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☆ Top 25 roundup: No. 5 Houston deals No. 2 Virginia first loss
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

2 Virginia its first loss, 69-61, Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark added 13 points each, while Jamal Shead had 11 points and four assists. Furst finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Smith posted 10 points and 12 rebounds. Sam Mennenga led Davidson (7-4) with 14 points and Foster Loyer, Fletcher's brother, had 11 points. Kevin McCullar contributed 11 points, 11 rebounds and five steals, while KJ Adams and Jalen Wilson added 11 points apiece. Trayce Jackson-Davis had 13 points and a career-high nine blocked shots for Indiana (8-3), which lost its second straight game.

☆ Arielle Charnas said she works 4 hours a day. But is it really possible to run and scale a successful startup from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Arielle Charnas, the founder of Something Navy, said she works from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Insider asked founders whether it's possible to run and scale a startup working four hours a day. Insider asked more than 50 founders over email whether entrepreneurs can be successful working just four hours a day. It's possible to start with a few hours a dayMany founders start their businesses as side hustles while working a 9-to-5 job. Courtesy Justin SilvermanOcean Ronquillo-Morgan, a 24-year-old software engineer, spends about three hours a day on her side hustles. She said she won't work past 7 p.m. on weeknights or on weekends, doesn't respond to emails outside of work hours, and logs off from work when she's on vacation.

☆ Harry and Meghan's Netflix series wraps up - but what is the effect on the royals?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"It's like living through a soap opera where everybody else views you as entertainment," Harry said in one of the final episodes released on Thursday. "It looked cold, but it also felt cold," Harry said of his family's feelings towards him at their last official engagement. "The departure of Meghan and Harry from royal ranks has been far more damaging to the monarchy than the coverage that vilifies them understands or accepts," she told Reuters. But it bounced back to become more popular than ever, with Harry and his brother William to the fore. "Personally, I don't think that it will do lasting damage to the monarchy," royal biographer Claudia Joseph said of the Netflix (NFLX.O) documentary.

☆ Fed Rate Increases Upended Funding Markets in 2022. Here’s What CFOs Can Expect in 2023.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

Here’s a look at how different financing instruments fared in 2022 and what’s ahead for 2023. Activity in the convertible debt market has picked up in recent weeks. Still, there could be financing opportunities for deals in 2023 in the form of syndicated loans, bankers said. “CFOs have to be aware of that and focus on cash conversion and margins,” he said, pointing to the increase in financing costs. “We expect deals will continue to get done,” he said, adding that those could however come with more oversight from lenders.

☆ 21 production companies that are acquisition targets as streamers race to get profitable and private equity bets big on Hollywood content
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Lucia Moses | Elaine Low | Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The streaming wars have fueled a wave of deal-making for Hollywood production companies. Private equity is leading the charge, with firms like Apollo and Blackstone spending big on content. Insider identified 21 top production companies that could attract buyers or investors in 2023. Media companies need fresh content to win and keep subscribers who have more options than ever to choose from. Insider spoke with five industry dealmakers, consultants, and other experts who named 20 companies that could be hot acquisition targets as the drive for content continues.

☆ Tumblr Shoots for a Comeback With Users and Advertisers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Wireless company Verizon Communications Inc., which bought Yahoo in 2017, saw Tumblr users nosedive when it banned adult content, including nudity, in 2018. Tumblr users in the past month have depicted anthropomorphized versions of the Tumblr and Twitter logos, for example, having a quasiromantic relationship. And in April, it introduced Tumblr Blaze, which offers users, including brand accounts, wider exposure for their posts. Advertisers that create custom campaigns using the parlance popular among Tumblr users to appeal to particular communities usually see the best engagement, according to Tumblr’s chief marketing officer, Matthew Ryan. Some of the most active advertisers on Tumblr are movie and television studios that create Tumblr campaigns for die-hard fans of genres or series, Mr. Ryan said.

☆ Brad Pitt sells 60% of his Plan B production company to French media conglomerate Mediawan, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Brad Pitt is selling 60% of his production company, Plan B Entertainment, to French media conglomerate Mediawan in a deal that's set to be announced this weekend, according to people familiar with the matter. Neither Plan B nor Mediawan responded to requests for comment. For TV, Plan B's productions have included HBO's 2014 adaptation of "The Normal Heart," directed by Ryan Murphy, and Amazon Prime Video's 2021 miniseries "The Underground Railroad." Candle Media also acquired a minority stake in Westbrook Inc. — the production company founded by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith – earlier this year. The boutique investment bank Moelis led the sale for Plan B.

☆ Cameo launches Cameo Kids personalized videos with Candle Media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Celebrity video messaging service Cameo said Thursday it has partnered with Candle Media to launch a new feature aimed at the playground set -- Cameo Kids. The service will offer personalized birthday and holiday video greetings from animated children's characters, including popular figures from Candle Media's Moonbug Entertainment's franchises "Blippi" and "CoComelon." Personalized messages for children expand the potential market for Cameo, which launched five years ago and allows athletes, celebrities and musicians to sell personalized videos to their fans. Cameo had experimented with offering children's content about a year ago, working with Mattel Inc's (MAT.O) 'Thomas the Tank Engine,' but its partnership with Candle Media helped elevate the experience, Galanis said. Blackstone-backed Candle Media spent months figuring out how to use its animated characters to deliver personalized video at scale.

☆ 27 women in venture capital who made partner or higher at firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Melia Russell | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

But more firms made moves to close the gender gap in 2022, hiring and promoting female partners and general partners. PitchBook data indicates that the share of women in decision-making roles at venture firms held steady year over year, with women representing 16% of general partners at firms with over $50 million in assets. To toast their success, Insider is recognizing the women in venture capital who made partner or general partner for the first time in 2022. You can read more on Europe's new female partners here. Let us know who we missed — investing partners or general partners only, please — by contacting Melia Russell at mrussell@insider.com

☆ Disney’s board needs some magic
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Dec 6 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Bob Iger has a knack for head-faking his way out the door. Iger served as chief executive of the $175 billion media giant from 2005 until 2020. That stands in contrast to Netflix’s board, where more than half of the directors come from the entertainment sector including former Disney executive Anne Sweeney. Follow @jennifersaba on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSWalt Disney on Nov. 20 said Bob Iger is returning as chief executive officer, effective immediately. Iger, 71, served as chief executive from 2005 until 2020.

In this article DIS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTBob Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company Scott Mlyn | CNBCDisney reappointed Bob Iger as its chief executive recently, abruptly replacing his hand-picked successor Bob Chapek, and giving Iger an early goal — find a new replacement during the next two years. Iger's attention has quickly turned to the other part of his mandate from the board — the immediate challenges facing Disney's business, such as the company's reorganization, cost structure and the future growth of its streaming business. He is the chairman of Disney's studio content and spearheaded the integration of Iger's acquisitions into Disney's overall content pipeline. D'Amaro is head of Disney's parks, experiences and products, the same position Chapek held before becoming CEO. Rebecca Campbell, who's currently in charge of Disney's international content and operations, is another candidate that Iger may favor, people familiar with the matter said.

☆ With Debt Coming Due, Investment-Grade Companies Are Paying Up, Too
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

What’s more, volatile markets have resulted in fewer opportunities for companies to sell their debt. Investment-grade U.S. companies have between $550 billion and $750 billion coming due per year from 2023 through 2027, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., with about $59 billion left to pay off or refinance in 2022. Of the $615.54 billion, $504.31 billion were new issuances, compared to $111.23 billion in refinancings, Dealogic said. But investor demand for bonds has been stronger in recent days, leading Amazon.com Inc. and others with near-term debt coming due to the market. Among the businesses that recently took out bond debt at a higher cost is retail giant Walmart Inc.

☆ 6 Disney executives Bob Iger will trust to drive his new strategy as he radically remakes the business structure implemented by former CEO Bob Chapek
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Lucia Moses | Alison Brower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The returning CEO will have to unwind the business structure implemented by Bob Chapek while finding a successor. Disney CEO Bob Iger returns to a company facing significant pressures on its linear and streaming businesses. He'll also need to unwind the business structure implemented in 2020 by his short-lived predecessor, Bob Chapek — which separated budgeting and distribution decisions from creative content development. Alan Bergman, chairman, Disney Studios ContentAlan Bergman. Dana Walden, chairman, Disney General Entertainment ContentDana Walden.

[1/3] FILEPHOTO: Executive Chairman of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger arrives at the world premiere for the film 'The King's Man' at Leicester Square in London, Britain December 6, 2021. In his 15 years as Disney chief executive, Iger postponed his retirement four times, sidelining would-be successors. read more Part of his mandate, according to Disney, is to work with the board to develop a successor to lead the company. Chapek was among a shortlist of internal candidates vying for Iger's job, according to a source familiar with discussions. Another seen as a top contender was Kevin Mayer, Disney's longtime head of strategic planning who had shepherded the successful launch of Disney+, according to sources.

☆ HyperloopTT to go public via SPAC led by former Disney execs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 22 (Reuters) - High-speed transportation systems maker Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) said on Tuesday it would list its shares in the United States through a deal with a blank-check firm at a pre-money valuation of $600 million. The special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Forest Road Acquisition Corp II (FRXB.N), which is led by former Disney executives Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer, is expected to provide the combined company $330 million in net proceeds if the SPAC shareholders do not withdraw their money before the deal closes. HyperloopTT, which makes vacuum tube-based ground transportation systems with airplane speeds, has agreed to a SPAC merger at a time when the market's appetite for such deals have fizzled, as the economic outlook worsens with rising interest rates and inflation. The current shareholders and convertible note holders of HyperloopTT will hold $289 million worth of common shares in the company after the deal closes, the company said. A SPAC is a listed company without any business operations, formed to solely raise money and merge with other companies.

☆ Googlers are making memes to deal with the looming threat of job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Matt Weinberger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Meanwhile, former Yahoo CEO and one-time Google exec Marissa Mayer is sounding the alarm bell that the web itself could be degrading in quality. Google employees meme past the graveyard. Elon Musk fired as many as two dozen Twitter employees this week who had criticized his leadership style. Now, Twitter employees are deleting internal Slack messages they fear Musk won't like, so as to avoid his wrath. A Twitter exec went so far as to warn employees to use Slack "wisely."

☆ Climate activists throw liquid at Klimt painting in Vienna
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

BERLIN — Climate activists in Austria on Tuesday attacked a famous painting by artist Gustav Klimt with a black, oily liquid and one then glued himself to glass protecting the painting’s frame. Members of the group Last Generation Austria tweeted they had targeted the 1915 painting “Death and Life” at the Leopold Museum in Vienna to protest their government’s use of fossil energies. After the attack, police arrived at the museum and the black liquid was quickly cleaned off the glass protecting the painting, Austria Press Agency reported. It’s one of the latest pieces of art to be targeted by climate activists to draw attention to global warming. Just Stop Oil activists also glued themselves to the frame of an early copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” at London’s Royal Academy of Arts, and to John Constable’s “The Hay Wain” in the National Gallery.

☆ Marissa Mayer says Google is concerned about the declining quality of the web
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Tom Dotan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google worries website quality is declining, according to one of the company's earliest executives. Marissa Mayer, one of Google's earliest employees and a onetime leader of its search team, said that's because Google is concerned about the declining quality of the web. She made the comments on the Freakonomics podcast in an episode that looked into whether the quality of Google search has declined. Her comments about the state of Google search come at a time when criticism of the service is rising. People have complained about the declining quality of search results and the need to include search terms like "Reddit" in a query to find answers written by humans.

☆ Jennifer Siebel Newsom, actor married to California governor, breaks down in tears at Harvey Weinstein's sex crimes trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Daniel Arkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and actor who is married to California Gov. I was a little hesitant,” Siebel Newsom testified. “Because you don’t say no to Harvey Weinstein,” Siebel Newsom said. "I’m trembling, I’m like a rock, I’m frigid," Siebel Newsom testified through sobs. If it is overturned, his fate would hinge on the outcome of his Los Angeles trial.

☆ Climate activists throw black, oily liquid at Klimt painting in Vienna
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Gustav Klimt's painting "Tod und Leben" is seen after activists of Last Generation Austria (Letzte Generation Oesterreich) spilled oil on it in Leopold museum in Vienna, Austria, November 15, 2022. Climate activists in Austria on Tuesday attacked a famous painting by artist Gustav Klimt with a black, oily liquid and one then glued himself to glass protecting the painting's frame. After the attack, police arrived at the museum and the black liquid was quickly cleaned off the glass protecting the painting, Austria Press Agency reported. It's one of the latest pieces of art to be targeted by climate activists to draw attention to global warming. The British group Just Stop Oil threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" in London's National Gallery last month.

☆ Kraft Heinz turns to gimmicks and nostalgia to revive its ‘dusty’ brands
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Because they’re incredible.”More than half of Kraft Heinz’s business comes from just eight brands — the aforementioned three, plus Kraft Mac and Cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Heinz, Lunchables and Ore-Ida. For Kraft Heinz, which is relying on Patricio to execute a comeback, there’s a lot on the line. So we have more loyalty.”For that reason, Kraft Heinz has leaned in to promoting its legacy brands — and with sometimes outrageous marketing. Kraft HeinzOther Kraft Heinz brands have also used attention-grabbing marketing campaigns. Kraft Heinz’s brands now have a presence on gaming platforms like Roblox, in addition to social media channels and other platforms.

☆ The future of FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried is now in the hands of these 3 lawyers who have worked for Enron, Michael Milken, and Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A senior Paul Weiss lawyer has been hired to defend FTX founder and ex-CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. FTX said on Twitter that a sprawling group of companies founded by Bankman-Fried, known as SBF, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. The new CEO of FTX is John J. Ray III, a lawyer-turned-executive with a colorful past leading troubled companies, most notably Enron. The firm Paul Weiss and its lawyer Martin Flumenbaum, who represented the junk-bonds king Michael Milken, are representing Bankman-Fried personally. John J. Ray IIIRay joined FTX as CEO just in time to sign its bankruptcy filing.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterEven before leaks were found, supplies via Nord Stream 1 had been halted as a result of a dispute over Western sanctions on Russia, while the newly-built Nord Stream 2 pipeline had not started commercial deliveries. An E.ON spokesperson said Nord Stream 1's operating company was responsible for operational issues, including insurance. "Nord Stream AG remains in close contact with relevant authorities about the recent incident. U.S. President Joe Biden has said damage to Nord Stream was a deliberate act of sabotage. If there was any Russian involvement it could also mean the Nord Stream 1 damage being designated as an act of war, something that is typically excluded by insurance policies.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine faced widespread power outages Thursday as the country’s energy system struggled to cope with the damage from a wave of Russian attacks. Ukraine’s energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, said Thursday the government was seeking a 20% reduction in energy use and that Ukrainians had responded to the appeal to ease pressure on the country’s grid. She also has a sleeping bag designed for below freezing temperatures, a thermal blanket and even skiing clothes in case temperatures continue dropping and the strikes on energy targets continue. Current restrictions are worth it.”For months, the Kremlin said it was only after military targets — not civilian or critical infrastructure in Ukraine. The British Defense Ministry also said in an assessment this week that causing widespread damage to Ukraine’s energy network is likely the “key objective” of the Kremlin’s strike campaign.

☆ Meet 9 top media bankers transforming the M&A landscape and driving deals for Warner Bros. Discovery, Legendary, Amazon, and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

2022 kicked off with some huge transactions, from AT&T's WarnerMedia spin-off to private equity scooping up content players. Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B, and Diamond Sports Group both recently tapped big banks to explore their options. Not surprisingly, WarnerMedia was at the heart of the richest transaction fee waterfall for big banks in 2022. Moelis and LionTree were just tapped to help figure out what's next for Sinclair's Regional Sports Networks, Diamond Sports Group, while Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B, also hired Moelis to shop the production company, according to Variety. There's lots of dry powder still in private equity, Navid Mahmoodzadegan, co-founder and co-president at investment bank Moelis, told Insider.

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