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☆ Live Nation exec will face lawmakers about Taylor Swift concert tickets fiasco
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“It goes without saying that I’m extremely protective of my fans,” Swift wrote on Instagram in November. The mergerCriticism of Ticketmaster’s dominance dates back decades, but the Swift ticketing incident has once again turned that issue into a dinner table discussion at many households. Concert promoter Live Nation and ticketing company Ticketmaster, two of the largest companies in the concert business, announced their merger in 2009. ‘Customers are the ones that pay the price’While irate fans were left scrambling to wade through the Swift ticket confusion, their collective anger caught lawmakers’ attention. To me, what happened with the Swift concert tickets was not necessarily the result of Ticketmaster being the dominant player in the industry,” he said.

☆ More than two dozen Taylor Swift fans sue Ticketmaster
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

More than two dozen Taylor Swift fans are suing Ticketmaster parent Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. for “unlawful conduct” in the pop star’s chaotic tour sale, claiming the ticketing giant violated antitrust laws, among others. The lawsuit, filed in a California court on Friday, alleges Ticketmaster and its parent company were anti-competitive, imposing higher prices on fans in the presale, sale and resale market. The lawsuit also claimed that since Ticketmaster has agreements with the large stadiums in the tour, Swift “has no choice” but to work with Ticketmaster due to the size of her fan base. It also alleges that Ticketmaster profits off the resale of tickets in the secondary market by adding a service fee to its fan-to-fan exchange. Pre-sale tickets for “The Eras Tour” frustrated Swift fans across the country in a debacle that stayed in the headlines for weeks.

☆ Bob Iger’s biggest challenge at Disney: Finding the next Bob Iger
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN Business —Bob Iger has a lot on his to do list in his second round as Disney’s CEO. Finding the next Bob Iger. Josh D’AmaroLet’s start with Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products, who took over that role from Chapek when he became CEO. Jimmy Pitaro & Dana WaldenThere also are two executives from Disney’s TV side: Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN and Sports Content, and Dana Walden, chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content. The next Bob IgerIs it even possible to replace Bob Iger?

☆ Bob Iger holds town hall with Disney employees for the first time since returning as CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Thanksgiving used to be a movie feast. This year? Slim pickings
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —Thanksgiving weekend has historically offered a cornucopia of films, letting moviegoers get out of the house and kick back after eating copious amounts of turkey, mashed potatoes and pie. The North American box office has few new films this weekend that are likely to draw tons of moviegoers. Another Disney film, Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” is now in its second week and is set to win the holiday weekend with around $40 million domestically. For example, films like “Creed,” “Moana,” and “Knives Out” opened on Thanksgiving weekends and did well. As for Thanksgiving, Dergarabedian hopes that as the theater industry normalizes, the holiday will make a comeback.

☆ Bob Iger: Here’s how much the CEO will make in his return to Disney
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Business —Bob Iger, who shocked the media world when he returned as CEO of Disney on Sunday, will once again be among the highest-paid executives in Hollywood. Iger will earn a $1 million base salary as he takes over Disney (DIS), according to a company filing with Securities and Exchange Commission. Disney’s streaming business lost $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter. On Monday, Iger made his first moves as CEO by reorganizing Disney’s content distribution structure. The CEO said in a memo to employees that Kareem Daniel, the chairman of Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution unit, will be leaving the company.

☆ Can Bob Iger fix Disney?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But If anyone can bring back the magic to the Walt Disney Company, the company believes Bob Iger may be uniquely qualified to do it. StreamingIn a shocking move, Bob Iger is returning as Disney's CEO. Disney’s streaming service — which includes ESPN+, Hulu and most importantly, Disney+ — had been the most vital part of the company’s vast media kingdom. In its statement reintroducing Iger as CEO, Disney said he was “uniquely situated to lead the company through this pivotal period.”Iger was instrumental in forming the modern Disney. With the media industry in turmoil, Disney hope Iger is up to the tall task of righting its ship.

☆ Bob Chapek’s tenure marked by political missteps inside and outside of Disney
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Now he’s saying “Goodbye, Disney (DIS).”Chapek’s rocky two-and-a-half year tenure at the head of the entertainment giant had a few wins. But Disney made the surprise announcement Sunday that its revered former CEO Bob Iger is making a return as the head of the company. Disney employees began staging walkouts, saying Chapek’s statements “utterly failed” to grasp the threat to LGBTQ communities. DeSantis quickly ripped Disney after Chapek’s public condemnation, calling the company a “woke corporation” with questionable business interests in China during a private event. Investors celebrated Iger’s return as CEO, sending Disney shares up nearly 7% Monday after dropping roughly 38% this year.

☆ Bob Iger named Disney CEO in shocking development
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN Business —In a move that shocked Hollywood, Bob Iger, one of the most notable CEOs in the history of the Walt Disney company, is returning to run the media empire. Bob Chapek, who replaced Iger in 2020 as CEO, is stepping down immediately. Iger has an almost mythical status as the leader of Disney. He spent 15 years as CEO and was instrumental in acquiring major brands like Marvel and Lucasfilm, the home to Star Wars. Iger also kicked off the streaming revolution at Disney with the creation of Disney+ in November 2019.

☆ Ticketmaster apologizes to Taylor Swift and her fans for ticketing debacle
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —Ticketmaster apologized to Taylor Swift and her fans late Friday night after a ticketing debacle this week that made it difficult for consumers to buy tickets to the pop star’s new tour. “We want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans — especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets,” the ticketing site said in the blog post. “Once we get through that, if there are any next steps, updates will be shared accordingly,” it wrote. The mea culpa comes after Swift spoke out earlier on Friday about how the situation was “excruciating” for her to watch as it unfolded into chaos. Customers complained on social media about Ticketmaster not loading, saying the platform didn’t allow them to access tickets, even if they had a pre-sale code for verified fans.

☆ Taylor Swift: Ticketmaster fiasco ‘excruciating for me’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Taylor Swift tickets listed for thousands after millions flood Ticketmaster
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Business —Taylor Swift fans were seeing red on Tuesday when Ticketmaster was overwhelmed by demand as pre-sales for the singer’s new tour went online. The delays had many fans believing they would never, ever, get tickets (…like ever). But tickets to the pop star’s “The Eras Tour” were available Wednesday via the resale market — with some priced at tens of thousands of dollars. Tickets for Swift’s show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 26 are listed for as much as $21,600 each on ticket resale site StubHub. These sky-high prices aren’t just for shows at MetLife, which is right outside New York City.

☆ Jeff Bezos hints he’s buying the Washington Commanders: ‘We’ll have to wait and see’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Business —Jeff Bezos may be adding NFL owner to his resume. The Amazon founder, along with Jay-Z, is in talks on a potential joint bid on the Washington Commanders, CNN reported earlier this month. The NFL fined the Commanders $10 million following an internal investigation by attorney Beth Wilkinson last year. Why would Bezos want to own the Commanders? The Commanders have won three Super Bowls (in 1983, 1988 and 1992) and is located in the giant Washington, DC, market.

☆ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ notches record opening for November
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” had the major challenge of following “Black Panther,” one of the biggest blockbusters ever, and had to do so without star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020. Despite all of the challenges, “Wakanda Forever” notched a sizable box office opening this weekend. As for its critical reception, “Wakanda Forever” notched an 84% score on review site Rotten Tomatoes. “‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ faced an inordinate degree of difficulty, addressing the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman,” Brian Lowry, CNN’s media critic, wrote in his review. The debut of “Wakanda Forever” will unlikely impact Disney’s stock since investors remain heavily focused on the company’s streaming endeavors.

☆ 'Black Panther: 'Wakanda Forever' aims to recreate blockbuster magic. Disney and theaters are counting on it
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

If early projections and ticket sales are any indication, it appears “Wakanda Forever” will be just that. Why “Wakanda Forever” matters to theaters"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is set to be one of the biggest films of the year. “Every blockbuster counts more than ever for movie theaters right now.”Why does it matter how “Wakanda Forever” does this weekend? Why “Wakanda Forever” matters to Disney"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" could break records this weekend. The performance of “Wakanda Forever” likely won’t move the needle on Disney’s stock, given that investors remain heavily focused on the company’s streaming endeavors.

☆ Changes are coming to Wordle
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN Business —Changes are coming for Wordle … again. It will, instead, include words that the New York Times has chosen. Also changing: The answer will never be a plural that ends in “s” or “es.” However, you can guess plural words to help you eliminate possible words. What solvers choose to use as guess words is their private choice.”The Times bought Wordle for “low seven figures” earlier this year. It’s a part of the Times’ portfolio of online games that includes the Crossword and Spelling Bee.

☆ Disney+ beats expectations but that growth comes at a cost
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Paramount took a risk keeping ‘Top Gun’ grounded for two years. It was this year’s biggest hit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“Maverick” flew into theaters with lots of buzz and strong reviews, and that helped the movie blow past box office projections for its opening weekend. It brought in a Memorial Day weekend record of $160 million at the North American box office. “Maverick” is an old-school box office hit made for the biggest screen possible that emerged just as the industry’s future was very much in doubt. “The commercial reception of Tom Cruise’s legacy sequel was the summer movie miracle theaters needed,” Scott Mendelson, a box office reporter, wrote for Forbes. Climbing back up the mountain"We really felt, and Tom certainly agreed with the fact that we had a great big screen movie," Bakish said.

☆ Former MoviePass executives face fraud charges
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The men each face one count of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud with a maximum of 20 years in prison. Farnsworth had a first appearance in DC District Court Friday after he voluntarily turned himself in. But MoviePass’ business model was at best unsustainable — and at worst nonexistent. Spikes helped found MoviePass before being pushed out in 2018 after selling the company to HMNY. Details remain scarce, but the company says the new MoviePass will have three pricing tiers that will cost $10, $20 or $30, depending on the market.

☆ Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer faces off against Republican Frank Pallotta in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Josh Gottheimer is running against Republican Frank Pallotta in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District. The 5th District stretches through northern New Jersey. New Jersey's 5th Congressional District candidatesGottheimer, first elected in 2016, is vying for a fourth term in Washington, DC. He ran in the general election for New Jersey's 5th Congressional District in 2020, only to lose to Gottheimer, 45.6% to 53.2%. Voting history for New Jersey's 5th Congressional DistrictNew Jersey's 5th Congressional District stretches through northern New Jersey from Bergen County into some of the more rural areas on the state's western flank.

☆ Netflix launches 'Basic with Ads' — its much anticipated commercial-supported plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Frank Pallotta | Cnn Business | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

That all changed Thursday when the streaming leader launched " Basic with Ads ," the platform's much anticipated ad-supported subscription plan. The company has said that "current plans and members will not be impacted" and that "'Basic with Ads' complements our existing ad-free Basic, Standard and Premium plans." The new tier will have most of what's available with Netflix's current $9.99 a month Basic plan. However, the "Basic with Ads" option will include an average of four to five minutes of commercials per hour. Those ads will be 15 or 30 seconds in length and will play before and during TV series and movies.

☆ Les Moonves, CBS to pay $30 million in settlement with NY AG over sexual misconduct allegations
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —Leslie Moonves, former chief executive officer of CBS, and CBS reached a $30.5 million settlement with the office of the attorney general of New York, Letitia James, on Wednesday. Moonves stepped down as CBS’ chief executive in 2018 following multiple sexual misconduct allegations. The exit marked the end of Moonves’ tenure atop one of the most powerful companies in the media world. Moonves denied the allegations. Moonves himself must pay $2.5 million, which will also go to CBS shareholders.

☆ Why horror films kill at the box office all year round
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —One of Paramount’s biggest blockbusters this year is a surprise hit that hasn’t slowed down at the box office since opening at No. The film, which stars Sosie Bacon as a psychiatrist being tormented by visions of horrifying smirks, opened to $22.6 million at the domestic box office late September. Many horror films this year have done the same, showing that — aside from superhero movies — horror is Hollywood’s most dependable genre at the box office. Audiences have been sporadic and the overall North America box office is down about 34% from the pre-Covid levels of 2019. “The box office results have been scary impressive.”

☆ Brands have fled Kanye. What about his music career?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — has lost partnerships with fashion brands including Gap, Balenciaga and Adidas following his antisemitic comments in recent weeks. But what does this all mean for Ye’s music career? A career in two partsYe, formerly known as Kanye West, has had a lucrative music career. Will Spotify and Apple Music pull Ye’s music? One area that could see a financial impact for both Ye and Universal Music Group is the licensing of his music.

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