Netflix says its ad tier now accounts for over 45% of all signups in the markets where it's available, and ad tier memberships grew 34% QoQ in Q2 (Lucas Manfredi/The Wrap)

Mediagazer: Netflix says its ad tier now accounts for over 45% of all signups in the markets where it's available, and ad tier memberships grew 34% QoQ in Q2 (Lucas Manfredi/The Wrap)

Top News:

CNBC:

Netflix reports Q2 revenue up 16.8% YoY to $9.56B, vs. $9.53B est., paid memberships up 16.5% YoY to 277.65M, vs. 274.4M est., net income up 44% YoY to $2.15B— Netflix reported second-quarter earnings Thursday that showcased the media giant's position at the head of the streaming race …
Discussion: The Wrap, New York Times, Ad Age, Variety, The Verge, @ainemacdermot.bsky.social, Netflix and Reuters, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Loree Seitz /
The Wrap: Netflix's VP of Ad Sales Pete Naylor to Depart as Streamer Expands Global Reach

Nicole Sperling /
New York Times: Netflix Adds 8 Million Subscribers

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Netflix Tops 277 Million Subscribers With Strong Q2 Gain, Beats Earnings Forecasts

Emma Roth /
The Verge: Netflix is getting more comfortable with ads

Áine /
@ainemacdermot.bsky.social: Cut the prices 44%, then you'd be doing something worthwhile. [embedded post] Netflix: Fellow shareholders, — We had a strong Q2 with 17% revenue growth and an operating margin of 27% vs. 22% last year.

Harshita Mary Varghese /
Reuters: Netflix's efforts to grow ad tier in focus as subscriber growth slows

RELATED:
The Hollywood Reporter:

Peter Naylor, Netflix VP of ad sales since August 2022, is leaving, and the company will hire a head of US and Canada ad sales to fill his spot— The executive has been at the streaming giant since August 2022. … Naylor has been at Netflix since August 2022.

Discussion:

Brian Steinberg /
Variety: Peter Naylor is Latest Senior Ad-Sales Executive to Exit Netflix

Bill Bradley /
Adweek: Netflix Ad Sales VP Peter Naylor Shockingly Exits Streamer

Dade Hayes /
Deadline: Netflix Ad Exec Peter Naylor To Exit

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Naylor has a long digital ad track record and was onstage for Netflix at its upfront this spring and was schmoozing for them at Cannes last month. Netflix hasn't named a successor.

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Amy Reinhard who runs ads for Netflix, was previously running studio operations for the streamer and didn't have any ad experience prior to taking the job.

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Peter Naylor, one of two execs Netflix hired from Snapchat to boot up its ad business in 2022, is out. Jeremi Gorman, the other snap hire, only lasted a year. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...

The Wrap:

Netflix says its ad tier now accounts for over 45% of all signups in the markets where it's available, and ad tier memberships grew 34% QoQ in Q2— The company expands its lead over competitors with 277.65 million subscribers globally — Netflix beat Wall Street expectations …

Discussion:
Reuters, Quartz, The Information, Next TV and Deadline

Discussion:

Daniel Frankel /
Next TV: Netflix Solidly Beats Revenue Forecasts With 17% Growth in Q2, Adds More Than 8 Million Subscribers

Financial Times:

Sources: WBD weighs splitting off its streaming and studio businesses from its legacy TV networks including CNN, leaving most of its debt with the TV networks— Group behind CNN and HBO has discussed options including spin-off of its streaming service and movie studio

Discussion:
IndieWire, Business Insider, IGN, Front Office Sports, @edmundlee, Breitbart, Deadline, Quartz, @edgecliffe, The Information, @aysrick, @iamkingwilliams, @loudmouthjulia, New York Post, The Media Leader, The Desk, AV Club, The Streamable, Reuters, Advanced Television, The Wrap, Yahoo Finance and The Hollywood Reporter

Discussion:

Alex Stedman /
IGN: Warner Bros. Discovery Is Considering Splitting in Half - Report

Eric Fisher /
Front Office Sports: WBD at a Crossroads: NBA Rights Decision Could Determine Its Future

Anthony D'Alessandro /
Deadline: Warner Bros Discovery Mulling Split To Boost Stock Price @edgecliffe: Big @FT scoop from @HeeterMaria @AntoineGara @sindap @JFK_America @grimes_ce - Warner Bros Discovery has discussed the idea of splitting its streaming and movie studio business from its TV networks to boost its stock $WBD https://www.ft.com/...

Martin Peers /
The Information: Warner Bros. Discovery Considers Splitting in Two

Rick Ellis /
@aysrick: I have no doubt that Zaslav would *like* to spin off the linear networks and most of the debt. But aside from the fact that it's not likely he'll find someone willing to take on that financial suicide mission, it doesn't solve his streaming problems. In fact, it makes them worse @iamkingwilliams: If this happens, expect even more of these companies to be sold off and loaded with debt... Then shut down all together after a series of fire sales And in Atlanta where most of these businesses are located, expect a more media people to be unemployed over the next few years

Julia Alexander /
@loudmouthjulia: Warner Bros. and Discovery could become their own companies, Apple is potentially licensing library content from Hollywood studios for its service, advertising being the big new push everywhere. I can't wait to see what Hollywood's going to look like in 2014!!

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly mulls breaking up media giant to boost sagging stock

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: WBD considers splitting streaming, legacy TV businesses

Mary Kate Carr /
AV Club: Warner Bros. Discovery might split up to pay the bills

David Satin /
The Streamable: Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Considering Max, Studio Spinoff and Asset Sales to Right Financial Ship

Ross A. Lincoln /
The Wrap: Warner Bros Discovery Weighs Splitting Studio, Streaming Into Standalone as Stock Sags | Report

Mediaite:

Veteran cable news host Lou Dobbs, who made his name on CNN and then Fox Business, has died at 78; Trump announced his death on Truth Social— Lou Dobbs, the veteran broadcaster who made his name on CNN and then Fox Business as an icon of financial news, passed away at the age of 78 …

Discussion:
Variety, TVLine, The Wrap, CNN, @loudobbs, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, al.com, TMZ.com, HuffPost, The Independent, Washington Examiner, New York Post, Deadline, @mehdirhasan, @carolmswain, @yashar, The US Sun and ABC7

Discussion:

Ethan Shanfeld /
Variety: Lou Dobbs, Conservative Pundit and Former CNN Host, Dies at 78

Matt Webb Mitovich /
TVLine: Lou Dobbs, Conservative Political Commentator, Dead at 78

Nardine Saad /
Los Angeles Times: Veteran TV news host and conservative commentator Lou Dobbs has died at 78

Lydia O'Connor /
HuffPost: Fox Business Personality Lou Dobbs Has Died, Trump Announces

Justin Rohrlich /
The Independent: Trump announces former Fox Business and CNN host Lou Dobbs has died

Jack Birle /
Washington Examiner: Lou Dobbs dead: Trump announces conservative commentator's death at 78

Patrick Reilly /
New York Post: Lou Dobbs, iconic conservative pundit, dead at 78

Denise Petski /
Deadline: Lou Dobbs Dies: Conservative Political Commentator & Former CNN, Fox Business Network Host Was 78

Mehdi Hasan /
@mehdirhasan: For the record, Lou Dobbs was an election denier, a climate denier, accused Obama of being a foreigner, accused Romney of being a traitor, accused Antifa of doing 1/6, pushed antisemitic tropes about George Soros, and accused immigrants of bringing disease into the country.

Dr. Carol M. Swain /
@carolmswain: @clk657 He was a great mentor. We both got booted off CNN the same year.

Dr. Carol M. Swain /
@carolmswain: This deeply saddens me. I loved Lou's heart for America. He was a friend and supporter who gave me my first break on national TV. Thanks to Lou, I became a paid contributor for CNN's #LouDobbsTonight. We reconnected after the Harvard scandal. #LouDobbs https://www.mediaite.com/...

Israel Salas-Rodriguez /
The US Sun: Controversial commentator Lou Dobbs dead at 78 as Donald Trump mourns his ‘incredible talent’

Bloomberg:

Sources: Apple has spoken to many of the largest Hollywood studios about acquiring more programming from their libraries to offer customers in the US and abroad— - Apple TV+ has relied on original series like ‘Ted Lasso’ … The iPhone maker has spoken to several of the largest studios …

Discussion:
Ars Technica, Lucas Shaw on LinkedIn, The Streamable, AppleInsider, Spyglass, 9to5Mac and Reuters, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Samuel Axon /
Ars Technica: Report: Apple TV+ will soon get a lot more movies made by studios other than Apple

Lucas Shaw /
Lucas Shaw on LinkedIn: Apple TV+ is the only major streaming service with no library. You pay for original series, but have nothing to watch in between. …

David Satin /
The Streamable: Apple Talking With Studios About New Movie Licensing Deals for Apple TV+

M.G. Siegler /
Spyglass: Apple Should Buy HBO

Ryan Christoffel /
9to5Mac: Report: Apple TV+ to license films from more studios, bolstering catalog of originals

Reuters:

FilmLA: from April through June 2024, the number of on-location filming days in LA fell 12.4% YoY, driven by a 56.9% drop in reality TV production— Los Angeles experienced a hefty decline in reality TV production as Hollywood worked to recover from dual labor strikes last year, according to statistics released on Wednesday.

Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline

Discussion:

Jeremy Fuster /
The Wrap: LA On-Location Filming Drops 12% From Last Year Due to Declining Content Spend, ‘Post-Strike Paralysis’

Reuters:

An Italian court orders a journalist to pay PM Giorgia Meloni €5K for mocking her height; in 2023, journalist Roberto Saviano was fined €1K for insulting Meloni— A Milan court has ordered a journalist to pay Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni damages of 5,000 euros ($5,465) …

Discussion:
New York Times and The Guardian

Discussion:

Elisabetta Povoledo /
New York Times: Dig at Meloni's Height Could Cost Reporter in Italy 5,000 Euros

Committee to Protect Journalists:

The CPJ supports an urgent appeal filed to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture on behalf of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora, imprisoned since 2022— The Committee to Protect Journalists supports the urgent appeal filed to UN officials by an international legal team …

Discussion:
@pressfreedom, doughtystreet.co.uk and @pressfreedom

Discussion:
@pressfreedom: “Jose Rubén Zamora's treatment in prison and pre-trial detention is appalling and constitutes a grave violation of international human rights standards,” said Carlos Martínez de la Serna, CPJ's Program Director. “The international community must act urgently to ensure his [image]

@pressfreedom:
CPJ supports the urgent appeal filed to UN officials by an international legal team on behalf of Guatemalan investigative journalist José Rubén Zamora, who the appeal says has been wrongfully imprisoned since 2022 and held in conditions “that amount to torture or other cruel, [image]

Helena Kennedy KC /
doughtystreet.co.uk: José Rubén Zamora v. Guatemala: Urgent Appeal filed with UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

New York Times:

CBS Sports secures a four-year deal to air at least 250 English Football League matches per season, starting in August 2024— CBS Sports is the new home of the English Football League (EFL) and Carabao Cup in the United States after agreeing a four-deal to prise coverage of the competitions away from ESPN.

Discussion:

Adam Jacobson /
Radio & Television Business Report: Second-Tier English Soccer Heading To CBS Sports

Naman Ramachandran /
Variety: CBS Sports Secures Multi-Year Rights Deal for English Football League

Bob Williams /
The US Sun: CBS Sports in major broadcasting change and showing 250 games for new sporting venture in historic multi-million deal

Etan Vlessing /
The Hollywood Reporter: CBS Sports Nabs U.S. TV Rights to English Football League Games

Boris Gartner /
Boris Gartner on LinkedIn: Following a great “Summer of Soccer” with record-breaking audiences for CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 and UEFA EURO 2024 in the United States, the growth of futbol continues to be unstoppable. …

Jill Goldsmith /
Deadline: CBS Sports, English Football League Ink Multi-Year, Multi-Platform Rights Deal

The Verge:

Apple is launching new immersive video content for the Vision Pro over the next few months, including content from The Weeknd and the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend— Apple is launching new “immersive” video content for the Vision Pro over the next few months, including one from The Weeknd …

Discussion:
TechCrunch, Apple, BGR, AppleInsider and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Lauren Forristal /
TechCrunch: Apple Vision Pro debuts immersive content featuring NBA players, The Weeknd and more Apple: New Apple Immersive Video series, films, concerts, and more set to premiere on Apple Vision Pro beginning July 18

Malcolm Owen /
AppleInsider: Elephants and big waves are subjects of inbound Immersive Video releases

Variety:

Verizon offers customers who subscribe to Peacock Premium at the new $79.99 per year rate one year of Netflix Premium for free— Verizon keeps reshuffling its deck of various and sundry streaming bundle deals, aiming for new ways to appeal to bargain hunters — and to cater to particular sign-up goals of its content partners.

Discussion:

Kayla Cobb /
The Wrap: Netflix Doubles Down on Decision to Avoid Bundling, Says It's Already a ‘Go-To Destination’

David Satin /
The Streamable: Netflix Added 8 Million Subscribers in Q2 2024, Now at Nearly 278 Million

Tony Maglio /
IndieWire: Netflix Added 8 Million Subscribers from April to June

Alex Bitter /
Business Insider: Netflix had another blowout quarter

Bevin Fletcher /
StreamTV Insider: Comcast exec: StreamSaver bundle ‘strong out of the gate’

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Netflix Adds 8M Subscribers As It Grows Streaming Lead on Rivals

Wayne Friedman /
MediaPost: Verizon To Leverage NBCU's Olympics In Peacock/Netflix Bundle

Daniel Frankel /
Next TV: Verizon Launches Its Latest Streaming Bundle — Free Netflix Premium for Customers Who Pay for Peacock

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Verizon Launching First-Ever Netflix/Peacock Annual Subscription Streaming Bundle

New York Times:

A profile of Carlos Espina, who has 9.4M TikTok followers, posts in Spanish about immigration and politics, and whom the White House treats as a broadcaster— Carlos Espina is among a new kind of social media personalities whom politicians, especially those in the Biden White House, view as modern-day broadcasters.

Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @taylorlorenz, @sapna and

Discussion:

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz: “You got to take people where they are. The days of Walter Cronkite and three television stations where everybody gets their news are long gone.” https://www.nytimes.com/...

Sapna Maheshwari /