Russia's FSB opens criminal cases against British CNN reporter Nick Paton Walsh and two Ukrainian journalists for illegally entering Russia to report from Kursk (Reuters)

Mediagazer: Russia's FSB opens criminal cases against British CNN reporter Nick Paton Walsh and two Ukrainian journalists for illegally entering Russia to report from Kursk (Reuters)

Top News:

New York Times:

Sources: Paramount extends its deadline for sales talks until early September to evaluate Edgar Bronfman Jr.'s new bid, which could shake up the Skydance deal— Edgar Bronfman Jr. and his bidding group now have until September to sell Paramount on their offer.
Discussion: The Special Committee …, Deadline, CNBC, The Desk, Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, Advanced Television, Broadband TV News, The Wrap, Commercial Observer, AV Club, Front Office Sports, New York Post, Sportico, Financial Times, Axios, The Streamable, The Media Leader, Media Play News, The Hill and Music Business Worldwide

Discussion:
The Special Committee of the Board …: PARAMOUNT GLOBAL'S SPECIAL COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF ACQUISITION PROPOSAL AND 15-DAY EXTENSION OF “GO SHOP” PERIOD TO CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT Deadline: Paramount Merger Saga Continues: Go-Shop Period Extended As Edgar Bronfman Vies With Skydance, Boosts His Offer To $6B

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Bronfman raises bid for Paramount, now offers $6 billion

Robert Briel /
Broadband TV News: Edgar Bronfman Jr increases last-minute bid for Paramount Global to $5.5 billion

Tess Patton /
The Wrap: Paramount Shareholder Mario Gabelli Doesn't See a Negative in Granting Potential Bronfman Bid Extension

Astaropoli /
Commercial Observer: Edgar Bronfman Jr. Challenges Skydance-Paramount Merger With $4.3B Bid

Mary Kate Carr /
AV Club: A rogue billionaire enters the Paramount sale conversation

Eric Fisher /
Front Office Sports: New $4.3 Billion Paramount Bid Puts Future of CBS Sports in the Balance

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: Bidding war erupts over Paramount as Edgar Bronfman submits $4.3B competing offer

Anthony Crupi /
Sportico: Fubo Butterfly Effect May Hinder Bronfman Paramount Plan

Sara Fischer /
Axios: Axios Media Trends

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Bronfman challenges Skydance for Paramount control

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Investor Edgar Bronfman Jr. Offers $4.3 Billion Bid For Paramount Global

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Edgar Bronfman Jr. makes multi-billion dollar bid for Paramount

Mandy Dalugdug /
Music Business Worldwide: Former Warner Music Group boss Edgar Bronfman Jr. makes $4.3bn bid for Paramount

RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:

Sources: Edgar Bronfman Jr. raises his Paramount bid to $6B, adding $1.7B to let non-Redstone, nonvoting Paramount shareholders cash out at $16 a share— The bid gives non-Redstone, nonvoting Paramount shareholders an option to sell shares at a premium — Edgar Bronfman Jr. has sweetened …

Discussion:

Jill Goldsmith /
Deadline: Edgar Bronfman Jr. Sweetens Bid For Paramount To $6 Billion

Lucas Manfredi /
The Wrap: Paramount Extends Negotiating Window As Edgar Bronfman Jr. Raises Bid to $6 Billion

Todd Spangler /
Variety: Edgar Bronfman Jr. Boosts Paramount Bid to $6 Billion, Board Extends Deal-Negotiation Period

Rick Howe /
Rick Howe on LinkedIn: As I said yesterday, This feels like a #BreakUp Strategy. Certainly Skydance would have discarded some non-strategic assets. But methinks …

Jessica Toonkel /
Jessica Toonkel on LinkedIn: Things are getting interesting in Paramount land. Edgar Bronfman Jr ups his offer, including a tender offer to nonvoting shareholders. …

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Paramount Extends Acquisition Bid Window 15 Days as Bronfman Ups Offer to $6 Billion

Jessica Toonkel /
Jessica Toonkel on LinkedIn: NEW: Bronfman's bid for Paramount is in. He matches Skydance in offer for NAI at $1.75 billion in equity and offers around $1.5 billion on Paramount's balance sheet. … The Wrap: Document: Edgar Bronfman Jr.'s Paramount bid is backed by a group of 19 investors including Fortress, Brock Pierce, and producer Steven Paul

Rocio Fabbro /
Quartz: Edgar Bronfman wants to buy Paramount for $4.3 billion — and take it away from Skydance

Lauren Thomas /
Lauren Thomas on LinkedIn: Breaking overnight on The Wall Street Journal: Media executive Edgar Bronfman Jr. has formally made his play for Shari Redstone's media empire …

Jon Lafayette /
Next TV: Edgar Bronfman Makes $4.3 Billion Bid For Paramount

The Hill:

Judy Woodruff apologizes for saying she had read reports that Trump urged Israel's PM not to cut a deal to end fighting in Gaza because it would help Harris— PBS NewsHour senior correspondent Judy Woodruff issued an apology Wednesday after her comments about former President Trump's role in Gaza cease-fire talks sparked criticism.

Discussion:
@judywoodruff, Poynter, Reuters, Fox News, MSNBC, @jeremyschulman, Mediaite, The Daily Wire, New York Post and New Republic

Discussion:

Judy Woodruff /
@judywoodruff: I want to clarify my remarks on the PBS News special on Monday night about the ongoing cease fire talks in the Middle East. As I said, this was not based on my original reporting; I was referring to reports I had read, in Axios and Reuters, about former President Trump having Fox News: PBS host apologizes for reporting Trump pressed Netanyahu to abandon hostage deal: ‘This was a mistake’

Jeremy Schulman /
@jeremyschulman: I hope we get similar apologies from all the influential people — journalists and others — who portrayed this video as some sort of substantive scoop from PBS without asking even basic questions about the sourcing.

Zoe Engels /
Mediaite: PBS Correspondent Issues Apology for Comments About Trump Interference in Gaza Ceasefire Talks

Ryan Saavedra /
The Daily Wire: PBS News Reporter Retracts False Claim That Trump Tried To Sabotage Israel Hostage Deal

Katherine Donlevy /
New York Post: PBS' Judy Woodruff apologizes for falsely telling live audience Trump tried to talk Israel out of cease-fire deal

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling /
New Republic: Trump's Latest Scheme to Beat Harris May Have Crossed Legal Lines

Deadline:

Sources: Chick-Fil-A plans to launch a slate of original media productions for its own streaming platform and has worked with studios on family-friendly shows— Deadline understands that the fast-food firm has been working with a number of major production companies, including some of the studios …

Discussion:
The Verge, The Hill, Los Angeles Times, Mashable, Axios, @mikeorren, @deadline, @kennysmith.bsky.social, Too Much TV Newsletter, @sleestak.bsky.social, @mfg_iwpj, @deadline, @c_a_huggins, @LilahTovMoon@tech.lgbt, The Overspill, @kennysmith@mstdn.social, AV Club, Vanity Fair, Vibe, CBR, Ars Technica, @cafastfoodunion, @chrisvalentino0, @deadline, Variety, The Daily Beast, The Desk, Streaming Better, @acidrains.bsky.social, Quartz, SlashFilm, The Media Leader and Cord Cutters News

Discussion:

Charles Pulliam-Moore /
The Verge: Chick-fil-A is reportedly launching a streaming service for some reason

Rich Johnson /
The Hill: Chick-fil-A reportedly launching its own streaming platform

Caroline Petrow-Cohen /
Los Angeles Times: Chick-fil-A to launch new streaming service, report says

Mike Orren /
@mikeorren: I don't know about this, but I'm all for every neighborhood pizzeria having a public access talk show. @deadline: Deadline understands that the fast-food firm has been working with a number of major production companies, including some of the studios, to create family-friendly shows, particularly in the unscripted space https://deadline.com/...

Kenny Smith /
@kennysmith.bsky.social: Generally speaking, the best brand extensions address a genuine consumer need and have a clear value proposition that differentiates them from competitors. — Anything else, like this, runs the risk of being a brand overextension. [embedded post]

Rick Ellis /
Too Much TV Newsletter: Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Wednesday, August 21st, 2024 @sleestak.bsky.social: Isn't there enough anti-gay programming and hate speech on TV already? [embedded post]

@deadline:
It is also in talks to license and acquire content. We hear that this includes a family-friendly gameshow from Glassman Media and Michael Sugar's Sugar23. Deadline understands this show has been handed a ten-episode order https://deadline.com/...

Shoshana /
@LilahTovMoon@tech.lgbt: Hahaha, the Onion is so funny...wait, this isn't the Onion. This is real? 😭 — Chick-Fil-A Hatches Plans For Streaming Service As Reality TV Comes Home To Roost — https://deadline.com/...

Charlesarthur /
The Overspill: Start Up No.2273: Harris v Trump online, the car park solar solution, Medium makes a profit, self-driving taxi night ballet, and more

Kenny Smith /
@kennysmith@mstdn.social: Generally speaking, the best brand extensions address a genuine consumer need and have a clear value proposition that differentiates them from competitors. — Anything else, like this, runs the risk of being a brand overextension. — From: @Mediagazer — https://mstdn.social/...

Emma Keates /
AV Club: Chick-fil-A's streaming service sounds like a Community gag, but it's mother clucking real

Chris Murphy /
Vanity Fair: Um, Chick-Fil-A Is Starting a Streaming Service?

James R. Sanders /
Vibe: Chick-Fil-A Is Greasing It's Way Into The Streaming Business

Darren Okafor /
CBR: Chick-fil-A Fast Food Restaurant Launching New Streaming Service

Scharon Harding /
Ars Technica: Chick-fil-A plans to launch streaming service with original shows @cafastfoodunion: @DEADLINE Chick-Fil-A was prepared to spend over $11 million to get out of paying us $20/hour. Now they're funding a trade association who is lobbying local electeds to stop us from knowing our rights while running a PR campaign to ensure we don't get another raise.

Chris Valentino /
@chrisvalentino0: @DEADLINE There's a lot at steak here. They should focus on what they create in-house and not try to ruffle any feathers. They don't want any beef with these stream services. [image]

@deadline:
Budgets on the unscripted side are believed to be in the range of $400,000 per half-hour. Sources told us the idea is to launch later this year and there's also talk of scripted projects and animation. MORE: https://deadline.com/...

Matthew Keys /
The Desk: Chick-Fil-A readies launch of streaming TV platform

Stephanie Rains /
@acidrains.bsky.social: I'm sorry, what?? [embedded post]

BJ Colangelo /
SlashFilm: Chick-Fil-A Is Launching A Streaming Platform And No, This Is Not A Joke, Sorry

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Chick-fil-A cooks up new streaming service

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— The California agreement includes funding for artificial intelligence, a technology many journalists fear could replace their jobs.

Discussion:
Media Nation, KQED, a14.asmdc.org, CalMatters, Los Angeles Times, @eytanwallace, The Information, @gaufre, MediaPost, @jamesqueallylat, @jeffjarvis, @eytanwallace, Engadget, New York Times, CNN, @davidfolkenflik and @eytanwallace, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

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

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

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

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

Eytan Wallace /
@eytanwallace: @MediaGuildWest @Steve_Glazer Glazer believes the funding in the deal is not enough to prevent mass layoffs we have seen across the local news industry. @gaufre: We don't support the backroom @BuffyWicks deal. It's giving taxpayer dollars to AI startups and hedge funds. America's journalists did not sign up for that.

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

James Queally /
@jamesqueallylat: This is not a deal. It's capitulation. Any legislator who campaigns off this later saying they tried to save local journalism is lying to you. @jeffjarvis: Breaking news: The two protectionist bills for the news industry in California are superseded by a negotiated deal with Google (and, I hope, more tech companies), creating a fund, which is what I advocated in my testimony. in Sacramento. https://a14.asmdc.org/...

@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.

Eytan Wallace /
@eytanwallace: @MediaGuildWest @Steve_Glazer Senate President Pro Tempore @ilike_mike (D-North Coast) expresses concerns with the deal: “We have concerns that this proposal lacks sufficient funding for newspapers and local media, and doesn't fully address the inequities facing the industry...” Full statement: [image]

Eytan Wallace /
@eytanwallace: @MediaGuildWest @Steve_Glazer Statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom: “This agreement represents a major breakthrough in ensuring the survival of newsrooms and bolstering local journalism across California — leveraging substantial tech industry resources without imposing new taxes on Californians.”

Eytan Wallace /
@eytanwallace: On a ZOOM call, Matt Pearce of the @MediaGuildWest says this deal “is bad for journalists.” “I'm worried this deal actually causes harm to journalists,” he said. This is “willfully short of what Google should be providing,” said Sen. @Steve_Glazer (D-Orinda).

Liam Reilly /
CNN: Google agrees to first-in-the-nation deal to fund California newsrooms, but journalists are calling it a disaster

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Some journos do not love this Google deal

Eytan Wallace /
@eytanwallace: JUST IN: Asm. @BuffyWicks (D-Oakland), Gov. @GavinNewsom, & @Google announce deal to provide nearly $250 million in public and private funding to newsrooms over the next 5 years. Supporters say this will provide ongoing financial support to newsrooms across CA & invest in AI.

RELATED:
Editor and Publisher: A draft plan circulating among California lawmakers and media leaders would create a Local News Fund with Google and state money, run by a board at UC Berkeley

Discussion:

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 … @econliberties: “This backroom deal is bad for journalists, publishers, and all Californians, which is why state lawmakers including @GavinNewsom should reject it.” Statement from @LeeHepner on Google's absurd deal to terminate the California Journalism Preservation Act. https://www.economicliberties.us/ ... [image]

Garry Tan /
@garrytan: We have to pay attention to how this money is allocated. If it goes to journos who systematically fail to honestly cover news like Mission Local, Oaklandside, 48 Hills, or even the Chronicle We will get far worse than Chesa Boudin We don't want activism disguised as journalism

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: This will be framed as a win—but it's only a win for Google. In exchange for gutting the CA journalism law, which would have put a durable mechanism into place to share ad revenue from stories on its platform, it's a paltry payout—and *AI initiatives* rammed down our throats. [image]

Steven Waldman /
@stevenwaldman: Google, California lawmakers in last-minute negotiations for local news fund | Editor and Publisher https://www.editorandpublisher.com/ ...

Ashley Zavala /
KQCA-TV: Deal set to be announced on journalism and tech in California

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: California's journalists did not ask for this. @future_of_music: This could have been a bill that helped support local music communities by funding local music journalism. Instead, it's looking like more AI-fueled extraction.

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: Utterly devastating for CA journalists. This bill was supposed to make big tech pay its fair share after usurping advertising from news publishers and profiting from their work—instead it's *rewarding* their market dominance by turning journos into content trainers for AI systems

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: Also I guess I should say out loud what everybody believes behind the scenes, which is that the biggest obstacle here to actual monopoly regulation isn't actually Google but Governor Gavin Newsom.

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: If I ran a government accountability newsroom and learned a backroom deal would send taxpayer dollars to Alden Global Capital during a budget crunch, I would have spent the weekend telling my reporters, not my business partners, to contact @BuffyWicks. https://www.politico.com/... [image]

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: And to be clear this is not at all what any journalist involved wanted. At all. The opposite in fact — when the News Guild voted to support the original bill it had *nothing* to do with AI and everything to do with making big tech share the gains it made on journalists' backs.

Sarah Kay Wiley /
Sarah Kay Wiley on LinkedIn: That Google is essentially able to stop the legislative process with a $172.5M check (over five years mind you) is deeply disturbing …

Jacob Bryant /
The Wrap: California Lawmakers Set to Scrap Legislation Requiring Big Tech to Pay for News in $172.5 Million Google Settlement | Report

Tyler Katzenberger /
Politico: AI initiatives would get $40M annually in draft California journalism bill agreement @researchbuzz@researchbuzz.masto.host: #Google #California #media #advertising — ‘California leaders are expected to announce a truce has been reached between state lawmakers, tech and some journalism advocates on an effort to provide millions of dollars in funds to local newsrooms across the state.’ — https://www.kcra.com/...

Vulture:

Lionsgate recalls its trailer for Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis that used fake quotes from multiple critics, and apologizes “for this inexcusable error”— Since this story published, Lionsgate has taken the trailer down and issued an apology: “Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for Megalopolis.

Discussion:
Variety, The Guardian, AV Club, Consequence, New York Times, @bilgeebiri, Empire, @bilgeebiri, Mashable, Associated Press, CBR, Deadline, @bilgeebiri, The Verge, The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, Newser, The Daily Beast, HuffPost, Boing Boing, The Wrap, USA Today, ComingSoon.net, Screen Rant, Inverse, Digital Trends, New York Daily News, The Indian Express and Rolling Stone

Discussion:

Katcy Stephan /
Variety: Lionsgate Pulls ‘Megalopolis’ Trailer Offline Due to Made-Up Critic Quotes and Issues Apology: ‘We Screwed Up’

William Hughes /
AV Club: Lionsgate apologizes after getting caught faking Megalopolis trailer quotes

Wren Graves /
Consequence: It Definitely Looks Like the Megalopolis Trailer Uses Fake Quotes Hallucinated by ChatGPT

Bilge Ebiri /
@bilgeebiri: Because if it *was* ChatGPT, that company is out here selling its services and, frankly, people should know its cars are exploding on the roads.

Jordan King /
Empire: Megalopolis Trailer: Francis Ford Coppola Aims To Pass The Test Of Time With Adam Driver Sci-Fi Epic

Bilge Ebiri /
@bilgeebiri: The trailer for Francis Ford Coppola's MEGALOPOLIS features a history of dismissive quotes from noted critics about the director's earlier masterpieces. There's one problem, however. The quotes appear to be made up. https://www.vulture.com/...

Darren Okafor /
CBR: ‘We Screwed Up’: Lionsgate Admits Fault as Megalopolis Trailer Quotes Are Revealed as Fake

Matt Grobar /
Deadline: Lionsgate Recalling ‘Megalopolis’ Trailer Amid Fabricated Quote Controversy: “We Screwed Up”

Bilge Ebiri /
@bilgeebiri: Update:

Bilge Ebiri /
@bilgeebiri: Btw I appreciate the fact that Lionsgate pulled the trailer and apologized to the critics and to FFC (who I doubt had anything to do with cutting the trailer). I'd still like to know HOW this happened, however.

Jay Peters /
The Verge: The bad movie reviews quoted in Lionsgate's Megalopolis trailer were mostly made up

Aaron Couch /
The Hollywood Reporter: Lionsgate Pulling ‘Megalopolis’ Trailer Featuring Fake Movie Critic Quotes

Bob Cronin /
Newser: Studio Pulls Trailer With Invented Quotes

Daniel Welsh /
HuffPost: The Trailer For Francis Ford Coppola's New Movie Has Been ‘Pulled’ For This 1 Bizarre Reason

Drew Taylor /
The Wrap: Lionsgate Recalls ‘Megalopolis’ Trailer After Apparently Making Up Quotes: ‘We Screwed Up’

Cory Woodroof /
USA Today: The controversy surrounding the Megalopolis trailer and its fake review quotes, explained

Matthew Rudoy /
Screen Rant: Megalopolis Takes The Boldest Approach To Show Why Francis Ford Coppola's New Movie Is A Must See

Evan Rosen /
New York Daily News: ‘Megalopolis’ trailer pulled offline due to made-up critics quotes

Tamil Cinema /
The Indian Express: Megalopolis trailer: Francis Ford Coppola's fable set in a surreal world appears to be his boldest work yet

New York Times:

The FBI has raided the homes of two US commentators for Russian state media in an effort to blunt foreign influence on elections; more searches are expected— The F.B.I. raided the homes of two prominent commentators on Russian state television channels as part of an effort to blunt attempts to influence November's election.

Discussion:

Kim Perales /
@KimPerales@toad.social: The DOJ has begun a broad criminal investigation into Americans who have worked with RU's state TV networks -to combat the Kremlin's influence ops. leading up to the pres. election in Nov. — This month, FBI agents searched the homes of S Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector & critic of American foreign policy, & DK Simes, an adviser to #TFG's 1st pres. campaign in 2016. …

@researchbuzz@researchbuzz.masto.host:
#politics #FBI #Russia #disinformation #propaganda #InformationWarfare #GiftArticle — 'The Department of Justice has begun a broad criminal investigation into Americans who have worked with Russia's state television networks, signaling an aggressive effort to combat the Kremlin's influence operations leading …

Laffy /
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social: 👀"DOJ has begun a broad criminal investig into Americans who have worked w #Russia's state TV networks, signaling aggressive effort to combat Kremlin's influence ops leading up to pres election... …

Michael Bishop /
@michaelbishop.me: excuse me? [embedded post]

Kanishka Singh /
Reuters: FBI searched homes of two Americans with ties to Russian state media Rappahannock News: FBI raids Rappahannock County property owned by Russian-American policy analyst Dimitri Simes

Dan Murphy /
@bungdan.bsky.social: In his 20s, Simes worked for Nixon. Ran a Nixon-founded think tank for 20yrs, a job he quit after Trump lost. He was a Trump foreign policy advisor and stuffed in all the pro-Russia/anti-Ukraine crap into the GOP platform in 2016. Openly works for the Kremlin now. — www.rferl.org/a/simes-fbi-...

The Hollywood Reporter:

Rotten Tomatoes debuts a Verified Hot badge for films that have a Verified Audience Score of 90% or higher, among other requirements— Movies that are ‘Verified Hot’ by filmgoers will join those that are ‘Certified Fresh’ from critics, in a move meant to give more weight to consumer opinions …

Discussion:

Cameron Frew /
Dexerto: Rotten Tomatoes reveals divisive change to scores that gives fans more power

Jacob Ethington /
@jacobtalks4ever: Well, there's no way this doesn't incentivize review-bombing in the opposite direction just to land a “Verified Hot” badge thereby making online fandom behavior even more insane than it already is. Certainly that won't happen.

Jason Blagman /
Jason Blagman on LinkedIn: Proud to share the launch of Verified Hot, honoring films with the highest verified audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes. …

Justin Carter /
@gigawattconduit: There's so much effort being done to devalue critical opinions instead of teaching people to just accept that not everything's gonna be widely liked and you'll be Fine regardless https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/ ...

Emma Keates /
AV Club: Critics lose more ground as Rotten Tomatoes adds audience-generated “Popcornmeter” badge @screenslate: Congratulations to all the piece-of-shit Verified Hot movies on their loser participation trophies

Dan Lee /
Dan Lee on LinkedIn: Incredibly proud of our Rotten Tomatoes team for the launch of the new Verified Hot badge! This badge will spotlight the films that moviegoers love. …

Brennan Klein /
Screen Rant: Rotten Tomatoes' New Audience Score Explained: Popcornmeter & Verified “Hot” Ratings

Charles Barfield /
The Playlist: Rotten Tomatoes Using New ‘Verified Hot’ Badge For User Ratings

Jeremy Mathai /
SlashFilm: Rotten Tomatoes Just Introduced A New ‘Verified Hot’ Label - Here's What It Means

Monica Coman /
CBR: Rotten Tomatoes Introduces New Badge for High Audience Scores

Drew Taylor /
The Wrap: Rotten Tomatoes Adds New ‘Verified Hot’ Audience Badge for Fan-Approved Movies

Diego Ramos Bechara /
Variety: Rotten Tomatoes Launches New ‘Verified Hot’ Badge for Audience Reviews

Stephanie Prange /
Media Play News: Rotten Tomatoes Unveils ‘Verified Hot’ Audience Badge

The Guardian:

David Anderson, head of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, plans to step down in 2025 after ABC finds a managing director, after a 35-year career at ABC— In a note to staff Anderson - who was first appointed to role in 2019 - says it was an honour and privilege to lead the ABC

Discussion:

Neil Griffiths /
Mumbrella: ABC managing director set to depart national broadcaster

Reuters:

Russia's FSB opens criminal cases against British CNN reporter Nick Paton Walsh and two Ukrainian journalists for illegally entering Russia to report from Kursk— Russia's FSB security service said on Thursday it had opened a criminal case against a journalist working for CNN …

Discussion:
Al Jazeera and Politico

Discussion:

John T Psaropoulos /
Al Jazeera: Russia faces manpower woes after failing to stop Ukraine's Kursk incursion

Seb Starcevic /
Politico: Russia accuses top CNN reporter of illegally crossing border

Dexerto:

Twitch plans to raise its new Tier 1 sub and gift sub prices on mobile in 40+ countries on October 1; in an email, Twitch says Tier 1 will rise by $2 to $7.99— Twitch has announced yet another increase to the price of subs after already raising the cost earlier in the summer.

Discussion:
Neowin, 9to5Mac, @twitchsupport, PhoneArena, Engadget and The Verge, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Omer Dursun /
Neowin: Twitch quietly raises subscription prices on mobile @twitchsupport: 📱 Starting October 1, we're increasing new Tier 1 sub and gift sub prices on the mobile app in over 40 countries. 🔴 You can bring your questions to Patch Notes today, August 21 at 12pm PT. 📬 We are notifying streamers and subscribers in these countries via email.

Jay Peters /
The Verge: Twitch is upping subscription prices on mobile

Rolling Stone:

Fact checkers' reviews of Democrats' statements about Trump have routinely botched the facts, earning one correction so far and an X Community Note— Fact checkers' reviews of DNC speeches about Trump have routinely botched the facts — earning one correction so far and a community note on X

Discussion:
Press Watch, ComingSoon.net, @nycsouthpaw, @drvolts, @nycsouthpaw, @spockosbrain, @nycsouthpaw, @brianbeutler, @jamesfallows, @stevehillwriter, @nycsouthpaw, @atrupar, @nycsouthpaw, @newsjennifer_schulze …, Washington Post, @kevinmkruse@threads.net, Mercury News, @epopppp.bsky.social, @juliusgoat.bsky.social and CBS News

Discussion:

Dan Froomkin /
Press Watch: ‘Fact-checking’ does a (hopefully fatal) face plant

Anubhav Chaudhry /
ComingSoon.net: How Hakeem Jeffries' Speech Used Taylor Swift Against Donald Trump

David Roberts /
@drvolts: In retrospect, the “factcheck” genre just ended up replicating all the dysfunctions of media. Which I suppose was entirely predictable. @nycsouthpaw: This is something the Washington Post's official fact checker Glenn Kessler really wrote down and his editors published. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]

@nycsouthpaw:
Charlie Brown says Lucy wants to humiliate him by pulling the football away while he's in the act of kicking it. Mostly false. While Lucy has always pulled the football away every time the two have found themselves in this scenario, Lucy says she probably won't do it this time. @spockosbrain: @lachancenaomi27 Here's another reason Fact Checking isn't working on him. These days he knows he'll be fact checked, so he acknowledges a stat has been debunked, then uses it anyway. He repeats the lie, because it's memorable, while downplaying the fact checking. People remember the lie. [video]

@nycsouthpaw:
There's a notable insistence—common to all major media fact checkers, it seems—that Trump was MERELY MUSING about the potential utility of bleach injections from the WH briefing room on national television during a time of profound crisis, and this cannot be construed as advice.

Brian Beutler /
@brianbeutler: “Fact checkers” suddenly all in on using pedantry, fallacious logic, and outright misinformation to provide Trump cover from accurate Democratic attacks. [image]

James Fallows /
@jamesfallows: The NYT decided this badda-bing line from @JBPritkzer was worth a “fact check.” They have still never found it worth doing a serious story on Trump's cognitive fitness for office. [image] @stevehillwriter: “You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! ...You were my brother, Anakin!” - Obi-wan Kenobi. NYT factcheck: False. The prophecies did not mention destruction of the Sith, nor is there evidence that Obi-wan & Anakin were ever related.

Aaron Rupar /
@atrupar: PolitiFact is absolutely terrible. “Trump repeatedly proposed cutting Medicare, but now he says he won't do it so Biden is lying when he says Trump wants to cut Medicare.” This genre of fact-checking needs to go away.

@nycsouthpaw:
In my mind this pettifogging defense argument serves readers less than noting the tremendous responsibility of the presidency, the importance of clear crisis comms, and the context that America suffered a little epidemic of bleach poisonings in 2020. https://jamanetwork.com/... [image] @newsjennifer_schulze@threads.net: This is one of the worst fact checks in the history of fact checking. The idea that “it's not in his campaign document' so it's not true is absurd. Take a look at those ‘documents’ for yourself. It's a list of trump talking points with no details about anything. …

Alexandra Petri /
Washington Post: Let's fact-check some historic speeches

Kevin Kruse /
@kevinmkruse@threads.net: Every word of what he said was 100% true but the NYT twists itself into knots — comparing Obama's eight years to Trump's four as if they're the same? — in order to declare it “misleading” Yeah, someone is definitely misleading your readers here.

Beth Popp Berman /
@epopppp.bsky.social: They're just trolling us now [image]

A.R. Moxon /