Nielsen: the Democratic National Convention's final night averaged 26.2M US viewers over 15 networks; the RNC's final night drew 25.4M viewers over 14 networks (Katie Campione/Deadline)

Mediagazer: Nielsen: the Democratic National Convention's final night averaged 26.2M US viewers over 15 networks; the RNC's final night drew 25.4M viewers over 14 networks (Katie Campione/Deadline)

Top News:

CNN:

Unions and some state senators criticize Google's plan for a California local news fund, which stalled bills that would have forced Big Tech to fund journalists— New York CNN — — Google struck a first-in-the-nation deal with California lawmakers on Wednesday to fund newsrooms …
Discussion: The Hill, @ryfons, MEDIANAMA, @bcmerchant, @mattdpearce, @jeffjarvis, @spj_tweets, @tvgrimreaper, @mattdpearce, @ddayen, The Wrap, SPJ News, The Drum, Observer, @jeffjarvis, Fast Company, Inside Radio, LION Publishers, Media Guild of the West, New York Post, The Verge, @passantino@threads.net, CalMatters, Editor and Publisher, UPI, KQED, New York Times, a14.asmdc.org, The Information, MediaPost, Free Press and Politico

Discussion:

Ryan Fonseca /
@ryfons: A+ explainer thread from @bcmerchant on the fiasco that's bumming out CA journalists week

Mimansa /
MEDIANAMA: Google Agrees to $250M ‘Local Journalism Supporting’ Partnership in California Amidst Protest from Journalist Unions

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: @jeffjarvis It's profoundly undemocratic—the two bills passed with supermajority, bipartisan votes. I just spent an hour on a call with devastated journalists from diverse newsrooms. The man set to chair the UCB board isn't answering Qs. Newsguild and working CA journalists oppose this bill!

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: @jeffjarvis That hedge fund line is right out of Google's opposition PR materials—it distorts the issue at hand, as I think you know it does. Most CA papers are not owned by hedge funds, and no one was happy about sending the money to those that were, which was why safeguards were built in

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: THIS DEAL INVOLVES AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO HEDGE FUNDS AND NO ONE KNOWS THAT BECAUSE THE TERMS ARE SECRET our guild is on that board and will be very, very lonely @jeffjarvis: @bcmerchant We have a similar structure in NJ and it is working well because it does not automatically hand money out to hedge-funds but instead operates on goals and merit. Maybe give it a chance.

@jeffjarvis:
I just put up a post about California's deal for news with more information I have learned about the structure of it. Nobody's 100% pleased but this is a step in a better direction. (Gift link but remember I always crosspost at Buzzmachine.) https://medium.com/... @spj_tweets: SPJ calls on California decision-makers to ensure that yesterday's agreement between California lawmakers and Google serves as a genuine step forward in reversing our nation's alarming decline in newsroom employment. Read our full statement: https://www.spj.org/... [image]

Benjamin Lindsay /
The Wrap: Google's $250 Million Deal for California Newsrooms Should Pilot How to ‘Bolster Local Journalism,’ SPJ Says

Webb Wright /
The Drum: Google agrees to pay up to $130m to support California news publishers & AI innovation

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly /
Observer: Google Agrees to Shell Out $250M to Support Journalism—But Not Everyone Is Thrilled

@jeffjarvis:
I am proud to have been involved in this process, testifying in Sacramento, talking with legislators and aides, and researching a paper on the bills that proposed a solution such as this. A fund is preferable for it involves goals and accountability.

Chris Morris /
Fast Company: Will Google's $250 million deal with California really help journalism?

Hayley Milloy /
LION Publishers: Scaling sustainability: How Knight Foundation's investment strategy uplifts the entire local news ecosystem

Thomas Barrabi /
New York Post: California, Google's paltry $250M million deal to fund newsroom blasted as ‘disastrous’ by critics

Jess Weatherbed /
The Verge: Google reaches a $250 million deal to skirt proposed journalism bill

Jon Passantino /
@passantino@threads.net: Google agrees to first-in-the-nation deal to fund California newsrooms, but journalists are calling it a disaster. ""The Legislature embarked on an effort to regulate monopolies and failed terribly. Now we question whether the state has done more harm than good." https://www.cnn.com/...

Jeanne Kuang /
CalMatters: California tried to make Google pay news outlets. The company cut a deal that includes funding AI

Diane Sylvester /
Editor and Publisher: Google avoids content payment mandates in California with surprise media partnership deal

Erin Ivie /
a14.asmdc.org: Assemblymember Wicks secures agreement with State, major tech companies to support the work of California journalists

Amy Kroin /
Free Press: Closed-Door Deal Between Google, Gov. Newsom and State Lawmakers Sells Californians and Local News Short Amy Kroin August 21, 2024 … Politico: Google and California strike a deal to jointly contribute $125M+ over five years to support local news; the deal also includes support for an AI project

RELATED:
Sacramento Bee:

Buffy Wicks, who dropped her effort to make Big Tech pay California news orgs after Google agreed to give to a nonprofit supporting local news, defends the deal— The California legislator at the center of a first-in-the-nation deal between Google and the state to help fund local news organizations …

Discussion:

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce:

Tim Griggs /
Tim Griggs on LinkedIn: I'm a pragmatist, generally, and that means I'm all for any move that's designed to help local news publishers. …

Thomas Barrabi /
New York Post: California Democrat defends ‘disastrous’ $250M Google deal with newspapers

Jon Brodkin /
Ars Technica: Google avoids “link tax” bill with deal to fund California journalism and AI

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Google's plan to fund California newsrooms draws scorn from journalism groups

Brian Merchant /
Blood in the Machine: How a bill meant to save journalism from big tech ended up boosting AI and bailing out Google instead

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: California's proposed deal with Google to support local news comes under criticism

Laurel Rosenhall /
Los Angeles Times: Deal reached in feud between California news outlets and Google: $250 million to support journalism but no new law

Laurie Sullivan /
MediaPost: Google Signs Deal To Serve Digital News Content, Funding California Media

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: WBD has started working on creating more original programming for TNT and rebooting series and made-for-TV movies, albeit with smaller budgets— Entertainment company is plotting ‘high-adrenaline’ dramas for a cable channel that has become closely associated with reruns

Discussion:
Screen Rant, Deadline, TVLine, Deadline, @tvgrimreaper, CBR, The Wrap and Variety

Discussion:

Nellie Andreeva /
Deadline: TNT Greenlights CIA Miniseries As Network Eyes Potential Scripted Ramp-Up Post Write-Down & Restructuring

Matt Webb Mitovich /
TVLine: TNT Grabs Librarians Sequel Series From The CW as Part of Plan to Replenish Drama Slate

Peter White /
Deadline: ‘The Librarians: The Next Chapter’ Lands At TNT After Being Pulled By The CW @tvgrimreaper: They're just thrashing about with no logical strategy. Adding some cheap dramas isn't going to help with carriage fee negotiations. Why bother?

Lee Freitag /
CBR: The Librarians Sequel Series No Longer Set to Air on The CW

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: WBD Ramps Up TNT Investment With ‘The Librarians: The Next Chapter,’ CIA Miniseries

Joe Otterson /
Variety: ‘Librarians: The Next Chapter’ Moves to TNT From CW

The Verge:

Q&A with Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion, and Danielle Strle, chief product officer, on how they bought the outlet, why they're making a print version, and more— The new owners of the satire site rescued it from content farm hell. Now, they're relaunching its newspaper.

Discussion:
@mvario@mastodon.social: The Onion's new owners on escaping content farm hell and relaunching a newspaper - The Verge — https://www.theverge.com/... #TheOnion — [image]

Jordan LaFlure /
Jordan LaFlure on LinkedIn: We were so close. After decades of R&D, testing, and optimizing, The Onion was just another 3 to 5 years away from debuting an infinitely long slideshow …

Christina Child /
Christina Child on LinkedIn: “We moved on to WordPress. We looked at other platforms, of course. But yeah, moving fast, here we are. It's a WordPress world.” — No fake news here. … @verge@mastodon.social: How The Onion is saving itself from the digital media death spiral https://www.theverge.com/... @hack13@cyberfurz.social: This is a great episode hearing about people coming together to keep a publication online even if it is a fake news publication. Just to keep The Onion around. — Decoder with Nilay Patel: How The Onion is saving itself from the digital media death spiral — Episode webpage: https://www.theverge.com/... …

Wall Street Journal:

In a letter, Skydance lawyers accuse Paramount's special committee of breaching its terms with Skydance by extending the time it can talk with other bidders— In a letter from its lawyers, Skydance accuses Paramount's committee of directors of violating the terms of its deal

Discussion:

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Skydance Accuses Paramount of Violating Deal Agreement by Negotiating With Edgar Bronfman Jr.: Report

Eva Davis /
Eva Davis on LinkedIn: More M&A entertainment from two entertainment giants — this time involving the “Go Shop.” In July 2024, Skydance Media and Paramount Global announced …

Ian Whittaker /
Ian Whittaker on LinkedIn: I wouldn't go so far as to equate the struggle for control over Paramount as two bald men fighting over a comb - the asset has perhaps more strengths …

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Skydance accuses Paramount of breach of contract

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Skydance Media Cries Foul as Paramount Global Extends Bidding Window to Edgar Bronfman Jr.

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Skydance Calls on Paramount to Stop Negotiating With Edgar Bronfman Jr., Accuses Special Committee of Violating Merger Agreement

Anthony Pascale /
TrekMovie.com: Paramount Extends Skydance Merger Deal Date To Consider Competing Bid [UPDATED: Skydance Responds]

Deadline:

Nielsen: the Democratic National Convention's final night averaged 26.2M US viewers over 15 networks; the RNC's final night drew 25.4M viewers over 14 networks— The final night of the Democratic National Convention, buoyed by a speech from Vice President Kamala Harris accepting …

Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Raw Story and MediaPost

Discussion:

Loree Seitz /
The Wrap: DNC Night 4 Ratings Surge to 26.2 Million Viewers as Kamala Harris Accepts Historic Presidential Nomination

Rick Porter /
The Hollywood Reporter: TV Ratings: Democratic Convention Closes With 26M Viewers, Edging RNC Final Night

Brad Reed /
Raw Story: DNC ratings smoke RNC for third night in a row

Wayne Friedman /
MediaPost: First 2 Nights Of DNC Viewing Up 23% Over RNC

Bloomberg:

A look at Apple Podcasts' fading dominance, as an April 2024 study of 603 podcast consumers found 31% use YouTube, 21% use Spotify, and 12% use Apple's app— Hello! Welcome back to Soundbite. Today we're looking at the fading dominance of Apple Podcasts.

Discussion:
Cult of Mac, Slate, 9to5Mac and MacRumors, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Lizzie O'Leary /
Slate: Crypto Courts the 2024 Vote

Ben Lovejoy /
9to5Mac: Apple Podcasts app no longer #1, has dropped to #3

Tim Hardwick /
MacRumors: Apple Podcasts Losing Market Share to YouTube and Spotify

Advanced Television:

Disney says it is expanding availability of its ad-supported Disney+ plan to Finland, the Netherlands, and Portugal on October 17— Following the launch of its ad-supported plan in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK in 2023 …

Discussion:
UK Press

Advanced Television:

Liberty Media announces plans to sell F1 shares worth $825M to partially fund its 86% stake in Dorna Sports, the MotoGP commercial rights holder valued at $4.2B— Liberty Media has revealed plans to sell F1 shares worth $825 million (€742m) in order to ‘partially fund’ its planned acquisition of MotoGP.

Discussion:
Inside Radio, Motorsport Week, Motorsport.com, PlanetF1 and Sports Illustrated

Discussion:

Mark Mann-Bryans /
Motorsport.com: Liberty announces $825mn F1 stake sale to fund MotoGP takeover

Elizabeth Blackstock /
PlanetF1: Liberty Media announce huge $825m F1 stake sale to fund $4.2bn MotoGP takeover

Bloomberg:

Reddit is winning over advertisers using interest-based targeting via subreddits, instead of personal data; analysis: Reddit's ad revenue may pass $1.1B in 2024— Without as much personal information, Reddit lures marketers by touting interests and conversations

Status:

Source: Penske Media has laid off dozens of staff over the last several weeks; Penske says it's grown its total headcount in 2022, 2023, and 2024— The layoffs at Penske's media empire comes as his company faces tough headwinds, many of them industry wide.

CNBC:

In a pitch deck, AI search engine Perplexity told advertisers it plans to start running ads in Q4; a source says Perplexity's CPM prices will be $50+— Perplexity AI, the artificial intelligence startup that's been embroiled in controversy due to accusations of plagiarizing content from media outlets …

Discussion:

Hayden Field /
TVNewsCheck: Perplexity AI To Start Running Ads In Q4 As AI-Assisted Search Gains Popularity

Hayden Field /
@haydenfield: Scoop: Perplexity AI plans to start running ads on its search app in Q4, CNBC has learned. The company, which focuses on AI-assisted search & in April doubled its valuation to $1 billion, is circulating a pitch deck, promoting its reach & increasing usage.https://www.cnbc.com/... @researchbuzz@researchbuzz.masto.host: Dear Perplexity, — A business plan of “Hope our customers are too stupid to notice our goony CPM” isn't viable. — 'With advertising, Perplexity will follow a model called CPM, or cost per thousand impressions, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the details are not public. …

Trishla Ostwal /
Adweek: Inside the Deck Perplexity Is Using to Pitch Advertisers @vortexegg.regretfully.online: Ahh, so the business model is running ads on media scraped from other websites. Classic bit. [embedded post]