliance, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Josh Sisco /
Politico: DOJ, states win Google search antitrust case

Adam Tinworth /
One Man & His Blog: Google is on the naughty step

Michael McCann /
Sportico: Google Is a Monopolist, Judge Rules in Case With Sports Implications

Rob Beschizza /
Boing Boing: Judge rules Google has illegal monopoly on search

Ashley Belanger /
Ars Technica: Google loses DOJ's big monopoly trial over search business

Matt Schimkowitz /
AV Club: In a banner ruling for Bing, federal judge deems Google a monopoly

Mark K. Miller /
TVNewsCheck: Judge: Google Illegally Maintains Monopoly Over Internet Search

Jeff /
@jeff@newsie.social: A stunning sentence from the Court. — “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” — https://www.cnn.com/... #Google #News #Court #Search #business

Alan Friedman /
PhoneArena: Federal judge rules that Google runs a monopoly with its search and search advertising businesses

Julia Conley /
ScheerPost.com: US Court Rules Google a Monopoly in ‘Biggest Antitrust Case of the 21st Century’ @Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to: “After having carefully considered and weighed the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Mehta wrote in Monday's opinion. “It has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act.” https://www.cnn.com/...

Jeff Triplett /
@webology@mastodon.social: 🍿 This was not the monopolist breakup I wanted to read about in my timeline today, but it's a damn good start. — (In all fairness, it was in my top 2.) — https://www.theverge.com/...

Sam /
@digitalsamiam: A few things here are interesting: (1) Mehta refers to Text Ads as a “submarket” - I'm sure Google's attorneys are going to use that (along with the attempted disintermediation of search ads + shopping ads) in an appeal. (2) I genuinely don't see a world where this [image]

Anu Adegbola /
MarTech: Federal judge rules Google violated antitrust law

Laura Bratton /
Quartz: Google just lost the biggest tech antitrust case in decades

Chance Miller /
9to5Mac: Google's $20B default search deal with Apple violates antitrust law, judge rules

Jason Kint /
@jason_kint: In fact, the Court found Google just spread out its manipulations of pricing in order to make it appear to just be “noise.” This is the part where my screaming in joy (thanks for all of the messages everyone :) ) turned to anger as I consider impact to Rest of World. /14 [image]

Allison Schiff /
AdExchanger: The DOJ Wins Its Search Antitrust Case Against Google. Next Up Is Ad Tech

Jill Caren /
Jill Caren on LinkedIn: I would not be lying if I said I was actually shocked they lost. — But I am really glad they did. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of this. …

Paris Marx /
@parismarx@mastodon.online: Google being found guilty of monopoly practices is a landmark finding that will affect the coming tech antitrust cases, but now the question is about consequences. — The remedies haven't been decided. Microsoft escaped the worst of them two decades ago. — https://www.theverge.com/... …

David Wheeler /
@theory@xoxo.zone: “After having carefully considered and weighed the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly.” — https://www.theverge.com/...

Thomas Barrabi /
New York Post: ‘Google is a monopolist’: Search giant broke antitrust law in landmark case, judge rules @kottke@mastodon.social: Google, a monopoly, loses its antitrust case against the Dept of Justice. “A federal judge ruled that Google violated US antitrust law by maintaining a monopoly in the search and advertising markets.” https://www.theverge.com/... @SomeGadgetGuy@techhub.social: Our legal system seems to FINALLY be catching up to the absolutely TERRIBLE business practices of big tech. — This case against Google might help set the stage for future investigations against Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, etc. — https://www.politico.com/... … W Media Research: Monopoly Ruling Vs Google: For Advertisers, More Choice, Better Products, Lower Prices

Winston Cho /
The Hollywood Reporter: Google's Search Business Violates Antitrust Laws, Court Finds In Major Ruling

Kendra Barnett /
The Drum: Google's search business violates US competition law, judge rules in landmark case

Jason Kint /
@jason_kint: it also found Google manipulated its ad prices without - even considering - competitive effects. Reminder they doubled their search text ads on surfaces so THIS ABUSE SCREWED THE PUBLIC AND PUBLISHERS BY MANY MANY TENS OF BILLIONS. /3 [image]

Marie Haynes /
@marie_haynes: There are 2 kinds of ads Google shows, general search text ads and shopping ads, also known as Product Listing Ads, PLA's. [image] News/Media Alliance: Statement: News/Media Alliance Applauds Department of Justice Ruling Against Google in Landmark Antitrust Lawsuit

New York Times:

Red Ventures sells CNET, an early pioneer of online tech coverage, to Ziff Davis, which owns Mashable, PC Mag, and other brands, a source says for $100M+— Ziff Davis is acquiring CNET for more than $100 million. Its chief executive thinks more acquisitions are on the horizon.

Discussion:
Adweek, Axios, The Verge, @seangriffey, @rafat, @felixsalmon, @tsuvik, @rogerwcheng, @rhunwords, @saschasegan, @rafat, @bombur, @jeffjarvis, @film_girl, @tvgrimreaper, @benmullin, TVNewsCheck and @danackerman

Discussion:

Mark Stenberg /
Adweek: Ziff Davis Acquires Tech Publisher CNET for Over $100m

Sara Fischer /
Axios: Red Ventures sells CNET to Ziff Davis

Jess Weatherbed /
The Verge: Ziff Davis is buying CNET for just $100 million

Sean Griffey /
@seangriffey: Ziff Davis knows how to operate media properties like CNET. Good home for them. Thought they were one more bad stop away from me being able to scrape money together to buy it. The history: 2008: CBS buys for $1.8B 2020: RD - $500M 2024: ZD - $100M @rafat: Thus proves that @VivekRShah is one of the canniest — and unheralded — media CEOs of our times.

Felix Salmon /
@felixsalmon: This story is basically a game of digital-media mad libs

Vikas SN /
@tsuvik: How tables turn 2002 - CNET buys Ziff Davis for $1.6 billion (After multiple change of hands...) 2024- Ziff Davis buys CNET for around $100M https://www.nytimes.com/....

Roger Cheng /
@rogerwcheng: Good luck to the talented journalists of @cnet, who I'm hearing from multiple folks will be purchased by Ziff Davis. It's been a topsy turvy ride for the storied tech brand. @rhunwords: Potentially huge for CNET and Interesting Times for brands like Mashable, PC Gamer and Lifehacker already covering the tech beat at ZD

Sascha Segan /
@saschasegan: @danackerman It would be a good move. ZD is actually interested in running tech media, unlike some owners.

@rafat:
Wow. I am old enough to remember the opposite when it happened 22 years ago, reported the story back then for Silicon Alley Reporter. [image]

Mike Epstein /
@bombur: Assuming this is right, Ziff now owns PCMag, Mashable, and CNET, as well as IGN, which covers tech, and Lifehacker, which does tech service. I'm happy for CNET to get out from under Red Ventures, but I'm also nervous for all the good ppl I used to work with at the other brands. @jeffjarvis: In other words, Vivek Shah rescues CNET. I seriously wish Ziff Davis would similarly save a certain tech podcast company. CNET Sold to Ziff Davis in Sign of Possible Media Deals to Come https://www.nytimes.com/...

Christina Warren /
@film_girl: The crazy thing here is that CNET bought ZDNET (itself a spin-off of Ziff Davis) in the year 2000 for a truly stupid amount of on-paper money. Unclear if Red Ventures selling just CNET or if ZDNet will be sold too, thus finally reunifying the zombie brands? @tvgrimreaper: CNET history: 2008: CBS, $1.8 billion! 2020: Red Ventures, $500 million 2024: Ziff Davis, $100 million 2028: Four Seasons Landscaping, $1.50?

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: News: Ziff Davis has acquired CNET from Red Ventures for more than $100 million. Ziff Davis' chief executive, Vivek Shah, said it's a sign of more deals on the horizon as the digital media industry comes under additional pressure https://www.nytimes.com/...

Benjamin Mullin /
TVNewsCheck: CNET Sold To Ziff Davis In Sign Of Possible Media Deals To Come

Awful Announcing:

FAST channels NEWSnet and SportsNewsHighlights, owned by Manoj Bhargava's Bridge Media, abruptly shuts down, resulting in the layoffs of 80 employees— Manoj Bhargava at a NewsNet desk. (NewsNet.) — The strangeness around former Sports Illustrated publisher Arena Group and its majority owner …

Discussion:

Nick Manes /
Crain's Detroit Business: 5-hour Energy founder shuts down news network he bought 2 years ago, laying off 80 Jay Plyburn: Happy Friday! I lost my job today. Actually everyone at NEWSnet lost their job today. …

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: NewsNet, Sports News Highlights shut down

A.J. Perez /
@byajperez: 5-Hour Energy founder Manoj Bhargava—who acquired a controlling interest in now-former Sports Illustrated publisher Arena Group last year—has shut down NEWSNet, a streaming network he launched two years ago. Eighty employees of the Bridge Media Networks subsidiary were laid off. Ruby Shane: I'm sure most of you have heard the news. NEWSnet is shut down, leaving about 80+ people out of work, including me. …

A.J. Perez /
@byajperez: Bhargava spent $70M on NEWSNet's studios in Michigan and another $100M to acquire dozens of small digital stations that broadcast NEWSNet and Sports News Highlights. Sports News Highlights is showing news from a couple days ago, so looks like that network was also impacted.

Ray Schultz /
MediaPost: The Arena Group Closes Two Streaming Networks: Report

Barak Shapiro /
@barak_shapiro: Over the last few years, I've had the most incredible job working with a group of phenomenal people! Unfortunately, yesterday our owners made a tough choice and permanently shut down NEWSnet. 😞I'm super bummed!!! However, I am excited to see what destiny has in store. [image]

Brad Gibson /
@sdavis60: @Manoj_Bhargava ... you're an entrepreneur that failed NewsNet because you had no sound biz plan and hired idiot people to run it (among other things). Real potential, but you blew what could have been a good thing.

Andrew Bucholtz /
@andrewbucholtz: In an interview published in May, Manoj Bhargava said combining ex-SI publisher Arena Group with his NewsNet/Sports News and Highlights TV networks would be “good for both,” with “many more win-win opportunities to come.” Now, he's shut down the channels. https://awfulannouncing.com/ ...

Adam Jacobson /
Radio & Television Business Report: NewsNet Abruptly Ceases Operations

Kurt Nagl /
@kurt_nagl: “We believed people would want to watch a clean, non-bias news network, but we were wrong.” Reporting via @nickrmanes https://www.crainsdetroit.com/ ...

Joe Pallozzi /
@joepallozzi42: Right after this post, NEWSnet laid off every single employee and ceased operations - myself included. Wild final post.

Brad Gibson /
@sdavis60: @YourNewsNet ... well, well, NewsNet ceases operations. Big surprise (not). Inevitable. Badly run with no good plan for distribution, marketing and sales. Eric Wotila gave up and took the $$. Manoj Bhargava bought smthng with no sound plan. Sad. Was never going to work. #newsnet

@katie_robertson:

Internal memo: Axios CEO Jim VandeHei says the company is laying off ~50 people as part of “changes to adapt fast to a rapidly changing media landscape”— NEW: Axios is laying off 50 people across the company. CEO @JimVandeHei just sent out this note — which says the layoffs are because of “changes in the media business” [image]

Discussion:
@ethanscorey, @nkulw, @ethangach, @chaykak, @brandyljensen, @benkesslen, @chriscillizza, @mikebrice and @katie_robertson

Discussion:

Ethan Corey /
@ethanscorey: Oh God, they formatted their layoff notice like an Axios story. Horror compounding horror.

Noah Kulwin /
@nkulw: Always amazing how they well they brag they're doing when they make these announcements @ethangach: I love how this is framed around being forward thinking and then has no idea what is a really coming beyond “change”

Kyle Chayka /
@chaykak: smart brevity: why you got laid off

Brandy Jensen /
@brandyljensen: announcing this in the house style ("why it matters" bullet points) is so dark

Ben Kesslen /
@benkesslen: It's nasty work to do this in the Axios format. Make it a regular email...

Chris Cillizza /
@chriscillizza: Mainstream media journalism has a broken business model. Even Axios, which I think has led the way in terms of innovation and forward-thinking, isn't immune. If we want to have journalism going forward, we have to convince people they need to pay for it.

Mike Brice /
@mikebrice: It is the common curve with these media start ups. Promise the stars, attract talent with above market wages and then crash and burn. What was the name of the last company to do this? I already forgot.

Katie Robertson /
@katie_robertson: More from the Axios note https://x.com/... [image]

Financial Times:

Sources: WBD looks to avoid breaking up the company by offloading smaller assets, such as selling Polish broadcaster TVN or a stake in WBD's gaming business— Executives fear ‘years of legal challenges’ if they split its TV and movie studio businesses — Warner Bros Discovery's senior management …

Discussion:
@meowzawowza_ and @annaknicolaou

Discussion:

Melissa /
@meowzawowza_: Looks like WBD is trying to avoid a break-up due to fears of legal challenges. Instead, they're considering an asset sale starting with smaller assets. This is obviously not enough to turn the company around & investors might not be patient much longer. https://www.ft.com/...

The Hollywood Reporter:

Fox Corp reports Q4 revenue up 2% YoY to $3.1B, affiliate fee revenue up 5% YoY to $1.9B, ad revenue flat YoY at $1B, and $320M net income, vs. $369M in Q4 2023— The company said that revenue rose slightly in the quarter thanks to its carriage agreements, but that the election and Super Bowl are setting it up for a big year.

Discussion:
Variety, Next TV and Fox Corporation

The Guardian:

Critics say Hungary's new sovereignty protection office, set up to monitor foreign influence, has been targeting independent journalism and watchdog groups— The country's new sovereignty protection office was set up to quieten anti-government voices, critics say

Discussion:
@worstall, @tobyvogel and @roberthm75

Discussion:

Tim Worstall /
@worstall: Censorship: “the far-right Hungarian leader has intensified his campaign against independent voices at home, increasing pressure on media outlets and civil society groups that do not toe the government line.” Who gets to define? https://www.theguardian.com/ ...

Toby Vogel /
@tobyvogel: Wait Wasn't @TI_EU campaigning against EU-wide transparency rules with the claim that they would encourage such moves by the member states? Now you're telling me Hungary is doing this anyway, independently of the EU? https://www.theguardian.com/ ... [image]

Robert Martin /
@roberthm75: Aaahh! The wonderfully perfect and crime-free #Hungary, as expertly analysed by that very clever academic @Goodwinmj over a 4 day holiday. Oh, hang on...you mean the criminals run the fucking place?! Oh, dear, Matthew, you've been hoodwinked! @UniKent https://www.theguardian.com/ ...

404 Media:

Sources: Nvidia scraped sources like Netflix and YouTube to train an unreleased foundational model; concerned staff were told they had full clearance to do so— Nvidia scraped videos from Youtube and several other sources to compile training data for its AI products, internal Slack chats …

Discussion:
Engadget, @ernie@writing.exchange, @timnitGebru@dair …, @samleecole, Futurism, @mkbhd, @josephfcox, @paco@infosec.exchange, @paul@oldfriends.live, @noondlyt@mastodon.social, @minimaxir, Digital Trends, @KimPerales@toad.social, @lilithsaintcrow …, @simon@fedi.simonwillison.net, @minimaxir, @simonw, @jasonkoebler@mastodon.social and @simonw, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Will Shanklin /
Engadget: NVIDIA's AI team reportedly scraped YouTube, Netflix videos without permission

Ernie Smith /
@ernie@writing.exchange: Nvidia's comments on copyright in this are really something. https://www.404media.co/...

Timnit Gebru /
@timnitGebru@dair-community.social: Now let's do Google and OpenAI. — https://www.404media.co/...

Samantha Cole /
@samleecole: Internal Nvidia emails, conversations and documents leaked to 404 Media show how the company built a yet-to-be released video foundation model by scraping copyrighted content and academic datasets https://www.404media.co/...

Maggie Harrison Dupré /
Futurism: Nvidia Caught Stealing Mind-Boggling Quantity of YouTube Videos to Train AI

Marques Brownlee /
@mkbhd: cool cool cool cool cool cool now leaked NVIDIA slack messages discussing which YouTube channels to scrape videos from. MKBHD videos? Yeah grab those too.

Joseph Cox /
@josephfcox: The leak also shows Nvidia scraping Netflix to make its model. Netflix says it does not have a deal with Nvidia, and that it does not allow scraping under its terms of service https://www.404media.co/... [image] @paco@infosec.exchange: So this is bad. I'm sure #YouTube was a little annoyed that individuals could download videos with #ytdlp, but now that #nvidia has been caught doing it at scale, this is going to accelerate their hostility. Kudos to @404mediaco for the great reporting as always. …

Paul Chambers /
@paul@oldfriends.live: This is wild, regardless of if you are pro, con, or indifferent regarding AI. #OpenAI #AI #IPTheft #Pirating — 🔗 Leaked Documents Show #Nvidia Scraping ‘A Human Lifetime’ of Videos Per Day to Train AI — They are getting most if not all of #YouTube and other sites. …

Lauren /
@noondlyt@mastodon.social: They made Huang a king and he believed it. — Leaked Documents Show Nvidia Scraping ‘A Human Lifetime’ of Videos Per Day to Train AI https://www.404media.co/...

Max Woolf /
@minimaxir: I don't even know logistically how you would scrape Netflix. Torrent all the shows? https://x.com/...

Andrew Tarantola /
Digital Trends: Nvidia reportedly caught scraping AI data from Netflix and YouTube (again)

Kim Perales /
@KimPerales@toad.social: #AI is built on fraud & theft: — “We got a massive leak from inside #Nvidia (emails, Slack chats, documents) which show how it created a yet-to-be-released AI model. The leak shows that Nvidia scraped YouTube en masse, had clearance from highest levels of the company.” …

Lili Saintcrow /
@lilithsaintcrow@raggedfeathers.com: “Questions from employees working on the project about legal issues were often dismissed by project managers, who said the decision to scrape videos without permission was an “executive decision” that they need not worry about...” https://www.404media.co/...

Simon Willison /
@simon@fedi.simonwillison.net: Fascinating report from 404 Media's Samantha Cole on a trove of leaked NVIDIA Slack messages and emails about how they're scraping millions of YouTube videos to train their own new foundation video generation model: https://www.404media.co/... Posted a few of my own notes here: https://simonwillison.net/... …

Simon Willison /
@simonw: A few weeks ago there was a big response to a story about companies training just on captions scraped from YouTube - captions only, not the video. This NVIDIA story involves the full video content. https://x.com/...

Jason Koebler /
@jasonkoebler@mastodon.social: SCOOP from @samleecole: Leaked Slacks and documents show the incredible scale of NVidia's AI scraping: 80 years — “a human lifetime” of videos every day. Had approval from highest levels of company despite staff legal/ethical concerns: — https://www.404media.co/...

Simon Willison /
@simonw: Not surprising to see NVIDIA doing this - practically the industry standard right now - but interesting to see details of what they're collecting and why: “Movies are actually a good source of data to get gaming-like 3D consistency and fictional content but much higher quality”

The Wrap:

CBS News names Adrienne Roark as president of editorial and newsgathering and Jennifer Mitchell as president of stations and digital, as part of a restructuring— Roark will be president of editorial and newsgathering, and Mitchell will be president of stations and digital

Discussion:
Next TV, Adweek, CBS News, New York Post, The Desk, Radio & Television …, Deadline, TVNewsCheck, The Hollywood Reporter and Barrett Media

Discussion:

Mark Mwachiro /
Adweek: CBS News Announces New Editorial Leadership Team

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: CBS News boss Wendy McMahon revamps management team after exit of controversial executive

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: CBS News And Stations Taps Adrienne Roark And Jennifer Mitchell For Expanded Roles As Part Of New Leadership Structure

Ted Johnson /
TVNewsCheck: CBS Taps Adrienne Roark And Jennifer Mitchell For Expanded Roles As Part Of News Leadership Structure

Nieman Lab:

A Louisiana law that went into effect last week makes it a misdemeanor for reporters or anyone to be within 25 feet of a police officer after being ordered back— “You can't even get an officer's badge number at 25 feet. So there's no way to hold anyone accountable."

Discussion:
@richardawebster and Boing Boing

Discussion:

Richard A. Webster /
@richardawebster: Today a Louisiana law goes into effect making it illegal to come within 25 feet of police, when warned to stay back. Opponents say it is designed to prevent people, including reporters, from filming and exposing police abuses. @veritenewsnola @propublica https://www.shorturl.at/7E1MV

Adweek:

After redesigning its website in June 2024, the AP says monthly page views rose 17%, unique visitors rose 16%, video views rose 89%, digital ad revenue rose 20%— A site redesign helped yield a 20% increase in ad revenue — Last June, The Associated Press began a concerted effort to expand …

Discussion:
Casey Silvestri on LinkedIn and Mark Stenberg on LinkedIn

Discussion:

Casey Silvestri /