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☆ Disney beat back activist investor Nelson Peltz. Now the real work begins
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

That would mark a milestone for the company, which launched Disney+ on Nov. 12, 2019. It would be the first time Disney showed it can make money from Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Disney will need to sustain and grow streaming profit to justify Iger's five-year-old strategy to go "all in" on the segment. Disney has already offered ESPN+, a sports streaming service that has some but not all of ESPN's content. Trian Partners' Nelson Peltz, who failed to join Disney's board Wednesday after securing just 31% of the vote, publicly questioned what he has called Disney's "woke" content strategy.

Persons: Bob Iger, Sun Valley , Idaho David A, Iger, Disney, they've, Cowen, Doug Creutz, Needham, Laura Martin, Gabby Jones, David Greenbaum, Sean Bailey, Alan Bergman, Indiana Jones, Nelson Peltz, Peltz, shouldn't, Bob Chapek, He'll, Bergman, Jimmy Pitaro, Josh D'Amaro, Dana Walden, They've, Cowen's, you've, That's, it's, — CNBC's Sarah Whitten, Needman's Martin Organizations: Disney, Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, Grogan, CNBC Disney, Disney Disney, Hulu, ESPN, Co, Warner Bros . Discovery, Fox, CNBC, Athletic, Bloomberg, Getty, Marvel, Star Wars, Searchlight, Walt Disney Motion, Disney Entertainment, Century Fox, Sony, Disney's Marvel Studios, Trian Partners, Financial Times, Resorts, Iger Locations: Sun Valley , Idaho, Brooklyn , New York, Iger, Parks, Disney

☆ Bob Iger says 'woke' Disney is over, but it may not silence his critics
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Lucia Moses | Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney CEO Bob Iger wants people to know the company isn't trying to advance a political agenda. It's a message Iger has been keen to send since his return as CEO in November 2022. Peltz made "woke" Disney a plank of his campaign, questioning Marvel's "Black Panther" and "The Marvels" that cast Black and female leads, respectively. Just take the vicious online reactions to its new "Star Wars: The Acolyte" series on Disney+, made by a female showrunner. And with Iger promising the company will lean more on its beloved franchises, Disney is likely to continue being a magnet for criticism from social conservatives.

Persons: Bob Iger, aren't, —, Iger, I've, we'll, Ron DeSantis, Elon Musk, Ariel, Nelson Peltz, Peltz, Marvel's, — Iger, — Ben Hart, Star Wars Guy 💫, ake Organizations: Disney, Service, Reuters, Pixar, Florida Gov, Marvel, Financial, Star Wars Locations: Florida

☆ Disney's cinematic drought may have opened a door for activist investor Peltz
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

DisneyDisney has struggled to return to the lofty box office records of 2019 — and that may have helped open the door for its recent troubles with activist Nelson Peltz. Just four years ago, the studio had seven billion-dollar films, which contributed to a global box office haul of more than $13.2 billion. Sony produced and distributed "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which made $1.9 billion, although Disney's Marvel Studios did serve as a co-producer. "People go to watch a movie or a show to be entertained," Peltz said in recent interview with The Financial Times. Peltz has also taken particular issue with Disney's failed succession plans and what he's described as a disjointed streaming strategy.

Persons: Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones, Nelson Peltz, Disney's, Strange, Peltz, Jay Rasulo, he's, Marvel, Ike Perlmutter Organizations: Disney Disney, Disney, Century Fox, Star, Sony, Disney's Marvel Studios, Guardians, Galaxy, Trian Fund Management, Financial Times, Marvel, U.S . Air Force, Financial, Marvel Entertainment Locations: U.S

☆ Analysis-For Malaysian Filmmakers, Censorship Stifles Optimism After Overseas Glory
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

"This is a very good time ... where people around the world are really looking into Malaysian filmmakers. "Mentega Terbang" follows a teenage Muslim girl exploring different religions while dealing with grief. Online platforms are not covered by film censorship rules in Malaysia. Khairi and others involved in "Mentega Terbang" even received death threats at the time, media reports show. CENSORSHIPUnder Malaysian law, films intended for public viewing must be approved by the Film Censorship Board.

Persons: Oscar, Michelle Yeoh, Khairi Anwar, Malaysia's, Khairi, Badrul Hisham Ismail, Pagi Ke, Anwar Ibrahim's, Anwar, Zabidi Mohamed, Amir Muhammad, Brenda Danker, Danial Azhar, Rozanna Latiff, Himani Sarkar Organizations: Azhar KUALA LUMPUR, Reuters, Cannes, Cannes Film, Malay, Academy, Malaysian, Film, YouTube Locations: Azhar KUALA, Malaysia, Malaysian, Viu, Terengganu, Malay

☆ Y Combinator-backed trading app Pluto Markets just raised $2.6 million with this 14-slide pitch deck
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pluto Markets, a trading app backed by famed accelerator Y Combinator, has raised $2.6 million in fresh funds. The Danish fintech startup, founded in 2021, wants to upend the market for retail trading offerings in Europe. "Companies raised a lot of money to blitz scale across the EU but have now focused on their core markets. Unlike most fintech brokerages, Pluto secured an EU-wide investment license before it had raised $1 million in funding, having bootstrapped and stayed lean. You can check out Pluto Market's 14-slide pitch deck below:

Persons: Joakim Bruchman, Goldman Sachs, We've, Bruchmann, Pluto, Oscar Vingtoft Organizations: Business, Companies, Trade Republic, Saxo Bank, EU Locations: Danish, Europe, Denmark, France, Germany, Berlin

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger says company's movies have been too focused on messaging
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, left, and Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, speak during the Times' annual DealBook Summit in New York City, Nov. 29, 2023. Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said Wednesday he will no longer tolerate his company's partners and creative team prioritizing messaging over storytelling. Iger had been in charge of "creative endeavors" in 2020 and 2021, even while Bob Chapek ran the company as CEO. Disney named two new board members on Wednesday — former Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman and former Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch — as it gears up for a potential proxy fight. Current Disney board member Francis A. deSouza won't run for reelection at the annual meeting.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Bob Iger, Iger, It's, Disney's, Bob Chapek, Ron DeSantis, Sen, Ted Cruz, it's, I've, Nelson Peltz's, Morgan Stanley, James Gorman, Jeremy Darroch —, Francis A, deSouza Organizations: New York Times, Walt Disney Company, Times, Disney, Florida Gov, Management, Wednesday, Sky Locations: New York City, New York, Ted Cruz of Texas

It was hard to miss Mark Aaron Polger, Alexi Pappas and Masashi Kondo at the New York City Marathon on Sunday. With energy gels and bodega coffees in hand, the crowd made its way to Fort Wadsworth, where thousands of runners congregate each year before running the New York City Marathon. Speed demons wearing Nike Vaporflys and short-shorts mingled with casual runners wearing “Monsters, Inc.” onesies. That’s the record I’m going for. Running is therapeutic, even though I’m going to be running really, really slowly.

Persons: Mark Aaron Polger, Alexi Pappas, Masashi Kondo, ”, “, Adam Tjolle, Simon Waterhouse, Malina Roberts, we’ll, they’re, they’ve, Stephen Zachensky, Marlinda Francisco, Mika Shaw, Maansi Srivastava, It’s, I’ve Organizations: New York City Marathon, Nike, Inc, New York Times, York Locations: Fort Wadsworth, Edinburgh, Scotland, Newmarket, England, Brooklyn, York City, Tokyo, Berlin, New York, Westchester, N.Y, How’d, New York Times Tucson, Ariz, Ogden , Utah, Japan, Los Angeles, Manhattan

☆ ‘World’s first off-road solar SUV’ just drove across Morocco powered only by the sun
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | Mark Tutton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Stella Terra could change that. The khaki-green SUV uses solar panels on its sloping roof to charge its electric battery, meaning it can drive long distances powered entirely by the sun. Stella Terra making an impression in Morocco. At just 2,645 pounds (1,200 kilograms), Stella Terra weighs around 25% less than the average mid-sized SUV. The Stella Terra team said their Morocco trip allowed them to test the car on a huge range of landscapes.

Persons: Stella Terra, Thieme Bosman, ”, Bosman, Bart van, Bob van Ginkel, ” van Ginkel, van Ginkel, Bart van Overbeek, Lightyear, “ Organizations: CNN, Eindhoven University of Technology, —, Ford Locations: Morocco, “ Morocco, Tangier, Fes, STE

☆ Disney CEO says company will 'quiet the noise' in culture wars -analyst
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Items with a rainbow-coloured design are seen in a Pride section of a gift shop at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida, U.S. July 30, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 20 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) CEO Bob Iger told investors the company will "quiet the noise" in a culture war that has pitted social conservatives against the global media and entertainment conglomerate, according to an analyst note on Wednesday. Iger previously said the company planned to spend $17 billion in investment at Walt Disney World over the next 10 years. At the time, Iger was responding to an investor who said the company was becoming too concerned with social issues. “Our primary mission needs to be to entertain ... and to have a positive impact on the world,” Iger said at the time.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Laura Martin, Disney, Wall, Ron DeSantis, “, Iger, Halle, Ariel, ” Iger, Dawn Chmielewski, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Walt Disney, REUTERS, Needham, Walt Disney World, Disney, ESPN, Central, Universal Orlando, Parks, Pixar Animation, Thomson Locations: Orlando , Florida, U.S, Florida, Central Florida, Halle Bailey, Los Angeles

☆ Who is Ken, really? The history of the world’s most misunderstood doll
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

March 11, 1961: When Ken met BarbieThis original Ken doll from 1961 was supposed to be so handsome and magnetic that Barbie fell instantly in love. 1970s -1990s: Ken tries to be trendyEven with an ever-fashionable companion like Barbie, Ken could never quite crack it when it came to personal style, though he certainly tried. Mod Hair Ken: A quintessentially ‘70s doll with a massive mop of hair, extra-long sideburns and bonus facial hair made for mixing and matching. Totally Hair Ken: It looks how it sounds — this ’90s Ken came with a long, unkempt mane, real hair gel and a small comb his owners could use to style him however they wanted. Mattel introduced a “new and improved” Ken doll almost two years to the day after his break-up with Barbie.

Persons: CNN — “ Barbie, Ken, Barbie, He’s, cinephiles, “ Barbie, Kenneth Carson, Ryan Gosling, Ruth Handler, ”, They’d, Ken wasn’t, diehard Barbie, ” M.G, Yvonne Hemsey, “ hipper, Dan Savage, ” Savage, Mattel, Savage, they’d, —, Russell Arons, Barbie “, ” Arons, Barbie – Blaine, Phillip Bloch, Bloch, Matthew McConaughey, Orlando Bloom, “ Ken, ” Bloch, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Michael Keaton, hadn’t, “, Valentine’s, Ryan Gosling cheesing, Gosling, Greta Gerwig, Robbie, Kenergy ”, ” Gosling, Ken’s, he’s, Jimmy Fallon, I’m, Ken —, Barbie ” Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros, Discovery, Mattel, New, Historical Society, New York Times, Pixar, ascot, Valentine’s, ” CNN, Facebook, Venice Locations: Barbie’s, Willows , Wisconsin, Cali, Europe, New York, Los Angeles

☆ New Pixar film 'Elemental' opens weak for Disney
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The opening figure for the United States and Canada fell shy of box office forecasts and ranked among the lowest ever for a film from Pixar, the acclaimed animation studio behind "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and other classics. "Elemental," a story about overcoming outward differences, added $15 million overseas for a global total of $45 million, Disney said. The film opened in just three major international markets and will expand to other countries in the coming weeks. Pixar is looking to rebound from the box office disappointment of its 2022 release "Lightyear," the origin story of "Toy Story" hero Buzz Lightyear. The movie brought in an earthbound $226.7 million in global ticket sales, a fraction of the $1 billion take for 2019's "Toy Story 4."

Persons: Buzz Lightyear, Peter Sohn’s, Lisa Richwine, Leslie Adler Organizations: U.S, Walt Disney Co, Pixar, Disney, Reuters, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, United States, Canada, City, American

☆ Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ Falls Flat, Adding to Worries About the Brand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“The Flash,” a Warner Bros. superhero spectacle that cost about $200 million, also struggled, taking in a lethargic $55.1 million, according to Comscore, which compiles ticketing data. Gross, a film consultant who publishes a newsletter on box office numbers. Questions about Pixar’s health have swirled in Hollywood and among investors since last June, when the Disney-owned studio released “Lightyear” to disastrous results. Or maybe, as some box office analysts speculated, Disney had weakened the Pixar brand by using its films to build the Disney+ streaming service. Starting in late 2020, Disney debuted three Pixar films in a row (“Soul,” “Turning Red” and “Luca”) online, bypassing theaters altogether.

Persons: ”, David A, Gross, “, Buzz Lightyear, Disney, “ Luca ” Organizations: Pixar, Warner Bros, Disney Locations: Hollywood

[1/3] Cast member Hailee Steinfeld attends the premiere for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 30, 2023. The UAE Media Council on Monday said on Twitter it "will not allow the circulation or publication of content contrary to the values and principles of the UAE and the standards of media content in force in the country." Several cinema customer service lines did not say why the film was not listed and government bodies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In June 2022 the UAE banned Walt Disney-Pixar's animated feature film "Lightyear" from screening because it features characters in a same-sex relationship. The youth and culture ministry said it "violated the nation's media content standard".

Persons: Hailee Steinfeld, Mario Anzuoni, Vox, Majid Al Futtaim, Majid Al Futaim, Gwen Stacy, Abdullah Al, Sami, Walt Disney, Yousef Saba, Lisa Barrington, Andrew Mills, Nafisa Eltahir, Mohammed Benmansour, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, United, Vox Cinemas, Vox, Novo, Reel, Reuters, UAE Media, Walt, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, United States, Gulf, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi, Riyadh, Dubai, Doha, Nafisa, Cairo

☆ Disney looks to get out of animation rut with Pixar's 'Elemental'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The stakes are high as Pixar releases its 27th feature film in theaters this Friday. "Elemental," a romantic immigrant story told through anthropomorphic elements of nature, arrives as Disney is under pressure to prove it hasn't lost its golden touch in animation. The company, which operates both Pixar and Disney Animation, has struggled to drum up ticket sales for its animated fare in recent years. Disney's Pixar studio, in particular, is looking to rebound from the box-office letdown that was "Lightyear." "Animation certainly seems to be going through some winds of change," said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com.

Persons: hasn't, Mario, Shawn Robbins Organizations: Pixar, Disney, Disney Animation, DreamWorks, Mario Bros, Alpha

The movie is projected to debut with a modest $31 million to $41 million this weekend in the U.S., according to the Box Office Pro website. That is well shy of the recent $120.5 million haul for Sony’s critically acclaimed animated hit "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." Pixar is looking to rebound from the box office disappointment of 2022 release "Lightyear," the origin story of "Toy Story" hero Buzz Lightyear. "Judging Pixar on the recent past, history would not be kind," said SVB MoffettNathanson media analyst Michael Nathanson. But the move dealt a blow to creatives who had hoped their films would be seen on the big screen, according to one Pixar director who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Persons: Athie, Leah Lewis, Pete Docter, Denise Ream, Peter Sohn, Adele Exarchopoulos, Vincent Lacoste, Jim Morris, Read, Buzz Lightyear, Pixar, Michael Nathanson, Sohn, Mario, Shawn Robbins, Robbins, Bob Chapek’s, Luca, creatives, Sohn’s, Dawn Chmielewski, Lisa Richwine, Nathan Frandino, Kenneth Li, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Cannes Film, Pixar Animation Studios, Box, Pixar, Reuters, Walt Disney Co, Reuters Television, Comcast, Universal Pictures, Mario Bros, Sony Pictures, Pro, Disney, U.S, Cannes, Rotten, Thomson Locations: U.S, City, Los Angeles, San Francisco

☆ Exclusive: Walt Disney's Pixar Animation eliminates 75 positions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 3 (Reuters) - Walt Disney's (DIS.N) Pixar Animation Studios has eliminated 75 positions including those of two executives behind box office disappointment “Lightyear,” sources said on Saturday, the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade. Susman had been at Pixar since the release of the original “Toy Story” movie in 1995. MacLane and Susman could not be reached for comment. The cuts, which took place May 23, are part of Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger’s previously announced plan to eliminate 7,000 jobs and slash $5.5 billion in costs. Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Walt Disney's, “, Angus MacLane, “ Coco, ” Galyn Susman, Susman, Bob Iger’s, Dawn Chmielewski, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Pixar Animation Studios, Pixar, Walt Disney Co, Thomson

☆ Walt Disney's Pixar targets 'Lightyear' execs among 75 job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Walt Disney 's Pixar Animation Studios has eliminated 75 positions including those of two executives behind the box office disappointment "Lightyear," sources said on Saturday, the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade. Susman had been at Pixar since the release of the original "Toy Story" movie in 1995. Pixar is famous for cinematic franchises including "Toy Story," "The Incredibles" and "Cars." "Lightyear" could not be shown in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries because of its depiction of a same-sex relationship. Disney acquired Pixar in 2006 to revitalize its struggling Disney Animation.

Persons: Walt Disney, Angus MacLane, Coco, Susman, Michael Agulnek, Bob Iger's, Bob Peterson Organizations: Animation, Pixar, Studios, Walt Disney, Disney Entertainment, Disney, Disney Animation

☆ Exclusive: Walt Disney's Pixar targets 'Lightyear' execs among 75 job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidJune 3 (Reuters) - Walt Disney's (DIS.N) Pixar Animation Studios has eliminated 75 positions including those of two executives behind box office disappointment “Lightyear,” sources said on Saturday, the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade. Susman had been at Pixar since the release of the original “Toy Story” movie in 1995. The cuts, which took place May 23, are part of Walt Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger’s previously announced plan to eliminate 7,000 jobs and slash $5.5 billion in costs. Disney acquired Pixar in 2006 to revitalize its struggling Disney Animation.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Walt Disney's, “, Angus MacLane, “ Coco, ” Galyn Susman, Susman, Michael Agulnek, Bob Iger’s, ”, Bob Peterson, Dawn Chmielewski, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Pixar Animation Studios, Pixar, Walt Disney, Disney Entertainment, Disney, Disney Animation, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S

MiniMax was founded in 2021 by some former employees of SenseTime (0020.HK), including Yan Junjie - a former vice president at the Chinese AI firm, two other people said. Wang Huiwen, co-founder of on-demand service giant Meituan (3690.HK), said he has founded a new AI company called Beijing Lightyear Technology with $50 million from investors. Google China's former chief, Kai-Fu Lee, has unveiled his new startup - Project AI 2.0. Wang Xiaochuan, founder of China's No.2 search engine Sogou, said in April that he had founded Baichuan Intelligence with a startup capital of $50 million. Its other early investors include China's Yunqi Partners and Future Capital, statements from the venture capital funds show.

Persons: MiniMax, Yan Junjie, Wang Huiwen, Kai, Fu Lee, Wang Xiaochuan, China's, MiHoYo, Charlie Chai, ERNIE Bot, Chai, Roxanne Liu, Josh Ye, Himani Sarkar Organizations: Microsoft, HK, Huawei, Baidu, Beijing Lightyear Technology, Google, Baichuan Intelligence, China's Yunqi Partners, Future, 86Research, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, HONG KONG, China, Beijing, miHoYo, Hong Kong

☆ 'The Little Mermaid's' box office will say a lot about Disney's live-action remake strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

That opening is on par with the $91 million "Aladdin" secured in 2019 on its way to more than $1 billion at the global box office. Audience buzz has become an increasingly important factor in box office success in the wake of the pandemic. Those that skip out on seeing a film during its opening weekend can be enticed to cinemas by positive chatter, helping to bolster the film's overall box office. The studio, which is known for its animated content, saw two of its recent releases — "Lightyear" and "Strange World" — flounder at the box office. Although there were two live-action films based on "101 Dalmatians" in 1996 and 2000, Disney didn't start producing these remakes in earnest until 2010's "Alice in Wonderland."

Persons: Alice, Maleficent, Lilo, Shawn Robbins, it's Organizations: Disney, Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, BoxOffice.com Locations: Wonderland

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger praises rival Universal's 'Super Mario Bros. Movie'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Chris Pratt and Charlie Day voice Mario and Luigi in Universal and Illumination's "The Super Mario Bros. Disney CEO Bob Iger used part of his opening remarks during an earnings call Wednesday to praise rival Universal Studios' "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and its success at the global box office. "Allow me to digress for a moment to congratulate Universal for the tremendous success of 'Super Mario Bros.'" Iger said. Others said Disney has done a poor job marketing its animated films to the public. The widespread success of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" could pave the way for Disney's upcoming releases, which include Pixar's "Elemental" and the Thanksgiving release "Wish."

☆ Passionate Baseball Fans and (Very) Thin Air Let Mexico City Shine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( James Wagner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY — A day before Major League Baseball played regular-season games here for the first time, Nick Martinez, a pitcher for the San Diego Padres, had an idea. On the way to the church, Martinez noticed several shops selling piñatas. He bought a few, hoping they could be smashed by the player of the game after each of the contests. “Being in San Diego, Mexican culture is very much a part of our culture,” Martinez said. His teammates cheered him on while wearing Mexican lucha libre wrestling masks.

☆ Microsoft plans to start using AI tech to write emails for salespeople, and it's not hard to see why
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Microsoft plans to use artificial intelligence from ChatGPT maker OpenAI to write emails for people. This new tech is to be deployed in Viva Sales, Microsoft's sales app launched in October, that manages customer information and uses AI to scan calls and emails with clients. My company needs 20,000 reams next month, and we have a budget of $100,000. ChatGPT responded like so:Dear Jerry, Thank you for your interest in ordering paper from Dumble Muffin. Best regards, Mike WazowskiSales Representative, Dumble MuffinWe had "Jerry" respond by adding a few more details and a request for a suggestion.

It’s not that theatrical film exhibition was in a particularly good place before the pandemic. Yet the astounding box-office figures of 2022 tell a different story: Movie theaters didn’t become obsolete. It offered up the best of the moviegoing experience: spectacle, plus quality, plus rewatchability. But best of all, the hunger for the overly familiar was not the only story to be told this year. But if the pandemic-era absence of theatrical releases proved one thing, it’s that people love going to the movies, really love it, and not just to see Marvel movies.

☆ Hollywood had a weird year. Here's what it should learn for 2023 and beyond.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Hollywood and movie theaters can learn a lot from hits like "Top Gun: Maverick" and others. Still, looking at what has been released can teach Hollywood some lessons for the coming year and beyond. In 2020 and 2021, Disney had released Pixar movies straight to Disney+, so maybe families have been trained to wait to watch Disney animated films at home. A recalibration of its strategy — keeping movies in theaters longer — could be needed to make moviegoing more appealing. It cost just $15 million to make and earned $85 million globally, $62 million of which was in the US.

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