Some website publishers say they can't block the Googlebot crawler that covers AI Overviews, as the crawler also covers Search, hampering sites' discoverability (Bloomberg)

Mediagazer: Some website publishers say they can't block the Googlebot crawler that covers AI Overviews, as the crawler also covers Search, hampering sites' discoverability (Bloomberg)

Top News:

Bloomberg:

Some website publishers say they can't block the Googlebot crawler that covers AI Overviews, as the crawler also covers Search, hampering sites' discoverability— Publishers say blocking Google's AI could also prevent their sites from showing up in search
Discussion: The Media Leader, Julia Love on LinkedIn, @pahwa_nitish, The Guardian and Media Makers Meet, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Julia Love /
Julia Love on LinkedIn: Google's AI Overviews come at steep cost to sites that users would otherwise visit. But publishers say they can't afford to block Google's AI …

Nitish Pahwa /
@pahwa_nitish: like, come on, this is just blatant monopolist behavior: “publishers face a choice between offering up their content for use by AI models that could make their sites obsolete and disappearing from Google search, a top source of traffic.” https://www.bloomberg.com/...

CapRadio:

Jun Reina, the former manager of California public radio station CapRadio, received $460K in mysterious payments, per an unredacted consulting firm report— Ever since news broke late last year about CapRadio's financial troubles, audience members, staffers and employees of Sacramento State …

Discussion:
@byrobinepley, @omarsrashad, @davidfolkenflik and Current

Discussion:

Robin Epley /
@byrobinepley: it's pretty dope that one of the best sources of reporting on the CapRadio finances scandal has been... CapRadio. Kudos to all the journalists there, who have always been fantastic, and continue to be. They deserve/d so much better from their employers than what they got.

Omar S. Rashad /
@omarsrashad: Wow, $460K went to the general manager of CapRadio?? That's most of the $760K in unsupported payments “that couldn't be backed up with an expense report or receipts.” This is deeply disturbing, and why can't Jun Reina find his cell phone all of a sudden?? https://www.capradio.org/... [image]

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: This is an extraordinary story involving mismanagement and investigations of potential criminality at a mid-sized public radio station in Sacramento -kudos to reporters for following trail at own station https://www.capradio.org/...

Nieman Lab:

Q&A with Ear Hustle's Earlonne Woods and Bruce Wallace on producing podcasts in prison, the expansion to a women's prison, creating a training program, and more— The studio, at the California Institution for Women, will bring more incarcerated women's voices to the podcast — and kickstart an ambitious training program.

Discussion:
@reportertracy

Discussion:

Tracy Simmons /
@reportertracy: Cool news from Ear Hustle fans with @antwanbankswil1 They're expanding and bringing more incarcerated women's voices to the podcast, empowering women to tell their own stories. Looking forward to these important perspectives! https://www.niemanlab.org/... #CriminalJusticeReform

Variety:

How David Zaslav's famously hard-nosed approach to negotiations has alienated contributors to WBD's cash flow, including advertisers, sports leagues, and more— In recent days, it's become clear that the pink glow from that box office juggernaut has long since faded.

Discussion:
@bristei, TVNewsCheck and Business Insider

Discussion:

Brian Steinberg /
@bristei: ALL THAT ZAS: Warner Bros. Discovery CEO's tough tactics have many of the company's key partners — including advertisers, the NBA and Hollywood — zigging... https://variety.com/... via @variety

Talia Lakritz /
Business Insider: Here's what Barbie looked like the year you were born

Axios:

NYT plans to launch a Wirecutter podcast on August 21; its deputy publisher says the brand drove $1B in commerce in 2023 and its newsletter has 2.5M subscribers— - “Wirecutter is not only branching out in terms of its business model, it's also branching out in terms of its platforms,” …

Discussion:

Kayleigh Barber /
Digiday: Media Briefing: Pubs' Q2 earnings look rosy thanks to AI deals and an improved ad market

David Clinch /
@davidclinchnews: For those keeping track, the lesson here is not “do more podcasts,” the lesson is “if you are going to do podcasts, do ones that are directly connected to revenue streams and/or revenue KPIs.” #MediaRevenue

Jessica Joseph /
Jessica Joseph on LinkedIn: August 21st 🎧 Mark your calendars for the debut of our first podcast, The Wirecutter Show! — Huge congratulations to the team behind this endeavor …

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: The New York Times Launches First Podcast From Wirecutter

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: Wirecutter is launching its first podcast

CNN:

A look at the five-person Gen Z team running Kamala Harris' TikTok account @KamalaHQ, capitalizing on the VP's viral moments and averaging 6M views per post— Vice President Kamala Harris, quoting her mother, told a group of newly sworn-in commissioners for a White House initiative …

Discussion:

Mary Ziegler /
New York Times: Kamala Harris Needs to Seize the Narrative on Abortion

Sarafina Chitika /
@sarafinachitika: ...anyways if you want to read about a campaign that's actually good at being online (and using the internet to talk to real voters, not billionaires) here you go: @CNN on @KamalaHQ 👇🏾 https://www.cnn.com/...

Betsy Klein /
@betsy_klein: “A like on TikTok is basically seen as an endorsement. You can get 50M views on Tiktok, but if you only get 5,000 likes, then your video's low-key seen as a flop.” Since @BidenHQ became @KamalaHQ, the like-to-view ratio has increased from 10-15% to 15-25%. https://www.cnn.com/...

Matt Navarra /
@mattnavarra@threads.net: Inside the Gen-Z team powering Harris' online remix The Harris digital comms team has 175 staff Her TikTok account is run by a team of 5 Gen-Zer's @kamalahq's TikTok account has published 65 posts in 20 days They generated 385M views, averaging 6 million views per post That's more than double what  …

Makena Kelly /
Wired: Kamala Harris' Campaign Is a Windfall for Influencers @rightardia@mastodon.social: Inside the Gen-Z operation powering Harris' online remix — “For years as vice president, Harris has been quietly laying the digital groundwork behind the scenes — meeting with young voters, social media influencers and several grassroots organizations. …

Deadline:

DLT Entertainment buys TV production company Juniper from BBC Chair Samir Shah, who was forced to step down from Juniper to avoid a conflict of interest— Financial terms of the deal weren't announced, but London-based DLT said the acquisition marked “a significant expansion of its portfolio in the factual programming space.”

Discussion:
Advanced Television

The Hollywood Reporter:

A look at Tving, a streaming JV between three South Korean media firms, which has 30% market share, viewership growth up 6% YoY in H1 2024, and 4.2M subscribers— Tving's share of premium video viewership in Korea grew in the first half of 2024, while Netflix's slipped, even though the global giant remained the market leader.

New York Times:

New York City's WCBS says it will end its nearly 60-year run as an all-news station this month; the station will become WHSQ and host ESPN New York sports talk— The news radio mainstay is turning its airwaves over to ESPN, ending its continuous coverage of the five boroughs. The Mets broadcasts will remain.

Discussion:
Media Nation, TVNewsCheck, Paul Cohen on LinkedIn and Showbiz411

Discussion:

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: Former Kansas police chief hit with felony charge; plus, some local news developments

Ted Johnson /
TVNewsCheck: VP Candidates Accept Oct. 1 CBS News Debate; Vance Says He'll Also Do Sept. 18 CNN Event

Paul Cohen /
Paul Cohen on LinkedIn: In yet another blow to the media business, WCBS Radio in New York is switching to an all-sports format by the end of the month. …

TechCrunch:

President Biden speaks at the first White House Creator Economy Conference, with about 100 startup founders, industry stakeholders, and creators in attendance— At the first ever White House Creator Economy Conference, the most popular man to drop by was not a TikTok superstar or a YouTube sensation.

Discussion:
Fox News, New York Times, Sky News, Bloomberg, The Information, Tubefilter, CNBC, Fox News, UPI, The Hill and Deadline, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Sapna Maheshwari /
New York Times: Bowling, Selfies and the ‘Dougie’: Biden Woos Influencers at the White House

Jessica Karl /
Bloomberg: Could Joe Biden and Fumio Kishida Join the Creator Economy?

James Hale /
Tubefilter: Biden addresses creators at first-ever White House summit: “They listen to all of you”

Rebecca Picciotto /
CNBC: Biden hosts first Creator Economy Conference for influencers to talk AI, privacy and more

Julia Shapero /
The Hill: White House holds creator conference

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: White House To Host Creator Economy Conference

CNN:

Docs: Disney seeks to dismiss a wrongful death suit because the widower agreed to arbitrate all disputes with the company when he signed up for a Disney+ trial— New York CNN — — A man suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for the wrongful death of his wife is facing a new legal hurdle …

Discussion:
The Guardian, Mediaite, The Media Leader, BBC, The Verge, Associated Press, Decider, @geerlingguy, @morningbrew, @cattailxc, @alexandra_ewing, @discussingfilm, @investmentshulk, @buccocapital, @heavyspoilers, @robertfreundlaw, @tomcoates, The Wrap, @justinwhang, @bigblackjacobin, @rowbyyt, @ethanofkrypton, AV Club, Business Insider, TMZ.com, New York Post, Ars Technica, Cord Cutters News, @rvbdrm.com, Los Angeles Times, The Mirror, Boing Boing, NPR, The Daily Beast, New York Daily News, @jetton@mastodon.online and @jon@henshaw.social

Discussion:

Anna Betts /
The Guardian: Disney seeks to dismiss wrongful death lawsuit over widower's Disney+ free trial

Jamie Frevele /
Mediaite: Disney Is Trying to Throw Out a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Because the Victim Signed Up For Disney+

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Can a free Disney+ trial be used as a waiver of rights?

Imran Rahman-Jones /
BBC: Disney+ terms prevent allergy death lawsuit, Disney says

Emma Roth /
The Verge: Disney wants to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit because of a Disney Plus agreement

Alex Vena /
Decider: Can A Disney+ Subscription Prevent You From Ever Suing Disney? Company Seeks To Throw Out Wrongful Death Suit Because Of Streaming Service Clause

Jeff Geerling /
@geerlingguy: I guess another good reason to unsubscribe from Disney+ — if this isn't thrown out, this is pure evil: https://wdwnt.com/... @morningbrew: Absolutely insane story from the Magic Kingdom Last year: - A woman passed away from an allergic reaction after eating at a Disney restaurant - Her husband files a wrongful death lawsuit arguing staff didn't take care, despite being warned of allergies Now: - Disney is [image] @cattailxc: If they win this then that means Disney is immune to legal action from all 153.6 million Disney+ subscribers. what the actual fuck dude @alexandra_ewing: i think disney didn't want you to know they killed someone with allergies by moving this to arbitration but this is in fact going to make everyone know disney killed someone with allergies regardless of how the suit is settled @discussingfilm: Disney is trying to get a wrongful death lawsuit from a grieving husband tossed out of court because he signed up to Disney+ years earlier. His wife suffered a fatal allergic reaction at a Disney Springs restaurant but Disney insist that the husband agreed to arbitrate all [image] @buccocapital: Top defensive moves by a corporation in the 21st Century: 1. Google making Android free to strengthen their moat + defend ad revenue 2. Disney adding a blanket arbitration clause into Disney+ signups so they can kill your family with impunity @heavyspoilers: Can't believe Bob Iger murdered my entire family and I can't do anything because I wanted to watch Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian

Rob Freund /
@robertfreundlaw: Disney issued a statement in response to the negative press. Have to wonder whether the stretched bid to get this into arbitration was worth it and whether they could have predicted the backlash. [image]

Tom Coates /
@tomcoates: Disney is trying to avoid a wrongful death suit after giving someone some food they were allergic to by claiming that when they signed up to Disney+ they agreed not to sue Disney for anything. https://arstechnica.com/...

Sharon Knolle /
The Wrap: Widower Condemns Disney for ‘Outrageous’ Claim He Can't Sue for Wife's Theme Park Death Due to Disney+ Account

Justin Whang /
@justinwhang: I'm not a lawyer but this seems as valid as me having you sign a contract that says I'm legally allowed to shoot you in the face

Edward Ongweso Jr /
@bigblackjacobin: lol reads like the origin story of a marvel villain

Rowby /
@rowbyyt: In America, if you watch an episode of the Mandalorian, they get to kill your wife [image] @ethanofkrypton: Babe wake up new most evil Disney lawsuit dropped Also the widower is asking for 50,000. That is regained by Disney within mere minutes for them. Disney can bounce back from 50k. A grieving husband needs all the time in the world to bounce back

Emma Keates /
AV Club: Disney is reportedly trying to block a wrongful death lawsuit through its Disney+ terms and conditions

Lauren Edmonds /
Business Insider: Disney is arguing in a wrongful-death case that the terms of a Disney+ account extend to its theme parks

Priscilla DeGregory /
New York Post: Widower of doctor who suffered fatal allergic reaction rips Disney+ subscription defense: ‘Borders on absurd’

Ashley Belanger /
Ars Technica: Disney fighting restaurant death suit with Disney+ terms “absurd,” lawyer says

Raymond McCain /
Cord Cutters News: Disney Asks to Throw Out a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Because of Disney+'s Terms & Conditions

Ravin Boodram /
@rvbdrm.com: He's only asking for $50,000! — FUCKING PAY IT OUT, DISNEY!! [embedded post]

Samantha Masunaga /
Los Angeles Times: Disney says man can't sue for wrongful death, cites Disney+, parks tickets arbitration clauses

Sam Elliott-Gibbs /
The Mirror: Disney World says man can't sue over wife's allergy death because of free Disney+ trial

Mark Frauenfelder /
Boing Boing: Woman dies from allergic reaction at Disneyland, but Disney says husband can't sue because he used Disney+ three years earlier

Rachel Treisman /
NPR: Disney wants a wrongful death lawsuit thrown out because the plaintiff had Disney+

Josh Fiallo /
The Daily Beast: Disney Claims Widower's Disney+ Sub Means He Can't File Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Joseph Wilkinson /
New York Daily News: Disney tries to toss wrongful death suit because man signed up for Disney+ @jetton@mastodon.online: Woman dies from anaphylaxis after eating food at Disney World that she had been assured did not contain nuts or dairy products. — Her widower sues Disney for $50,000. — Disney now attempts to get suit dismissed because her husband had signed up for a one month free trial of Disney+ several years earlier. …

The Hollywood Reporter:

SEC filing: Lionsgate extends CEO Jon Feltheimer's contract for another five years through July 31, 2029— The exec signed a new deal in 2020 and the indie studio has extended it for another five years through to July 31, 2029. — Lionsgate has extended longtime CEO Jon Feltheimer's contract …

Discussion:

Jill Goldsmith /
Deadline: Lionsgate Extends CEO Jon Feltheimer's Contract Through 2029 As Company Prepares To Split

Jeremy Fuster /