“This year, Hollywood studios are mostly on the sidelines. But for more than 78 years, Cannes has been an unparalleled showcase, and sun-dappled circus, for some of the best in cinema.” - Seattle Times (AP)
“This is the cigarette story in reverse. Smoking rates did not plummet in the United States and other nations because of taxes alone. They plummeted because the social meaning of smoking flipped.” - The New York Times
Gawker, which shut down 10 years ago this August, was guilty of lapses in judgment — former staffers interviewed for this story admit as much. It could be withering, puerile and gratuitously nasty. But, at its best, it rebelled against media piety and the growing, often indiscriminate power of the digital world. - The Hollywood Reporter
“The hip current events platform targeted at Millennials, which sought to be ‘The Economist for young people’ during the decade (2014-2023), is now being resuscitated by company founder Shane Smith, both as a social-platform-first outlet for his podcast and news reports and as a brand partnership vehicle.” - The Hollywood Reporter
The New York-based media company released its first-quarter earnings report Wednesday, which included a $2.9-billion loss. That amount includes $1.3 billion in restructuring expenses, including updated valuations for Warner's declining linear cable television networks. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)
“Since taking power in 2010, Orbán and his Fidesz party reshaped the country’s media to promote themselves and demonise their opponents, sending press freedom rankings plunging and leaving swathes of the country living in an alternative reality.” Soon after last month’s election, Magyar vowed to suspend and reform state media he compared to North Korea’s. - The Guardian
“Everything you’re watching on the feeds could, potentially, be an ad programmed to make someone a Discourse Topic and/or Zeitgeist Definer, made famous thanks to paid spammers instead of organic attention. The effect is to make one wonder whether anything on social media is ‘real,’ even if it isn’t A.I.” - Slate
With ads like these, it begs the question, is programmatic advertising legal for public radio? “FCC regulations only apply to broadcast,” Henry says. “The only caveat is, if you are wildly successful selling a ton of programmatic advertising, be careful not to do too much commercial business that could risk your IRS tax-exempt status. - Inside Radio
Right-wing lawmakers have issued a report following a five-month inquiry into the “neutrality, workings and financing” of French public broadcasting. The paper’s recommendations include reducing the overall public broadcasting budget by 25%, merging several major channels, and reducing the sports budget by 33% and the entertainment budget by 75%. - The Guardian
The SEC is proposing to change its rules, allowing for public companies to report financials semi-annually rather than quarterly. Will major studios buy in? - The Hollywood Reporter
“Media investor James Murdoch is in advanced talks to buy Vox Media’s New York magazine and podcast division, according to people familiar with the matter. The deal, which is through Murdoch’s Lupa Systems investment company, isn’t yet final, and could still fall apart, they said.” - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)
Broadcast once provided a predictable, repeated structure built into daily life. As the “tune-in” habit has eroded, we haven’t been deliberate enough in designing something to take its place. - Greater Public
The cancellation of Colbert’s show right before a deal that needed government approval has given his exit an additional resonance. - The New York Times
“WGBH Educational Foundation and New England Public Media plan to formally merge operations by the summer of 2026. ... The merger will combine Boston-based GBH, Springfield-based NEPM and Cape Cod’s CAI into what executives describe as one of Massachusetts’s largest statewide public media networks, reaching more than 1.3 million people weekly.” - Inside Radio
