Entertainment Marketing Firm Create Promotes Jonathan Gitlin to CEO (Exclusive)
Create, the entertainment‑marketing studio, has promoted longtime executive Jonathan Gitlin to chief executive officer, succeeding founder David Stern who will move to chairman. Gitlin, a 20‑year veteran who rose from intern to president, will focus on culture, integrated creative services, and AI‑native operations. The shuffle also elevates Suneil Beri to lead the film/series team and adds new hires in key‑art and creative strategy as the firm expands in Los Angeles and London. The move comes amid industry turbulence, including Trailer Park Group’s division closures and the launch of rival firm Requiem.
What Is a Podcast? Podcast Industry Taskforce Forms to Determine Definition and More
A secret taskforce of 12 podcast industry leaders, including Spotify, SiriusXM and YouTube, has been meeting since July 2025 to craft a universal definition of a podcast and standardize ad‑measurement metrics. The group, organized by advertising agency Oxford Road, aims...
Laura Poitras, Geeta Gandbhir Sound Alarm Over Paramount-WBD Merger’s Impact on Documentary: “Deeply Problematic on Absolutely Every Level”
Oscar‑winning director Laura Poitras and Oscar‑nominated filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir warned that the proposed $110 billion Paramount‑Skydance‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger would devastate the documentary ecosystem. They argued that combining CBS, CNN and HBO under one roof threatens editorial independence, limits access to vital archives,...
Condé Nast and Union Reach Settlement Over “Fired Four” (Exclusive)
Condé Nast and the NewsGuild of New York settled a dispute stemming from a Nov. 5, 2025 hallway protest that led to the firing of four union members. Three of the dismissed workers were re‑classified as resignations and received roughly two years’ salary plus...
Elon Musk’s Grandiose Media Ambitions Are Now a Real Threat to Some Major Players
Elon Musk’s X platform is rebounding, posting $1.84 billion in ad revenue in 2025 after a steep decline from $4 billion in 2021. The upcoming SpaceX IPO filing reveals Musk’s broader media strategy, targeting the $600 billion advertising market and the $760 billion consumer‑subscription...
Paramount Assembles Legal Team to Defend Warner Bros. Deal
Paramount Pictures has added antitrust litigator Jeffrey Kessler to its legal roster to defend the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio expects no enforcement action from the Justice Department or foreign regulators, but Kessler will lead the defense...
Imax Takeover: Wall Street Speculates on Who May Bid
IMAX Corp., the Toronto‑based premium‑screen operator, is reportedly back on the market, prompting Wall Street analysts to list a wide array of potential acquirers. Strategic candidates include traditional exhibitors such as Cinemark or AMC, while tech giants like Apple and...
As CBS Radio Shutters, Its Union Signs Off With Fiery Anti-Ellison Memo
After nearly a century of operation, CBS News Radio will cease broadcasting, marking the end of an iconic American news outlet. The decision, announced by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and President Tom Cibrowski, cites shifting programming strategies and economic pressures. The...
Major Studios Slam Canada For Slapping “Discriminatory Investment Obligations” On U.S. Streamers
Hollywood studios and the Streaming Innovation Alliance condemned the CRTC’s decision to force U.S. streaming services to allocate 15% of their Canadian revenues to local indie, Indigenous, French‑language and news production, labeling the rule discriminatory and a breach of USMCA...
Lionsgate Swings to Quarterly Profit on Higher Revenues
Lionsgate reported a fourth‑quarter net profit of $70.2 million, a sharp reversal from the $117.4 million loss a year earlier, as total revenue rose to $906.5 million, beating analysts’ $810.1 million forecast. Adjusted OIBDA climbed to $165.4 million and adjusted EPS to $0.37, surpassing expectations....
A YouTuber Turned Tech Exec Is Making a Big Bet On AI-Powered Interactive Entertainment (Exclusive)
Former YouTube creator and executive Ben Relles has launched Make Believe, an AI media lab dedicated to building interactive video that can talk back to viewers in real time. Backed by LinkedIn co‑founder Reid Hoffman, the startup is developing conversational...
Mixed Martial Arts Pioneer Scott Coker Plans 2027 Launch of New Global MMA League With $60M in Financing, Including From...
Former Bellator and Strikeforce founder Scott Coker is launching a new global mixed‑martial‑arts league slated for early 2027, backed by $60 million from a consortium that includes Creator Sports Capital, Griffin Gaming Partners, Upper Deck, and skate‑boarding icon Tony Hawk. The...
Charter CFO Unpacks Its $34.5 Billion Cox Megadeal
Charter Communications announced a $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Communications, slated for completion by mid‑2026. CFO Jessica Fischer said the combined company will retain the Cox name while marketing consumer services under the Spectrum brand. The integration will focus on rolling...
Goldman Sachs-Owned Sports Agency Partners With Patrick Whitesell’s Startup in Unusual Deal (Exclusive)
Goldman Sachs‑owned Excel Sports Management has entered a commercial partnership with Patrick Whitesell’s WIN Artists, a media‑focused talent firm. The deal gives Excel’s high‑profile athletes—such as Tiger Woods, Nikola Jokic and Derek Jeter—access to WIN’s production and entertainment expertise. Early collaborations have...
YouTube Will Let Creators Use AI to Insert Themselves Into Other People’s Videos
Google unveiled AI‑powered upgrades to YouTube at its I/O event, including a Shorts "Remix" tool that lets users rewrite a video’s style or embed their own likeness using Gemini Omni. The feature mirrors OpenAI’s Sora capabilities but adds watermarks and...
Bari Weiss Has Big Plans for CBS News. And That’s Before CNN Enters the Picture
Bari Weiss, appointed editor‑in‑chief of CBS News seven months ago, is steering a summer‑long overhaul that targets flagship programs such as *60 Minutes* and *CBS Mornings* while expanding digital initiatives like podcasts and Free Press contributors. The revamp follows March layoffs and...
X Is Making a Major Creator Push, Launching Ad Product to Connect Brands and Users (Exclusive)
X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, announced Creator Connect, an AI‑powered marketplace that pairs brands with creators, especially niche and emerging influencers. Leveraging technology from its sister company xAI, the service matches creators based on campaign goals, real‑time trends,...
Byron Allen Bought BuzzFeed. He Wants Starz Next
Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group purchased a majority stake in BuzzFeed for $20 million in cash with a $100 million earn‑out, adding the BuzzFeed and HuffPost brands to his portfolio of free‑ad streaming assets like Local Now. The deal complements his existing holdings,...
Amazon MGM Studios Sued by Producer Over Alleged Pay-to-Play Scheme
Producer Joe Eckardt has filed a California state‑court lawsuit against Amazon MGM Studios, alleging that senior post‑production executive Frank Salinas demanded kickbacks in exchange for awarding unscripted‑show contracts. Eckardt claims Salinas provided confidential budget data so he could submit a...
Cineplex Shrinks First Quarter Loss on Higher Theatre Attendance, Box Office Revenue
Cineplex cut its first‑quarter loss 36% to CAN$22.4 million (US$16.3 million) as theatre attendance rose 17% to 9.84 million patrons. Total revenue climbed 15.6% to CAN$291 million (US$213.6 million) and box‑office earnings jumped 25% to CAN$127.4 million (US$93.2 million). International titles accounted for 13% of ticket receipts,...
TV? What TV? The 2026 Upfronts Will Be Heavy on Creators, Football and AI Ad Tech
The 2026 upfront week has morphed into a multi‑platform showcase that prioritizes sports rights, creator talent, and AI‑driven ad technology. Networks and streaming services will lean heavily on NFL assets, with Disney positioning itself for the 2027 Super Bowl and...
Amazon Is Leveraging Its Sports Rights in Pursuit of Advertising Domination
Amazon reported $17.1 billion in advertising revenue for Q1, surpassing Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount combined, and disclosed $70 billion in ads revenue over the trailing twelve months. Prime Video, now profitable, shifted to an ad‑supported model last year, giving users the...
Crunchyroll to Launch Inaugural Anime Leadership Summit in New York
Crunchyroll announced the inaugural Anime Future Forum, an invite‑only summit to be held on Oct 7 at New York’s Javits Center, bringing together Japan’s anime studios with Hollywood, tech, gaming and music leaders. The event underscores Sony’s strategy to elevate anime as...
Sony Pictures Full-Year Sales Boosted by Anime But Profit Slips Due to Pixomondo Shutdown
Sony Pictures Entertainment reported FY 2026 sales of $9.92 billion, essentially flat year‑over‑year, while operating income fell 11% to $687 million due to the shutdown of visual‑effects firm Pixomondo. Excluding the Pixomondo impairment, profit actually rose 11% to $858 million, highlighting underlying strength....
Starz Extends First Quarter Loss on Lower Revenues
Starz Entertainment reported a first‑quarter loss for 2026, with revenue slipping to $307 million, down from $330.6 million a year earlier. Streaming revenue fell to $211.1 million while linear TV revenue dropped to $95.8 million, contributing to an operating loss of $152.8 million and a...
Disney+ Reveals Its Latest Content Alliance With a Broadcaster – Mexico’s TV Azteca
Disney+ announced a new content partnership with Mexico's free‑to‑air broadcaster TV Azteca, bringing the upcoming season of MasterChef 24/7 to the streaming platform on May 17. The deal also adds three live Azteca channels and a slate of popular telenovelas and reality...
Deal Lethargy Forces Hollywood Writers to Leave Money on the Table. That Needs to Change
The Writers Guild of America clinched a historic four‑year deal that adds AI protections, stronger residuals and higher minimums for writers. Yet the industry still suffers from "deal lethargy"—the months‑long lag between a verbal agreement and a signed contract. Delays...
Griffin Gaming Partners Launches $100 Million Fund for Indie Titles With Hollywood Potential (Exclusive)
Griffin Gaming Partners, a Santa Monica venture fund with $1.5 billion under management, announced a $100 million Special Opportunities Fund that will finance indie games through revenue‑share agreements rather than equity. The fund has already committed capital to 15 titles, nine of...
Hollywood May Soon Be Able to Smooth Out Financial Woes — And Hide Bad News
The SEC has proposed optional semi‑annual reporting for public companies, a shift that could let Hollywood studios and streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney and Paramount smooth out volatile subscriber and ad‑sales data. The change aims to reduce short‑term earnings pressure...
Will New York Magazine Be Once Again Owned By a Murdoch?
James Murdoch, fresh from a $1.1 billion settlement that freed him from the family News Corp and Fox holdings, is reportedly negotiating with Vox Media to purchase New York magazine and its podcast division. The deal, cited by the Wall Street Journal,...
Vive Le Box Office: French Film Elite Launches English-Language Label Emotion Pictures
Pathé, backed by Merit France and partner Vendôme Pictures, has launched Emotion Pictures, a new production and finance company focused on commercial English‑language feature films. The venture will develop, acquire, fully finance and produce a slate of globally appealing movies,...
The Great Divide: Hollywood CEO Pay Mega Chart Revealed — Plus Employee Ratios, Union Salaries
Hollywood’s top executives are pulling far ahead of the broader corporate median, with CEOs earning $50 million or more and some, like WarnerMedia’s David Zaslav, receiving $165 million in cash and a potential $550‑$887 million golden parachute. Employee‑to‑CEO pay ratios in the sector...
Vancouver May Be Seeing Film and TV Production Rebound
British Columbia boosted its foreign film tax credit to 36%, sparking a production resurgence in Vancouver. Five U.S. broadcast series, including CBS’s Tracker and Fox’s Animal Control, are currently filming in the city. Netflix opened a 110,600‑sq‑ft animation studio, while...
The AI 25: The Exclusive Group of People Shaping the Future of Hollywood
The Hollywood Reporter unveiled its AI 25, a roster of the most influential figures steering artificial‑intelligence integration in Hollywood. The list spans actors‑turned‑entrepreneurs, AI startup CEOs, studio executives, and ethicists, highlighting deals such as Ben Affleck’s InterPositive sale to Netflix for...
Cinemark Shrinks First Quarter Loss on Higher Attendance, Revenues
Cinemark Holdings reported a first‑quarter loss of $6.4 million, a sharp improvement from the $38.9 million loss a year earlier. Total revenue jumped 19% to $643.1 million, driven by a 17% rise in U.S. attendance to 24 million patrons and higher admissions and concession...
A Hollywood Chief AI Officer Breaks Down the Job
Lionsgate has hired former YouTube and Vermillio executive Kathleen Grace as the studio’s first chief AI officer, marking Hollywood’s inaugural dedicated AI leadership role. Grace’s mandate is to align AI strategy with execution across production, marketing, distribution and administrative functions,...
The AI Revolution Hollywood Feared Is Already Happening — in India
Eros International sparked a controversy by releasing an AI‑generated alternate ending for the 2013 hit *Raanjhanaa*, reviving the tragic lead despite the director and star’s objections. The move highlighted India’s permissive copyright framework, which treats studios as legal authors and...
Brian Robbins’ Next Big Shot Bet: An Animated Series Based on ‘The Bucket List Family’ (Exclusive)
Big Shot Pictures, led by former Paramount co‑CEO Brian Robbins, is developing an animated series based on the travel‑vlog phenomenon The Bucket List Family. The show will blend original animation with real‑life footage from the Gee family’s adventures across more than...
Warner Bros. Discovery Finance Chief Gunnar Wiedenfels Gets New Contract
Warner Bros. Discovery disclosed a new employment agreement for CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels that takes effect on July 11, 2026 and runs through April 28, 2028. The contract keeps his base salary at $2.5 million with a performance bonus equal to 175 percent...
Is Film and TV Production in Los Angeles Starting to Turn the Corner?
Los Angeles film and TV production is showing early signs of recovery after a steep decline, driven by California's expanded tax‑credit program. FilmLA reported a 10% increase in shoot days in Q1 2026, with feature filming surging 52% year‑over‑year while TV...
Quixote Cuts Most of Its L.A. Soundstage Business, Leaves Georgia and New Mexico Entirely
Hudson Pacific is winding down most of Quixote's Los Angeles soundstage operations and exiting its Georgia and New Mexico vehicle‑fleet and production‑supply businesses. The move includes laying off 70 staff in Atlanta and Los Angeles and aims to generate $21‑$27 million in annual cost...
Taylor Swift Is Filing for Trademarks to Combat AI Misuse. Will It Work?
Taylor Swift has filed three new trademark applications to protect her voice and image against unauthorized AI reproductions. The filings include audio clips of her saying “Hey, it’s Taylor” and a photograph of her holding a pink guitar, intended to...
Paramount Asks FCC to Sign Off on Middle East Investment in Warner Bros. Megadeal
Paramount has filed a petition with the FCC to clear a $24 billion equity infusion from three Middle‑East sovereign wealth funds that will help finance its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The foreign investors will own roughly 38.5% of non‑voting equity,...
Directors Guild Renews Russell Hollander’s Contract Through 2029
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has renewed chief negotiator Russell Hollander’s contract through 2029, ensuring his leadership for the next collective bargaining cycle. Hollander, who has steered the guild since 2017 and guided previous 2020 and 2023 agreements, will...
Charter Loses 51,000 Pay TV Subscribers in First Quarter
Charter Communications posted Q1 2026 results showing a narrowed pay‑TV loss of 51,000 subscribers, leaving 12.5 million video customers, a modest improvement from the 167,000 loss a year earlier. The company also shed 120,000 internet customers while adding 368,000 mobile lines,...
African Storytelling Is a Growth Market Hollywood Is Missing, Says Next Narrative Africa Fund Study
The Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF) released a study with Parrot Analytics showing that global demand for African and diaspora film and TV outpaces supply, especially for non‑English titles. Non‑English African stories represent 28% of audience demand but only 16%...
The Hit Video Games Sneaking in Climate Storylines
Mainstream video games are increasingly weaving climate themes into their narratives, often without overt messaging. Titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Pokémon Go have earned the Playing for the Planet seal, while...
Is Netflix Making a Big Real Estate Move In L.A.?
Netflix is in talks with Goldman Sachs to acquire the historic Radford Studio Center, signaling a possible shift from its current lease of the Sunset Studios complex. The streaming giant currently pays $27 million in annual rent to Hudson Pacific Properties...
L.A. to Cut Film Permit Fees, but Only for Small Projects
Los Angeles launched a six‑month pilot to slash film‑permit fees for very small productions, cutting application costs from $931 to $350 and waiving fire‑department spot‑check fees. The program targets shoots with fewer than 30 cast and crew members, lasting no...
Tim Cook Turned Apple Into a Hollywood Power Player. Does the New CEO Feel the Same Way?
Tim Cook transformed Apple from a hardware‑centric firm into a major player in Hollywood by launching Apple TV+ and an in‑house studio, driving services revenue from $46.3 billion in 2019 to $109 billion last year. The platform attracted marquee talent such as...