Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Nintendo and Illumination target $200M-plus Easter opening for “Super Mario Galaxy”
The upcoming “Super Mario Galaxy” film is being positioned to generate more than $200 million domestically over the Easter holiday weekend, leveraging the franchise’s multigenerational appeal. Analysts reference the 2015 “Avengers: Age of Ultron” $191 million opening as a performance benchmark.
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By the numbers: K‑Love seeks FCC approval to acquire WFCC
NBC will broadcast its first MLB game under a new rights agreement, featuring the Pirates‑Mets Opening Day matchup. Former pitcher Al Leiter and ex‑Pirates infielder Neil Walker are slated as game analysts alongside play‑by‑play veteran Matt Vasgersian. Ahmed Fareed will host the pre‑game show with former reliever Adam Ottavino providing additional analysis. The lineup highlights NBC’s strategy of pairing former players with direct team connections to attract both casual and die‑hard fans.
Josh D’Amaro has officially taken the helm as Disney’s chief executive, inheriting a company split between two distinct data‑driven units. The recent reorganization places streaming, games and digital content under Dana Walden’s Entertainment division, while the Experiences segment—responsible for parks, resorts...
Patreon CEO Jack Conte told SXSW that AI companies’ reliance on creator content under a "fair use" defense is "bogus" and should be compensated. He emphasized that while AI is an inevitable disruption, creators must receive direct payments for the...
Broadcast technology has shifted to IP‑based, software‑defined workflows, unlocking remote production and cloud connectivity. However, the drive for flexibility often leads to over‑engineering, where extra routing layers, middleware, and monitoring tools inflate system complexity. This hidden cost manifests as longer...
At Marketecture Live III, Index Exchange VP James Wilhite argued that mass audiences haven’t vanished—they’ve simply fragmented across devices, platforms, and time. The challenge for buyers is not reach but planning, as fragmented signals make audience visibility difficult, especially in...
Triveni Digital announced it will showcase its end‑to‑end NextGen TV portfolio at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, demonstrating how broadcasters can monetize ATSC 3.0 and Brazil’s TV 3.0 standards. The lineup includes GuideBuilder XM for signaling, StreamScope XM for quality‑of‑service and monetization...
Pebble will exhibit its automation, content‑management and integrated‑channel solutions at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, underscoring ongoing development of its software platforms. The company’s trio—Pebble Automation, Integrated Channel and Pebble Remote—delivers scalable, multi‑site architectures that operate across SDI,...
NewFronts are prompting marketers to lock in streaming and CTV buys, but many overlook whether their operational infrastructure can handle the resulting creative load. The shift to personalized, AI‑driven ads creates thousands of variants, demanding new governance and delivery processes....
NEW: Meta is offering creators who have large followings on other platforms (but who don't regularly post on Facebook) up to $3k a month in bonuses if they start posting on Facebook, it's the company's latest plan to bring higher...
The Walt Disney Company announced that Paul Roeder, a 25‑year Disney veteran, will become senior executive vice president and chief communications officer on March 19. Roeder will report directly to incoming CEO Josh D'Amaro and oversee global media, public affairs...
Facebook unveiled the “Creator Fast Track” program, promising guaranteed monthly payments to high‑profile creators who migrate their audiences from TikTok, Instagram or YouTube. The initiative offers $1,000 per month for creators with at least 100,000 followers and $3,000 per month...
Daren Smith argues the traditional indie film financing model is structurally broken, leaving investors, filmmakers, and distributors misaligned. He cites data showing only 0.025% of scripts achieve profitable theatrical runs, with oversupply at every production stage. Smith proposes a new...
"We view linear TV as a distraction for D'Amaro and not where we, nor investors, want to see Disney allocating capital and resources," Greenfield wrote. Media analyst Rich Greenfield of Lightshed Partners, who for years implored Disney to get out of...
Santiago Segura’s sixth Torrente film, *Torrente for President*, opened in 1,000 Spanish cinemas on March 13, 2026, earning over €7 million and reaching one million admissions in its first weekend. The debut represents 70 % of domestic box‑office revenue, making it the highest‑grossing Spanish...
Bandai Namco commemorates the 22nd anniversary of Katamari Damacy with a wave of new merchandise, including a limited‑edition mouse pad and branded rice sold by Japanese retailer Grapht. The rice is offered in single packs for ¥864 or a five‑pack...
California awarded film‑tax credits to 16 productions, including HBO Max’s drama “The Pitt,” the “Stewie” spin‑off and Jimmy Kimmel’s kids’ science competition “Schooled!”. The projects represent $871 million in qualified in‑state spending and are projected to generate $1.3 billion in economic activity,...
French theme park Futuroscope announced two flagship attractions for its 2026 season – The Greenhouse of the Worlds and T. Rex: In the Footsteps of Giants – as part of a €300 million investment program. The Greenhouse offers a multisensory walk among...
CBS Evening News, anchored by Tony Dokoupil, has seen a sharp ratings drop, shedding roughly 20% of its audience in the first week. Current average viewership sits at about 3.83 million overall and only 468,000 in the coveted 25‑54 demographic, far...
The IFPI’s Global Music Report launch highlighted AI as a pivotal growth driver for the recorded‑music sector. Sony Music’s Dennis Kooker emphasized that generative AI can deepen fan‑artist connections, but only if licensing frameworks are solid and deepfake abuse is...
Patrón Tequila has launched a global campaign titled “The Perfect Pour,” directed by Oscar‑winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, marking his first television commercial. The ad features del Toro overseeing a set staffed by animated skeletons, tying his meticulous storytelling to Patrón’s handcrafted,...
Global Media has struck a data partnership with Sainsbury’s Nectar360, merging first‑party shopper information with its own listener data on the DAX digital audio platform. The integration lets advertisers target UK audio audiences using anonymised purchase insights and directly measure...
SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe welcomed Ireland’s amendment to its copyright law, which now obliges Irish radio royalties to be paid to American performers. The change stems from an EU court ruling that mandates all member states to allow such payments,...
The Featured Artist Coalition (FAC) has launched the UKAT Fund, a £125,000 pool aimed at easing touring overhead for UK musicians. Artists can apply for up to £7,000 or 40 % of their tour budget, whichever is lower, with the first...
A UK Music report reveals that Black‑artist‑made music generated £24.5 billion, representing 80% of the industry’s £30 billion revenue between 1994 and 2023. The study, titled *Black Music Means Business*, is the first of its kind in Europe and quantifies both commercial and...
Physical music sales on Bandcamp will now be counted toward the UK Official Charts after The Pack Smart Group secured reporting rights with the Official Charts Company. Previously, only physical copies sold alongside a digital purchase were eligible for chart...
Snapchat announced its first-ever creator awards ceremony, The Snappys, set for March 31 at the company’s Santa Monica headquarters. Hosted by comedian‑creator Matt Friend, the show will honor creators across 15 categories and present DJ Khaled with a Lifetime Achievement Award, signaling...
Activist hedge fund Jana Partners, holding roughly a 9% economic stake in Six Flags Entertainment, has written to the board urging the company to explore a sale and replace its chair, Marilyn Spiegel. The letter follows Jana’s earlier push for...
Twirl remains a popular choice for structured creator‑led content, but growing brands are seeking platforms that can handle larger creator volumes and more flexible workflows. Alternatives such as Modash, Humanz, Creator.co, Billo, Collabstr, Insense, Influee and Trend.io each emphasize different...
The Department of Justice’s proposed settlement with Live Nation adds an “Artist Transparency” clause that forces the ticketing giant to share ticket‑buyer information with performers upon request. The data will be provided under privacy safeguards and a DOJ‑approved non‑disclosure agreement....
Thailand has overhauled its national film incentive scheme, introducing tiered cash rebates that start at 15% and climb to 25% for productions spending over THB 150 million, with a combined ceiling of 30% when bonuses apply. The program eliminates caps, removes cultural...
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has floated the idea of granting the BBC a permanent charter, ending the ten‑year renewal cycle that currently risks a funding gap if a charter isn’t agreed in time. She emphasized the broadcaster’s status as...
Nespresso has appointed pop star Dua Lipa as its new global ambassador alongside longtime face George Clooney. The partnership will launch on April 14 with the “Vertuo World” campaign, signaling a creative shift aimed at attracting Gen Z coffee drinkers. Nespresso’s...
Snapchat announced its first creator awards ceremony, "The Snappys," set for March 31 at its Santa Monica headquarters and hosted by comedian Matt Friend. The live event will recognize creators in categories such as Spotlight MVP, Best Storyteller and Breakout...
I love my Patreons so much. I get to know a lot of them individually in that space. They're generous, kind, inquisitive, funny humans and their Patreonage allows me to do the work that I do. But...
Disney's Josh D'Amaro era begins following Bob Iger handoff. D'Amaro stresses to investors that, unlike some media co. rivals, Disney is "operating from a place of strength." w/ @smasunaga @latimes https://t.co/32Tp2humwh
WPP Media’s new “Women’s Sports Playbook” report shows rapid growth in advertising within women’s sports. Ad impressions rose 79% year‑over‑year and overall spend reached about $127 million, up roughly 70% YoY. Brands such as Ally Financial saw 85% higher engagement on...
Alluding to Paramount's pending WBD deal, D’Amaro said “while others in our industry are consolidating just to compete, or struggling to be relevant in a fragmented and disrupted world, Disney is in a category of one," poised for "innovation and growth."...
Josh D’Amaro, on His First Day as Disney CEO, Tells Employees ‘Creative Excellence Will Remain Our North Star’ https://t.co/BqHmrp80dk via @variety
Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Music announced the opening of a new London office at Maida Vale Studios, marking its first permanent UK base. The expansion adds managing director Jesse McNamara and creative director Dario Burns to lead UK operations and grow the...
New data suggests small publishers (10k daily pageviews or less) are hit hardest by search traffic declines —Chatbots only drive 1% of all traffic referrals, so they can't make up the gap —News sites get most page views from AI platforms, but...
WME Laying Off 30 Staffers, 3% of Headcount, After Going Private Last Year: ‘Our Industry Is Undergoing Profound Change’ https://t.co/gUlwX6zxPb via @variety
Amazon Ads announced Uber Eats as the first brand to sponsor Prime Video’s comedy slate in the UK, launching on March 19 2024 alongside the Season 2 premiere of *Last One Laughing UK*. The partnership runs through the end of 2026 and includes...
MS NOW Shake-Up: Ali Velshi Seizes ’11th Hour,’ ‘Morning Joe’ Cedes 9 A.M., Ana Cabrera Slides in Daytime Overhaul https://t.co/e2DZ9wmvcn via @variety
Live Nation has begun disbursing multimillion‑dollar payments to six states after the Department of Justice antitrust settlement, marking the first tranche of a $280.4 million fund. The payouts total $18.56 million, roughly 7 % of the settlement pool, and mirror the term sheet...
Creator commerce platform LTK has introduced Quick Collabs, a new feature that lets brands launch flat‑fee, one‑click campaigns that creators can opt into. The tool leverages LTK’s data on 44 million monthly shoppers, $6 billion in annual spend, 400,000 creators and 8,000...
Clean Creatives released the “Toxic Accounts” study, analyzing 1,859 ads, press releases and social‑media campaigns from 2020‑2024. It finds BP, Chevron, Shell and Exxon have abandoned climate‑friendly narratives, instead portraying fossil‑fuel use as essential for economic stability and national security....
Meta will begin charging advertisers a "location fee" starting July 1, 2026 to cover European digital services taxes. The fee varies by country—2 % in the U.K., 3 % in France, Italy and Spain, and 5 % in Austria and Turkey—adding directly to ad spend....
Instagram tested an AI‑driven “Shop the Look” feature that automatically tags products in creator posts, aiming to boost social commerce. The rollout, launched in February, sparked backlash as tags appeared without creators’ consent, linking followers to unvetted items and knockoffs....
Bandai Namco announced that My Hero ULTRA IMPACT, its action RPG based on My Hero Academia, will cease service on May 18, 2026, marking the end of a five‑year run. The company launched a Finale Campaign offering daily free 10x...
Siesta Valley Bowl announced a strategic partnership with Blue Note Entertainment to relaunch its Orinda outdoor amphitheater in spring‑summer 2026. Blue Note’s SVP of Talent, David Lefkowitz, will oversee booking and programming, while former SF Masonic General Manager Suman Chatterjee...
