Meta launches a small pilot program to let some researchers access Instagram data for up to about six months to study the app's effect on teens and young adults (Caroline Mimbs Nyce/The Atlantic)

Mediagazer: Meta launches a small pilot program to let some researchers access Instagram data for up to about six months to study the app's effect on teens and young adults (Caroline Mimbs Nyce/The Atlantic)

Top News:

Associated Press:

The NBA's Board of Governors approves the league's next media rights deals with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video; WBD could still match one of the deals— The NBA's Board of Governors approved the league's next media rights deals with Disney, NBC and Amazon Prime Video at its meeting Tuesday …
Discussion: Sportico, Puck, NBA.com, The Desk, @sherman4949, @mikevorkunov, New York Times, Awful Announcing and The Streamable

Discussion:

Anthony Crupi /
Sportico: TNT on the Clock as NBA Board of Governors Approves Media Deals

John Ourand /
Puck: Zaz & YouTube's Failed NBA Marriage

Steve Aschburner /
NBA.com: Commissioner Adam Silver breaks down state of NBA at Summer League in Las Vegas

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: NBA Board approves telecast deal with ESPN, Prime Video, NBC

Alex Sherman /
@sherman4949: Adam Silver says he doesn't have a sense yet of how difficult getting the media rights deal finalized will be if Warner Bros Discovery matches and/or sues. “We'll see.”

Mike Vorkunov /
@mikevorkunov: Adam Silver says the NBA's new media deals were discussed at today's Board of Governors meeting. “We did approve this stage of media proposals,” Silver said, but cautioned that the process is not done and there's some things he can't say now.

Ben Axelrod /
Awful Announcing: Warner Bros. Discovery will reportedly attempt to match Amazon's NBA package

Variety:

Sources: WBD will lay off ~1,000 employees across sectors including finance, business affairs, and production; source: fewer than 10 Max staffers are affected— Sources tell Variety that nearly 1,000 employees will be laid off across a few sectors in a new cost-cutting move at WBD …

Discussion:
The Information, Deadline, @minotimusic, @tvgrimreaper, The Desk, Jon Malone on LinkedIn, Cord Cutters News, Quartz, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap

Discussion:

Sahil Patel /
The Information: More Layoffs Hit Warner Bros. Discovery

Peter White /
Deadline: Warner Bros. Discovery Starts New Round Of Layoffs

Minoti Vaishnav /
@minotimusic: Or. Zaslav can just pay himself 10 mil less. Let WB retain their employees and have roofs over their heads and food on their plates. He'd still be rich and ultimately lose nothing. But hey, what do I know right? https://variety.com/... @tvgrimreaper: Cable bundle fees drive the entire legacy video entertainment business. Those fees are melting away, and there's nothing comparable to replace them with. The industry's future is smaller and less profitable. [image]

Jon Malone /
Jon Malone on LinkedIn: In the media industry, it's never a surprise... but always disappointing. For anyone whose life got flipped today or in the past, please let me know if I can make any introductions for you. …

Luke Bouma /
Cord Cutters News: Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Lays Off Nearly 1,000 Employees Including From its Max Streaming Service

Bruce Gil /
Quartz: Warner Bros. Discovery ‘is not working’ and should make some big changes, analysts say

Tony Maglio /
IndieWire: Warner Bros. Discovery to Lay Off Fewer Than 1,000 Staffers in New Round of Job Cuts

Caitlin Huston /
The Hollywood Reporter: Layoffs Hit Warner Bros. Discovery Again

Raquel ‘Rocky’ Harris /
The Wrap: Warner Bros. Discovery Begins Layoffs Across Production, Business Affairs and Finance

Hong Kong Free Press:

Hong Kong-based reporter Selina Cheng says she was fired by The Wall Street Journal for taking up the position of chair of the Hong Kong Journalist Association— American newspaper The Wall Street Journal has fired Hong Kong-based reporter Selina Cheng weeks she was elected chair …

Discussion:
Washington Post, The Guardian, Reuters, Associated Press, Talking Biz News, @laurengoode, @selina_cheng, @semaforben, @jonamorem, @jfsteinfeld, @lewispants, @lilahass, @missanabeem, @maryhui, @usa_baozilover, @selina_cheng, @tomgrundy, @compliancememe, @mike_hixenbaugh, @dancow, @tulikabose_, @moorehn, @nate_dicamillo, @debbychan_hk, @feliciasonmez, @sharp_writing, @johnsimpsonnews, @_karenhao and @wesleylowery

Discussion:

Shibani Mahtani /
Washington Post: Wall Street Journal fires Hong Kong reporter who headed embattled press club

Amy Hawkins /
The Guardian: Wall Street Journal fires new chair of Hong Kong Journalists Association

Associated Press:
Head of Hong Kong journalist group says she lost WSJ job after refusing to drop role

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: WSJ fires Cheng after she was elected chair of Hong Kong press group

Lauren Goode /
@laurengoode: “The right for reporters to work without fear must be protected not just by the law, but more crucially, by ourselves: reporters, editors, and publishers.” https://x.com/...

Selina Cheng /
@selina_cheng: Today I was fired from the Wall Street Journal. This is my statement: [image]

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: Huge media story out of Hong Kong, where news organizations (not just WSJ) have been backing away from journalist organizations

Jonathan Moremi /
@jonamorem: This is utterly shocking, @WSJ! Bad enough that the #UK and the rest of the world don't care that #China is violating all contracts in #HongKong. But to provide cover for that and attack your own journalists is beyond despicable. Full solidarity with the colleague(s). #EpicFail

Jemimah Steinfeld /
@jfsteinfeld: “It is obvious to me that the fear and unease the press in Hong Kong have been facing for years now has equally affected the Journal's management, even though they're far away on different continents”

Lewis Raven Wallace /
@lewispants: This is a truly absurd, painful, and telling example of the inconsistent standard created by claims of “objectivity” in mainstream press. What is uncontroversial in the U.S. (fighting for press freedom) is not permissible for a journalist in Hong Kong. Bananas.

Lila Hassan /
@lilahass: Disturbing that @WSJ holds press freedom to double standards, and in the process endanger reporters and itself. It campaigns for Evan in Russia, with its whole staff, but not in Hong Kong. Selina is right. Press freedom isn't controversial anywhere, it's essential everywhere.

Annalisa Merelli /
@missanabeem: Solidarity with @selina_cheng and journalists standing for press freedom everywhere, especially where it's most threatened (including by their employers).

Mary Hui /
@maryhui: Thank you, @selina_cheng, for your unwavering work in defending & expanding the space for press freedom in Hong Kong. As she says: “The right for reporters to work w/o fear must be protected not just by the law, but more crucially, by ourselves: reporters, editors, & publishers” @usa_baozilover: If you think China is an evil totalitarian dictatorship then you were knowingly endangering your journalist colleagues

Selina Cheng /
@selina_cheng: Below is HKJA's statement: [image]

Tom Grundy /
@tomgrundy: JUST IN: The Wall Street Journal have fired the head of the embattled #HongKong journalists association, @HKJA_Official says - 24 days after she took the position. Press con at 5.30pm. @wsj. Stay tuned to @HKFP.

Matt Kelly /
@compliancememe: Seems a bit nuts that @WSJ is (rightly) fighting for press freedom for Evan Gershkovich, but firing another reporter for same because it might ruffle Beijing's feathers.

Mike Hixenbaugh /
@mike_hixenbaugh: “The editor said employees of the Journal should not be seen as advocating for press freedom.”

Dan Nguyen /
@dancow: “The editor said employees of the Journal should not be seen as advocating for press freedom” 🤯

Tulika Bose /
@tulikabose_: Devastated to continue to see attacks on female journalists of color in mainstream news outlets. This is unethical and wrong — advocating for press freedom does not make you biased if you're not white

Heidi N. Moore /
@moorehn: The WSJ firing reporters for joining a union for press freedom. Incredible. Particularly disgraceful of the paper to do this as WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is imprisoned in Russia.

Nate DiCamillo /
@nate_dicamillo: This looks like the @WSJ is willing to bend the knee to the CCP which is extremely disturbing

Debby Chan /
@debbychan_hk: Wall Street Journal has pressured a reporter not to stand for the HK Journalist Association's election. It then dismissed her after she was elected as the union's chair.

Felicia Sonmez /
@feliciasonmez: “The right for reporters to work without fear must be protected not just by the law, but more crucially, by ourselves: reporters, editors, and publishers.”

Andy Sharp /
@sharp_writing: Unprecedented (at least in my knowledge) for a reporter to hold a press conference after being fired. I think we all need to hear the @WSJ 's side of this story.

John Simpson /
@johnsimpsonnews: The Wall Street Journal @WSJ has sacked @selina_cheng, who is chair of the Hong Kong Journalists' Association. The HK authorities don't like the HKJA. You'd hope a big Western news organisation would stand up to Chinese pressure and defend its own. Not, it seems, in this case.

Karen Hao /
@_karenhao: The @WSJ today fired my former colleague for STANDING UP for press freedom. Words cannot describe how twisted & abhorrent this is, at a time when journalists around the world are being intimidated, detained & killed into silence. In awe of Selina's bravery, strength & leadership.

Reuters:

A jury convicts Ozy Media and its founder Carlos Watson of fraud, in a case accusing them of lying to investors about the startup's finances and sham deals— Ozy Media and founder Carlos Watson were convicted of fraud by a Brooklyn federal jury on Tuesday, in a case accusing them of lying …

Discussion:
New York Times, Courthouse News Service, @ednynews, The Information, Deadline, Breitbart, Associated Press, The Verge, TheGrio, Variety, Axios, Mediaite, The Wrap and Bloomberg

Discussion:

Danielle Kaye /
New York Times: Carlos Watson, Ozy Media Founder, Is Found Guilty of Fraud

Nika Schoonover /
Courthouse News Service: Jury finds Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson guilty on all counts @ednynews: The verdict is in: Carlos Watson of Ozy Media Inc. has been found guilty on all 3 counts of a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.

Julia Hornstein /
The Information: Ozy Media Founder Carlos Watson Found Guilty in Fraud Trial

Jill Goldsmith /
Deadline: Ozy Media Founder And CEO Carlos Watson Found Guilty Of Fraud, Faces Up To 37 Years In Prison

Jennifer Peltz /
Associated Press: Former TV host slapped with guilty verdict in fraud case

Sharae Griffin /
TheGrio: Ex-TV host Carlos Watson convicted in trial over collapse of startup Ozy Media

Cynthia Littleton /
Variety: Ozy Media Chief Carlos Watson Found Guilty of Securities Fraud and Conspiracy Charges: ‘A Con Man Who Told Lie After Lie,’ Prosecutor Says

Sara Fischer /
Axios: Ozy Media's Carlos Watson found guilty of fraud

Jamie Frevele /
Mediaite: JUST IN: Ex-Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson Convicted of Fraud and Identity Theft

Adam Chitwood /
The Wrap: Carlos Watson and Ozy Media Found Guilty of Fraud

TechCrunch:

Deezer debuts Playlist with AI in beta, where users can create playlists from text prompts, powered by Google's Gemini 1.5, following rivals' similar offerings— Deezer is the latest music streaming app to introduce an AI playlist feature. The company announced on Monday that a select number …

Discussion:
Deezer Newsroom, Digital Music News, Music Ally and Music Business Worldwide

Discussion:

Karina Klusen /
Deezer Newsroom: Deezer invites users to get creative with AI playlists in global beta launch

Ashley King /
Digital Music News: Are We Firing the Human Curators Already? Deezer Joins AI Party with ‘Playlist with AI’ Beta

Stuart Dredge /
Music Ally: Deezer launches its own ‘Playlist with AI’ feature in beta

Mandy Dalugdug /
Music Business Worldwide: Deezer unveils AI playlists in global beta

The Atlantic:

Meta launches a small pilot program to let some researchers access Instagram data for up to about six months to study the app's effect on teens and young adults— Meta, infamous for kicking researchers off its platform, flirts with slightly more transparency. — The teens are on Instagram.

Bloomberg:

The EU's General Court says TikTok is large enough to fall under the DMA, rejecting ByteDance's challenge; ByteDance can appeal to the European Court of Justice— - TikTok attempt to avoid EU's Digital Markets Act is dismissed — Chinese-owned social media giant also risks ban in the US

Discussion:
Engadget, Euractiv, Reuters, The Register, @eucourtpress, @lewis_crofts, @beuc, 9to5Mac, @samuelstolton and Semafor, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Sarah Fielding /
Engadget: TikTok will still be a ‘gatekeeper’ under the Digital Markets Act, EU rules

Laura Dobberstein /
The Register: TikTok's Asian e-commerce haul quadrupled in a single year @eucourtpress: #EUGeneralCourt dismisses #Bytedance (@TikTokComms) action brought against the @EU_Commission decision designating it as a gatekeeper #DigitalMarketsAct 👉 https://curia.europa.eu/...

Lewis Crofts /
@lewis_crofts: Huge win for EU in fight against Big Tech. EU judges just upheld a decision to designate TikTok (ByteDance) under #DMA. TikTok said it was a “challenger” service to the big platforms. Court said EC was right to find it was a “gatekeeper.” @vestager & @breton will be happy. @beuc: We welcome the decision by the @EUCourtPress today concluding that Bytedance (TikTok) is indeed a gatekeeper under the #DMA! The social medium needs to get consent from millions of TikTok users before their personal data can be used for personalised ads.

Samuel Stolton /
@samuelstolton: Big win for for the European Commission's Digital Markets Act #DMA this morning at the EU General Court, as it survives a first legal assault against the rules from TikTok: https://www.bloomberg.com/...

The Wrap:

MSNBC insiders accuse Cesar Conde and Rashida Jones of pulling Morning Joe to “coddle” Trump and prevent tensions with a potential Trump administration— Tension skyrocketed at MSNBC this week as network news insiders accused NBCU News Group Chairman Cesar Conde …

Discussion:
@blackamazon, @jmktvshow, @ecosexuality, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, CNN, Raw Story, Mediaite and Fox News

Discussion:
@jmktvshow: Of course. It's the smart business move unfortunately. CNN's reporting on Trump winning in a landslide after Zaslav hinted at wanting more consolidation and John Malone basically runs things (and is probably the reason Trump has agreed to CNN's debate and town hall) has also been

Stefanie Iris Weiss /
@ecosexuality: Execs at @MSNBC like @RJonesNews and Cesar Conde have not just pissed off staff. These dishonest Trump coddlers have given the finger to the viewers - we're FURIOUS that they sidelined our most trusted hosts. Want a boycott? Try us. We'll go to @zeteo https://www.thewrap.com/...

Jeff Jarvis /
@jeffjarvis@mastodon.social: New reporting from The Wrap's Natalie Korach on the clusterf inside MSNBC (I'm in this). — MSNBC Insiders Accuse Cesar Conde of ‘Coddling Trump’ by Pulling Hosts off the Air — https://www.thewrap.com/...

Matthew Chapman /
Raw Story: Comcast scrambling to ‘clean up’ mess made by booting Morning Joe off the air: report

Jamie Frevele /
Mediaite: Colby Hall Calls Out NBC News ‘Circus’ Under Cesar Conde: ‘Joe Scarborough Is Pissed!’

Press Gazette:

GB News plans to add AI-generated, 30-second sports updates at the end of the main news bulletins on GB News Radio, as the broadcaster expands sports coverage— GB News says it will introduce AI-generated sports news bulletins to its radio station, promising they are “the tip of the iceberg” …

Reuters:

Spain proposes tighter media rules to tackle fake news in line with the European Media Freedom Act; conservative opposition say the rules censor critical media— Spain announced measures on Wednesday designed to curb the spread of fake news, an initiative blasted by the country's conservative opposition …

Nieman Lab:

The editorial union at Ziff Davis' Mashable, Lifehacker, and PC Mag agrees to a tentative contract prohibiting layoffs or salary cuts due to generative AI— Ziff Davis can't lay off workers or decrease their salary due to generative AI, according to the tentative contract.

Discussion:

Andrew Deck /
@decka227: The editorial union for @mashable, @lifehacker, and @PCMag has won unprecedented AI protections. No union members can be laid off or see a decrease in salary due to generative AI adoption, says the tentative contract. More in my latest for @NiemanLab. https://www.niemanlab.org/...

Ethan Marcotte /
@beep@follow.ethanmarcotte.com: YOU TRULY LOVE TO SEE IT: “In a precedent-setting contract negotiation, the editorial union for Mashable, Lifehacker, and PC Mag has successfully bargained for protections against generative AI.” — https://www.niemanlab.org/... #1u #unions #labor Nieman Journalism Lab on LinkedIn: “The tentative contract explicitly prohibits any union member from being laid off or receiving a cut in their base salary as a result …

Rebekah Entralgo /
The NewsGuild: Prime Day Walkout Averted at Ziff Davis

Axios:

Taboola CEO Adam Singolda says the company has struck a deal with Apple to power native advertising in the Apple News and Apple Stocks apps; TBLA jumps ~5%— - Taboola's effort to build trust with Apple across its various teams and stakeholders was “a multiyear process,'” Singolda said.

Discussion:
On my Om, One Man & His Blog, @nsharp17, @10yetis, @shaneoleary1, @carnage4life, @adamsingolda, @taboola, @alexguichet, @reidjjackson, @eric_seufert, @charliehsilver, @om, @sarafischer, Media Voices, The Overspill, Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, Jay Friedman on LinkedIn, The Drum, @counternotions@mastodon …, @thomholwerda@exquisite.social, The Verge, MediaPost, 9to5Mac, @simondowens@threads.net, @benedictevans@threads.net, @crumbler@threads.net and @joesteel@duck.haus, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Dave B /
On my Om: Taboola + Apple News? No thanks

Adam Tinworth /
One Man & His Blog: Bad News: Apple ❤️ Taboola

Nathan Sharp /
@nsharp17: Weird to see Taboola ads in Apple products. Apple felt like one of the last refuges from attention-grabbing ads

Andy Barr /
@10yetis: I am astounded by the @Apple partnership with @taboola. Taboola is a horrible content platform, pushing celeb body shaming and generally nasty click bait content. Amazed that Apple would stoop so low. [image]

Shane O Leary /
@shaneoleary1: The Taboola/Apple deal isn't surprising from a privacy POV, but it is surprising from a brand POV. Taboola (and Outbrain) are the bottom feeders of the internet. Would love to know who in Apple signed off on this and what the logic was (beyond $$$).

Dare Obasanjo /
@carnage4life: After reading an article on the average news site, there are usually links to articles of dubious quality that are often salacious clickbait. These are usually Taboola ads. It is thus a huge surprise to hear that Apple plans to run ads from them in its News and Stocks apps. [image]

Adam Singolda /
@adamsingolda: Big news.... @Taboola is teaming with @Apple to power advertising on Apple News and Apple Stocks. We're connecting advertisers with huge reach in trusted, premium environments—Apple News is the #1 news app in many markets. Advertisers are already seeing triple-digit success with @taboola: Big news! Taboola is now powering native advertising on Apple News and Apple Stocks! 🎉 We're connecting advertisers with huge reach in trusted, premium environments—Apple News is the #1 news app in many markets. Advertisers are already seeing triple-digit success with Taboola

Alex Guichet /
@alexguichet: what the hell is Apple smoking here? Taboola is the company that puts spammy ad junk on what feels like every major publisher on the internet this company I love used to care about a good product experience, and now they're selling out for shitty ads—why?

Reid Jackson /
@reidjjackson: Apple constantly touting its privacy bonafides while simultaneously announcing a partnership with Taboola: [image]

Eric Seufert /
@eric_seufert: Taboola will deliver ads in the Apple News and Apple Stocks apps. I don't believe that this has any implications for Apple's advertising business as it exists currently.

Eric Seufert /
@eric_seufert: Regarding Taboola's partnership with Apple: I've seen people claim that this is somehow hypocritical from a privacy perspective, assuming that Taboola's somewhat obnoxious, clickbait-style ads must invasively target user profiles and browsing histories. They don't. They are @charliehsilver: Why would brands want to participate in these type of ads? Ultimate interruptive , manipulative marketing. Terrible move by Apple. Exclusive: Taboola to sell ads for Apple https://www.axios.com/... @om: Apple's decision to strike a deal with Taboola is shocking and off-brand — so much so that I have started to question the company's long-term commitment to good customer experience, including its commitment to privacy. https://om.co/...

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: NEW: @apple has brought on @taboola to sell ads on its behalf across Apple News and Stocks apps - Taboola will be the exclusive ad seller globally where the apps are available. - NBCU will continue to sell ads in some markets https://www.axios.com/... Media Voices: Wednesday 17th July: How Hamburger Morgenpost has embraced AI to transform its business model

Charlesarthur /
The Overspill: Start Up No.2257: Apple signs with chumboxer Taboola, might AI be good for lawyers?, Iran also had plot to kill Trump, and more

Simon Owens /
Simon Owens's Media Newsletter: Will Apple News finally generate meaningful revenue for publishers?

Jay Friedman /
Jay Friedman on LinkedIn: This feels like the equivalent of Louis Vuitton partnering with Goodwill to operate its retail outlets. What am I missing? — https://lnkd.in/...

Kendra Barnett /
The Drum: Taboola shares surge as the adtech firm, known for clickbait, secures Apple ads deal @counternotions@mastodon.social: News you'd prefer not to read but it's News business. — https://www.axios.com/... @thomholwerda@exquisite.social: Speaking of Apple and sleaze, Apple struck a deal with Taboola, the ad company responsible for those bullshit clickbait ad boxes with fantastical, untrue, sleazy headlines. Taboola is going to run ads in Apple News on your iPhone. — Apple PR spokesperson @gruber has written extensively about how much he despises Taboola. …

Laurie Sullivan /
MediaPost: Apple Strikes Deal With Taboola To Power Native Advertising

Ryan Christoffel /
9to5Mac: Apple taps infamous Taboola as new ad seller for Apple News and Stocks

Simon Owens /
@simondowens@threads.net: Apple News has always undermonetized its large user base, mostly because Apple's always been hesitant to build out ad products. This Taboola partnership may supercharge its advertising sales and result in better revenue sharing for publishers. https://www.axios.com/...

Benedict Evans /
@benedictevans@threads.net: Taboola is the herpes of the internet - this seems a very strange decision from Apple. https://www.axios.com/...

Casey Newton /
@crumbler@threads.net: Big win for people who like their news accompanied by horrible garbage links

Joe Rosensteel /