Sources: Disney pauses its adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, after five women alleged sexual assault against the author (Christian Blauvelt/IndieWire)

Mediagazer: Sources: Disney pauses its adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, after five women alleged sexual assault against the author (Christian Blauvelt/IndieWire)

Top News:

New York Times:

The US sanctions five Russian news outlets including RT, sanctions RT's EIC, indicts two RT staffers, and seizes 32 domains, as it fights Russian influence— American spy agencies have assessed that the Kremlin favors former President Donald J. Trump, seeing him as skeptical of U.S. support for Ukraine.
Discussion: CNN, US Department of Justice, NPR, The Register, The Record, CBS News, @1elizabeth_jacobs@threads.net, @info_rosalie@threads.net, Agence France-Presse, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Bloomberg, Wired, Associated Press, The Moscow Times, @eelarson, @lrozen, @crispinburke@threads.net, @kareemrifai, WATN, CNBC, The Verge, @arictoler, Engadget, @muellershewrote, @willsommer, @eelarson, @alanfeuer, Mediaite, Axios, @willsommer, @shanlonwu, @lrozen, @rolandsmartin, Reuters, UPI, @willsommer, @stevanzetti, @christogrozev, @alanfeuer, @mtaibbi, @eelarson, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @semaforben, USA Today, @sewingdilemma, Tampa Free Press, @joeabodnar@threads.net, @arictoler, @thetnholler, Fox News, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @yashar, @griffinkyle@threads.net, US Department of Justice, Semafor, @griffinkyle@threads.net, @arictoler, BleepingComputer, Nextgov/FCW, @waldoj@mastodon.social and @joeabodnar@threads.net, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
CNN: Biden administration announces major actions to tackle Russian efforts to influence 2024 election US Department of Justice: Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company that Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian Interests

Jessica Lyons /
The Register: White House seizes 32 domains, issues criminal charges in massive election-meddling crackdown

Jonathan Greig /
The Record: DOJ seizes dozens of domains used in Russian influence campaigns targeting swing states

Elizabeth Jacobs /
@1elizabeth_jacobs@threads.net: This isn't surprising in the least. They are regular purveyors of misinformation, including about COVID19 and vaccines. Who benefits from a sick and divided US population? Not the US. https://www.wired.com/...

E. Rosalie Li /
@info_rosalie@threads.net: Articles Shared by Probable Doppelgänger Accounts: This list reflects the headlines from links shared by probable Doppelgänger accounts in April and May 2024. https://infoepi.org/... 2/3

E. Rosalie Li /
@info_rosalie@threads.net: One picture is a report on content from suspected Doppelgänger accounts, published in May 2024. The other is page 54/5 of the AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF SEIZURE WARRANT related to election interference. We don't often get confirmation like this, so it's nice to see. 1/3 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: U.S. Accuses Russia Of Attempting To Influence 2024 Election Through Kremlin-Backed News Outlets Associated Press: Read the full federal indictment accusing Russians of funding divisive online content in the U.S.

Erik Larson /
@eelarson: The alleged scheme also included using artificial intelligence tools to create pictures and videos to use in “negative advertisements about US politicians” and to register social media accounts that appeared to be news outlets such as CNN and the BBC

Laura Rozen /
@lrozen: @sewingdilEmma @willsommer company founders were not unwitting, per the indictment. the commentators may have been

Crispin Burke /
@crispinburke@threads.net: The Tennessee-based [COMPANY-1] received nearly all of its $9.7 million in revenue from RT via shell companies. [COMPANY-1] did not disclose to its viewers that it was operating on behalf of RT. Meanwhile...

Kareem Rifai /
@kareemrifai: JUST NOW: Shocking documents from the Justice Department release on Russian election influence. One of the docs below describes a redacted US political party as having a “relatively pro-Russian agenda,” with a plan to create a Twitter sockpuppet network to promote said party. [image]

Eric Tucker /
WATN: US accuses Russia of using state media to spread disinformation before the November election

Lauren Feiner /
The Verge: Russia is trying to meddle with the US election again, Biden administration says

Will Sommer /
@willsommer: This indictment alleges that right-wing commentators like Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Lauren Southern — as part of the “Tenet Media” YouTube channel — have been unwittingly working for a Russian influence operation. https://x.com/...

Erik Larson /
@eelarson: A wide-ranging Russian plot to influence the 2024 US election included internal planning documents from a Russia-backed entity saying it was in Russia's interest to ensure that Donald Trump or another Republican wins the White House https://www.bloomberg.com/... via @bpolitics

Alan Feuer /
@alanfeuer: The U.S. company at the center of this Russian plot uses the same slogan, the indictment notes, as Tenet Media—the home of Lauren Southern, Tim Pool and Benny Johnson among others.

David Gilmour /
Mediaite: BREAKING: Biden Administration to Accuse Russia of 2024 Election Interference

Will Sommer /
@willsommer: Funny moment in the Tenet indictment: a Tenet founder, who have told Youtubers their funding is coming from a Western European businessman, emails the investor for more money. When no one responds, Tenet's founder drops the pretense and googles “time in Moscow” [image]

Shanlon Wu /
@shanlonwu: “Officials say that fighting election interference has been more difficult this year. Some Americans, particularly Mr. Trump's supporters, see accusations that Russia is spreading disinformation as efforts to undermine their views and policy positions” https://www.nytimes.com/...

Laura Rozen /
@lrozen: @willsommer am perplexed why they weren't indicted

Will Sommer /
@willsommer: Two people described in the Tenet indictment as unnamed “founders” were very aware their operation was funded by Russians. Tenn. biz records list Tenet's founders as BlazeTV host and TPUSA contributor Lauren Chen aka “Roaming Millennial,” and her husband.

Steven Monacelli /
@stevanzetti: You're telling me that Tenet Media — the Blaze Media / TPUSA adjacent outlet that features Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, and Texas' own Taylor Hansen — has been secretly funded and directed by Russia Today employees?

Christo Grozev /
@christogrozev: DOJ indicted today RT's employee Konstantin Kalashnikov for organizing illicit dissemination of fake news aiming to poison the domestic US election debate. Aptly, his Facebook profile is named “Novichok” [image]

Alan Feuer /
@alanfeuer:

Matt Taibbi /
@mtaibbi: Gosh what a shock that @KenDilanianNBC is the delivery boy for this Langley-created horseshit! Never would have thought

Erik Larson /
@eelarson: Since at least 2022, according to the FBI, Russian-controlled entities “cybersquatted” internet domains that led to fake websites that impersonated real media outlets, including Fox News and the Washington Post.

Renee DiResta /
@renee.diresta@threads.net: Buying authentic influencers is a far better use of funds than creating fake personas, because they bring their own trusting audiences and are actually, you know, real. Funding front media outlets is a classic state propaganda strategy. …

Bart Jansen /
USA Today: Feds accuse Russia's RT network in $10 million election misinformation plot

Mike Jenkins /
Tampa Free Press: U.S. Department Of State Takes Action To Combat Kremlin-Supported Covert Influence In 2024 Elections

Joe Bodnar /
@joeabodnar@threads.net: Aric Toler connected this covert Russian funding to a company called Tenet Media. People working with Tenet: Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson. Woah. Woah. $10 million can do this I guess.

Aric Toler /
@arictoler: A new DoJ indictment alleges that RT employees “covertly fund[ed] and direct[ed]” a US company with $10m in order to push pro-Russia content. The company is based in Tennessee. There is one media company based in Tennessee with the same phrase listed in the indictment... [image] @thetnholler: The @Tennessean notes the DOJ indictment about a Tennessee-based Kremlin misinformation op mentions a content company that describes itself the same way as Tenet Media, which puts out videos by some well-known far right- personalities. https://www.tennessean.com/... [image] Fox News: 2 Russia-based RT employees indicted by US, internet domains seized in election influence probe

Renee DiResta /
@renee.diresta@threads.net: Long-running effort known as “Doppleganger” that began in ~2022 or so

Renee DiResta /
@renee.diresta@threads.net: On a plane reading the fascinating DOJ indictment of two Russian nationals who ran a front media property, Tenet Media. My 1st reaction is that this reminds me of shell games Russia played w/left-leaning outlets via Maffick Media, which at one point sued FB for slapping a Russian state media label on them (and lost). …

Yashar Ali /
@yashar: NEWS The US Department of Justice alleges that Tenet Media, which has Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin on its roster, received $10 million from the Russian government to publish content as part of a Russian influence operation. Tenet is owned and controlled by Lauren [image]

Kyle Griffin /
@griffinkyle@threads.net: New: The Justice Department just confirmed a Russian election interference campaign “operating under the direction and control of the Russian Presidential Administration.” DOJ announced the ongoing seizure of 32 internet domains used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns — in violation of U.S. money laundering and criminal trademark laws.

US Department of Justice:
Justice Department Disrupts Covert Russian Government-Sponsored Foreign Malign Influence Operation Targeting Audiences in the United States and Elsewhere

Diego Mendoza /
Semafor: ‘Psychological warfare’: US sanctions Russian actors over attempted election interference

Kyle Griffin /
@griffinkyle@threads.net: As alleged in an unsealed affidavit, the Russian companies Social Design Agency (SDA), Structura National Technology (Structura), and ANO Dialog, operating under the direction and control of the Russian Presidential Administration, used these domains, among others …

Aric Toler /
@arictoler: The indictment specifies that two of the people who work for this Tennessee company (Tenet) were “deceived” — meaning they didn't know that the Russian government was running an influence op. Dave Rubin has 2.4 million subscribers and Tim Pool has 1.37 million. [image]

David DiMolfetta /
Nextgov/FCW: US says Russia conducted sustained disinformation campaign to sway 2024 election

Waldo Jaquith /
@waldoj@mastodon.social: Hey, the Kremlin funded and exerted editorial control over the work of Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Lauren Southern. What a deeply unsurprising turn of events. https://www.nytimes.com/...

Joe Bodnar /
@joeabodnar@threads.net: Tenet Media's YouTube is putting up numbers. Not even a year old and it has over 16 million views.

RELATED:

CNN:

Source: Tenet Media is the Tennessee-based company the US DOJ alleges was being funded by Russia; Benny Johnson and Tim Pool say they were victims of the scheme— The unnamed Tennessee-based company that the Justice Department alleges was being funded by Russian operatives working as part …

Discussion:
HuffPost, The Guardian, Talking Points Memo, CBS News, The Tennessean, @igorsushko, @markhertling, The Hollywood Reporter, @texaspaulschroder@threads.net, New York Post, @davidsacks, @greg.doucette@threads.net, The Daily Beast, @joshtpm, @lawindsor, @jaredlholt, @oldskoolguitar.bsky.social, Tampa Free Press, @rjdeal.bsky.social, @bennyjohnson, @furnace.bsky.social, Mediaite, @mollyknight.bsky.social, @rob_lowy912, KAAL-TV, Associated Press, Mother Jones, @ariehkovler, @bangatank.bsky.social, @taylorlorenz, @mollyknight.bsky.social, @capitolhunters, @jaredlholt, @taliaotg, @protecttruth@mastodon.online, @wiczipedia@threads.net, @itsmelissabrown, @joshtpm, @willsommer, @ariehkovler, @timcast, @justinbaragona, @wiczipedia@threads.net, Raw Story, @itsmelissabrown, @bradmossesq, @capitolhunters, @mathandstuff.bsky.social, @theferocity.bsky.social, @georebekahjones@threads.net, @emptywheel, @mattgertz, @heerjeet, @lopezmotorscars, @alecluhn, @ariehkovler, @mattgertz, @oneunderscore__, @ariehkovler, @willsommer, @wiczipedia@threads.net, @joeperticone, @emptywheel, @franklinjay.bsky.social, @donie, The Independent, @itsmelissabrown, The Daily Dot, @coachfinstock.bsky.social, @r.v.cx, @crj418.bsky.social, @lukeoneil47, @andycat3, @striderhlc.bsky.social, @joshtpm, @ariehkovler, @nashvilleresist, @farhip, New Republic, @markbarrington.bsky.social, @aaronblake, @michaeldweiss, @metacurity@infosec.exchange, @mattgertz, @cturnbull1968, @tommyg.bsky.social, @wiczipedia@threads.net, @thejusticedept and @meidastouch

Discussion:

Paul Blumenthal /
HuffPost: DOJ Says 2 Russians Funded Big-Name Online Conservative Media Personalities

Josh Kovensky /
Talking Points Memo: The US indictment of two RT employees describes funding and direction of a company that seems to match Tenet Media, which appears to employ Tim Pool and others CBS News: U.S. says Russia funded media company that paid right-wing influencers millions for videos

Evan Mealins /
The Tennessean: Indictment: Russian propagandists used Tennessee content company to push disinformation

Igor Sushko /
@igorsushko: Talking points the US citizen Kremlin agents were told to disseminate by Russia in exchange for $10 million to help Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Political Party A = Republican Party Candidate A = Donald Trump Political Party B = Democratic Party Candidate B = Joe Biden [image]

Mark Hertling /
@markhertling: Many Americans will say “we've heard this before,” or “just another Russia hoax,” or “it's a democrat ploy.” I don't know how to counter those who believe that, other than to say “I've been watching this for years, have seen it happen in other countries, and it won't turn out

Mark Hertling /
@markhertling: The statement by @SecBlinken (above) is succinct, and the @JusticeDept_RP document outlining the activities is relatively short (about 200 pages), unbiased, and apolitical. It is a stunning report. 10/ https://abcnews.go.com/...

Zoe G. Phillips /
The Hollywood Reporter: DOJ Investigation Alleges Russia Sent $10M to U.S. Media Company

Paul Schroder /
@texaspaulschroder@threads.net: Tim Pool and Benny Johnson knew what the fu*k they were doing. They worked for Russia. They got paid BIG money. Meanwhile there are a ton of commentators and influencers on the left that are ONLY supported by their audiences. Not by the Democratic Party, Democratic donors and certainly not the government. …

Josh Christenson /
New York Post: ‘Secret’ Russian influence campaign paid $10M to prop up right-wing US commentators: indictment

David Sacks /
@davidsacks: Even by the standards of Russia, Russia, Russia hoaxes, the Tenet Media/Lauren Chen case makes no sense: — Chen was riling up pro-lifers *against* Trump. @Cernovich, Steve Deace, and others had been calling out these “purists” for weeks, and now they're vindicated. — Chen was

T. Greg Doucette /
@greg.doucette@threads.net: I used to say rather frequently during Citrus Stalin's tenure that Republicans were a threat to national security. Turns out I was more right than I thought 😂

T. Greg Doucette /
@greg.doucette@threads.net: Turns out Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Laura Southern, Dave Rubin, and a bunch of other MAGA pundits were being bankrolled by the Soviets: https://www.tennessean.com/...

Josh Marshall /
@joshtpm: Lots of ways to be victimized but having someone sneak up on you and give you hundreds of thousands of dollars is definitely the most upsetting to think about. Like how do you come back from that?

Lauren Windsor /
@lawindsor: LMFAO... who could have guessed that former progressive host Dave Rubin (who was at The Young Turks back when I was launching The Undercurrent there in 2012!) turned rightwing shill would be *allegedly* peddling Russian propaganda @RubinReport

Jared Holt /
@jaredlholt: If the Russian state thought I was a useful enough idiot for them to give me and my friends some chunks of cash, I would probably think long and hard about what I was doing with my life beyond the limits of “I am a victim” @oldskoolguitar.bsky.social: Was shit this weird in Cold War 1 and we just didn't hear about it at the same speed or is reality just fuckin weird now?

Mike Jenkins /
Tampa Free Press: DOJ Indicts Two RT Employees For Funding U.S. Conservative Media Outlet In Alleged Kremlin-Backed Scheme

Rhonda /
@rjdeal.bsky.social: So they thought they were getting nearly half a million dollars EVERY MONTH for no reason at all?? And they're claiming victimhood? The audacity.

Benny Johnson /
@bennyjohnson: A statement on the leaked DOJ indictment today: A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today's

Sarah Rumpf /
Mediaite: Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool Exposed as Working For Alleged Russian Influence Operation in New DOJ Indictment

Molly Knight /
@mollyknight.bsky.social: In case you are wondering who Benny Johnson is: — “In July 2014, BuzzFeed found 41 instances of plagiarism in Benny Johnson's writings, comprising almost ten percent of his work. He was subsequently fired from BuzzFeed and apologized for the plagiarism.” — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_ J... …

Rob Lowy /
@rob_lowy912: It doesn't matter if Tim Pool knew it was the Russians who were paying him What matters is that he was willing to take money to produce content to shape public opinion without telling you. If you still trust him, or any of the other hacks on his show, you are a fool.

Associated Press:
With charges and sanctions, US takes aim at Russian disinformation ahead of November election

Anna Merlan /
Mother Jones: New Indictment Alleges Conservative Media Company Took Millions of Kremlin Cash

Arieh Kovler /
@ariehkovler: Commentator-6 is for sure Matt Christiansen. This is the video referenced in this paragraph. [image]

Taylor Lorenz /
@taylorlorenz: Nothing exposes these far right grifters cosplaying as “independent media” more than exposing where they're actually getting all their money from

Molly Knight /
@mollyknight.bsky.social: I'm sorry but Russia allegedly paid Benny Johnson $400K a MONTH to ratfuck our elections?????? [embedded post] @capitolhunters: Today's DOJ announcement. The press release has a a link to the indictment. The “founders” of Tenet Media are BlazeTV host Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan. They knew the money came from Russia. 5/ https://x.com/...

Jared Holt /
@jaredlholt: Is there any other media job that pays $400,000 per month for recording four videos a week, or is it just doing “anti-woke” conservative clickbait (From DOJ indictment involving Russian state media funneling millions to right-wing video mill Tenet Media) https://www.justice.gov/... [image] @taliaotg: so that skate park he bought because the skaters didn't wanna play with him - he bought that with russia bux?

Eric Blair /
@protecttruth@mastodon.online: Story from Josh Kovensky. — The hosts aren't innocent “victims.” They regularly take money from toxic US billionaires, so it's a short leap to fake Russian billionaires. — https://talkingpointsmemo.com/ ...

Nina Jankowicz /
@wiczipedia@threads.net: Commentators like Tim Pool are implicated in this scheme. He's claiming he was “deceived” and “a victim.” He says he retained full editorial control, and yet we know commentators involved with these operations were getting steers from their handlers.

Melissa Brown /
@itsmelissabrown: Russian propagandists funnelled $10 million to a Tennessee company to push disinformation, the DOJ alleges. Though DOJ doesn't name the company, details match Tenet Media, a company registered in Nashville https://www.tennessean.com/...

Josh Marshall /
@joshtpm: More seriously, I think the right's pretty long history of astroturf media probably makes them more vulnerable for this. For decades you've had various operations funded by a mix of family foundations, cut-out 501c3s, random rich guys. And you just don't ask a lot of questions.

Will Sommer /
@willsommer: The Tenet Media indictment's revelation that Tim Pool was getting paid $100K an episode certainly puts his real estate purchases in a West Virginia in a new light. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Arieh Kovler /
@ariehkovler: This means a Russian intel agent was part of the internal conversations with Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan about how much to pay Benny Johnson and Tim Pool [image]

Tim Pool /
@timcast: My statement regarding allegations and the leaked DOJ Indictment Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are

Justin Baragona /
@justinbaragona: “leaked”

Nina Jankowicz /
@wiczipedia@threads.net: There is a *second* document unsealed by the DOJ today, seizing 32 domains in the ongoing Russian “Doppelganger” operation. Here's the most interesting bit to me: Russia recognizes the fissure that baseless allegations of “censorship” represent, and is amplifying it. https://www.justice.gov/...

Sarah K. Burris /
Raw Story: Right-wing U.S. media company linked to Russian propaganda effort: Dept. of Justice

Melissa Brown /
@itsmelissabrown: The company is registered to an office suite in Green Hills. https://www.tennessean.com/...

Bradley P. Moss /
@bradmossesq: Weird way to say “sorry I allegedly got unwittingly suckered into a Russian influence operation for money”

@capitolhunters:
Today DOJ revealed a $10M op to use US podcasters to push Russian propaganda, since 2023. Let's remember that Lauren Southern, “Commentator-5”, went to Moscow in 2018 to make a film to “correct ” “America's irrational fear of Russia”. This stuff has been going on for years. 1/ [image]

Saeed Jones /
@theferocity.bsky.social: I made out with Benny Johnson in an empty dressing room at BuzzFeed holiday party in 2013. It haunts me to this day. 😩 — Anyway, it's funny that's he's done literally everything BUT come out of the closet. Men will literally become traitors to their country rather than go to therapy. …

Rebekah Jones /
@georebekahjones@threads.net: Haha. One of the pro-Desantis accounts that's been harassing me on Xittee for years was just outed as a paid Russian asset in a criminal indictment. @emptywheel: Imagine if all of Donald Trump's popularity is based on grift-boys getting paid $5M by Russia? 🤔

@emptywheel:
If Commentator 1 and 2 ARE Benny and Pool, they demand $5M to spew the shite they do about Donald Trump. https://www.justice.gov/... [image]

Matthew Gertz /
@mattgertz: Kirk and Beck also took issue with the Russia “hoax,” of course. [image]

Jeet Heer /
@heerjeet: @joshtpm The pre-history of this stuff is the now forgotten 2013 scandal where a bunch of these guys took money from Malaysia https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ... @lopezmotorscars: Tenet media got tasked with posting Tucker Carlsons grocery store propaganda. [image]

Alec Luhn /
@alecluhn: The funniest part is these far-right YouTubers initially worried their funder was too “woke” because his resume mentioned “social justice”—not that he was an obviously fake person, invented by Russia Today employees https://www.dailydot.com/...

Arieh Kovler /
@ariehkovler: The Russians wanted to blame the ISIS Moscow attack on Ukraine. They got Commentator-3 to do it. If Dave Rubin is Commentator-1 than I think Johnson is 3, and vice versa. [image]

Matthew Gertz /
@mattgertz: The content creation company that federal prosectors say was a tool of Russian propagandists is Tenet Media, according to The Tennessean. Its apparently unwitting stars include Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, and Benny Johnson, seen below mocking the Russia “hoax” https://www.tennessean.com/... [image]

Tim Onion /
@oneunderscore__: I keep posting and deleting stuff about Tim Pool because I can't actually put to words this feeling of almost religious vindication that is considerably better than what I imagine it'd be like to win the lottery.

Arieh Kovler /
@ariehkovler: To be clear, whether or not Benny was Commentator-1 or one of the others, neither I not the indictment are claiming he knew that he was working for the Russians. The question of whether he *should have known or suspected* is both more philosophical and harder to prove. [image]

Will Sommer /
@willsommer: A sign of how things are going after the Tenet indictment: prominent GOP attorney Harmeet Dhillon reminds everyone don't talk to the cops without a lawyer.

Nina Jankowicz /
@wiczipedia@threads.net: Waking up in Australia to the news of a huge Russian op uncovered, which hits upon a theme I've been repeating throughout my presentations here: Information laundering is alive and well, and one of the most powerful tools disinformation actors have in their arsenals as we careen toward November. …

Joe Perticone /
@joeperticone: One anecdote I'll share that tells you a lot about Benny Johnson as a person is that at IJR, he cried the day two CBS-Roanoke reporters were murdered. Not because of the actual shooting, but because we told him he wasn't allowed to post the video of the murder on the website.

@emptywheel:
Note, Benny and Pool have the same number of YouTUbe subscribers as named in ¶4 of the indictment.

Jay /
@franklinjay.bsky.social: 💀💀💀 — imagine spending millions and the best you can do is the dumb fuck in a beanie? [embedded post]

Donie O'Sullivan /
@donie: NEW: CNN has independently confirmed the Russia funded US media company that paid American right-wing social media stars is Tenet Media, based in Tennessee. Some very big names tied up in all of this. Reporting w/ @ZcohenCNN @evanperez @snlyngaas https://www.cnn.com/...

Alex Woodward /
The Independent: U.S. accuses Russian state media of enlisting right-wing influencers to meddle in election

Melissa Brown /
@itsmelissabrown: @EvanMealins reports the indictments mentions a slogan of the unnamed company ("a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues") that directly matches Tenet's slogan/description on multiple social media accounts.

David Covucci /
The Daily Dot: Media start-up from Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin was secret Russian influence campaign, indictment alleges @coachfinstock.bsky.social: LMAO CBS news doing a bang up job hiding Tim Pools identity with Timcast in the back [image]

Rob Shearer /
@r.v.cx: I have never worked in media. But if someone says “we have people willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars a month for you to deliver your political message; no ads for mattresses or vitamins required” you know you're a salaried propagandist. [embedded post]

Luke /
@lukeoneil47: I love how we have to pretend that this was unknowingly. Yeah man they want to give you 400k a month for 4 videos. You're that good. They said that yeah.

Andy B /
@andycat3: Sure bud. [video]

Josh Marshall /
@joshtpm: 2/ So like you assume the money eventually traces back to the Scaifes or the Kochs or whoever funds the Federalist or some other random. But you never know. So it's probably easy to plug into that don't ask too many questions framework. @nashvilleresist: And to circle back for a sec with new info: We don't believe this company “didn't know” it was being used by Russia for a millisecond. https://apnews.com/... [image]

Paul Farhi /
@farhip: This, from today's DOJ indictment of the alleged masterminds of a covert Russian effort to influence the U.S. election, indicates that one of Tucker Carlson's pro-Kremlin videos just wasn't subtle enough for Team Russia. [image]

Mark Barrington /
@markbarrington.bsky.social: Victims? Or willing dupes? Opinions differ.

Aaron Blake /
@aaronblake: Tucker Carlson's video in a Russian grocery store was apparently deemed not subtle enough for a Russian influence operation. [image]

Michael Weiss /
@michaeldweiss: Elon Musk naturally promoted nonsense peddled by Tenet Media, which was financed by now-indicted Russian operatives. @metacurity@infosec.exchange: Oh man, the Biden admin's actions against Russian propaganda today do not bode well for Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, and Dave Rubin of the execrable Tenet Media. — Is this Right-Wing Media Platform the Product of a $10 Million Russian Plot? — https://talkingpointsmemo.com/ ...

Matthew Gertz /
@mattgertz: Ah so Charlie Kirk and Glenn Beck are employing someone who is running a Russian propaganda gambit on the side, good times. https://x.com/...

Carlos Turnbull /
@cturnbull1968: These are the talking points that the Ruskies paid Benny Johnson and Tim Pool to push and poison our political discourse and society. When can we schedule military tribunals and a visit to Gitmo for these two traitors? [image]

Tommy /
@tommyg.bsky.social: “Hey the nice Russian man gave us lots of money and his friends did all our media homework. How we were to know that something was fishy?”

Nina Jankowicz /
@wiczipedia@threads.net: These folks aren't doing due diligence about who is paying them, and millions of Americans are going to them for “unvarnished” takes on the news of the day. I'll close with the single best piece of advice I can give anyone trying to navigate this complex information environment: @thejusticedept: Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company that Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian Interests 🔗: https://www.justice.gov/... [image]

Wired:

The Internet Archive loses its appeal of a US district court ruling that favored publishers in a copyright dispute over the nonprofit's ebook lending program— The legal battle was spurred by book publishers objecting to the archive's digital lending library.

Discussion:
The Verge, Publishers Weekly, Publishing Perspectives, Bloomberg Law, VICE, New York Times, Rolling Stone, @evacide@hachyderm.io, @vanderhoofy, Gizmodo, Mailchimp, @future_of_music, @nixCraft@mastodon.social, @paulskallas, MediaPost, @spencerbeswick, @bkastl@mastodon.social, @fbfishslap, @msmaggiemayhem, Library Journal infoDOCKET, @devlinhartline, @istuetzle@zirk.us, @molly0xfff, @evacide, @firewalkwjaime, @adamquinn__, @TechDesk@flipboard.social, Reuters, @mcmansionhell, @blogdiva@mastodon.social, @andymcnulty90, @misty@digipres.club, @alexeyguzey, @DM_Ronin@mstdn.social, @notjessewalker, @cremieuxrecueil, @neilturkewitz, @chrisg@kolektiva.social, @somebitslinks@tech.lgbt, TechCrunch, @malteengeler@legal.social, @tjstiles_author, @tyleralbertario, @knibbs, @fmhilton@mastodon.sdf.org, @internetarchive, @publisherswkly, @draculavoice, @chrishudsonjr@mastodon.social, Public Knowledge, Engadget and KAAL-TV, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Andrew Albanese /
Publishers Weekly: Appeals Court Upholds Decision Against Internet Archive's Book Scanning Program

Porter Anderson /
Publishing Perspectives: Internet Archive Takes Another Blow in Court on Copyright

Jon Blistein /
Rolling Stone: Internet Archive Loses Appeal of Book Publishers' Copyright Infringement Suit @evacide@hachyderm.io: If you hear a scream across the internet right now, it is the sound I am making while reading the Internet Archive v. Hatchette Books appeal, which IA has lost: https://www.wired.com/...

Erin Vanderhoof /
@vanderhoofy: it's impossible to overstate how important the internet archive has been for filling in gaps in access for any writer looking to do good work without a university affiliation! what is happening is really bad for everyone

Matthew Gault /
Gizmodo: In a Big Blow to Internet Archive, Appeals Court Says Online Lending Library Is Not Fair Use @future_of_music: The second circuit has sided with authors and publishers over Internet Archive in a lawsuit over the unlicensed scanning and redistribution of ebooks. This is a fairly straightforward decision—IA's case was always a legal longshot. https://storage.courtlistener.com/ ... @nixCraft@mastodon.social: The Internet Archive Loses Its Appeal of a Major Copyright Case https://www.wired.com/... Next, all AI companies should also lose access to copyrighted books and art. Why are tech bros allowed to breach copyright? The law should be applied equally to all.

LindyMan /
@paulskallas: Of course the internet archive is going to crash and burn. You cant rely on one site to chronicle the internet. That's not how things work. Not Lindy The only thing that works is people saving what they think is valuable and passing it on to other people. Generation after

Spencer Beswick /
@spencerbeswick: Lewis Hyde's book “Common as Air: Revolution, Art, and Ownership” totally shaped my understanding of copyright and the commons. Reading it will impress upon you why destroying the Internet Archive is so bad for society! https://www.goodreads.com/... [image]

Bianca Kastl /
@bkastl@mastodon.social: Wait a moment. — Reading Books in a technological advanced way to simulate libraries is a problem. — But ripping entire libaries into “AI” systems is fine and no one cares? — https://www.wired.com/... @fbfishslap: As a reminder, this case was over the Internet Archive temporarily waiving the “only one person can read an ebook at a time” requirement on their library DURING A PANDEMIC WHEN PHYSICAL LIBRARIES WERE CLOSED @msmaggiemayhem: Disappointed by this setback for the Internet Archive. Library licensing for e-books is expensive (up to 300x the cost of an individual text) plus it is subject to censorship & retraction. Wiley, one of the plaintiff publishers, has withdrawn 1300 academic e-books from students. [image]

Gary Price /
Library Journal infoDOCKET: Second Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms District Court Ruling in Hachette v. Internet Archive

Devlin Hartline /
@devlinhartline: Hachette v. Internet Archive is out: 2d Circuit rejects controlled digital lending theory; IA's use is not transformative; all four fair use factors favor the publishers; the public benefits from shutting down IA's infringement. #copyright https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/ ... @istuetzle@zirk.us: THE INTERNET ARCHIVE has lost a major legal battle—in a decision that could have a significant impact on the future of internet history. — https://www.wired.com/...

Molly White /
@molly0xfff: Seen a couple Takes about the Hachette opinion along the lines of “the @internetarchive should've stuck to just archiving the Internet and not testing copyright” and uhhh @firewalkwjaime: Extremely disappointing. Internet Archive has always been a useful tool through my high school years and I still consider it a very invaluable source towards my budding cinephilia, which only grows stronger now.

Adam Quinn /
@adamquinn__: I was just using Internet Archive earlier today to skim an obscure out-of-print book that happened to be on the topic of a dissertation paragraph I'm writing. When the dissertation becomes a book manuscript soon, I won't be touching any Hachette imprints with a ten foot pole. @TechDesk@flipboard.social: The Internet Archive has lost its appeal in a fight to lend out scanned ebooks without the approval of publishers. The Second Circuit ruled that permitting the archive's digital library would “allow for widescale copying that deprives creators of compensation and diminishes the incentive to produce new works.” …

Jonathan Stempel /
Reuters: Major book publishers defeat Internet Archive appeal over digital scanning

Kate Wagner /
@mcmansionhell: I genuinely think this is the worst thing to ever happen to a repository of information since the burning of the library of alexandria @blogdiva@mastodon.social: without total control of media publishing, broadcasting, distribution & trading, there are no #techbro American billionaires; and without American #tech #billionaires, there is no American Fascism as we know it today. — if billionaires have no right to exist; neither their #media companies as we know them — the #FAANG & corporate media. …

Andy McNulty /
@andymcnulty90: This is so disappointing. I can't tell you how important the Internet Archive has been to my research over the years. I've found photos of relatives I never knew existed. I've read articles I would never be able to access without IA.

Misty /
@misty@digipres.club: The Internet Archive has lost its appeal on ebook lending: https://www.theverge.com/... The most important thing here is **don't panic**. They're not going to just disappear. This isn't good but it's not catastrophic.

Alexey Guzey /
@alexeyguzey: Publishers to boycott: @DM_Ronin@mstdn.social: This is a huge blow for the digital libraries and creates an extremely dangerous precedent https://www.wired.com/... #Libraries #Books #InternetArchive #Tech #Technology #Publishing #Library

Jesse Walker /
@notjessewalker: The Internet Archive has reportedly lost its appeal in the Hachette case. I'm reupping this old thread in light of the news. @cremieuxrecueil: This is not good. Hachette Books, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Wiley have won their case and their books are going to be removed from the Internet Archive. If you still want or need to get their books for free, use libgen and Anna's Archive.

Neil Turkewitz /
@neilturkewitz: “IA asks this Court to bless the large scale copying & distribution of copyrighted books without permission from or payment to the Publishers or authors...This may be what IA & its amici prefer, but it is not an approach that the Copyright Act permits.” 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 And see... [image]

Chris Gioran /
@chrisg@kolektiva.social: In many ways, copyright law, by its very existence, is sufficient proof that companies are exclusively extractive institutions. — Case in point: https://www.wired.com/... This is a major publisher directly supporting the idea that whatever they “own” is exclusively theirs to profit off from. … @somebitslinks@tech.lgbt: Internet Archive loses appeal: Bad news for anyone who reads books or enjoys content — https://www.wired.com/... #internetarchive #archive.org #openlibrary #copyright #internet #archive #-

Devin Coldewey /
TechCrunch: Publishers prevail in lawsuit over Internet Archive's ‘emergency’ e-book lending

Malte Engeler /
@malteengeler@legal.social: They joked: — „If libraries were invented today they would be illegal. Well. It's not a joke anymore: — https://www.wired.com/...

T.J. Stiles /
@tjstiles_author: Good news. “Scanning and lending,” when translated, means Internet Archive has been publishing its own unauthorized digital editions of books under rules it makes up for itself. It made tens of millions doing it. Authors got bupkis. Copyright covers all formats & editions. @tyleralbertario: The Internet Archive's open library has been an incredible research asset for me and thousands of others, one of the greatest information democratization tools of the 21st century, all about to get obliterated like the Library of Alexandria. A dark day. @knibbs: Very bad news for the Internet Archive today. Will be updating this story as comments/statements come in: https://www.wired.com/... @fmhilton@mastodon.sdf.org: The Internet Archive has lost their appeal to digitize their books, and so it's going to probably shut down in the next few days. I don't see them taking it to the SC. — It's very expensive and might totally fail in this court of right wing fascists. — https://www.theverge.com/... @internetarchive: Internet Archive Responds to Appellate Opinion in Hachette v. Internet Archive “We are disappointed in today's opinion about the Internet Archive's digital lending of books that are available electronically elsewhere. We are reviewing the court's opinion and will continue to @publisherswkly: BREAKING: The Internet Archive has lost its appeal in Hachette v. Internet Archive, the long-running, closely watched copyright case over the scanning and lending of print library books. Full story to follow. @draculavoice: the internet itself had the potential, both as what it does and what it stood for as an entity, to be *about* information and history. the internet archive was proof that the internet could *be* an archive. but now, by law, it mustn't be. it is literally obligated to be worse.

Christopher Hudson /
@chrishudsonjr@mastodon.social: Fuck #copyright, fuck #IP, and fuck everyone uncritically regurgitating shallow anti-AI arguments that rely on empowering the intellectual “property” regime that results in bullshit like this. — “The Internet Archive Loses Its Appeal of a Major Copyright Case” — https://www.wired.com/...

Shiva Stella /
Public Knowledge: Second Circuit Decision Limiting Book Lending Harms Libraries, Public

Danny Gallagher /
Engadget: The Internet Archive loses its appeal of ebook copyright case ruling KAAL-TV: An appeals court upholds a ruling that an online archive's book sharing violated copyright law

Press Gazette:

An interview with FT CEO John Ridding on how FT hit its highest-ever revenue of £500M last year, appealing to younger audiences, AI, and more— Financial Times chief executive John Ridding has pointed to three early decisions he made that have had a lasting impact on the health of the newspaper group.

Discussion:
Warren Johnson on LinkedIn

CNN:

A coalition of news outlets petitions a Nevada court to make public the proceedings around Rupert Murdoch's attempts to modify his family's succession plans— New York CNN — — A coalition of media organizations, including CNN, has petitioned a Nevada court to open …

The Hollywood Reporter:

A look at ESPN's transformation over the last year, including overhauling its on-air talent, as it prepares to launch its flagship streaming service in 2025— As the sports powerhouse plans to launch a flagship service next year, it's overhauling its on-camera talent and executive ranks.

Bloomberg:

Netflix struggles to reduce its productions' carbon footprint, with more emissions in 2022 vs. 2019, partly because it doesn't own any equipment or studio space— Virgin River is using batteries and Bridgerton is testing out hydrogen, but the company's overall emissions reduction progress has been marginal.

Discussion:
Juan Estalella Girón on LinkedIn, Michelle Ma on LinkedIn and The Sun, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Juan Estalella Girón /
Juan Estalella Girón on LinkedIn: We are collaborating with Netflix and The Walt Disney Studios to support the film studios in achieving their decarbonization targets. 📽 🤝 🔋 …

Michelle Ma /
Michelle Ma on LinkedIn: “Virgin River” is replacing diesel generators with batteries. “Stranger Things” is experimenting with solar-powered trailers. And “Bridgerton” is using hydrogen. …

Conor O'Brien /
The Sun: Netflix ditches hit TV series with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score - leaving fans furious

IndieWire:

Sources: Disney pauses its adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, after five women alleged sexual assault against the author— IndieWire has learned the film, which had set up production offices, is now on hold due to multiple factors, including the claims against the book's author.

Discussion:

Stephanie Kaloi /
The Wrap: Disney's Pauses Production on Neil Gaiman Adaptation ‘The Graveyard Book’ After Sexual Misconduct Allegations

New York Times:

The Black List, which has hosted thousands of unproduced screenplays and became an indispensable tool for studios and producers, now accepts fiction books— Acclaimed films like “Juno,” “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The King's Speech” were produced after appearing on the Black List.

Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, @xanalter, @theblcklst, The Wrap, @theblcklst, Publishers Weekly and Deadline

Discussion:

Samantha Masunaga /
Los Angeles Times: The Black List, a platform for unproduced screenplays, expands into fiction books

Alexandra Alter /
@xanalter: Will be very interested to see what kind of novels/authors get discovered through The Black List. I spoke to Franklin Leonard about his expansion into fiction. https://www.nytimes.com/... @theblcklst: Fiction writers can now create a FREE Writer Profile to spotlight their unpublished, self-published, and published manuscripts to the Black List's membership of publishing, theater, film, and television professionals. https://blcklst.com/fiction [image]

Natalie Korach /
The Wrap: The Black List Expands Into Fiction and Unpublished Novels

@theblcklst:
Fiction writers can now also purchase high-quality feedback from our experienced publishing industry readers and submit their manuscripts to our open fiction programs. https://blcklst.com/fiction

@theblcklst:
We are thrilled to welcome @_rwinstonsworld to the Black List team as Creative Director of Fiction! Randy is the former director of writing programs @center4fiction + has spent the last 15 years fostering creative communities + educating writers. Welcome, Randy! [image]

John Maher /
Publishers Weekly: Two Decades After Shaking Up Hollywood, the Black List Sets Its Sights on Fiction

Status:

Source: CNN CEO Mark Thompson is in serious conversations with Josh Tyrangiel to hire him; Tyrangiel is currently a WaPo columnist and was Vice news chief— While news of Tyrangiel's potential hire is sure to excite many at CNN, it's not difficult to see how others at the network might not be so thrilled.

Discussion:
@justinling.bsky.social

The Independent:

Elon Musk, in an eventually deleted X post, promoted a Tucker Carlson interview with a Hitler apologist who downplayed the Holocaust and said Nazis were humane— Self-proclaimed historian Darryl Cooper claimed Winston Churchill ‘was the villain of Second World War’ and that millions …

Discussion:
TechCrunch, @tuckercarlson, @liz_cheney, New Republic, @crumbler@threads.net, @ronaldfilipkowski@threads.net, Newsweek, @crumbler@threads.net, @renee.diresta@threads.net, Newsweek, HuffPost, UnHerd, OutsideTheBeltway, Haaretz, @coreypein.bsky.social, @chosennj@threads.net, Media Matters for America, @rmac18, @mcuban, @thetnholler@threads.net, @morten, Mediaite, @joelpollak, @carlquintanilla, WATN, @katzonearth.bsky.social, @osullyville.bsky.social, @legalminimum.bsky.social, The Daily Beast and @brokentoys.social, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai /
TechCrunch: X is hiring staff for security and safety after two years of layoffs

Tucker Carlson /
@tuckercarlson: Darryl Cooper may be the best and most honest popular historian in the United States. His latest project is the most forbidden of all: trying to understand World War Two. (1:20) History of the Israel-Palestine Conflict (12:39) The Jonestown Cult (32:10) World War Two (45:04) How [video]

Liz Cheney /
@liz_cheney: Actually, this is pro-Nazi propaganda, including, “Churchill was the chief villain of WW2” and Hitler “didn't want to fight.” No serious or honorable person would support or endorse this type of garbage.

Hafiz Rashid /
New Republic: Why Is J.D. Vance Still Following This Hitler Apologist?

Ron Filipkowski /
@ronaldfilipkowski@threads.net: All these “conservatives” expressing shock and dismay that Tucker Carlson is a Nazi apologist are pretty pathetic. Maybe try some critical thinking skills when they start dog whistling so your ears don't get blown out by the bullhorn. You knew who he was all along.

Casey Newton /
@crumbler@threads.net: To all my progressive friends who are still on Substack — you might want to know that the guy downplaying the Holocaust and saying Nazis are humane here has a monetized Substack with more than 100,000 followers

Renee DiResta /
@renee.diresta@threads.net: The guest just before this one also had old social media hot takes on Hitler. Per NBC: ""If I, a Jew, a member of the Tribe, Hebrew Schooled, can read Mein Kampf & think ‘holy shit, Hitler actually had some decent points.’ Then NO ONE is safe from hating you once they find out who is behind the White genocide happening all over the world," he wrote in another post." …

Marco Margaritoff /
HuffPost: Tucker Carlson Hosts Nazi Apologist Who Makes Heinous Claim About WWII

Matt Bernius /
OutsideTheBeltway: Tucker Carlson Promotes Hitler Apologist

Ben Samuels /
Haaretz: Tucker Carlson Platforms Holocaust Revisionism - With Elon Musk's Endorsement

Corey Pein /
@coreypein.bsky.social: Is someone maintaining a public archive of Musk's deleted posts? The stuff he leaves up is bad enough, but the stuff he deletes is like evidence for a war crimes tribunal. [embedded post]

Steven Kreiss /
@chosennj@threads.net: Tucker Carlson interviews a holocaust denying historian in which Churchill is the bad guy and Hiltler is the good guy. And of course Elon plugs the interview on X.

Matt Gertz /
Media Matters for America: Tucker Carlson is pushing Nazi apologias and Holocaust denial. He addressed the RNC just weeks ago.

Ryan Mac /
@rmac18: My Grok AI-curated “stories for you” featured a topic called “Musk Endorses Holocaust Revisionism” with a photo of Musk in a Nazi uniform. So I clicked in to see what it was about and the first post was from Musk hyping up how good Grok AI is. [image]

Mark Cuban /
@mcuban: Delete your account @thetnholler@threads.net: Here's why Mark Cuban just told Elon to “delete his account” https://www.newsweek.com/...

Morten Øverbye /
@morten: Elon Musk deleted his tweet saying a podcast with Tucker Carlson and Darryl Cooper offering excusatory narrative for nazis while calling Winston Churchill “the chief villain of WW2” was “Very interesting. Worth watching”. [image]

Ahmad Austin Jr /
Mediaite: Elon Musk Deletes Tweet Promoting Tucker Carlson's Interview With Hitler-Loving ‘Historian’

Joel Pollak /
@joelpollak: In which @TuckerCarlson's guest seems to imply Nazi death camps were a humane solution to a problem of millions of civilians voluntarily seeking refuge from a war Hitler started, and compares the Nazis' policies to what Israel is doing in Gaza in response to a war Hamas started.

Carl Quintanilla /
@carlquintanilla: Deleted after @mcuban wrote: “Delete your account.”

Kelly Jones /
WATN: No, the Kamala Harris campaign hasn't adopted a Nazi slogan

Jonathan M. Katz /
@katzonearth.bsky.social: Cooper — the guy who called the Holocaust “humane” — is one of the richest Substackers around. He has tens of thousands of paid subscribers paying $50 to $60 a year, meaning he's at least taking in $500,000. — Substack pockets 10% of that haul. [embedded post]

Dan O'Sullivan /
@osullyville.bsky.social: I have a serious question, in light of the fact that I've been reading about Holocaust planning this week: what's the bottom on all this? If US conservatism is in a race to the bottom a lot like that of the Nazis leading up to the Holocaust, what's their version of that? [embedded post] @legalminimum.bsky.social: Thread. Imagine caping for fucking Hitler in 2024. — Where's those “Greatest Generation” assholes when we need them? [embedded post]

Lum /
@brokentoys.social: Tucker Carlson (and Elon Musk by proxy) are platforming the views of Darryl Cooper, a “historian” trying to “understand WW2”. — Unsurprisingly, he's lying. (thread) [image]

CNBC:

Shares of Truth Social's parent TMTG continue to slide, as the expiration date nears for a lockup agreement preventing Trump and others from selling their stock— Trump Media shares on Wednesday closed below where they stood at the end of 2023, as the Truth Social maker's stock continued …

Discussion:
Crikey, @simondowens@threads.net, @ernie.tedium.co, CNBC on LinkedIn, New York Times, Boing Boing, UPI, Forbes and Quartz, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Simon Owens /
@simondowens@threads.net: Is Trump really going to trigger a terrible news cycle by selling off all his Trump Media shares the second he's allowed to on September 20th, thereby causing the stock to plummet? I think he might just be that dumb.

Ernie Smith /
@ernie.tedium.co: Should've invested in ARM [embedded post] CNBC on LinkedIn: DJT stock has slumped ahead of the date when Donald Trump will have the option to start selling his stake.

Matthew Goldstein /
New York Times: Trump Media Shares Are Down 70% From Their March Peak

Rob Beschizza /
Boing Boing: Trump Media sinks to $18 a share, its lowest ebb yet

Sheri Walsh /