Pact: UK TV production sector revenue fell by £392M to £3.61B in 2023; the amount spent on commissioning programs by UK broadcasters fell from £1.99B to £1.78B (Mark Sweney/The Guardian)

Mediagazer: Pact: UK TV production sector revenue fell by £392M to £3.61B in 2023; the amount spent on commissioning programs by UK broadcasters fell from £1.99B to £1.78B (Mark Sweney/The Guardian)

Top News:

Axios:

Veteran journalist Peter Kafka is reviving his old Recode Media podcast under a new name, Channels, starting September 11 with the Vox Media podcast network— - He also worked out an arrangement with Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff where he'll own the podcast, giving him freedom and flexibility.
Discussion: Nieman Lab, @pkafka, @jakesherman, @cgates123, @pkafka@threads.net, @sarafischer, @mossbergwalt@threads.net, @pkafka, MediaPost and Talking Biz News

Discussion:

Joshua Benton /
Nieman Lab: The old Recode Media podcast is returning to a familiar home

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: And if you were previously subscribed to Recode Media you *should* have gotten my trailer in your feed this morning. But never hurts to check. Thanks to everyone at @voxmediapods for getting this thing up and running. Glad to be back.

Jake Sherman /
@jakesherman: I think @pkafka does a great podcast. So this is cool.

Christopher Gates /
@cgates123: Congrats @pkafka on the restructuring and launch! I have seen Vox utilize this structure more and more. It is smart. Give creators ownership and help them with production, distribution and advertising. As a maker of shows, ownership is 🗝️ https://www.axios.com/...

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka@threads.net: I'm putting on my podcast pants again, starting tomorrow: Channels will be a long-form interview show dropping every Weds. First guest: David Remnick, the New Yorker's longtime editor. — Subscribe now (for free!) on the app of your choice: https://link.chtbl.com/kafka 1/2

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: Big news for media biz: @pkafka bringing his infamous pod back to @voxmedia, rebranding it “Channels” -He'll remain w @BusinessInsider -Will still be a weekly intv show -Peter will own the show. Vox Media is production, distribution and sales partner https://www.axios.com/...

Walt Mossberg /
@mossbergwalt@threads.net: Just checked on Apple Podcasts. Channels is automatically there in the feed previously occupied by Recode Media. Can't wait!

Peter Kafka /
@pkafka: Professional news: I have two jobs! Very excited to start chatting again. Sara has the backstory below. You can get tomorrow's show - an interview with the New Yorker's David Remnick - and every one after that, for free, by heading here https://link.chtbl.com/kafka

Ray Schultz /
MediaPost: Vox To Start Multimedia Podcast Franchise

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: Kafka revives podcast for Vox Media

Axios:

The New York Times Tech Guild, which represents 600+ employees, votes to authorize a strike after over two years of stalled contract talks with NYT management— - The Wirecutter union held a five-day walkout over the Black Friday holiday weekend in 2021 and struck a deal with management days later.

Discussion:
@nytguildtech: THERE IS NO DEBATE: We have approved a strike, with just weeks until Election Day. Read more here: https://www.nyguild.org/... [image]

Sara Fischer /
Sara Fischer on LinkedIn: NEW: The New York Times tech workers union has voted to authorize a strike in protest of stalled contract negotiations with The Times' management, sources confirmed to Axios. …

Ethan Marcotte /
@beep@follow.ethanmarcotte.com: Per https://bsky.app/... , 95% of the votes were “yes.” This strike authorization didn't squeak by; this is what happens when management's failed for *years* to properly sit at the negotiating table. — This is also how you bring them *back* to the table.

Financial Times:

GB News and UnHerd owner Paul Marshall acquires The Spectator for £100M and plans to expand the magazine overseas; Spectator chair Andrew Neil resigns— Acquisition bolsters hedge fund boss's position as one of UK's most influential right-leaning media barons

Discussion:
@frasernelson, @afneil, Spectator, @afneil, @peterjukes, @ian_fraser, New Statesman, @peterjukes, @danwootton, @semaforben, @aphclarkson, @jamesrbuk, @notthatbigian, @colinbraziertv, @sangitamyska, @peterjukes, @rowandean, @twlldun, @nfmusic, @montie, @lefoudubaron, @jdportes, @aphclarkson, @mattwridley, @peterjukes, @semaforben, @danielthomasldn, Irish News, BBC, The Independent, The Spectator Australia, White \u0026 Case, Irish News, Bloomberg, Telegraph, Sky News, The Times, The i Paper, Bloomberg, New York Times, Press Gazette, London Evening Standard, The Guardian, Reuters and Guido Fawkes

Discussion:

Fraser Nelson /
@frasernelson: Congratulations to Sir Paul Marshall, new owner of The Spectator. The price, £100m, is a huge vote of confidence in The Spectator, its writers and (most of all) its potential. After a long auction, the next chapter in our 196-year history can finally begin https://www.spectator.co.uk/ ...

Andrew Neil /
@afneil: My Farewell to The Spectator 1/2 It is with great sadness that I write to tell you I am resigning as Chairman of The Spectator, with immediate effect. I made it clear many months ago that I would step down when a new owner took over. That time has now come. It has been my

Fraser Nelson /
Spectator: The Spectator's new owner - and new era

Andrew Neil /
@afneil: My Farewell to The Spectator 2/2 My greatest regret is that I have not been able to find you a new home guaranteed to nurture the unique chemistry of The Spectator, which makes it so special and successful. I'm sorry about that but the matter was taken out of my hands. We

Peter Jukes /
@peterjukes: Siri. Give me an example of how cheaply you can buy the British intelligentsia

Ian Fraser /
@ian_fraser: Reminder of the hateful “likes” of hedge fund manager Paul Marshall, who has just snapped up The Spectator for £100m. Marshall is piecing together a right-wing media empire which already includes GB News and Unherd. @arusbridger https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ ...

Alison Phillips /
New Statesman: Is Paul Marshall challenging Rupert Murdoch's media empire?

Peter Jukes /
@peterjukes: Oof. Sharp passing shot at Marshall “No doubt the new proprietor will bring assets to the table, perhaps even bigger budgets. However you can have all the resources in the world but if you don't understand what really makes The Spectator tick then they will be as naught.”

Dan Wootton /
@danwootton: Last year Sir Paul Marshall arrived at The Spectator's summer party only to discover his name had been taken off the guest list. He had to turn around and leave. Today he's just paid £100 million to buy The Spectator. His first decision may well be to sack its chairman Andrew [image]

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: A domestic owner with populist right politics, after the government blocked foreign ownership ....

Alexander Clarkson /
@aphclarkson: Andrew Neil ends up like the National Review editors and commentators in the US who were steamrollered by ideological forces they were instrumental in unleashing

James Ball /
@jamesrbuk: Warm post from Fraser paying tribute to the Spectator's outgoing chairman Andrew Neil and its old owners. But to a general audience the observations on business model and valuation might be more interesting - no to clicks and programmatic ads, yes to value through loyalty...

Ian Acheson /
@notthatbigian: I am proud to have played a v small role as a contributor to the best current affairs magazine in the country, brilliantly led & populated by writers I am frequently in awe of. We need intelligent thought diversity more than ever and I know @spectator will continue to deliver.

Colin Brazier /
@colinbraziertv: Fantastic news. The @spectator remains one of the most important voices in Britain's public square. It will continue to provide a shop window for some of the writers - Moore, Liddle, Murray - who consistently diagnose our nation's ills with wisdom, waspish humour and courage.

Sangita Myska /
@sangitamyska: Andrew Neil 🧵 takes a pot shot at Paul Marshall, the Spectator's new owner and biggest shareholder at GB News, implying he will not grasp that an Editor must be free of interference from the proprietor & external influences for it to be a credible news/current affairs outlet.

Peter Jukes /
@peterjukes: For all my many many criticisms of @afneil he at least had the decency to walk away from Paul Marshall's GB News. Is this a case of ‘better the devil you know’. Will we actually miss him?

Rowan Dean /
@rowandean: Andrew Neil's sad but superb letter of resignation from The Spectator. Andrew is a legend of the media whose mentorship will be greatly missed but The Spectator Australia and Flat White readers can rest assured that the magazine and the website will continue in the magnificent

Godspeed You Black Tamperer /
@twlldun: Oh this is bad news. The spectator might end up publishing all sorts. Mad cranks, racists, climate change deniers, people who praise the Wehrmacht... Hold on. I'm just hearing something from my producer

Neil Fisher /
@nfmusic: “The digital temptations that can lure publications to their grave ('Look at the clicks! Drop the opera review!') are dangerous-they come dripping in what looks like supportive data. You can end up not just being edited by algorithm but stripping a publication of nuance and soul”

Tim Montgomerie /
@montie: The biggest congratulations should go to @FraserNelson. At a time when print journalism is fighting for its life, Fraser and @afneil have turned The Spectator into a hugely profitable and influential magazine and because of its innovative digital products - it has its biggest @lefoudubaron: A grateful farewell to @afneil - an iconic journalist and friend for 25 years. Andrew nurtured @spectator with integrity and flair. He was an example and inspiration. He didn't interfere, but he set a tone of independence, authority and ethics. I've been privileged to

Jonathan Portes /
@jdportes: Reminder of a few of @afneil's “highlights” as Chairman of the Spectator -Taki's endorsement of what *Neil himself* described as an “openly Nazi” party Murray's call for ethnic cleansing in Gaza Liddle's toxic racism.. Puff pieces for Zemmour, the AfD and Thierry Baudet..

Alexander Clarkson /
@aphclarkson: Owner of GBNews and Unherd expands his right wing media empire. T here is a risk here for a Conservative Party that has increasingly abandoned a traditional Tory ethos that Marshall's particular obsessions drag it further away from the broad mainstream of British society

Matt Ridley /
@mattwridley: A great journalist who made a journal greater.

Peter Jukes /
@peterjukes: Shocking insight into former Speccie owners - the Barclays “Suddenly and without warning we were placed in receivership because our then proprietors had used us as collateral for massive debts unrelated to us (without ever telling us). They then failed to pay these debts”

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: Extraordinary farewell from a legendary figure who the would-be US/Gulf buyers made a huge mistake in taking for granted. Also, this Ben Shapiro interview really holds up: https://www.youtube.com/...

Daniel Thomas /
@danielthomasldn: The Spectator has only its 15th owner in its 200 year history after hedge fund tycoon Paul Marshall completed his acqusition today for £100m. The FT reveals the plans for the storied title sold at a whopping price https://www.ft.com/... via @ft

Alex Croft /
The Independent: Andrew Neil steps down as Spectator chair after £100m sale to GB News investor finalised White \u0026 Case: White & Case advises Sir Paul Marshall and Old Queen Street Ventures Limited on acquisition of The Spectator magazine

James Warrington /
Telegraph: GB News owner Paul Marshall completes £100m deal for The Spectator

Sarah Taaffe-Maguire /
Sky News: Spectator magazine finally sold to GB News investor Sir Paul Marshall

Helen Cahill /
The Times: Paul Marshall buys Spectator for £100m

Bron Maher /
Press Gazette: Paul Marshall pledges to fix ‘underinvestment’ in Spectator as sale goes through

Henry Saker-Clark /
London Evening Standard: GB News backer Sir Paul Marshall buys The Spectator magazine for £100m

Paul Sandle /
Reuters: Britain's Paul Marshall buys The Spectator magazine

Adweek:

Amazon says it is testing sponsored ads in chats with Rufus, its AI-powered shopping assistant, in the US— But ad buyers are cautious about the placements — Amazon is starting to plug ads into generative AI. — Sponsored ads—Amazon's core search ad format—could start appearing …

Discussion:
Adam Epstein on LinkedIn and Jeremy Dodge on LinkedIn

Discussion:

Adam Epstein /
Adam Epstein on LinkedIn: It will be fascinating to see the outcome of Amazon bringing ads to Rufus. — Sponsored Ads (primarily search) are Amazon's cash cow, accounting for 80% of all Ad revenue. …

MediaPost:

A federal judge blocks Utah from enforcing the Minor Protection in Social Media Act, set to take effect on October 1, saying the law likely violates the 1A— A federal judge has blocked Utah from enforcing a new law that would have restricted social media platforms' ability to serve content to minors under 18.

Discussion:
KSL-TV, Bloomberg Law, @keir_lamont and Utah Political Watch, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Hanna Seariac /
KSL-TV: Judge blocks Utah social media law

Keir Lamont /
@keir_lamont: Credit to the Utah District Court for actually reading the Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. Which is far more nuanced than the arguments it is typically invoked to support. https://storage.courtlistener.com/ ... [image]

The Guardian:

Pact: UK TV production sector revenue fell by £392M to £3.61B in 2023; the amount spent on commissioning programs by UK broadcasters fell from £1.99B to £1.78B— Revenue plunges as cash-strapped broadcasters spend less on commissioning amid ad slump and shift to streaming

Discussion:
Daily Mail, Broadcast, C21Media and Deadline

Discussion:

Paul Revoir /
Daily Mail: BBC is urged to top promoting US shows and back British TV after bosses promoted Suits and Gossip Girl

Neil Batey /
C21Media: UK television revenues fell by $512m as industry contracts, Pact survey shows

TechCrunch:

A group of Democratic senators asks the FTC and DOJ to probe whether AI tools that summarize online content like news may amount to anticompetitive practices— A group of Democratic senators is urging the FTC and Justice Department to investigate whether AI tools that summarize …

Discussion:
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Raptive, Axios, @leftcoastbabe, @shadowhaxor and @bishplsok

Discussion:
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar: Klobuchar, Colleagues Urge Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Generative AI Products for Potential Antitrust Violations Raptive: Statement from Marc McCollum, Chief Innovation Officer at Raptive, on Senator Amy Klobuchar's Letter Addressing AI's Impact on Content Creators

Janice Hough /
@leftcoastbabe: As much as MSM media is failing us, we really need local journalism. Senator Amy Klobuchar is working to do something about that. https://www.axios.com/...

Keith Mitchell /
@shadowhaxor: @TechCrunch YES! This needs to happen. Google is ripping off people's content, using it in its search engine without providing any traffic to their sites. Screw Google.

Michael Bishop /
@bishplsok: https://techcrunch.com/... 1. Tying search indexing to AI summarization opt-in is blatantly anticompetitive when you have monopoly control of search 2. @aripap picked literally the best time to start writing about G antitrust, lol 3. Pub rev share maybe finally on the table!

Second Rough Draft:

An interview with The Minnesota Star Tribune CEO Steve Grove on the newspaper's reboot, becoming a “paper of relevancy”, ending political endorsements, and more— From paper of record to paper of relevancy … RT: So, Steve, you announced five focus areas for your coverage …

Discussion:
@grove

Discussion:

The Verge:

ESPN's AI-generated articles recapping women's soccer games are bland and basic, failing to note key moments like one player's final game and emotional farewell— This weekend, ESPN began publishing AI-generated recaps of women's soccer games, with more sports to come.

Discussion:
Defector, @itnewsbot@schleuss.online, @blandpseudonym.bsky.social, Poynter, The Present Age, Awful Announcing and ESPN

Discussion:

Luis Paez-Pumar /
Defector: ESPN Masks Cynical AI Pivot As Benevolent Coverage Of “Underserved” Sports @itnewsbot@schleuss.online: ESPN is now using AI to recap women's soccer and people have feelings - Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge — This weekend, ESP... - https://www.theverge.com/...

Iain Hepburn /
@blandpseudonym.bsky.social: This is the kind of crap I fear seeping into the system over here. Lower leagues and women's football - deemed necessary to cover but of lesser value by news leadership - relying on match reports basically generated out of editorial Lego blocks. [embedded post]

Parker Molloy /
The Present Age: ESPN's AI Fumble: How Robot Recaps Missed Alex Morgan's Final Match

Sean Keeley /
Awful Announcing: ESPN AI recap of Alex Morgan's final professional match fails to mention Alex Morgan

New York Post:

A former News Corp executive testifies in Google's ad antitrust trial that News Corp weighed switching from Google ad tools in 2017 but would have lost $9M— News Corp considered switching away from Google's advertising products in 2017 - but decided against it after determining it would cost …

Discussion:
Reuters, MediaPost, Yahoo Finance, Mumbrella, The Verge, New York Daily News, Digiday, New York Times, The Media Leader, AdExchanger, Reuters and Adweek

Discussion:

Jody Godoy /
Reuters: News Corp would have lost $9 million in 2017 by ditching Google ads, ex-exec testifies

Alexis Keenan /
Yahoo Finance: Clash of the titans: Google and US attorneys kick off ad tech trial with clash over defining the market

Lauren Feiner /
The Verge: US v. Google redux: all the news from the ad tech trial

Seb Joseph /
Digiday: From power play to courtroom drama: a timeline of tumultuous turns to Google's ad tech trial

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Google's antitrust trial over online advertising begins today

Allison Schiff /
AdExchanger: DOJ vs. Google, Day One: Who's Testifying And Google's Main Arguments In Brief

Jody Godoy /
Reuters: In the first day of the antitrust trial focused on ads, US prosecutors allege Google abused its size to dominate the sector through acquisitions and more

Status:

As part of a News Media Alliance lobbying effort, 100+ news executives are visiting Washington, DC, on September 11 to warn lawmakers about AI's impact on media— More than 100 news executives will descend on Capitol Hill to warn lawmakers about the threats A.I. poses to the industry.

Discussion:
Washington Post, @newsalliance and CNN

Discussion:
@newsalliance: “With so many news companies striking deals with AI firms, Coffey is prepared to defend the news industry's position that those deals, without regulatory pressure, will never reflect the true market value of her members' content.” via @axios https://www.axios.com/...

Financial Times:

UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy is considering mutualizing the BBC, giving direct ownership to license-fee payers, as part of a review of funding options— Culture secretary Lisa Nandy says ‘nothing off table’ as government and broadcaster prepare for talks over funding

Discussion:
@mediareformuk and London Evening Standard

Discussion:
@mediareformuk: Encouraging that @lisanandy is looking into mutualising the BBC as part of funding reviews. For too long the public have been treated as passive consumers & our investment treated as ‘venture capital’ for an increasingly commercialised service. https://www.ft.com/...