Media & Entertainment
Media & Entertainment tech news covers everything from Big Tech to streaming services to mobile apps. We dissect startups entering App Stores, social media, the creator economy and more.
TechCrunch Minute: Is meme tech the next big startup category?
Meme Depot, which launched earlier this week, is a startup aiming to create a new category called “meme tech.” More specifically, founder Alex Taub said…
Spotify offers Car Thing refunds as it faces lawsuit over bricking the streaming device
Though Spotify never shared official numbers, it’s likely that Car Thing underperformed or was just not worth continued investment in today’s tighter economic market.
Amazon is rolling out AI voice search to Fire TV devices
Amazon is rolling out its AI voice search feature to Alexa, which lets it answer open-ended questions about content.
Alex Taub, a longtime founder with multiple exits under his belt, believes it’s time to disrupt the meme industry. “I have this big thesis that meme tech is going to…
MoviePass co-founders speak their truth in HBO’s new documentary
HBO’s new documentary, “MoviePass, MovieCrash,” tells a story that many of us know about: how MoviePass, the subscription-based movie ticketing startup, was a catastrophic failure. After a series of mishaps…
Spotify hikes subscription price in France by 1.2% to match new music-streaming tax
Spotify has hiked its premium subscription in France by an eye-watering €0.13, in response to a new music-streaming tax.
How Maven’s AI-run ‘serendipity network’ can make social media interesting again
Everything in society can feel geared toward optimization — whether that’s standardized testing or artificial intelligence algorithms. We’re taught to know what outcome you want to achieve, and find the…
Ticketmaster antitrust lawsuit could give new hope to ticketing startups
The United States Department of Justice and 30 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, for alleged monopolistic practices. Live Nation and…
Spotify’s addition of its AI DJ feature, which introduces personalized song selections to users, was the company’s first step into an AI future. Now, Spotify is developing an alternative version…
Autodesk — the 3D tools behemoth — has acquired Wonder Dynamics, a startup that lets creators quickly and easily make complex characters and visual effects using AI-powered image analysis. The…
Spotify’s ‘Listening Party’ feature falls short of expectations
It’s been three years since Spotify acquired live audio startup Betty Labs, and yet the music streaming service isn’t leveraging the technology to its fullest potential — at least not…
“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine.”
NYC-Dublin real-time video portal reopens with some fixes to prevent inappropriate behavior
When putting a video portal in a public park in the middle of New York City, some inappropriate behavior will likely occur. The Portal, the vision of Lithuanian artist and…
Hollywood agency CAA aims to help stars manage their own AI likenesses
Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of the top entertainment and sports talent agencies, is hoping to be at the forefront of AI protection services for celebrities in Hollywood. With many…
YouTube TV’s ‘multiview’ feature is now available on Android phones and tablets
YouTube TV has announced that its multiview feature for watching four streams at once is now available on Android phones and tablets. The Android launch comes two months after YouTube…
TechCrunch Minute: Here’s why the video portal between NYC and Dublin shut down
If you were planning to check out the Portal, we have some bad news: The 24-hour livestream installation connecting Dublin and New York City has…
Sony Music warns tech companies over ‘unauthorized’ use of its content to train AI
Sony Music Group has sent letters to more than 700 tech companies and music streaming services to warn them not to use its music to train AI without explicit permission.…
Netflix to take on Google and Amazon by building its own ad server
The announcement signifies a significant shake-up in the streaming giant’s advertising approach.
Back in February, Google paused its AI-powered chatbot Gemini’s ability to generate images of people after users complained of historical inaccuracies. Told to depict “a Roman legion,” for example, Gemini would show…
Google TV to launch AI-generated movie descriptions
Gemini, the company’s family of generative AI models, will enhance the smart TV operating system so it can generate descriptions for movies and TV shows.
Google Veo, a serious swing at AI-generated video, debuts at Google I/O 2024
Veo can capture different visual and cinematic styles, including shots of landscapes and timelapses, and make edits and adjustments to already-generated footage.
Veo can generate few-seconds-long 1080p video clips given a text prompt.
TechCrunch Minute: Streaming services are basically just cable now
The streaming world continues its transformation into the new cable bundle. Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery recently announced that they’ll be launching a bundle this…
AI startup Runway’s second annual AI Film Festival showcased movies that incorporated AI tech in some fashion, from backgrounds to animations.
The problem is not the media, but the message.
Reddit locks down its public data in new content policy, says use now requires a contract
The newly announced “Public Content Policy” will now join Reddit’s existing privacy policy and content policy to guide how Reddit’s data is being accessed and used by commercial entities and…
NBA champion Kyle Kuzma looks to bring his team mentality to Scrum Ventures
Kyle Kuzma is a lot of things. He’s a forward for the Washington Wizards NBA team and a 2020 NBA champion. He’s also a style icon — depending on who…
TechCrunch Minute: Audible deploys AI-narrated audiobooks. Can it replace the human touch?
AI is coming for audiobooks, and that is not an entirely bad thing. But it is a cause of concern in the realm of audio titles and the folks who…
Tubi calls on indie filmmakers and their fans to help beef up original content library
Tubi, the ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox, launched a new beta program on Tuesday called “Stubios,” inviting aspiring filmmakers to submit their original content. Notably, applicants will receive feedback…
Whether you love or hate celebrity culture, the Met Gala is an event. Those less jaded among us get to see all of the biggest stars take their boldest fashion…
