Sources: former Warner Music CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has submitted a $4.3B offer for National Amusements and a minority stake in Paramount Global (Wall Street Journal)

Mediagazer: Sources: former Warner Music CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has submitted a $4.3B offer for National Amusements and a minority stake in Paramount Global (Wall Street Journal)

Top News:

The Hollywood Reporter:

Phil Donahue, a pioneering talk show host whose novel issue-oriented show lasted 29 years, dies at the age of 88— The 11-time Daytime Emmy winner presided over his program for 29 years and forged a path for Oprah Winfrey and others to follow. — Phil Donahue, the talk show innovator …
Discussion: TODAY.com, Oprah on Instagram, TVLine, Variety, The Guardian, New York Times, New York Daily News, Us Weekly, The Daily Beast, @david_moscrop, TVLine, Radio & Television …, @michaelshure, CBS News, @rachellichtman@threads.net, Forbes, Plain Dealer, Associated Press, @claycane, @adweek, @playerinthgame, Rolling Stone, Deadline, Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, @todayshow, @flaxenbeauty, Esquire, Next TV, Black America Web, HuffPost, @sagaftra, The Wrap, NPR, @michaelscherer, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, Page Six, Decider, @bethwillon, Adweek, @1stforall, New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, UPI, Metro.co.uk, Business Insider, Mediaite, TVNewsCheck and Barrett Media

Discussion:

Oprah /
Oprah on Instagram: There wouldn't have been an Oprah Show without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously. He was a pioneer. I'm glad I got to thank him for it. Rest in peace Phil 🙏🏽🕊️

Ryan Schwartz /
TVLine: Phil Donahue, Legendary Talk Show Host, Dead at 88

Carmel Dagan /
Variety: Phil Donahue, Pioneering Talk Show Host, Dies at 88

Theresa Braine /
New York Daily News: Marlo Thomas pays tribute to ‘sweetheart’ Phil Donahue

Shelby Stivale /
Us Weekly: Phil Donahue Dead at 88: Longtime Talk Show Host Suffered ‘Long Illness’

Eboni Boykin-Patterson /
The Daily Beast: How Donahue Made Strippers, Sex Abuse and Trump Must-See TV

David Moscrop /
@david_moscrop: Phil Donahue has died and I'm thinking about how he opposed the Iraq war and suffered for it but was proven right — after everyone came to pretend they'd always opposed it or fell silent. Funny how time does that. It'll do it again.

Michael Ausiello /
TVLine: Phil Donahue Dies: Oprah Pays Tribute to Talk Show ‘Pioneer’

Adam Jacobson /
Radio & Television Business Report: Iconic TV Talk Host Phil Donahue Dies

Michael Shure /
@michaelshure: When I was an NBC page, no one among the on air personalities at 30 Rockefeller Plaza was kinder or more respectful of those of us in the peacock logo, crested blazers, than Phil Donahue. He always took the time to ask about our goals and interests. He didn't have to. Good guy

Alex Sundby /
CBS News: Phil Donahue, daytime talk show pioneer, dies at age 88

Rachel Lichtman /
@rachellichtman@threads.net: From the day they met.

Marc Berman /
Forbes: Phil Donahue, Daytime Talk-Show Trailblazer, Dies At 88

Julie Washington /
Plain Dealer: Phil Donahue 1935-2024: TV talk show legend got his start in life — and broadcasting — in Cleveland

Clay Cane /
@claycane: Rest in peace, Phil Donahue. His interviewing style had a huge impact on me. Interviewing is truly an art, and Donahue mastered it—he also knew the significance of the audience, watch below: [video] @adweek: In his show's three-decade run, Donahue would host close to 7,000 such chats, turning unmentionable topics into discussable ones and, just maybe, broadening the minds of those watching. In the process, Donahue changed media and programming itself, prefiguring the character of @playerinthgame: RIP, Phil Donahue. “In 2003, the legendary television host Phil Donahue was fired from his prime-time MSNBC talk show during the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The problem was not Donahue's ratings, but his [questioning of the Iraq war].” Interview: https://www.democracynow.org/ ... [image]

Ej Dickson /
Rolling Stone: Phil Donahue's Interviews with Early AIDS Patients Was a Master Class in Empathy Deadline: Phil Donahue Remembered: Oprah Winfrey, Sally Jessy Raphael, Geraldo Rivera, Piers Morgan & Andy Cohen Among Those Paying Tribute To TV Pioneer

Jon Blistein /
Rolling Stone: Phil Donahue, Pioneering Talk Show Host Who Tackled Any Subject, Dead at 88

Courtney /
@flaxenbeauty: Katharine Hepburn not knowing Phil Donahue while being interviewed by Phil Donahue. 🕊️ [video]

Paige Albiniak /
Next TV: Talk-Show Host Phil Donahue Dies at 88

Marita Vlachou /
HuffPost: Phil Donahue, Iconic TV Talk Show Host, Dies At 88 @sagaftra: Trailblazer. We celebrate the life of Phil Donahue, who pioneered daytime talk shows with audience participation. The journalist received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in May. Our condolences to his family and friends. #SagAftraMember since 1967. https://www.today.com/...

Josh Dickey /
The Wrap: Phil Donahue, Titan of Daytime Talk TV, Dies at 88

Eric Deggans /
NPR: Pioneer talk show host Phil Donahue dies at 88

Michael Scherer /
@michaelscherer: RIP Phil Donahue. Hard to imagine a single MSNBC host today disagreeing with his then controversial opposition to the Iraq invasion in 2003, when his show was taken off the air. Network said ratings. He always maintained it was politics. Watch him explain: https://m.youtube.com/... Los Angeles Times: Phil Donahue, the pioneering host of long-running daytime talk show ‘Donahue,’ dies at 88

Francesca Bacardi /
Page Six: Phil Donahue, trailblazing talk show host, dead at 88

Radhamely De Leon /
Decider: R.I.P. Phil Donahue: Legendary Talk Show Host Dead At 88

Beth Willon /
@bethwillon: Phil Donahue was bold - he understood the power of television better than anyone & he knew how to use it. He shook up the format & made it interactive to the delight of viewers. He had a journalistic backbone & delivered with humor & finesse making him so likeable. RIP Phil @1stforall: Phil Donahue was not only a journalist and trailblazer for daytime talk shows but also someone who embodied free speech by bringing difficult conversations and diverse perspectives to radio and television.

Clyde Haberman /
New York Times: Phil Donahue, Talk Host Who Made Audiences Part of the Show, Dies at 88

Fred A. Bernstein /
Washington Post: Phil Donahue, long-reigning king of daytime television, dies at 88

Savannah Walsh /
Vanity Fair: Phil Donahue, Daytime TV Titan and Steadfast Voice Against War, Dies at 88

Jessica Inman /
UPI: Phil Donahue, ‘who invented smart talk in the afternoon,’ dies at 88

Rishma Dosani /
Metro.co.uk: ‘King of daytime TV’ Phil Donahue dies aged 88

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: former Warner Music CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has submitted a $4.3B offer for National Amusements and a minority stake in Paramount Global— Bronfman is looking to scuttle a previous agreement to merge Paramount with David Ellison's Skydance Media — Media executive Edgar Bronfman Jr …

Semafor:

A look at Ezra Klein's rise during this election cycle, from his early call for Biden not to run to his increasingly popular podcast, now #8 on Apple Podcasts— The News — When Ezra Klein visited 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. early this year for a series of off-the-record meetings with top officials …

Discussion:

Alex Parker /
@alexparkerdc: That Ezra Klein was anti-Kamala is this weird cope that people have to avoid admitting he was right all along....but it's also flatly untrue. Klein praised her in his famous February op-ed! He did a whole podcast about her post-debate. https://www.semafor.com/... [image]

Anthony LaMesa /
@ajlamesa: “Ezra's piece was the first crack in the dam on which I was trying to shine light, one which began shifting the mindset of the chattering class,” Rep. Dean Phillips, who mounted a failed challenge to Biden in the Democratic primary, told Semafor. https://www.semafor.com/...

Matthew Zeitlin /
@mattzeitlin: Truly beautiful secondary https://www.semafor.com/... [image]

Jeff Nesbit /
@jeffnesbit: Interesting piece... “The show's growth comes just as the Times is engaged in intense internal conversations about how to distance itself from the movement progressive politics of 2020, and how to avoid being seen as a mouthpiece of the Democratic Party.” https://www.semafor.com/...

Tom Philpott /
@tomphilpott: No shade on current @EzraKlein, but the @semafor writer did not do his homework. Both young Ezra and Matt Yglesias supported the Iraq war. And their views overall were pretty centrist. https://www.semafor.com/... [image]

Andrew Prokop /
@awprokop: Not entirely clear about the “problem” alleged here, perhaps it is a “Maria being too loud in the convent” kind of problem

John /
@jptormey: Confiteor: I still listen to Klein's podcast. Not every episode or anything but I think it's useful if you want to know what liberals are thinking. https://www.semafor.com/...

Matt Stoller /
@matthewstoller: @semaforben @MaxwellTami “ by opposition to the Iraq War” False. They supported the Iraq War. That was the big split in the blogs.

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: A correction, and I managed to insert my own false memory into @maxwelltani's excellent Ezra Klein piece. He supported the US invasion of Iraq back in '02. https://www.semafor.com/...

Adweek:

The Athletic launches a trading card and sports memorabilia vertical as part of a partnership with eBay, a major marketplace for collectibles— The coverage, in partnership with eBay, aims to fill a white space in the underserved collectibles market — The sports publisher The Athletic launched …

Discussion:

Brooks Peck /
New York Times: The Athletic's sports memorabilia and collectibles coverage: A new spotlight on the hobby

Ray Schultz /
MediaPost: The Athletic Creates A Collectibles Vertical And Forges A Partnership with eBay

Trevor Gibbons /
Trevor Gibbons on LinkedIn: Huge day at The Athletic as we officially launch our new Collectibles vertical and a long-term, strategic partnership with eBay! …

Craig Custance /
Craig Custance on LinkedIn: Another exciting launch from the Creative Development team. 🙌 Thrilled to share that Brooks Peck will be leading The Athletic's new collectibles vertical in a partnership deal with eBay. …

Deadline:

ABC News names Almin Karamehmedovic, executive producer of ABC's top rated World News Tonight, as its next president, succeeding Kim Godwin— ABC News has tapped Almin Karamehmedovic, executive producer of its top rated World News Tonight, as its next president.

Discussion:

Corbin Bolies /
The Daily Beast: ABC News Names ‘World News Tonight’ EP Almin Karamehmedovic as Next President

Jamie Sylvester /
Inside the Magic: Almin Karamehmedovic Appointed President of ABC News by The Walt Disney Company

Adam Jacobson /
Radio & Television Business Report: ABC News Goes With Division Veteran For Top Role

Caitlin Huston /
The Hollywood Reporter: ABC News Names Almin Karamehmedovic as President

Benjamin Mullin /
New York Times: ‘World News Tonight’ Producer Named President of ABC News

Joe Flint /
@jbflint: Memo from Disney/ABC senior exec Debra OConnell on naming of Almin Karamehmedovic as new president of News. Team, I am thrilled to announce the promotion of Almin Karamehmedovic to president of ABC News. I have had the pleasure of working with Almin for more than a decade

Brian Steinberg /
@bristei: Immediate reaction inside ABC News is puzzlement. Despite hard won journalism credentials, Karamehmedovic is said to have little experience with Good Morning America, The View, Tamron Hall and the business that supports such programming, critical to the economics of the news unit

Aidan McLaughlin /
Mediaite: ABC News Taps Executive Producer to Serve as New President

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: ABC names ‘World News Tonight’ producer as new president of ABC News: ‘surprise choice’

Ted Johnson /
TVNewsCheck: Almin Karamehmedovic Named President Of ABC News

Adam Chitwood /
The Wrap: ABC News Taps Almin Karamehmedovic as New President

Stephen Battaglio /
Los Angeles Times: ‘ABC World News Tonight’ veteran Almin Karamehmedovic is the new president of ABC News

Michael Malone /
Next TV: Almin Karamehmedovic Named ABC News President Barrett Media: ABC News Promotes World News Tonight Executive Producer Almin Karamehmedovic to President

Harshita Mary Varghese /
Reuters: Disney names veteran producer Almin Karamehmedovic president of ABC News

CNN:

Some local news radio stations, like New York's WCBS, face an existential threat as listeners and revenue shift, forcing outlets to cut staff and abandon news— New York CNN — — For more than a century, Americans have been turning to a trusted and reliable source for local news: the radio.

Discussion:
@alexanderrusso, @dicktofel and @tamerspotlight

Discussion:

Alexander Russo /
@alexanderrusso: “In the past year, WESA, WNYC, LAist, CapRadio, WBUR, KQED, WBEZ, WAMU, Colorado Public Radio... have all laid off staff due to revenue struggles. WNYC is facing its second round of layoffs in less than a year.” https://mailchi.mp/...

Richard Tofel /
@dicktofel: Local news crisis hits hard in the home of much of the national media, NYC: — NY Public Radio cuts at least 8% of staff; —WCBS news radio goes off the air; — NYT continues its retreat from local coverage by foregoing local political endorsements.

The Verge:

Procreate CEO James Cuda says the iPad illustration app is “not going to be introducing any generative AI into our products”, drawing praise from creatives— Many Procreate users can breathe a sigh of relief now that the popular iPad illustration app has taken a definitive stance against generative AI.

Discussion:
@procreate, @davidtoons_, @mkbhd, 9to5Mac, @harrymccracken@mastodon …, @voiddebris, TechCrunch, @nellucnhoj, @jam_etc_art, @anildash@threads.net and @sdw, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:
@procreate: We're never going there. Creativity is made, not generated. You can read more at https://procreate.com/ai ✨ #procreate #noaiart [video]

David Toons /
@davidtoons_: If you're ever wondering whether to use photoshop or procreate just remember this Adobe (Photoshop) > Overpriced monthly subscription > Generative AI features you can't remove Procreate > One time purchase > “I really f**king hate generative AI” - Procreate CEO

Marques Brownlee /
@mkbhd: Bookmark this. Such a fascinating announcement Procreate CEO gets on camera to make it clear he HATES generative AI, and they will not be integrating it ever into any of their products. Artists and users on social media celebrate. TAKE NOTES, ADOBE (buuuuut technically this is

Ryan Christoffel /
9to5Mac: iPad app Procreate rejects AI path of competitors, says ‘your work belongs to you’

Harry McCracken /
@harrymccracken@mastodon.social: In so many ways, this is one of the best pieces of software in the history of software. https://www.theverge.com/... @voiddebris: I'm sorry but what the fuck do you MEAN Procreate says no AI ever AND THEY FUCKING ARE WORKING ON A DESKTOP VERSION Procreate my beloved I will never forsake you (.... Now pls support gif export on procreate dreams I beg) [image]

Aisha Malik /
TechCrunch: Procreate takes a stand against generative AI, vows to never incorporate the tech into its products @nellucnhoj: I bought Procreate over a decade ago, and haven't had to spend a cent on it since. My recent published work was drawn entirely in it. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

Jess A.M. Artposting /
@jam_etc_art: the money they're going to make the moment they drop a PC version.... whew @anildash@threads.net: Procreate is legitimately one of the most fun & rewarding apps I've ever used. No affiliation with them, just a huge fan.

Sebastiaan de With /
@sdw: Now this is integrity. An example of ethics in our creative community. Fantastic.

Deadline:

A New York judge allows Julia Ormond's lawsuit against Disney, CAA, and Miramax over an alleged 1995 sexual assault by Harvey Weinstein to move forward— “Upon the foregoing documents, and oral argument having been held before the court on May 20, 2024, it is ordered that the motions …

Discussion:

Jeremy Fuster /
The Wrap: Disney, CAA, Miramax Motion to Dismiss Harvey Weinstein Sex Assault Suit Fails

Stacy Perman /
Los Angeles Times: Judge denies motions to dismiss case by actress who claims CAA, Disney enabled assault by Harvey Weinstein

Charisma Madarang /
Rolling Stone: Disney, CAA Fail to Dismiss Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Suit From Julia Ormond

Gene Maddaus /
Variety: Julia Ormond Can Sue Disney and CAA for Failing to Protect Her From Harvey Weinstein @davidandrews808: @MattBelloni Maybe you'll address when appropriate- but why would CAA have let it get this far? This seems like an obvious case to settle, and now the number on the settlement is going up? (Now I will go and look if Ormond was even willing to settle) @charterhousesq: @MattBelloni @Bencjacobs Timely moment to revisit this story by #NYT some 7 years ago, headlined: 'Weinstein's Complicity Machine' https://www.nytimes.com/... [December 5, 2017] Numerous early references to #CAA, who in response issued a general, encompassing apology https://deadline.com/... / see excerpt ⤵️ [image]

Kevin Mintzer /
@kevinmintzer: This is an important and precedent-setting win for our client, Julia Ormond. We look forward to proving her claims and showing how CAA, Disney, and Miramax enabled Harvey Weinstein's predatory conduct.

Kyle Smith /
@rkylesmith: In 1994, Julia Ormond was the Hollywood It Girl, the leading lady in 2 big projects - as Sabrina in SABRINA, Guenevere in FIRST KNIGHT. Then they lost interest. What happened to her? Harvey. @effoff1988: Disney, CAA & Miramax are royally screwed and absolutely won't let this get to trial because they know full well the discovery stage would end them all. Julia Ormond is about to receive a BIG out of court settlement offer, maybe even as soon as tomorrow but definitely this week. [image]

Matthew Belloni /
@mattbelloni: Judge just denied motions to dismiss Julia Ormond's big lawsuit vs Harvey Weinstein, Miramax and CAA. On CAA, the court ruled: “These allegations, taken together, suggest that CAA knew or had reason to know of a potential assault by Weinstein.” Yikes.

Financial Times:

Walmart says its US ad business grew 30% in the past year from Q2; eMarketer says Walmart will claim 6.8% of 2024 US retail media spending, for $3.7B in revenue— A high-margin and fast-growing ad business is changing the chain's relationship with brands — Walmart last week reported rising sales …

Discussion:
@simondowens@threads.net, more at Techmeme »

New York Times:

The Star Tribune renames to The Minnesota Star Tribune, and plans to expand its statewide coverage, as part of an effort to boost its paid digital subscriptions— The newspaper in Minneapolis is expanding its statewide coverage and changing its name to The Minnesota Star Tribune.

Discussion:

Ray Schultz /
MediaPost: Star Of The North: ‘The Star Tribune’ has added the word ‘Minnesota’ To Its Name

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: The Star Tribune unveils a Minnesota-wide rebranding and a new opinion mission

Dan Kennedy /
What Works: The Strib shakes up its opinion pages with community voices and an end to endorsements

Sarabeth Berman /
@sarabethberman: Close watchers of local news should watch @StarTribune. As of today, the “Minnesota Star Tribune” — a move to cover the entire state. A smart and important approach by one of the few remaining locally owned regional papers that is making investments in growth.

Jason DeRusha /
@derushaj: Can I still call it the Star Tribune? Newsrooms HATE change. But more coverage of greater Minnesota, end of endorsements, actively seeking new voices to share opinion, cleaning up the website - lots of good stuff going on over there.

Marta Jewson /
@martajewson: Star Tribune rebrand broadening to “Minnesota” in the moniker. They've expanded statewide coverage in the last few years. (And perhaps a nudge at the St. Paul Pioneer Press across the river.) Have to say I prefer the old font though. [image]

Richard Tofel /
@dicktofel: Very impressive, comprehensive reboot for the ⁦Strib, now re-branded as the Minnesota Star Tribune. Especially smart to focus areas of coverage, and to roll out all of these changes at once. https://www.startribune.com/ ...

Greg Mees /
@mees_greg: Introducing the Minnesota Star Tribune. Redesigned, renewed and relaunched on all platforms beginning today. “We're not a paper. We're a fabric. One that can unite, incense, connect, frustrate, represent and reflect all of us.” [image]

Alex Mahadevan /
@alexmahadevan: One thing that struck me about some focus groups @Poynter did with @UMN_HSJMC / @BenjaminToff: One of the participants knew the name of the Star-Tribune publisher.

Cory Bergman /
@corybe@threads.net: Great to see a newspaper taking “a big swing” and expanding its footprint. (Helps to have a billionaire owner.) https://www.nytimes.com/...

Mia Quagliarello /
@miaq@threads.net: Exciting to see @sdgrove11 and his work at Minn Star Tribune featured today in @nytimes but why no mention of his significant stint at YouTube / Google? https://www.nytimes.com/...

The Hollywood Reporter:

After the 5,000-strong Animation Guild started negotiations with Hollywood studios on August 12, outsourcing jobs and AI are the major points of contention— As the 5,000-strong Animation Guild starts negotiations with studios, outsourcing jobs and AI are the major points of contention.

Discussion:
The Wrap and Boing Boing

Discussion:

Jeremy Fuster /
The Wrap: Animation Guild Ends First Week of Labor Contract Talks, Will Continue in September

Reuters:

Italian state broadcaster RAI says two journalists who angered Moscow with a TV report from Ukrainian-held parts of Russia's Kursk region will return to Italy— Two Italian journalists who angered Moscow with a TV report from Ukrainian-held parts of Russia's Kursk region will return to Italy, state broadcaster RAI said on Saturday.

Discussion: