Category: Media and Entertainment

• Lawmaker defends the Google deal to fund California newsrooms, stating it represents a significant achievement despite criticisms that it falls short of expectations.
• The $242.5 million agreement includes $180 million for local media and $62.5 million for an AI accelerator, with funding split between Google and the state over five years.
• Critics, including labor leaders and journalism advocates, argue that the deal lacks sufficient support for workers and fails to adequately address the financial needs of the journalism industry.

• California tech journalism will receive substantial funding as the state announces a groundbreaking deal to allocate millions from taxpayer money and tech companies for journalism and AI research.
• The agreement involves a total of approximately $250 million over five years, with $100 million allocated in the first year to support local news organizations and establish an AI research program.
• Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the deal’s importance for sustaining newsrooms and enhancing local journalism without imposing new taxes on Californians.

• Apple’s new iPad Pro ad, titled “Crush!”, features an industrial press crushing various objects into the new tablet, sparking outrage in Hollywood and creative industries.
• Many in Hollywood, including Hugh Grant and Justine Bateman, criticized the ad as a visual representation of the tech industry’s negative impact on cultural industries.
• Actor Luke Barnett commented on the ad, suggesting a darker initial concept involving favorite characters being shot.

• Diddo secures $2.8 million in funding to expand its shoppable TV API for streaming platforms
• Founded in late 2022, Diddo offers an API for integrating shoppable videos, allowing viewers to purchase items from TV shows and movies
• Diddo’s technology uses computer vision AI to identify products on screen, offering lower-priced alternatives for users
• The funding round was led by Link Ventures and includes notable investors like Dante D’Angelo and Erica Lockheimer
• Diddo’s API differentiates itself by embedding computer vision technology within a platform’s video player, enabling seamless commerce integration without disrupting the viewing experience

Diddo’s Shoppable TV API Revolutionizes Streaming Platforms

Diddo, a groundbreaking API for streaming services, is set to transform the way consumers interact with their favorite TV shows and movies. Read more