Star Spangled Media, behind websites posing as news outlets, such as The Morning Mirror, appears to have close ties to pro-Democratic super PAC Forward Majority (Pete Brown/Columbia Journalism Review)

Mediagazer: Star Spangled Media, behind websites posing as news outlets, such as The Morning Mirror, appears to have close ties to pro-Democratic super PAC Forward Majority (Pete Brown/Columbia Journalism Review)

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 of the Board …: PARAMOUNT GLOBAL'S SPECIAL COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF ACQUISITION PROPOSAL AND 15-DAY EXTENSION OF “GO SHOP” PERIOD TO CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT

Sabrina Quagliozzi /
The Media Leader: Bronfman sweetens bid for National Amusements, Paramount Stake

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

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:

David Satin /
The Streamable: Bronfman Ups Bid for Paramount to $6 Billion as Company Extends ‘Go-Shop’ Period

Anthony Pascale /
TrekMovie.com: Paramount Extends Skydance Merger Deal Date To Consider Competing Bid

Bethy Squires /
Vulture: Edgar Bronfman Jr. and His $6 Billion Bet on Paramount

Sahil Patel /
The Information: Paramount Receives New Bid From Edgar Bronfman Jr., Extends ‘Go-Shop’ Period

Aimee Picchi /
CBS News: Paramount extends its Skydance go-shop period to consider acquisition bid from Edgar Bronfman

Ben Kesslen /
Quartz: Edgar Bronfman Jr. upped his Paramount bid to $6 billion, extending negotiations

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. …

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 …

Erik Gruenwedel /
Media Play News: Paramount Extends Acquisition Bid Window 15 Days as Bronfman Ups Offer 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 Deadline: Paramount Merger Saga Continues: Go-Shop Period Extended As Edgar Bronfman Vies With Skydance, Boosts His Offer To $6B

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

CNN:

Unions and some state senators criticize Google's plan for a California local news fund, which stalled bills that would have forced Big Tech to fund journalists— New York CNN — — Google struck a first-in-the-nation deal with California lawmakers on Wednesday to fund newsrooms …

Discussion:
Inside Radio, Society of Professional …, BuzzMachine, @bcmerchant, @mattdpearce, @jeffjarvis, @spj_tweets, LION Publishers, @tvgrimreaper, @mattdpearce, Media Nation, @ddayen, @passantino@threads.net, New York Times, MediaPost, Free Press and Editor and Publisher

Discussion:
Society of Professional Journalists: $175M California journalism agreement sparks debate on industry impact and inclusivity

Jeff Jarvis /
BuzzMachine: California's Deal for News

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: @jeffjarvis It's profoundly undemocratic—the two bills passed with supermajority, bipartisan votes. I just spent an hour on a call with devastated journalists from diverse newsrooms. The man set to chair the UCB board isn't answering Qs. Newsguild and working CA journalists oppose this bill!

Brian Merchant /
@bcmerchant: @jeffjarvis That hedge fund line is right out of Google's opposition PR materials—it distorts the issue at hand, as I think you know it does. Most CA papers are not owned by hedge funds, and no one was happy about sending the money to those that were, which was why safeguards were built in

Matt Pearce /
@mattdpearce: THIS DEAL INVOLVES AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO HEDGE FUNDS AND NO ONE KNOWS THAT BECAUSE THE TERMS ARE SECRET our guild is on that board and will be very, very lonely @jeffjarvis: @bcmerchant We have a similar structure in NJ and it is working well because it does not automatically hand money out to hedge-funds but instead operates on goals and merit. Maybe give it a chance.

@jeffjarvis:
I just put up a post about California's deal for news with more information I have learned about the structure of it. Nobody's 100% pleased but this is a step in a better direction. (Gift link but remember I always crosspost at Buzzmachine.) https://medium.com/... @spj_tweets: SPJ calls on California decision-makers to ensure that yesterday's agreement between California lawmakers and Google serves as a genuine step forward in reversing our nation's alarming decline in newsroom employment. Read our full statement: https://www.spj.org/... [image]

Hayley Milloy /
LION Publishers: Scaling sustainability: How Knight Foundation's investment strategy uplifts the entire local news ecosystem

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

Jon Passantino /
@passantino@threads.net: Google agrees to first-in-the-nation deal to fund California newsrooms, but journalists are calling it a disaster. ""The Legislature embarked on an effort to regulate monopolies and failed terribly. Now we question whether the state has done more harm than good." https://www.cnn.com/...

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

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 … 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

RELATED:
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

Discussion:
KQED, CalMatters, New York Post, a14.asmdc.org, Associated Press, Editor and Publisher, Media Guild of the West, The Information, UPI, @gaufre, @jeffjarvis, @eytanwallace, @jamesqueallylat, @davidfolkenflik, The Verge, @jeffjarvis, Los Angeles Times, MediaPost and Engadget, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

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

Thomas Barrabi /
New York Post: California, Google's paltry $250M million deal to fund newsroom blasted as ‘disastrous’ by critics

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

Diane Sylvester /
Editor and Publisher: Google avoids content payment mandates in California with surprise media partnership deal @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.

@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 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).

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.

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: 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.

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.

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

Jess Weatherbed /
The Verge: Google reaches a $250 million deal to skirt proposed journalism bill

@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/...

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

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, Screen Rant, The Ankler, Business Insider, SlashFilm, @jeffjarvis, The Guardian, Defector, New York Post, ComingSoon.net, TMZ.com, Dexerto, Metro.co.uk, @ajroach42@retro.social, David Sehring on LinkedIn, AV Club, The Playlist, @kevinrothrock@infosec …, British GQ, @bilgeebiri, Mashable, Fox News, CBR, Newser, The Daily Beast, USA Today, Boing Boing, HuffPost, New York Times, The Verge, New York Daily News, IndieWire, Consequence, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Empire, The Wrap, Inverse, Digital Trends, 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’

Katey Rich /
The Ankler: Meet the Secret Weapon of ‘Shogun’

Eammon Jacobs /
Business Insider: A timeline of the controversy surrounding Francis Ford Coppola's $120 million-movie ‘Megalopolis,’ as the trailer is pulled for featuring fake quotes

Hannah Shaw-Williams /
SlashFilm: Lionsgate Deletes Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis Trailer After Unexpected Controversy

@jeffjarvis:
Hilarious: Usually Hollywood fudges quotes to turns pans into raves. Here, Coppola's dimed for the opposite: Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis trailer withdrawn over fake quotes https://www.theguardian.com/ ...

Lauren Theisen /
Defector: ‘Megalopolis’ Wants It To Be Francis Ford Coppola Vs. Everybody

Lauren Sarner /
New York Post: Lionsgate pulls Francis Ford Coppola's ‘Megalopolis’ trailer featuring fake quotes from film critics: ‘We screwed up’

Brandon Schreur /
ComingSoon.net: Megalopolis Trailer Taken Down, Lionsgate Apologizes for Fake Quotes

Daisy Phillipson /
Dexerto: Why was the Megalopolis trailer pulled? Lionsgate “AI” scandal explained

Tori Brazier /
Metro.co.uk: 2024's most controversial film in new ‘fakery’ storm as bosses admit they ‘screwed up’

Andrew /
@ajroach42@retro.social: lmfao — all the quotes at the start of the megalopolis trailer were fabricated. — https://variety.com/... So... It's most likely that they just asked an AI chatbot for citations for bad reviews of Coppola's films right? — I can't wait to see this piece of shit.

David Sehring /
David Sehring on LinkedIn: If this is true - Lionsgate has a lot more explaining to do. Were they using A.I.? Who created the spot? Who approved the spot? …

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

Charles Barfield /
The Playlist: ‘Megalopolis’ Trailer Taken Down By Lionsgate After Fabricated Quote Controversy

Kevin Rothrock /
@kevinrothrock@infosec.exchange: wow this is funny https://www.vulture.com/...

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.

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.

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/... Fox News: Lionsgate pulls Francis Ford Coppola's ‘Megalopolis’ trailer over fabricated critics quotes

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

Bob Cronin /
Newser: Studio Pulls Trailer With Invented Quotes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CNBC:

In a pitch deck, AI search engine Perplexity told advertisers it plans to start running ads in Q4; a source says Perplexity's CPM prices will be $50+— Perplexity AI, the artificial intelligence startup that's been embroiled in controversy due to accusations of plagiarizing content from media outlets …

Discussion:
Reuters, TVNewsCheck, Hayden Field on LinkedIn, @haydenfield and Adweek, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Hayden Field /
TVNewsCheck: Perplexity AI To Start Running Ads In Q4 As AI-Assisted Search Gains Popularity

Hayden Field /
Hayden Field on LinkedIn: Perplexity AI, the AI startup that's been embroiled in controversy due to accusations of plagiarizing content from media outlets …

Hayden Field /
@haydenfield: Scoop: Perplexity AI plans to start running ads on its search app in Q4, CNBC has learned. The company, which focuses on AI-assisted search & in April doubled its valuation to $1 billion, is circulating a pitch deck, promoting its reach & increasing usage.https://www.cnbc.com/...

T.L. Stanley /
Adweek: Tech Tussle: Perplexity Jabs at Google With Remake of a Classic Super Bowl Ad

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, Plain Dealer, Black America Web, Poynter, @jeremyschulman, Reuters, MSNBC, The Daily Wire, New York Post, Fox News and Mediaite

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

D.L. Chandler /
Black America Web: Report Alleges Donald Trump Contacted Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu To Halt Ceasefire Talks In Dig To Harris-Walz Campaign

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.

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

Fox News:
PBS host apologizes for reporting Trump pressed Netanyahu to abandon hostage deal: ‘This was a mistake’

Committee to Protect Journalists:

In Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal, journalists have been targeted, assaulted, and detained by security forces as they covered anti-government protests— “He hit me with a gun butt,” Premium Times newspaper reporter Yakubu Mohammed told the Committee to Protect Journalists …

Discussion:
Freedom of the Press …, The Intercept, Reporters Without Borders and Voice of America

Discussion:

Seth Stern /
Freedom of the Press Foundation: Chicago police ignore warnings about press freedom at DNC protests The Intercept: “I Was Pulled Off of the Sidewalk”: At Least 3 Journalists Arrested Covering DNC Protests Reporters Without Borders: USA: RSF condemns arrests of journalists covering DNC protest, calls for charges to be dropped

Siddhi Mahatole /
Voice of America: Dozens of journalists injured covering Bangladesh protests

Columbia Journalism Review:

Star Spangled Media, behind websites posing as news outlets, such as The Morning Mirror, appears to have close ties to pro-Democratic super PAC Forward Majority— A quasi-local news site whose operators sought a news media exception to dodge campaign finance regulators has emerged as a vehicle …

Discussion:
Sinclair Cornell on LinkedIn

The Media Leader:

WARC: global ad spending will grow by 10.5% to $1.07T in 2024; Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta will account for 43.6% of global ad spending in 2024 and 46% by 2026— Global adspend will grow by 10.5% to $1.07tn this year, crossing the $1tn mark for the first time, according to Warc's Global Ad Spend Outlook 2024/25.

Discussion:
Radio & Television …, Advanced Television and Media Makers Meet

Variety:

Chinese streamer iQiyi reports Q2 revenue down 5% YoY to ~$1.04B and net profit down 80% YoY to ~$9.6M, as subscription revenue shrinks for a second quarter— China-based video streaming company iQiyi recorded a 5% decrease in revenue in the second quarter and an 80% plunge in net profits.

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:
CNN, The Moscow Times, 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

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 /