CBS Radio's Demise Inevitable, Regardless of Leadership
The CBS News radio operations would have been toast no matter who was running CBS News.
Sinners' IMax Demand Fuels Optimism for Hail Mary
SINNERS at Universal City was one of the hardest tickets to get last spring with iMax ultimately extending that run for one more week because of that demand. Obviously it won’t touch Sinners second weekend dropoff but bodes well for...
Inside the Future of Artist Royalties and AI Music
went deep on artist royalties, AI music, @spotifyforartists features, and the streaming business with @andrew.southworth & @mypoint4cents. covered a lot of complex and important topics in the hour (but hopefully didn't make the expression in the thumbnail for more than...
Project Hail Mary’s $80.6M Opening Marks Rare Non‑franchise Success
Stellar box office: In a big win for Amazon MGM, PROJECT HAIL MARY blasts off with a massive $80.6 MILLION opening. It is only 1 of 3 non-sequel or franchise installments in the the past decade to open to $60M...
Amazon's Biggest Film Opening Revives Theatrical Ambitions
Amazon’s most ambitious movie to-date delivers the company’s biggest opening ever. A big boost to Amazon’s theatrical ambitions after 3 misses to start the year.
Project Hail Mary Sets Amazon MGM Record with $80.5M Debut
Box Office: Ryan Gosling’s ‘Project Hail Mary’ Scores Biggest Debut of Year With $80.5 Million, Sets Amazon MGM Record https://t.co/sf4HzrJ8Ks via @variety
Amazon's 'Project Hail Mary' Hits $141M Worldwide, Debut Blockbuster
Project Hail Mary opened to $80M domestic and $141M worldwide, per Amazon. Net budget a little less than $200M. Looks like this could be its first global Hollywood-style blockbuster after a decade of making original movies…. https://t.co/FNpnEsqWCB
Ready Or Not 2 Misses Top‑3, Faces Revenue Challenge
#Searchlight might regret moving R-rated horror sequel #ReadyOrNot2 up a week, as it debuts out of Top3 at US #BoxOffice under Indian sensation #Dhurandhar2! #ReadyOrNot2HereICome grossed 9.1M on 3-day Opening weekend, slightly #ReadyOrNot’s 8M 3-day weekend, but below the previous...
Hits Lower Costs per Stream, Exposing Flawed Revenue Pool
The stream rate would be the same. The main economic advantage of having a hit is that the band's fixed and overhead costs would be allocated over a greater number of streams, clawing some revenue back. Also when...
Project Hail Mary Sets Record‑Breaking $80M March Opening
BOX OFFICE: #ProjectHailMary crushes w/ an $80M opening (domestic). That is: - The best ever March opening for a non-franchise movie - 2nd best ever opening for a non-franchise movie (behind OPPENHEIMER) - Best opening ever for Amazon/MGM - Best ever for Lord and...
NAB President Discusses Sports Media Policy Shifts
From retooling the Sports Broadcasting Act to the migration of NFL games to streaming—a ton of sports media stories are winding their way through D.C. these days. Which is why I asked NAB president Curtis LeGeyt to join the pod...
YouTube Expands Thumbnails to 50 MB, Boosting TV‑grade Quality
YouTube creators can now upload thumbnails up to 50MB (up from 2MB), enabling higher-resolution images with less compression. 🎨 As the first impression of a video, higher-quality thumbnails can drive more clicks and improve overall performance. This is especially important for...
Immersive Giant Screens Drive Experience‑First Entertainment Trend
-Premium large format movie screens -COSM -Sphere Unclear how many of these things there’s a market for but the trend is screens/experiences you can’t get at home.
Edit Your Tracks Before Pitching—It Pays
I’m showing my members how tracks need to be edited before pitching to music publishers for sync opportunities A lot of music producers skip this part because its boring...but it pays Want to get better at this? ↓
Songwriter Streaming Pay: Choose Higher of Two Pools
How much does a songwriter like me get paid for a stream? Well it depends. Varies month to month and service to service. But the short story is... Each month you take 15.35% of the streaming service adjusted gross...
Missing March Madness Window Doomed Film's Success
Let’s make this VERY clear If you can’t understand going up against March Madness vs the week before isn’t a scheduling error than you are dumb af This film was going to succeed in this spot but LAST WEEKEND was the ideal...
DIRECTV Joins Fight to Undo Nexstar‑Tegna Merger
🚨News Flash: @DIRECTV intervenes in the D.C. Circuit case in agreement with @NEWSMAX and several cable broadband associations seeking to reverse @FCC approval of the @NXSTMediaGroup-@TEGNA merger, which closed March 19. Can they really unscramble the egg? https://t.co/5CxQWIVDs9
Broadcasters and Newsmax Seek Court Block on Nexstar‑Tegna Deal
Several state broadband associations -- plus @NEWSMAX -- today asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to block @NXSTMediaGroup-@TEGNA merger, which closed on March 19, 2026, the same day the $6.2 billion deal was approved by the...
Ad Agencies Must Fill Data Gaps in Early ChatGPT Ads
Two thoughts on reporting from @theinformation that early ChatGPT ad campaigns lacked performance data: - this is to be expected. Any early offering will feature limited functionality. Early adopters should be prepared to fill measurement gaps themselves. - Measuring and credibly asserting...
Streaming Royalties Nationalized, Fraud Charges Target US Government
Compositions are “nationalized” when it comes to streaming. The criminal part is likely because the composition royalties are actually paid by the US copyright office. So he defrauded US government.
BTS' “Arirang” Beats Harry Styles, Leads 2024 Streaming
BTS’ ‘Arirang’ Nearly Doubles Harry Styles’ Opening-Day Spotify Numbers to Claim Year’s Top Streaming Bow So Far https://t.co/YDthslCdll via @variety
New Creators: Hire a Team, Not Pricey Coaches
I’m not trying to stop anyone’s bag if they’re getting it ethically. But also… creators… you have no reason to pay that much for coaching if you are just starting out. That rate is for seasoned creators already pulling in...
Reality TV Stars Earn Little, Not Rich Until Years Later
Reality TV “stars” aren’t getting rich early. Year 1 for new names: $0 guarantees. ~$2K–$5K per episode *only* if you make the final edit and *only* paid after it airs. Takes ~5–6 years to earn real money. No union leverage.
Ready or Not 2 Matches Strong Opening, B+ Scores
Sequel #ReadyOrNot2 is doing pretty well with paying auds tonight. B+ CinemaScore, same as first film. And RT aud score is at 88%. 3-day opening wknd #boxoffice shd come close to the $11M 5-day launch of 2019 pic. https://t.co/yIqOqEboRp
ABC's Bachelorette Revamp with Taylor Paul Costs Millions
“Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul was supposed to return an aging “Bachelorette” franchise to glory. That decision blew up on ABC and cost it tens of millions of dollars. W/@wongalum https://t.co/DilR3zuVRQ
Access Hollywood’s Axing Highlights Linear TV’s Decline
"Telling your entertainment news program that they’re gone the weekend before the Oscars is very weird," one insider told Status Hollywood correspondent Brian Lowry. Lowry details what the cancellation of "Access Hollywood" says about the state of linear television—and why Trump’s...
Nexstar's Billions Can't Stop Newsroom Cuts
This could be the least credible thing @AGomezFCC has ever said in public office, but I’ll defer to the experts: “Despite hundreds of billions in free cash flow, Nexstar recently made numerous cuts to its newsrooms nationwide.” If @NXSTMediaGroup CEO...
Nielsen Delays Viewer Snapshot Amid Gauge Controversy
Scoop: Nielsen continues to grapple with 'Gauge' rage and is delaying even further the release of the monthly viewer snapshot after streamers grew riled by reports of a downturn in their ratings... https://t.co/c5ggPzpYln via @variety
Schiff Pushes Bipartisan Federal Film Incentive to Save Hollywood Jobs
Sen. Adam Schiff Touts Federal Film Incentive to Counter Hollywood Job Losses: ‘It Needs to Be Bipartisan’ https://t.co/eHLQkdZ8QS via @variety
CBS News Cuts Highlight Profitless Retrans Model
The irony of the $PSKY CBS news cuts are that news does not drive retrans and should be sold or shuttered entirely to help fund NFL costs CBS already shuttered late night, news should be next to go - makes you...
Disney Expands Reach by Adding Sara to The View
I’m obviously not unbiased here, but good on Disney to bring on Sara/CNBC talent to The View. Helps to expand all of our worlds.
NFL Funding Forces Unpopular Cuts to Existing Programming
Making the hard, unpopular decisions that MUST be made 👏👏 @bariweiss $PSKY Paying for the NFL means a lot of existing money losing programming needs to be shuttered
CBS News Cuts Hit Washington Bureau Hard
I'll have more on the CBS News cuts in tonight's email, but for now... the cuts are affecting a number of correspondents (will give them time to announce the news themselves) and hitting the Washington, D.C., bureau especially hard.
Netflix Buys AI Startup, Cementing AI in Hollywood Production
Netflix is paying up to $600M for an AI film startup founded by Ben Affleck. The tool edits footage after a director shoots, and David Fincher already used it on a Brad Pitt film. Studios want lower costs and tighter control, while...
Disney's Abu Dhabi Park Presses On Amid Middle East Unrest
Is a Disney Theme Park in Abu Dhabi Still Going Ahead Despite Middle East Mayhem? https://t.co/2WPrr5MaOh via @variety
Savvy Games CEO Brian Ward Still Pursuing Game Acquisitions
My latest exclusive interview with Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group, about investing in games and acquiring game companies. He still expects to be active in doing deals. https://t.co/5hWlkaV9QO
Dhurandhar The Revenge Sets NA Hindi Opening Record
#DhurandharTheRevenge scored opening day THU in North America of $3.9M incl WED pre-shows. Biggest opening day #boxoffice of all-time for Hindi movie in North America.
Banned? I Created a Free Live Streaming Platform
"They Banned Me, So I Built A Live Streaming Platform For Us All" - @stephenrbell_ @solstake_tv https://t.co/R33PeqOjVf
CBS News Shuts Down Radio Network, Cuts 700‑station Staff
CBS News also is shutting down @CBSNewsRadio, which serves approximately 700 stations, and laying off those staffers https://t.co/K65d7htHgJ via @variety
CBS News Radio, Murrow’s WWII Legacy, Shuts Down
New: CBS News is shutting own CBS News Radio, the place where Edward R. Murrow delivered his World War II dispatches.
AGs and DirecTV Lawsuits Persist After Nexstar‑Tegna Merger Closed
The offices of the state AGs and DirecTV said their lawsuits seeking to block the Nexstar-Tegna merger will continue to move forward, notwithstanding Nexstar’s announcement that the deal has closed. https://t.co/2Y4mvyhfS4 via @variety
Master the Agent Executive Role Without Overwhelm
Episode 34: Amy and I explore the job of "Agent Executive" and how to avoid overwhelm in a world of infinite possibility. https://t.co/yD6fpmITU0
Crimson Desert Doubles Nioh 3's Two‑Week Sales in One Day
In just one day, Crimson Desert has already sold double what Nioh 3 sold in its first two weeks
CBS News Radio Shuts Down May 22, Affecting 700 Stations
Just in: CBS News Radio to end May 22, per memo from Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski. Service used by about 700 affiliated stations
Netflix Treats K‑Pop Demon Hunters Directors Like Showrunners
Netflix is paying the KPop Demon Hunters directors like elite TV showrunners AND giving them a share of merch sales to return for a sequel. All the details ⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/nO22PPaCo7
Marty Supreme Flops in China without Oscars Boost
Without the #Oscars boost he was hoping for, #TimothéeChalamet didn’t get many exhibitors on board to make #MartySupreme happen in #China’s #BoxOffice, where the sports drama debuted this FRI over extremely limited 6k screenings, in #11 place grossing just $46k,...
Nexstar's Leverage Risks Collapse Amid Cord‑cutting Competition
IMO: Highly leveraged @NXSTMediaGroup could be buying a melting ice cube that can’t withstand fierce competitive Big Tech vectors that result in diminished ad and retransmission consent revenue fueled by rampant cord cutting. If things like the 39% cap get...
Looking for Creators Whose IP Is Licensed by Brands
Do I know anyone here who has worked in or around creators/influencers whose IP is being licenced by a network, platform, or brand? (For an article.)
ABC Pulls Bachelorette Promo After Taylor Frankie Paul Controversy
ABC Scrambles to Delete ‘Bachelorette’ Season 22 Promo Content Amid Taylor Frankie Paul Fallout https://t.co/GNfqNcaea9 via @variety
Nexstar‑T
D.C. Memo: @NXSTMediaGroup-@TEGNA Deal Sails Through @BrendanCarrFCC in a Speedy 121 Days; CEO Sook Makes a Few Minor Concessions But That’s It; Nexstar has two years to sell six TV stations but in the end, it might not...