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☆ ‘It sucks for all of us.’ Charles Barkley says the quiet part aloud as TNT’s NBA future in doubt
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The situation at Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT network “sucks, plain and simple,” Charles Barkley bluntly said Thursday. Barkley, who said he feels “so bad for the people” he works with, laid blame at the feet of the “clowns” atop WBD. Wall Street has responded quite negatively to the possibility WBD, which has built a programming slate around the NBA, could lose the rights to air the games. And TNT has built a programming slate around the NBA games, most notably the highly rated “Inside the NBA” show. Losing the rights to NBA games could throw aspects of that business partnership into question.

Persons: ” Charles Barkley, NBA ”, Dan Patrick, ”, Barkley, ” Barkley, David Zaslav’s, Adam Silver, Turner, Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, WBD, “, Shaw, ” Shaw, Joe Flint, Amol Sharma, Isabella Simonetti, Zaslav, Venu, That’s, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Wiedenfels, ” Wiedenfels, there’s, you’ve Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros, TNT, NBA, Turner, Comcast, WSJ, WBD, NCAA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, College Football, ESPN —, Disney, Fox Corp, Morgan’s Technology, Media & Communications Locations: WBD

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery’s stock plummets to new low amid concerns the media giant could lose its NBA rights
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Discovery doesn’t “have to have the NBA.” It appears Wall Street disagrees. TNT has built a programming slate around the NBA games, most notably the highly rated ”Inside the NBA” show. Losing the rights to NBA games could throw aspects of that business partnership into question. Since WBD first began trading on Wall Street in April 2022, the stock has lost roughly 70% of its value. And for Zaslav, whose company is struggling on Wall Street, the battle could not come at a more inopportune time.

Persons: New York CNN — David Zaslav, “, WBD, —, Joe Flint, Amol Sharma, Isabella Simonetti —, Charles Barkley, Andrew Marchand, Warner, That’s, NBCU’s, I’m, Zaslav, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Wiedenfels ’, Bob Iger, David Ellison’s, ” Organizations: New York CNN, Warner Bros, NBA, CNN, Industry, WBD, TNT, The Athletic, New York Post, NCAA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, Disney, Fox Corporation, Netflix, Paramount Global, Wall Locations: New York

☆ Nascar Revs Up TV, Streaming Deals Worth Nearly $8 Billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Nascar’s agreements don’t include production fees, which could ultimately raise the total payments. Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesNascar has struck new television and streaming rights deals worth $7.7 billion with media partners including Amazon , Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox as interest in the sport grows. The value of Nascar’s new seven-year deals is 40% higher than its prior arrangements, a person familiar with the situation said.

Persons: Chris Graythen Organizations: Getty, Nascar, Amazon, Warner Bros . Discovery, Fox

☆ Disney’s Bob Iger Plays Down Asset Sales, Vows to Build Modern Version of Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger. Photo: Mark Lennihan/Associated PressDisney Chief Executive Bob Iger told employees Tuesday that the task he faced after returning to the company a year ago was harder than expected, and he played down his previous comments suggesting major asset sales were on the table. “I knew that there were a myriad of challenges…I must say there were many more of them than I expected,” said Iger, who was interviewed by ABC News anchor David Muir at a companywide town hall at New York’s New Amsterdam Theatre.

Persons: Bob Iger, Mark Lennihan, “, …, ”, Iger, David Muir Organizations: Disney, Associated Press Disney, ABC News, New York’s New Amsterdam Theatre Locations: New

☆ Former NBCUniversal Chief in Talks to Join Private-Equity Firm RedBird Capital Partners
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An announcement about former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell’s appointment to RedBird is expected in the first quarter. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesFormer NBCUniversal Chief Executive Jeff Shell is in advanced talks to join private-equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, leading its sports and entertainment investment business. A formal announcement about Shell’s appointment is expected in the first quarter of next year. A spokesperson for RedBird confirmed the negotiations.

Persons: Jeff Shell’s, RedBird, Kevin Dietsch, Jeff Shell Organizations: RedBird Capital Partners

Cara LombardoCara Lombardo is a senior reporter for The Wall Street Journal in New York. She and her colleagues regularly break market-moving news on the biggest and most interesting deals and activist fights. In 2021, she was part of a team that won a Gerald Loeb Award for the paper’s coverage of Amazon’s business practices. She joined the Journal in 2017 and previously covered breaking news and the beverage industry. She has undergraduate and master’s degrees in accounting and a master’s degree in journalism, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Persons: Cara Lombardo Cara Lombardo, Gerald Loeb Organizations: Wall Street, University of Wisconsin - Madison, LinkedIn Locations: New York

☆ Amazon’s Black Friday Deal: Football With a Side of Online Shopping
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Joe Flint | Sebastian Herrera | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The New York Jets during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins in January. Photo: Megan Briggs/Getty ImagesAmazon and the NFL are betting that a combination of two of America’s biggest pastimes—football and holiday shopping—will provide a ratings and retail windfall. Amazon Prime Video plans to carry the first-ever “Black Friday” game later this week, serving Americans touchdowns and online shopping as an alternative to battling deal-seekers at the mall. The technology giant plans to load up the game with sales promotions in a bid to turn the Friday after Thanksgiving into a major digital shopping day.

Persons: Megan Briggs Organizations: New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Getty, NFL, Amazon Prime

☆ Apple and Disney Among Companies Stopping Ads on X
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Joe Flint | Patience Haggin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The exodus of major advertisers adds to the business challenges Elon Musk faces in managing X. Photo: Carlos Barria/ReutersApple and several major entertainment companies stopped advertising on Elon Musk’s X after the social-media network’s owner described an antisemitic post this week as “the actual truth” and again lashed out at the Anti-Defamation League. Among those pausing ads on the social-media platform are Disney , Warner Bros. Discovery , Paramount Global , NBCUniversal and its parent Comcast and Lions Gate Entertainment , people close to those companies said.

Persons: Elon Musk, Carlos Barria, Elon Musk’s Organizations: Reuters Apple, Elon, Defamation League, Disney, Warner Bros, Discovery, Paramount Global, NBCUniversal, Comcast, Lions Gate Entertainment

☆ Apple and Disney Among Companies Stopping Ads On X
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Joe Flint | Patience Haggin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Talent Agency CAA and Michael Klein Launch Sports and Media Investment Bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Cara Lombardo | Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Michael Klein is an omnipresent deal maker who launched M. Klein & Co. in 2012. Photo: Andrew Harrer/BLOOMBERG NEWSHollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency and longtime deal maker Michael Klein are launching a new investment bank focused on sports, media and entertainment deals. CAA’s merchant bank, known as Evolution Media Capital, and advisory firm M. Klein & Co. are joining to form CAA Evolution, the companies told The Wall Street Journal. The combined firm aims to work on large media companies’ deals, sell sports teams and advise on capital raises including initial public offerings, little of which Evolution does currently.

Persons: Michael Klein, Andrew Harrer Organizations: Klein, Co, BLOOMBERG NEWS Hollywood, Creative Artists Agency, Evolution Media Capital, CAA, Wall Street

☆ ‘NCIS’ Doesn’t Win Emmys, but 300 Million People Watched It Last Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/business/media/ncis-doesnt-win-emmys-but-300-million-people-watched-it-last-year-8124fe8d

Persons: Dow Jones, 8124fe8d

☆ Disney Plots Future of Its Traditional TV Networks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Joe Flint | Jessica Toonkel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

ABC, which airs hits such as ‘The Golden Bachelor,’ has been identified as one of Disney’s most valued channels. Photo: Craig Sjodin/ABCDisney is examining whether its future should include fewer television networks. After Chief Executive Bob Iger said last summer that some of Disney’s TV networks, which include ABC, FX and National Geographic, might not be core to the company, executives set out to determine which channels have long-term value and which are expendable.

Persons: ’, Craig Sjodin, Bob Iger Organizations: ABC, ABC Disney, FX, Geographic

☆ Hollywood Actors Reach Agreement With Studios, Streamers to End Strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Joe Flint | Sarah Krouse | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The 118-day strike is set to end at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Photo: Caroline Brehman/ShutterstockStriking Hollywood actors reached a tentative agreement with major studios and streamers Wednesday that could clear the way for the entertainment industry to restart its content factory after six months of labor strife. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said its TV and theatrical committee approved a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in a unanimous vote Wednesday afternoon. The strike is set to end at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

Persons: Caroline Brehman Organizations: American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, Alliance, Television Producers

☆ Silver Lake Looks to Privatize Hollywood Agency Titan Endeavor
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Jessica Toonkel | Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ari Emanuel, chief executive officer of Endeavor, says, ‘an evaluation of strategic alternatives is a prudent approach’ to ‘maximizing value for our shareholders.’ Photo: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg NewsPrivate-equity giant Silver Lake said it is working on a proposal to take private Endeavor Group Holdings, the owner of talent agencies WME and IMG. “Silver Lake firmly believes in Endeavor’s business and is not interested in selling its shares in Endeavor to a third-party nor in entertaining bids for assets that are a part of Endeavor,” the firm wrote in a statement. Silver Lake owns about 71% of the voting stake in Endeavor.

Persons: Ari Emanuel, Kyle Grillot, Silver Organizations: Endeavor, ’, Bloomberg, Private, Endeavor Group Holdings, Silver Lake

☆ Israel-Hamas War Sows Division Within Entertainment Industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Joe Flint | Sabrina Siddiqui | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A midshow spat between comedian Dave Chappelle and a fan. Division within the writers’ union after months of solidarity. Private discussions among Hollywood executives and stars about antisemitism. The entertainment industry is grappling with the same debates over Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks and Israel’s response that are playing out on college campuses, in offices and among friends.

Persons: Dave Chappelle Organizations: Hollywood

☆ Joe Flint — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Joe FlintJoe Flint is a media and entertainment reporter for The Wall Street Journal based in the Los Angeles bureau covering everything from broadcast networks and sports to cable and streaming. Joe first joined The Wall Street Journal in 1999 in New York and left in 2006. He rejoined The Wall Street Journal in 2014 after several years with the Los Angeles Times. Joe has also been a senior writer at Variety and Entertainment Weekly. With more than three decades of experience, Joe is considered the dean of media reporters.

Persons: Joe Flint Joe Flint, Joe Organizations: Wall, Journal, Netflix, Apple, Warner Bros, Walt Disney Co, Wall Street, Los Angeles Times, Variety, Entertainment Locations: Los Angeles, New York

☆ Hollywood Actors, Studios to Restart Contract Negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SAG-Aftra members walked the picket line in Los Angeles on Friday. Photo: ReutersThe Hollywood actors union and major studios and streamers said Saturday they are returning to the negotiating table in an effort to end a monthslong strike that has brought TV and film production to a halt. Talks are scheduled to restart Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers—which negotiates on behalf of companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery , Disney and Netflix —walked away from the table because of a revised union demand to share in streaming revenue.

Persons: Netflix — Organizations: Hollywood, Alliance, Producers, Warner Bros, Disney, Netflix Locations: Los Angeles

☆ The Sticking Point That’s Keeping Actors on Strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Hollywood Studios Suspend Talks With Actors
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, 5fdda1d6

☆ ABC News, Former Producer Settle Sexual-Misconduct Suit
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/business/media/abc-news-former-producer-settle-sexual-misconduct-suit-54f4c309

Persons: Dow Jones

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/business/media/will-americas-largest-local-sports-broadcaster-survive-4e799c90

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Peak TV Is Over. A Different Hollywood Is Coming.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Amol Sharma | Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Hollywood Studios Can Train AI Models on Writers’ Work Under Tentative Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Jessica Toonkel | Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Hollywood’s Writers Emerge From Strike as Winners—for Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Joe Flint | Sarah Krouse | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Hollywood Writers’ Tentative Labor Deal Shifts Focus to Actors
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

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