Last week BuzzFeed launched a BuzzFeed Arcade redesign, Vulture released an archive of its game Cinematrix, and Mashable partnered with Arkadium to offer games (Kerry Flynn/Axios)

Mediagazer: Last week BuzzFeed launched a BuzzFeed Arcade redesign, Vulture released an archive of its game Cinematrix, and Mashable partnered with Arkadium to offer games (Kerry Flynn/Axios)

Top News:

New York Times:

Edgar Bronfman Jr. drops his 11th-hour bid to take control of Paramount and buy National Amusements; sources: Bronfman couldn't offer proof of financing in time— Mr. Bronfman has frantically put a bid together over the last week even as Paramount raised questions about his financing.
Discussion: Financial Times, The Streamable, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Advanced Television, The Media Leader, The Special Committee …, Business Insider, Cord Cutters News, @benmullin, Variety, @benmullin, Music Business Worldwide, @royprice, @sarafischer, The Wrap, Screen, The Guardian, Broadband TV News, Media Play News, Deadline, @mediaevan, Axios, @beckyquick, TVNewsCheck, WORLD SCREEN, Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, The Desk, Reuters and @oliverdarcy@threads.net

Discussion:

Anna Nicolaou /
Financial Times: Edgar Bronfman Jr abandons $6bn Paramount bid Business Insider: Meet David Ellison, the 41-year-old son of billionaire Larry Ellison set to take over at Paramount

Hannah Miller /
Bloomberg: Edgar Bronfman Drops Out of Bidding War for Paramount Global

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Bronfman withdraws bid for Paramount, paving way for Skydance deal The Special Committee of the Board …: Paramount Global's Special Committee Announces End Of “Go-shop” Process

Shubhangi Goel /
Business Insider: Edgar Bronfman Jr. drops his $6 billion Paramount bid

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: SOLD Pluto TV & Paramount+ Have Been Sold to Skydance As All Other Bidders Drop Out

Cynthia Littleton /
Variety: Paramount Global Closes Door on ‘Go-Shop’ Period as Edgar Bronfman Jr. Drops Last-Minute Bid for Studio

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: 🚨 statement from Edgar Bronfman Jr. 🚨 story here w/@LaurenSHirsch: https://www.nytimes.com/... [image]

Mandy Dalugdug /
Music Business Worldwide: Paramount-Skydance merger moves forward as former Warner Music boss Edgar Bronfman Jr. drops $4.3bn bid

Roy Price /
@royprice: Congratulations to the Ellisons and Redbird. Time for Paramount to move ahead. Their first project can be a miniseries based on the sale process!

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: That was a wild ride ... Edgar Bronfman Jr. dropping his bid for @paramountco / NAI after 11th hour Hail Mary. Statement below: [image] The Wrap: Edgar Bronfman Jr. Drops Out of Paramount Bidding Process, Leaving Skydance as Winner of Hollywood Studio

Jeremy Kay /
Screen: Edgar Bronfman Jr. withdraws Paramount Global offer, paving way for Skydance Media

Kalyeena Makortoff /
The Guardian: Path clears for Paramount merger with Skydance after Bronfman drops bid

Robert Briel /
Broadband TV News: Edgar Bronfman withdraws bid for Paramount

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Paramount Global Ends ‘Go-Shop’ Window, Says Skydance Media Acquisition Should Close in 2025

Evan DeSimone /
@mediaevan: Welp, that was fun for a minute. https://www.nytimes.com/...

Sara Fischer /
Axios: Edgar Bronfman Jr. drops bid for Paramount

Becky Quick /
@beckyquick: BREAKING NEWS: Edgar Bronfman Jr. is dropping out of the bidding for Paramount. $PARA Statement from him tonight: “Tonight, our bidding group informed the special committee that we will be exiting the go-shop process. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to participate. We

Mansha Daswani /
WORLD SCREEN: Edgar Bronfman Jr. Ends Paramount Bid

Lauren Thomas /
Wall Street Journal: Edgar Bronfman Drops Bid for Paramount, Paving Way for Skydance Deal

Zoe G. Phillips /
The Hollywood Reporter: Edgar Bronfman Drops Paramount Bid

Dawn Chmielewski /
Reuters: Media exec Bronfman pulls out of race to acquire Paramount

Oliver Darcy /
@oliverdarcy@threads.net: News: Edgar Bronfman Jr. backs out of bid to acquire Paramount: “Tonight, our bidding group informed the special committee that we will be exiting the go-shop process. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to participate.”

RELATED:
Bloomberg: Sources: Paramount is moving ahead with asset disposals, including a potential sale of 12 TV stations that it considers non-core, which could fetch $500M to $1B

Discussion:
The Desk, @matthewkeyslive, The Wrap, @michellef_davis and Cord Cutters News

Discussion:

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Paramount hires bank to weigh sale of non-core TV stations

Matthew Keys /
@matthewkeyslive: Paramount has hired an investment bank to consider selling 12 independent and low-power TV stations, including outlets in San Francisco, Seattle, Indianapolis, Tampa, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston and Detroit https://thedesk.net/... $PARA

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Paramount Exploring Sale of 12 Local TV Stations | Report

Michelle F. Davis /
@michellef_davis: scooplet: Paramount has hired a bank to help it find buyer(s) for a dozen independent TV stations, some which used to be The CW Network affiliates. The potential sale is part of a plan to dispose of noncore assets to raise cash. story with @chrispalmeri https://www.bloomberg.com/...

Wall Street Journal:

In a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, Mark Zuckerberg says he regrets Meta wasn't more outspoken about Biden administration pressure to restrict some COVID-19 content— Meta CEO also says he won't repeat 2020 efforts to fund local elections, which Republicans criticized as ‘Zuckerbucks’

Discussion:
@judiciarygop, Financial Times, The Wrap, HuffPost, KVUE-TV, @karaswisher@threads.net, @daveleebbg@threads.net, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @documentingmeta@threads.net, Newser, @marshablackburn, TMZ.com, The Information, Social Media Today, ComingSoon.net, @richardgrenell, @nicksortor, @stevesi, @mdbreathe, New York Post, @realalexjones, @pattyisright, The Daily Beast, @joshuasteinman, Silicon Republic, @geoffmanne, @johnny_joey, @nicoperrino, @judiciarygop, Politico, @chrispavlovski, Raw Story, @loganclarkhall, @jeffereyjaxen, BGR, Bloomberg, Mediaite, @shaunmmaguire, @mtaibbi, Fortune, @nic__carter, The Hill, Reclaim The Net and Semafor, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
@judiciarygop: Mark Zuckerberg just admitted three things: 1. Biden-Harris Admin “pressured” Facebook to censor Americans. 2. Facebook censored Americans. 3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story. Big win for free speech. [image]

Hannah Murphy /
Financial Times: Mark Zuckerberg says White House pressured Meta over Covid-19 content

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: Mark Zuckerberg Regrets Allowing White House to Push COVID-19 Censorship in 2021: ‘Government Pressure Was Wrong’

Marita Vlachou /
HuffPost: Mark Zuckerberg Says Biden Officials Were ‘Wrong’ To Pressure Meta To ‘Censor’ COVID Posts KVUE-TV: Zuckerberg says the White House pressured Facebook over some COVID-19 content during the pandemic

Kara Swisher /
@karaswisher@threads.net: Regrets — Mark has a few! Well this is something, but not much of a surprise from tech's most equivocal CEO. He must worry that he has to protect himself in the case of Trump winning especially after the attacks on him personally and he knows Harris won't really care or take any action for stating this. https://www.wsj.com/...

Dave Lee /
@daveleebbg@threads.net: Tempting to have this take, but I'd urge anyone with an interest in this to read the court docs relating to how the WH pressured Facebook to act on certain pieces of content. It stepped way way over the line.

Renee DiResta /
@renee.diresta@threads.net: I am still floored by this letter. Look, jawboning is unambiguously bad. We also just had a SCOTUS case highlighting how flimsy the evidence was that it happened in any material way. Zuck was also proactively reaching out *to* health officials ab how FB could help. … @documentingmeta@threads.net: It's really scary how many sane rational people support the government suppressing free speech on social media just because it's the government that they support and want to win an election You've all never been in an actual authoritarian/leaning country where speech is subject to the whims of the government and it shows

Jenn Gidman /
Newser: Zuckerberg: We Stifled COVID Info at White House's Request

Sen. Marsha Blackburn /
@marshablackburn: The Biden-Harris administration pushed Facebook to censor content on the platform. The Left uses Big Tech to silence those who disagree with their radical agenda.

Sylvia Varnham O'Regan /
The Information: Mark Zuckerberg Says Government Pressure Over Covid Posts was ‘Wrong’

Andrew Hutchinson /
Social Media Today: Zuckerberg Raises Questions Over Government Suppression Requests

Disheeta Maheshwari /
ComingSoon.net: What Did Mark Zuckerberg's Letter Say About the Biden-Harris Administration?

Richard Grenell /
@richardgrenell: . @facebook should face serious consequences for this.

Nick Sortor /
@nicksortor: 🚨 JUST IN: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he “regrets” censoring information on behalf of the Biden Harris regime It's a little late for that, Zuck. Meta and Zuckerberg should be held accountable for interfering in our elections. DON'T LET THEM OFF THE HOOK! They KNEW what [image]

Steven Sinofsky /
@stevesi: Saying any of these happened was determined to be misinformation. This shows the limits of such policing or even criticizing.

Mary Talley Bowden MD /
@mdbreathe: “Mea culpa” doesn't cut it. Put this man in prison.

Victor Nava /
New York Post: Zuckerberg admits Biden admin pressured Facebook to censor COVID content, says it was wrong to suppress The Post's Hunter laptop coverage

Alex Jones /
@realalexjones: JUST IN - Zuckerberg regrets working with the Biden-Harris administration to censor Covid era information online. The rats are fleeing the sinking ship. This is huge. Humanity is turning the tide! https://x.com/...

Joshua Steinman /
@joshuasteinman: Zuck has access to a real-time global human sentiment machine. If you think he's coming clean about what Kamala & co have been doing just for the sake of doing the right thing, you aren't paying attention. He knows what's coming.

Leigh Mc Gowran /
Silicon Republic: Zuckerberg says US pressured Meta to censor Covid-19 content

Geoffrey Manne /
@geoffmanne: We already knew this, but before it was inferred from documents; now it's confirmed. I'm not even sure the WH denied it — I think they said it was justified. Regardless, it's a good reminder that, yeah, the gov't absolutely does (unconstitutionally) censor speech it doesn't like. [image]

Joey Jones /
@johnny_joey: The letter is a win for the campaign trail if Republicans can use it correctly.

Nico Perrino /
@nicoperrino: In which Mark Zuckerberg says the feds “repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire ... I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it.”

@judiciarygop:
Mark Zuckerberg also tells the Judiciary Committee that he won't spend money this election cycle. That's right, no more Zuck-bucks. Huge win for election integrity.

Chris Pavlovski /
@chrispavlovski: This is explosive and damning. In 2021 during Covid, Rumble told the media to pound sand, we told tech companies threatening to cancel us to pound sound, we did not fold, and we had balls of steel. Meta had no balls.

Logan Hall /
@loganclarkhall: oops sorry we accidentally rigged the election and installed a senile vegetable to the highest office in the world ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Jefferey Jaxen /
@jeffereyjaxen: Admitted censorship of this scale should garner steeper legal, financial and/or regulatory penalties. “I regret we were not more outspoken about it” is NOT enough from Zuckerberg/Meta

Andy Meek /
BGR: Mark Zuckerberg now says Meta shouldn't have complied with White House Covid censorship requests

Charlie Nash /
Mediaite: Mark Zuckerberg Says Biden Admin ‘Repeatedly Pressured’ Facebook To ‘Censor’ Content, ‘Including Humor and Satire’

Matt Taibbi /
@mtaibbi: MARK ZUCKERBERG DETAILS GOVERNMENT PRESSURE TO “CENSOR” “In 2021, senior officials from the Biden administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire...”

Eleanor Pringle /
Fortune: Zuckerberg blasts Biden administration for pressuring Meta to censor COVID content

Julia Shapero /
The Hill: Zuckerberg says he regrets not being more outspoken about ‘government pressure’

Dan Frieth /
Reclaim The Net: Mark Zuckerberg Confirms Biden Administration Pressured Facebook on Censorship, Admits to Throttling Hunter Biden Story

Tom Chivers /
Semafor: Zuckerberg says Biden administration ‘pressured’ Meta to censor COVID-19 content

Variety:

Jason and Travis Kelce sign a deal with Amazon's Wondery for rights to their popular New Heights podcast; a source says the three year deal is worth $100M+— Three-year pact gives Wondery rights to ad-sales, distribution and more to NFL stars' weekly show

Discussion:
The Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, The Media Leader, The Ankler, The Wrap, Awful Announcing, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Bobby Gay on LinkedIn, Josh Mandell on LinkedIn, Barrett Media, Front Office Sports, Forbes, SheKnows, Sportico, @morningbrew, E! Online, USA Today, TMZ.com, Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, Page Six, Deadline, UPROXX, Maggie Clifton on LinkedIn, @deadline, @highyieldharry, @vinny_daniel0, Us Weekly, @adamsinger, New York Post, New York Daily News, KNSD-TV and The Verge

Discussion:

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Amazon's Wondery podcast studio inks deal with Kelce brothers

Caitlin Huston /
The Hollywood Reporter: Travis and Jason Kelce's ‘New Heights’ Podcast Moves to Wondery in Nine-Figure Deal

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Kelce brothers touchdown huge podcast deal with Amazon

Sean McNulty /
The Ankler: ☀️Next Steps for SKYDANCE/PAR with Edgar Out

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: Kelce Brothers Ink ‘New Heights’ Podcast Deal With Amazon's Wondery Worth Over $100 Million

Ben Axelrod /
Awful Announcing: Kelce brothers reach $100 million-plus deal with Amazon for ‘New Heights’

Wendy Lee /
Los Angeles Times: ‘New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce’ podcast lands deal with Amazon's Wondery

Anne Steele /
Wall Street Journal: Kelce Brothers Sign Amazon Podcast Deal Worth More Than $100 Million

Bobby Gay /
Bobby Gay on LinkedIn: Exciting news in the podcast world today! Shoutout to Aaron Eanes, Andre Eanes, Maggie Clifton and all others for bringing this deal to life …

Josh Mandell /
Josh Mandell on LinkedIn: Cause players gonna play, play, play, play, play...and it'll be discussed on New Heights...which as of today, is a part of the Wondery fam! 🏈 🎉 …

Conor Murray /
Forbes: Jason And Travis Kelce Sign Reported $100 Million Podcast Deal With Amazon's Wondery

Kristyn Burtt /
SheKnows: Travis Kelce's Taylor Swift Relationship Might Have Indirectly Helped His $100 Million Podcast Deal

Jason Clinkscales /
Sportico: Travis, Jason Kelce Bring ‘New Heights’ Podcast to Wondery @morningbrew: Recent major podcast deals: • Joe Rogan (Spotify) $250M • Alex Cooper (SiriusXM) $125M • SmartLess (SiriusXM) $100M • Kelce Brothers (Amazon) $100M • Dax Shepard (Amazon) $80M It's good work if you can get it [image]

Olivia Evans /
E! Online: Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce Score Eye-Popping Podcast Deal Worth at Least $100 Million

Glenn Erby /
USA Today: Jason and Travis Kelce sign $100 million deal With Amazon for ‘New Heights’ Podcast

Ashley Carman /
Bloomberg: NFL's Kelce Brothers Sign $100 Million Podcast Deal With Amazon

Dan Ladden-Hall /
The Daily Beast: Kelce Brothers Sign $100M+ Deal for Their ‘New Heights’ Podcast

Francesca Bacardi /
Page Six: Travis, Jason Kelce sign ‘New Heights’ podcast deal worth more than $100M

Josh Kurp /
UPROXX: The Kelce Brothers Signed A Huge New Deal To Continue Talking About Taylor Swift And Football

Maggie Clifton /
Maggie Clifton on LinkedIn: As part of our new media management firm, Brick Media, I have been fortunate enough over the past serveral months to work alongside … @deadline: The show follows the NFL stars' personal and sporting lives, plus insight on football and pop culture. It is a regular top sports podcast on Apple and Spotify. Wave will continue to provide production services MORE: https://deadline.com/... @highyieldharry: How is everyone getting a $100 million podcast, does anyone want to gimme a meager $10 million podcast?

Vinny Daniel /
@vinny_daniel0: We are finally starting to see the commercialization of alternative. Podcasters getting NBA contracts

Tufayel Ahmed /
Us Weekly: Travis and Jason Kelce Sign 9-Figure Deal for Their ‘New Heights’ Podcast: Report

Adam Singer /
@adamsinger: Building an (interested) audience is still way undervalued by most people. Different than just ‘having followers.’ The leverage it affords is crazy, if you've used the internet long enough you understand. If you're scratching your head you'll get there eventually...

Justin Terranova /
New York Post: Jason and Travis Kelce land ‘New Heights’ podcast deal with Amazon for over $100 million

Jami Ganz /
New York Daily News: Travis, Jason Kelce's ‘New Heights’ inks $100M deal with Amazon's Wondery

The Moscow Times:

Interfax: Russia's FSB files criminal charges against a DW reporter and a journalist for Ukraine's 1+1 TV channel for illegally crossing the border into Kursk— Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday that it has filed criminal charges against a Deutsche Welle reporter …

Discussion:
Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Deutsche Welle, TASS, Reuters, @cforcd and @rsf_inter

Discussion:

Rachel Armstrong /
Reuters: Reuters journalist in critical condition after strike on Ukraine's Kramatorsk

Nicholas Simon Connolly /
TASS: FSB launches investigations into two more reporters for illegally crossing Russian border Reuters: Russia opens criminal cases against two more foreign journalists in Kursk region, Interfax says @cforcd: ⚡️ How russian propaganda justifies the killing of a British news agency employee in Kramatorsk [image]

The Verge:

Gannett is shutting down its product reviews site Reviewed, sources say on November 1; staff previously accused Gannett of publishing AI-generated reviews— Newspaper giant Gannett is shutting down Reviewed, its product reviews site, effective November 1st, according to sources familiar with the decision.

Discussion:
@jeremymbarr, @ckrewson, @andyorin, @miarsato, @loudmouthjulia, The Overspill, @baekdal, @loudmouthjulia, @thomasgermain, @jhilburg, Dan Ackerman on LinkedIn, NewsGuild of New York, @daveleebbg@threads.net, @danack@threads.net, Marshall Nyman on LinkedIn, @jaronschneider@threads.net and @michaelbishop.me, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Jeremy Barr /
@jeremymbarr: News: Gannett has decided to shutter its Wirecutter-like reviews operation, Reviewed. “Google's constant algorithm changes have degraded our current business model, and our ability to operate Reviewed effectively,” a Gannett exec says in a memo. Employees will be “impacted.”

Chris Krewson /
@ckrewson: (In 2023) Michael E. Reed made $3,862,232 in total compensation. https://www1.salary.com/.... But yeah, the algorithm.

Mia Sato /
@miarsato: Scoop: Gannett is shuttering Reviewed, the product reviews site that staff said published AI-generated articles last year. The unionized employees were critical of the content, which was produced by a third party marketing firm. https://www.theverge.com/...

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Reviews, which Google Overview AI/Perplexity/Chat GPT can summarize as “pros and cons” lists directly within their search engines, is a perfect example of the coverage most in danger of being bulldozed via article lifting. Especially if you don't have an NYT audience of 10M subs.

Charlesarthur /
The Overspill: Start Up No.2276: Gannett shuts AI-inflected review site, ChatGPT v author, Finland's pine deaths, science's killer fraud, and more

Thomas Baekdal /
@baekdal: It's always sad when a publisher site closes, but if they were indeed using AI, I'm really happy to see it go. AI's can't, by definition review products. It just pretends to, so any publisher doing this is an offense against everything journalism stands for.

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Summaries won't carry context or nuance of a professional reviewer's article, but it's just good enough for someone who wants a top line breakdown. It's what happens when the first link on Google is replaced by Google. Publishers should band together, demand, and fight for $$$$.

Thomas Germain /
@thomasgermain: Everyday is a reminder that Google has *unilateral* authority to decide whether most online businesses live or die. If your business model doesn't align with Google's ever-shifting algorithm, kiss your job goodbye

Jonathan Hanukkahburg /
@jhilburg: Lol just found out they're dissolving the company and I'm unemployed as of November 1st

Dan Ackerman /
Dan Ackerman on LinkedIn: Shocked to hear that that Reviewed.com from Gannett is shutting down. Like so many others, they got saddled with some weird third-party and/or AI content … NewsGuild of New York: STATEMENT: THE NEWSGUILD OF NEW YORK RESPONDS TO GANNETT SHUTDOWN OF REVIEWED.COM

Dan Ackerman /
@danack@threads.net: Shocked that http://reviewed.com/ from Gannett is shutting down. Like so many others, they got saddled with weird third-party AI content, but there were also good hands-on reviews of things that very few outlets can really handle, like refrigerators. https://www.theverge.com/...

Marshall Nyman /
Marshall Nyman on LinkedIn: This is some very big news that Reviewed is being totally shut down. Google algorithm changes and the FTCs recent ruling on fake reviews likely had an impact on the decision. …

Jaron Schneider /
@jaronschneider@threads.net: This fucking sucks. This was a good publication with great people and solid integrity ruined by a shitty publisher.

Michael Bishop /
@michaelbishop.me: AI slop not profitable, news at 11 [embedded post]

Bloomberg:

Sources: Disney is in contract renewal talks with DirecTV that could see ABC, ESPN, and other channels blacked out as early as September 1 if no deal is reached— DirecTV is looking to ease contract terms that have long required cable and satellite-TV distributors to charge customers …

Discussion:
The Streamable, Business Insider, The TV Answer Man!, Benzinga, The TV Answer Man!, Reuters, TVNewsCheck, Cord Cutters News, @sctvman and @ourand_puck

Discussion:

James Faris /
Business Insider: DirecTV is on the warpath against Disney in a battle it says is existential for cable TV

Phillip Swann /
The TV Answer Man!: DIRECTV vs. Disney: Will There Be a Blackout?

Ananya Gairola /
Benzinga: DirecTV And Disney Talking Over Flexible Netflix-Like Channel Packages, But Fallout From Failed Talks Could Cause ESPN Blackout Next Week

Phillip Swann /
The TV Answer Man!: Report: DIRECTV Could Lose Disney, ESPN This Sunday In Carriage Row

Nilutpal Timsina /
Reuters: DirecTV looks to renew pay-TV rules in Disney talks, Bloomberg News reports

Christopher Palmeri /
TVNewsCheck: DirecTV Looks To Rewrite Pay TV Rules In Disney Networks Talks

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: Cheaper Sports Only Packages Coming to YouTube TV, DIRECTV, & Others? Disney is Reportedly Open to It

Joe Wright /
@sctvman: Last agreement was 5 years ago. Only the ABC O&Os involved in this, but it was a a major pain when this almost happened to DirecTV customers in 2019.

Billboard:

Spin returns to print as a quarterly magazine after being out of circulation since late 2012; Bob Guccione Jr., who founded the publication in 1985, is the EIC— After more than a decade out of circulation, SPIN is returning to print as a quarterly magazine, the media brand announced Tuesday …

Discussion:
Head Topics

Variety:

Sony India and Zee Entertainment reach a comprehensive, non-cash settlement to resolve all disputes related to their planned $10B merger, halted earlier in 2024— The agreement brings an end to the legal proceedings that had been ongoing at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre …

Discussion:
Reuters, Bloomberg, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline

Discussion:

Georg Szalai /
The Hollywood Reporter: Sony, Zee Entertainment Settle Legal Disputes Over Scrapped $10B India Merger

Financial Times:

How Mexico became one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalism, as crime groups grow and President López Obrador fuels hostility towards reporters— Crime groups collude with local authorities as leftist leader López Obrador fuels hostile environment for reporters

Discussion:

Gideon Rachman /
@gideonrachman: Excellent, alarming piece by @chrissiemurray The courage of journalists in dangerous parts of the world is pretty humbling for those of us lucky enough to work in safe democracies https://www.ft.com/... via @ft European Federation of Journalists: Turkey: Press freedom and freedom of expression groups condemn court decision upholding prison sentence for journalist Bülent Mumay Committee to Protect Journalists: Reuters safety adviser killed, three journalists injured in Ukraine Voice of America: Crime in Mexico's most dangerous states can be fatal — for the reporters covering it, that is. The country's federal safety net isn't always enough to help.

Reuters:

A judge reverses a jury's $600K verdict that Disney misused Rearden's tech in Beauty and the Beast, saying it couldn't have known its contractor was misusing it— Disney (DIS.N) convinced a federal judge in California on Monday to reverse a jury's $600,000 verdict that it misused another …

Discussion:
Plagiarism Today

Discussion:

Jonathan Bailey /
Plagiarism Today: 3 Count: Disney Reversal

Axios:

Last week BuzzFeed launched a BuzzFeed Arcade redesign, Vulture released an archive of its game Cinematrix, and Mashable partnered with Arkadium to offer games— - BuzzFeed launched a redesign for BuzzFeed Arcade, home to Pyramid Scheme, AI generators and other games.

Discussion:
@mashable, @vulture, @kerrymflynn, Vulture and Mashable

Discussion:
@mashable: Gaming is coming to Mashable. You heard it here first. If solving your sudoku, finding just the right seven letters to complete your crossword, or guessing the Wordle after a single stab in the dark has ever brought you joy, our Mashable Games hub is for you. Through a [image] @vulture: By popular demand, we've launched an archive of past Cinematrixes. Now grid enthusiasts everywhere will always be able to play the most recent 12 games, plus assorted fan favorites in our Permanent Collection: https://www.vulture.com/...

Kerry Flynn /
@kerrymflynn: Media outlets are investing more in games Last week, @BuzzFeed, @vulture and @mashable all had games-related news I spoke with BuzzFeed's @JessiProbus, Vulture's @neiljanowitz, @Arkadium's @nsinno and @dailymail's Paul Tipper to learn why https://www.axios.com/...

Shama Rahman /
Vulture: You'll Never Miss a Cinematrix Again

Politico:

Sources: the Harris-Trump negotiations for the ABC debate on September 10 have hit an impasse; the Harris campaign says they want open mics during the debate— With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine — DRIVING THE DAY — SCOOP: IS THIS THING ON?

Discussion:
HuffPost, Mediaite, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, @nbcpolitics, @brianefallon, The Hill, Poynter, Fox News, Raw Story, emptywheel, New York Times, @brianefallon, @katesullivandc, Black America Web, @metzgov, @kaitlancollins, @tommyxtopher, @samstein, @selinawangtv, @justinbaragona, @keithboykin, @maxkennerly, @sahilkapur, @scarylawyerguy, @kneerecon, @selinawangtv, @yair_rosenberg, @blueboxdave, @vincecoglianese, @eugenedaniels2, @skylerforny, Mother Jones, Media Play News, The Daily Beast, Al Jazeera, KVUE-TV, New Republic, CNN, New Jersey Online, Vanity Fair, New York Post, The Wrap, Fortune, CBS News, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Deadline and Forbes

Discussion:

Ron Dicker /
HuffPost: Newt Gingrich Offers Extreme Debate Idea That Kamala Harris Fans Actually Love

Tommy Christopher /
Mediaite: Trump Says He Wants To ‘Surprise’ Kamala Harris With This Talking Point — ‘IF There Is a Debate’

Marianne LeVine /
Washington Post: Trump suggests he might skip ABC debate with Harris @nbcpolitics: .@jake__traylor: “Would you want the microphones muted in the debate whenever you're not speaking?” Donald Trump: “We agreed to the same rules. I don't know, doesn't matter to me. ... The agreement was that it would be the same as it was last time. In that case, it was muted.” [video]

Brian Fallon /
@brianefallon: Trump should honor his commitment to debate VP Harris on ABC on Sept 10 and he should reject his handlers' attempts to muzzle him via a muted microphone. The VP is ready to debate Trump live and uncensored. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button https://www.politico.com/...

Matthew Cullen /
New York Times: Harris and Trump Squabbled Over Debate Rules

Brian Fallon /
@brianefallon: Trump said unmuting the mics “doesn't matter to me.” Always suspected it was something his staff wanted, not him personally. With this resolved, everything is now set for Sept 10th.

Kate Sullivan /
@katesullivandc: Trump tells @jake__traylor he'd rather keep the mics on during the debate despite his campaign pushing to keep the same rules as the last debate when mics were muted except when it was the candidate's turn to speak. “Doesn't matter to me, I'd rather have it probably on.”

Zack Linly /
Black America Web: Kamala Harris Campaign Wants To Keep Trump Debate Mics On At All Times Amid Allegations He's Scared To Face Her

Bryan Metzger /
@metzgov: I think the specifics of who's reneging on what are less significant than the fact that Harris's campaign thinks having Trump unmuted will benefit her, while Biden's campaign did not think that.

Kaitlan Collins /
@kaitlancollins: Trump's post about “staying tuned” for the ABC debate isn't a huge surprise to those around him given how he's been talking about it privately. @tommyxtopher: CNN's Kaitlan Collins Says Trump Really Doesn't Want To Debate Kamala Harris — Trump Sources Tell Her He's ‘Struggling’ https://mediaite.com/a/bxldj via @mediaite [video]

Sam Stein /
@samstein: Harris camp argued Trump was reneging on the debate deal when he initially backed out of the debate he and Biden agreed to. Now Harris camp is trying to change the specifics of that deal by saying there should be no mic cut off. And the argument is, they were never party to

Selina Wang /
@selinawangtv: Harris campaign: “We suspect Trump's team has not even told their boss about this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they don't think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button”

Justin Baragona /
@justinbaragona: So definitely looks like Trump is laying the groundwork to pull out of the ABC News debate. [image]

Keith Boykin /
@keithboykin: I don't think Trump wants to debate Kamala Harris, but I think he will. He craves attention, and he's not getting it. The debate over debates gives him some attention, and the debate, itself, gives him a much needed audience as his campaign loses steam. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Max Kennerly /
@maxkennerly: Sometimes I wonder if Trump is trying to look afraid of debating Harris because that will lower expectations for his performance at the debate, which will inevitably be an old angry dude with a bad brain ranting about nonsense.

Sahil Kapur /
@sahilkapur: 👀 New post from Donald Trump attacking ABC and raising the prospect of backing out of the Sept. 10 presidential debate that he agreed to: “why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” He ends it with a “Stay tuned” [image] @scarylawyerguy: Harris's team probably wants the mics to be open b/c it was clear from the Trump/Biden debate that the moderators let Trump lie continually w/o fact checking him and she's going to need to do that b/c reporters refuse to, in addition to making her own case for election.

Karl Rosenfeld /
@kneerecon: Trump now suggests he may back out of Harris debate. Says he doesn't trust ABC hosts. Maybe the people he's practicing with are too tough on him. Or, more likely, our orange laden strongman is concerned that a Black woman will ‘light’ him up.

Selina Wang /
@selinawangtv: Harris campaign says they want mics hot during the entire ABC News debate on Sept 10, adding “Our understanding is that Trump's handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don't think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own”

Yair Rosenberg /
@yair_rosenberg: The Harris team wanting to unmute Trump's debate mic so he can interrupt her suggests they may have finally learned the lesson liberals until now have not: the key to beating Trump is not muzzling him, but letting voters hear him unfiltered so they remember why they dislike him.

David Marcus /
@blueboxdave: I guess, what's the difference who the candidate is, is out the window now. “The rules for the CNN debate were never agreed to by Harris' campaign; they happened when Biden was still the candidate.” https://www.politico.com/...

Vince Coglianese /
@vincecoglianese: I'm for open mics, but it's pretty obvious the Kamala camp is pining for another “I'm speaking” moment — a quick hack to secure corporate media headlines

Eugene Daniels /
@eugenedaniels2: FIRST IN PB: Negotiations over the Harris-Trump debate have hit a speed bump over ... A muted mic. The Trump camp wants the CNN rules while the Harris folks want them to be open the whole time just in case he has “an intemperate outburst.” Deets 👇🏾👇🏾 👇🏾 https://www.politico.com/...

Skyler Johnson /
@skylerforny: Wow. Trump's own people do not trust that he can stay quiet while Kamala Harris is speaking. Why are they afraid of the American people hearing what their candidate really thinks?

Julianne McShane /
Mother Jones: Trump's Campaign Sure Doesn't Seem to Want People to Hear Him at the Debate

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Disney+/Hulu to Live-Stream First Harris-Trump Presidential Debate on Sept. 10

Clay Walker /
The Daily Beast: Don't Silence Me! Trump ‘On Steroids’ Fights With Aides Over Debate Mics

Matt Arco /
New Jersey Online: Harris vs. Trump: Who got higher ratings at their conventions? Here's the answer.

Josh Christenson /
New York Post: Trump takes up Harris campaign's dare to debate without ‘muted microphones’

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Tussle Over Muted Microphones at ABC News Debate

Stephanie Lai /
Fortune: Harris campaign says Trump's team is afraid to let him debate without mute button

Richard Luscombe /
The Guardian: Donald Trump threatens to pull out of 10 September presidential debate

Nikki McCann Ramirez /
Rolling Stone: Trump Hints He May Ditch Debate as Rules Negotiations Stall

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: “Stop Hiding Behind The Mute Button”: Kamala Harris' Campaign In Debate Dispute With Trump Campaign Over Shutting Off Mics

Siladitya Ray /