"For die-hard Trekkies, the model’s disappearance had become the subject of folklore, so an eBay listing last fall, with a starting bid of $1,000, didn’t go unnoticed." - The New York Times
"This isn't inventing a fictional narrative for the sake of entertainment — this is tinkering with the fabric of reality itself to manipulate a true story that actually happened.” (There’s more at the subscription-only 404 Media.) - Futurism
"According to ad sales company Raptive, Google’s Search Generative Experience could lead to a drop in search traffic ranging from 20% to 60%, a potential hit of up to $2 billion in global ad revenue." - The Present Age
The injuries were minor, but this isn’t great. "Universal Studios tour is one of the theme park’s most popular attractions, taking riders on a one-hour backlot tour to see behind the scenes where some of Hollywood’s most memorable films and television shows were filmed." - The Hollywood Reporter
Maybe! "Sony and Apollo’s entry would complicate a deal already in the works for the storied studio behind Mission: Impossible and The Godfather. Paramount, the parent of CBS, MTV and other networks, is holding exclusive talks with Skydance Media." - Bloomberg (Yahoo)
It’s a sad tale about a sudden, depressing end to the feisty - and revived - digital news publication, and a cautionary discussion about management and public radio. - Washingtonian
Before Strangers with Candy, there was TV comedy, sure, and also true, not many people watched the show while it was on. But it rewrote the rulebook, and “although it’s unlikely anyone could — or should — remake the show in 2024, its filthy, irreverent spirit lives on." - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
David Zaslav’s 2023 pay consisted of a $3 million salary, and more than $23 million in stock awards, as well as $22 million in non-equity incentive compensation and $1.6 million in other compensation, including security costs. - The Hollywood Reporter
This is not just a Bay Area problem. Film festivals all over the world are hurting, no matter how well-established. The two biggest film festivals in North America, Sundance and Toronto, have each experienced a dramatic drop in revenue, with Toronto losing its biggest sponsor. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
"Here are 19 ways of understanding how TikTok became part of American life. ... Even if you’ve never opened the app, you’ve lived in a culture that exists downstream of what happens there." - The New York Times
"After reaping the rewards of a protracted growth spurt, Italy‘s film industry is facing a forced slowdown as the country’s right-wing government dithers with modifications they plan to make to several key regulations, most significantly to the country’s now stalled tax incentives for film and TV production." - Variety
Before he resigned from NPR, Mr. Berliner was on a five-day suspension from the network for violating company policy against working for outside organizations without securing permission. - The New York Times
It can be hard to pinpoint what is changed. But there does seem to be a difference, and depending on the viewer, it can feel slightly uncanny. - The New York Times
"Profit will of course find a way; there will always be shit to watch. But without radical intervention, whether by the government or the workers, the industry will become unrecognizable. And the writing trade — the kind where one actually earns a living — will be obliterated." - Harper's
Bekah Brunstetter's The Game "is about a fictionalized version of Fortnite Battle Royale, ... where each round ends with only one survivor. It comes seven years after The Oregon Trail, inspired by the game that condemned countless 1990s middle-schoolers to awful deaths (on) the grueling 19th-century passage west." - The New York Times
