Welcome to this week’s collection of articles, links and talking points for Media Mothership.
The show airs live on Thursday 4 June from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. The topics listed below are intended as discussion starters, and the conversation may develop in unexpected directions during the broadcast.
Feel free to join the live chat on YouTube or Twitch or sms in direct to the Edge Radio station 0488 811 707
Backrooms vs Star Wars
- A 20-year-old YouTube creator becomes a major Hollywood director.
- A creepypasta becomes a blockbuster.
- Original horror is outperforming billion-dollar IP.
- Disney’s The Mandalorian and Grogu appears to have suffered a very steep second-weekend drop. (GamesRadar+)
- Backrooms reportedly opened to over US$118 million worldwide on a roughly US$10 million budget. (People.com)
Ghibli Park photo/video ban
- The ban also prevents congestion and preserves some sense of discovery because visitors don’t see everything online beforehand. (PetaPixel)
- Have we lost the ability to experience things without documenting them?
- Is social media ruining tourism and theme parks?
- Should concerts, museums and exhibitions have phone-free zones?
- Is part of Studio Ghibli’s appeal its resistance to modern internet culture?
AI models running a simulated society
- Different AI models produced dramatically different societies.
- Claude maintained stability.
- Grok reportedly accumulated around 180 crimes and collapsed within days. (Fortune)