Latest news with #Philadelphia-based
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Amazon cuts 110 jobs in reorganization of Wondery audio division
Amazon on Monday said it is cutting 110 roles from its audio division Wondery as part of a restructuring effort. The cuts reflect an industry shift toward producing more podcasts with video, a format that has become more popular with consumers who listen to their favorite hosts on platforms including YouTube and Spotify. The layoffs also mark the latest sign of contraction in the once burgeoning podcast industry. In June, Spotify laid of 5% of staff in its podcast division and Philadelphia-based Audacy shut down New York-based Pineapple Street Studios. 'As video podcasting has grown in popularity, we have learned that creator-led, video-integrated shows have different audience needs and require distinct discovery, growth and monetization strategies compared to audio-first, narrative series,' Steve Boom, vice president of audio, Twitch and games at Amazon, wrote in a memo to staff. Under the changes, Amazon will combine Wondery's narrative podcast studio with audio books and podcast division, Audible. Wondery staffers in its creator-led podcast studio will be part of a new organization called creator services with Amazon's talent services group. Amazon acquired Wondery in 2020 for an undisclosed amount. The Culver City-based company is known for producing podcast series including 'Dr. Death' 'American Scandal' and 'The Shrink Next Door.' Amazon said the restructuring will help it better support creators across different channels to monetize their content and simplify the process for advertisers, while also 'making the content more accessible to audiences wherever they prefer to consume it.' Wondery CEO Jen Sargent is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities, Amazon said. Ray Wang, principal analyst of Constellation Research, said the reorganization will help the company grow its ad business. 'This makes a lot of sense given how advertisers view both formats,' Wang said.
Technical.ly
31-07-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Burro faces VC hurdles in Philly, but the founder says that's even more of a reason to stay
This story was reported with support from Pennsylvania Gets It Done and the BusinessPA team at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Their work connecting businesses to financial resources, strategic partnerships and tailored guidance aims to build a stronger, more successful Pennsylvania economy. Robotics company founder Charlie Andersen sees no reason to leave Philly to grow his business — even if he could get more money elsewhere. Burro, Andersen's agtech robotics startup, has raised about $46 million to date, only $75,000 of that coming from Pennsylvania funders. Still, he said, the commonwealth has more to offer than just cash. Along with personal ties, Philadelphia has a strong pool of talent, convenient suppliers and a supportive robotics community, according to Andersen, CEO and founder of Burro. While raising capital from Pennsylvania investors is difficult, those other benefits have helped him grow the company to this point. 'You don't necessarily need to move to where you're raising money from,' Andersen, whose company has raised cash from global investors, said. 'You go raise money somewhere and bring it back to where you are.' Headquartered in Center City, Burro designs autonomous vehicles that help move products around on farms and other manufacturing sites, pulling carts of flowers and produce, for example. The goal is to become the next big brand for outdoor work, in line with companies like Bobcat and Deere, he said. So far, the company has 550 robots around the world. Philly's robotics scene has big players, like Ghost Robotics and Exyn Technologies, but the ecosystem isn't well enough known for its wins for investors to seriously take notice. Philly founders need to do a better job of touting the region's accomplishments, especially to the industry at large, according to Andersen. 'If you're a more gritty, Philadelphia-based company, and you've got to go earn it,' Andersen said. '[If] you've got to build the right thing with a scarce number of resources, and you've got to prove product market fit without having a ton of capital to throw at it, you're likely to build a better company.' The workforce, not the VCs, makes a city stand out For Burro, one of the biggest draws of the region the community. Burro's team totals 56 people, about 40 of whom are based in the Philly region, according to Andersen. Many team members are transplants, but once they settle in Philly, they tend to stay. Which is a good thing as the company sources talent from local universities like the University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University and Drexel University. Some of the top researchers in computer vision and artificial intelligence are at Philly universities, teaching the next generation, he said. 'The way we've made connections more recently is trying to be more of a beacon,' Andersen said. 'Where, if people want to work in Philadelphia and they're looking for a robotics company to go work for or work with, we're a great one.'
The Herald Scotland
31-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
What whistleblowers said about incoming Trump judge Emil Bove
Bove is now set to be sworn in to his new role on the Philadelphia-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which handles federal appeals for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Bove, a former personal criminal defense lawyer for Trump, overcame multiple accusations from whistleblowers that he had suggested the Trump administration defy court orders if necessary and misled Congress while serving as a top official within Trump's Justice Department. Bove will now shift from that prosecutorial role to the appeals court. Bove defended his integrity at his Senate confirmation hearing, saying he has honored his oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and has a "deep respect for the rule of law." Here's what whistleblowers said ahead of Bove's confirmation: Whistleblower accusation #1: Ignoring court orders? Shortly before the Senate Judiciary Committee considered Bove's nomination June 25, a whistleblower - former Justice Department prosecutor Erez Reuveni - alleged that Bove advocated at a March 14 meeting for the department to ignore court orders if necessary to make sure deportation flights took off. "Bove stated that DOJ would need to consider telling the courts 'f--- you' and ignore any such court order," according to Reuveni's June 24 whistleblower disclosure. At his confirmation hearing, Bove said he "did not suggest that there would be any need to consider ignoring court orders," adding that there were no court orders in place at the time of the meeting. Bove said he couldn't remember if he instructed his subordinates to say "f--- you" to courts in some manner, but that he has "certainly said things encouraging litigators at the department to fight hard for valid positions." Reuveni was fired in April, after he raised concerns to his chain of command "for nearly three weeks regarding the government's compliance with court orders and candor to the courts," according to the disclosure. While Democrats sounded the alarm, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, said June 25 that Reuveni's allegations weren't a cause for concern. "Even if we accept most of the claims as true, there's no scandal here," Grassley said. "Government lawyers aggressively litigating and interpreting court orders isn't misconduct. It's what lawyers do all the time." Another whistleblower later came forward to corroborate claims from Reuveni. The person, whose identity has remained shielded, provided internal Justice Department documents supporting Reuveni's allegations, according to Whistleblower Aid, a nonprofit that represents the whistleblower. Whistleblower accusation #2: Misleading Congress on Eric Adams case? Another whistleblower, whose identity hasn't been publicly disclosed, came forward to allege Bove misled Congress during his Senate confirmation, according to reports from the Washington Post and CNN. The testimony concerned the circumstances behind the Justice Department dropping its criminal bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Bove directed prosecutors to drop the case after Trump took office, saying the prosecution was restricting Adams' ability to focus on illegal immigration and violent crime. At his confirmation hearing, Bove denied allegations that he negotiated a "quid pro quo" - meaning an exchange of favors - with Adams' lawyers, under which the Justice Department would drop the charges. Bove also denied instructing a lawyer to stop taking notes when Adams' lawyers allegedly urged a quid-pro-quo deal, although Bove said at some point he did remark on a lawyer taking extensive notes. Several Justice Department prosecutors resigned rather than follow Bove's orders to drop the Adams case, which has nonetheless been dismissed. The Justice Department didn't immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment about whether Bove misled Congress. Gates McGavick, a department spokesperson, responded in the Washington Post's July 28 story that Bove has done "incredible work at the Department of Justice" and was going to be "an excellent judge." Justice Connection, an organization composed of Justice Department alumni concerned that their former colleagues are under attack in the Trump administration, put out a statement that was short on specifics, but said the whistleblower "has strong evidence that Emil Bove was not truthful" during his confirmation hearing. The whistleblower tried to share the information with Republican senators for weeks, according to the statement. Contributing: Erin Mansfield and Bart Jansen - USA TODAY; Reuters
USA Today
30-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
What whistleblowers said about just-confirmed Trump appeals court judge Emil Bove
Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's Senate-confirmed pick to a prestigious judicial role, overcame accusations of misconduct at the Justice Department. Here's what whistleblowers and Bove said. The U.S. Senate narrowly confirmed Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's controversial pick for a prestigious judicial role, in a 50-49 vote late July 29, dismissing multiple whistleblower complaints about Bove's conduct as a top Justice Department official. The vote unfolded almost entirely along party lines. Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, joined all of the Senate's Democrats in opposition. Bove is now set to be sworn in to his new role on the Philadelphia-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which handles federal appeals for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Bove, a former personal criminal defense lawyer for Trump, overcame multiple accusations from whistleblowers that he had suggested the Trump administration defy court orders if necessary and misled Congress while serving as a top official within Trump's Justice Department. Bove will now shift from that prosecutorial role to the appeals court. Bove defended his integrity at his Senate confirmation hearing, saying he has honored his oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and has a "deep respect for the rule of law." Here's what whistleblowers said ahead of Bove's confirmation: Whistleblower accusation #1: Ignoring court orders? Shortly before the Senate Judiciary Committee considered Bove's nomination June 25, a whistleblower – former Justice Department prosecutor Erez Reuveni – alleged that Bove advocated at a March 14 meeting for the department to ignore court orders if necessary to make sure deportation flights took off. "Bove stated that DOJ would need to consider telling the courts 'f--- you' and ignore any such court order," according to Reuveni's June 24 whistleblower disclosure. At his confirmation hearing, Bove said he "did not suggest that there would be any need to consider ignoring court orders," adding that there were no court orders in place at the time of the meeting. Bove said he couldn't remember if he instructed his subordinates to say "f--- you" to courts in some manner, but that he has "certainly said things encouraging litigators at the department to fight hard for valid positions." Reuveni was fired in April, after he raised concerns to his chain of command "for nearly three weeks regarding the government's compliance with court orders and candor to the courts," according to the disclosure. While Democrats sounded the alarm, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, said June 25 that Reuveni's allegations weren't a cause for concern. "Even if we accept most of the claims as true, there's no scandal here," Grassley said. "Government lawyers aggressively litigating and interpreting court orders isn't misconduct. It's what lawyers do all the time." Another whistleblower later came forward to corroborate claims from Reuveni. The person, whose identity has remained shielded, provided internal Justice Department documents supporting Reuveni's allegations, according to Whistleblower Aid, a nonprofit that represents the whistleblower. Whistleblower accusation #2: Misleading Congress on Eric Adams case? Another whistleblower, whose identity hasn't been publicly disclosed, came forward to allege Bove misled Congress during his Senate confirmation, according to reports from the Washington Post and CNN. The testimony concerned the circumstances behind the Justice Department dropping its criminal bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Bove directed prosecutors to drop the case after Trump took office, saying the prosecution was restricting Adams' ability to focus on illegal immigration and violent crime. At his confirmation hearing, Bove denied allegations that he negotiated a "quid pro quo" – meaning an exchange of favors – with Adams' lawyers, under which the Justice Department would drop the charges. Bove also denied instructing a lawyer to stop taking notes when Adams' lawyers allegedly urged a quid-pro-quo deal, although Bove said at some point he did remark on a lawyer taking extensive notes. Several Justice Department prosecutors resigned rather than follow Bove's orders to drop the Adams case, which has nonetheless been dismissed. The Justice Department didn't immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment about whether Bove misled Congress. Gates McGavick, a department spokesperson, responded in the Washington Post's July 28 story that Bove has done "incredible work at the Department of Justice" and was going to be "an excellent judge." Justice Connection, an organization composed of Justice Department alumni concerned that their former colleagues are under attack in the Trump administration, put out a statement that was short on specifics, but said the whistleblower "has strong evidence that Emil Bove was not truthful" during his confirmation hearing. The whistleblower tried to share the information with Republican senators for weeks, according to the statement. Contributing: Erin Mansfield and Bart Jansen – USA TODAY; Reuters
UPI
30-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Emil Bove appointed to appellate court despite whistleblowers
1 of 3 | Emil Bove, attorney for former President Donald Trump, sits in the courtroom at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Trump's trial is entering it's third week on charges he allegedly falsified business records to cover up a sex scandal during the 2016 presidential campaign. Pool photo by Jeenah Moon/UPI | License Photo July 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate on Tuesday narrowly approved Emil Bove, who served as President Donald Trump's personal defense attorney, for a lifetime judicial appointment despite facing multiple whistleblower complaints. Bove was confirmed as a judge on the Philadelphia-based Third Circuit Court of Appeals on a 50-49 vote, with Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins voting with Democrats against him. Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee was absent. The vote follows one of the most heated sets of Senate hearings on any of Trump's judicial nominees. Three whistleblowers alleged that Bove, a high-ranking Justice Department official, misled lawyers and pressed career prosecutors to ignore court orders to advance Trump's political goals. Bove has denied the allegations, calling them "partisan attacks." Sen. Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in an X post that Bove was "a terrible choice for the federal bench." "Mr. Bove's primary qualification appears to be his blind loyalty to this president," Durbin wrote. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chair of the committee, responded during a floor speech saying Democrats' attacks on Bove were unfair and he saw no evidence of misconduct. "Since the very beginning of this Congress, Democrats have engaged in a relentless obstruction campaign for nearly every one of President Trump's nominees," he said. The first whistleblower complaint was filed by Erez Reuveni, a now fired Department of Justice lawyer, who accused Bove of directing the Trump administration to disregard a court order to stop deporting migrants to a Salvadoran prison. A second complaint from an unnamed Department of Justice attorney backs up the first, claiming that Bove and other officials were "actively and deliberately undermining the rule of law." As the Senate neared its final vote on the nomination, a third whistleblower complaint accused Bove of misleading lawmakers when he denied pressing prosecutors to help broker the dismissal of the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams, reports The Washington Post. Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated Bove's confirmation in a post on X. "This is a GREAT day for out country," she said, while thanking him for "his tireless work and support" at the Justice Department. "He will be missed -- and he will be an outstanding judge," she said.
