Showbiz Sandbox

As if it wasn’t difficult enough for distributors to find a commercial title amidst the hundreds of films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival each January, video streaming companies such as Netflix and Amazon have entered the bidding causing acquisitions prices to rise for the entire market. Anne Thompson, Indiewire’s editor-at-large, has just returned from Sundance where she reports most of the films were good, though maybe not good enough to win any Oscars in 2018. As for this year’s Oscars, the frontrunners became a little more clear with the Producers Guild and Screen Actors Guild handing out their awards over the weekend. “Hidden Figures” surprised many by taking home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture during a politically charged ceremony. Speaking of industry unions, the Directors Guild of America has signed a new contract with producers that gives its members significant raises in subscription video-on-demand residuals. This is welcome news for directors who missed out on sharing in DVD and Blu-ray revenue over the past decade. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the launch of a brand new vinyl record factory, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s new venture and streaming music company Tidal finds a new investor. Buyer or Seller, Selling a Movie At Sundance 2017 Is More Complicated Than Ever http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/sundance-2017-deals-the-big-sick-fox-searchlight-1201771192/ 2017’s Sundance Sales Are In Overdrive: Here’s Why, Plus See Our Full Deal Scorecard http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/sundance-2017-independents-acquisitions-sales-1201774067/ The Big Gamble on ‘The Big Sick’: Why Amazon Spent $12 Millon Dollars on Kumail Nanjiani’s Passion Project http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/amazon-the-big-slick-sundance-film-festival-2017-1201772467/ comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 29, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-29-2017-300398475.html ‘Journey to the West’ Sequel Dominates Foreign Box Office With $85 Million https://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/journey-to-the-west-sequel-box-office-1201972640/ Directors Guild of America Members Ratify New Contract http://variety.com/2017/film/news/directors-guild-members-ratify-contract-1201970106/ Sony Warns of $962 Million Goodwill Loss, Says Studio Is Not for Sale https://variety.com/2017/biz/asia/sony-warns-of-huge-goodwill-loss-1201973089/ PGA Awards: The Complete Winners List http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/producers-guild-awards-2017-winners-list-full-966469 SAG Awards Winners: Complete List

When the 2017 Oscar nominations were announced this week the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences managed to avoid a third straight year of controversy over all-white acting nominees. Among this year’s honorees are six African American actors, setting a record for the most in a single year. Hopefully this is a sign more racially diverse films are being produced. What the Academy did manage to overlook however, were films with huge audiences. Despite nominating nine films for Best Picture Oscars, not a single one has surpassed the $100 million mark (yet). Meanwhile, in over in the music business, album sales have never mattered less. These days it’s all about music publishing, which can be a true goldmine. Just ask Paul McCartney who is suing Sony/ATV to regain the publishing rights to the Beatles catalogue. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Jerry Seinfeld’s new Netflix deal, the death of 3D television and NBC renews one of its biggest hits for two more seasons. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 22, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-22-2017-300394508.html China Box Office: ‘Arrival’ Lands on Top of Deathly Quiet Weekend http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/china-box-office-arrival-lands-on-top-of-deathly-quiet-weekend-1201966620/ Czech Box Office Reached Record Numbers in 2016 http://www.filmneweurope.com/news/czech-news/item/113907-czech-box-office-reached-record-numbers-in-2016 Weekend Box Office: ‘Split’ Trumps ‘xXx: Xander Cage’ With $40.2M http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weekend-box-office-split-trumps-xxx-xander-cage-401m-967108 AMC Buys Nordic Cinema Group for $929 Million – Here Is What You Need to Know https://celluloidjunkie.com/2017/01/23/amc-buys-nordic-cinema-group-929-million-need-know/ Sundance: Kumail Nanjiani’s ‘The Big Sick’ Nabbed by Amazon for $12M http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-kumail-nanjianis-big-sick-nabbed-by-amazon-12-million-960845 Oscar Nominations 2017: 14 for ‘La La Land,’ and 6 for Black Actors https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/movies/oscar-nominations-2017.html ‘La La Land,’ Diversity and the Return of Mel Gibson: The Highlights of the 2017 Oscar Nominations http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-oscar-nominations-main-news-story-20170124-story.html Academy Awards 2017: Complete List of Nominations http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-oscars-2017-nominees-winners-list-20170123-story.html

Looking at how the publishing industry fared over the past year it quickly becomes apparent that there aren’t a lot of hard sales figures thanks to online retailers which don’t publish such data. With e-books accounting for 70% of all adult fiction purchases in 2016 the industry has become impossible to track. One measurable trend however is the record number of e-books being borrowed from traditional libraries. Meanwhile, the box office has already claimed its first victims of the new year, with three high profile films tanking in their debut weekend. Does this mean Hollywood movie stars can no longer ensure a decent opening weekend? Maybe moviegoers were simply catching up on all the year end movies that are being hailed during awards season. Nominations were announced last week by the guilds representing directors, producers, cinematographers and costume designers. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including layoffs at Pandora, a Jimmy Buffett musical has plans for Broadway and George Lucas brings his long planned museum to Los Angeles. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to End Its 146-Year Run https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/14/us/ringling-bros-and-barnum-bailey-circus-closing-may.html comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 15, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-15-2017-300391143.html Lucasfilm Has “No Plans” for Digital Re-Creation of Carrie Fisher as Leia http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lucasfilm-has-no-plans-digital-recreation-carrie-fisher-as-leia-964325 Michael Lynton to step down as CEO of Sony Entertainment http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-sony-michael-lynton-20170113-story.html DGA Film Nominees Revealed; Nate Parker Scores First-Time Director Nom http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dga-awards-2017-nominations-feature-film-director-nominees-announced-963782 ‘Arrival,’ ‘La La Land,’ ‘Lion,’ ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Silence’ Score ASC Nominations http://variety.com/2017/film/in-contention/arrival-la-la-land-lion-moonlight-and-silence-score-asc-nominations-1201957531/ ‘La La Land,’ ‘Jackie’ Among Costume Designers Guild Award Nominees http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/la-la-land-jackie-costume-designers-guild-award-nominees-962830 2017 PGA Film Nominees Include ‘Deadpool,’ ‘Moonlight,’ ‘La La Land’; ‘Westworld,’ ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Atlanta’ Among TV http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2017-pga-award-nominations-960097/item/award-outstanding-producer-live-entertainment-talk-television-2017-pga-...

Organized religion and the film industry have traditionally not played nicely with one another. Recently however, movie studios have been courting Christian filmgoers, in hopes of increasing audiences for certain titles. Brooks Barnes, a staff reporter for the New York Times, joins us to discuss one of Hollywood’s latest marketing trends. The Writers Guild and the National Society Of Film Critics have both weighed in with end of the year honors. But will any of their choices matter come Oscar time? The same question could be asked about the Golden Globes which were held last weekend. “La La Land” and “Moonlight” walked away with the top prizes as they continue to march through awards season as this year’s front runners for a Best Picture Academy Award. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why Kodak is bringing back celluloid (sort of), how talk show host Conan O’Brien is going viral and Norway ditches FM radio. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 8, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-8-2017-300387464.html Final Box Office: ‘Hidden Figures’ Beats ‘Rogue One’ With $22.8M http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-results-rogue-one-hidden-figures-all-but-tie-no-1-961867 Studios’ 2017 Forecast: Big Bets, Franchise Fears and Executive Intrigue http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2017-movies-biggest-gambles-justice-league-mummy-960935 Apple’s iPhone “Theater Mode” Patents Kick Off New Speculation http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apples-iphone-theater-mode-patents-kick-new-speculation-961165 ‘Deadpool,’ ‘Moonlight,’ ‘La La Land’ Nab Writers Guild Nominations http://variety.com/2017/film/news/moonlight-la-la-land-manchester-by-the-sea-writers-guild-1201952295/ ‘Moonlight’ Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/national-society-film-critics-winners-2017-list-full-961677 TV Ratings: 2017 Golden Globes Climb to 20 Million Viewers http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-golden-globes-up-2016-early-numbers-962326 ‘La La Land’ Breaks Record for Most Golden Globes Won by a Movie http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-golden-globes-2017-live-la-la-land-breaks-record-for-most-1483935005-htmlstory.html Golden Globes 2017: Complete List of Winners http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/la-et-mn-golden-globes-2017-n...

Apparently political pollsters aren’t the only forecasters whose predictions can be wrong. With fewer high profile blockbusters than 2015, some in Hollywood believed that the 2016 North American box office could surpass the previous year. However, a number of unexpected hits like “The Jungle Book” and “Deadpool” helped box office climb to a record high of $11.4 billion. Meanwhile in China, the rapid box office growth that saw a 50% rise in 2015 slowed dramatically. In fact, the country’s box office actually fell in the last half of 2016, causing a modest 3% gain, year-over-year. We’ll explain what caused the Chinese box office to cool off so quickly and why there may be some good news buried in the financials. Our resident theatre expert Michael Giltz will brief us on all the new productions opening on Broadway this spring. He’ll tell us which shows he would invest in (if he had the money) and which might be headed to a town near you when they go out on tour. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, a banner year for cable news networks and how record labels are finally seeing some profits from streaming music revenue. Relativity Furloughs Employees Over Holiday Break http://variety.com/2016/film/news/relativity-furloughs-employees-holidays-1201946270/ With Two Top Execs Out, Relativity’s Future Remains Unclear http://variety.com/2016/film/news/with-two-top-execs-out-relativitys-future-remains-unclear-1201947193/ Miramax CEO Steven Schoch Exiting Company http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/miramax-ceo-steven-schoch-exiting-company-959467 Doug Herzog Out at Viacom http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/doug-herzog-at-viacom-report-958330 Directors and Producers Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contract http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/directors-producers-reach-tentative-agreement-new-contract-959173 comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 1, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-1-2017-300384453.html Domestic Box Office Poised for Record Breaking Year http://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/box-office-finding-dory-rogue-one-1201948470/ 2016 Box Office Hits Record $11.4B in North America Despite Angst http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/2016-box-office-hits-record-114b-north-america-angst-960198 Box Office: ‘Rogue One’ Crosses $400 Million, ‘Sing’ Scores Over New Year’s http://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/rogue-one-sing-box-office-1201950861/ China Box Office Flatlines in 2016

Studios have been itching to shorten the theatrical release window for their movies since the moment they learned how much money they could make on home video. Of course, cinema owners aren’t too keen on the idea and refuse to book films that can be viewed at home less than three months after they hit theaters. With reports that Apple is talking to Hollywood in hopes of getting early access to movies for iTunes, have the stakes been raised? Oscar season is heating up as the guilds begin weighing in. First up was the Screen Actors Guild who announced the nominees for their annual awards helping confirm a few front runners. When it comes to foreign language features, the Academy narrowed the list of eligible contenders down to nine, leaving out a few of this year’s favorites. Meanwhile the Library of Congress announced a selection of 25 titles to enter the National Film Registry including silent films starring Buster Keaton, “The Princess Bride”, “Thelma & Louise” and “Rushmore”. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the executive shakeup at Warner Bros. Pictures, Julia Roberts comes to television and Amazon goes global with its video streaming service. Jimmy Kimmel Reveals Oscars Hosting Pay http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jimmy-kimmel-reveals-oscars-pay-956232 comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of December 18, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-december-18-2016-300380676.html Box Office: ‘Rogue One’ Blasts Off With $29 Million Thursday http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weekend-box-office-rogue-one-star-wars-story-29-million-previews-tally-thursday-956347 Box Office: ‘Rogue One’ Clears $155M in U.S. for $290.5M Global Bow; ‘Collateral Beauty’ Bombs http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weekend-box-office-rogue-one-clears-155m-collateral-beauty-bombs-la-la-land-957284 China Box Office: ‘The Great Wall’ Builds $66 Million Opening Weekend http://variety.com/2016/film/asia/china-box-office-the-great-wall-65-million-opening-weekend-1201944941/ ‘Rogue One’: What Peter Cushing’s Digital Resurrection Means for the Industry https://variety.com/2016/film/news/rogue-one-peter-cushing-digital-resurrection-cgi-1201943759/ SAG Awards Nominations 2017: See the Full List http://ew.com/article/2016/12/14/2017-sag-awards-nominations/ Oscars: 3 Ways the Academy Can (and Should) Spruce Up the Awards http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/oscars-2017-3-improvements-academy-can-should-make-955240 Oscars: Nine Films Advance in Foreign-Language Race

When the nominations for the 59th Grammy Awards were announced last week Beyoncé continued her annus mirabilis by picking up no fewer than nine nods including one for album of the year. She’s in the mix with the likes of Adele, Drake, Justin Bieber and Sturgill Simpson. With musical acts that include Rihanna, Kanye West and Radiohead also up for awards, producers have a wealth of talent to choose from when selecting performers for next year’s ceremony. The Golden Globe nominations were also announced recently and this year the Hollywood Foreign Press Association actually managed to categorize their film entries properly, unlike last year when the space drama “The Martian” won the prize for best comedy. Meanwhile, the 2016 Black List survey was published on Monday, highlighting some of the best unproduced screenplays from the past year. Nine of the last 18 Best Screenplay Oscars were featured on the annual list, including “Spotlight”, “Juno” and “Slumdog Millionaire”. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the winners of the European Film Awards, why the CBS-Viacom merger collapsed and actress Emmy Rossum demands to be paid as much as her mail co-stars. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of December 11, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-december-11-2016-300376361.html Box Office: ‘Moana’ Beats ‘Office Christmas Party’ With $18.8M; ‘La La Land’ Breaks Records http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-moana-beats-office-christmas-party-188m-la-la-land-breaks-records-955042 ‘Toni Erdmann,’ Politics Dominate European Film Awards http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toni-erdmann-politics-dominate-european-film-awards-955028 Golden Globes 2017: Complete List of Nominees http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/la-et-mn-golden-globes-2017-nominees-winners-list-20161212-story.html Madonna Biopic ‘Blond Ambition’ Tops 2016 Black List https://variety.com/2016/film/news/2016-black-list-scripts-announced-updating-live-1201939817/ The Neuro Diaries by Casey Schwartz – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/02/17/the-neuro-diaries/ Word of Mouse by James Patterson – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/04/05/word-of-mouse/ Viacom, CBS Scrap Talks on Recombining After Redstones Withdraw Support https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/cbs-viacom-merger-shari-redstone-national-amusements-1201939636/ Viacom Names Bob Bakish Permanent CEO http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/viacom-names-bob-bakish-permanent-ceo-932383 ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ Sequel to Debut at Sundance Opening Night

With 2016 coming to an end movie critics have begun announcing their picks for the year’s noteworthy releases. As in recent years, critics groups from New York to Los Angeles differ slightly on what the top movie should be. The New York critics group went with the musical “La La Land”, while The L.A. group chose the drama “Moonlight”. To really confuse things the National Board of Review selected “Manchester by the Sea”. What this breadth of selections means is there were plenty of great films to see this year. Where you see these movies, on the other hand, continues to be a debate, at least for the heads of movie studios. Kevin Tsujihara, the head of Warner Bros., made it known his company would like to release films into the home market soon after their release in movie theaters. He says the studio is having “constructive conversations” with a few cinema operators to make this a reality, but what that really means is anybody’s guess. There seems to be no confusion however over whether TV networks want to attend the winter press gathering of the Television Critics Association; they don’t. These annual events allow networks to promote new shows while giving journalists a chance to grill the creatives and executive behind them. It looks as if many networks are skipping out on this January’s press tour as the top executives from ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC declining their invites. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including DirecTV’s plans to go over the top, Netflix allows users to download movies for offline viewing and the Bee Gees get a new record deal. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of December 4, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-december-4-2016-300372569.html Japan’s ‘Your Name’ Poised to Win China Box Office Weekend https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/japan-your-name-to-win-china-box-office-weekend-1201932734/ The Anime Master of Missed Connections Makes Strong Contact in Japan http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/04/movies/the-anime-master-of-missed-connections-makes-strong-contact-in-japan.html Box Office: ‘Moana’ Sails to No. 1 for Second Weekend With $28.4 Million http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-moana-sails-no-1-second-week-284-million-952517 Universal, Warner Bros. Talking to Theater Owners About Offering Films in Homes Early https://variety.com/2016/film/news/universal-warner-bros-theater-owners-early-windows-1201931478/ Oscars: Jimmy Kimmel to Host This Year’s Ceremony http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-jimmy-kimmel-host-years-ceremony-952662 ‘La La Land’ Named Best Film by New York Film Critics Circle http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ny-film-critics-circle-winners-2016-951751 L.A. Film Critics Name ‘Moonlight’ Best Picture

Despite an endless debate as to precisely when the movie awards season begins each year, everyone agrees that the Independent Spirit Awards are one of the more important events. Though not all of the indie films honored by the Spirit Awards will go on to be nominated for Oscars, each year’s nominees provide a list of worthwhile movies on which to catch up. With 2016 entering the homestretch Hollywood movie studios have begun releasing titles they hope will win big awards or big box office… or both. Disney continues to fire on all cylinders with it’s latest animated release “Moana” as well as “Doctor Strange” minting money during their record breaking year. And “Star Wars: Rogue One” is still a month off. Meanwhile the media fallout from the U.S. presidential election continues to make headlines, not all of which are accurate. In fact, Facebook and Google are making efforts to crack down on fake news stories as news organizations begin to look at the role they played in recent political events. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including this year’s International Emmy Award winners, why television networks aren’t canceling this season’s failing shows and animator Hayao Miyazaki comes out of retirement to make another movie. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of November 27, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-november-27-2016-300368732.html U.S. Box Office Tops $10 Billion for 2016, Led by ‘Finding Dory’ https://variety.com/2016/film/news/box-office-finding-dory-star-wars-rogue-one-1201926858/ Foreign Box Office: ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Soars With $132 Million https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/fantastic-beasts-box-office-1201927411/ ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Sees Powerful Chinese Opening Day http://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/fantastic-beasts-china-opening-warner-bros-1201926838/ ‘Madame Bovary’ Release Exposes Rivalry Between China’s Huayi and Wanda https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/madame-bovary-release-china-huayi-wanda-1201921828/ Disney’s ‘Moana’ Surpasses ‘Frozen’ in Pre-Thanksgiving Box Office http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/24/movies/disneys-moana-surpasses-frozen-in-pre-thanksgiving-box-office.html 2017 Indie Spirit Awards Nominees Are Announced http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-2017-indie-spirit-awards-nominations-20161122-story.html BookFilter – The Whole Town’s Talking by Fannie Flagg http://bookfilter.com/2016/02/08/the-whole-towns-talking-2/ BookFilter – Searching for John Hughes by Jason Diamond http://bookfilter.com/2016/02/17/searching-for-john-hughes-2/

We don’t cover politics on Showbiz Sandbox per se, however we do provide analysis and commentary on the worldwide media and entertainment industries. Thus, we discuss the role, and some might say the culpability, of the news media in the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. While there is no doubt some divisiveness over the election of president-elect Donald Trump, there seems to be unanimous consensus that mainstream media blew it… bigly. We also take a look at the impact the results of this year’s presidential election will have on the entertainment business. Deals currently in the works may have a tougher time getting approved, and decisions that passed years ago may be in danger of being overturned. China meanwhile has passed a new film industry law intended to crack down on box office fraud and promote “core socialist values”. It weaves a new layer of protectionism into the business by requiring that two thirds of the country’s movie screens be reserved for Chinese films. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the why IMDb is going to court over its right to post actors ages, Universal Pictures makes some changes at DreamWorks Animation and Robert Redford’s retirement plans. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of November 13, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-november-13-2016-300361888.html Record-Breaking 27 Animated Features Submitted For 2017 Oscars http://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/breaking-record-breaking-27-animated-features-submitted-2017-oscars-144839.html China Adopts Film Law, With Mixed Implications for Hollywood http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-adopts-film-law-mixed-implications-hollywood-945214 Sony CEO Breaks Silence Amid Film Studio Revolt: Tom Rothman Has “Full Support” http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-ceo-breaks-silence-film-studio-revolt-tom-rothman-has-full-support-945479 Has Election 2016 Been a Turning Point for the Influence of the News Media? http://www.niemanlab.org/2016/11/has-election-2016-been-a-turning-point-for-the-influence-of-the-news-media/ Can the Media Recover From This Election? http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/arts/television/after-this-election-can-the-media-recover.html The Forces That Drove This Election’s Media Failure are Likely to Get Worse http://www.niemanlab.org/2016/11/the-forces-that-drove-this-elections-media-failure-are-likely-to-get-worse/ Facebook, in Cross Hairs After Election, Is Said to Question Its Influence http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/technology/facebook-is-said-to-question-its-influence-in-election.html?

The theater world is presently embroiled in major contractual battles over pay, benefits and credits. The last group you’d ever think would be leading the charge is the Teamsters, who represent a large number of theater, television and film workers, including casting directors. Turns out, if you want to produce entertainment in the United States, you probably have to deal with the Teamsters. Those working off-Broadway however, are represented by the Actors Equity Association and they are negotiating with the League of Off Broadway Theaters and Producers. Actors are pushing for a historic pay increase claiming their weekly minimum has never kept pace with inflation, let alone the cost of living in the major metropolitan cities where live theater is produced. Meanwhile the Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit against AT&T-DirecTV and other pay television providers for colluding in their refusal to carry SportsNet LA, a channel owned by Time Warner Cable. This comes in the wake of AT&T’s bid to acquire the media company Time Warner, which some fear might consolidate to much media power in too few hands. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the noteworthy ratings for this year’s World Series, who was named producers of next year’s Oscar ceremony and a “The Simpsons” is set up to make television history. TV Ratings: World Series Climax Tops 40 Million Viewers, Biggest Game in 25 Years http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-world-series-climax-brings-tvs-biggest-haul-super-bowl-943762 The Most Watched Baseball Game in 25 Years http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/11/cubs-world-series-television-ratings/506621/ ‘Back to the Future’ Screenwriter Bob Gale Happy for Cubs, but Bummed a Good Joke Is Now Spoiled http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/back-future-screenwriter-bob-gale-happy-cubs-but-bummed-a-good-joke-is-spoiled-944076 comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of November 6, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-november-6-2016-300358093.html ‘Doctor Strange’ In 3D Posts Powerful 47% of the Estimated $85 Million Domestic Opening Weekend https://celluloidjunkie.com/wire/doctor-strange-in-3d-posts-powerful-47-of-the-estimated-85-million-domestic-opening-weekend/ Box Office for the Marvel Cinematic Universe http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchise/Marvel-Cinematic-Universe#tab=summary ‘Doctor Strange’ Enjoys $44 Million Opening in China https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/doctor-strange-enjoys-44-million-opening-in-china-1201911141/ Disney Has Biggest Year Ever at Global Box Office With $5.85B

Hollywood has been talking up China’s explosive box office growth for years and the country is forecast to surpass North America as the largest movie market in the world as early as next year. However, the growth in China is slowing with ticket sales down 10% this year from last year’s figures. Ryan Faughnder, a staff writer with the Los Angeles Times, stops by to explain some of the reasons for the decline and what it means for major studios. Faughnder also gives us the lowdown on how some studios, specifically Lionsgate, are turning to YouTube stars in search of their next big hit. Warner Bros. and Disney have similar efforts underway, though none have found the secret to success in transforming online talent into mainstream stars. Meanwhile politicians and investment analysts have publicly expressed their concern over AT&T’s acquisition of TimeWarner. Some have gone so far as to say the deal can lead to “a whole bunch of different horribles for consumers”. For their part, AT&T is trying to assuage fears by moving head with its virtual cable plan. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why the creator of “Mad Men” signed with Amazon for his next series, why viewership of two popular sports has decreased significantly and how the pop group ABBA is reuniting for a live performance… sort of. Ryan Faughnder’s Bio and Stories at the Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/la-bio-ryan-faughnder-staff.html comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of October 30, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-october-30-2016-300353833.html Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association members undecided over release of ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/latest-hindi-movie-news-bollywood-movies-news-updates/bollywood/news/Cinema-Owners-and-Exhibitors-Association-members-undecided-over-release-of-Ae-Dil-Hai-Mushkil/articleshow/55028250.cms? A Dramatic Box-Office Slowdown in China Has Hollywood Nervous http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-china-box-office-20161024-snap-story.html The Studio Behind ‘The Hunger Games’ Wants to Turn YouTube Gurus Into Movie Stars http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-lionsgate-youtube-20161012-snap-story.html Sequential Drawings Entry on BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/02/22/sequential-drawings/ Paul Beatty Wins Man Booker Prize With ‘The Sellout’ http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/business/media/paul-beatty-wins-man-booker-prize-with-the-sellout.html Bob Dylan Speaks, at Last, on His Nobel

Last weekend, in a sudden and unexpected deal, telecommunications giant AT&T agreed to buy the media conglomerate Time Warner for $85 billion. As its current offerings become more commoditized AT&T is looking to add content to its portfolio through picking up Time Warner, a company that counts among its assets networks such as HBO and CNN, not to mention Warner Bros. Pictures. However, this marriage is far from certain will surely come under the scrutiny of antitrust regulators. As awards season gets underway, studios have begun releasing some of their high profile title in hopes of going after Oscar glory. Historically, that meant opening arty films in a limited number of cinemas before going wide after gaining word of mouth. We explain why that’s happening less often these days. Meanwhile, the Wanda Group is inviting all of Hollywood, and frankly anyone producing film and TV, to its new movie studios in Qingdao, China. They are offering a 40% incentive in hopes of luring productions to the multi-billion dollar facilities, but will anyone take them up on it? Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why Bob Dylan might not be interested in commenting on his recent Nobel Prize award, why the “Deadpool” sequel lost its director and Garth Brooks signs an exclusive deal to stream his music on Amazon’s new service. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of October 23, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-october-23-2016-300349538.html Nate Parker’s ‘The Birth of a Nation’ Could Lose $10M for Fox Searchlight http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nate-parkers-birth-a-nation-939519 Seeing the Good and the Bad in Third Quarter Movie Ticket Prices https://celluloidjunkie.com/2016/10/20/seeing-good-bad-third-quarter-movie-ticket-prices/ Brice 3 Pirated Movie Stunt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPVVLFN6XGQ AT&T Agrees to Buy Time Warner for $85.4 Billion http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/23/business/dealbook/att-agrees-to-buy-time-warner-for-more-than-80-billion.html Swift Opposition to Resurrection of AT&T Giant http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/24/business/dealbook/swift-opposition-to-resurrection-of-att-giant.html Book Filter Entry for Play It Loud http://bookfilter.com/2016/02/01/play-it-loud/ Chuck Berry, 90, Will Release His First New Album in Four Decades ‘Chuck’ http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-chuck-berry-90-new-album-20161017-snap-story.html Amazon Crashes Apple’s Exclusives Party with Huge Garth Brooks Deal http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/amazon-crashes-exclusives-game-garth-brooks-deal/

When Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature last week there were cries of joy and jeers of contempt over the decision. Music Journalist Sal Nunziato joins us to ponder whether Dylan’s work is in fact literature. He explains why, out of all the musicians that could have received such an award, it had to be Dylan. Nunziato explains who out of this year’s 19 nominees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should actually get in. Will Kraftwerk finally make the cut? Joan Baez seems like a no-brainer and nobody would be shocked if Pearl Jam makes it through on their first attempt, but what about bands like Depeche Mode and hip-hop stars such as Tupac Shakur? Meanwhile, there’s never been more ways to listen to music thanks to streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. Now Amazon has entered the world of music streaming and hopes that soon every song request begins with the word “Alexa.” Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including an expansion of the latest Harry Potter franchise, Billy Bush reaches a settlement to depart “Today” and Netflix gives comedian Chris Rock a huge payday. Burnwood Tonight https://burnwoodtonite.blogspot.com/ comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of October 16, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-october-16-2016-300345532.html NYFF Review: “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” Unreal Hyper-Reality At 120 Frames Per Second http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/10/17/nyff-review-billy-lynns-long-halftime-walk-unreal-hyper-reality-at-120-fram Ang Lee’s ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’: Only Two U.S. Theaters Will Be Equipped to Show “the Whole Shebang” http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/billy-lynns-long-halftime-walks-938552 China Box Office: ‘Operation Mekong’ Stays Ahead of ‘The BFG’ http://variety.com/2016/film/asia/china-box-office-operation-mekong-1201890617/ Korea Box Office: ‘Luck-Key’ Dominates Quiet Weekend http://variety.com/2016/film/asia/korea-box-office-luck-key-dominates-1201890694/ Japan Box Office: ‘Your Name’ Poised to Be Fifth Biggest Japanese Movie http://variety.com/2016/film/asia/japan-box-office-your-name-to-be-fifth-biggest-japanese-movie-1201890810/ Bob Dylan Wins Nobel Prize, Redefining Boundaries of Literature http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/arts/music/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature.html Why Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize Is The Test Thing that Can Happen to the Book World http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-bookless-nobel-20161014-snap-story.html 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees List Includes Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, Jane’s Addiction, Joan Baez,

With its racially charged themes striking a timely chord, “The Birth of a Nation” garnered acclaim and a $17.5 million distribution deal at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. However after it became known that its director and star was once accused (though acquitted) of rape, a question was raised over whether art can be separated from its creator. Many will argue that the answer lies in the movie’s poor critical reception and tepid box office. What was touted as a contender for multiple Oscar nominations this year, “The Birth of a Nation” may ultimately break even in theatres before going on to earn most of its money in ancillary markets. If it were up to Reed Hastings though, the film would have been released on VOD and in cinemas at the same time. The Netflix CEO claims theater owners are strangling the movie industry with their insistence on release windows. Meanwhile, there are calls by some in Congress for the Justice Department to review the growing number of business acquisitions being made by Wanda, a Chinese conglomerate. Having purchased multiple movie theater chains and at least one Hollywood production company, some legislators believe the U.S. is allowing Chinese state-controlled companies to gain too much soft power Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why executives are disappearing from BBC’s Radio 1, how Disney cast a sequel to “Mary Poppins” without a script and what the future may hold for celebrity newscaster Billy Bush. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of October 9, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-october-9-2016-300341627.html Box-Office Milestone: ‘Finding Dory’ Crosses $1B Worldwide http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-milestone-finding-dory-936637 Nate Parker’s Failed Media Tour: Anger, No Remorse and Oprah’s Advice Ignored http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nate-parkers-failed-media-tour-936102 Classic Sundance Hype Conflated with Cultural Importance http://variety.com/2016/film/columns/the-birth-of-a-nation-nate-parker-1201883000/ Justice Dept. Is Asked to Review Chinese Company’s Hollywood Purchases http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/world/asia/us-hollywood-dalian-wanda.html Four Futures – Book Filter Entry http://bookfilter.com/2014/06/16/four-futures Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’ Bosses Bestseller List http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/71688-born-to-run-roars-to-big-first-week.html Billy Bush Will Not Be on Monday’s ‘Today’ Show After All http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/billy-bush-today-show-monday-will-not-appear-936654 How NBC Finished Second on the Trump Video Story