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Hollywood Breakdown Profile

Hollywood Breakdown

English, Society/Show business/Gossip, 1 season, 610 episodes, 2 days, 38 minutes
About
Kim Masters, host of KCRW’s The Business, breaks down Hollywood's top stories.
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Disney cuts loose two top Marvel executives, begins 7,000 layoffs

While Disney started laying off 7,000 employees, it also announced the firing of two top Marvel executives this week.
3/31/20234 minutes, 59 seconds
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Can ‘John Wick’ 4 perform and attract buyers for Lionsgate?

Lionsgate Films needs “John Wick: Chapter 4” to perform well at the box office in order to attract potential buyers. Can the franchise deliver? 
3/24/20234 minutes, 58 seconds
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Netflix says ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to pricey Nancy Meyers’ film

Netflix passed on Nancy Meyers’ latest title due to budgetary disagreements. Why did the streamer pull back on a deal with a top filmmaker?
3/17/20234 minutes, 4 seconds
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Stars should keep high salaries, says agency exec at Morgan Stanley Conference

Can stars keep top salaries under current studio’s austerity measures? An agency exec proposes it at the Morgan Stanley TMT Conference.
3/10/20234 minutes, 7 seconds
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Warner Bros. golden ticket: Will they make new ‘Lord of the Rings’ films?

Following Amazon’s release of their expensive “Lord of the Rings” series, Warner Bros. Discovery announced they too want to make new films from the  “Lord of the Rings” world.
3/3/20234 minutes, 23 seconds
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‘Ant Man’ gets poor reviews. Will the Marvel invincibility last?

With its latest movie “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” getting poor reviews, Marvel Studios may have a creative problem.
2/24/20234 minutes, 29 seconds
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Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg reconcile at Oscars luncheon

Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise seem to have reconciled at the Academy Award luncheon. Who benefits from the friendship?
2/17/20234 minutes
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Disney’s Bob Iger open to selling Hulu, plans exit in two years

A day after Disney’s Q1 report and Bob Iger’s restructuring and cost cutting plans, he announced he’s open to selling Hulu, and possible exit in two years.
2/10/20234 minutes, 1 second
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James Gunn, Peter Safran present a new DCU plan. Will they deliver?

Co-chairs of DC Studios at Warner Bros. Discovery James Gunn and Peter Safran have unveiled a new plan. Will they deliver? 
2/3/20234 minutes, 5 seconds
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Big stars, popular films are nominated. Will audiences watch the Oscars?

Will the Academy attract viewers with two nominees having the highest total gross in history? Plus, a look at Oscars surprises and snubs. 
1/27/20234 minutes, 26 seconds
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Activist investor bids for a Disney board seat, threatens Bob Iger’s kingdom

Two 80-year old corporate raiders are wreaking havoc on Disney, with one of them bidding for a board seat at the company and threatening Bob Iger’s post. 
1/20/20234 minutes, 31 seconds
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The Golden Globes need a new home: 'Someone will pick up this show'

After last year's hiatus, the Golden Globes are back, so what’s next for the awards show? Will a streaming service pick it up in 2023?
1/13/20234 minutes, 50 seconds
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‘Avatar,’ ‘Top Gun’ sequels deliver at the box office in 2022

Though the “Top Gun” and “Avatar” sequels provided Hollywood some relief, the industry is not back to normal, and studios have adopted different strategies for survival.
1/6/20234 minutes, 32 seconds
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Will writers strike, and will there be a mega studio deal in 2023?

On this special edition of the Hollywood Breakdown, we take a look ahead on whether writers will strike and whether there will be a mega-studio deal in 2023.
12/30/20224 minutes, 44 seconds
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Top 2022 stories: Netflix morphs, WB’s head cuts, Disney undergoes a shakeup

Hollywood’s top 2022 stories: Netflix changing strategies, the troubled tenure of David Zaslav heading Warner Bros. Discovery, plus Disney’s management shakeup.
12/23/20224 minutes, 16 seconds
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‘Avatar’ sequel needs over $2 billion at the global box office to break even

“Avatar: The Way of Water” opens in the United States and China. With a budget north of $350 million, can it surpass $2 billion at the global box office to succeed? 
12/16/20224 minutes, 7 seconds
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Could Netflix’s new ‘Knives Out’ have done better in theaters?

Netflix’s decision to release “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” to 600 theaters for only a week, brings about the question, “Could it have done better?”
12/9/20224 minutes, 10 seconds
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Mark Burnett departs MGM-Amazon. What does it mean for the merger?

Mark Burnett, the well-known reality TV producer, is departing from his chairman role at MGM months after Amazon acquired the company for $8.5 billion. What’s next?
12/2/20224 minutes, 18 seconds
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Bob Iger is back. Can he cope with Disney’s many challenges?

The Walt Disney Company board of directors reinstated Bob Iger as CEO and ousted Bob Chapek on Sunday. Can Iger cope with Disney’s many challenges? 
11/25/20224 minutes, 49 seconds
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Eric Weinberg’s network looked the other way on his bad behavior, vouched for him

For two decades, producer Eric Weinberg moved from one job to the next. A Hollywood network vouched for him even after he was fired for repeated bad behavior.
11/18/20223 minutes, 57 seconds
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Disney struggles with streaming. Will theme parks help with profit?

Though Disney+ has added 12 million subscribers, the company reports loss and weak Q4 profit outlook.
11/11/20224 minutes, 24 seconds
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Peacock reports weak subscriptions, implements changes to survive

As streaming service companies report subscriber numbers, Peacock announces weak subs, and implements changes in order to survive. 
11/4/20223 minutes, 59 seconds
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Filmmaker James Gunn, producer Peter Safran to head DC Universe

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, hires filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran to lead the DC Universe.
10/28/20224 minutes, 38 seconds
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‘Black Adam’ isn’t going to be the save-all property DC hoped it might be

“Black Adam” opens in theaters. Will it make DC Films the success that David Zaslav dreams it will be? Plus, who runs DC Films now?
10/21/20224 minutes, 6 seconds
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Warner Bros. Discovery CEO lays off a quarter of its TV division staff

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav cuts more jobs this week. This time, about a quarter of its TV division staff was laid off. 
10/14/20223 minutes, 59 seconds
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Alec Baldwin settles ‘Rust’ lawsuit; Halyna Hutchins' husband takes EP role

Alec Baldwin and “Rust” producers settle a lawsuit with cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ family. The film will resume production, and her husband will take an EP role.
10/7/20225 minutes, 11 seconds
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Harvey Weinstein’s trial is a few weeks away. Has Hollywood changed?

Five years after the #MeToo reckoning in Hollywood, Harvey Weinstein’s trial is a few weeks away in Los Angeles. Have things really changed in the industry?
9/30/20225 minutes, 12 seconds
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‘The Woman King’ delivers the goods, ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ may surprise

“The Woman King” brings in the numbers, “Don’t Worry Darling” may have a surprising opening, and what James Cameron’s upcoming “Avatar” sequels could mean for Disney.
9/23/20225 minutes, 27 seconds
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Disney’s CEO on the future of Hulu, ESPN, and an all-in app

During the D23 Expo, Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek discussed with the press his plans for Hulu and ESPN, as well as the future of an all-in app for the company. 
9/16/20225 minutes, 10 seconds
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Disney offers perks to give subscribers the ‘whole Disney experience’

Disney plays big and offers subscribers more perks on Disney+ Day to entice them to other company products.
9/9/20224 minutes, 59 seconds
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Amazon’s ‘The Rings of Power’ and HBO’s ‘House of Dragon’ face off

HBO and Amazon are competing for which show will attract more viewers: “House of the Dragon,” or “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?”
9/2/20225 minutes, 13 seconds
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AMC, Regal theaters announce financial measures to stay afloat

In two drastic financial moves, AMC Theaters announced a new stock to raise money last week, while Regal Cinemas may file for bankruptcy.
8/26/20225 minutes, 59 seconds
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'Not great for Zaslav': Can CEO salvage Warner Bros. Discovery?

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s decision-making process highlights his lack of experience to run the legacy studio, and he accumulates more problems along the way. 
8/19/20225 minutes, 40 seconds
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Disney+ gains subscribers, consumers will pay for ad-free content

Disney+ raises subscribers to 152 million, beating expectations, but they will charge $3 more per month for ad-free content.
8/12/20225 minutes, 30 seconds
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Warner Bros. CEO Zaslav cancels release of $90 million film ‘Batgirl’

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav shocks the movie industry once again by shelving the nearly-completed $90-milion film “Batgirl.” What does this mean for the company’s future?
8/5/20225 minutes, 31 seconds
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Summer blockbusters are over. Will theaters hit a box-office wall?

Movies came back this summer, providing theater owners some relief. However, cinemas could hit a wall, until big blockbusters, such as “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” are released in the fall. Meanwhile, moviegoers will turn to streaming services.
7/29/20225 minutes, 4 seconds
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Netflix loses 1 million subscribers in Q2, below expectations. Has it turned the page?

Netflix lost nearly 1 million subscribers in Q2, below expected projections. But Netflix’s CEO thinks it’s a positive sign. So has the streaming service really turned the page? 
7/22/20225 minutes, 23 seconds
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Hulu gets 58 Emmy nods, but its future remains uncertain

Hulu gets 58 Emmys’ nominations this year, but its future as a streaming platform remains unclear. 
7/15/20225 minutes, 5 seconds
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The box office roars back: ‘Minions’ opens at $125 million

“Minions: The Rise of Gru” opens to a huge weekend, and “Lightyear” doesn’t meet Disney’s expectations. The Business host Kim Masters and Puck News founder Matt Belloni discuss.  
7/8/20225 minutes
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Disney renews Chapek: 'He's under significant scrutiny now'

CEO Bob Chapek just renewed his contract with Disney. The company’s vote of confidence comes after a turbulent tenure, with some bright spots. 
7/1/20225 minutes, 28 seconds
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All of the lights and glitter: Will 'Elvis' be a box-office success?

With Baz Luhrmann and an endorsement from Elvis’ estate, Warner Bros. hopes to cash in with their new feature film “Elvis.”
6/24/20225 minutes, 25 seconds
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Will audiences boycott Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ amid same-sex kiss controversy?

Fearing a US boycott over a same-sex kiss scene on “Lightyear,” Disney lowballs its opening to cap at $70 million. The animated film is Disney’s first theatrical release during the pandemic.  
6/17/20225 minutes, 1 second
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With poor reviews, can 'Jurassic World: Dominion' hit big at the box office?

With poor reviews coming in, will “Jurassic World: Dominion” hit Universal’s opening projection of $130 to $160 million in the box office? Hollywood insiders say the film is critic-proof.
6/10/20225 minutes, 55 seconds
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Depp vs. Heard: What does the verdict mean for Hollywood?

A verdict has been reached in the Johnny Depp defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. A jury found both parties liable for defamation.
6/3/20225 minutes, 15 seconds
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‘Top Gun: Maverick’ opening is expected to hit $100 million

Tom Cruise has been a successful movie star for decades, yet he’s never had a $100 million premiere. Could “Top Gun Maverick” be his break?
5/27/20225 minutes, 32 seconds
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Can Disney+ grow subscribers, compete with Netflix and Hulu?

Disney reports that it has 8 million new subscribers to its streaming service. Investors are wondering how much money Disney+ subscribers will bring in the long run.  
5/13/20224 minutes, 43 seconds
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Tom Cruise still an action powerhouse in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

After pandemic delays, the new Tom Cruise film “Top Gun: Maverick” opens on May 27, and is expected to be a hit.
5/6/20225 minutes, 43 seconds
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Too Fast and Furious: Netflix focuses on quantity over quality

As Netflix loses subscribers, insiders reveal that poor leadership and a quantity-over-quality strategy could tank the business.  
4/29/20225 minutes, 31 seconds
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Hollywood panics as Netflix loses 200,000 subscribers

Netflix stock tanks after dismal subscriber numbers spook Wall Street
4/22/20225 minutes, 20 seconds
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Fate of CNN+ unclear with David Zaslav in charge of Discovery WarnerMedia

With 100k subscribers on launch, CNN+ streaming service is not a runaway hit.
4/15/20225 minutes, 19 seconds
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Academy will meet to decide on Will Smith consequences

The Motion Picture Academy Board of Governors meets on Friday and is expected to make a statement about Will Smith’s slap at the Oscars.
4/8/20225 minutes, 28 seconds
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After slapping Chris Rock at Oscars, could Will Smith’s career take a hit?

Will Smith could face formal consequences after he publicly slapped Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a statement indicating that Smith was asked to leave the event, however it's unknown why he remained for the duration of the show.
4/1/20225 minutes, 14 seconds
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Oscars: Will new format draw younger viewers, will ‘The Power of the Dog’ win?

The Oscars are on Sunday, and there’s nervousness in the industry around the lack of blockbusters nominated, save for “Dune.”  Ratings for the Academy Awards have been declining, so in an effort to make this year’s telecast more appealing, not all categories will be awarded live during the show. ABC and Disney will pre-tape and edit some of them to air later in the broadcast. 
3/25/20225 minutes, 11 seconds
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Amazon buys the lion — closes $8.5 billion merger with MGM

Tech giant Amazon is expanding its entertainment empire with the purchase of MGM for $8.5 billion.
3/18/20225 minutes, 44 seconds
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Disney staff outraged at CEO’s silence on ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill

Disney CEO Bob Chapek aggravated employees, when he chose to not take a stand on Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.
3/11/20225 minutes, 47 seconds
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Would you pay more to watch ‘The Batman’ at AMC?

If you want to see “The Batman” this weekend at an AMC theater, be prepared to pay extra. The chain is trying out “variable pricing” for the first time on this superhero flick.
3/4/20225 minutes, 24 seconds
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Oscars: 8 categories won’t be part of live telecast, backlash ensues

There will be eight fewer awards broadcast live at this year’s Oscars. Many in the film community are outraged. But some say it’s a needed change for a bloated telecast.
2/25/20225 minutes, 25 seconds
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ViacomCBS is now Paramount, but Wall Street isn't impressed.

ViacomCBS is no more – the company this week rebranded as Paramount and is going all-in on the streaming wars. But investors have not gotten on board.
2/18/20225 minutes, 43 seconds
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Oscars: No vax requirement, no consensus on frontrunners

Attendees of this year’s Oscars won’t have to be fully vaccinated. This decision by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences surprised many people.
2/11/20225 minutes, 3 seconds
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Jeff Zucker out at CNN. Will more be revealed?

Jeff Zucker resigned as the head of CNN this week after failing to disclose a relationship with a high-level CNN executive. The revelation came about as a result of the Chris Cuomo investigation. 
2/4/20225 minutes, 13 seconds
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All of the Olympics will stream on Peacock. Will anybody watch?

For the first time, all of the Olympic Games will be available to watch on NBC’s streaming service Peacock. But how many people will actually tune in?
1/28/20225 minutes, 17 seconds
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Netflix hikes prices, how will subscribers react?

The standard Netflix plan now costs $15.49 a month — 50 cents more than HBO Max. Some subscribers may cancel, but the price will likely continue to rise as Netflix grows.
1/21/20225 minutes, 35 seconds
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Future of Disney: What is Bob Chapek’s strategy?

Disney CEO Bob Chapek recently sent his staff a memo outlining three “strategic pillars” that will “set the stage” for the company’s future. What do they really mean?
1/14/20225 minutes, 44 seconds
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Golden Globes go on — with no celebs, no glamor

This year’s Golden Globe Awards will still happen in Beverly Hills, but with no red carpet and no media access. It will be a very pared-down, glamor-free ceremony. 
1/7/20225 minutes, 25 seconds
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How will ‘West Side Story’ fare at the box office?

Steven Spielberg’s version of “West Side Story” opens this weekend, and while the film has received strong reviews, it may find trouble at the box office. Because so many movies’ release dates were pushed by the pandemic, it’s extra crowded at the holiday box office this year. And “West Side Story” will likely appeal to an older audience, the group that’s least likely to venture out to see movies in-person. 
12/10/20215 minutes, 19 seconds
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Disney has a new board chair, and she’s a gay woman

When Bob Iger officially leaves Disney at the end of the year, he’ll be succeeded by Susan Arnold, the first woman and first openly gay person to lead the Disney board of directors. Unlike Iger, Arnold does not have a creative background. She worked almost 30 years at Procter & Gamble and also spent time in the world of private equity. 
12/10/20215 minutes, 55 seconds
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With ‘Red Notice,’ Netflix hopes to become home for blockbusters

Big budget action movies with big stars have traditionally been the bread and butter of Hollywood studios. Now, with films like “Red Notice,” Netflix is trying to make its mark on that blockbuster territory. “Red Notice” stars Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, and is on track to become Netflix’s most-watched movie, but is that popularity on streaming enough to capture the cultural conversation and launch a franchise?
11/26/20215 minutes, 25 seconds
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Some low-budget film producers seemed to seek tax breaks, with little regard for crew safety

In The Hollywood Reporter, Kim Masters and Gary Baum did a deep dive into the shady side of independent filmmaking. They found that four of the same producers on “Rust” worked on a previous film called “The Tiger Rising,” where the crew complained of late or missed payments. The producers seemed to be looking for tax breaks and credits, and did not care about the movie itself or the people making it. “The Tiger Rising,” which stars Dennis Quaid and Queen Latifah, is yet to be released.
11/19/20215 minutes, 44 seconds
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Ice Cube, Letitia Wright, Shailene Woodley: Stars and vaccine mandates clash in Hollywood

Hollywood studios are tightening up their COVID-19 vaccine requirements. This is a safety issue but also a financial one. When unvaccinated actor Miles Teller tested positive on the set of the series “The Offer,” it cost Paramount $6 million to shut down production. Recently Ice Cube dropped out of the Sony comedy “Oh Hell No” because he refused to get vaccinated, giving up a $9 million job. 
11/12/20215 minutes, 57 seconds
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‘Eternals’ is Marvel’s first film with a love scene and same-sex kiss. Will comic fans show up?

With the new movie “Eternals,” Marvel is hoping it can launch a series of films as successful as the “Avengers.” But there’s been skepticism from fans about the new movie, which introduces new characters and is directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao. The launch of “Eternals” will be a test for Marvel to see if the company can have success by going in a different direction. 
11/5/20215 minutes, 36 seconds
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Why would a star like Alec Baldwin be in a low-budget movie like ‘Rust?’

As authorities continue what could be a months-long investigation into the on-set tragedy that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, those on the business side of things in Hollywood are wondering why Alec Baldwin was involved with “Rust” in the first place. Earlier this year, the actor and producer told The Hollywood Reporter, “I have six kids, I don’t want to work anymore.” Working for a short time on a $6 million movie like “Rust” may be a great deal for Baldwin, but after his pay day, it’s possible not much money was left for the crew, which led to cutting corners and ultimately, a deadly accident.
10/29/20215 minutes, 36 seconds
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Trans employees at Netflix hold a walkout and make demands for more inclusive content

There’s continued unrest at Netflix following the release of the Dave Chappelle comedy special “The Closer,” which includes jokes that some consider transphobic and homophobic. This week, trans Netflix employees and allies staged a walkout and demanded the streamer invest more in content from trans creators. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that he “screwed up” when he previously wrote in a memo that on-screen content does not impact the real world. 
10/21/20215 minutes, 31 seconds
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Dave Chappelle’s ‘The Closer’ prompts trans Netflix employees to plan a walkout next week

Netflix is in hot water after a series of failed PR moves following the release of Dave Chappelle’s new comedy special, “The Closer.” In the special, Chappelle makes antisemitic, homophobic and transphobic remarks, but Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has stood by “The Closer” in a series of memos, writing, “We have a strong belief that content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm.”  Now trans Netflix employees and allies are planning a walkout on October 20. 
10/15/20215 minutes, 35 seconds
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Talent agency CAA acquires rival ICM, continuing the Hollywood consolidation wave

For a long time, WME and CAA have been the number one and number two agencies in Hollywood. Recently, CAA acquired ICM, the number four agency in terms of size, which now makes CAA bigger than WME and moves it to the number one slot. The merger is part of a wave of consolidation in Hollywood, as companies have had to get bigger to keep up with the tech companies who have taken over the industry. 
10/8/20215 minutes, 31 seconds
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‘No Time to Die’ finally opens in the US, with high box office hopes

After more than a year of pandemic-related delays, “No Time to Die” is finally opening in U.S. movie theaters. The James Bond movie stars Daniel Craig as the famous secret agent for the fifth and final time and has already made more than $120 million overseas. Hollywood’s hope is that “No Time to Die” could come close to making $100 million at its domestic opening. 
10/8/20215 minutes, 51 seconds
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Universal will be the home of Christopher Nolan’s next project, a film about the creation of the atom bomb

Director Christopher Nolan’s long relationship with Warner Bros. ended when the studio released his last movie “Tenet” on the streamer HBO Max the same day it opened in theaters. For his next film, Nolan had several demands for potential studios, including a 110-day exclusive theatrical window. Nolan ended up picking Universal for his next project, a World War II drama about the creation of the atom bomb.
9/17/20215 minutes, 12 seconds
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Time’s Up in crisis as entire board resigns

Formed in the wake of the #MeToo movement, the Time’s Up organization brought together many high-profile Hollywood women to fight workplace gender discrimination, but the nonprofit has been plagued with problems since the beginning. Recently CEO Tina Tchen resigned after it was revealed that she had supported former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in his sexual harassment investigation. A few weeks later, the entire board of Time’s Up resigned.
9/10/20215 minutes, 48 seconds
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‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ and ‘Jackass Forever’ release dates pushed by Paramount

As the pandemic continues to prevent crowds from going to the movies, Paramount decided to push the release dates of three upcoming films. “Top Gun: Maverick” is moving from November 19, 2021 to May 27, 2022. “Mission: Impossible 7” is going from May 27, 2022 to September 30, 2022. And “Jackass Forever” is shifting to October 22, 2021 to Feburary 4, 2022. There is a huge cost involved with delaying these movies, but Paramount is depending on money from theatrical releases and doesn’t want to put the films on streaming.
9/3/20215 minutes, 28 seconds
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Hollywood baffled over Sony TV’s failure to vet ‘Jeopardy!’ EP Mike Richards

Mike Richards was announced, and then canceled, as the new host of “Jeopardy!” following a damning report in The Ringer that highlighted past sexist and racist statements he made on multiple podcast episodes. However, Richards still holds his position as executive producer of the famous game show. Industry insiders are wondering how Sony missed all of Richards’ red flags in the first place and why he gets to keep his job. 
8/27/20215 minutes, 32 seconds
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Hollywood must make tough choices on when and how to release new films as Delta variant rises

Late summer and early fall was supposed to be the big return to movie theaters. But with the Delta variant on the rise, Hollywood is in a tough spot. Studios have to decide to put their big movies in theaters, knowing not as many people will come, or sell films to a streaming service and lose out on box office revenue. 
8/20/20215 minutes, 47 seconds
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Announcement of new ‘Jeopardy!’ host causes fan uproar online

Following the death of the iconic Alex Trebek, “Jeopardy!” featured a series of high-profile guest hosts. But the job of new host ultimately went to Mike Richards, the executive producer of the game show. Many fans are upset that someone like LeVar Burton wasn’t picked instead. And Richards has some red flags in his past — he was named in three discrimation lawsuits about a decade ago. 
8/13/20215 minutes, 39 seconds
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Breaking down the massive deals for ‘South Park’ creators and Reese Witherspoon’s company

The creators of “South Park” and Reese Witherspoon probably aren’t often discussed together, but both recently closed $900 million deals. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the “South Park” creators, signed a deal with ViacomCBS that runs through 2027 and guarantees 14 new “South Park” movies for the streamer Paramount+. Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine sold to an unnamed company run by former Disney executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs.
8/6/20215 minutes, 17 seconds
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Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over ‘Black Widow’ release strategy

Scarlett Johansson, star of “Black Widow,” is suing Disney over the release of the Marvel film. Johansson says Disney’s failure to give the movie an exclusive theatrical release was a breach of contract that cost her $50 million in box office bonuses. “Black Widow” opened in theaters and was available to stream on Disney+ for a $30 charge on the same day. Johansson’s lawsuit is likely just the beginning of a long battle between stars and movie studios over theatrical compensation in the streaming age.
7/30/20215 minutes, 38 seconds
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Netflix is still the streaming king, but lost US subscribers

In its most recent earnings report, Netflix shared that it gained 1.5 million subscribers around the world in the last quarter. However, that is a modest gain for the streaming giant, and it lost 400,000 subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. In a bid to stop viewers from canceling, Netflix plans to offer mobile video games. Meanwhile, HBO Max reported strong growth of 2.8 million new subscribers in the same period.
7/23/20215 minutes, 20 seconds
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‘Black Widow’ opening weekend: Successful as it seemed?

Marvel Studios’ superhero spy thriller “Black Widow” opened last weekend to the tune of $215 million in global revenue. Those earnings come partly due to the film’s dual release in theaters and on Disney+ the same day.  While the release initially appears to be a success, a closer look at variables like box office dropoff, multi-person viewing at home, and the pandemic amounted to a muddled narrative. It’s unclear what long-term effects this dual-release model has on the film industry. 
7/16/20215 minutes, 33 seconds
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Olympics without spectators could be a ratings disaster

Japan has declared a state of emergency in Tokyo after a spike in coronavirus cases. This news comes as the Olympics are scheduled to begin there in two weeks. In an attempt to keep case numbers under control, Olympic organizers have banned almost all spectators from the games. The lack of in-person fans may well mean fewer viewers for the TV broadcast of the games, a big problem for NBC and its streaming service Peacock. 
7/9/20215 minutes, 24 seconds
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Films must have exclusive theatrical run to be eligible for awards in 2022, says DGA

The Directors Guild of America says awards eligibility for 2022 requires a film to once again have an exclusive theatrical release. Those rules were relaxed during the pandemic. The Academy says straight-to-streaming releases are still allowed. This is tricky for Warner Bros., which already announced all its films for this year will debut on HBO Max the same day they open in theaters, making none of their films eligible for DGA Awards.
7/2/20215 minutes, 26 seconds
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NBCUniversal needs the Olympics, but is Tokyo ready to host?

The Olympics begin on July 23, but many in Tokyo say they’re not ready to host because Japan’s vaccination rate is still under 10%. The Olympics are critically important to NBCUniversal — the official broadcaster of the Games — and its streaming service Peacock. The streamer desperately needs new paying subscribers, but will Olympic Games with few fans on site and social distancing policies in place be enough draw?
6/25/20215 minutes, 50 seconds
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What’s behind the ‘In the Heights’ box office miss?

Warner Bros. was hoping for a big summer hit with its movie adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical “In the Heights.” Instead, the movie fell below expectations and only made $11.4 million at the box office opening weekend. The lack of big stars could have kept people home, as well as the fact that the film was also streaming on HBO Max. 
6/18/20215 minutes, 32 seconds
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Discovery will merge with WarnerMedia, but not right away. That delay makes things difficult

News broke in May that AT&T would be spinning off WarnerMedia to Discovery and that David Zaslav would run the combined media empire, but that deal isn’t closing any time soon. The merger is subject to federal review, which could take a year or more. That leaves WarnerMedia awkwardly situated and without clear leadership in the midst of the streaming wars.
6/11/20215 minutes, 31 seconds
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With ‘A Quiet Place Part II,’ the box office begins to bounce back

“A Quiet Place Part II” had a strong $57 million opening at theaters over Memorial Day weekend. The performance is especially impressive considering theaters are not yet seating guests at full capacity. Disney’s “Cruella” pulled in $26 million in theaters, but the film was also available to stream for $30 on Disney+, which may have cut into box office potential.
6/4/20215 minutes, 27 seconds
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Amazon set to purchase MGM for $8.45 billion

In Hollywood, merger mania continues, this time with a tech twist. Amazon is buying the storied MGM Studios, and the library of 4,000 movies and TV shows that comes with it. The deal says something about how power has shifted in Hollywood — away from the traditional studios and towards the tech companies. 
5/28/20215 minutes, 59 seconds
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AT&T spins off WarnerMedia to Discovery

The grand experiment that was AT&T’s ownership of WarnerMedia is coming to an end. The phone company will spin off its WarnerMedia assets to the media giant Discovery. That move will put Discovery CEO David Zaslav over WarnerMedia, most likely leaving current WarnerMedia head Jason Kilar without a job. 
5/21/20215 minutes, 59 seconds
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NBC drops the Golden Globes for 2022 as HFPA remains engulfed in crisis

NBC announced it will not air the Golden Globes in 2022. This follows an LA Times investigation into ethical lapses at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the voting body of the Golden Globes. The HFPA came under fire for questionable financial deals as well as for having no Black members in its 87 person group.
5/14/20215 minutes, 37 seconds
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Spotlight stays on toxic Hollywood workplaces with LA Times’ ICM report

The LA Times took a deep dive into accusations of workplace misconduct at the talent agency ICM. The array of allegations include at least one instance of sexual assault, plus more standard bullying  that has permeated all the major talent agencies in Hollywood. The industry is having a moment of reckoning regarding abusive workplace behavior, but it’s still not clear there will be any real long-term change. 
5/7/20215 minutes, 50 seconds
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Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor is now a publicly traded company

CEO Ari Emanuel tried to take his company Endeavor public in the fall of 2019. That attempt fell through, but now the company, which includes talent agency WME, has succeeded with an IPO. All eyes are now the temperamental Emanuel to see how he’ll do as the head of a publicly traded company. 
4/30/20215 minutes, 55 seconds
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Scott Rudin steps away from Broadway and film projects, Hollywood slow to react

Scott Rudin is long known to be a bully in the industry, but after “The Hollywood Reporter” published on-the-record allegations, the prolific producer stepped back from his upcoming Broadway and film projects. But it’s still not clear what “stepping back” actually means, and while some people have taken a stand against Rudin and his toxic behavior, most of Hollywood has stayed quiet. 
4/23/20215 minutes, 56 seconds
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Bullying in Hollywood: Ray Fisher and other industry workers speak out

Two recent stories from “The Hollywood Reporter” examine the toxic work environment in Hollywood. Actor Ray Fisher spoke out about being mistreated while working on “Justice League” with Joss Whedon. In another piece, ex-staffers of famous producer Scott Rudin went on the record about his bullying behavior. 
4/16/20215 minutes, 45 seconds
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With ‘Godzilla vs. Kong,’ box office shows signs of life

“Godzilla vs. Kong” made $9.6 million at the box office on opening day — a record for the pandemic. The action film that has two famous monsters battling is expected to make $30 million over the weekend, which would be a much-needed boost to the movie theater industry that was wiped out over the past year.
4/2/20215 minutes, 8 seconds
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Disney pushes ‘Black Widow’ to July, will put it and ‘Cruella’ on Disney+ for a premium fee

The Marvel movie “Black Widow” was set to be the first big movie to premiere exclusively in theaters once they reopened. But Disney announced it’s pushing “Black Widow” from May to July and will put it on Disney+ at the same time, where subscribers will be able to watch for a $30 fee. “Cruella” will hold its May 28 release date, but will also be available via premium video on demand.
3/26/20215 minutes, 29 seconds
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Awards shows in freefall as viewers abandon Golden Globes and Grammys

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is worried about the Oscars telecast, and they have every right to be. Both major televised awards shows this year — the Golden Globes and the Grammys — have been ratings disasters. Why are viewers turning away from awards shows?
3/19/20216 minutes
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Independent movie theaters get help from next stimulus bill

The $1.9 trillion relief package President Biden signed on Thursday provides some help for small theaters and other entertainment venues. The American Rescue Plan includes an additional $1.25 billion for a grant program created last December for venue owners. The money may make it possible for some independent theaters to stay afloat until places are able to open to full capacity again. 
3/12/20215 minutes, 45 seconds
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Movie studios are anticipating a return to theaters

With vaccines rolling out and business reopenings on the horizon, heads of movie studios are making it clear they have not given up on theaters. Several studios have now announced big theatrical releases in May and June, and have said that while exclusive theatrical windows may be shortening, they’re not ditching them altogether. 
3/5/20215 minutes, 43 seconds
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The Golden Globes are under scrutiny again following an LA Times exposé

The Golden Globes are this weekend, and the days of the awards ceremony being a small funky party are long gone. Now the Globes are big business, but a recent LA Times investigation reveals some problematic practices at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the small group that votes on the winners.
2/26/20215 minutes, 59 seconds
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Netflix, HBO Max and Apple seek out kids’ programming to hang on to subscribers

Streaming services are constantly looking for ways to fight churn, which is when viewers sign up for a service and then drop it after they’ve watched a particular show. Kids’ shows and movies seem to be the most churn-proof content, so streamers are making big investments in that department. 
2/19/20215 minutes, 57 seconds
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Agencies drop Armie Hammer, Gina Carano, Marilyn Manson, Morgan Wallen

In a recent spate of actors and singers — including Armie Hammer, Gina Carano, Marilyn Manson — getting in trouble for past or current behavior, talent agencies are figuring out how to deal. In some cases, the agencies are dropping clients entirely, and in others, like with Shia LaBeouf at CAA, the relationship is being put on hold. 
2/12/20215 minutes, 51 seconds
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Fox News falls to third place in cable rankings after years of dominance

Fox News ratings soared during a Trump presidency, but viewership numbers went down when Trump attacked the network. With a new Biden administration, Fox ratings continue to dip as viewers seek more right-wing content. The network is now behind CNN and MSNBC. 
2/5/20216 minutes
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Sundance goes virtual for a different kind of film festival

The Sundance Film Festival kicked off this week, but there will be no crowded screenings in Park City movie theaters. Instead the famous festival will be mostly virtual, with some screenings around the country where theaters are allowed to be open.
1/29/20216 minutes, 12 seconds
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Netflix celebrates 200 million subscribers, moving closer to global streaming domination

Netflix officially has 200 million subscribers as it exponentially grows during the pandemic. The streamer, which holds more than $15 billion of debt, also says it no longer needs to borrow money. However, all streaming services share the fear of churn, where customers sign up for a service to watch one or two things and then unsubscribe. 
1/22/20215 minutes, 12 seconds
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For most-streamed shows, ‘The Office’ on Netflix reigned supreme in 2020

Nielsen released year-end streaming data for 2020, and more minutes were spent watching “The Office” on Netflix than any other show. The top 10 most-watched original series were all on Netflix, except for the Disney+ show “The Mandalorian.” When it came to movies, kids’ movies on Disney+ dominated, with “Frozen II” coming in at number one.
1/15/20215 minutes, 20 seconds
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Facebook and Twitter go tough on Trump after US Capitol assault

Facebook has banned President Trump, at least until his term is over. Twitter issued a 12-hour suspension of his account on Wednesday. It’s a fraught time for social media companies as their platforms were used to organize the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. 
1/8/20215 minutes, 13 seconds
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Roku and HBO Max finally cut a deal

Nearly seven months after WarnerMedia launched HBO Max, Roku users finally have access to the streaming service. Roku has 46 million users, so WarnerMedia was desperate to make a deal with the digital media player before the release of “Wonder Woman 1984” on Christmas Day. 
12/25/20204 minutes, 15 seconds
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Hollywood fumes at WarnerMedia’s big HBO Max move, guilds and agencies start to speak out

When WarnerMedia announced all of its 2021 movies would stream on HBO Max the same day they open in theaters, Hollywood was completely blindsided. Now the industry is starting to speak out. Christopher Nolan blasted Warner Bros. Then the Directors Guild of America and the powerful agency CAA both sent angry letters to the studio. 
12/11/20205 minutes, 53 seconds
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Warner Bros. sends entire slate of 17 movies to HBOMax in 2021

WarnerMedia announced all 17 of its 2021 Warner Bros. movies would debut in theaters and stream on HBOMax at the same time. This shatters the traditional window between theatrical release and streaming that is the foundation of the movie theater business. 
12/4/20206 minutes
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Mark Burnett was supposed to bring hits to MGM. Instead he’s brought chaos

Mark Burnett is best known for reality TV hits like “Survivor,” “The Voice,” and “The Apprentice,” which gave Donald Trump a national audience. Five years ago, he joined MGM Studios as the chairman of worldwide television. His management style hasn’t won him many fans as it’s proved to be much like the outgoing president he once promoted.
11/27/20205 minutes, 52 seconds
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‘Wonder Woman 1984’ will land in theaters and HBOMax on Christmas Day

Throughout the pandemic, movie studios have struggled to decide whether to move big films to streaming services or risk putting them in theaters. With “Wonder Woman 1984,” WarnerMedia is going to try doing both. The superhero sequel will open in theaters (those that are actually open, that is) on December 25, 2020 and also be available to stream on HBOMax the same day.
11/20/20205 minutes, 23 seconds
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As Trump attacks Fox News, more conservative networks get a ratings boost

Fox News flourished under a Trump presidency, but trouble in paradise began on Election Night, when the network made an early call for Joe Biden to win Arizona. The call ended up being correct, but Trump was upset that their announcement changed the momentum. Now the President’s most hardcore fans are turning to Newsmax, a network that’s even further to the right than Fox. 
11/13/20205 minutes, 34 seconds
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Fox News leads cable news ratings on election night, slips on Nov. 4

Broadcast news ratings were down this year compared to 2016. Cable news ratings remained stable compared to the last election, led by a strong showing from Fox News viewers.
11/6/20205 minutes, 41 seconds
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Netflix raises prices, other streaming competitors see success

Netflix increased pricing for its standard and premium plans to $13.99 and $17.99, respectively, as it continues to position itself as the streaming frontrunner.
10/30/20205 minutes, 51 seconds
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Quibi shuts down as Hollywood tries to pinpoint what went wrong

Quibi announced it’s shutting down next month, and Hollywood is trying to pinpoint what went wrong.
10/23/20204 minutes, 52 seconds
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Disney reorganizes to focus on streaming. Will investors be happy?

Amid an industry-wide wave of reorganization, Disney has just announced a restructuring and the creation of a new division for content distribution.
10/16/20205 minutes, 58 seconds
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Streaming is Disney’s path forward, says investor Daniel Loeb

The movie business has struggled to make money during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some industry insiders say it should prioritize streaming.
10/9/20205 minutes, 24 seconds
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Hollywood’s coronavirus protocols worry some workers behind the scenes

Hollywood’s production schedule is largely back up and running after shutting down at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, raising questions about the standards and protocols in place across the industry.
9/25/20205 minutes, 10 seconds
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Emmys host Jimmy Kimmel says ceremony will be a ‘beautiful disaster’

Emmy Awards host Jimmy Kimmel said he believes the Emmys will have their lowest ever ratings this year. Viewers will see a virtual ceremony this Sunday.
9/18/20205 minutes, 39 seconds
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Academy announces new diversity standards for Best Picture Oscar

The Oscars have announced new requirements for films to be eligible for Best Picture. The requirements will take effect in 2024.
9/11/20205 minutes, 56 seconds
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Studios make big gambles with ‘Mulan’ and ‘Tenet’ releases

Two of this year’s biggest blockbusters — “Mulan” and “Tenet” — will be released this weekend. This will test the pandemic-era business strategies for both Warner Bros. and Disney.
9/4/20205 minutes, 28 seconds
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Longtime Hollywood agents say goodbye to old firms, move to new company backed by Trump donor

A new Hollywood management firm has been quietly drawing personnel from the top talent agencies. This came to a head when four top agents at Creative Artists Agency announced they were leaving the company on Aug. 23.
8/28/20205 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ron Meyer resigns as NBCUniversal chairman after affair with actress

Longtime NBCUniversal chairman Ron Meyer has been ousted, the latest high-profile departure of a major Hollywood executive. This came after news broke that he had an affair with a young actress, who was later revealed to be Charlotte Kirk. In his statement, the former executive said that the affair was brief and consensual.
8/21/20205 minutes, 32 seconds
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AMC plans to reopen some theaters on Aug. 20. Tickets will cost 15 cents

AMC announced it will start to reopen its theaters in parts of the country where COVID protocols allow it. But it remains to be seen whether this move will pay off for the chain. Many states, including California, have not allowed movie theaters to reopen.
8/14/20204 minutes, 52 seconds
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Disney lost nearly $5 billion last quarter, but stock prices surged

Disney reported losses of $4.7 billion last quarter in their latest earnings call. Still, investors saw promise in the company’s streaming revenue, as Disney’s stock rose 10%. 
8/7/20205 minutes, 3 seconds
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AMC’s deal with NBCUniversal could bring new movies to viewers’ homes in 17 days

AMC struck a deal with NBCUniversal to allow the studio’s movies to come to video on-demand services 17 days after their theatrical releases. The theater chain was in financial trouble even before the pandemic, and this move could be a lifeline as theaters reopen in some states. Other studios and cinemas are skeptical of the deal, claiming that the model does not make business sense.
7/31/20205 minutes, 54 seconds
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Fox Sports debuts ‘virtual fans’ for MLB live broadcast

The Washington Nationals are playing the New York Yankees on Thursday night — in an empty stadium.Fox Sports is using computer animation to add “virtual fans” to the broadcast. Fox also announced that they sold out 90% of ad inventory for the game.
7/24/20205 minutes, 20 seconds
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Nick Cannon out at Viacom, keeps deal with Fox

Nick Cannon has apologized for anti-Semitic comments he recently made on his podcast. During the public outcry over his speech, he was fired from VH1, where he hosted the long-running sketch comedy show “Wild 'N Out.” He will continue to host “The Masked Singer” on Fox. Also, Tucker Carlson takes a vacation from hosting his Fox News show after his head writer was fired for online hate speech.
7/17/20205 minutes, 20 seconds
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NBC’s free streaming service Peacock hopes to cut through ‘subscription fatigue’

NBC’s Peacock launches on July 15, and one way it hopes to stand apart from other streamers is price. A basic ad-supported version of the service will be free. Peacock will offer classic NBC shows like “Law & Order” and “30 Rock,” plus some Universal movies. 
7/10/20205 minutes, 19 seconds
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Walt Disney World in Florida set to reopen July 11, despite performers’ safety concerns

As Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered the closures of bars, movie theaters and indoor restaurants in California, Disneyland in Anaheim has yet to announce a new reopening date. In Florida, where coronavirus cases are also surging, Walt Disney World still plans to reopen on July 11. Many Disney World employees don’t want to return to work yet because Disney is not offering COVID-19 tests to employees. 
7/3/20205 minutes, 21 seconds
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Disneyland delays reopening, ‘Tenet’ and ‘Mulan’ may be postponed

The Walt Disney Company recently announced that Disneyland will not reopen next month as planned, even though Disney World will reopen starting July 11. Meanwhile, with movie theaters still closed across the country, this summer’s release schedule is in flux.
6/26/20205 minutes, 9 seconds
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Academy postpones 2021 Oscars, will announce new diversity rules

This week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the Oscars ceremony will be postponed until April 2021, and the eligibility requirement for films has been extended until February 28, 2021. The Academy also said they will unveil new diversity requirements this July.
6/19/20205 minutes, 33 seconds
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‘Cops’ and ‘Live P.D.’ canceled following protests against police violence

This week, Hollywood continued reckoning with onscreen depictions of racism and police violence. The Paramount Network pulled its long-running police reality show “Cops,” while A&E canceled its hit show “Live P.D.” Meanwhile, HBO Max has pulled “Gone With the Wind” from streaming for glorifying slavery. The network says it will return at a later date with a disclaimer denouncing the film for portraying slaves who remain loyal to their masters even after the end of slavery.
6/12/20204 minutes, 48 seconds
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How is Hollywood responding to George Floyd protests?

As Black Lives Matter protests and marches have continued throughout the week, Hollywood has given mixed responses.  Some studios put out bland corporate statements, while others have donated money to social justice causes. Some have shown up to protests, including actors Keke Palmer in Los Angeles and John Boyega in London, who both made powerful speeches. 
6/5/20205 minutes, 24 seconds
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Apple and Paramount to make a deal for Martin Scorsese’s next movie

Apple is upping their movie game and putting their stamp on an awards-caliber film. The tech giant is planning to partner with Paramount for Martin Scorsese’s next movie, “Killers of the Flower Moon.” The period drama stars Leonardo DiCaprio and carries a price tag of at least $150 million. Scorcese’s last movie, “The Irishman,” went to Netflix. While that film landed nominations for the streamer, it didn’t take home any of the big awards. Apple is hoping this next Scorsese film can bring them Oscar gold.
5/29/20205 minutes, 25 seconds
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California to announce protocols to resume Hollywood production

A new report from Ampere Analysis says the film and TV industry is set to lose $160 billion over the next five years because of the coronavirus shutdown. Facing such stark losses, the industry is desperate to resume production. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says on May 25, the state will offer protocols for how to start filming again. Newsom estimates 53 of the 58 counties will be able to meet the requirements to restart production. 
5/22/20205 minutes, 20 seconds
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TV advertisers are changing the channel

Normally, this would be the time of year when the big broadcast networks gathered in New York City for the upfronts. They’d pitch their new shows to companies who would then spend billions of dollars buying TV advertising. This year, the upfronts are virtual, and companies like GM, PepsiCo and General Mills are trying to walk back their ad commitments for later this year. 
5/15/20205 minutes, 20 seconds
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Shanghai Disneyland reopening, Hollywood still in limbo

Disney announced on May 5 that it lost more than $1 billion from the closure of parks and resorts during the coronavirus pandemic. Its park in Shanghai is set to reopen on May 11, but with significant rules and restrictions. Meanwhile, the rest of Hollywood is eager to reopen as soon as possible. Some filming is happening abroad, but in the U.S., making blockbusters is still a long way off. 
5/8/20205 minutes, 19 seconds
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Following ‘Trolls World Tour’ kerfuffle, AMC won’t play Universal films

Instead of waiting for movie theaters to reopen, Universal released “Trolls World Tour” through video on demand in early April. NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said it made $100 million, and given the success, they’d be looking at more streaming options in the future. In response, AMC Theatres released a statement saying they would no longer play Universal movies in theaters. 
5/1/20206 minutes, 7 seconds
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Reopen for business? Movie theaters say not so fast

A handful of Southern states are looking to reopen businesses as soon as possible, while keeping social distancing measures in place. But the National Association of Theatre Owners say that if they’re permitted to open, they don’t want to. They’re wondering who would come to the movies, and what would they show.
4/24/20204 minutes, 58 seconds
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Is Bob Iger back as Disney CEO? He abruptly resigned from the helm in February

Hollywood was stunned when Bob Iger suddenly stepped away from his role as Disney CEO in February, handing the reins to Bob Chapek just days before the coronavirus pandemic shut down all the Disney parks. Now a report says Iger is back.
4/17/20205 minutes, 39 seconds
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Disney+ streaming service reaches 50 million subscribers in 5 months

Disney announced that after five months, its streaming service Disney+ is now up to 50 million subscribers. The company hit that landmark about two years earlier than most analysts predicted. The numbers  come with some caveats, but it's still an impressive feat in the world of streaming. 
4/10/20204 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ex-Hulu CEO Jason Kilar named chief of WarnerMedia

AT&T has appointed former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar as the new head of WarnerMedia. That means he’ll oversee HBO, HBO Max, CNN, Warner Bros. and other WarnerMedia properties. It’s a bold choice. Kilar is known for being a visionary in the streaming world, but is not as well known in the old-school Hollywood circles. 
4/3/20205 minutes, 53 seconds
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Will new TV streamers HBO Max, Peacock, and Quibi meet their launch dates?

With a lot of people now stuck at home, TV viewing across the country continues to spike. Viewers may be eager for new content. But for upcoming streaming services such as HBO Max, Peacock, and Quibi, there are questions as to whether they’ll be ready to launch, and if viewers will be willing to pay for them.
3/27/20205 minutes, 21 seconds
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Coronavirus and Hollywood: TV production shut down, some movies shift to streaming

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, TV production has almost entirely shut down. Now the industry is scrambling to see if there’s any way to save the big fall season for the broadcast networks. On the movie side -- in an unprecedented move -- some big films like the newest “Trolls” installment are coming directly to streaming, but don’t expect that to be the case for every new movie. 
3/20/20206 minutes, 1 second
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Coronavirus and Hollywood: Disneyland closes, more movies pushed

Disney has announced that its Anaheim-based theme park will close from March 14 until the end of the month. Elsewhere in Hollywood, more movies continue to delay their release dates, including “A Quiet Place Part II” and “Fast & Furious 9.” 
3/13/20205 minutes, 34 seconds
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Amid coronavirus, Hollywood takes a hit. Will Disney shut down theme parks, hotels, cruise ships too?

As anxiety over coronavirus increases, Hollywood has already lost $5 billion from a diminished international box office and production stoppages. That’s likely just the beginning. Disney is in an especially tough spot. The company has already closed some theme parks in Asia. Will it do the same in the U.S.? 
3/6/20205 minutes, 1 second
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Bob Iger abruptly resigns as Disney CEO, Hollywood is shocked

Bob Iger spent 15 years as Disney CEO, overseeing huge acquisitions and unparalleled box office success. So it came as a massive surprise when Iger announced this week that he was stepping down immediately. He’s handing the reins to Bob Chapek, who had been chairman of Disney Parks since 2015. 
2/28/20205 minutes, 24 seconds
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Harvey Weinstein jury deliberates

The jury in the Harvey Weinstein criminal trial began deliberations this week. They've made several requests to review information and to relisten to certain of witness testimonies. It's hard to know how long deliberations will take because there have been relatively few comparable trials. 
2/21/20205 minutes, 36 seconds
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'The Hunt' returns

The Universal satire-horror film "The Hunt," from prolific producer Jason Blum, was pulled before its release last fall, following back-to-back mass shootings. Now the film is getting a new release date in March, and Universal is leaning into the controversy in its marketing.
2/14/20205 minutes, 10 seconds
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Oscars still so white and so male

Since the #OscarsSoWhite movement kicked off five years ago, the Academy has worked to make its membership more diverse. A breakdown of the numbers shows they have made some progress, but there's still a long way to go to achieve anything close to parity. 
2/7/20205 minutes, 23 seconds
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Emma Watts resigns as chief of 20th Century Studios

As Disney continues to dismantle Fox, more changes emerge at the Mouse. Emma Watts was the executive behind a lot of great films, including "Ford v Ferrari," "Deadpool," and "The Martian," but there appears to not be a home for such kinds of movies at Disney.
1/31/20205 minutes, 8 seconds
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Emotional testimony at the Harvey Weinstein trial

With the jury set, the Harvey Weinstein trial is underway in New York, and the first few days have provided some dramatic and emotional testimony, especially from actress and alleged rape victim Annabella Sciorra.
1/24/20204 minutes, 54 seconds
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Peacock emerges from its shell

NBCUniversal revealed details of its new streaming service Peacock, which will have several tiers and pricing options.
1/17/20205 minutes, 17 seconds
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Harvey Weinstein criminal trial begins in New York

In a closely-watched trial, Weinstein has won himself no favors with the judge after bringing in two cellphones and texting during court proceedings. 
1/10/20205 minutes, 23 seconds
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What does 2020 hold for Hollywood?

Taking on some of the questions the industry is facing in 2020: Will Netflix win a Best Picture Oscar? Which franchises get theatrical releases and which go straight to streaming? Is HBO going to diminish its brand?
1/2/20205 minutes, 33 seconds
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As the Skywalker saga wraps up, what's next for Star Wars?

"The Rise of Skywalker" hits theaters this weekend and critics are not impressed. The ninth and final entry in the Skywalker saga is expected to make hundreds of millions around the globe, but with the franchise feeling creatively lacking, what will Disney decide to do with it next?
12/20/20195 minutes, 20 seconds
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A disappointing settlement for the women who brought civil claims against Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein and the women who brought a civil case against him have potentially reached a $25 million settlement. But Weinstein won't have to pay a dime of that money himself--it all comes from insurance--and the math works out to no more than $500K per victim. 
12/13/20195 minutes, 14 seconds
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'America's Got Talent' has problems

NBC is in trouble again. This time the issues are not with the news department, but with the show 'America's Got Talent,' where Gabrielle Union was fired as a judge after only one season, after allegedly complaining about a racist culture at the show. 
12/6/20195 minutes, 14 seconds
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The hazards of making movies about real people

Two new movies, 'Richard Jewell' and 'The Banker,' have run into problems stemming from the real people they portray before the films have even been released.
11/22/20195 minutes, 28 seconds
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Disney+ officially arrives, with big numbers to boot

Disney+ has now been revealed. It was glitchy to start, but Disney says there's a good reason---10 million people signed up for the new streaming service
11/15/20194 minutes, 52 seconds
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Netflix's Reed Hastings says what he really thinks

At the New York Times Dealbook Conference, the Netflix CEO weighed in on Saudi Arabia, increased playback speeds, and the theatrical experience.
11/8/20195 minutes, 19 seconds
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As the streaming wars continue, WarnerMedia reveals HBO Max details

WarnerMedia hosted a 2-hour event this week where presenters shared the goals and details of HBO Max, which will launch in 2020.
11/1/20195 minutes, 32 seconds
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Rose McGowan sues Harvey Weinstein, Lisa Bloom and others

In addition to Weinstein and Bloom, Rose McGowan is also suing lawyer David Boies and the private intelligence Black Cube, claiming racketeering, invasion of privacy and more. 
10/25/20195 minutes, 18 seconds
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'South Park' going after China head-on

Hollywood has been chasing Chinese money for years, and to do so, studios have been self-censoring themselves so that their movies can be played in the Communist country. In recent weeks, 'South Park' has made fun of China directly, which has led to the show being completely banned on Chinese TV and internet. 
10/18/20195 minutes, 6 seconds
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Ronan Farrow versus NBC News

Ronan Farrow's book "Catch and Kill" is coming out soon, and already causing drama. Farrow alleges NBC News never aired his Harvey Weinstein reporting because NBC News was being held hostage by Weinstein and allies who said they had dirt on Matt Lauer. 
10/11/20195 minutes, 20 seconds
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Already courting controversy, 'Joker' looks to open huge

Todd Phillips' super-villain origin story 'Joker' already won top prize at Venice. But now there are fears the dark and violent movie could incite actual violence. 
10/4/20195 minutes, 11 seconds
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Marvel's Kevin Feige to visit a galaxy far, far away

Marvel's Kevin Feige has stuck his nose into the Star Wars tent. The Marvel mega-producer will work on at least one Star Wars movie in the coming years. 
9/27/20194 minutes, 54 seconds
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With Peacock, the streaming space gets even more crowded

NBC revealed its forthcoming streaming service this week. Next year, Peacock will arrive on the scene with thousands of hours of content already included. In addition to library shows, there will also be originals and reboots of shows including 'Battlestar Galactica' and 'Saved by the Bell.'
9/20/20195 minutes, 27 seconds
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Apple lifts the veil on TV+

After a seemingly endless wait, we finally know some of the crucial details of Apple TV+. The service will be cheap!--only $5 a month, or free for a year if you buy a new iPhone or Mac. The streaming service will land on November 1. 
9/12/20195 minutes, 29 seconds
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'Crazy Rich Asians' co-writer leaves sequel over pay parity

'Crazy Rich Asians' was a huge box office hit, but one of the screenwriters won't be returning for the two sequels after she learned her male screenwriter had been offered more than 8 times what she was making for the job. 
9/6/20196 minutes, 4 seconds
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Why 'The Irishman' may not be coming to a theater near you

Netflix wants an Oscar best picture win, and their highest profile release is Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman.' The film will play in limited theaters before going to Netflix, but none of the major theater chains are jumping on board. 
8/30/20195 minutes, 20 seconds
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ViacomCBS and the triumph of Shari Redstone

This week saw the long-awaited recombining of CBS and Viacom. To make it happen, Shari Redstone, daughter of Sumner Redstone, had to roll up her sleeves and outlast several other CEOs in the process. 
8/16/20195 minutes, 16 seconds
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Despite box office domination, Disney's earnings disappoint

This is the first quarter that Fox assets have been included in Disney's earnings report, and the results were not as strong as expected. Disney chief Bob Iger blamed Fox's film studio strategy for the lackluster numbers. 
8/9/20194 minutes, 59 seconds
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Extra's very bad week

The Warner Bros show 'Extra' is having a rough go of it this week. Host Mario Lopez is in hot water after he made controversial comments about the parenting of possibly transgender kids. And cohost A.J. Calloway has been removed from the program, many months after multiple sexual assault allegations emerged. 
8/2/20194 minutes, 56 seconds
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Will Leo roar at the box office?

Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' opens this weekend and the industry will be watching closely to see how it does. It's one of the few studio movies of the summer that's a standalone, adult, dramatic film that's not part of some larger franchise. It'll also be something of a test: does Leonardo DiCaprio's star power still have pull at the box office?
7/26/20194 minutes, 53 seconds
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Emmy nominations are out and HBO is back on top for now.

The Emmy nominations were announced this week, and while HBO epic ‘Game of Thrones’ broke the record for total nominations in a single season at 32, the news was also an affirmation of the wealth of quality tv out there right now.
7/19/20195 minutes, 57 seconds
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Will HBO Max work and will consumers pay?

WarnerMedia’s new streaming service HBO Max will pull “Friends” from Netflix when it launches in 2020.
7/12/20196 minutes, 11 seconds
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Netflix bragged about 'On My Block.' Now its stars want a raise.

Netflix doesn't reveal ratings, but did say the series 'On My Block' was it's "most-binged" of 2018. Now, the four stars of that show are working to renegotiate their contracts for season 3. They'd like to be paid on par with the stars of another YA Netflix series, '13 Reasons Why.' 
6/28/20196 minutes, 6 seconds
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A crisis of comedies at the box office

The movie 'Late Night' written by and starring Mindy Kaling was the talk of Sundance, but its buzz at the box office has been significantly more muted. And it's not the only one--several comedies--one after another have tanked at the box office this spring and summer. Is streaming to blame?
6/21/20195 minutes, 40 seconds
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Emmy nomination voting underway

The first round of Emmy voting began earlier this week, and we're starting to get the lay of the land. 'Game of Thrones' may well dominate the awards space in the drama category, despite less than stellar reviews for the final season. And this year, one of the most competitive categories, Best Limited Series, is a format that was on life support just a few years ago. 
6/14/20195 minutes, 55 seconds
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An avalanche of big studios weigh in on Georgia abortion bill

Georgia has become Hollywood East in recent years, thanks to the hefty tax breaks they offer productions. But more and more big studios say they'll have to reconsider working in the state if the "heartbeat bill" becomes law. 
5/31/20195 minutes, 27 seconds
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Endeavor goes public, rocks Hollywood

The massive media company Endeavor, whose holdings include the talent agency WME, announced it is going public, and looking to raise around $500 million in its IPO. The filing comes in the middle of the continuing battle between writers and talent agencies. 
5/24/20195 minutes, 37 seconds
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Checking in on the broadcast TV upfronts in the age of streaming

While ratings for broadcast television continue to plummet, the annual ritual known as the upfronts soldiers on in New York. And despite the streaming takeover, the broadcast networks still do several billion dollars worth of business selling slots to advertisers. Old school broadcast TV remains one of the few safe places advertisers can reach millions of people. 
5/17/20195 minutes, 44 seconds
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CBS censors itself

A recent episode of 'The Good Fight,' the spinoff of 'The Good Wife' which runs on the streaming service CBS All Access, featured a short musical, animated interlude about China. Or that was what the show's creators hoped to air, anyway. What ran instead was a placard that said "CBS has censored this content."
5/9/20195 minutes, 31 seconds
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With 'Avengers: Endgame,' Iron Man is now Platinum Man

With 'Avengers: Endgame' blasting through nearly every box office record, one of the biggest beneficiaries is Iron Man himself. Way back in 2008, Robert Downey Jr. negotiated a unique deal that means he'll be getting a truly superhero-sized payday following 'Avengers' success.
5/2/20195 minutes, 30 seconds
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Abigail Disney calls out Disney CEO Robert Iger's astounding pay

Following a well-received Twitter thread, Abigail Disney wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post highlighting just how much more Bob Iger takes home compared to the median pay of a Disney worker. 
4/25/20194 minutes, 21 seconds
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WGA files suit against major talent agencies

The battle between the Writers Guild and the talent agencies is going to court. The lawsuit filed by the WGA alleges that TV packaging fees are a breach of fiduciary duty and illegal under state and federal law. 
4/18/20194 minutes, 46 seconds
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For Netflix, what's old is new again

Netflix is possibly buying a famous Hollywood movie theater and publishing an awards magazine. Why is the streamer investing in physical buildings and paper?
4/11/20195 minutes, 25 seconds
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Post 'Game of Thrones,' can HBO still be HBO?

Winter is finally coming. HBO had its premiere party for the final season of 'Game of Thrones,' the most popular show on TV. But after the season ends, will HBO subscribers say so long?
4/4/20195 minutes, 20 seconds
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Apple TV+ is coming, but what does that mean, exactly?

Apple had a big presentation earlier this week that was heavy on names, but light on details of their forthcoming TV product. 
3/28/20194 minutes, 29 seconds
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The Mouse has officially swallowed the Fox

Disney's $71 billion acquisition of most of Fox redraws the landscape of Hollywood.
3/21/20194 minutes, 48 seconds
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The perks of power, the limits of power

Several industry players are swept up in the college admissions scandal, including Bill McGlashan, who just resigned from TPG, an investment company with ties in Hollywood. And in other news of people trying to take advantage of a rigged system, the Charlotte Kirk debacle has now engulfed even more executives.
3/14/20195 minutes, 10 seconds
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Warner Bros. CEO traded auditions for sex, text messages reveal

According to hundreds of text messages leaked to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara pushed for a young, unknown actress he was having a sexual relationship with to get auditions for Warner Bros. movies.
3/8/20194 minutes, 56 seconds
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Arbitrator issues stunning 'Bones' decision, calls Fox "reprehensible"

Just as Disney's acquisition of most of Fox is about to be complete, a huge decision regarding the long-running Fox show 'Bones' has come to light. An arbitrator issued a ruling calling out top Fox exes for self-dealing and awarding $179 million to the stars and creators of 'Bones.'
3/1/20194 minutes, 49 seconds
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Emma Thompson leaves Skydance Animation project following Lasseter hire

When former head of Pixar and Disney Animation John Lasseter was forced to leave following allegations of inappropriate behavior, and was then hired by Skydance to run its animation department, there was blowback among some female animators. Now, even more resistance: Emma Thompson has left a Skydance movie she was voicing. 
2/22/20194 minutes, 32 seconds
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Woody Allen sues Amazon for trying to get out of its massive movie deal

Amazon wants to terminate a deal with Woody Allen, but the director says if Amazon isn't happy with the deal, that's their fault, and the contract should still stand. He's now suing Amazon for $68 million, which hints at just how rich the deal was. 
2/8/20194 minutes, 25 seconds
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In a commitment to hire more women directors, Universal accepts the 4% challenge

The concept comes from Times Up and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and calls on industry leaders to agree to hiring a woman director in the next 18 months. Universal is the first major studio to sign on. 
2/1/20194 minutes, 35 seconds
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After The Atlantic exposé, will Bryan Singer continue to work in Hollywood?

The long talked-about exposé on director Bryan Singer is finally out. It took reporters a year to write and includes allegations of rape.
1/25/20195 minutes, 15 seconds
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'West Side Story' illustrates the tricky business of remakes

Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner held a town hall in Puerto Rico to talk to people about their remake of the famous movie musical and well, audience members have their doubts.
1/18/20194 minutes, 51 seconds
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John Lasseter returns from exile

The famous animator left Disney and Pixar last year following misconduct allegations and admitted "missteps." Now he's been hired to run the animation department at Skydance Media. So far, the news has gone over like a lead ballon. The backlash among animators has been fierce and swift. 
1/11/20194 minutes, 42 seconds
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Netflix taking heat for pulling an episode of Hasan Minhaj's show

The streamer took down an episode of Minhaj's show 'The Patriot Act' in Saudi Arabia that was critical of Mohammed bin Salman. 
1/4/20194 minutes, 42 seconds
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What's next for Les?

CBS has fired Les Moonves for cause, which means he does not get his $120 million severance. But that doesn't mean the battle is over.
12/21/20184 minutes, 55 seconds
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So. Much. TV.

This year's numbers are in, and according to an annual study done by FX, there are more scripted original series than ever before. We're at 495 shows for 2018, up from 487 last year. 
12/14/20184 minutes, 57 seconds
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Golden Globes nominations and the Oscars find a host...for now

The Golden Globes have once again left people puzzled by some of their nominations. And the Oscars finally found a host in Kevin Hart, but there are already issues.
12/7/20184 minutes, 38 seconds
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New allegations emerge against former CBS CEO Les Moonves

The New York Times details how Moonves tried to silence an accuser by getting her a part on a CBS show. 
11/30/20184 minutes, 21 seconds
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Awaiting judge's ruling on CNN's lawsuit against the White House

CNN sued the president, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and others over the confiscation of reporter Jim Acosta's press pass. Other news networks--including Fox--have expressed support for CNN. 
11/16/20184 minutes, 56 seconds
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HBO still dark on Dish

The carriage dispute between HBO and Dish Network that left Dish subscribers without the network known for 'Game of Thrones' since November 1 is still ongoing, and the rhetoric ramps up, as both parties blame the other.
11/9/20184 minutes, 48 seconds
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Netflix cracks a window

The rule with Netflix had always been, if you make a movie with them, it might get a small theatrical release, but it would come out in theaters the same day it was available to stream. Now, with a possible best picture nominee on their hands, Netflix is adjusting their policies.
11/1/20185 minutes, 21 seconds
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A showdown between Megyn Kelly and NBC

A year ago, Megyn Kelly was a very expensive new host for NBC's morning lineup. This week, Kelly said blackface for Halloween costumes was OK when she was growing up. Blowback was swift, and now Kelly is out at the 'Today' show and possibly at NBC altogether.
10/25/20184 minutes, 31 seconds
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Endeavor ending $400 million deal with the Saudi government

Following the apparent murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, most likely ordered by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, Endeavor--the parent company of WME--is backing out of a huge $400 million deal it had made with the Saudi government.
10/18/20184 minutes, 34 seconds
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Streaming wars

John Stankey, the head of WarnerMedia, announced a new streaming service coming next year with content from its massive film and TV library. It will join Disney and Apple in companies with forthcoming streaming services that could spell trouble from Netflix.
10/11/20184 minutes, 40 seconds
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The #MeToo movement, one year later

It's been just about a year since two exposes brought down mogul Harvey Weinstein. There's been a huge push for change in the intervening months, but so far, a mixed report card.
10/4/20184 minutes, 43 seconds
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Major changes at all the broadcast networks

Just as fall TV begins, all four big networks are seeing executive turnover at the top.
9/27/20184 minutes, 44 seconds
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Disney's big gamble

More details are emerging about Disney's upcoming streaming service. It's been dubbed "the Netflix killer," but Disney will no doubt lose a lot of money in the process of getting back all its own content. 
9/20/20184 minutes, 46 seconds
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Continued fallout at CBS

Following Ronan Farrow's second expose in the New Yorker, Les Moonves stepped down from CBS on Sunday, and later in the week, Jeff Fager, the head of '60 Minutes,' also departed.
9/13/20184 minutes, 28 seconds
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Best popular film category proves not so popular

The Academy has put its plan to introduce a new category for best "popular" film on indefinite hold. It will go forward with presenting 6-8 awards during commercial breaks in order to streamline and shorten the TV broadcast of the ceremony.
9/6/20184 minutes, 32 seconds
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Louis C.K. tries to come back to comedy

Not everyone is excited about the comedian's return to a comedy club in New York, nine months after admitting to sexual misconduct. Several women in the audience were especially not thrilled that he showed up without any advance warning. 
8/30/20184 minutes, 43 seconds
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As film festival season begins, Netflix tries to make its mark

The Venice Film Festival starts next week, and with it, the unofficial kickoff to awards season. Netflix has had great success racking up awards for television, but so far, not much luck on the film side. This year, the streamer is trying to change that. 
8/23/20184 minutes, 53 seconds
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A new moment in #TimesUp: When is it OK to come back?

The #TimesUp movement is facing some difficult questions with no easy answers. Recent projects have people asking, what kind of past misdeeds can be forgiven, and how long do people need to wait before returning to work?
8/16/20184 minutes, 40 seconds
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The Academy's new "popular" film category faces supercharged backlash

In an effort to boost ratings for the Oscars, the Academy said they'd be making some changes to the awards show--including awarding certain categories during commercial breaks, as well as adding a new category for popular films. But so far, that new category is not getting good reviews.
8/9/20184 minutes, 36 seconds
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With Leslie Moonves under siege, the fate of CBS hangs in the balance

Following Ronan Farrow's expose in the New Yorker, an investigation has begun looking into the CBS CEO and allegations of sexual assault. Moonves remains on the job, but he may not be there for long if more alleged victims come forward.
8/2/20184 minutes, 18 seconds
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Did Disney jump the Gunn?

Disney fired James Gunn over years-old tweets that were resurfaced by a far right blogger. No one is debating that the tweets filled with tasteless jokes were bad, but the sudden firing has people asking, should artists not be allowed to evolve and change over time?
7/26/20184 minutes, 42 seconds
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Comcast drops out of the race for Fox, leaving only Disney to claim its prize.

The bidding war for 21st Century Fox is seemingly over after cable giant Comcast takes itself out of the running to acquire much of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire.
7/19/20184 minutes, 31 seconds
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Netflix bests HBO in Emmy Nominations

The Emmy nominations are in, and streaming giant Netflix garners a staggering 112 nominations while HBO’s new boss at AT&T says the network must become bigger and broader.
7/12/20184 minutes, 33 seconds
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Bill Shine, the former co-head of Fox News, heads to the White House

Shine was ousted from Fox News last May over the network's handling of sexual harassment cases under Roger Ailes. His new job as head of White House communications is in some ways perfect and in many ways shocking.
7/5/20184 minutes, 9 seconds
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NBC News misses another sexual misconduct story

In the midst of the #MeToo mvement, Sil Lai Abrams was ready to go on the record with sexual assault allegations against Russell Simmons and A.J. Calloway. She took the story to Joy Reid at MSNBC, but the network dragged its feet for months, before ultimately killing the story.
6/28/20184 minutes, 35 seconds
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Some top showrunners at Fox speaking out against Fox News

In the wake of the crisis at the border, some Hollywood creatives who work in the film and TV division of Fox are calling out Fox News, based on what they believe is biased coverage of the separation of children and their parents. 
6/21/20184 minutes, 34 seconds
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The AT&T-Time Warner merger is a go, with more consolidation to follow

Following the court's ruling in favor of AT&T, the race to get bigger, faster moved into high gear and leaves a lot of people in Hollywood stressed out about their futures.
6/14/20184 minutes, 40 seconds
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Looking ahead to the AT&T-Time Warner merger decision

A decision is expected on June 12 as to whether AT&T will be allowed to buy Time Warner. The Justice Department sued to blocked the merger, supposedly on the basis of antitrust laws, but many speculate more political motivations because Trump is no fan of CNN, which is owned by Time Warner.
6/7/20184 minutes, 33 seconds
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Sam Bee apologizes for having "crossed a line" on her show

Now there are cries from the White House for TBS to cancel her show, following ABC's cancelation of 'Roseanne' earlier this week. But are the Roseanne and Samantha Bee situations really comparable?
5/31/20184 minutes, 16 seconds
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Harvey Weinstein expected to turn himself in tomorrow

A day that many women thought would never come may have finally arrived. 
5/24/20184 minutes, 20 seconds
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CBS vs Viacom: the battle rages on

The fate of a CBS and Viacom merger hangs in the balance as CBS holds an emergency meeting for the board of directors on Thursday afternoon. 
5/17/20184 minutes, 45 seconds
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Fewer parties, no selfies: a quieter Cannes this year

A check-in from Cannes finds a more muted festival than in years past. 
5/10/20184 minutes, 45 seconds
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More allegations of improper conduct by Charlie Rose

A follow-up investigation by The Washington Post found an additional 27 women who say Rose harassed them.
5/3/20183 minutes, 57 seconds
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Cosby found guilty in the first major conviction of the #MeToo era

Bill Cosby has been found guilty of all three counts of aggravated indecent assault. This verdict was handed down after a mistrial last summer. A lot has happened in the interim, including the fall of Harvey Weinstein and others.
4/26/20184 minutes, 36 seconds
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Amazon announces subscriber numbers, but what do they actually mean?

There's an impulse to compare Jeff Bezos' recent announcement of Amazon Prime's 100 million subscribers to Netflix's newly touted 125 million subscribers, but not so fast.
4/19/20184 minutes, 42 seconds
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As festival season begins, a spat between Cannes and Netflix

Cannes told Netflix its films couldn't compete in the festival, so Netflix pulled its films from the lineup all together. 
4/12/20184 minutes, 36 seconds
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Saudi crown prince launches charm offensive in Hollywood

Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, has been on a tour of LA this week. He's rented out the entire Four Seasons for his entourage and had an intimate dinner with Rupert Murdoch, Bob Iger and other Hollywood honchos. 
4/5/20184 minutes, 30 seconds
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'Roseanne' returns in a big way, broadcast networks rejoice

Broadcast is back, baby. At least for one show: 18 million people tuned in to watch the return of the sitcom 'Roseanne' on ABC. 
3/29/20184 minutes, 46 seconds
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What the new "no quotes" law means for pilot season

A special TV breakdown with Lesley Goldberg. A new law in California means studios cannot ask TV actors what they made on previous jobs, which is a good thing for actors who have been stymied by low pay in the past.
3/22/20184 minutes, 32 seconds
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Can inclusion riders improve pay parity?

This week we learned Prince Philip was paid more than the Queen herself, at least in the Netflix series 'The Crown.' Matt Smith, who portrays the Prince, came in with a high quote from his years as Dr. Who, while actress Claire Foy was a relative unknown at the time. 
3/15/20184 minutes, 24 seconds
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This weekend at the box office, it's Disney vs. Disney

Ava DuVernay's 'A Wrinkle in Time' may well find itself opening to stiff competition from another Disney movie, 'Black Panther,' which continues to roar at the box office almost a month after its initial release.
3/9/20184 minutes, 49 seconds
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With Oscars just days away, a rare wide-open best picture race

A final Oscars Hollywood Breakdown with awards analyst Scott Feinberg, who says that while the acting categories are locked, the best picture could foreseeably go one of five contenders.
3/2/20184 minutes, 27 seconds
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What will be the fate of The Weinstein Company?

The Weinstein Co. drama continues. The company was in financial trouble before the Harvey Weinstein allegations, and following the #MeToo movement, the name alone became toxic.
2/23/20184 minutes, 21 seconds
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Black Panther poised to smash box office records

Going into opening weekend, we're already hearing the thunder of Marvel's newest movie 'Black Panther.' The film will almost certainly break the box office record for February film and has the highest ticket pre-sales of everything except the 'Star Wars' movies.
2/16/20184 minutes, 39 seconds
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After Uma Thurman story, Quentin Tarantino comes under scrutiny

Uma Thurman told The New York Times about being in a car crash on the set of 'Kill Bill' after Quentin Tarantino forced her to drive a car she thought was dangerous. It's a bad look for Tarantino, who's also under scrutiny for some resurfaced comments about Roman Polanski and his rape victim.
2/9/20184 minutes, 46 seconds
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In new NFL deal, Fox is betting on Thursday night football

Fox has paid more than $3 billion to broadcast 11 Thursday night NFL games a year, for the next five years. The deal is a peak at the broadcast network's future strategy in the wake of the Disney deal.
2/2/20184 minutes, 40 seconds
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Speaking up about salary, in the name of pay parity

In the next phase of the #MeToo movement, women in Hollywood are starting to break the taboo of talking about money. Writers and actresses have begun sharing their salaries as a way of demanding equal pay from studios. 
1/26/20184 minutes, 47 seconds
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Days before Oscar nominations, the race is still murky

Oscar nominations will be announced on January 23, and normally at this point in the awards season there's a clear frontrunner or two for best picture, but this year, the indicators all are over the place.
1/19/20184 minutes, 37 seconds
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What's up with the pay disparity in 'All the Money in the World'?

It's now come out that when the cast and crew came back for reshoots on Ridley Scott's latest movie, Michelle Williams did the work for practically nothing, and Mark Wahlberg was paid $1.5 million. 
1/12/20184 minutes, 41 seconds
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The big Hollywood stories of 2017

Women and men speak up, Harvey Weinstein goes down. A stunning reversal of fortune in late night. And deals that are reshaping the industry.
12/22/20174 minutes, 28 seconds
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A historic day in Hollywood as Disney acquires large parts of Fox

There used to be six major film studios, now there are five. Disney buying most of Fox is a disruptive move that has those in the industry reeling.
12/15/20174 minutes, 33 seconds
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How Disney buying Fox could reshape business in Hollywood

Fox may be on the block, with Rupert Murdoch looking to sell some of his major assets -- including the film studio -- to Disney.
12/8/20174 minutes, 27 seconds
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After Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose, what's next for morning news?

NBC fired Matt Lauer this week after allegations of sexual misconduct. Lauer was the face of the Today show for 20 years. With him and Charlie Rose out at CBS, is the era of the star anchor over?
12/1/20174 minutes, 41 seconds
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Latest in sexual harassment fallout: Charlie Rose & John Lasseter

More big names continue to be exposed. Charlie Rose has now been fired from CBS and PBS and John Lasseter has taken a 6-month leave from Disney and Pixar. 
11/24/20174 minutes, 53 seconds
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'Justice League' is here, but not poised for greatness

The movie had a troubled production, and while it may do well at the box office, it probably won't do well enough, considering how much it cost.
11/17/20174 minutes, 49 seconds
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After Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner and more, who's next?

The fallout from the Harvey Weinstein allegations will not end. More people continue to come forward with accusations of abuse. 
11/2/20174 minutes, 31 seconds
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In the Weinstein aftermath, more accusers come forward

The accusations involve not just Hollywood, but fashion and media as well.
10/26/20174 minutes, 31 seconds
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Weinstein fallout continues; Roy Price out at Amazon

Following stories about Harvey Weinstein in the New York Times and New Yorker, dozens of women have continued to come forward and tell their stories about sexual harassment in the industry.
10/19/20174 minutes, 44 seconds
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Hollywood reels as the Harvey Weinstein saga continues

After the stories in the New York Times and the New Yorker, more and more women continue to come forward with allegations of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein, who has since been fired by his own company.
10/12/20174 minutes, 45 seconds
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The Harvey Weinstein bombshell story finally lands

The New York Times published an account that alleges decades of sexual misconduct by Harvey Weinstein. Some of these stories had long been open secrets in Hollywood, but the Times was able to get people on the record. Weinstein has now taken a leave of absence from his company.
10/5/20174 minutes, 32 seconds
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In her new role at NBC, Megyn Kelly tries to be something she's not

The former Fox News anchor is at her best when she's doing hard-hitting, political interviews. She's tried to leave all that behind for her NBC Today show segment, but one week in, the viewers -- and her guests -- are not loving it.
9/28/20174 minutes, 21 seconds
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When healthcare became personal, Jimmy Kimmel got political

Prior to this year, Jimmy Kimmel was the last late night host you'd expect to take on a political issue. Then, he had a son who needed open heart surgery. Now, Kimmel is loudly speaking out against the newest healthcare bill. 
9/21/20174 minutes, 17 seconds
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Another dispatching of a 'Star Wars' director

Colin Trevorrow is out as director of Episode IX. This comes after the firing of Josh Trank and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller on other Star Wars movies. At this point, people are starting to wonder about the Lucasfilm approach of hiring less proven directors to work on such a massive franchise.
9/7/20174 minutes, 25 seconds
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Ed Skrein departs 'Hellboy' after fans call out whitewashing

Actor Ed Skrein announced he'd be dropping out of Hellboy after being cast as a character who in the original source material is Asian. It's the first time an actor has ever stepped down in response to an outcry over whitewashing. Skrein has been praised for his elegant handling of the situation.
8/31/20174 minutes, 48 seconds
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Bummer of a summer at the box office

The domestic box office is stuck the summer doldrums this year. Ticket sales are down 15 percent compared to last year, and for the first time in 25 years, there's no new wide releases landing on Labor Day Weekend. 
8/24/20174 minutes, 56 seconds
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Stunt community asking tough questions after 2 recent deaths

A motorcycle racer named Joi "SJ" Harris died on the set of Deadpool 2 this week while attempting a stunt for the film. Harris was an accomplished racer, but did not have stunt experience. Some in the stunt community are asking why she was hired in the first place, and saying that her death could have been prevented.
8/17/20174 minutes, 32 seconds
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Disney pulls out of Netflix to launch its own streaming service

Disney announced this week that it will pull its content from Netflix and launch two streaming services of its own -- one for sports and one for Disney properties. There are some caveats, but there's no questions that this represents a fundamental realignment of the media world.
8/10/20174 minutes, 49 seconds
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Tough times for indie film producers and distributors

Business in Hollywood can be boom or bust, and for independent film studios, it's more of the latter at the moment. The problem is exemplified by two struggling companies, Open Road and Broad Green Pictures.
8/3/20174 minutes, 49 seconds
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HBO hit with backlash following announcement of 'Confederate'

The show that created some of the most conversation at this summer's gather of the Television Critics Association is one that doesn't even exist yet. The announcement alone of a new HBO show where the South won the Civil War and slavery is still legal set off a firestorm.
7/27/20174 minutes, 44 seconds
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China's dealings with Hollywood on shaky ground

A year ago, it seemed like the Chinese company the Wanda Group was well on its way to buying up a large chunk of Hollywood. But several deals that felt solid before are now incredibly fraught.
7/20/20174 minutes, 40 seconds
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Emmy nominations: HBO and Netflix dominate

This year's Emmy nominations show the dominance of streaming TV. HBO led the pack, but Netflix was right on its heels. Hulu, which had critical success with The Handmaid's Tale, also did well.
7/13/20174 minutes, 35 seconds
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The symbiotic relationship between CNN and President Trump

President Trump has called CNN "fake news," and last week he tweeted a GIF of himself tackling a symbol of the network. His fans vociferously hate the media and journalists are decrying the potential for violence. All of this may be good for ratings, but is it good for the American people?
7/6/20174 minutes, 20 seconds
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Academy invites 774 new members, a record

In an effort to continue its push for increased diversity, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences welcomed a large class of new members this week, many of them women and/or people of color. But some of the names of the list have raised eyebrows because certain inductees have relatively little experience in film. 
6/29/20174 minutes, 23 seconds
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'Star Wars' stunner: 'Han Solo' movie has a new director

Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the original directors of the forthcoming Han Solo movie, were fired and replaced by director Ron Howard. This hardly every happens in Hollywood, especially because production was already well underway -- sources say they were four-fifths of the way through filming.
6/22/20174 minutes, 48 seconds
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Is Megyn Kelly's show the right place for an Alex Jones interview?

Controversy swirls around the upcoming airing of Megyn Kelly's interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The marketing of the episode has been problematic -- including a picture of the two of them smiling together in a car.
6/15/20174 minutes, 35 seconds
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'The Mummy' looks like a tough start to The Dark Universe

Universal is trying to launch a monster-oriented franchise called The Dark Universe with a reboot of 'The Mummy' starring Tom Cruise. But heading into opening weekend, critics aren't loving it and the film will likely lose at the U.S. box office to Warner Bro's 'Wonder Woman,' which is in its second week.
6/8/20174 minutes, 24 seconds
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The wonder of 'Wonder Woman'

Warner Brother's Wonder Woman opens this weekend with giant expectations. It's the first big superhero movie to both star a woman and be directed by a woman.
6/1/20174 minutes, 26 seconds
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Reversal of fortunes at cable news and late night

There's been a historic reshuffling at cable news  and late night as Trump-related news has a big impact on television. 
5/25/20174 minutes, 23 seconds
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At the TV upfronts, what's old is new again

It's that time of year where all the broadcast networks gather in New York City to present their new fall lineups to advertisers. This year includes a Will & Grace reboot at NBC and a Roseanne reunion at ABC.
5/18/20174 minutes, 52 seconds
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No strike, but still not quite business as usual

The WGA was able to make a deal with the studios, so a strike was averted, but the industry continues to be in flux as more people cut the cord, Hulu announced a streaming service, and media stocks took a tumble.
5/4/20174 minutes, 24 seconds
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Threat of another writers' strike looms ever closer

The members of the Writers Guild of America voted overwhelmingly in favor -- 96.3% -- of authorizing a strike. Now there's a very short window of time before their current contract ends on May 1. 
4/27/20174 minutes, 42 seconds
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It's official, Bill O'Reilly is out at Fox News

When Bill O'Reilly left for vacation after revelations of payouts related to sexual harassment allegations caused advertisers to flee his show, the big question was whether he'd come back to host The O'Reilly Factor. Now we know the answer is no.
4/20/20174 minutes, 52 seconds
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Will there be another writers' strike?

Ten years after the last writers' strike, the industry is possibly looking at another one. The last strike was bitter and divisive, and there's hope that the situation can be avoided this time around, but if the strike goes through, it could start as soon as May 2.
4/13/20174 minutes, 17 seconds
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Advertisers flee Bill O'Reilly's Fox News show

Fifty advertisers have now dropped their ads from Bill O'Reilly's show after learning that the Fox News network paid out $13 million in settlements among to five women who alleged O'Reilly sexually harassed them. 
4/6/20174 minutes, 31 seconds
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At CinemaCon, lots of debate about theatrical windows

The annual gathering of movie theater owners wraps up today in Las Vegas. The hot topic of this years event was theatrical windows -- how long a movie should have to wait after being in theaters before becoming available in homes.
3/30/20174 minutes, 51 seconds
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Bob Iger's contract extended at Disney, yet again

Disney CEO Bob Iger will remain at his post until July 2019. In the absence of a successor, Disney has renewed Iger's contract four times.
3/23/20174 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ramifications of Trump's budget in the entertainment industry

Trump's proposed budget would eliminate funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Corporation forPublic Broadcasting. 
3/16/20174 minutes, 32 seconds
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Hollywood in a state of disarray

This week on the Hollywood Breakdown, we talk about an actual Hollywood breakdown. Two of the major film studios are leaderless at the moment, and the list of people who could possibly step up is a very short one.
3/10/20174 minutes, 44 seconds
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Oscars blunder continues to resonate

By now, the basics of the mix-up that led to presenter Warren Beatty announcing the wrong best picture are well-known, but the Academy is still in the process of evaluating its relationship with accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. 
3/3/20174 minutes, 22 seconds
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Brad Grey leaves Paramount, who will take his place?

After a tough year of losses at the box office, Brad Grey is exiting as CEO of Paramount. But finding a replacement may not be easy. The role of a studio head is very different now than when he first took the job 12 years ago.
2/24/20174 minutes, 21 seconds
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New allegations emerge around Fox News harassment scandal

While the situation at Fox News over several women's allegations of sexual harassment by former chairman Roger Ailes seemed to have died down, it came roaring back to life in a New Your state court yesterday. Lawyer Judd Burstein, who is representing suspended Fox host Andrea Tantaros, claims that Fox News is now under investigation by federal prosecutors for possibly breaking SEC laws when making payments in the sexual harassment scandal. In court, Burstein also said he had evidence that Fox monitored Tantaros using electronic surveillance. This allegation has echoes of the previous Murdoch hacking scandal in the UK. 
2/17/20174 minutes, 30 seconds
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Talent agencies respond to Trump

Some of the major agencies in liberal Hollywood are starting to respond to policies put in place by the Trump Administration. So far the move that's gotten the most attention is UTA's decision to cancel their Oscars party and give $250,000 to the ACLU.
2/10/20174 minutes, 33 seconds
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Hollywood grapples with the advent of Trump

Disney chief Robert Iger will not attend a White House forum planned for this week. The gathering is a meeting of CEOs and business leaders, and Iger was one of the only entertainment executives slated to appear at the end.
2/3/20174 minutes, 32 seconds
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At Sundance, lots of snow and lots of deals

The impact of digital streamers Netflix and Amazon at the film festival means everyone is paying more for movies, including the more traditional film studios.
1/27/20174 minutes, 8 seconds
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Jerry Seinfeld jumps to Netflix

The comedian is leaving his long-time TV home at Sony to go to Netflix, in a deal that's been rumored to be massively expensive.
1/20/20174 minutes, 13 seconds
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How a Trump presidency might affect the AT&T Time Warner merger

Now that Donald Trump is angry with CNN, is it possible that as president he could try to block the giant merger between AT&T and Time Warner, which is CNN's parent company?
1/13/20174 minutes, 31 seconds
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Gearing up for the Golden Globes

The Golden Globes are on Sunday, and host Jimmy Fallon has promised a fun, light-hearted show. But with Trump's inauguration just days away, is Hollywood in the mood to party?
1/6/20174 minutes, 32 seconds
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Looking back at the year in late night

With Samantha Bee, we finally have a woman hosting a late night show, Seth Meyers delivers cutting commentary and hosts like Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah find their footing.
12/23/20164 minutes, 17 seconds
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Producer Steven Mnuchin's varied history in Hollywood

Trump's Treasury Secretary pick has a hit-and-miss track record in the film industry. 
12/2/20164 minutes, 13 seconds
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Fantastic box office hopes for 'Fantastic Beasts'

The Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is on track for a big opening weekend.
11/18/20164 minutes, 21 seconds
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Hollywood in shock following presidential election

The large majority of people who work in Hollywood, both in front of and behind the camera are walking around in a daze following Donald Trump's win. 
11/11/20164 minutes, 34 seconds
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World Series ratings: The Cubs win, and so does Fox

More than 40 million people tuned in to watch the Cubs beat the Indians in a historic World Series finale last night, making it the most-watched baseball game in 25 years. 
11/3/20164 minutes, 24 seconds
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Megyn Kelly contract negotiations: Will she stay at Fox News?

Megyn Kelly has become a very prominent player in this presidential election. Her current contract at Fox News expires next year, and Rupert Murdoch would really like her to stay.
10/27/20164 minutes, 25 seconds
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China beckons. Will Hollywood heed the call?

The Chinese company Dalian Wanda Group wants filmmakers to come to their massive studio in China, and offering them a 40% production rebate to do so.
10/20/20164 minutes, 37 seconds
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Negotiating Billy Bush's exit from NBC

After leaked footage with Donald Trump making lewd statements about women to former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush came to light, Bush's future at NBC now comes into question. He's hired a fierce litigator and his departure may not be as amicable as once thought.
10/13/20164 minutes, 20 seconds
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Embroiled in controversy, 'The Birth of a Nation' opens

The Birth of a Nation made history with a record-breaking sale at Sundance. But acquitted rape charges from director and star Nate Parker's past have cast a cloud over the film. 
10/6/20164 minutes, 35 seconds
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Will there be wedding bells for CBS and Viacom?

National Amusements, mogul Sumner Redstone's holding company, published a letter it sent to both Viacom and CBS urging the companies to merge back together. It's been a decade since the two media companies first split apart into separate entities.
9/29/20164 minutes, 29 seconds
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Upcoming debate expected to bring in huge ratings

As the first presidential debate approaches, networks are nervous about how best to prepare their moderators in a year where Donald Trump has been determined to make his perceived treatment by the media part of his campaigning process.
9/22/20164 minutes, 26 seconds
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The high cost of ending the Roger Ailes era at Fox News

Earlier this week, news of Gretchen Carlson's $20 million settlement with Fox arrived the same day Greta Van Susteren announced she was leaving. Now that Ailes is gone, it's possible that even more on-air talent will follow. 
9/8/20164 minutes, 11 seconds
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The summer of "sequel-itis" and beginning of awards season

As Labor Day weekend approaches, the summer box office officially wraps up and attention moves to upcoming film festivals. 
9/1/20164 minutes, 22 seconds
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Following 'Ben-Hur' disaster, the pressure's on at Paramount

The very expensive remake of Ben-Hur grossed just $11.2 million its debut weekend. That puts Paramount CEO Brad Grey in a tough spot. He needs to turn the studio around following a string of flops.
8/25/20164 minutes, 13 seconds
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Director Nate Parker mired in resurfaced rape claims

The Birth of a Nation, written, directed and starring Nate Parker, made Sundance history when it sold to Fox Searchlight for $17.5 million. Moving towards awards season, Parker is under scrutiny around the reemergence of an alleged rape that happened while he was in college. Both Parker and his co-writer were tried and eventually acquitted, but that hasn't made the situation go away, especially since it's recently come to light that the woman pressing charges died by suicide in 2012.
8/18/20164 minutes, 30 seconds
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Peak TV hasn't peaked yet

As the Television Critics Association summer press tour wraps up, one thing is clear -- the amount of new TV coming down the pike isn't slowing any time soon. FX's John Landgraf coined the term "Peak TV" at last year's press tour. This year, he spoke again, saying that Peak TV is still happening, and that the bubble won't burst for at least a couple more years.
8/11/20164 minutes, 21 seconds
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Warner Bros. hopes to end slump with 'Suicide Squad'

For Warner Bros., a lot is riding on the DC thriller Suicide Squad, which opens this weekend. The movie is predicted to have a huge opening, but bad reviews may stop it from becoming a true blockbuster success.
8/4/20164 minutes, 31 seconds
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The Battle over Stephen Colbert's 'Colbert Report' Character

Lawyers from Viacom have told CBS their Late Show host Stephen Colbert cannot use his former Colbert Report character, also named "Stephen Colbert." The lawsuit is especially confusing because Viacom and CBS are supposed to be sister companies.
7/28/20164 minutes, 25 seconds
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Roger Ailes Resigns from Fox News

Roger Ailes, the man who turned Fox News into a media giant and most profitable part of Rupert Murdoch's empire, resigned today, following multiple allegations of sexual harassment. 
7/21/20164 minutes, 33 seconds
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HBO, FX and Netflix Rule Emmy nominations

Emmy nominations are out, with lots of love for HBO's Game of Thrones and FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson and Fargo.
7/14/20164 minutes, 18 seconds
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Gretchen Carlson Sues Roger Ailes for Sexual Harassment

Fox News host Gretchen Carlson has filed a lawsuit alleging she was sexually harassed by Roger Ailes and let go in retaliation for refusing to sleep with him.
7/7/20164 minutes, 39 seconds
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The Battle of the 4th of July Box Office

Three movies opening this weekend offer a commentary on the state of the box office.
6/30/20164 minutes, 35 seconds
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Ben Affleck Appears on First Episode of Bill Simmons HBO Show

People are wondering what's up with Ben Affleck after the actor went on an F-bomb filled rant on the new Bill Simmons HBO show Any Given Wednesday.
6/23/20164 minutes, 27 seconds
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Shake-up at Fox Film Studio

In a major change of leadership at Fox studios, Stacey Snider is taking the top job, while Jim Gianopolous will be moved to a new role with the company next year. 
6/16/20164 minutes, 23 seconds
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'Warcraft' Breaks Box Office Records in China

No one expects Warcraft, the Legendary movie based on a video game, to do well when it opens in the US this weekend. But the film has already made so much money in China, it doesn't matter.
6/9/20164 minutes, 29 seconds
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Turnover in the TV Industry

The television world has seen two big departures in the past week. Bela Bajaria is out at Universal after five years and Steve Mosko is out at Sony after nearly 24 years.
6/2/20164 minutes, 29 seconds
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War at Viacom

As the Sumner Redstone saga continues, a battle ensues for the future of the media company, which includes Paramount, MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.
5/26/20164 minutes, 27 seconds
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At the Broadcast Upfronts, What's Old Is New Again

Even in the face of a changing television industry, the broadcast networks are still the biggest game in town. Advertisers will do more than $9 billion worth of business at this year's upfront presentations in New York.
5/19/20164 minutes, 41 seconds
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Woody Allen Is Topic du Jour at Cannes

At Cannes, talk of Woody Allen's new movie is overshadowed by drama around a reignited scandal. 
5/12/20164 minutes, 27 seconds
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DreamWorks Animation Bought by NBCUniversal for $3.8 Billion

Jeffrey Katzenberg's long slog to find a buyer for the company he co-founded is finally over. 
4/28/20164 minutes, 41 seconds
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In a Bid to Gain More Viewers, MTV Goes Back to Its Roots

Does anyone still want their MTV? The network is hoping that by featuring more music, news and game shows, like in days of yore, they'll be able to boost flagging ratings.
4/21/20164 minutes, 14 seconds
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News from CinemaCon: That's A Lot of 'Avatars'

The CinemaCon gathering for movie theater owners used to be a small event. But now that it has a much larger platform via the media and Internet, studios use it as an opportunity to show off their upcoming slates. 
4/14/20164 minutes, 32 seconds
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Disney's Succession Plan Now Up in the Air

A year ago, top Disney executive Bob Iger announced that Thomas Staggs would be his heir apparent. Now, Staggs says he's stepping down, leaving everyone to wonder what happened, and who will take his place.
4/7/20164 minutes, 44 seconds
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Looking at the State of WME-IMG Post Merger

Matthew Belloni recently spoke to super agents Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell for a piece in the Hollywood Reporter. Kim Masters talks to Belloni about that conversation, which is the first interview Emanuel and Whitesell have given on the topic of the talent agency's $2.4 billion merger with IMG two years ago. 
3/31/20164 minutes, 25 seconds
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Warner Bros Needs a Super Success in 'Batman v Superman'

So far, critics are not crazy for Zach Snyder's movie that pits the two super heroes against each other. This could be trouble for Warner Bros. The company needs this very expensive movie to be a hit following a year of flops.
3/24/20164 minutes, 47 seconds
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Sean Parker Wants to Bring New Movies to Your Living Room

The Internet mogul has some big name directors backing his $50-per-movie plan, but movie theater owners are not so hot on the idea. 
3/17/20164 minutes, 44 seconds
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Two Lawsuits over Private Videos Gone Viral

ESPN's Erin Andrews won $55 million in court over video shot through a hotel peephole without her consent. And Hulk Hogan is suing Gawker for $100 million after the website published footage showing him having sex with a friend's wife.  
3/11/20164 minutes, 39 seconds
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New Rule Changes Make the Emmys More Web Friendly

The Television Academy added or revised several Emmy categories to make the awards more inclusive of online, short-form content. 
3/4/20164 minutes, 27 seconds
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Oscar Weekend Approaches -- Finally!

Awards analyst Scott Feinberg joins us for one last Oscar banter before the big reveals on Sunday night.  
2/26/20164 minutes, 41 seconds
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Shake-up at ABC: Paul Lee Is Out and Channing Dungey Is In

Before this year, Paul Lee was having a pretty good run at ABC. But after losing a power struggle with his boss Ben Sherwood, Lee has stepped down as head of the network. Channing Dungey will replace him. 
2/19/20164 minutes, 26 seconds
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As Guilds All Pick a Different Winner, No Oscar Frontrunner

As Oscar voting opens tomorrow, the race remains unclear. Typically the various guild award ceremonies leading up to the big event are predictive of the winners, but this year, the three major guilds all went a different direction.
2/12/20164 minutes, 34 seconds
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Sumner Redstone Resigns, What's Next for His Media Empire?

Media mogul Sumner Redstone has resigned as executive chairman of CBS and Viacom. Les Moonves will be the new executive chairman at CBS and Philippe Dauman will take the same position at Viacom. 
2/5/20164 minutes, 35 seconds
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Donald Trump and Fox News Do Battle over Debate Decision

Donald Trump and Fox News are at odds after Trump has said he will not participate in Thursday night's Republican debate following a snarky press release issued by Fox's Roger Ailes. 
1/29/20164 minutes, 21 seconds
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Sundance Preview and How to Make the Oscars More Diverse

Docs are hot at Sundance this year, and now that the Oscars are super white for the second year in a row, industry leaders are trying to figure out how to fix the problem.
1/22/20164 minutes, 37 seconds
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Snubs and Surprises in 2016 Oscar Nominations

Oscar nominations are out, and even in a supposedly modern age, this year's nominees are strikingly white. Room got a surprising boost, while Straight Outta Compton was snubbed.
1/15/20164 minutes, 31 seconds
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Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti Will Run Relativity Media

In a move that surprised just about everyone in Hollywood, Ryan Kavanaugh announced that the new heads of his financially-troubled studio Relativity will be Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti. 
1/8/20164 minutes, 1 second
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It's Finally Time: 'Star Wars' Is Here

After executing an ambitious premiere earlier in the week, Star Wars opens wide tonight. There's no question the film will break box office records. The only thing left to wonder is exactly how big will it get?
12/18/20154 minutes, 42 seconds
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SAG Award and Golden Globe Nominations Announced

In a surprise move, Trumbo leads SAG Award nominations and at the Golden Globes, digital rules the TV side.
12/11/20154 minutes, 37 seconds
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Sumner Redstone's Mental Competency & the Fate of Viacom

Just before Thanksgiving, Sumner Redstone's ex-girlfriend filed court papers asking to be put in charge of his healthcare, saying that the 92-year-old mogul is mentally incompetent.
12/4/20154 minutes, 28 seconds
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After 'The Hunger Games,' What's Next for Lionsgate?

The final installment of The Hunger Games opens this weekend. The independent studio Lionsgate has had huge success with that franchise as well as with Twilight. Now that those runs are over, what's the next step?
11/20/20154 minutes, 19 seconds
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Disney's Bob Iger Gives LA NFL Stadium Project a Boost

Disney CEO Bob Iger has agreed to oversee a proposed football stadium project in Carson that could be the new home of the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. 
11/13/20154 minutes, 41 seconds
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TV Networks Continue to Make Big Bets in Digital

Jon Stewart heads to HBO to do digital shorts and CBS will present a new Star Trek series on their streaming service CBS All Access.
11/6/20154 minutes, 27 seconds
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Protests Call for NBC to Dump Trump as 'SNL' Host

NBC is facing growing protests calling for the network to pull Donald Trump as host from an upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live. Love him or hate him, Trump is proven ratings magnet, and it seems unlikely that NBC will rescind the offer.
10/29/20154 minutes, 26 seconds
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Leonardo DiCaprio Shares Challenges of Making 'The Revenant'

Sleeping in animal carcasses, eating raw bison liver and swimming in freezing rivers were among just some of the difficult conditions Leonardo DiCaprio says he faced while filming Alejandro Iñárritu's new movie The Revenant.
10/22/20154 minutes, 35 seconds
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'Pan' Flops, Makes a Rough Year Worse for Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. is looking at a possible $150 million loss on  Pan, and now the studio faces more trouble with their very expensive upcoming Tarzan  project.
10/15/20154 minutes, 15 seconds
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With New Leadership, MTV Hopes to Reinvent Itself...Again

MTV's new president Sean Atkins comes from the digital side of Discovery. 
10/1/20154 minutes, 41 seconds
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In a Start to Fall TV, 'Empire' Reigns Supreme

Fall TV seemed off to a shaky start, and then Empire came back. 
9/24/20154 minutes, 49 seconds
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GOP Debate Breaks Ratings Records for CNN

Though there were other contenders involved as well, Donald Trump was no doubt the draw that has almost 23 million people tuning into CNN last night. 
9/17/20154 minutes, 34 seconds
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Stephen Colbert Returns to Television

Stephen Colbert is back, now as the host of The Late Show on CBS. 
9/10/20154 minutes, 33 seconds
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Steven Spielberg Negotiating New Deal for DreamWorks

Spielberg's DreamWorks likely to split from Disney and land at Universal.
9/3/20154 minutes, 38 seconds
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A Stellar Summer at the Box Office, but Only for Two Studios

2015 has been a great summer at the movies...if you're Universal or Disney. For everyone else, it's rough out there. 
8/27/20154 minutes, 42 seconds
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'Straight Outta Compton' Adds to Universal's Winning Streak

Universal is having a stellar summer, and the box office success of Straight Outta Compton continues what has been a great run of diverse films in 2015. 
8/20/20154 minutes, 17 seconds
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'Sesame Street' Strikes a Deal with HBO

The newest talented duo to make their way to HBO are some guys named Bert and Ernie. Maybe you've heard of them? The iconic children's show, Sesame Street, made a five year deal to offer new episodes first on HBO. Episodes will still appear on PBS, though nine months later. 
8/13/20154 minutes, 19 seconds
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Media Stocks Take a Hit on Wall Street

Media companies took a shellacking on the stock market this week as investors start to worry that cord cutting may eat away at profits.
8/6/20154 minutes, 21 seconds
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Relativity Files for Bankruptcy

For years Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh said he was reinventing the movie business, but now the independent studio has filed for bankruptcy. 
7/30/20154 minutes, 10 seconds
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Cracking the Code to a Successful Sequel

In the least surprising news ever, Universal announced today that there will be a Jurassic World 2 hitting screens in June of 2018. Other recent franchise reboots like The Terminator have not seen the same kind of success.
7/23/20154 minutes, 21 seconds
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Snubs and Surprises in 2015 Emmy Nominations

Emmy nominations were announced this morning, and once again critics were crying "snub!"-- but not as often as in previous years. Critics loved FX's The Americans and the CW's Jane the Virgin, but neither show received much attention from the TV Academy. At least actress Tatiana Maslany from Orphan Black finally got a nomination.
7/16/20154 minutes, 27 seconds
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Comic-Con Kicks Off in San Diego

It's that time of year again. Comic book fans from around the world, many of them in costumes, descend on San Diego to meet their heroes of the industry and learn about upcoming movies and TV shows.
7/9/20154 minutes, 29 seconds
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Trump Keeps Getting Dumped

Univision said they would drop Donald Trump's beauty pageants from their network after Trump made derogatory statements of Mexican immigrants during his announcement of his intention to run for president. Now, more and more businesses are cutting ties with the one-time host of the Celebrity Apprentice whose signature phrase was, of course, "You're fired."
7/2/20154 minutes, 25 seconds
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Fortune Magazine Features In-Depth Report on Sony Hack

An exposé by Fortune magazine offers new revelations on the hack attack on Sony studios at the end of 2014. A six-month investigation by Peter Elkind found that security at Sony was lax and that Sony executives had been warned multiple times before the hack occurred.
6/25/20154 minutes, 44 seconds
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Brian Williams Will Stay at NBC, but in a Demoted Role

NBC has announced that Brian Williams will be coming back, but not as the host of Nightly News. Instead he'll be reporting breaking news on MSNBC. Lester Holt, who has been filling in at Nightly News since Williams was suspended, will become the full-time anchor of the show. 
6/18/20154 minutes, 22 seconds
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Rupert Murdoch's Plan of Succession Emerges

Rupert Murdoch has announced he will step down from his position as chief executive at 21st Century Fox. His son James will take his position, while Rupert Murdoch will remain an executive chairman at the company. Murdoch's other son, Lachlan, will become co-executive chairman. 
6/11/20154 minutes, 44 seconds
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John Malone Looks for Even More Ways to Consolidate

Billionaire cable mogul John Malone has recently re-emerged from retirement. After negotiating a merger between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable, Malone is now eyeing even more media consolidation opportunities.
6/4/20154 minutes, 54 seconds
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TLC Lands in 19 Kinds of Hot Water...and Counting

Advertisers are fleeing from the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting following a scandal involving the show's oldest son, Josh Duggar. The network has put the show on hold temporarily, but has not officially cancelled it.
5/28/20154 minutes, 23 seconds
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At Cannes, Some Strong Performances, but No Breakout Film

Matthew Belloni has just returned from Cannes, where several actors were lauded for memorable performances, but there was no consensus about a breakout film of the festival. Netflix's Ted Sarandos gave a keynote, but was heckled by a French journalist who said he company was destroying the film eco-system.
5/21/20154 minutes, 32 seconds
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At 2015 Network TV Upfronts, What's Old Is New Again

If you were a fan of network television in the 90's, you're in a luck. Some of those shows are coming back. From Coach to The X-Files to The Muppets, reboots and returns were recurring theme at this year's upfront presentations in New York.
5/14/20154 minutes, 27 seconds
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As Avengers Approaches, Box Office Prepares for Huge Weekend

The Avengers: Age of Ultron will make a giant splash at theaters this weekend, possibly even breaking records and cementing itself as yet another blockbuster for Disney and Marvel. Warner Bros and DC Comics on the other hand, is struggling to find an effective master of their universe.
4/30/20154 minutes, 41 seconds
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Hits at CinemaCon 2015 Include Tom Cruise and 'Inside Out'

Matt Belloni reports on his visit to CinemaCon in Las Vegas, or as he calls it, "Comic-Con for guys in suits." Visitors to the annual gathering of movie theater owners saw presentations from studios touting their slates of upcoming films.
4/23/20154 minutes, 28 seconds
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Fans Go Wild at Release of New 'Star Wars' Teaser

A new teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens had fans in pandemonium at today's Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim. The movie doesn't open until December, but it's already predicted to break records at the box office.
4/16/20154 minutes, 51 seconds
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Tough Times for Viacom

The company that owns cable networks like Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central and the film studio Paramount Pictures has recently taken a $785 million hit to their bottom line. Sumner Redstone, 91-year-old majority owner of Viacom, did not appear at the last shareholders meeting, leaving many to wonder if the company is primed for a potential merger. 
4/9/20154 minutes, 32 seconds
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Major Talent Agency Shake-up as 10 CAA Agents Move to UTA

The heads of CAA's comedy division, along with several other agents, have suddenly left Creative Artists Agency for rival United Talent Agency, taking with them big-name clients like Will Ferrell, Chris Pratt and Melissa McCarthy.
4/2/20154 minutes, 24 seconds
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James Corden Charms Late Night; So Long to Downton Abbey

American television abounds with British stars both coming and going. After six seasons, PBS will say farewell to Downton Abbey, and James Corden wraps up a successful first week as the new host of The Late Late Show on CBS.
3/26/20154 minutes, 28 seconds
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Fox's 'Empire' Continues Its Meteoric Rise

The hip-hop soap opera Empire has been a ratings savior for Fox. The show has grown in viewership numbers every week, with especially strong showings in the African American demographic. More than 17 million people tuned in to the second hour of last night's season finale.
3/19/20154 minutes, 26 seconds
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MPAA Reports Box Office Revenue Down in US

The MPAA's box office numbers for 2014 are in, and the news isn't great. Box office revenue fell 5 percent in the U.S. and Canada. Global revenue was up 1 percent, mostly because of gains in China. 
3/12/20154 minutes, 25 seconds
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Jury Hears Closing Arguments in "Blurred Lines" Trial

The second week of the "Blurred Lines" trial continues, with closing arguments slated for this afternoon. The trial has revealed information typically not revealed to the public -- just how much money the song's creators made off the hit. 
3/6/20154 minutes, 40 seconds
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Tom Rothman Named New Sony Pictures Chairman

The big question following Amy Pascal's post-hack attack departure at Sony was who would replace her. We now have an answer. Veteran film exec Tom Rothman will be the new chair of Sony Pictures, which has some in Hollywood worried because Rothman has been extremely fiscally disciplined in the past.
2/27/20154 minutes, 33 seconds
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A Final Oscars Preview

Scott Feinberg, lead awards analyst for the Hollywood Reporter, joins Kim Masters for one last Hollywood Breakdown before the Academy Awards. Some major categories seem to have been largely decided, but others are more up in the air.
2/20/20154 minutes, 49 seconds
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'Fifty Shades of Grey' Expected to Dominate the Box Office

The first movie in the trilogy based on EL James' books will open to huge numbers this weekend. In the making of the film, power dynamics weren't just a part of the on-screen performances, James and director Sam Taylor-Johnson had their own set of arguments behind the scenes.
2/13/20154 minutes, 27 seconds
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Amy Pascal Out as Co-Chairman at Sony

In a move that's been widely expected following the Sony hack attack at the end of 2014, Amy Pascal is stepping down from the top creative role at the studio.
2/6/20154 minutes, 26 seconds
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Huge Hits in 'American Sniper' and 'Empire'

There's one film and one TV show dominating conversations and scoring huge numbers right now. Clint Eastwood's American Sniper is breaking records at the box office and Fox's Empire is doing the same on broadcast television.
1/30/20154 minutes, 42 seconds
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Setting Off for Sundance

Sundance kicks off tonight, and we're on our way to the annual indie film festival in Park City. This year there will be more buyers than ever as digital services like Amazon get in the theatrical game. Plus, some documentaries are already making waves before they've even premiered.
1/23/20154 minutes, 26 seconds
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Oscar Nominations Lack Diversity

The 2015 Oscar nominations are out, and the nominees are overwhelmingly male and overwhelmingly white. Director Ava DuVernay is seen as one of the major snubs. While her film, Selma, was nominated for Best Picture, the movie received no other nominations except Best Song.
1/16/20154 minutes, 20 seconds
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Over the Top Dominates at 2015 TCA's

The semi-annual gathering of the Television Critics Association begins in Pasadena this week. Some of the more anticipated presentations are still yet to happen, but the focus of this winter's get-together seems to be the proliferation of over the top streaming services that especially appeal to a younger, more cord-cutting generation.
1/9/20154 minutes, 38 seconds
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Sony Pulls the Plug on 'The Interview'

The situation at Sony isn't getting better any time soon. Following a threat of physical violence from the hackers, now believed to somehow involve North Korea, many theater owners said they would not show The Interview. Now, Sony has said they will not release the film in theaters at all, or via VOD.
12/19/20144 minutes, 21 seconds
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Golden Globes Snubs, Damage from Sony Hack Mounts

No major surprises with Golden Globe nominations this year, but big snubs include Angelina Jolie's Unbroken and Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. On the TV side, the nominated comedies are more serious shows. Plus, the leaks from the hack at Sony continue to wreak havoc.
12/12/20143 minutes, 31 seconds
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Sony Hack Leaves Studio Reeling

An attack by hackers on Sony Pictures has leaked movies online, revealed personal employee data like salaries and passwords and left the company paralyzed, unable to access email and voicemails. 
12/5/20144 minutes, 25 seconds
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Cosby Fallout Continues as Allegations Mount

Bill Cosby continues to find himself in the midst of a public relations debacle as more women come forward accusing him of sexual assault and Netflix and NBC drop Cosby-related projects. 
11/21/20144 minutes, 30 seconds
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Sony Introduces Streaming TV Service with PlayStation Vue

As the media landscape continues to shift, cable cord cutters will soon have yet another option to access programming. Sony's announced they'll be getting into the web-based TV game with a new service called PlayStation Vue, which will stream shows through a PlayStation console. 
11/14/20144 minutes, 33 seconds
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Alibaba's Jack Ma Visits Hollywood

Executives across Hollywood hoped for face time with the founder of Alibaba and one of the richest men in China on his visit to Southern California. Jack Ma's company may be opening an office in Los Angeles, but what kind of partnerships he's looking to form in Hollywood remains to be seen. 
11/7/20144 minutes, 44 seconds
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Marvel Announces Latest Slate of Movies

Marvel hosted a fan-filled event this week announcing the dates and titles of their upcoming superhero movies through 2019. One of those films will be 2017's Black Panther starring Chadwick Boseman, making Marvel the first studio to have an African American superhero.
10/30/20144 minutes, 42 seconds
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NBCUniversal Settles Lawsuit with Former 'SNL' Interns

NBCUniversal will pay $6.4 million to settle a lawsuit with former Saturday Night Live interns who claim the network violated labor laws. Other intern-related lawsuits with media companies like Fox, Sony and Warner Bros. are still pending.
10/23/20144 minutes, 17 seconds
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TV Unbundles as HBO and CBS Announce New Streaming Services

One day after HBO announced they will start to offer an online subscription streaming service that will not require a cable package, CBS came out with some news of their own. Streaming service "CBS All Access" is the first foray by a traditional broadcaster into the world of offering a live feed over the web via subscription.
10/16/20144 minutes, 25 seconds
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Talent Agency Resolution to Close

Resolution, the fledgling talent agency founded by Jeff Berg, will cease operations. The agency lacked major stars and the television packaging fees, making it tough to keep up with more established competitors.
10/9/20144 minutes, 30 seconds
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Netflix Deals Shake Up Film Release Patterns

Netflix and IMAX announced this week they'll simultaneously release a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But the theater owners who have control of most of the IMAX screens in the country say that won't play the film. Adam Sandler also has a new deal with Netflix. He'll release four films through the online streaming service.
10/2/20144 minutes, 35 seconds
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Audiences Showing Up for Fall TV

In the age of cable, DVRs and streaming services, the idea of a fall TV season might seem dated. But this year, the broadcast networks are showing they still have some kick as plenty of viewers are tuning in to sample new shows.
9/25/20144 minutes, 19 seconds
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So Long to 'Longmire'

The cable channel A&E canceled the show Longmire after three seasons, but not because it didn't have enough viewers. In fact, the show about a Wyoming sheriff was the network's second most popular after Duck Dynasty. The problem was it had the wrong kind of audience.
9/11/20144 minutes, 34 seconds
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Remembering Joan Rivers

The groundbreaking comic Joan Rivers died at age 81, after losing consciousness during vocal cord surgery last week. Rivers was an enormously successful, constantly working comic who paved the way for women in the comedy world.
9/4/20144 minutes, 35 seconds
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California Film Tax Credits Get a Boost

In an effort to stop runaway production, Governor Jerry Brown said he would approve a $330 million deal that would triple the tax credits available for films and TV shows shot in California.
8/28/20144 minutes, 30 seconds
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As Emmys Approach, More Grumbling About Categories

The Emmys are this Monday, and while the excitement is building, there's also some dissatisfaction with certain shows like True Detective and Orange Is The New Black competing in categories where perhaps they don't objectively belong.
8/21/20144 minutes, 25 seconds
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Advertisers Spending Less Than Expected on Fall TV

Upfront commitments for television advertisements are down this year for the first time since 2009. And it's not just the broadcast networks that are taking a hit — ad spending for cable is down 4.7 percent. Even though total upfront advertising spending fell 6.1 percent, there's still $18,125 billion in ad dollars confirmed for fall television.
8/14/20144 minutes, 26 seconds
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Fox Officially Drops Time Warner Bid

Rupert Murdoch withdrew his offer to buy Time Warner, but the media company continues to appear to make itself attractive to potential buyers, including a Warner Bros announcement of nine new superhero movies through 2020.
8/7/20144 minutes, 32 seconds
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Dodgers Doing Great on the Field, Still Troubled on TV

Most Angelenos still can't watch their hometown baseball team on television because Time Warner Cable hasn't been able to sell the Dodgers channel SportsNet LA to other distributors.
7/31/20144 minutes, 25 seconds
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Studios Making Superheroes For This World and Beyond

Marvel has enjoyed spectacular success building out an entire universe with their characters. Now, other movie studios are trying to do the same.
7/24/20144 minutes, 41 seconds
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21st Century Fox Tries to Buy Time Warner

Murdoch makes an $80 billion offer, Time Warner says no thanks... for now.
7/17/20144 minutes, 26 seconds
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Emmy Nominations Announced, 'Game of Thrones' Tops the List

A strong showing for Game of Thrones, Fargo and Breaking Bad at this year's Emmy nominations, but a snub for critics' favorite Orphan Black.
7/10/20144 minutes, 28 seconds
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'Midnight Rider' Director and Producers Indicted in Death of Sarah Jones

Following the death of camera assistant Sarah Jones, a grand jury in Georgia has indicted Midnight Rider director Randall Miller and producers Jody Savin and Jay Sedrish on charges of involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass.
7/3/20144 minutes, 32 seconds
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Paramount's High Hopes for 'Transformers' Opening in China

Paramount hopes for a piece of China's booming movie market with 'Transformers: Age of Extinction.'
6/26/20144 minutes, 45 seconds
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Chelsea Handler to host Talk Show and Specials for Netflix

Kim Masters and Matt Belloni discuss Chelsea Handler's Late Night Talk show moving to Netflix in 2016.
6/19/20144 minutes, 42 seconds
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Time Warner's Disappointing Summer Box Office

Kim Masters and Michael Schneider discuss Warner Bros’ big-swing strategy and hopes for the future.
6/12/20144 minutes, 31 seconds
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Tom Cruise and 'Edge of Tomorrow'

Can Tom Cruise get a hit with Edge of Tomorrow?
6/5/20144 minutes, 35 seconds
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Kevin Reilly Out at Fox

Fox Entertainment Chairman, Kevin Reilly, is leaving his place at the top of the FOX network.
5/29/20144 minutes, 22 seconds
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Recreating Paul Walker for 'Fast & Furious 7'

Kim Masters, host of KCRW’s The Business, breaks down Hollywood's top stories.
5/22/20144 minutes, 37 seconds
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Trends at the 2014 Broadcast TV UpFronts

Kim Masters and Michael Schneider discuss the trends in the new TV shows presented by the broadcast networks to advertisers this week.
5/15/20144 minutes, 43 seconds
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Hollywood Boycotts Beverly Hills Hotel

Kim and John discuss Hollywood's boycott of the Beverly Hills and Bel Air Hotels. Both are owned by an arm of the Brunei government which recently instituted Sharia law.
5/8/20144 minutes, 28 seconds
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The New Frontier of Online Shows

A plethora of programming yields pay questions.
5/1/20144 minutes, 20 seconds
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Aereo Confounds the High Court

Kim and John discuss the Aereo case, now before the Supreme Court.
4/24/20144 minutes, 32 seconds
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Glenn Beck and Oliver North Go Hollywood (sort of)

Two conservatives made entertainment news this week. 
4/17/20144 minutes, 35 seconds
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CBS Goes for the Colbert Bump

Stephen Colbert to replace David Letterman on "Late Show."
4/10/20144 minutes, 19 seconds
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David Letterman to Retire

David Letterman announces his retirement.
4/3/20144 minutes, 42 seconds
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The Directors' Oscar Race

3/28/20144 minutes, 30 seconds
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Disney Buys Lucas Film

Disney is the new home of "Star Wars"....
3/28/20144 minutes, 39 seconds
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News from CinemaCon

News from the theater owners' convention, CinemaCon
3/27/20144 minutes, 23 seconds
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YA Novels at the Multiplex

'Divergent' is the latest young adult novel to become a movie.
3/20/20144 minutes, 38 seconds
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Anne Sweeney Leaves Disney/ABC

Anne Sweeney leaves Disney/ABC to be a TV director.
3/13/20144 minutes, 35 seconds
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Fatality on a Film Set Galvanizes the Industry

The 'Midnight Rider' tragedy and safety on film shoots.
3/7/20144 minutes, 22 seconds
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The Oscars, and Sandra Bullock's 'Gravity' Grosses

The Oscar race, and Sandra Bullock's big pay day.
2/28/20144 minutes, 35 seconds
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NBC, the Olympics and Fallon

NBC's cost versus benefit of the Olympics.
2/21/20144 minutes, 37 seconds
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Oscar-nominated Song Pulled from Competition

Kim and John discuss a first in the history of the Academy Awards.
1/31/20144 minutes, 34 seconds
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Sundance 2014

Kim Masters and Ben Fritz, reporter for The Wall Street Journal, discuss films at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
1/24/20144 minutes, 31 seconds
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Oscar Nominations

Today the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced this year's Oscar nominations.
1/17/20144 minutes, 21 seconds
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'The Wolf of Wall St:' Truth or Fiction

The ethics of basing movies on true stories. 
1/10/20144 minutes, 36 seconds
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'Duck Dynasty' Debacle

'Duck Dynasty' star ignites a culture war.
12/20/20134 minutes, 28 seconds
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The Awards' Race Takes Shape

SAG and Golden Globe nominations ring in awards season.
12/13/20134 minutes, 41 seconds
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Paul Walker's Death

Kim and John discuss how the "Fast & Furious" film franchise will be impacted by the tragic, untimely death of the film's star, Paul Walker.
12/6/20134 minutes, 31 seconds
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Big Changes at Sony

A sign of troubled times in the movie biz: Sony plans major cost-cutting moves.
11/22/20134 minutes, 32 seconds
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The Violence of the PG-13 Movie

A new study finds PG-13 movies more violent.
11/15/20134 minutes, 31 seconds
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Blockbuster Stores Close as Netflix Expands

As the last of the brick and mortar Blockbuster stores are closing, Netflix is expanding, acquiring rights to a new documentary and a deal to make 4 new TV-like series.
11/8/20134 minutes, 36 seconds
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Hillary and Hollywood

Hillary Clinton and her Hollywood backers...
10/31/20134 minutes, 28 seconds
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Awards Race Opens as Movies Shuffle out of 2013

Kim and John discuss news that a number of high-profile films that had been on Oscar watchers' lists as possible contenders this year have been pushed back to 2014.
10/24/20134 minutes, 40 seconds
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Troubles on Aronofsky's Movie Noah

Troubled Waters on Aronofsky's epic movie Noah
10/17/20134 minutes, 31 seconds
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Twitter & TV

Social TV: Twitter Talks Television
10/10/20134 minutes, 20 seconds
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Shake-up at Focus Features

Focus Features gets a new head and perhaps a new mandate.
10/3/20134 minutes, 40 seconds
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LA Gets a Film Czar

Mayor Eric Garcetti names Tom Sherak LA's first Film Czar.
9/26/20134 minutes, 39 seconds
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J.K. Rowling's New Hollywood Deal

Warner Bros will re-partner with J.K. Rowling...
9/12/20134 minutes, 19 seconds
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The Toronto International Film Festival Begins

Goings on in Toronto as TIFF begins.
9/5/20134 minutes, 35 seconds
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Fall Film Festivals

Awards films hit the Fall festivals...
8/29/20134 minutes, 24 seconds
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Summer 2013's Indie Hits

From Woody Allen to Lee Daniels, indie filmmakers' Summer hits.
8/22/20134 minutes, 20 seconds
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Fox Sports One and Al Jazeera Launch

Two new cable networks are launching: Fox Sports One and Al Jazeera America.
8/15/20134 minutes, 20 seconds
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NBC and CNN Face Wrath over Hillary

NBC and CNN are widely criticized over Hillary Clinton program plans.
8/8/20134 minutes, 32 seconds
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Summer 2013: Season of Box Office Bombs

Expensive Movies Bust
7/25/20134 minutes, 21 seconds
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Emmy Nominations Highlights

A look at the Emmy nominations, which run from Netflix to broadcast to cable...
7/18/20134 minutes, 31 seconds
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Fallout from 'The Lone Ranger' Flop

What does "The Lone Ranger Flop" mean for Hollywood?
7/11/20134 minutes, 30 seconds
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Paula Deen: The Collision between Reality and Reality TV

Kim and John weigh in on the meltdown of the Paula Deen empire.
6/27/20134 minutes, 23 seconds
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World War Z v. Monsters University

Kim is rejoined by John Horn of the LA Times to break down the upcoming box office showdown between zombies and monsters.
6/20/20134 minutes, 17 seconds
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Spielberg and Lucas Predict Doom for Movie Biz

Spielberg criticizes the movie business for making outsized films that, if they fail, could take down a studio or two in its wake.
6/13/20134 minutes, 40 seconds
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Will Smith's Rare Miss

Will Smith, M. Knight Shyamalan and Sony may all lose from the "After Earth" stumble.
6/6/20134 minutes, 31 seconds
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Summer's Movie Match-ups and Are Movie Trailers Too Long?

The National Association of Theater Owners want studios to cut their trailers. Meanwhile, studios go head-to-head with Summer blockbusters.
5/30/20134 minutes, 26 seconds
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Highlights from the Cannes Film Festival

Highs and lows from the Cannes Film Festival.
5/23/20134 minutes, 21 seconds
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The Low Down on the 2013 Upfronts

How the broadcast TV networks' presented their new Fall shows.
5/16/20134 minutes, 34 seconds
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Will Robert Downey, Jr. Reprise His Iron Man Role?

Have we seen the last of Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man?
5/9/20134 minutes, 40 seconds
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What's Up at the NewFronts?

Creators of online video entertainment woo advertisers.
5/2/20134 minutes, 17 seconds
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Hollywood's Efforts to Break into China

Kim and John break down the risks and rewards of making movies for the the Chinese market.
4/25/20134 minutes, 49 seconds
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The Media's Rush to Report on Boston Bombers

CNN and other media outlets err when rushing to report arrests.
4/18/20134 minutes, 22 seconds
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Aereo Has Moguls Up in Arms

A New York start-up threatens broadcast television.
4/11/20134 minutes, 26 seconds
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Leno, Fallon, and Colbert

Fallon to replace Leno but Colbert big winner
4/4/20134 minutes, 19 seconds
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Barbara Walters Reportedly Set to Retire

KCRW's Steve Chiotakis and Michael Schneider (TV Guide magazine) discuss reports that veteran ABC News personality Barbara Walters is set to announce her retirement.
3/28/20134 minutes, 46 seconds
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Leno Out and Fallon In

3/21/20134 minutes, 40 seconds
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Kickstarter Kick Starts Veronica Mars Movie

A crowd-funding website that has been used to bring art projects, documentaries and inventions to fruition, has kick started the budget for a movie by Hollywood insiders.
3/14/20134 minutes, 32 seconds
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Fox Hopes to Rival ESPN

NewsCorp has announced plans to launch Fox Sports 1, its answer to ESPN.
3/8/20134 minutes, 43 seconds
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Oscars' Ratings Up; VFX Artists Snubbed

While Oscar ratings were up, the VFX Community was up-in-arms.
3/1/20134 minutes, 19 seconds
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The Oscars Are (Finally) Here

Kim and John weigh in on what's been a lengthy, expensive Oscar campaign season. They also discuss the Academy's play to bring younger audiences to the telecast.
2/22/20134 minutes, 19 seconds
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VFX Business in Trouble

Troubles in the VFX business.
2/15/20134 minutes, 31 seconds
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Sundance Sales Were Sailing

John Horn, freshly back from the Sundance Film Festival, talks with Kim about the state of the film market there.
1/25/20134 minutes, 47 seconds
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The Gun Debate and Hollywood

While the country engages around the gun debate and what to do about gun violence some in Hollywood are getting self-reflective while others are deflecting. Kim speaks with John who is in Park City for the Sundance Film Festival. He reports that in his opening remarks, Festival found Robert Redford raised the issue of whether his industry believes that guns will sell tickets. Meanwhile, they talk about a recent contentious interview Quentin Tarantino gave to a UK outlet during which he refused to answer questions about violence in his films. It remains to be seen how and if Hollywood writ large will take any action on the issue.
1/18/20134 minutes, 24 seconds
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2012's Big Box Office and the Oscar E-Voting Snafu

Last year ended with lots of people having gone to the movies. Today AMPAS ends its voting window with many a member having trouble with the new e-voting system.
1/4/20134 minutes, 45 seconds
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Zero Dark Thirty v. Lincoln

Two Hollywood movies vying for awards contention have been making waves in Washington, DC.
12/21/20124 minutes, 40 seconds
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Golden Globes v. SAG Awards

Kim and John discuss how the Golden Globe nominations compare to others -- namely those of the SAG nominations which were announced yesterday.
12/14/20124 minutes, 40 seconds
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Disney Deals Big Hand to Netflix

Kim and John discuss the big deal that Netflix did with the Walt Disney Company to carry that studio's content exclusively starting in 2016. This moves Netflix from a company that overpays for old movies and television reruns to a player in the VOD space. Netflix is hoping with this news and the launch of some original programming -- namely the David Fincher produced/Kevin Spacey starring House of Cards -- they will turn their stock price and their subscriber numbers around.
12/7/20124 minutes, 33 seconds
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BBC Scandal Rocks the UK

Why was a BBC expose of decades of child molestation by a now deceased talk show host never aired? Why did the BBC wrongly accuse an MP of being a pedophile?
11/16/20124 minutes, 36 seconds
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Election Night TV Watching

Kim and John break down the way we are watching on Election Night.
11/9/20124 minutes, 32 seconds
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Politics and Movies

Dueling political documentaries are in the news...
10/25/20124 minutes, 53 seconds
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Tina Fey and Amy Poehler v. Seth MacFarlane

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will co-host the Golden Globes, a throw-down to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' Oscar telecast...
10/18/20124 minutes, 42 seconds
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Variety Gets Bought

This week, Penske Media, the company that owns deadline.com, bought Variety. We reflect on the trade publication's history and the future of this Hollywood institution.
10/11/20124 minutes, 46 seconds
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Ron Burkle v. the New Yorker

Kim and John discuss a new New Yorker article about billionaire Ron Burkle and his relationships in Hollywood....
10/4/20124 minutes, 42 seconds
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Lack of Diversity among TV Directors

The Directors Guild of America released a report today analyzing the percentage of directors working in television.
9/27/20124 minutes, 32 seconds
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The Anti-Islam Movie: Not a Hollywood Film

The movie at the center of the attacks in the Middle East was not a Hollywood film, but it does expose the secret world of super low-budget filmmaking.
9/13/20124 minutes, 37 seconds
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Bummer Summer Box Office Numbers

The numbers for the summer movie theater ticket sales are in and the news isn't good for Hollywood studios.
9/6/20124 minutes, 31 seconds
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Fall Film Festivals

John and Kim discuss the beginning of the fall film festival season, which premieres some potential awards contenders like 'Argo' and 'The Master.'
8/30/20124 minutes, 48 seconds
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The Academy Awards Kerfuffle

Every year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences struggles to put on a compelling show for the Oscars and it often hinges on getting a great host and a producer willing to take on the gargantuan task. Until this week it looked like Lorne Michels of SNL was going to produce the next show and Jimmy Fallon was going to host but that plan has been thwarted. Bob Iger-- the chairman of The Walt Disney Company which owns ABC -- the network that will broadcast the Oscars-- has put his foot down about having NBC talent hosting and producing a show on his network.
8/9/20124 minutes, 37 seconds
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Olympics Business

Kim and John break down the highs and lows of NBC's coverage of the London Olympics.
8/2/20124 minutes, 19 seconds
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Modern Family's Contract Dispute

John Horn talks with ATC host Steve Chiotakis about the contract dispute between the "Modern Family" cast and the studio that produces the show.   This week has been full of the Television Critics Association meetings where TV talent and executives met with critics to get them excited about their new shows and to answer questions about their business. One looming question is: What will happen with ABC's hit comedy "Modern Family?" The cast members claim that both ABC-- the network that broadcasts the show-- and 20th Century Fox-- the studio the produces the show-- are making lots of money and some of that is due to the cast.  
7/26/20124 minutes, 43 seconds
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The Dark Knight's Dark Night

Kim and John respond to the massacre at the midnight showing of 'The Dark Knight Rises' in Aurora, Colorado.
7/21/20125 minutes, 1 second
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Emmy Nominations Reveal Trend

Kim and John break down the Emmy nominations that were announced today.
7/19/20124 minutes, 40 seconds
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Direct TV v. Viacom

There's been another clash in the cable/satellite provider versus content creator wars. This time it's Direct TV and Viacom.
7/12/20124 minutes, 42 seconds
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Tom Cruise in the News

Kim and John discuss the business side of the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes divorce.
7/5/20124 minutes, 32 seconds
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News Corp Will Split in Two

John Horn of the Los Angeles Times talks with All Things Considered host Steve Chiotakis about the announcement that News Corp. will split into two separate companies.
6/28/20124 minutes, 28 seconds
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The Movie Haves and Have-Nots

Of the summer movies this year there's 'The Avengers' and then everyone else.
6/21/20124 minutes, 35 seconds
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The Glass House

Kim and Michael Schneider, LA Bureau Chief of TV Guide Magazine, discuss CBS's accusations that ABC has ripped off 'Big Brother' for its new show "Glass House."
6/14/20124 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ari Emanuel Speaks Out on Piracy

Earlier this week, uber agent Ari Emanuel framed the online piracy issue as a division between Hollywood content creators and Silicon Valley Internet search providers.
6/7/20124 minutes, 33 seconds
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Alan Horn Named New Head of Disney

Veteran movie executive, Alan Horn, was named Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Studios.
5/31/20124 minutes, 27 seconds
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MIB3 in 3-D versus 'The Intouchables'

Memorial Day weekend sees the return of Will Smith versus a little French film.
5/24/20124 minutes, 27 seconds
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Upfronts Upshot

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5/17/20124 minutes, 39 seconds
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Hollywood, Gay Rights and Obama

Although tonight’s $40,000 a plate fundraiser is sold-out, President Barack Obama’s public support of gay marriage has galvanized Hollywood donors.
5/10/20124 minutes, 25 seconds
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Murdoch Unfit to Run NewsCorp

Kim and John discuss the report issued by the U.K. parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee on NewsCorp that deemed Rupert Murdoch "unfit" to run the company.
5/3/20124 minutes, 55 seconds
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Bribery Scandals Abound

The latest in the News Corp scandal in the UK, and the SEC looking at whether Hollywood studios possibility used bribes to gain access to the Chinese film market.
4/26/20124 minutes, 20 seconds
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Hollywood Makes Inroads in China

The Chinese-Hollywood connection gains another dimension. Disney's Marvel will co-produce "Iron Man 3" with a Chinese production company.
4/19/20124 minutes, 49 seconds
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Gary Ross Will Not Direct 'Hunger Games' Sequel

Kim and John discuss how "Hunger Games" director Gary Ross with not be back to direct the sequel, "Catching Fire."
4/12/20124 minutes, 35 seconds
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'Titanic' Returns to Theaters

James Cameron has retrofitted his blockbuster film "Titanic" into a 3D version. He and Paramount are poised to make a bundle on the international market.
4/5/20124 minutes, 41 seconds
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'Bully' Will Be Released Unrated

Kim and John discuss the decision by the Weinstein Company to release the documentary film, Bully, unrated rather than use the R-rating that the MPAA gave it.
3/29/20124 minutes, 45 seconds
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MPAA Report on Global Box Office

Kim and John discuss the MPAA's newly released report, "2011 Theatrical Market Statistics" on the latest box office and movie attendance trends.
3/22/20124 minutes, 47 seconds
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The Cancellation of HBO's 'Luck'

3/15/20124 minutes, 40 seconds
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Steven Spielberg's Very Bad Week

Steven Spielberg is not having a good week. Three of his TV series are in trouble and his forthcoming movie is generating "tepid interest" at best.
3/9/20124 minutes, 24 seconds
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Oscars Post-Mortem

Reflections on the lackluster vibe of the Oscars and banter over what the Academy could or would be willing to do to make the telecast more appealing to viewers.
3/2/20124 minutes, 46 seconds
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Oscar Voters and The Nominees

A recent LA Times article on the Motion Picture Academy raises questions on how its demographics could affect the films that get recognized by the Oscars.
2/24/20124 minutes, 56 seconds
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How Hollywood Handles Its Stars

In the wake of Whitney Houston's death, Kim and John banter about the way some stars are surrounded by people who don't have their well-being forefront in their minds.
2/17/20124 minutes, 44 seconds
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Box Office Numbers Up

Movie theater box office numbers are up and Hollywood is hopeful that, like the economy, it's showing signs of life. So far this year there have been three huge hits...
2/10/20124 minutes, 43 seconds
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SOPA in Trouble

Kim and John discuss the latest steps in the fight over how to stop piracy on the Internet.
1/20/20124 minutes, 51 seconds
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SOPA Pits Hollywood against Silicon Valley

Studios are desperate to prevent the pirating of their films and TV shows online, but big Internet companies say that it's an infringement on their rights.
1/13/20124 minutes, 20 seconds
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The Tom Cruise Comeback

After a couple movies that didn't do so well and some negative PR, some in Hollywood questioned the future of this once mega-star. With Mission Impossible 4, he's back.
1/6/20124 minutes, 45 seconds
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Hollywood Needs a Visionary

Kim and John reflect on the state of the entertainment industry and how, after the death of Steve Jobs, it desperately needs a visionary.
12/30/20114 minutes, 28 seconds
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Year End Box Office

2011 is ending with box office returns higher but only because of ticket price hikes.  Actual attendance atobie theaters is down. This has everyone in the movie business worried.
12/23/20114 minutes, 41 seconds
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Golden Globe and SAG Award Nominations

Kim and John banter about the nominations for the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards and how predictive these could be in the Oscar race.
12/16/20114 minutes, 43 seconds
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David Denby v. Scott Rudin

Kim and John discuss the dust-up between producer Scott Rudin and film critic David Denby, over violation of an agreement to hold the review until the movie's release.
12/9/20114 minutes, 37 seconds
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Hollywood's Awards Season Begins

Now's the time of year when Hollywood is abuzz with awards campaigning, so Kim and John take a look at what films and performances seem to be getting the most traction.
12/2/20114 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ricky Gervais Is Back!

Despite his jokes that some found "mean spirited" in last year's Golden Globe Awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association says Ricky Gervais will be back in 2012.
11/18/20114 minutes, 3 seconds
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The Oscars Upheaval

After Brett Ratner’s gay slur and revelations about his sex life, he and and Eddie Murphy are out, Brian Grazer and Billy Crystal are in…
11/11/20114 minutes, 7 seconds
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R.I.P. Gil Cates

This week Hollywood lost a beloved member of the family. Kim and John reflect on the career of Gil Cates' and his impact on the industry...
11/3/20114 minutes, 34 seconds
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Apple TV? Direct TV versus Fox

Kim and John talk about Steve Jobs' claim that he'd cracked the code to create a TV that integrates with all digital devices. Also, the Fox-Direct TV conflict.
10/27/20114 minutes, 47 seconds
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The State of News Corp and the Murdoch Family

Tomorrow News Corp. will hold its annual shareholder meeting on the Fox lot in Los Angeles. In the wake of the phone hacking scandal in the UK, the Murdochs are under fire...
10/20/20114 minutes, 34 seconds
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Two Entertainment Giants Reverse Course

Netflix drops plans to split off its DVD-by-mail service. Universal scraps plans to release Tower Heist, on premium VOD a mere three weeks after its theater release...
10/13/20114 minutes, 46 seconds
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Steve Jobs' Impact on Hollywood

Kim and John look at some of how Steve Jobs impacted the entertainment business, namely his legacy with Pixar....
10/7/20114 minutes, 29 seconds
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3-D Glasses Dust-Up

Sony studio has decided to no longer pay for 3-D glasses. Will other studios may follow suit? Kim the LA Times’ Rebecca Keegan take on the latest dust-up in the movie world.
9/29/20114 minutes, 14 seconds
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Emmy Predictions

This coming Sunday the 63rd Annual Emmy Awards will air on Fox with actress Jane Lynch hosting...
9/15/20114 minutes, 21 seconds
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Fall Festivals in Full Swing

John joins Kim from the 38th Telluride Film Festival for a conversation on the current climate for distributors and the buzz on potential Oscar contenders....
9/1/20114 minutes, 29 seconds
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The Hollywood-China Connection

Hollywood studios' efforts to forge co-productions with China...
8/25/20114 minutes, 19 seconds
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Is 'Mad Men' Murdering 'The Walking Dead?'

Show-runner Frank Darabont, the goings on at AMC and how the big contract with Mad Men may or may not have played a role in what's happening with these other shows...
8/4/20114 minutes, 28 seconds
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The Latest in the Murdoch Scandal

Kim and John discuss the latest in a long line of scandals plaguing NewsCorp and its UK company, News International.
7/28/20114 minutes, 33 seconds
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Comic-Con 2011

Kim and John discuss the expectations around the 2011 geekfest, Comic-Con, which got underway in San Diego today. This year there are...
7/21/20114 minutes, 31 seconds
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Unfolding Scandal at News Corp

Kim and John discuss the latest in the on-going scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch and News Corp.
7/14/20114 minutes, 20 seconds
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Scandal at News Corp

The burgeoning scandal facing News Corp's "News of the World." The 168-year old UK tabloid’s been accused of hacking into the phones of celebrities, soldiers and a missing girl...
7/7/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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July 4th Movies: 'Transformers' In 3D v. 'Larry Crowne'

A look at Transformers' box office potential this holiday weekend, the public's appetite for 3D, and the "little" movie Larry Crowne. Can big stars compete with crashing robots?
6/30/20114 minutes, 24 seconds
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'Cars 2' Poised to Do Big Business...at the Toy Counter

The merchandise tie-ins with the new Pixar movie Cars 2 are unprecedented. We look at the vast array of products and Disney offshoots that will come from Pixar's new pic.
6/23/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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The Best Picture Oscar Rules Change...Again!

This week the Motion Picture Academy announced they've changed the rules for the best picture category again. This year it could be anywhere between five and 10...
6/16/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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TV Anchors Play Musical Chairs

Kim Masters and the Los Angeles Times' Rebecca Keegan break down the latest comings and goings of TV anchors....
6/9/20114 minutes, 20 seconds
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Audience Interest Wanes in 3-D Movies

John and Kim discuss how domestically at least, audience interest in 3-D movies is on the decline...
6/2/20114 minutes, 29 seconds
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The Hangover Part II Will Open Big

The Hangover, Part II will open big this weekend with box office watchers saying it will break records for most tickets sold over a Memorial Day weekend, but...
5/26/20114 minutes, 31 seconds
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Arnold Schwarzenegger's Hollywood Career on Hold

Former Governor Schwarzenegger will, according to a statement released by his talent agency, put all his entertainment projects on hold to focus on his personal life...
5/19/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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Fox Announces New Shows

5/12/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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Hollywood's Take on the bin Laden Killing

Before the news of bin Laden's death, Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, the Oscar-winning director and screenwriter of The Hurt Locker were already working on a movie based on the book Kill Bin Laden...
5/5/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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Media Frenzy over the Royal Wedding

Kim and John critique the out-sized media attention and resources that are being used to cover the Royal wedding.
4/28/20114 minutes, 16 seconds
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Directors Back Theater Owners in Fight against Studios

An update in the fight between Hollywood studios and theater owners over studios' decision to offer video-on-demand a mere 60 days after their release in theaters...
4/21/20114 minutes, 24 seconds
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Two Legendary Soaps Cancelled; Katie Couric's Future

Kim and guest host Matt Belloni discuss ABC's cancellation of two legendary soap operas, Plus, with her CBS contract ending, will Katie Couric launch a daytime talk show?
4/14/20114 minutes, 15 seconds
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More on the War between Theater Owners and Hollywood Studios

The ongoing fight between major studios and theater owners over the studios' decision to shorten the release time of films to premium video-on-demand channels at home...
4/7/20114 minutes, 29 seconds
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Hollywood Studios Inflame Theater Owners

A controversial video-on-demand plan that four Hollywood studios announced today will affect the length of time movies will be exclusively available in theaters...
3/31/20114 minutes, 31 seconds
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TV's Pilot Season and 'The X Factor'

It's pilot season in Hollywood, where anxiety runs high as networks put into production potential new shows many of which will not be picked up to series...
3/24/20114 minutes, 28 seconds
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Netflix Plans to Make Original Content

Kim and John discuss Netflix's recent deal to produce an original series to be directed by David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey.
3/17/20114 minutes, 19 seconds
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The Business of Charlie Sheen and His Lawsuit

Matt Holzman sits in for Kim Masters and talks with John Horn about the real business ramifications of how disputes are handled in Hollywood. This week Charlie Sheen was fired from Two and a Half Men and now Sheen is suing for $100 million.
3/11/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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The Media Feeding Frenzy over Charlie Sheen

Kim and John discuss the media's obsession with Charlie Sheen and their attempts to psychoanalyze him while outdoing each other with coverage. Meanwhile they acknowledge that there is a legitimate business issue afoot here given that Two and a Half Men is a huge grossing show for CBS, the network that broadcasts it and Warner Brothers, the studio that produces it.
3/4/20114 minutes, 29 seconds
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Global Box Office Numbers and Oscar Movie Earnings

Kim and John discuss the Motion Picture Association of America's box office report and reflect on how movies have been performing less well over the years...
2/25/20114 minutes, 23 seconds
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Miley Cyrus's Father's Controversial GQ Interview

John and Kim discuss the GQ article in which Billy Ray Cyrus says the Hannah Montana show ruined his family and laments his relationship with his daughter, Miley Cyrus.
2/18/20113 minutes, 47 seconds
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Paul Haggis & His Public Split from Scientology

Today Kim and John discuss an article in The New Yorker by Lawrence Wright about Paul Haggis public departure from Scientology. They talk about how Scientology has infiltrated Hollywood and the reasons why Haggis resigned from the church.
2/11/20114 minutes, 12 seconds
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Sundance Film Festival Preview

The annual Sundance Film Festival starts today in Park City Utah. Kim and John (who will be attending the festival) breakdown the vibe in the marketplace for distributors looking to buy films and the buzz on what movies look most likely to get bought for theatrical distribution.
1/21/20114 minutes, 30 seconds
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The Business of the Golden Globes

Sunday evening is the Golden Globe Awards Show. Today, Kim and John discuss the feeling in town leading up to this event, feelings about this award and the meaning of winning.
1/14/20114 minutes, 32 seconds
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PGA and WGA Nominees; Surprise Hits at the Box Office

Matt Holzman sits in for Kim Masters who's on vacation. He and John Horn discuss the Writers Guild Awards nominations and those of the Producers Guild Awards. Horn bets that the PGA list of best pictures could be predictive of the Oscars. They also discuss the surprise box office success of little movies like True Grit, Black Swan and The King's Speech. These movies are doing well largely based on word of mouth not splashy marketing campaigns.
1/7/20114 minutes, 25 seconds
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Top Hollywood Stories of 2010

Kim and John break down some of the top entertainment business stories of 2010.
12/24/20104 minutes, 31 seconds
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The Golden Globe Nominations Debate

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards nominees.  Kim and John debate the wisdom, value and business of these awards.
12/17/20104 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ronni Chasen Murder Update

Kim and John discuss the latest developments and theories in the Ronni Chasen murder case.
12/10/20104 minutes, 18 seconds
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The Latest in the Ronni Chasen Murder Mystery

Kim and John discuss the recent suicide of a "person of interest" in the murder of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen.
12/3/20104 minutes, 28 seconds
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Hollywood Mourns Iconic Publicist, Ronni Chasen

Earlier this week publicist Ronni Chasen was found murdered in her car as she was on her way home from the premiere of the movie "Burlesque." Kim and John talk about the gatherings to mourn her, her legacy in the business and the state of the murder investigation.
11/19/20104 minutes, 24 seconds
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NBC-Universal Executive Drama

Kim and John discuss the wild drama in the executive suites at NBC/Universal in the run up to the Comcast take-over.
11/12/20104 minutes, 24 seconds
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'127 Hours' Marketing Dilemma

The new Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) movie, 127 Hours, starring James Franco opens this weekend.  The film is based on the true story of Aaron Ralston, the mountain climber who had to cut off his own forearm to save himself when trapped in a while hiking. Though Fox Searchlight, the studio behind the movie, has big awards hopes for the movie, audiences at film festival from Telluride to Toronto to Mill Valley and beyond have been fainting in screenings because of the intensity of the footage.
11/4/20104 minutes, 27 seconds
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Avatar 2 and 3 Deal

Kim and John discuss what was the deal of the week and perhaps of the year. James Cameron struck a deal with Fox Studios to make two sequels to his blockbuster 3D feature film, Avatar....
10/28/20104 minutes, 30 seconds
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Hollywood Men and Women Behaving Badly

Kim and John discuss the newest issue of GQ, which shows some Hollywood types behaving badly, including the cast of Fox's hit show Glee appear in a racy photo-shoot revealing lots of skin and not much else, and former HBO head Chris Albrecht's potentially self-destructive interview.
10/21/20104 minutes, 30 seconds
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'The Dilemma' Controversy

Kim and John discuss the controversy over the use of a gay joke in the trailer for The Dilemma, the Universal movie starring Vince Vaughn.
10/14/20104 minutes, 28 seconds
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Tribune Company Dirty Laundry

Kim and John discuss the New York Times article about the leaders of the Tribune Company and how their behavior has affected flagship journalism properties, including the Los Angeles Times.
10/7/20104 minutes, 31 seconds
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Star Wars' 3D Conversion Plans

George Lucas has announced that he will convert the entire six film Stars Wars saga into 3D, starting in 2012 with the 3D release of Star Wars -- Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Another film will be released each year. Kim and John debate the wisdom of this massive conversion endeavor and whether audiences will show up for it.
9/30/20104 minutes, 31 seconds
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Changes at Warner Bros.

Kim and John discuss the changing of the guard in the Office of the President at Warner Bros.
9/23/20104 minutes, 24 seconds
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Business in Toronto

Many movies looking to be bought for distribution at the Toronto International Film Festival found buyers this year. John and Kim take an inventory of some of the deals struck so far and what it all says for the mood in the indie film world. 
9/16/20104 minutes, 31 seconds
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Telluride to Toronto: The Fall Film Festivals

The King's Speech, Black Swan and 127 Hours are but three of the notable movies screened at the fall film festivals in Telluride and Toronto, where Oscar buzz gets generated and deals are made.
9/9/20104 minutes, 32 seconds
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Apple vs The TV Studios (other than Fox and Disney)

9/2/20104 minutes, 19 seconds
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Michael Eisner and the Tribune Company

Kim and John discuss the news that former Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner may take over as Chairman of the Board of the Tribune Company, owner of numerous TV stations and newspapers including KTLA, the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune.
8/26/20104 minutes, 12 seconds
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Scott Pilgrim's Failure at the Box Office

Matt Holzman, Executive Producer of The Business, talks with John Horn about the failure of the film Scott Pilgrim vs The World to perform at the box office. Faithfully adapted from the beloved graphic novel, this fanboy feature got good reviews and much love at Comic-Con. So, what happened?
8/19/20104 minutes, 15 seconds
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Netflix's Billion-Dollar Deal

Kim and John discuss the Netflix deal with start-up pay-TV channel Epix to distribute movies made by Epix's parent studios
8/12/20103 minutes, 31 seconds
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Which Way, Idol?

8/5/20104 minutes, 24 seconds
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Departure of ABC's Stephen McPherson

ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson resigned unexpectedly this week. Kim and John discuss theories behind the story, including the alleged sexual-harassment accusations against him, his famous tantrums, and his failure to revive ABC's poor prime-time line-up...
7/29/20104 minutes, 34 seconds
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Hollywood Hawking at Comic-Con

7/22/20104 minutes, 22 seconds
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Mel and Roman

7/15/20104 minutes, 21 seconds
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Celador Sues Disney, Part II

7/8/20104 minutes, 19 seconds
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Celador Sues: Will Disney Get Millions from 'Millionaire?'

7/1/20104 minutes, 28 seconds
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Kids Movies Play to Adults

PG-13 films, once the reliable breadwinners at the box office, are losing out to PG and G-Rated films this summer.  Meanwhile, adult fare movies are getting left in the dust...
6/24/20104 minutes, 26 seconds
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Will Redbox Put Hollywood in the Red?

6/17/20104 minutes, 30 seconds
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June Gloom at the Box Office

6/10/20104 minutes, 29 seconds
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Box Office Breakdown

6/3/20104 minutes, 31 seconds
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Greed in Hollywood?

5/27/20104 minutes, 28 seconds
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LOWDOWN ON THE TV UPFRONTS

This week were the television upfronts in New York. That's the annual sales event where the networks roll out their new shows in the hopes of selling about 9 billion dollars worth of commercial time to advertisers. Each network took its turn pitching its schedules, showing clips of new shows and trotting out stars, usually followed by lavish parties. John and Kim talk about what happened and what we'll all be watching come the fall.
5/20/20104 minutes, 21 seconds
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Cannes Film Festival

Kim and John discuss the Cannes Film Festival which got underway yesterday in France. It runs from May 12th to May 23rd. Banner Image: CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 10: Yachts line the harbour at dusk prior to the annual film festival on May 10, 2010 in Cannes, France. The 63rd Cannes Film Festival will run from May 12 to May 23. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
5/13/20104 minutes, 30 seconds