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Donna Langley Talks AI, the NBA and the “Great Paradox” of Original vs. Franchise IP
NBCUniversal chief content officer Donna Langley weighed in on a wide range of topics of interest to Hollywood, including the state of theatrical films, how artificial intelligence will be used in the entertainment industry, and the give and take between developing original storytelling and the desire for franchise intellectual property. Speaking at a Bank of […]
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Lionsgate Names New Head of Inclusive Content at Movie Group
After a nearly four-year run, Lionsgate’s leader of inclusion and diversity efforts at its film division is stepping away from the role and pacting with the studio for a producing deal. Kamala Avila-Salmon — who left Facebook to join Lionsgate as its Motion Picture Group’s head of inclusive content in October 2020 — is launching […]
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Warner Bros. Discovery Launches New Experiences Division, Including Theme Parks and Studio Tours
Warner Bros. Discovery is making a big bet on live experiences like theme parks, studio tours, themed exhibitions and retail, creating a new division meant to capitalize on that opportunity. The new division is called Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, and will encompass both owned and operated experiences like its studio tours or exhibitions, as […]
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YouTube Develops Tool to Allow Creators to Detect AI-Generated Content Using Their Likeness
One of the side effects of generative artificial intelligence tools proliferating is a surge of misuse. Actors, musicians, athletes, digital creators and others are seeing their likenesses digitally copied or altered, sometimes for less-than-noble reasons. The video platform YouTube says that it is developing new tools to tackle those problems, as well as the issue […]
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Verizon to Acquire Fiber Internet Provider Frontier in $20B Deal
Verizon is doubling down on the fiber broadband business, striking a deal to acquire Frontier for $20 billion in cash. Frontier has about 2.2 million fiber internet customers across 25 states, which will join with Verizon’s 7.4 million fiber connections in nine states and Washington DC. The company also says it will follow through on […]
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WME Agent Apologized to Co-workers for “Kill Them All” Text Message
WME’s Brandt Joel met by Zoom with agents in the motion picture and talent departments to apologize for and clarify the comment that he posted and then removed from an unofficial WME WhatsApp group chat, a source with knowledge of the situation tells The Hollywood Reporter. Joel found himself at the center of scandal Sunday, […]
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Writers Guild Members Join Union Boycott of Beverly Hills Hotels
Around 40 Hollywood writers have joined a hotel union boycott of two Los Angeles hotels, the Cameo Beverly Hills by Hilton and the Beverly Hills Marriott. The Good Place creator Mike Schur, Emily in Paris writer and co-executive producer Grant Sloss, The Simpsons writer and executive producer Ian Maxtone-Graham and Abbott Elementary supervising producer and writer […]
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‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Sequel One of the “Biggest Priorities” for Warner Bros. Discovery, CFO Says
Warner Bros. Discovery may have sold (or more accurately given away) its stake in The CW two years ago, but the company is trying to bring back one of the broadcast network’s hallmarks: a tonnage of output for the WB TV studio. At a Bank of America conference Wednesday, WBD CFO Gunnar Weidenfels said that […]
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SAG-AFTRA Says 80 Video Games Signed to Deals During Strike Against Major Studios
As SAG-AFTRA’s video game strike continues, the union stated on Thursday that 80 games were signed to agreements with the labor group that will allow them to continue work with union performers during the labor dispute. By signing on to either SAG-AFTRA’s interim agreement or tiered-budget agreement, developers on these titles can employ SAG-AFTRA performers […]
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Disney Says It Offered DirecTV Genre-Based Bundles In Carriage Dispute
Disney is striking back at DirecTV following the satellite TV provider’s call with media and analysts Tuesday, in which the company outlined its position in the carriage dispute. As a result of the dispute, many of Disney channels including ABC and ESPN went dark for millions of DirecTV customers on Sept. 1, amid the U.S. […]
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Nikki Haley Joins PR and Consulting Giant Edelman As Vice Chair
Former South Carolina Governor, United Nations ambassador and presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is getting into the communications business, joining the public relations and crisis communications firm Edelman as vice chair of its EGA division. EGA is Edelman’s Global Advisory consultancy focused on public and government affairs. She will join another new hire, former Democratic Senator […]
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Inside the UFC’s $20M Bet on the Las Vegas Sphere: “Take What U2 Did and Multiply It by a Million”
On Sept. 14, the $2.3 billion Sphere in Las Vegas will see its 160,000-square-foot curved LED screen teleport the 20,000 or so guests to different “worlds,” with the mixed martial arts giant UFC set to take over the venue for what will be the Sphere’s first ever live sporting event. According to UFC CEO Dana […]
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Live Nation CFO: “I Expect We’re Going to Prevail” In DOJ Suit Seeking Break Up
As Live Nation contends with the Department of Justice lawsuit seeking to break up the company, CFO Joe Berchtold expressed optimism about the suit and the future of the business. “I expect we’re going to prevail,” Berchtold said at a Bank of America conference Wednesday. “I don’t expect we’re going to have major changes to […]
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Byron Allen Hires New CFO for The Weather Channel
Byron Allen’s media company has enlisted a new finance chief to oversee the business of its most well-known TV brand, The Weather Channel. Christopher T. Young, who held C-suite roles at Latino-focused media company Entravision over the course of a 15-year-plus tenure, was hired as CFO at The Weather Channel and will hold the title […]
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Charter Spectrum and AMC Networks Ink Early Renewal Deal, Will Bundle AMC+ With Cable TV
A year after its carriage dispute with The Walt Disney Co. made headlines, Charter Spectrum has inked another new deal with a different company, but one that furthers its goal of merging the worlds of streaming and linear paid TV. The cable company on Wednesday said that it had inked a multiyear deal with AMC […]
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Wasserman Buys Talent Management Firm to Grow Creators Business
Casey Wasserman’s sports and talent representation empire is expanding further into the creator space. The mogul’s Westwood-based firm Wasserman has acquired Dan Levitt’s Long Haul, a management company founded in 2013 that counts several well-known basketball culture creators as well as YouTube and gaming clients on its roster. As part of the deal, all 10 […]
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