| | | | Future of Media: By 2025, more than 20% of new cars will be fully or semi-autonomous, according to a new Business Insider Intelligence report. That means that in stop-and-go traffic, drivers will be able to "turn away from the road and make use of a car's built-in infotainment system to look at news, select music, or even watch streaming video."
"As drivers slowly transform into passengers," BI says, "the car will continue to emerge as a new platform for media consumption and engagement." | | | And on that note, welcome to Reliable Sources, this is Dylan Byers in for Brian Stelter... | | So NBC's Tom Brokaw moderated a panel at the Allen & Co. conference on Thursday morning called "America Divided" -- about, ya know, our polarized politics -- and guess who was sitting near the front, per an attendee?
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
Kushner and Trump's presence at the annual big-wig retreat is still the talk of Sun Valley: "Every year has its own 'new' celebs," one regular attendee tells me -- Travis Kalanick when Uber was having its breakout moment, Brian Chesky when Airbnb was having its breakout moment, etc. "It feels the same around Jared and Ivanka."
As we noted in yesterday's newsletter, much of the Sun Valley crowd is pretty anti-Trump. But the couple is hardly lacking for friends. The New York Post reports that they were spotted walking into today's session with billionaire GOP backer Ken Langone and his wife Elaine.
Meanwhile, sources at the White House remain annoyed by the absence... and the general sense that Jared & Ivanka aren't pulling their weight. | | Consolidation, consolidation, consolidation | | CNBC: CEOs in Sun Valley "expect a new wave of media consolidation, with AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner shedding a spotlight on distribution companies' need for content to differentiate their services.... Plus there's pressure from streaming companies and cord cutting on traditional business models..."
But: No deals yet.
However: CBS chief Les Moonves once again expressed interest in buying CNN, if it were ever for sale: "CNN is a very worthy news organization," he told CNBC. "It's something that could enhance CBS. But I don't think that's on the table right now. If it came up later on, it would be something we would look at."
Strange timing on that, given this.... | | CBS News, BBC join forces | | CBS News and BBC News have announced a new editorial and newsgathering partnership.
The deal will bolster both organizations' coverage, CBS News president David Rhodes told me. CBS gets access to BBC's global footprint. BBC gets a new inroad into America and the biggest story on earth: the Trump presidency.
"We couldn't pass up an opportunity like this," Rhodes told me. "When you think about the BBC's size and how comprehensive their news report is, that's why it's great for us, that's why this one is so exciting."
"It's hard to cover the world in a comprehensive way," he said. "You take a big story like Syria, sometimes they're in a better place, sometimes we're in a better place. This makes everybody stronger."
The BBC deal replaces CBS's previous partnership with Sky, which is likely to be acquired by 21st Century Fox pending regulatory approval in the UK. The two organizations will begin sharing content immediately, and -- good news -- the companies say there will be no layoffs at either company as a result of the deal. | | An emailer calls it "a massive blow" to ABC's foreign newsgathering because "ABC is so incredibly reliant on the BBC overseas for video, editorial and logistical. ABC (and CBS) has such a tiny footprint overseas that so often the first call on a big story is to the BBC to figure out what they're doing."
An ABC source takes issue with that: "It's very disappointing after a long and productive partnership... [But] there are plenty of opportunities for new and innovative cooperative global newsgathering arrangements." One of those opportunities is, of course, Sky... | | Trump still antagonizing media | | As if anti-media rhetoric and off-camera briefings weren't enough, the Trump White House found new ways to antagonize journalists on Thursday, straining a relationship that already feels like it's at breaking point:
1. Cherry-picked quotes: On Trump's request, the White House released excerpts from an off-the-record conversation he had with journalists on his plane trip to Paris. But they didn't release all of it. And when reporters asked that two other excerpts from the conversation be included, the White House did not do so.
"If the president speaks to reporters off the record, and then puts parts of it on the record, we're essentially giving him quote approval," USA Today's Gregory Korte tweeted. "Even if 99% is on-the-record, I'd want to hear a pretty good argument about why the 1% can't also be on the record."
Tom Kludt wrote about the off/on-the-record issue here...
2. Denying reporters a chance to ask questions: In a break with protocol, Trump called on a non-American journalist during his press conference with the French President. This meant only one American journalist got to ask Trump a question.
These joint press conferences traditionally include two questions from journalists of the host nation (in this case, France) and two questions from journalists of the visiting nation (in this case, the United States). Jonathan Lemire, a White House reporter for the Associated Press, said it seemed like "a clear violation of protocol for this question not to go to an American journalist." Here's my full story... | | Four months without a press conference | | | WashPost's Erik Wemple: "Trump has gone four months without a formal solo news conference, while dispersing thoughts about the 'fake news' media being the 'enemy' of the people; his aides have crippled the White House press briefing by banning cameras and prohibiting real-time audio; he and his people continue attempting to discredit the news media, yet love to cite it when the news is good..." | | The Trump White House probably isn't going to wake up one day and decide it's time to be nicer to the media, or give it more access. Perhaps the more important question is: How will this White House's behavior affect future administrations?
Barring some surprise, the next president won't be in office til 2021 or 2025. After four/eight years of off-camera briefings and months-long stretches without a solo press conference, is the next president really going to feel the need to do anything differently? "Treatment of the media" is hardly at the top of voters' list of concerns.
Alternatively, you can see a scenario in which a candidate runs in part on the promise of greater transparency -- "Make America Accountable Again" -- or, simply, restoring an air of civility to our politics and our media... | | Maddow viewer emailed Trump's lawyer, and the lawyer responded with "threats and profanity" | | Brian Stelter emails from vacation: This ProPublica story is jaw-dropping. The headline: "Trump Lawyer Marc Kasowitz Threatens Stranger in Emails: 'Watch Your Back, Bitch.'"
What happened? Someone watching cable news emailed Kasowitz. Justin Elliott explains: "After hearing Rachel Maddow discuss our recent story about Kasowitz, a man emailed the attorney urging him to resign. Kasowitz responded with threats and profanity." Read all about it here...
-- Fun/weird fact: Kasowitz is also representing AMC in the "massive lawsuit" filed by fired "Walking Dead" creator Frank Darabont... THR has a brand-new, remarkable piece about the suit here... | | The White House's Sebastian Gorka "has emerged as one of President Trump's favorite cable news defenders," Axios' Jonathan Swan reports:
"In the more establishment-aligned parts of the White House, Sebastian Gorka is a figure of ridicule, with some staff believing he's an embarrassment when he represents the administration on TV... But to Trump's nationalist base, and the one person who matters inside the White House, he's become a rock star in recent days. Gorka's stock has soared as President Trump has watched him on various cable channels fighting with the hosts and accusing them of being part of the 'fake news industrial complex.'" | | -- HuffPost says it's going in search of Middle America... via a 7-week, 23-city bus tour... (Politico)
-- CNN's mobile app is under siege from Trump supporters... (Digiday)
-- No, Billy Bush is not hosting a new show for Fox TV stations... (GossipCop) | | This week's Reliable Sources podcast | | Do Trump's tweets bring out the worst in him AND the news media?
FiveThirtyEight EIC Nate Silver talked with Brian about whether the president's media bashing gives him "the appearance of doing something" as he faces "uphill'' battles over health care and Russian meddling. Silver and Stelter also discussed how Americans are in a "permanent campaign mode." Listen via iTunes or other podcasting services... and subscribe via iTunes here... | | Are the Mercers funding Milo? | | New evidence obtained by BuzzFeed suggests the Mercers, the billionaire right-wing donor family, may have funded Milo Yiannopoulos after he resigned from Breitbart News in the wake of a controversial video.
"Leaked documents, including a promissory note and emails, as well as conversations with several people familiar with the matter, strongly imply that the Mercers funded Yiannopoulos following his resignation," BuzzFeed's Joseph Bernstein reports. "Together, they suggest that the financiers of the new conservative politics aren't simply interested in protecting their money, but in winning a brutal new culture war waged largely online." The Mercers are also big backers of Breitbart News... | | New Time cover: "Red Handed" | | "This is one Time magazine cover President Trump might not want to frame," CNNMoney's Jill Disis writes. "The cover story, written by Time editor-at-large David Von Drehle, explores what kind of damage the email story might cause for Trump Jr. and his father's presidency."
>> Von Drehle on "CNN Tonight:" "We know that President Trump, in particular, has a thing about Time covers." But "I don't think this one" is going to end up on the walls of his golf clubs... | | ...and from The Washington Post: a collection of "every Russia story Trump said was fake news or a 'witch hunt."
"Over the past year -- regardless of intelligence reports that found Russians attempting to influence the U.S. election — Donald Trump's rhetoric has remained consistent. He dismisses any allegation of Russian interference in the election as a 'hoax' or 'fake news' -- often blaming the Democrats for making it all up.... This video... explores the consistency of Trump's rhetoric, despite the evolution of the charges about the Kremlin's role in the 2016 election." | | "Very angry -- at the media" | | Brian Stelter emails: Robert Leonard, the Iowa radio news director who appeared on last Sunday's "Reliable Sources," sent along this message (reality check?) about solid Trump support:
"I just thought you might want to know conservative friends here in Iowa are very angry -- at the media. They think the Trump/Russia deal is a coup attempt by the media, and don't think there is anything to the Russia/ Trump, Jr. emails. They don't understand why the media is trying to oust our duly elected president. They think there is a double standard -- why isn't anyone investigating the Clinton campaign/Russia connections? They are standing firm behind Trump..." | | -- Local news staff in Denver are worried about the Sinclair/Tribune deal... (The Denver Post)
-- Reporters need better tools for communicating with sources... (Slate)
-- Several prominent NPR journos tweeted this on Thursday: "NPR management is in the midst of contract negotiations with NPR journalists and morale is in the dumps." They promoted this web site about the contract talks... ("We Make NPR") | | Historic Pulitzer appointment | | | Via NYT "Dana Canedy, a former senior editor at The New York Times, will be the next administrator of journalism's most prestigious award... Ms. Canedy — who was part of a Times team that won the 2001 Pulitzer for national reporting for a series about race in America — will help steer the awards process, working with the Pulitzer board on matters like jury selection. She is the first woman and the first African-American to hold the position." | | Here are this year's Emmy nominations | | | HBO dominates with 111 nominations, Netflix gets 91.... 'Saturday Night Live' and 'Westworld' net 22 nominations each.... New shows top drama | | When: Sept. 17; Where: Los Angeles. On: CBS. Host: Stephen Colbert.
Here are the top takeaways from CNN Entertainment and around the web... and see the full list of nominees here. | | Brian Lowry: The Big Picture | | "There was practically something for everyone: HBO maintained its perennial lead as the most-nominated network (despite new players like Hulu yapping at its heels), Netflix crept up on its shoulder and NBC proved broadcasters can still play in this game, thanks largely to 'This is Us' -- the first best drama candidate on a major network since 2011 -- and 'Saturday Night Live,' which rode Donald Trump's coattails into the cultural zeitgeist. ...
"That said, the nominations produced some noteworthy oversights, and perhaps inevitable sins of omission. And while Emmy voters... impressively embraced the new, in places they exhibited a continued habit of voting in part based on reputation." | | Lisa Respers France: Freshman blitz | | "It was all about the freshman class in the drama category: Five newbies, including 'This Is Us,' 'Westworld,' 'The Handmaid's Tale,' 'The Crown' and 'Stranger Things' will compete with 'Better Call Saul' and 'House of Cards.'"
Where's "Game of Thrones," you ask? Not eligible due to the later start date. Season 7 premieres Sunday -- as if you didn't already know. ... Bonus: Brian Lowry calls 'Thrones' the perfect pay-TV warrior. | | Frank Pallotta: The anti-Trump bump | | "President Trump's biggest critics in late night received television's biggest acclaim... CBS' 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' HBO's 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,' and TBS' 'Full Frontal with Samantha Bee' all received nominations for Outstanding Variety Talk Series.
"'Saturday Night Live,' arguably President Trump's biggest critic in late night, earned 22 Emmy nominations."
Bill Carter tells Frank: "It's seems pretty clear that to impress with comedy this season you had to have a point of view about what we used to call 'current affairs' and we now call the Trump Administration." | | Sandra Gonzalez: Hidden gems | | "The 65-page list of nominations is a lot to digest, so I did some of the leg work. From a nomination for Barb (Shannon Purser) from 'Stranger Things' to Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart's big moment, here are the hidden gems of Emmy nominations."
Bonus: Sandra talked to "Handmaid's Tale" executive producer Bruce Miller, who said he thinks the show, which received an impressive 13 nominations, is just the start of what will be more great television about women. | | NYT's John Koblin: "Year of the actress" | | Koblin writes: "This may be the year of the actress at the Emmys... Last month, when the Television Critics Association announced the nominees for its acting categories — one for drama, one for comedy, neither separated by gender — 11 of the 14 nominees were women....
"The limited series and TV movie best-actress category will be a showdown between four Oscar winners from two shows: HBO's 'Big Little Lies' (Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon) and FX's 'Feud: Bette and Joan' (Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange). The other nominees were Carrie Coon for FX's 'Fargo,' her first Emmy nomination, and Felicity Huffman for 'American Crime.'" | | THR's Scott Feinberg: What got snubbed | | Feinberg writes: "In this era of Peak TV, when nobody can possibly see everything (or even come close to doing so), Thursday's noms make it crystal-clear that the roughly 20,000 members of the TV Academy are far more susceptible to buzz from PR efforts than raves from critics.
"How else can one explain the egregious snubs of FX's 'The Americans' and Amazon's 'Transparent' in favor of two tired shows, the aforementioned 'House of Cards' and ABC's 'Modern Family,' in the drama and comedy series categories, respectively, as well as almost across-the-board neglect of the acclaimed final season of HBO's 'The Leftovers' and 'Insecure', FX's 'Legion' and Starz's 'American Gods?'" | | More from Lisa Respers France: "We will shamelessly self-promote that CNN earned four nominations including for W. Kamau Bell as host of "United Shades Of America" and CNN's travel series "Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown."
Yes, yes, we will. | | | What do you like about this newsletter? What do you dislike? Email us... we're at reliablesources@cnn.com... we appreciate every email. | | | Get Reliable Sources, a comprehensive summary of the most important media news, delivered to your inbox every afternoon. | | | | | |
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