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☆ In federal trial, Michael Kors says it's harder to sell handbags in TikTok and Taylor Swift era
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Designer Michael Kors poses backstage before the Michael Kors Collection Fall 2017 runway show at Spring Studios in New York City on Feb. 15, 2017. The deal, if approved, would put six fashion brands under a single company: Tapestry's Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman, with Capri's Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors. Shares of Capri, which includes Michael Kors, reflect the tougher stretch that the designer Kors described. Gennette, who retired early this year, said the department store's sales got hit because it leaned too heavily on Michael Kors' brand. He said the markdown of Michael Kors' handbags contributed to "a bad spiral Macy's was living through when I was there."

Persons: Michael Kors, Taylor Swift, Kors, Kate Spade, Stuart Weitzman, Capri's Versace, Jimmy Choo, we've, Jeff Gennette Organizations: Spring Studios, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Tapestry Locations: New York City, Manhattan, Capri

☆ Where Are the Squat Racks? Gyms Are Rushing to Remodel for Strength-Training
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Related storiesThe boom of strength training in 2020Australian personal trainer Kayla Itsines developed the uber popular "Sweat with Kayla" app. "The 20-somethings, the 40-somethings, the 60-somethings will all be gravitating towards strength training, just because of the benefits it provides." They're branding themselves as more of a high-intensity training equipment provider than just a stair-climbing apparatus provider these days. Strength training is ideal for extending your "play span," your ability to keep doing what you love as you age. "What strength training really affords people is to make age just feel like a number," he said.

Persons: you'll, Mauro Maietta, that's, Kenneth Cooper, Arnold Schwarzeneggers, it's, Richard Simmons, Evan Hurd, Pete McCall, Kayla Itsines, Kayla, Kira Stokes, Kaisa Keranen, they'd, Pamela Kufahl, Kufahl, Gen Z, there's, —, they're, you've, Antonio Villalba, McCall, Clive Brunskill, Chris Travis, Jim Rowley, MoMo, JDI, Priscilla Del Moral, JDI's, Miriam Fried, MF, she's, Del, Natalia Mehlman Petrzela Organizations: Venture, Business, Sports, Fitness Industry Association, Crunch Fitness, Kids, Health & Fitness Association, Amazon, Health, Fitness, Getty, Seattle, New, Crunch, Athletech News, New School, Brands, Core Health Locations: Manhattan, L.A, Barre, Orange, New York City, New York

☆ Microsoft to cut 650 jobs at its Xbox gaming unit — read the full memo from top exec Phil Spencer
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesMicrosoft on Thursday said that it is cutting 650 roles at its Xbox gaming division, in the latest major round of layoffs to hit the video game industry. It marks the third series of redundancies in Microsoft's video game unit since the company's blockbuster acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the publisher behind the Call of Duty franchise, for $69 billion in cash. In a memo obtained by CNBC, Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, told employees that the firm had taken this "difficult" decision to align its post-acquisition team structure and "organize our business for long term success." Bethesda publishes major gaming titles, such as the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series. Major gaming studios have cut thousands of jobs around the world, beginning in 2023 and continuing into 2024.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Patrick T, Spencer, Japan's, Playtika Organizations: Microsoft, Fallon, Bloomberg, Getty, Activision Blizzard, Duty, CNBC, Microsoft Gaming, Xbox, Activision, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda, Japan's Sony, PlayStation, Gaming Locations: Los Angeles, U.S

☆ Video game actors fight for AI protections and compensation for their 'digital replicas' amid a gaming market slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Helen Li | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Making a creature come to life in a video game is a collaborative process, where she interprets the directions to bring characters to life. Interactive media contract negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and video game studios have been ongoing since 2022 and have stalled due to disagreements over AI protections. Tensions in the ongoing video game strikes arose over how AI can be used for "digital replicas" and whether actors can be compensated for them. If you've played video games at all, that is almost never the case," Norris said. Related storiesThese negotiations take place amid a slowdown in the $200 billion video game industry.

Persons: —, Andi Norris, Norris, AFTRA, you've, Audrey Cooling, Linsay Rousseau, Rousseau, Connor Fogarty, Fogarty, Sarah Elmaleh, Sean Rohani, Rohani, Elmaleh Organizations: Service, Business, Interactive, SAG, Hollywood, Writers Guild of America, Activision, Union, of Locations: Los Angeles, Ethovox

☆ How Dutch shoemakers keep an 850-year-old clog tradition alive
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Liz Kraker | Teresa Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

There are only 10 clog makers left in the Netherlands hand-carving wooden shoes. And there are even fewer clog painters. At one of the oldest clog studios still standing, Martin Dijkman recreates Dutch masterpieces out of thousands of miniature clogs. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.

Persons: they've, Martin Dijkman Organizations: Business Locations: Netherlands

☆ National Portrait Gallery acquires Dolley Madison daguerreotype — the earliest known photograph of a US First Lady
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Torey Akers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in Washington, DC, has acquired the earliest known photograph of a US First Lady. The quarter-plate daguerreotype of former First Lady Dolley Madison, wife of fourth US president James Madison, dates from around 1846. The Dolley Madison daguerreotype, made by artist and entrepreneur John Plumbe Jr., shows the trailblazing First Lady when she was in her late seventies. In addition to his portrait of Madison, he created the earliest extant image of the US Capitol. Courtesy Sotheby'sThe NPG bought the Madison photograph for $456,000 at a Sotheby’s auction of books, manuscripts and Americana on June 28, more than six times the lot’s high estimate of $70,000.

Persons: Dolley Madison, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Philip Haas, Madison daguerreotype, John Plumbe Jr, Madison, Lonnie G, Joseph L, Emily K, ” Bunch, Dolley Payne Todd Madison, Lady, soirees, Zachary Taylor, ”, Louis Daguerre Organizations: The Art, CNN, Capitol, Plumbe, Madison, Smithsonian, Gidwitz, Foundation Endowment, US Locations: Washington ,, America, United States, Philadelphia, Washington, Madison

☆ Opinion: The real loser in the first presidential debate
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-28 | by ( Opinion Cnn Contributors | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +28 min

CNN —CNN Opinion asked political contributors to weigh in on the first presidential debate of the 2024 race. On the other hand, President Joe Biden did not meet expectations and may have increased concerns about his age and ability to lead for another four years. Debates are always more about style than substance, and President Joe Biden’s style was simply awful. Did President Joe Biden come off as a leader or a loser? And yes, the visuals in this first presidential debate of the cycle were phenomenally important.

Persons: Ana Marie Cox, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Biden, Ana Marie Cox Faith Fonseca, Trump, mumbling, I’m, Shermichael Singleton, Joe Biden, Paul Begala, ” “, ” Paul Begala, meandered, —, Republicans — Biden, Bill Clinton’s, Clinton, Jeff Yang, Jeff Yang CNN, — Biden, Joe, Bruce, ”, “, ” Patrick T, Brown, Biden’s, Dobbs, Roe, Wade, Patrick T, CNN’s Dana Bash, David Mark, there’s, Kamala Harris, Harris, Nikki Haley, ” Geoff Duncan, Geoff Duncan Alex Slitz, Geoff Duncan, Peter Bergen, Abu Bakr al, General Qassem Soleimani, It’s, ” Susanne Ramirez de Arellano, Susanne Ramirez de Arellano Frank Moya, Biden “, ” Trump, Susanne Ramirez de Arellano, Roxanne Jones, Democrats — Biden, Nobody, Jones, Lanhee J, Chen, Chen Lanhee J . Chen, David, Diane Steffy, Romney, Ryan Organizations: CNN, Democratic Party, Biden, Trump, “, Global, Democrats, ” Paul Begala CNN, Republicans, Democratic, sonics, Public Policy Center, Economic, Republican, South Carolina Gov, Democratic National Convention, Washington, Peter Bergen CNN, US Border Patrol, ISIS, Islamic, Guards, Force, Walmart, New America, Capitol, New, Arizona State University, Social Security, Medicare, UCLA, Politics Initiative, America, Tonight, Univision Puerto Rico, ESPN, New York Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Public Policy, Hoover Institution Locations: Texas, Austin, America, Asian America, Washington , DC, bravura State, Canada, Abu, Uzbek, Manhattan, El Paso , Texas, New America, United States

☆ Sony Pictures Acquires Alamo Drafthouse in Lifeline to Cinema Chain
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Danielle Kaye | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Sony Pictures Entertainment is acquiring Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and will manage its 35 locations, a rare example of a traditional Hollywood studio’s owning a theater chain. The deal, announced Wednesday, followed the Justice Department’s decision in 2020 to rescind the so-called Paramount consent decrees — movie distribution rules dating to 1949 that forced the largest Hollywood studios to sell off their theater holdings. Those rules were intended to prevent studios from controlling the film business, from creation to exhibition. In recent years, Netflix, the leading streaming company, has bought theaters to show films. Alamo, the seventh-largest theater chain in North America, operates theaters in 25 metro areas across the United States and has invested in distinctive programming and food offerings in an attempt to lure in moviegoers away from major multiplexes.

Persons: Department’s, Makan Delrahim, ” Organizations: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Alamo, Hollywood, Netflix Locations: North America, United States

☆ I did hot yoga every day for a month. There were a few drawbacks, but I look more toned and can fit into old clothes again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Lara Walsh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewI love doing different kinds of workouts, but recently, I wanted to challenge myself to try something new: hot yoga. Like millions of exercise enthusiasts, I've tried standard yoga classes but wondered if hot yoga could improve my flexibility or help with stress levels. Here's what happened when I did hot yoga every day for a month. This difference was really noticeable during a stressful period at work, and my body started to crave the hot-yoga classes. Lara WalshAfter a month of doing hot yoga, I was hooked.

Persons: —, I've, Lara Walsh, Lara Walsh I've, Dr, Azza Halim, Halim, Kollins, Ezekh Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Chicago

☆ 3 tricks legacy media companies can learn from social-video platforms, per a new Accenture report
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewTraditional media and entertainment companies must undergo "radical levels of reinvention," John Peters, Accenture's lead for media and entertainment clients, told Business Insider. Traditional media companies, like live broadcasting or linear channels, are "seeing viewership migrate away from their platforms," Peters said. Advertisement"They're increasingly moving to social media and social video platforms and video games," Peters said. Here are three things that traditional media companies can learn from social media giants, per the Accenture report. AdvertisementPeters also pointed to events like the annual Academy Awards or live sports as opportunities for media companies to use UGC.

Persons: —, John Peters, Accenture's, Peters, Goldman Sachs, Nikki Mendonca, Mendonca, Elon Organizations: Service, Accenture, Business, Media Industry, Netflix, Hulu, WARC Media, Meta, Media, UGC, Apple, Google, Spotify, Disney Locations: North America, Europe, Asia, America

☆ A Serene Oasis for Making Music
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Steven Kurutz | Jane Beiles | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The first things you notice upon entering Long Pond Studio are the glass windows and doors. They’re huge — the doors are eight-feet square — and frame pastoral scenes of grass, trees and water. But in this setting — a recording studio in the countryside near Hudson, N.Y. — they’re startling. That’s because recording studios more typically resemble gambling dens; they are dark, airless spaces where light and a view to the outside world would distract from the high-stakes act of music making. Large glass surfaces are also a no-no, because they refract sound waves and possibly allow outdoor noise to leak in.

Locations: Hudson, N.Y

☆ When my 6-year-old asked to get her ears pierced, I took her to a professional piercer. It was much safer than the way I did it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Saba Khonsari | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThis year, we took our 6-year-old to get her ears pierced. If our kids wanted them, we would take them to get their ears pierced. I got my ears pierced with a piercing gun at a mallI myself was not allowed to pierce my ears until I was 12. AdvertisementWhen my kids decided they wanted to get their ears pierced, I opted to take them to a professional piercing studio. AdvertisementNow, it's a place I go on a Monday night to get my daughter's ears pierced.

Persons: —, Merle Norman, Professional Piercers, it's, Johns Hopkins, Rachel Dawkins, piercers Organizations: Service, Business, Professional

NOW PLAYINGHow Street Art Is Gentrifying Neighborhoods1:56An Insider’s History of Guantánamo Prison Camp2:16How a Third-Party Candidate Could Affect the 2024 Vote2:34Our Reporter on the History, and Return, of Private Clubs2:26How Trump Paid $100 Million in Legal Fees3:21‘Hey, Meta, What Am I Looking At?’2:33How a Settlement Could Change the Housing Industry2:27Key Takeaways From Supreme Court Arguments on Abortion Pill Access2:16Behind Our Investigation Into India’s Sugar Industry2:22Our Reporter on the April 8 Total Solar Eclipse2:12Our Reporter on the Actual Costs of Luring Studios2:15

Organizations: Trump, Sugar

☆ Stonebwoy draws inspiration from Bob Marley at Tuff Gong Studios to unite the Black diaspora
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Lauren Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The session was the Ghanaian’s first visit to Bob Marley’s iconic Tuff Gong Studio. I feel like I’m surrounded by the spirits of those who built here.”“Once upon a time, Bob Marley was probably sitting in the same spot that I am sitting in,” he added. Bob Marley performs onstage during a concert in Stockholm, Sweden, in the late 1970s. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global CitizenUniting the Black diaspora through musicFrom Afrobeats to reggae, Stonebwoy has worked with musicians including Rick Ross, Beanie Man, Shaggy, Keri Hilson, Russ, Davido, and Angelique Kidjo, shining brightest when mentoring emerging artists. Until then, he has his eyes set on making sure the sounds of the Black diaspora continue to dominate worldwide.

Persons: CNN —, Stonebwoy, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Wyclef Jean, Bob Marley, Yohan Marley, Bob Marley’s, ”, riffing, Livingstone Etse Satekla, Ghana's Stonebwoy, ” Stonebwoy, “, Stonebwoy’s, Jemal Countess, Rick Ross, Beanie, Keri Hilson, Russ, Davido, Angelique Kidjo, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Odumodublvck Organizations: CNN, Island Music Conference, Gong, Tuff Gong, Tuff Gong Studios, Global Citizen Festival, Getty, Global Citizen, BHIM, Burniton Music Locations: Ghanaian, Jamaica, Kingston, ”, Ghana, Africa, Caribbean, West African, Stockholm, Sweden, Hulton, Accra

☆ The state of women's sports: Top executives weigh in on parity, media share and NIL regulations
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

From Caitlin Clark fever in Iowa to a packed house of 92,000 fans for women's volleyball in Nebraska, women's sports have never been more at the forefront. Last year saw record media deals for women's sports as the NCAA and NWSL both inked groundbreaking agreements. David Dow | Getty ImagesCathy Engelbert, commissioner of the Women's National Basketball Association: One of the obstacles is the undervaluation of our assets. Jayna Hefford, senior vice president of operations for the Professional Women's Hockey League: Women's sports still struggle to secure prime broadcast windows, consistent airtime and traditional media coverage. Steven Ferdman | Getty ImagesAmy Howe, FanDuel CEO: Women's sports need to continue to position their star athletes (i.e.

Persons: Caitlin Clark, Matthew Holst, there's, Renie Anderson, Jessica Berman, Jesse Grant, CNBC Jessica Berman, Cathy Engelbert, Breanna Stewart, David Dow, Jessica Gelman, John Lamparski, KAGR, Caitlin Clark's, Jayna Hefford, Haley Rosen, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, Michael Reaves, LPGA we've, Katrina Adams, Louis Armstrong, USTA Billie Jean King, Steven Ryan, Sabrina Ionescu, Coco Gauff, —, Berman, Pamela Duckworth, Engelbert, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Amy Howe, Steven Ferdman, FanDuel, Ionescu, A'ja Wilson, Rosen, Adams, they've, Renie, Anderson, I'm, influencers, Duckworth, Angel Reese, Billie Jean King, Jayna, Mark Blinch Organizations: Iowa Hawkeyes, NCAA, Michigan Wolverines, Carver, Getty, women's, Deloitte, CNBC, NFL, National Women's Soccer League, National Women's Soccer, WNBA, New York Liberty, Kia, Connecticut Sun, National Basketball Association, Business, New York Marriott Marquis Hotel, MIT Sloan Sports Analytics, MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Sports, Professional Women's Hockey, Association, Tiburon Golf Club, Professional, LPGA, USTA, Louis, USTA Billie, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, United States Tennis Association, Women's Tennis, Fubo Studios, FuboTV, NBA, Nike, Wall, Spring Studios, Renie Anderson NFL, Toronto, New York, Mattamy Athletic Centre Locations: Iowa City , Iowa, Iowa, Nebraska, Brooklyn , New York, New, New York City, Naples , Florida, NY, Toronto , Ontario, Canada

☆ To get $9 million in pandemic aid, Lil Wayne pledged to operate a 'drug-free workplace.' The feds believed him.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Lil Wayne loves weed. But in 2021, Lil Wayne — whose real name Dwayne Carter — told the government that his touring company was a "drug-free" workplace. No one at the Small Business Administration appeared to question it, and the government cut a $8.9 million check to Lil Wayne's company Young Money Touring Inc. Representatives for Beach House didn't respond to a request for comment, nor did press contacts for Lil Wayne or Post Malone. The feds could claw the money backThe SBA told grant applicants that they could be sued or even prosecuted for lying.

Persons: Malone, Lil Wayne, —, Lil Wayne —, Dwayne Carter —, Lil Wayne's, Post Malone, Post, Joe Rogan's, they're, Carter, , Harold Pollack, Josh Schiller, Schiller, Dan Meyer, Andrew Preble, should've, Day Organizations: Service, Small Business Administration, Inc, Austin Post, Post, SBA, Touring Inc, University of Chicago, Elon, SpaceX, Beach House, NME, Beach Locations: people's, San Francisco, Angeles, New Orleans

☆ How Sony's PlayStation has rivaled Microsoft and Nintendo in the console wars
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Ryan Baker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It's been three decades since the Sony PlayStation first brought to life some of the video game industry's most beloved franchises. The gaming console expanded into the U.S. a year later in 1995. "We went into markets where video gaming had never really been a thing. Most recently, Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition presented a major threat to Sony's long-standing gaming business. Watch the video to learn more about the story of Sony's PlayStation and to hear what is next for the company.

Persons: It's, Jim Ryan, Ryan, Shawn Layden, Layden, Carolina Milanesi Organizations: Sony PlayStation, Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation, Nintendo, Sega, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide, Sony Music, Sony Electronics, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Microsoft, Sony Locations: Japan, U.S, Europe, Italy, Spain

☆ The Juggernaut promised to revolutionize South Asian news. But insiders say the company's founder misled investors, struggled to raise money, and left workers 'heartbroken.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Katie Warren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +33 min

They were gathered for the inaugural summit of The Juggernaut, a digital South Asian news startup that launched in 2019. The Juggernaut spokesperson told BI that "multiple employees have equity in the company," but BI was unable to identify any such employees. "Twenty years ago, you might've struggled to mention a South Asian actor that you've seen in a movie," he said. As of January, the site had about 10,500 subscribers, Sur told investors in an email viewed by BI. Some feel that the publication has strayed from its mission of delivering "untold, smart South Asian stories and news you won't find anywhere else."

Persons: —, Richa Moorjani, Manish Chandra, Anish Melwani, Sadiq Khan, Amitav Ghosh, Roy Rochlin, Jay Bhattacharya, didn't, Sur, Padma Lakshmi, Moorjani, Mira Nair, Oprah Winfrey, she'd, who've, Josh Benson, Bhattacharya, might've, you've, Dev Patel, Priyanka Chopra, Black millennials, Bhattacharya's, Adam Hansmann, Kevin Lin, Albert Ni, Charles Hudson, Steve Jennings, Sur's, Kyle Stanford, Axios, Stanford, Snigdha, Winfrey, MICHAEL TRAN, hadn't, wouldn't, Fariha Róisín, Meghna Rao, Róisín, Rao, Rao didn't, they'd, she's, it's, Hudson, who'd, Reetu Gupta, Aditi Shah, Sean Gupta, Steven Simione, would've, we're, Brian Morrissey, Morrissey, cofounders, Narendra Modi's, Sneha Mehta Organizations: Spring Studios, Netflix, Business, New Yorker, Harvard Business School, Guardian, American, Old Town Media, Athletic, BI, Indian, Yale, McKinsey, Precursor Ventures, Forbes, Getty, TechCrunch, YouTube's Sustainability, YouTube, Paramount Pictures Studios, Immigration Services, Stanford, Digiday, Gannett Locations: York City, chai, Jean's, hasn't, Sur, New York City, South, Asian, India, Madhya Pradesh, Queens, Sur texted, Indian American, AFP, Róisín, Los Angeles , California, South Asia, Silicon

As video game worlds get more expansive, some game studios are experimenting with AI tools to give voice to a potentially unlimited number of characters and conversations. Some fear that AI voices could replace all but the most famous human actors if big studios have their way. SAG-AFTRA has already made a deal with one AI voice company, Replica Studios, announced last month at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas. It sets terms that also allow performers to opt out of having their voices used in perpetuity. We’re not replacing actors.”It was Replica Studios that first reached out to Magee about a voice-over audio clip he had created demonstrating a Scottish accent.

Persons: Andy Magee, Magee, aren't, ”, they've, Joe Biden, Anthony Bourdain —, —, Sarah Elmaleh, “ We’ve, Elmaleh, ” Elmaleh, AFTRA, Fran Drescher, Shreyas Nivas, Nivas, “, Zeke Alton, hasn't, Alton, ” Alton Organizations: Screen, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, SAG, Studios, CES Locations: Scottish, Northern Ireland, British, U.S, Fortnite, Las Vegas, Vancouver , British Columbia

☆ Wells Fargo says regulator has lifted a key penalty tied to its 2016 fake accounts scandal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 17: President and CEO of Wells Fargo Charlie Scharf attends The Future of Everything presented by the Wall Street Journal at Spring Studios on May 17, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)Wells Fargo said Thursday one of its primary regulators has lifted a key penalty tied to its 2016 fake accounts scandal. Wells Fargo, one of the country's largest retail banks, has retired six consent orders since 2019, the year that CEO Charlie Scharf took over. The 2016 fake accounts scandal and related consent order ignited a wave of scrutiny on the bank that revealed problems related to the servicing of mortgages, auto loans and other consumer accounts. The attention tarnished the bank's reputation and forced the retirement of both ex-CEO John Stumpf in 2016 and successor Tim Sloan in 2019.

Persons: Wells, Charlie Scharf, Steven Ferdman, Wells Fargo, Scharf, John Stumpf, Tim Sloan, —, Leslie Picker Organizations: NEW, Wall, Spring Studios, Currency, Federal Reserve Locations: New York City, Wells Fargo

Lawmakers also said Wednesday that they want to at least temporarily suspend a sales tax exemption on equipment offered to data centers. Burt Jones touts as a way to shore up tax revenue so that Georgia could further cut its income tax rate for all residents and businesses. A study last year by Georgia State University suggested the state saw a return of less than 20 cents on the dollar. However, the credits are transferrable — production companies can sell them to any individual or business with state income tax liability. The data centers tax credit is projected to cost the state $44 million in foregone sales tax revenue this year, according to a 2022 University of Georgia study.

Persons: Shaw Blackmon, “ We’re, Burt Jones, ” Jones, Blackmon, Jon Burns, Georgia Power, Burns Organizations: ATLANTA, — Top, Marvel, Bonaire Republican, Georgia, Lawmakers, Georgia Power Co, Republican, Gov, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Newington Republican, of Georgia Locations: — Top Georgia, Georgia, Peach State, Hollywood, Bonaire

☆ ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ will no longer be exclusive to Spotify
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Spotify announced a new multiyear partnership deal with podcaster Joe Rogan. “The Joe Rogan Experience” had been Spotify’s last exclusive podcast, the company confirmed. Spotify said Rogan’s podcast will be available on Apple, Amazon and YouTube, but it did not comment further about the deal’s terms. In the past three years, “The Joe Rogan Experience” has consistently been the number-one podcast across the globe. In 2020, Spotify announced it signed “The Joe Rogan Experience” for a multi-year exclusive licensing deal.

Persons: podcaster Joe Rogan, “, Joe Rogan, ”, Rogan, CNN’s Jordan Valinsky Organizations: New, New York CNN, Spotify, Apple, YouTube Locations: New York

☆ Wait. This guy wants to spend $14 billion on … Paramount?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Media entrepreneur Byron Allen says he wants to buy Paramount for $14.3 billion. Who wants to buy a big TV company these days, anyway? But investors still think it's worth less than $10 billion — meaning they don't think Allen Media is really going to end up owning Paramount. AdvertisementOne answer may simply be skepticism about Allen Media Group and its owner, TV personality-turned-entrepreneur Byron Allen. But no one, to date, has suggested that Paramount is worth anything close to $14 billion.

Persons: Byron Allen, —, Allen Media Group didn't, David Zaslav, Bob Bakish, It's, Robert Fishman dryly, Shari Redstone, David Ellison, who's, Larry Ellison, Allen Organizations: Paramount, Service, Allen Media Group, CBS, MTV, Comedy Central, Allen Media, Weather Channel, ABC, BET, Denver Broncos, Bloomberg, Street Journal, Comcast, Warner Bros Discovery, Apple, Netflix, Biden, Viacom

☆ How Warner Bros. Discovery's games chief plans to build on 'Hogwarts Legacy' and give the company more much-needed wins
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Discovery's gaming division is on a winning streak with two of the biggest console games in 2023: "Hogwarts Legacy," the year's No. David Haddad is WBD's long-running games chief and the rare top WarnerMedia executive who survived the merger with Discovery (as well as the AT&T ownership era). In an interview with Business Insider, Haddad, who is president of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment — a position he's held since 2015 — framed the challenge and how he plans to keep WBD games' streak going. It can take the form of new events to keep people playing a strategy game like "Game of Thrones: Conquest" or new characters and tournaments in a fighting game like "Mortal Kombat." WBD's success with games separates it from other legacy media companies that have stumbled in the arena, most notably Disney.

Persons: —, execs, David Haddad, Haddad, We're, Harry Potter, it's, They've, Michael Pachter, Shaggy, David Zaslav, people's, Jefferies, Andrew Uerkwitz, LightShed, Haddad wouldn't, we've Organizations: Service, Warner, Business, Discovery, Warner Bros, Interactive Entertainment, Wedbush Securities, Disney, Netflix, Thrones, EA, Embracer Locations: WarnerMedia

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery's games chief shares plans to capitalize on 'Hogwarts Legacy' and boost the division's growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Discovery's gaming division is on a winning streak with two of the biggest console games in 2023: "Hogwarts Legacy," the year's No. In an interview with Business Insider, Haddad, who is president of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment — a position he's held since 2015 — framed the challenge and how he plans to keep WBD games' streak going. It can take the form of new events to keep people playing a strategy game like "Game of Thrones: Conquest" or new characters and tournaments in a fighting game like "Mortal Kombat." WBD's success with games separates it from other legacy media companies that have stumbled in the arena, most notably Disney. Nevertheless, analysts have speculated that given its past success and need for growth, WBD could buy another gaming company such as EA or Take-Two Interactive.

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