An Epoch Times spokesperson tells me that they've suspended their CFO, who is accused of laundering around $67 million using prepaid debit cards. Story TK Courthouse News

Pepsi will be looking for a new CMO adage.com/article/market…

sources say there's been a big shake-up inside X - Linda Yaccarino's right-hand man Joe Benarroch is leaving Joe Flint Suzanne Vranica alexander saeedy wsj.com/business/media…

This is a bigger deal than it may seem since Joe effectively led operations and PR.

A new study shows a 21% drop in demand for digital freelancers since ChatGPT was launched. The hype in AI is real but so is the risk of job displacement.

SCOOP: X has regained its brand-safety accreditation from TAG

Breaking: Russian prosecutors approved an indictment of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, falsely accusing him of espionage and referring his case to a trial court on.wsj.com/3VoOG21 on.wsj.com/3VoOG21

Shakespeare knew so much

Scoopage from me: California Forever, the group trying to build a new city with backing from tech billionaires, pushed out its top campaign strategists and hired a new firm that specializes in political landmines. IOW, it's in a tough spot. Free link🔽 wsj.com/articles/this-…

"National ad spending on X has dropped 65%... after Yaccarino, a longtime head of ad sales at NBCUniversal, joined the company midway through last year... X’s share of ad spending on social media platforms fell from 3.7% in May 2023 to 0.7% in April 2024" theinformation.com/articles/some-…

Big scoop here from Suzanne Vranica: IPG is in talks to sell R/GA to Tata of marathon fame for an estimated $300M. Omens of eras ending. wsj.com/business/media…

"it’s breathtakingly mediocre" - ex-Facebook CCO Mark D'Arcy. Debate over the all-AI Toys 'R' Us ad is a hint of things to come. This kind of work also looks to upend the agency billing model. "We are still trying to figure out how to charge for this" wsj.com/articles/all-a…

I spoke to Zoe Thomas for WSJ Podcasts Tech News Briefing about whether last week’s all-AI Toys “R” Us ad should encourage or terrify us. wsj.com/podcasts/tech-…

We did it! IAPE TNG/CWA 1096 voted in record numbers to approve a new four-year contract with Dow Jones! A record-high 81% of members voted 97% in favor of a new deal adding, on average, 16.43% to members' wages by the end of the deal! NewsGuild-CWA CWA 🧵

“If I had a bottle of champagne, I would be drinking it right now.” Ad trade groups are ready to challenge the FTC on data privacy, AI, marketing to kids and more after this month’s SCOTUS rulings. wsj.com/articles/onlin…

California Forever – the billionaire-backed "new city" in Solano County – has been delayed two years. My story: nytimes.com/2024/07/22/bus…

.Lucia Moses and I took an in-depth look at media network Group Black's challenges in achieving its founding mission of directing $500 million in ad money to Black-owned media companies and creators businessinsider.com/group-black-50…

A very poignant and exciting moment for ⁦The Wall Street Journal⁩

Scoop: The World Federation of Advertisers told members on Thursday that it's discontinuing the Global Alliance for Responsible Media initiative following an antitrust lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X against the company earlier this week businessinsider.com/ad-group-to-su…