It’s Day 2 of the Upfronts and Amazon is making its primetime debut.
The streamer is already making news with a series order for a Nic Cage-from Spider-Man noir live-action drama, a Jeopardy! spinoff and a slew of sports docs including a third season of Coach Prime.
There have also been renewals for The Boys and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
This comes after Tom Brady was in the huddle for yesterday’s Fox Upfront and NBCUniversal held their annual ad blowout at Radio City Music Hall.
Held at Pier 36, Amazon kicked off thirty minutes late with thousands of people lining up outside a construction site to get in.
(Dade Hayes/Deadline)
Alicia Keys opened the show; a few chords on the piano before promoting her Amazon Premium Beauty lifestyle brand (obviously) and kicking into No One and her Jay-Z duet Empire State of Mind (New York). “It’s going to be a beautiful day,...
The streamer is already making news with a series order for a Nic Cage-from Spider-Man noir live-action drama, a Jeopardy! spinoff and a slew of sports docs including a third season of Coach Prime.
There have also been renewals for The Boys and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
This comes after Tom Brady was in the huddle for yesterday’s Fox Upfront and NBCUniversal held their annual ad blowout at Radio City Music Hall.
Held at Pier 36, Amazon kicked off thirty minutes late with thousands of people lining up outside a construction site to get in.
(Dade Hayes/Deadline)
Alicia Keys opened the show; a few chords on the piano before promoting her Amazon Premium Beauty lifestyle brand (obviously) and kicking into No One and her Jay-Z duet Empire State of Mind (New York). “It’s going to be a beautiful day,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Five years after John Malone retired from the board of directors at Charter Communications, he is exiting his post as the company’s director emeritus, Deadline has confirmed.
The veteran exec and Liberty Media chairman, who has served on Charter’s board since 2008, cited the same Clayton Act concerns that led Steven A. Miron and Steven O. Newhouse to resign from the Warner Bros Discovery board early this month.
“I stepped away from my director emeritus role at Charter due to the uncertainty around Clayton Act inquiries,” Malone said in a statement, per Cablefax. “I remain heavily invested in Charter via Liberty Broadband — which maintains its three board seats — and am confident in Charter’s leadership team and strategy for the business.”
Related: Formula 1 Owner Liberty Media Buys MotoGP, Expanding Sports Portfolio; Deal Values Motorcycle Racing Circuit At $4.5 Billion
His move comes weeks after the Justice Department informed Miron...
The veteran exec and Liberty Media chairman, who has served on Charter’s board since 2008, cited the same Clayton Act concerns that led Steven A. Miron and Steven O. Newhouse to resign from the Warner Bros Discovery board early this month.
“I stepped away from my director emeritus role at Charter due to the uncertainty around Clayton Act inquiries,” Malone said in a statement, per Cablefax. “I remain heavily invested in Charter via Liberty Broadband — which maintains its three board seats — and am confident in Charter’s leadership team and strategy for the business.”
Related: Formula 1 Owner Liberty Media Buys MotoGP, Expanding Sports Portfolio; Deal Values Motorcycle Racing Circuit At $4.5 Billion
His move comes weeks after the Justice Department informed Miron...
- 4/19/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Comcast execs did some more crowing about Peacock’s landmark AFC Wild Card game this month and said it drove paid signups to the streaming service. They declined to specify how many new customers came aboard but said they’re focused on retaining those — and all — subscribers and scaling up the streamer, which passed $1 billion in revenue and hit 31 million subscribers last quarter.
Losses of $845 million were narrowed, and peaked in 2023, but, in any case, the company isn’t stressing about that or about content spending — a bit of different playbook from other traditional media companies who have been pushing profitability over sub growth for the past year and a half. Comcast is bigger, more diversified and has the strongest balance sheet of the group. It has a massive “connectivity” business with cable, broadband and wireless.
Related: Peacock Restructures Marketing Operation, Resulting In Layoffs
That’s driven speculation the company...
Losses of $845 million were narrowed, and peaked in 2023, but, in any case, the company isn’t stressing about that or about content spending — a bit of different playbook from other traditional media companies who have been pushing profitability over sub growth for the past year and a half. Comcast is bigger, more diversified and has the strongest balance sheet of the group. It has a massive “connectivity” business with cable, broadband and wireless.
Related: Peacock Restructures Marketing Operation, Resulting In Layoffs
That’s driven speculation the company...
- 1/25/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Paramount Pictures has quietly extended the studio’s output deal with MGM+ through 2025, sources tell Deadline. The companies’ last pact, inked in 2021, ran through December 2023, and another extension was not a given since there have been major changes at the network — known as Epix at the time of the deal — in the two years since. It got new ownership as well as a new name, MGM+, following MGM’s 2022 acquisition by Amazon.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the Pay 1 deal was extended sometime last year to go through the ’25 Paramount Pictures slate under the terms of the renegotiated 2021 agreement that allow for most of the studio’s theatrical movies to premiere first on Paramount+ before going to MGM+.
Paramount Global in 2022 announced that, starting with 2024 film releases, Paramount+ will become the streaming home for all new Paramount Pictures movies in the U.S. following their theatrical runs.
That will include the studio’s first big movie of 2024, box office hit Mean Girls. Under the deal with MGM+, Paramount has been buying out Pay 1 windows for the movies that go to Paramount+ first.
Strategies around the Pay 1 window have gotten more complex during the streaming era. Historically, Pay 1 deals between studios and premium cable networks were financial bedrocks of the film release model, oases of stability in the unpredictable feature film business. More recently, with shifts in consumer expectation and challenges to theatrical moviegoing during Covid, major media companies have been more willing to upend the old structure. NBCUniversal’s Peacock has made Universal’s slate available in the Pay 1 window, and execs have said the recent theatrical releases have been a key driver of new subscriptions.
The 2021 Epix agreement modified Paramount Pictures’ original five-year output deal signed at the time of the network’s 2017 launch as a co-venture among Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM.
Under the 2021 deal, Paramount Pictures also has been paying MGM+ to sub-license older titles and non-Paramount movies licensed by the network, including titles from MGM and Sony Pictures. Epix previously had “white label” deals for its movie titles with Amazon and Hulu. Both have expired, with the films steered by Paramount Pictures to Paramount+.
Dade Hayes contributed to this report.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the Pay 1 deal was extended sometime last year to go through the ’25 Paramount Pictures slate under the terms of the renegotiated 2021 agreement that allow for most of the studio’s theatrical movies to premiere first on Paramount+ before going to MGM+.
Paramount Global in 2022 announced that, starting with 2024 film releases, Paramount+ will become the streaming home for all new Paramount Pictures movies in the U.S. following their theatrical runs.
That will include the studio’s first big movie of 2024, box office hit Mean Girls. Under the deal with MGM+, Paramount has been buying out Pay 1 windows for the movies that go to Paramount+ first.
Strategies around the Pay 1 window have gotten more complex during the streaming era. Historically, Pay 1 deals between studios and premium cable networks were financial bedrocks of the film release model, oases of stability in the unpredictable feature film business. More recently, with shifts in consumer expectation and challenges to theatrical moviegoing during Covid, major media companies have been more willing to upend the old structure. NBCUniversal’s Peacock has made Universal’s slate available in the Pay 1 window, and execs have said the recent theatrical releases have been a key driver of new subscriptions.
The 2021 Epix agreement modified Paramount Pictures’ original five-year output deal signed at the time of the network’s 2017 launch as a co-venture among Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM.
Under the 2021 deal, Paramount Pictures also has been paying MGM+ to sub-license older titles and non-Paramount movies licensed by the network, including titles from MGM and Sony Pictures. Epix previously had “white label” deals for its movie titles with Amazon and Hulu. Both have expired, with the films steered by Paramount Pictures to Paramount+.
Dade Hayes contributed to this report.
- 1/19/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney has taken another big step toward realigning its India strategy. The company has signed a non-binding term sheet with Reliance Industries that would see the two merge their Indian operations, the completion of which would create one of India’s biggest entertainment empires. The news was first reported by The Economic Times.
Under the terms, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group would own 51% of the merged entity through a combination of shares and cash. Disney would hold the remaining 49% of shares.
The term sheet was finalized at a meeting last week in London that saw Bob Iger advisor Kevin Mayer representing Disney and Ambani advisor Manoj Modi there for Reliance. According to the Economic Times, the duo has been working for months on terms.
The merger deal is expected to be completed by February, even though Reliance is said to be hoping to wrap it up in late January.
Under the terms, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group would own 51% of the merged entity through a combination of shares and cash. Disney would hold the remaining 49% of shares.
The term sheet was finalized at a meeting last week in London that saw Bob Iger advisor Kevin Mayer representing Disney and Ambani advisor Manoj Modi there for Reliance. According to the Economic Times, the duo has been working for months on terms.
The merger deal is expected to be completed by February, even though Reliance is said to be hoping to wrap it up in late January.
- 12/26/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s most of the United States vs Mark Zuckerberg over the tactics of social media platforms towards kids.
Forty-one states on Tuesday filed lawsuits against Instagram and Facebook parent company Meta over strategies and algorithms they use to capture young people’s attention and keep them scrolling endlessly. At the same time, while pledging to make the platforms safe for minors and their mental health, the suit claims that Meta has essentially disregarded any significant guardrails such as “alternative feasible age verification” that could help with such protections.
“Research has shown that young people’s use of Meta’s Social Media Platforms is associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative outcomes,” asserts the biting joint complaint filed in federal court today by 33 states, including California and New York. “Nonetheless, Meta has continued to deny and downplay these harmful effects to the...
Forty-one states on Tuesday filed lawsuits against Instagram and Facebook parent company Meta over strategies and algorithms they use to capture young people’s attention and keep them scrolling endlessly. At the same time, while pledging to make the platforms safe for minors and their mental health, the suit claims that Meta has essentially disregarded any significant guardrails such as “alternative feasible age verification” that could help with such protections.
“Research has shown that young people’s use of Meta’s Social Media Platforms is associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative outcomes,” asserts the biting joint complaint filed in federal court today by 33 states, including California and New York. “Nonetheless, Meta has continued to deny and downplay these harmful effects to the...
- 10/24/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Ads are coming to Prime Video’s entertainment content. Commercials in movies and series will be introduced in the U.S., UK, Germany, and Canada in early 2024, followed by France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in the year.
Prime Video viewers got their first taste of ads on the platform after Amazon landed exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football in a $13.2 billion, 11-year deal that began in 2022. The live football telecasts have been airing with commercial breaks, which will now expand to non-sports content.
There are no details about how big the ad load will be, with Amazon saying that commercials will be “limited” and the goal is “to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.”
In addition to free shipping and other benefits, for their monthly fee — currently at $14.99 — Prime members have been able to watch Prime Video films and series ad-free. Those...
Prime Video viewers got their first taste of ads on the platform after Amazon landed exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football in a $13.2 billion, 11-year deal that began in 2022. The live football telecasts have been airing with commercial breaks, which will now expand to non-sports content.
There are no details about how big the ad load will be, with Amazon saying that commercials will be “limited” and the goal is “to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.”
In addition to free shipping and other benefits, for their monthly fee — currently at $14.99 — Prime members have been able to watch Prime Video films and series ad-free. Those...
- 9/22/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney has been hit again with another lawsuit from investors over the alleged sleight of hand accounting the company used to hide streaming losses.
And once again, some big names, Bobs past and present, are being spotlighted.
“Plaintiff brings this action derivatively for the benefit of Nominal Defendant Disney against certain of the Company’s current executive officers and directors aiming to rectify the Defendants’ violations of the Exchange Act and breaches of fiduciary duties for issuing false and misleading statements and/or omitting material information in the Company’s public filings and proxy statements from approximately December 10, 2020 to the present,” says Stourbridge Investments in the August 23 filing over what it calls “materially misleading statements and/or omissions” the company and top executives made over the true financial state of affairs of Disney+ (read the Disney investors lawsuit here).
Though Stourbridge says it is bringing the action on behalf of Disney,...
And once again, some big names, Bobs past and present, are being spotlighted.
“Plaintiff brings this action derivatively for the benefit of Nominal Defendant Disney against certain of the Company’s current executive officers and directors aiming to rectify the Defendants’ violations of the Exchange Act and breaches of fiduciary duties for issuing false and misleading statements and/or omitting material information in the Company’s public filings and proxy statements from approximately December 10, 2020 to the present,” says Stourbridge Investments in the August 23 filing over what it calls “materially misleading statements and/or omissions” the company and top executives made over the true financial state of affairs of Disney+ (read the Disney investors lawsuit here).
Though Stourbridge says it is bringing the action on behalf of Disney,...
- 8/29/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Editor’s note: Dade Hayes and Jonathan Bing are co-authors of Open Wide: How Hollywood Box-Office Became a National Obsession. Hayes is Deadline’s Business Editor and Bing is Chief Communications Officer at Vice Media Group.
The more things change, the more the Hollywood studios stay the same. At least that’s one of the surprising lessons of Barbenheimer, Sound of Freedom, Indiana Jones 5, Mission: Impossible 7, Fast and the Furious 10, and the other big-budget summer box office bets trying to help the movie business pull off a historic comeback.
Twenty years ago, we wrote a book, Open Wide, about a battle at the multiplex on the weekend of July 4, 2003, for the hearts, minds and dollars of the American public. In some respects, nothing has changed. The showdown that July weekend two decades ago pitted pink against black, and a sparkly self-actualized blonde heroine against a grim avatar of thermonuclear war.
The more things change, the more the Hollywood studios stay the same. At least that’s one of the surprising lessons of Barbenheimer, Sound of Freedom, Indiana Jones 5, Mission: Impossible 7, Fast and the Furious 10, and the other big-budget summer box office bets trying to help the movie business pull off a historic comeback.
Twenty years ago, we wrote a book, Open Wide, about a battle at the multiplex on the weekend of July 4, 2003, for the hearts, minds and dollars of the American public. In some respects, nothing has changed. The showdown that July weekend two decades ago pitted pink against black, and a sparkly self-actualized blonde heroine against a grim avatar of thermonuclear war.
- 8/18/2023
- by Jonathan Bing and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
There will be more options for watching Big Brother Live Feeds for the show’s upcoming season. Pluto TV, Paramount Global’s free streaming outlet, will be home to the show’s Live Feeds for Season 25, while sibling Paramount+ will mark its third year airing the Live Feed in one dedicated stream, ad-free, for all subscribers. Both will be available following the August 2 West Coast premiere of the hit series.
Pluto TV is launching a new, dedicated Big Brother category that will host five distinct Pop-Up channels, each with dedicated live-feeds. Four of the channels will be individual live-stream feeds while the fifth channel will offer a combined viewing experience from inside the Big Brother House. Limited ad-breaks will be shown throughout the feed.
The Big Brother Live Feed is available 24/7 during the season, giving viewers unlimited access to the House Guests even after the show cameras have stopped rolling.
Pluto TV is launching a new, dedicated Big Brother category that will host five distinct Pop-Up channels, each with dedicated live-feeds. Four of the channels will be individual live-stream feeds while the fifth channel will offer a combined viewing experience from inside the Big Brother House. Limited ad-breaks will be shown throughout the feed.
The Big Brother Live Feed is available 24/7 during the season, giving viewers unlimited access to the House Guests even after the show cameras have stopped rolling.
- 8/1/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated, July 31: Longtime ESPN NBA announcer Mark Jackson has joined the ranks of on-air talent laid off of late by the network. Almost exactly a month ago, Jackson’s broadcast partner (and former coach) Jeff Van Gundy was among the 20-odd boldfaced names let go by the network. See the list below. Since then, speculation has abounded about Jackson’s fate. That speculation came to an end today.
Previously, June 30: On the same day ESPN ran special extended coverage of player comings and goings during NBA Free Agency, about 20 of the network’s top on-air talent found out they would be on the move, as well.
A person familiar with the cutbacks told Deadline they are unrelated to the multi-round Disney layoffs implemented in recent months. The source indicated that many of those affected by the new cuts have contracts beyond June 30 and will be paid out accordingly,...
Previously, June 30: On the same day ESPN ran special extended coverage of player comings and goings during NBA Free Agency, about 20 of the network’s top on-air talent found out they would be on the move, as well.
A person familiar with the cutbacks told Deadline they are unrelated to the multi-round Disney layoffs implemented in recent months. The source indicated that many of those affected by the new cuts have contracts beyond June 30 and will be paid out accordingly,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Bob Iger will not be handing Disney over to a successor next year after all.
Originally back as Mouse House CEO for just two years, Iger’s contract has now been extended another two years through the end of 2026, the company announced today.
“Time and again, Bob has shown an unparalleled ability to successfully transform Disney to drive future growth and financial returns, earning him a reputation as one of the world’s best CEOs,” said Disney Board chair Mark G. Parker today of the decision to keep the past-and-present CEO on longer. “Bob has once again set Disney on the right strategic path for ongoing value creation, and to ensure the successful completion of this transformation while also allowing ample time to position a new CEO for long-term success, the board determined it is in the best interest of shareholders to extend his tenure.”
Having departed Disney at the...
Originally back as Mouse House CEO for just two years, Iger’s contract has now been extended another two years through the end of 2026, the company announced today.
“Time and again, Bob has shown an unparalleled ability to successfully transform Disney to drive future growth and financial returns, earning him a reputation as one of the world’s best CEOs,” said Disney Board chair Mark G. Parker today of the decision to keep the past-and-present CEO on longer. “Bob has once again set Disney on the right strategic path for ongoing value creation, and to ensure the successful completion of this transformation while also allowing ample time to position a new CEO for long-term success, the board determined it is in the best interest of shareholders to extend his tenure.”
Having departed Disney at the...
- 7/12/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
The Senate subcommittee investigating the recent merger of rivals the PGA Tour and Liv Golf League has set its first hearing for next week, inviting two PGA Tour execs to testify.
PGA Tour COO Ron Price and board member Jimmy Dunne will testify before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on July 11.
PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan has been on medical leave and was not on the two-person witness list released Monday.
The panel will probe the merger deal, reached June 6, citing its impact on the future of the sport as well its implications for Saudi Arabia’s influence in the U.S. Liv, which had lured several of the PGA Tour’s top players to its side as part of the bitter feud with the PGA, is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
Before the surprise merger, major tournament winners including Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and...
PGA Tour COO Ron Price and board member Jimmy Dunne will testify before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on July 11.
PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan has been on medical leave and was not on the two-person witness list released Monday.
The panel will probe the merger deal, reached June 6, citing its impact on the future of the sport as well its implications for Saudi Arabia’s influence in the U.S. Liv, which had lured several of the PGA Tour’s top players to its side as part of the bitter feud with the PGA, is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
Before the surprise merger, major tournament winners including Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and...
- 7/3/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
A new carriage dispute has been initiated between Nexstar Media Group and DirecTV, forcing more than 150 local TV stations to go dark on one of the country’s largest pay-tv providers.
The companies failed to come to terms with a new agreement, and subscribers are now deprived of local stations including CW affiliates in New York City (Wpix) and Los Angeles (Ktla). The disruption affects DirecTV, Uverse and DirecTV Stream subscribers. While DirecTV was spun off by AT&T into a privately held entity that doesn’t regularly report subscriber numbers, it reportedly came into 2023 with about 13 million subscribers, making it one of the largest pay-tv operators. About 10 million customers are affected by the blackout. Cord-cutting has whittled away at the subscriber base of DirecTV and other distributors in recent years.
Nexstar is the largest U.S. owner of local TV stations and also owns cable network NewsNation and a controlling...
The companies failed to come to terms with a new agreement, and subscribers are now deprived of local stations including CW affiliates in New York City (Wpix) and Los Angeles (Ktla). The disruption affects DirecTV, Uverse and DirecTV Stream subscribers. While DirecTV was spun off by AT&T into a privately held entity that doesn’t regularly report subscriber numbers, it reportedly came into 2023 with about 13 million subscribers, making it one of the largest pay-tv operators. About 10 million customers are affected by the blackout. Cord-cutting has whittled away at the subscriber base of DirecTV and other distributors in recent years.
Nexstar is the largest U.S. owner of local TV stations and also owns cable network NewsNation and a controlling...
- 7/3/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav thinks consolidation is in the cards for streaming platforms, but not necessarily through traditional M&a. “There should be a consolidation, but it is more likely to happen in the repackaging and marketing of products together. That’s what I think makes sense. We have to, as industry, reach that point,” he said during a Q&a at a media conference today.
Mergers carry regulatory risks and can take years to close. In a fast-changing industry, “Who knows what the world looks like?”
His comments at the MoffettNathanson event come as Wbd prepares to launch Max next week, a combo of HBO Max – that name will disappear — and Discovery+ content. Disney last week announced plans to combine Disney+ and Hulu in one app. Executives fighting to attract new subscribers and reduce churn all agree that bundling really helps. Yet overall the streaming environment remains fragmented for viewers.
Mergers carry regulatory risks and can take years to close. In a fast-changing industry, “Who knows what the world looks like?”
His comments at the MoffettNathanson event come as Wbd prepares to launch Max next week, a combo of HBO Max – that name will disappear — and Discovery+ content. Disney last week announced plans to combine Disney+ and Hulu in one app. Executives fighting to attract new subscribers and reduce churn all agree that bundling really helps. Yet overall the streaming environment remains fragmented for viewers.
- 5/18/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Editor’s Note: This article previously stated that Disney CEO Bob Iger was at the company’s Upfronts today in NYC, based on accounts from eyewitnesses outside the venue. The exec was not in New York Tuesday, and references to him have been removed from this story. We regret the error.
It was a tale of two coasts today, as WGA picketers and their allies targeted Disney’s upfront presentation in New York and also the company’s Burbank lot in Los Angeles. And the two scenes were very different.
This morning at the Disney upfront, pickets were being kept a solid two blocks away from the venue on 10th Ave. Here’s the view looking south from the main entrance:
Outside the Disney upfront with picketers held back below the LED screen in the distance. (Dade Hayes/Deadline)
By Tuesday afternoon, upfront guests in power suits and skirts shared...
It was a tale of two coasts today, as WGA picketers and their allies targeted Disney’s upfront presentation in New York and also the company’s Burbank lot in Los Angeles. And the two scenes were very different.
This morning at the Disney upfront, pickets were being kept a solid two blocks away from the venue on 10th Ave. Here’s the view looking south from the main entrance:
Outside the Disney upfront with picketers held back below the LED screen in the distance. (Dade Hayes/Deadline)
By Tuesday afternoon, upfront guests in power suits and skirts shared...
- 5/17/2023
- by Sean Piccoli, Dade Hayes and Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Twitter has removed labels denoting “Government-Funded Media” for news outlets NPR, PBS, the BBC and others after criticisms from the organizations that the label is not and accurate representations of their editorial independence.
NPR and PBS both ceased posting after the labels appeared last week. Neither have resumed as of Saturday morning after the denotation was removed late Thursday.
Also removed were “State-Funded” labels on international news outlets like Rt in Russia and Xinhua in China.
Twitter owner Elon Musk, who has presided over several platform-shifting changes since acquiring the company for $44 billion, said in an interview with the BBC that the labels were an attempt at transparency, and to be “accurate.”
NPR on April 12 halted posting on its 52 official Twitter feeds after the label appeared. PBS followed suit soon after.
NPR reported that Musk told NPR reporter Bobby Allyn via email Friday morning that removing the labels “was Walter Isaacson’s suggestion.
NPR and PBS both ceased posting after the labels appeared last week. Neither have resumed as of Saturday morning after the denotation was removed late Thursday.
Also removed were “State-Funded” labels on international news outlets like Rt in Russia and Xinhua in China.
Twitter owner Elon Musk, who has presided over several platform-shifting changes since acquiring the company for $44 billion, said in an interview with the BBC that the labels were an attempt at transparency, and to be “accurate.”
NPR on April 12 halted posting on its 52 official Twitter feeds after the label appeared. PBS followed suit soon after.
NPR reported that Musk told NPR reporter Bobby Allyn via email Friday morning that removing the labels “was Walter Isaacson’s suggestion.
- 4/22/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
eOne: Lionsgate & Legendary Remain Among 4 Potential Buyers As Hasbro Company Sale Nears Finish Line
Here is the latest I hear on eOne. Lionsgate and Legendary are still in contention to acquire a majority stake in the indie film and TV studio, which has been put up for sale. I hear there are two other suitors, private equity firm Cvc Capital Partners and distributor GoDigital Media Group. Deadline reported a month ago that Fremantle also was among the bidders. According to sources, the indie no longer is pursuing eOne as the target price has climbed up beyond what it was willing to pay for the assets.
I hear the final bids are due by end of the month. Reps for Hasbro, Lionsgate, Legendary, Cvc Capital and GoDigital had no comment or didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The assets that have been put up for sale by the toymaker include all scripted and unscripted TV production (except for the Family Brands division housing such...
I hear the final bids are due by end of the month. Reps for Hasbro, Lionsgate, Legendary, Cvc Capital and GoDigital had no comment or didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The assets that have been put up for sale by the toymaker include all scripted and unscripted TV production (except for the Family Brands division housing such...
- 4/17/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Meta Platforms, the corporate parent of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, will cut another 10,000 jobs and undergo a hiring freeze in what CEO Mark Zuckerberg is calling the “Year of Efficiency” for the tech giant.
Along with the layoffs, Meta will also close 5,000 open roles. In a blog post, Zuckerberg said the measures are being taken to “improve organizational efficiency, dramatically increase developer productivity and tooling, optimize distributed work, garbage collect unnecessary processes, and more.”
Late last year, Meta announced it was axing 11,000 staff – about 13% of the entire workforce at that point – and the new round of cuts take that to 21,000, or 26,000 if the hiring freeze is counted. In an SEC filing in January, the company said it had 86,482 employees as of the end of 2022, a tally that was up 20% over the end of 2021 but a number that also included most of the 11,000 workers targeted for layoffs. Meta said it would...
Along with the layoffs, Meta will also close 5,000 open roles. In a blog post, Zuckerberg said the measures are being taken to “improve organizational efficiency, dramatically increase developer productivity and tooling, optimize distributed work, garbage collect unnecessary processes, and more.”
Late last year, Meta announced it was axing 11,000 staff – about 13% of the entire workforce at that point – and the new round of cuts take that to 21,000, or 26,000 if the hiring freeze is counted. In an SEC filing in January, the company said it had 86,482 employees as of the end of 2022, a tally that was up 20% over the end of 2021 but a number that also included most of the 11,000 workers targeted for layoffs. Meta said it would...
- 3/14/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Showtime has been going through downsizing and recalibration since the November ouster of longtime CEO David Nevins and the premium network’s inclusion in Paramount Media Networks President Chris McCarthy’s portfolio. There have been layoffs, series cancellations and an executive restructuring as McCarthy articulated the plans for the network, which will soon be rebranded as Paramount+ with Showtime. They include multiple TV universes built around some of Showtime’s biggest series, including multiple Dexter and Billions offshoots.
During the Morgan Stanley conference Wednesday, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish addressed the strategy and indicated that other Showtime series could be revisited too.
“We’re leaning into our Showtime franchises,” he said. “You could think of the slate as smaller, which will be less expensive, but also really giving the people what they want, which is more Showtime, maybe more Dexter, maybe more Ray Donovan, and really leaning into that.”
Showtime already revived Ray Donovan once,...
During the Morgan Stanley conference Wednesday, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish addressed the strategy and indicated that other Showtime series could be revisited too.
“We’re leaning into our Showtime franchises,” he said. “You could think of the slate as smaller, which will be less expensive, but also really giving the people what they want, which is more Showtime, maybe more Dexter, maybe more Ray Donovan, and really leaning into that.”
Showtime already revived Ray Donovan once,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Tom Brady told Fox Sports Colin Cowherd on the air this this morning that he will begin his job as broadcaster at Fox during the 2024 NFL season. He spoke about the importance of processing all he’s been through as a reason for taking a gap year.
“Decompression’s important,” the 7-time Super Bowl Champion said. “You’re on this crazy treadmill/hamster wheel loving it at the same time. It’s a daily fight…For me, I want to be great at what I do.
“Talking last week to the people at Fox Sports and the leadership there, [they’re going to allow me] to start my Fox opportunity in the fall of 2024.”
Brady emphasized that he wants to “take some time to really learn, to become great at what I do [and] thinking about the opportunity and make sure I don’t rush into anything. I never wanted to let anybody down and I think...
“Decompression’s important,” the 7-time Super Bowl Champion said. “You’re on this crazy treadmill/hamster wheel loving it at the same time. It’s a daily fight…For me, I want to be great at what I do.
“Talking last week to the people at Fox Sports and the leadership there, [they’re going to allow me] to start my Fox opportunity in the fall of 2024.”
Brady emphasized that he wants to “take some time to really learn, to become great at what I do [and] thinking about the opportunity and make sure I don’t rush into anything. I never wanted to let anybody down and I think...
- 2/6/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
DirecTV said that it was adding the conservative channel The First to its lineup, after it dropped Newsmax from its lineup in a dispute that stirred the ire of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
The First, which features personalities including Bill O’Reilly and Dana Loesch, will be available on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-verse at no extra fees for subscribers. Up to now, it has been available only through streaming distribution, including on Fast networks.
Related Story Conservative TV Outlet Newsmax Goes Dark On DirecTV; Republican Lawmakers Call The Outage “An Assault On Free Speech” Related Story DirecTV Sets Layoffs Of Hundreds Of Workers, Citing "Secular Decline" Of Pay-tv Related Story California Congresswoman Katie Porter Announces Run For U.S. Senate In 2024
The announcement comes as Newsmax went dark on DirecTV. The satellite service owned by AT&T and private equity firm Tpg blamed the removal on Newsmax’s insistence on...
The First, which features personalities including Bill O’Reilly and Dana Loesch, will be available on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-verse at no extra fees for subscribers. Up to now, it has been available only through streaming distribution, including on Fast networks.
Related Story Conservative TV Outlet Newsmax Goes Dark On DirecTV; Republican Lawmakers Call The Outage “An Assault On Free Speech” Related Story DirecTV Sets Layoffs Of Hundreds Of Workers, Citing "Secular Decline" Of Pay-tv Related Story California Congresswoman Katie Porter Announces Run For U.S. Senate In 2024
The announcement comes as Newsmax went dark on DirecTV. The satellite service owned by AT&T and private equity firm Tpg blamed the removal on Newsmax’s insistence on...
- 1/26/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
It was the end of an era yesterday at Walt Disney World as the Florida theme park shut down its popular Splash Mountain attraction to star work on its replacement, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The Orlando-area revamp will open in late 2024, though an official date has not been set.
At Walt Disney World yesterday, throngs of fans gathered before Splash Mountain was even open to get one last ride. When the velvet rope dropped , a wave of people moved toward the familiar clay-colored hillock.
The final rope drop to Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom pic.twitter.com/NnMJMK9rFP
— Wdw News Today (@Wdwnt) January 22, 2023
In fact, Splash Mountain saw a record wait time of 220 minutes yesterday, according to Thrill Data. That’s just above the previous record of 210 minutes in 2020, according to the site.
They were still there 12 hours later. As the ride began to close, a crowd encircled...
At Walt Disney World yesterday, throngs of fans gathered before Splash Mountain was even open to get one last ride. When the velvet rope dropped , a wave of people moved toward the familiar clay-colored hillock.
The final rope drop to Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom pic.twitter.com/NnMJMK9rFP
— Wdw News Today (@Wdwnt) January 22, 2023
In fact, Splash Mountain saw a record wait time of 220 minutes yesterday, according to Thrill Data. That’s just above the previous record of 210 minutes in 2020, according to the site.
They were still there 12 hours later. As the ride began to close, a crowd encircled...
- 1/24/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Will Gonzalez has been promoted to EVP & Chief Data Officer at NBCUniversal, where his role will expand to now oversee the research and decision sciences teams across television and streaming.
The move comes during a period of streamlining for the Comcast-owned media giant, which is looking for significant cost savings as linear viewing continues to shift to streaming.
In a memo sent to staff Wednesday, NBCUniversal television and streaming chairman Mark Lazarus explained that the company will be merging research teams — which include applied analytics, data engineering, and data science — across Peacock as well as the entertainment networks, NBC Sports, and Telemundo.
“With so much content being shared and windowed across our networks and Peacock, this integrated team will allow us to better understand our audiences across platforms, more easily leverage resources that exist within the portfolio, and ultimately support the highest level of decision-making across all parts of our business,...
The move comes during a period of streamlining for the Comcast-owned media giant, which is looking for significant cost savings as linear viewing continues to shift to streaming.
In a memo sent to staff Wednesday, NBCUniversal television and streaming chairman Mark Lazarus explained that the company will be merging research teams — which include applied analytics, data engineering, and data science — across Peacock as well as the entertainment networks, NBC Sports, and Telemundo.
“With so much content being shared and windowed across our networks and Peacock, this integrated team will allow us to better understand our audiences across platforms, more easily leverage resources that exist within the portfolio, and ultimately support the highest level of decision-making across all parts of our business,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
Two months after the NFL’s first game on Amazon Prime kicked off, the league is said to be in advanced talks with YouTube for rights to its coveted Sunday Ticket package which allows fans to watch nearly all the games that air on Sunday. The Wall Street Journal reported the deal could be finalized as soon as tomorrow, after a meeting of NFL owners, who vote on such agreements.
Amazon paid a reported 1 billion for Thursday night games earlier this year. DirecTV currently pays 1.5 billion annually for the rights to Sunday Ticket, according to WSJ. Any new deal would certainly be higher given the league’s ongoing popularity.
While the Amazon deal was made for the rights to the league’s lesser Thursday night matchups, the looming pact would be for what’s arguably the league’s most important day. It’s certainly the day when there are the most games on offer.
Amazon paid a reported 1 billion for Thursday night games earlier this year. DirecTV currently pays 1.5 billion annually for the rights to Sunday Ticket, according to WSJ. Any new deal would certainly be higher given the league’s ongoing popularity.
While the Amazon deal was made for the rights to the league’s lesser Thursday night matchups, the looming pact would be for what’s arguably the league’s most important day. It’s certainly the day when there are the most games on offer.
- 12/21/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount+ announced today that Top Gun: Maverick, the top grossing film of 2022, will be available to stream globally on the service beginning Thursday, Dec. 22 in the U.S. as well as in Canada, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and previously announced markets – the UK and Latin America. It will be available in South Korea and France in 2023.
Produced by Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, the film stars Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis with Ed Harris and Val Kilmer.
Top Gun: Maverick has crossed the 1.4B mark worldwide, becoming one of the top-grossing films of all time. The streaming date puts the blockbuster in homes just in time for the holidays.
Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish has said the film would arrive on Paramount+ before the end of the year.
Produced by Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, the film stars Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis with Ed Harris and Val Kilmer.
Top Gun: Maverick has crossed the 1.4B mark worldwide, becoming one of the top-grossing films of all time. The streaming date puts the blockbuster in homes just in time for the holidays.
Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish has said the film would arrive on Paramount+ before the end of the year.
- 11/22/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Stephen Fry has become the latest celebrity to quit Twitter, following Elon Musk’s disruptive arrival at the helm of the platform as its new owner, and reportedly joined the rising alternative social network Mastodon.
The UK actor, broadcaster, comedian, and writer signalled his departure on Tuesday evening (November 8) by posting a photo of Scrabble letters, spelling out “Goodbye”. He had 12.5m followers and was following 47,600 people himself.
Fry joins a raft of celebrities who have quit the platform since Musk officially took control on October 28, including Whoopi Goldberg, who announced her departure on her show this week and called Musk’s tenure a mess.
Controversial moves by the maverick business tycoon include mass firings, the introduction of an 8 blue tick fee, and banning comedian Kathy Griffin for using his name in a parody account.
Fry was one of the first celebrities to join Twitter in its early days of...
The UK actor, broadcaster, comedian, and writer signalled his departure on Tuesday evening (November 8) by posting a photo of Scrabble letters, spelling out “Goodbye”. He had 12.5m followers and was following 47,600 people himself.
Fry joins a raft of celebrities who have quit the platform since Musk officially took control on October 28, including Whoopi Goldberg, who announced her departure on her show this week and called Musk’s tenure a mess.
Controversial moves by the maverick business tycoon include mass firings, the introduction of an 8 blue tick fee, and banning comedian Kathy Griffin for using his name in a parody account.
Fry was one of the first celebrities to join Twitter in its early days of...
- 11/9/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated with SEC filing about board of directors. Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, has gotten rid of the entire board of directors for the company, designating himself as “sole director.”
The action was not unexpected, as Musk immediately ejected several top-level execs on Thursday after closing his 44 billion acquisition of the struggling social media concern. A changing of the guard is not a major surprise any time a company changes hands, but the turnover comes amid the latest round of questions about content moderation. Musk is also determined to roll out subscription-oriented offerings, including potentially a 20-a-month fee for Twitter Blue, in order to lessen dependence on advertising.
Over the weekend, Musk tweeted a conspiracy theory about the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He indicated in a tweet last Friday that an independent board will be...
The action was not unexpected, as Musk immediately ejected several top-level execs on Thursday after closing his 44 billion acquisition of the struggling social media concern. A changing of the guard is not a major surprise any time a company changes hands, but the turnover comes amid the latest round of questions about content moderation. Musk is also determined to roll out subscription-oriented offerings, including potentially a 20-a-month fee for Twitter Blue, in order to lessen dependence on advertising.
Over the weekend, Musk tweeted a conspiracy theory about the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He indicated in a tweet last Friday that an independent board will be...
- 10/31/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Good afternoon Insiders, Max Goldbart here following another busy week in our world. Read on for our dissection of the biggest headlines.
AFM Incoming
Market in flux: Andreas Wiseman and Zac Ntim here as The American Film Market (Nov 1-6) returns to Santa Monica as an in-person event next week after being forced online for two years due to the Covid pandemic. AFM has always been heavy on genre and brawn and is now as much about broader LA meetings as it is about concentrated deal-making, which happens throughout the year. There is a real sense of a market and an independent finance sector in flux as buyers and sellers recompute their businesses. Movies are being made and there is positivity about new ways of getting them made, and about most businesses diversifying their portfolios, but questions over the role and viability of a market like AFM remain. So far,...
AFM Incoming
Market in flux: Andreas Wiseman and Zac Ntim here as The American Film Market (Nov 1-6) returns to Santa Monica as an in-person event next week after being forced online for two years due to the Covid pandemic. AFM has always been heavy on genre and brawn and is now as much about broader LA meetings as it is about concentrated deal-making, which happens throughout the year. There is a real sense of a market and an independent finance sector in flux as buyers and sellers recompute their businesses. Movies are being made and there is positivity about new ways of getting them made, and about most businesses diversifying their portfolios, but questions over the role and viability of a market like AFM remain. So far,...
- 10/28/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s Friday, you’re starting to think of the weekend, so it must be Insider time. Join me once again as the Deadline International team cast a critical eye over the big news stories this week. Read on.
NATPE And Edinburgh In Turmoil
Nasty news from NATPE: This month was supposed to be all about people getting back together at industry events. Certainly, in the international TV industry, everyone we speak to is – genuinely, for once – excited about returning to Mipcom later this month. However, October has started horribly for fans of travelling to entertainment industry confabs: On Monday, NATPE filed for bankruptcy instead collecting its things from Miami and moving them to the Bahamas as planned, and then it emerged the Edinburgh International Film Festival has gone the same way. Napte, which has been hosting execs, producers, syndicators and distributors for decades,...
NATPE And Edinburgh In Turmoil
Nasty news from NATPE: This month was supposed to be all about people getting back together at industry events. Certainly, in the international TV industry, everyone we speak to is – genuinely, for once – excited about returning to Mipcom later this month. However, October has started horribly for fans of travelling to entertainment industry confabs: On Monday, NATPE filed for bankruptcy instead collecting its things from Miami and moving them to the Bahamas as planned, and then it emerged the Edinburgh International Film Festival has gone the same way. Napte, which has been hosting execs, producers, syndicators and distributors for decades,...
- 10/7/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
A report today from financial services giant Bloomberg claims Netflix has arrived at a price point for its new advertising-supported tier, offering it at roughly half what its current and most popular no-commercials plan charges.
The report claims Netflix is aiming at a 7 to 9 rate, a substantial discount from its current 15.49 monthly plan. The new tier would be the first Netflix programming to have advertising.
The reported Netflix range is similar to Disney’s 8-a-month rate for its ad-supported tier launching in December. Prior to its dramatic decision to embrace advertising after resisting the idea for years, Netflix had raised its subscription prices and found itself at the top end of the price spectrum with its most popular plan, now 15.49 a month.
Netflix reportedly will have four minutes of commercials per hour before and during some programs, but not after.
The ad-option will debut in the final three months of...
The report claims Netflix is aiming at a 7 to 9 rate, a substantial discount from its current 15.49 monthly plan. The new tier would be the first Netflix programming to have advertising.
The reported Netflix range is similar to Disney’s 8-a-month rate for its ad-supported tier launching in December. Prior to its dramatic decision to embrace advertising after resisting the idea for years, Netflix had raised its subscription prices and found itself at the top end of the price spectrum with its most popular plan, now 15.49 a month.
Netflix reportedly will have four minutes of commercials per hour before and during some programs, but not after.
The ad-option will debut in the final three months of...
- 8/27/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The board of Madison Square Garden Entertainment said today that it is considering a spinoff of its live entertainment business that would include Msg Network and NYC’s Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre, among other assets.
A deal would separate the live entertainment and Msg Networks businesses from Msg Sphere and Tao Group Hospitality to create two public companies, Msg said. No timetable for a potential transaction was set.
Shares in Madison Square Garden Entertainment jumped 6 in after-hours trading on the news.
The Dolan family, which controls Msg, previously oversaw a split of its entertainment and sports assets in 2020, and Msg Sports and Msg Entertainment have traded separately since. Cable TV was the family’s longtime focus until it sold Cablevision for 17.7 billion to French conglomerate Altice in 2016.
Msg in 2020 also closed a 400 million deal for Los Angeles Clippers owner and ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer...
A deal would separate the live entertainment and Msg Networks businesses from Msg Sphere and Tao Group Hospitality to create two public companies, Msg said. No timetable for a potential transaction was set.
Shares in Madison Square Garden Entertainment jumped 6 in after-hours trading on the news.
The Dolan family, which controls Msg, previously oversaw a split of its entertainment and sports assets in 2020, and Msg Sports and Msg Entertainment have traded separately since. Cable TV was the family’s longtime focus until it sold Cablevision for 17.7 billion to French conglomerate Altice in 2016.
Msg in 2020 also closed a 400 million deal for Los Angeles Clippers owner and ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer...
- 8/18/2022
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix revealed today that’s it’s teaming up with Microsoft to launch its new advertising-supported subscription plan.
“In April we announced that we will introduce a new lower priced ad-supported subscription plan for consumers, in addition to our existing ads-free basic, standard, and premium plans. Today we are pleased to announce that we have selected Microsoft as our global advertising technology and sales partner,” said COO and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters.
Netflix’ depressed stock got a bump on the news, rising 2 to about 180.
The ad-supported service had a tortured start in a sideways announcement by co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos on last quarter’s earnings call. The streaming king blindsided Wall Street by losing subscribers in Q1 and anticipates even bigger losses in the second quarter ending June, which has slashed more than two-thirds of the company’s value. The about-face by the service, which had always...
“In April we announced that we will introduce a new lower priced ad-supported subscription plan for consumers, in addition to our existing ads-free basic, standard, and premium plans. Today we are pleased to announce that we have selected Microsoft as our global advertising technology and sales partner,” said COO and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters.
Netflix’ depressed stock got a bump on the news, rising 2 to about 180.
The ad-supported service had a tortured start in a sideways announcement by co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos on last quarter’s earnings call. The streaming king blindsided Wall Street by losing subscribers in Q1 and anticipates even bigger losses in the second quarter ending June, which has slashed more than two-thirds of the company’s value. The about-face by the service, which had always...
- 7/13/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Dismal monthly inflation data hit stocks Friday with tech, internet and media taking a beating and Goldman Sachs slapping rare ‘sell’ rating on Netflix and a few others.
The bank downgraded the streamer from ‘neutral’ on economic and competitive jitters and cut its price target to 186 from 265 – the lowest on the Street.
“We have concerns around the impact of a consumer recession as well as heightened levels of competition on demand trends, both in the form of gross adds and churn, margin expansion and levels of content spend,” said Goldman analyst Eric Sheridan in a note to clients.
Netflix shares closed down 5.1 at 182.94. That’s a long way down from its 52-week high of over 700. Year to date, it’s lost almost 70 after missing on its subscriber numbers and outlook last quarter.
Analysts and economists worry about slower consumer spending as inflation tightens its grip and prices surge from gas to food to housing.
The bank downgraded the streamer from ‘neutral’ on economic and competitive jitters and cut its price target to 186 from 265 – the lowest on the Street.
“We have concerns around the impact of a consumer recession as well as heightened levels of competition on demand trends, both in the form of gross adds and churn, margin expansion and levels of content spend,” said Goldman analyst Eric Sheridan in a note to clients.
Netflix shares closed down 5.1 at 182.94. That’s a long way down from its 52-week high of over 700. Year to date, it’s lost almost 70 after missing on its subscriber numbers and outlook last quarter.
Analysts and economists worry about slower consumer spending as inflation tightens its grip and prices surge from gas to food to housing.
- 6/10/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Like the time-traveler hero in NBC’s new drama Quantum Leap, we were transported to two different times with the two presentations on the first day of the upfronts.
NBC took us back to pre-Covid 2019, pulling out all the stops with an elaborate production at Radio City Music Hall, including an energetic, elaborately choreographed number promoting Bravocon that featured dozens of performers and Bravo stars to rival a top Broadway show. There were a ton of presenters, with Kelly Clarkson performing to open the show and Miley Cyrus singing a medley to close it out.
Several hours later, Fox served a throwback to the virtual upfront events of 2020 and 2021 with a pre-taped presentation that included CEO Charlie Collier going on a tour of the Fox lot. Moving from Fox’s longtime upfront home, the 2,300-seat Beacon Theater, to Skylight on Vesey — the former site of the New York Mercantile Exchange,...
NBC took us back to pre-Covid 2019, pulling out all the stops with an elaborate production at Radio City Music Hall, including an energetic, elaborately choreographed number promoting Bravocon that featured dozens of performers and Bravo stars to rival a top Broadway show. There were a ton of presenters, with Kelly Clarkson performing to open the show and Miley Cyrus singing a medley to close it out.
Several hours later, Fox served a throwback to the virtual upfront events of 2020 and 2021 with a pre-taped presentation that included CEO Charlie Collier going on a tour of the Fox lot. Moving from Fox’s longtime upfront home, the 2,300-seat Beacon Theater, to Skylight on Vesey — the former site of the New York Mercantile Exchange,...
- 5/17/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Roku and Apollo Global Management have teamed up to bid for a minority stake in Starz, Deadline has confirmed.
A person familiar with the situation said a first round of bids was several weeks ago and interested parties were just starting to get access to Starz data. Others are in the mix as well, with interested parties said to include DirecTV, and the process is going rather slowly.
Lionsgate announced last fall it was exploring strategic options for the cable network and streamer, effectively putting it on the block. The company run by Jon Feltheimer acquired Starz for 4.4 billion in 2016. But the combined company now has a market cap of just over 3 billion. Selling all or a part of the asset could unlock value.
That’s been especially true given the big multiples paid for content, including Amazon’s 8.45 billion acquisition of MGM.
Roku launched its first original programming slate...
A person familiar with the situation said a first round of bids was several weeks ago and interested parties were just starting to get access to Starz data. Others are in the mix as well, with interested parties said to include DirecTV, and the process is going rather slowly.
Lionsgate announced last fall it was exploring strategic options for the cable network and streamer, effectively putting it on the block. The company run by Jon Feltheimer acquired Starz for 4.4 billion in 2016. But the combined company now has a market cap of just over 3 billion. Selling all or a part of the asset could unlock value.
That’s been especially true given the big multiples paid for content, including Amazon’s 8.45 billion acquisition of MGM.
Roku launched its first original programming slate...
- 5/3/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Taylor Swift, Common, Seth Meyers and cast and crew including Al Pacino and Robert De Niro reuniting to talk about Michael Mann’s Heat are a few of the headliners confirmed for the Tribeca Festival’s Talks and Reunions lineup.
The festival will run from June 8-19 — a later slot than its longtime April-May home and a holdover from last year’s edition, a Covid comeback held largely at outdoor venues.
Swift made a splash as a filmmaker in 2021, directing, writing, producing and starring in the short film All Too Well, which went with an expanded new version of the song of the same title from her album Red. The 2012 album was re-recorded and released last fall.
Along with Swift, this year’s Tribeca Talks: Storytellers lineup includes Grammy winner Pharrell Williams; NBC Late Night host Seth Meyers in conversation with Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant; Tony winner Cynthia Erivo...
The festival will run from June 8-19 — a later slot than its longtime April-May home and a holdover from last year’s edition, a Covid comeback held largely at outdoor venues.
Swift made a splash as a filmmaker in 2021, directing, writing, producing and starring in the short film All Too Well, which went with an expanded new version of the song of the same title from her album Red. The 2012 album was re-recorded and released last fall.
Along with Swift, this year’s Tribeca Talks: Storytellers lineup includes Grammy winner Pharrell Williams; NBC Late Night host Seth Meyers in conversation with Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant; Tony winner Cynthia Erivo...
- 5/2/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
How the Theatrical Hope of ‘In the Heights’ Burned Bright and Died in Hours (Exclusive Book Excerpt)
Warner Bros.’ “In the Heights,” a big-screen adaptation of “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Tony-winning musical, was supposed to herald a return to movie theaters after a year of Covid shutdown. Instead, it became one of the first box office casualties of the pandemic and streaming eras. In their new book from publisher William Morrow, “Binge Times: Inside Hollywood’s Furious Billion-Dollar Battle to Take Down Netflix,” entertainment reporters Dade Hayes and Dawn Chmielewski explore that misfire and how it resulted from the rush into streaming by several media and tech companies determined to catch up with Netflix. Amid the frenzy, as well as the coronavirus pandemic, the box office devolved into something far from the well-oiled machine that cranked out 11.4 billion in domestic grosses in 2019. WarnerMedia’s highly controversial “Project Popcorn” experiment, which put Warner Bros’ entire 2021 theatrical slate on HBO Max at the same time it hit cinemas,...
- 4/26/2022
- by Jethro Nededog
- The Wrap
Streaming today is a free-for-all, with major companies jockeying for position as they try to catch up with Netflix. In the early days of the online video revolution, though, one pioneer was not a solo act but instead a collective: Hulu. In their new book, Binge Times, which will be published Tuesday, Deadline business editor Dade Hayes and Reuters correspondent Dawn Chmielewski explore the current race but they also trace the origins and path of Hulu. The joint venture has many ties to today’s landscape and offers many lessons 15 years after its launch. As the existential threat of YouTube loomed, this was one case when rivals at the box office and in the Nielsen ratings tried to work together to defend their turf against Big Tech. Here is their story.
***
When YouTube arrived in 2005 and immediately upended traditional entertainment, media companies responded the best way they knew how: They tried to buy it.
***
When YouTube arrived in 2005 and immediately upended traditional entertainment, media companies responded the best way they knew how: They tried to buy it.
- 4/18/2022
- by Dade Hayes and Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
SeriesFest, which returns for an in-person event, will kick off its Season 8 slate with a little bit of royalty.
On Thursday the annual television festival revealed the lineup, with Starz’s new drama Becoming Elizabeth. set to get things started on May 5. Running from May 5 to 11, SeriesFest: Season will return to Denver, Colorado for six days of screenings, panels, workshops, sneak peeks and television premieres.
The Becoming Elizabeth screening will be followed by a panel from series executive producer Anya Reiss and stars Alicia von Rittberg and Jamie Blackley. Season 8 of SeriesFest will also feature talent and the creative teams from TBS’ Rat in the Kitchen, independent series Bring on the Dancing Horses, AMC+’s This is Going To Hurt, Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil and Hulu’s Candy.
Amber Ruffin will also take the Red Rocks Ampitheatre to open the festival’s Centerpiece event, which will feature a screening...
On Thursday the annual television festival revealed the lineup, with Starz’s new drama Becoming Elizabeth. set to get things started on May 5. Running from May 5 to 11, SeriesFest: Season will return to Denver, Colorado for six days of screenings, panels, workshops, sneak peeks and television premieres.
The Becoming Elizabeth screening will be followed by a panel from series executive producer Anya Reiss and stars Alicia von Rittberg and Jamie Blackley. Season 8 of SeriesFest will also feature talent and the creative teams from TBS’ Rat in the Kitchen, independent series Bring on the Dancing Horses, AMC+’s This is Going To Hurt, Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil and Hulu’s Candy.
Amber Ruffin will also take the Red Rocks Ampitheatre to open the festival’s Centerpiece event, which will feature a screening...
- 4/14/2022
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb TV, Amazon’s free, ad-supported video on demand streaming service, is rebranding to Amazon Freevee, beginning April 27. The rebranding had been in the works for awhile, with the idea for the new moniker to share the Amazon branding of its parent company.
Originally launched as Freedive in January 2019, IMDb TV has grown dramatically, becoming an important pillar in Amazon’s larger push into video advertising.
Over the last two years, IMDb TV has tripled monthly active users, fueled by increased distribution and foray into originals. Following a launch in the UK last September, Freevee will continue its international expansion with a launch in Germany later this year.
Additionally, the plan is for Freevee to grow its originals slate by 70 in 2022, including the spinoff of the longest-running Original series for Prime Video, Bosch: Legacy, premiering May 6; a new home-design series, Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis; Greg Garcia’s comedy series...
Originally launched as Freedive in January 2019, IMDb TV has grown dramatically, becoming an important pillar in Amazon’s larger push into video advertising.
Over the last two years, IMDb TV has tripled monthly active users, fueled by increased distribution and foray into originals. Following a launch in the UK last September, Freevee will continue its international expansion with a launch in Germany later this year.
Additionally, the plan is for Freevee to grow its originals slate by 70 in 2022, including the spinoff of the longest-running Original series for Prime Video, Bosch: Legacy, premiering May 6; a new home-design series, Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis; Greg Garcia’s comedy series...
- 4/13/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
For decades, WarnerMedia and Discovery had largely co-existed independently. They have lived in separate universes with virtually no business interactions, as unscripted television is their main area of overlap. The Discovery networks work primarily with independent producers and not studios like Warner Bros TV, which has only produced a handful of reality shows for Discovery nets via its Shed subsidiary
However, there is a close working relationship which has flown largely under the radar and creates instant synergy post-merger — that between Warner Bros. TV and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network on the scripted side. Over the last five years, Wbtv has become OWN’s de-facto scripted studio, producing virtually all of its original scripted series, from Queen Sugar and David Makes Man to All Rise.
After the Discovery-WarnerMedia merger is complete, OWN and Wbtv will become vertically integrated, with HBO Max as OWN’s corporate sibling streamer. According to sources,...
However, there is a close working relationship which has flown largely under the radar and creates instant synergy post-merger — that between Warner Bros. TV and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network on the scripted side. Over the last five years, Wbtv has become OWN’s de-facto scripted studio, producing virtually all of its original scripted series, from Queen Sugar and David Makes Man to All Rise.
After the Discovery-WarnerMedia merger is complete, OWN and Wbtv will become vertically integrated, with HBO Max as OWN’s corporate sibling streamer. According to sources,...
- 4/7/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Bob Chapek, the Disney CEO who is under siege, hopefully does not watch much TV. If he does, he’ll see a succession of fellow CEOs who seem prone to self-destruction — Adam Neumann of WeWork, Travis Kalanick of Uber, Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, etc. — portrayed on buzzy TV series. Viewing these shows back to back, the stolid Chapek might wonder whether the CEO is extinct as a folk hero.
To be sure, the CEOs depicted in this cycle of streamers’ series are uniformly greedy and delusional, though gifted in the hyperbole of “technospeak.” In WeCrashed, Neumann, played by Jared Leto, re-imagines renting work space as a business that “will elevate the world’s consciousness.” In Super Pumped, Kalanick (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) re-defines Uber as a “higher form of life.”
The cycle is easy to dismiss except that headlines tell us a surprising number of working CEOs seem to be falling on their swords.
To be sure, the CEOs depicted in this cycle of streamers’ series are uniformly greedy and delusional, though gifted in the hyperbole of “technospeak.” In WeCrashed, Neumann, played by Jared Leto, re-imagines renting work space as a business that “will elevate the world’s consciousness.” In Super Pumped, Kalanick (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) re-defines Uber as a “higher form of life.”
The cycle is easy to dismiss except that headlines tell us a surprising number of working CEOs seem to be falling on their swords.
- 3/31/2022
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
“Look, people are not held accountable for inaccuracies, so there’s that issue,” former Disney kingpin Bob Iger says of today’s news media business.
“Then there’s the whole problem of profiting from, I call it inaccuracy, from opinion and from presenting things in an inaccurate fashion,” the now-retired executive said on the latest “Media” episode of Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart that dropped Thursday
“I think if you are looking overall at the pot of what is considered news today, it’s a problem,” Iger added, never naming names but clearly leaning towards massive Disney shareholder Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News Channel. “So to answer your question, I don’t know what the answer is in terms of fixing it,” he admits. Watch the clip:
In one of his few on-camera appearances since officially exiting Disney late last year, Iger spills with Stewart about Fox News...
“Then there’s the whole problem of profiting from, I call it inaccuracy, from opinion and from presenting things in an inaccurate fashion,” the now-retired executive said on the latest “Media” episode of Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart that dropped Thursday
“I think if you are looking overall at the pot of what is considered news today, it’s a problem,” Iger added, never naming names but clearly leaning towards massive Disney shareholder Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News Channel. “So to answer your question, I don’t know what the answer is in terms of fixing it,” he admits. Watch the clip:
In one of his few on-camera appearances since officially exiting Disney late last year, Iger spills with Stewart about Fox News...
- 3/17/2022
- by Dominic Patten and Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Byron Allen’s media companies — Weather Group, Entertainment Studios Networks (Esn) and Cf Entertainment — have sued Nielsen, seeking billions of dollars in damages for alleged fraudulent misrepresentation and fraud by concealment.
The suit claims that the way Nielsen has historically measured television viewing for years — through its panel system of recruiting and tracking household viewers — was unreliable for Allen’s Esn networks given their limited distribution. It alleges the ratings agency knew the measurement was unreliable but concealed the fact to drum up business from Allen Media, which paid millions in fees.
Nielsen declined to comment on the suit.
“This lawsuit is about Nielsen’s outdated, unreliable and broken television ratings service, and the resulting harm suffered by media companies who rely on Nielsen to sell ad time,” the complaint explains.
Nielsen has been under pressure for years to update the way it gathers data and to expand its measurement metrics.
The suit claims that the way Nielsen has historically measured television viewing for years — through its panel system of recruiting and tracking household viewers — was unreliable for Allen’s Esn networks given their limited distribution. It alleges the ratings agency knew the measurement was unreliable but concealed the fact to drum up business from Allen Media, which paid millions in fees.
Nielsen declined to comment on the suit.
“This lawsuit is about Nielsen’s outdated, unreliable and broken television ratings service, and the resulting harm suffered by media companies who rely on Nielsen to sell ad time,” the complaint explains.
Nielsen has been under pressure for years to update the way it gathers data and to expand its measurement metrics.
- 3/16/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney CEO Bob Chapek is in full damage control mode today as the blast radius from the company’s bungled response to Florida’s discriminatory ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation threatens his newly minted reign at the House of Mouse.
“You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down,” Chapek said to Disney staffers Friday in the second reset in as many days. “I am sorry.”
Chapek tried and failed both in a previous bureaucratic heavy letter and at the March 9 shareholder meeting to punt any public statement on the Sunshine State measure that bans any discussion or teaching about the LGBTQ+ community and sexual orientation or gender identity. Insisting that “corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds” in the quickly denounced March 7 memo, Chapek’s missive was in clear contrast to his smooth predecessor Bob Iger,...
“You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down,” Chapek said to Disney staffers Friday in the second reset in as many days. “I am sorry.”
Chapek tried and failed both in a previous bureaucratic heavy letter and at the March 9 shareholder meeting to punt any public statement on the Sunshine State measure that bans any discussion or teaching about the LGBTQ+ community and sexual orientation or gender identity. Insisting that “corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds” in the quickly denounced March 7 memo, Chapek’s missive was in clear contrast to his smooth predecessor Bob Iger,...
- 3/11/2022
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney said Friday consumer streaming service Disney+ will introduce an ad-supported subscription in addition to its option without ads in the U.S. starting in late 2022, with plans to expand internationally in 2023.
It said it will announce more details, including launch date and pricing, at a later date.
The ad-supported offering is viewed as a building block in the company’s path to achieving its long-term target of 230-260 million Disney+ subscribers by FY24, the company said. The service was at 130 million by the end of 2021, but growth has been slowing. A dollar-a-month price hike (to $7.99) kicked in for Disney+ about a year ago and likely has had been a short-term impediment to growth, as is often the case when price increases hit.
“Expanding access to Disney+ to a broader audience at a lower price point is a win for everyone – consumers, advertisers, and our storytellers,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman,...
It said it will announce more details, including launch date and pricing, at a later date.
The ad-supported offering is viewed as a building block in the company’s path to achieving its long-term target of 230-260 million Disney+ subscribers by FY24, the company said. The service was at 130 million by the end of 2021, but growth has been slowing. A dollar-a-month price hike (to $7.99) kicked in for Disney+ about a year ago and likely has had been a short-term impediment to growth, as is often the case when price increases hit.
“Expanding access to Disney+ to a broader audience at a lower price point is a win for everyone – consumers, advertisers, and our storytellers,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman,...
- 3/4/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Attorneys for Brian Flores, the ex-Miami Dolphins coach who is filing a class action suit against the league for not making a greater effort at recruiting minority coaches, have responded to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s statement concerning diversity and inclusion.
The Flores complaint (read it Here) is a proposed class-action case naming the league, the Dolphins, the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos as defendants. “John Doe teams 1-29” also are named, which could enable other class-action participants to target additional teams.
The lawsuit’s timing could not be worse for the league, which is gearing up for the Feb. 13 Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The NFL has issued a statement on the allegations of racial discrimination, saying they are “without merit.” In its full statement, the league said: “The NFL and our clubs are deeply committed to ensuring equitable employment practices and continue...
The Flores complaint (read it Here) is a proposed class-action case naming the league, the Dolphins, the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos as defendants. “John Doe teams 1-29” also are named, which could enable other class-action participants to target additional teams.
The lawsuit’s timing could not be worse for the league, which is gearing up for the Feb. 13 Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The NFL has issued a statement on the allegations of racial discrimination, saying they are “without merit.” In its full statement, the league said: “The NFL and our clubs are deeply committed to ensuring equitable employment practices and continue...
- 2/5/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Afternoon Insiders. It’s been a big week in the world of international film and TV but we’ve got you covered. Read on for all the in-depth news and analysis.
BAFTA Noms Split The Crowd
Leading the pack: The 2022 BAFTA Film Awards nominations are in, with this year’s crop topped by Dune with 11 nominations, followed by The Power Of The Dog (pictured) on eight and Belfast on six. See them in full here. Overall, it was a varied and interesting selection, with a particularly eye-catching Best Director field that did not entirely line up with the Best Film category. That also happened last year, notably after BAFTA introduced a new voting system that sees nominations for particular categories, including Director, decided by jury rather than the wider voting pool.
The diversity question: Last year’s BAFTAs were all about whether the org would be able to address pressing diversity concerns,...
BAFTA Noms Split The Crowd
Leading the pack: The 2022 BAFTA Film Awards nominations are in, with this year’s crop topped by Dune with 11 nominations, followed by The Power Of The Dog (pictured) on eight and Belfast on six. See them in full here. Overall, it was a varied and interesting selection, with a particularly eye-catching Best Director field that did not entirely line up with the Best Film category. That also happened last year, notably after BAFTA introduced a new voting system that sees nominations for particular categories, including Director, decided by jury rather than the wider voting pool.
The diversity question: Last year’s BAFTAs were all about whether the org would be able to address pressing diversity concerns,...
- 2/4/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Bass, Amy Entelis and Ken Jautz will serve as interim co-heads of CNN following the resignation of Jeff Zucker.
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar indicated that the trio would lead the network on an interim basis through the close of the company’s merger with Discovery, which is expected in the spring or even earlier.
Kilar wrote in a memo to employees that he has “full confidence that Michael, Amy and Ken, as interim heads for News, will provide the leadership this organization needs during this time of transition.”
Bass has been executive vice president of programming for CNN U.S., Entelis is executive vice president for talent and content development at CNN Worldwide, and is executive vice president of CNN/U.S.
Although Zucker’s future was uncertain when the Discovery-WarnerMedia transaction closes, the abrupt nature of his departure came as a surprise to CNN staff and the media world in general.
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar indicated that the trio would lead the network on an interim basis through the close of the company’s merger with Discovery, which is expected in the spring or even earlier.
Kilar wrote in a memo to employees that he has “full confidence that Michael, Amy and Ken, as interim heads for News, will provide the leadership this organization needs during this time of transition.”
Bass has been executive vice president of programming for CNN U.S., Entelis is executive vice president for talent and content development at CNN Worldwide, and is executive vice president of CNN/U.S.
Although Zucker’s future was uncertain when the Discovery-WarnerMedia transaction closes, the abrupt nature of his departure came as a surprise to CNN staff and the media world in general.
- 2/2/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
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