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☆ From ‘Barbenheimer’ to Taylor Swift, here are the most important films of 2023 and why they worked
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-27 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Hannah Beier | The Washington Post | Getty ImagesCall 2023 an explosive comeback at the box office. Together, those three films contributed more than $1.5 billion to the domestic box office, according to data from Comscore. But in the meantime, here's a look at some of the most important theatrical releases of 2023 — and why they worked. Meanwhile, Disney has seen its animated content lag at the box office in the wake of the pandemic. "His Only Son," a biblical drama released in early 2023, cost $250,000 to make and generated $12.4 million at the box office.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Hannah Beier, Mario, Comscore, Greta Gerwig, Christopher Nolan's, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Chris Pratt, Charlie, Luigi, Disney, Kung, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson's, Buda Mendes, tas23, Swift, Beyoncé, Tim Ballard, Jim Caviezel, Covid, Blumhouse, Cabrini, Saint Francesca Cabrini, Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Organizations: Washington Post, Getty, Warner Bros, Mario Bros, Universal, Disney, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation, Swift, AMC, National Football League, Angel Studios, Century Fox, Roman Catholic, Reich Locations: Somerdale , New Jersey, There's, New York, Universal, Hollywood, Colombia

Warner Bros. Discovery and rival Paramount Global are in early merger talks, sources familiar with the matter told CNBC. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros.

Persons: David Zaslav, Bob Bakish, Shari Redstone, David Ellison's Skydance, Gerry Cardinale's, Liberty Media's John Malone, Joe Biden's, There's, Axios, — CNBC's Drew Richardson Organizations: Warner Bros . Discovery, Paramount Global, CNBC, Warner Bros, Discovery, Paramount, Redstone, Amusements, CBS, Warner Media, Netflix, Liberty, Media, Morris Trust, Comcast, CNBC PRO

☆ Big M&A and Bob Iger's future: 13 media executives make their anonymous 2024 predictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Executive 2: Bob Iger will, again, extend his contract as Disney CEO Earlier this year, Disney CEO Bob Iger renewed his contract through 2026. This executive predicted "fool me five times, shame on me." This executive predicted Peltz and Rasulo will win their campaign and both join the board. This person predicted Disney would purchase privately held Candle Media to acquire Moonbug Entertainment, the owner of CoComelon. This executive predicted Yaccarino would either lose patience or find her job increasingly pointless and leave the company in 2024.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, Michael M, David Zaslav, Slaven Vlasic, NBCUniversal, Brian Roberts, Roberts, Donna Langley, Bob Iger, Iger, Nelson Peltz, Jay Rasulo, Marco Bello, Peltz, Rasulo, Disney's, Dana Walden, Dana Walden Jason Laveris, Disney Entertainment Dana Walden, Walden, Bob Chapek, Andrew Wilson, Wilson, Chris Licht wouldn't, McCarthy, Andrew Wilson Michael Newberg, Kevin Mayer, Mayer, Bryan van der Beek, Tom Staggs, Staggs, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Terada, NBCUniversal's Peacock, Alec Martinez, Gray, Discovery's Max, Jeff Zucker, Lady Michelle Obama's, Michelle Obamas, Cheriss, Gerry Cardinale, Jeff Shell, RedBird, Shari Redstone's, David Ellison, Byron Trott, Zucker, Mark Thompson, Linda Yaccarino, X Linda Yaccarino, Vox, Jerod Harris, Yaccarino, CNBC's Julia Boorstin, Boorstin, Elon Musk's, Jason LaVeris, Barbie, Mario, Oppenheimer, LightShed's Greenfield Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Times, Santiago, Getty, Jazz, Lincoln Center, Warner Bros ., Comcast, Warner Bros, Discovery, Disney, Trian Fund Management, Future Investment Initiative, Summit, Bloomberg, Filmmagic, Disney Entertainment, Electronic Arts, CNBC, Candle Media, Iger, Media, Moonbug Entertainment, Apple Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, USA, National Basketball Association, NBA, Apple, The College, ESPN, College, NHL, MLB, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Mobile, National Hockey League, Diamond Sports Group, Scripps, Gray Television, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Arizona Coyotes, Phoenix Suns, Street Journal, Netflix, Hulu, Max, Paramount, RedBird, Paramount Global, CNN Worldwide, CNN, NurPhoto, BDT, The Ritz, Carlton, FilmMagic, Mario Bros Locations: New York City, Disney, Miami , Florida, Las Vegas , Nevada, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point , California

☆ See the 20-slide pitch deck that got Merck to back an AI-powered biotech creating drugs for untreatable diseases
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-14 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Pepper Bio wants to reduce those costs by getting drug developers to the right targets faster, using what it calls a "transomics" approach. Pepper Bio also looks at protein phosphorylation, an indication of how and when proteins are active. Pepper Bio CEO Jon Hu said working with Merck gave the startup insight into the needs of the pharma firms to which Pepper Bio hopes to sell its software. "It allows us to understand, truthfully, what drug developers are struggling with," he said. Here's the 20-slide pitch deck that got Pepper Bio $6.5 million in seed funding.

Persons: Pepper, Pepper Bio's cofounders, Jon Hu Organizations: Business, NFX, Silverton Partners, Mana Ventures, Tensility Ventures, VSC Ventures, Merck, Merck Digital Sciences, pharma

☆ Layoffs keep hitting Amazon, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, and more entertainment companies — here's the list of those with recent cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Lucia Moses | Alison Brower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Netflix missed their numbers, and Wall Street woke up," said Paul Hardart, director of NYU Stern's entertainment, media and technology program. A wide range of companies and employees were impacted, from entertainment giants to independent production companies to Hollywood talent agencies. More consolidation among the legacy media companies and independent production companies is widely expected, which often entails job cuts. Entertainment companies will get back to staffing up, but the jobs will be in stronger growth areas like gaming, streaming, and advertising, more than in filmed entertainment programming. Here are the Hollywood companies, listed alphabetically, that have made layoffs since the summer.

Persons: Paul Hardart, Bob Iger, Joanna Sucherman, Fox, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nadia Sinh, Companywide, Rami Malek, Mr, Dawn Olmstead, Heather McCauley, YANNIS DRAKOULIDIS, Oscar, Severance, Roku, Alison Levin, NBCUniversal, Curtis Brown, James, Jennifer Coolidge Organizations: Netflix, Disney, Business, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, NYU, Warner Bros, NBC, JLS Media, Entertainment, Hollywood, Amazon Studios, Studios, Talent, Variety, CAA, ICM Partners, DreamWorks Animation, Apple, NETFLIX, Nasdaq, TechCrunch, Starz, CNBC, Lionsgate, LIonsgate, UTA, Hollywood Reporter, Fletcher & Company, Co, HBO Locations: Hollywood, Australia

☆ Judge narrows lawsuit over 'South Park' streaming rights
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 14 (Reuters) - A New York trial judge has narrowed Warner Bros Discovery's lawsuit against Paramount Global (PARA.O) over the rights to stream "South Park," the animated comedy featuring foul-mouthed children. She also dismissed a claim that Paramount failed to act in good faith, because that claim duplicated Warner's breach of contract claim. Warner sued in February, saying Paramount breached the agreement by providing only 14 new episodes, and diverted other new "South Park" content to its Paramount+ streaming service under a $900 million agreement with Parker and Stone. "South Park" was launched in August 1997 on Comedy Central, owned by Paramount. The case is WarnerMedia Direct LLC v Paramount Global et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No.

Persons: Alyssa Pointer, Margaret Chan, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, HBO Max, Warner, Parker, Stone, countersued Warner, Jonathan Stempel, Franklin Paul Organizations: Warner Bros . Discovery Atlanta, REUTERS, Warner Bros, Paramount Global, Paramount, HBO, Comedy Central, New York, Court, Franklin Paul Our, Thomson Locations: Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, York, Manhattan, New, Court , New York County, New York

☆ What's Warner Bros. Discovery's next move? David Zaslav and John Malone offer clues
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In this article WBDPARA Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTDavid Zaslav, CEO and president of Warner Bros. Media company valuations have been plummeting amid streaming video losses, traditional TV subscriber defections, and a down advertising market. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros.

Persons: David Zaslav, John Malone, Malone, David Faber, Zaslav, Faber, Bob Bakish, Simon & Schuster, Shari Redstone, David A, Peacock, Brian, Roberts, Puck's Dylan Byers, Warner Organizations: Warner Bros ., Liberty Media, Liberty Global, Qurate Retail Group, CNBC, Reuters Warner Bros, Media, Warner Bros, Discovery, Sirius XM, Sirius, Paramount Global, Paramount, Viacom, CBS, Allen, Co . Media, Technology Conference, Grogan, CNBC Paramount Global, Comcast, U.S, NBC Locations: U.S, Sun Valley , Idaho

☆ Netflix, Warner Bros partner with Verizon to offer discounted streaming bundle - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 9 (Reuters) - Verizon (VZ.N) is planning to offer the ad-supported versions of Netflix (NFLX.O) and Warner Bros Discovery's (WBD.O) Max streaming services for about $10 a month combined instead of about $17, according to a source familiar with the matter. The discounted bundle is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, the source added. Netflix and Warner Bros will have to share revenue with Verizon, the source said. Verizon and Warner Bros Discovery did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for a comment. Netflix launched its ad-supported tier late last year, and it increased the prices for its premium ad-free tier in October 2023.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Zaheer Kachwala, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Netflix, REUTERS, Verizon, Warner Bros, Reuters, Street Journal, Thomson Locations: Hollywood, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Warner Bros Discovery beats quarterly profit estimates amid strike, sluggish ad market
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Discovery Atlanta campus is pictured after the Writers Guild of America began their strike against the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. May 2, 2023. The media company forged by the union of WarnerMedia and Discovery posted adjusted core earnings of $2.97 billion, above estimates of $2.92 billion, as per LSEG data. The company had 95.1 million global direct-to-consumer customers at the end of the quarter, down from 95.8 million in the previous quarter. In May, it launched its Max streaming service - combining HBO Max's scripted entertainment with Discovery's reality shows. Reporting by Samrhitha Arunasalam in Bengaluru and Helen Coster in New York; Editing by Saumyadeb ChakrabartyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alyssa Pointer, David Zaslav, Samrhitha, Helen Coster, Saumyadeb Organizations: Warner Bros . Discovery, Writers Guild of America, Alliance of Motion Pictures, Television Producers, REUTERS, Warner Bros Discovery, SAG, HBO, Thomson Locations: Warner Bros . Discovery Atlanta, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, Bengaluru, New York

☆ Here's why Warner Bros. Discovery stock is down
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHere's why Warner Bros. Discovery stock is downMichael Morris, Guggenheim Securities entertainment and media analyst, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss what's pressuring Warner Bros. Discovery's stock, his reaction to WBD's forward guidance, and what surprised Wall Street.

Persons: Michael Morris, Wall Organizations: Warner Bros, Guggenheim Securities

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery stock sinks 15% as ad revenue falls, Zaslav warns of 'generational disruption'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Drew Richardson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Discovery shares fell Wednesday after the company reported a decline in advertising revenue, a bigger-than-expected loss and lackluster streaming subscriber numbers. Discovery reported a net loss of $417 million for the third quarter, or 17 cents per share, an improvement from the $2.31 billion loss the company reported in the year-ago quarter, or 95 cents per share. Ad revenue in Warner Bros. The company reported 95.1 million global direct-to-consumer subscribers, a 700,000 decrease from the previous quarter, and less than the analyst projection of 95.4 million subscribers, according to StreetAccount. Discovery also made headway on paying off its debt load, with $2.4 billion of repayments made during the quarter, the company said.

Persons: David Zaslav, Max, Gunnar Wiedenfels Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery, Roku, Paramount, Disney, Warner Bros . Discovery, HBO Max Locations: U.S

The company reported free cash flow of $2.06 billion, compared with $1.72 billion in the prior quarter. The company posted a net loss of $417 million, narrowing from a $2.3 billion net loss from a year-ago period. Advertising revenue at its networks segment declined 12% to $1.71 billion as global conflicts and inflation created an uncertain climate for marketers. The company's streaming unit posted an adjusted core profit of $111 million, compared with a loss of $634 million a year ago. Warner Bros Discovery had 95.1 million global direct-to-consumer customers at the end of the quarter, down from 95.8 million in the previous quarter.

Persons: Mario Anzuoni, Gunnar Wiedenfels, there's, Wiedenfels, David Zaslav, Michael Schulman, Barbie, Thomas Hayes, Samrhitha, Helen Coster, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Anil D'Silva, Mark Porter Organizations: Paramount Pictures Studios, REUTERS, Warner Bros Discovery, SAG, Running, HBO, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Bengaluru, New York

☆ I dedicated my life to biology until I went on 'Naked and Afraid' and realized I could make a bigger difference doing TV instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Forrest Galante was a biologist and worked in field research before he went on "Naked and Afraid." AdvertisementAdvertisementBeing on "Naked and Afraid" is the least interesting thing I've ever doneA few weeks later I was on a plane. It was right then and there that I called my boss and told her I was going to pivot to pursuing conservation media. AdvertisementAdvertisementBasically I pivoted the public interest I was getting from "Naked and Afraid" into what I'm doing now. Dreams coming to fruitionBefore working in wildlife media, Forrest Galante worked in conservation biology.

Persons: Forrest Galante, Galante, who'd, —, It's, I'd, that's, I'm, who's, lightbulb, Eric Evangelista, I've Organizations: Service, UC Santa Barbara Locations: Southern California, California, Panama, Fernandina

☆ The NBA is shooting for a new media rights deal worth up to $60 billion, nearly triple its previous pact, that will pay teams and players millions more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( James Faris | Margaret Fleming | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Media analysts widely expect the league to select at least three distributors for its next media rights deal after the current setup expires in 2025. Comcast's NBCUniversal could be a frontrunner for a spot in the NBA's new media deal alongside Amazon, Nispel said. NBA players could be poised to earn sky-high paydaysThe NBA's last media deal — the $24 billion contract it struck in 2014 — was nearly triple the value of its previous pact. The pressure is now on the NBA to deliver a media deal that satisfies teams, athletes, and fans. Still, Macquarie media analyst Tim Nollen is optimistic about the size of the NBA's next media rights deal.

Persons: Jessica Reif Ehrlich, disruptors, Brandon Nispel, Nispel, —, Shirin Malkani, who's, Perkins, Leron Rogers, that's, Mark Patricof, Tim Nollen, Nollen, Reif Ehrlich, Ehrlich Organizations: NBA, Media, ESPN, Warner Bros, TNT, Disney, Apple, NBC, Comcast, Wall Street, Bank of America, NFL, MLB, NHL, KeyBanc Capital, Amazon, Flagship, ABC, Prime, Industry, Patricof, Macquarie, Diamond Sports

☆ How Texas Monthly is cashing in on Hollywood's true crime obsession
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Streamers increasingly are leaning into true crime and stories about the heartland, and Texas Monthly can check those boxes. Of the publication's 50 film and TV projects, half fall into the true crime genre. "They're trying to reach the middle of the country, and we've got things that do that," Scott Brown, Texas Monthly's president, told Insider. Texas Monthly also has a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at Max (and an Austin native), told Insider Texas Monthly has an "uncanny ability" to identify not only gripping true crime but also cultural stories with unforgettable characters.

Persons: Richard Linklater, Oscar, we've, Scott Brown, Brown, Taylor Sheridan, Deborah Esquenazi, Sarah Aubrey, It's, Elizabeth Olsen, Max's, Jake Giles Netter, HBO Max, —, greenlit, James Reyos Organizations: Texas, Netflix, Hollywood, Warner Bros, HBO, HBO Max Texas, Entertainment, CAA Locations: Venice, Toronto, Houston, Scott Brown , Texas, Texas, Austin, Hollywood

☆ NBA can shift the balance of power in media with its next rights deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Every media rights renewal for the NBA is an important event because it only happens about once a decade. But with the National Football League's media rights locked up until 2033, the NBA has a unique opportunity to play media kingmaker. CNBC first reported NBCUniversal's interest in again airing NBA games earlier this year. Carving up the piewatch nowThe NBA will have to balance demand against restricting supply to maximize the price for rights. Discovery's TNT, NBA TV, NBA League Pass or a regional sports network.

Persons: Jimmy Butler, Jamal Murray, Justin Edmonds, clamor, John Skipper, Ted Sarandos, Netflix hasn't, We've, Sarandos, that's, Netflix's Ted Sarandos, Jeff Kravitz, That's, Serbian Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, It's, Peacock, Michael Jordan, Discovery's Max, Aurelien Meunier, Kevin Durant Organizations: Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Ball Arena, Getty, Basketball, Comcast, Google, Apple, Netflix, YouTube, NBA, Disney, Warner Bros, Discovery, National Football, ESPN, Global, Slovenian Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, NBCUniversal, NBC, CNBC, U.S, Metropolitans, Nielsen, Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, ABC, TNT, NBA TV, Twitter Locations: Denver , Colorado, NBCUniversal, Hollywood , California, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Slovenian, Serbian, Levallois, Perret, U.S

☆ Amazon will make up to $7 billion in revenue from Prime Video ads, according to Wall Street analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon's decision to start running ads within Prime Video in early 2024 could drive up to $7 billion in ad revenue, according to three new Wall Street notes. UBS isn't the only Wall Street firm betting that Amazon's Prime Video ads will drive billions. UBS expects Prime Video ads will likely have a $30-$42 CPM — the cost to reach 1,000 people. Wedbush analysts expect Amazon to charge $50 CPMs for Prime Video ads. Insider previously reported that Amazon estimates that Prime Video ads will initially reach more than 115 million US monthly users.

Persons: Wedbush, Discovery's Max Organizations: UBS, Nielsen, UBS isn't, Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros, Prime Locations: Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Australia

☆ Full-frontal nude dating show ‘Naked Attraction’ premieres on Max
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 27 (Reuters) - A new addition to streaming service Max strips the reality dating show genre down to its bare essentials. "Naked Attraction" features six nude contestants in glass booths whose body parts are gradually revealed, “bit by lovely bit,” until a single contestant is chosen for a date. “I will remind you that HBO is the home of ‘Real Sex’ and ‘Cathouse,'” Bloys said at the Vox Media’s Code 2023 conference, referring to other explicit shows. “You need an entire mix of programming.”Discovery+ acquired all seasons of "Naked Attraction," in a 2021 deal with Britain-based distributor All3Media. As of Wednesday, the show was the most popular series on the streaming service, a week after its launch.

Persons: Casey Bloys, Danny Moloshok, Max, ” Casey Bloys, ‘, Bloys, CNN Max, Ana Navarro, Dawn Chmielewski, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: HBO, HBO Television, Association Summer Press, REUTERS, Max, ‘, Vox, Warner Bros, Discovery, CNN, Thomson Locations: Beverly Hills , California, U.S, Britain, Italy, Sweden, Singapore, American, Dana Point , California

☆ Warner Bros to expand British studios' production capacity by over 50%
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The exterior of the Warner Bros. REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 21 (Reuters) - Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O) on Thursday said it planned to expand production capacity at its Leavesden studios near London by more than 50%, adding 10 new sound stages to the facility where much of the "Barbie" blockbuster and HBO's "House of the Dragon" were filmed. Hunt told Reuters in a telephone interview that the investment would total 245 million pounds ($301 million). Warner Bros said it would increase the value of Leavesden's annual film and television production by 200 million pounds ($245.9 million), bringing it to 600 million pounds ($737.6 million a year, Warner Bros Discovery said. Hunt said the Leavesden project "is a huge vote of confidence in the UK" and will benefit from longstanding British tax breaks for local film and television production.

Persons: Alyssa Pointer, Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, Warner Bros, David Lawder, Chris Reese, Michael Perry Organizations: Warner Bros . Discovery, REUTERS, Warner Bros Discovery, British Finance, Reuters, Warner, Warner Bros, Thomson Locations: Warner Bros . Discovery Atlanta, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, London, Los Angeles, California, Silicon

☆ Amazon Prime will now have ads — unless you fork over an extra $2.99 a month
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon announced that ads will be introduced to Prime Video in early 2024. Of course, with the introduction of ads, comes the introduction of a new ad-free subscription — Prime Video users can opt to pay $2.99 more per month for an ad-free membership, the company said in a statement. Currently a standalone Prime Video subscription costs $8.99 per month. Both Peacock and and Paramount+ raised their ad-free subscription prices by $2, from $9.99 to $11.99, this past July. Of course, as Insider's Nathan McAlone puts it — the end of cheap streaming is not here yet, but rather the end of cheap, ad-free streaming.

Persons: Amazon, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Mark Schilsky, Max, Peacock, Insider's Nathan McAlone Organizations: Amazon, Service, Warner Bros, Paramount, Bernstein Research, Disney, Hulu, Netflix, Apple Locations: Wall, Silicon, UK, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Australia

☆ South African insurer Discovery resumes dividend on strong balance sheet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Nqobile Dludla | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of South Africa's Discovery group in seen on its headquarters in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, February 20, 2020. Discovery, which has a market share of 57.8% in the health insurance space, declared a final dividend of 110 South Africa cents per share. The company said organic cash generation was strong during the year after increased cash generation in its life insurance Discovery Life following high COVID-19 related claims in the prior period and the reduction in the cost of new initiatives. Discovery's headline earnings per share (HEPS) were 834.3 South African cents, up 5% from 792.4 cents a year earlier. Normalised HEPS, which Discovery considers a more accurate measure of its profit and which also excludes exceptional items, rose by 32%.

Persons: Mike Hutchings, Adrian Gore, Gore, Nqobile, Mark Potter, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Bank, Discovery Ltd, Thomson Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, JOHANNESBURG, Africa, Britain

☆ After a year of chaos, CNN bets on new CEO Thompson to focus on long-term viability
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Entelis, Moseley, Sherling and Leavy all plan to stay at CNN as Thompson takes over as CEO, according to people familiar with the matter. Programming CNN MaxBefore joining The New York Times, Thompson was director-general — a combination of chief executive and editor-in-chief — of the British Broadcasting Corporation. He'll have a chance to develop new shows at CNN Max, a tab in Warner Bros. With CNN Max, Thompson will try to program for a younger audience. Thompson will have some runway to invest in CNN Max.

Persons: Brandon Bell, Mark Thompson, Thompson, Donald Trump, Entelis, CNN hasn't, Licht, Jeff Zucker, Andrew Morse, CNN Max, CNN's, —, Zucker, Jason Kilar, Max, JB Perrette, Gabelli's Kevin Dreyer Organizations: CNN, Getty, Licht, Warner Bros . Discovery, Republican, The New York Times, Times, New York Times, CNN.com, Athletic, British Broadcasting Corporation, Warner Bros, U.S, Variety, Disney Locations: Atlanta , Georgia, Thompson's, Moseley, Sherling

☆ Live sports are headed to Max, as Warner Bros. Discovery adds a new tier to streaming app
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sports are coming to Warner Bros. CNBC previously reported Warner Bros. Warner Bros. In May, the streamer was renamed Max after the parent company blended the content of HBO Max and Discovery+ apps together. The move came more than a year after the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery.

Persons: Cody Bellinger, Louis, Tommy Edman, Max, David Zaslav, CNN Max Organizations: Los Angeles Dodgers, Louis Cardinals, Dodger, Sports, Warner Bros, TNT, TBS, Major League, NHL, NBA, CNBC, Max, HBO Max, AMC Networks, CNN, Company

☆ You haven't been paying a fair price for your streaming services. Warner Bros. Discovery CFO says: 'I think that's in the process of being corrected'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A change may be coming to your streaming services, Warner Bros. The services have been undervalued, Gunnar Wiedenfels said, and "quality content has been given away"That could spell price hikes. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs Insider's Matt Turner summed up: "Streaming services have been underpriced in the name of attracting critical mass." In January, Warner Bros Discovery increased the price of an ad-free subscription to HBO Max for the first time since its launch in 2020. Aside from boosting prices, services are also cracking down on password sharing.

Persons: Gunnar Wiedenfels, Wiedenfels, Max —, Matt Turner, Comcast's Peacock, Max, Peacock, Mark Schilsky, HBO Max, we're, Bob Iger, Schilsky Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery, Service, Bank of America Securities Media, Communications, Entertainment Conference, Netflix, Hulu, Disney, Paramount, Apple, Bernstein Research, Warner Bros Discovery, HBO, HBO Max, Wall Street Journal Locations: Wall, Silicon, Hollywood

☆ How Parrot Analytics shook up Hollywood by picking streaming hits
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The Hollywood strikes thrust Parrot Analytics, which measures film and TV demand, into the spotlight. Parrot Analytics, a decade-old research firm, has in recent years built a complicated reputation in Hollywood with its proprietary system for measuring audience interest in films and TV shows. As streaming consumption skyrocketed and companies like Netflix kept audience data under wraps, Parrot offered one of the few apples-to-apples measurements across different series and films. Some producers and agents say Parrot has brought much-needed transparency to content measurement. "Parrot Analytics would reward quite a few shows that weren't the most viewed shows in America," he wrote.

Persons: Wared Seger, Seger, Parrot, he's, Seger's, Nielsen, Discovery's Max, Julia Alexander —, —, It's, HBO's Casey Bloys, Avalon, Jon Thoday, Matthew Ball, shouldn't, Guy, aren't, it's Organizations: Hollywood, Netflix, SAG, Alliance, Producers, ABC, Nielsen, Disney, CAA, Amazon's, Writers Guild of America, Warner Bros, Amazon Studios Locations: Hollywood, LA, Seger, New Zealand, Boston, America

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