DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Hollywood studios racing to avoid actors' strike at midnight
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] People attend a demonstration held by the Writers Guild of America as the film and TV writers' strike continues, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 21, 2023. SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood's largest union, is demanding higher compensation in the streaming TV era plus safeguards around the use of artificial intelligence (AI). They would join about 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who went on strike in early May. A strike by SAG-AFTRA would force more sets to shut down and pile pressure on studios to find a resolution. The studios and the WGA have not held talks since the writers' strike began on May 2.

Persons: Mike Blake, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Walt Disney, Lisa Richwine, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Writers Guild of America, REUTERS, SAG, Hollywood, WGA, Screen, Netflix, Disney, Comcast, Paramount Global, Alliance, Television Producers, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Hollywood's

☆ Disney explores strategic options for India business - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 11 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) is exploring strategic options for its Star India business, including a joint venture or a sale, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company has talked to at least one bank about ways to help the India business grow, while sharing some of the costs, according to the report. The talks are in the early stages and it is unclear which options, if any, Disney might pursue, WSJ said. Disney's India business comprises Disney+ Hotstar streaming service and Star India, which it took over when it acquired the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Star India, which was rebranded as Disney Star last year, encompasses dozens of TV channels and a stake in a movie production company.

Persons: Walt Disney, Hotstar, Yuvraj Malik, Shounak Dasgupta, Shailesh Organizations: Star India, Wall Street, Disney, Century Fox, Disney Star, Thomson Locations: India, Bengaluru

☆ Analysis: New anti-ESG rule in Missouri offers US Republicans another path away from 'wokeness'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Ross Kerber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Ashcroft acted after Republican lawmakers failed to pass a similar measure during the state's legislative session that ended on May 12, amid infighting over which bills should be prioritized. Concerns over costs, bureaucracy and economic fallout led to bills stalling or passing in weakened form even in so-called red states, where Republicans dominate state government. Several corporate attorneys said other Republican officials may adopt Ashcroft's playbook and act on their own. According to a spokesperson, Ashcroft initiated the rulemaking before the legislative session began, essentially as a backup plan in case lawmakers did not act on the same idea introduced in January. EXTRA ARROWSFinancial executives who so far have avoided the strongest laws worry that the possibility of executive or administrative actions, as in Missouri, gives state officials flexibility to keep up the pressure.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Walt Disney, Missouri's, John " Jay, Ashcroft, Ashcroft's, Beth I.Z, Boland, Lardner, Larry Fink, Dan Mehan, Lance Dial, Chuck Gray, West, Ron DeSantis, Ross Kerber, Greg Roumeliotis, Anna Driver, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Walt, Republican U.S, Merriam, Webster, Strategy, Foley, Republicans, Morningstar, BlackRock, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, state's, Representatives, Republican, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Missouri, Florida, Thomson Locations: Appleton City , Missouri, U.S, Missouri, Boston, BLK.N, Wyoming, ESG

☆ Mission Impossible: Paramount reckoning
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

NEW YORK, July 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Paramount Global’s (PARA.O) predicament is worthy of its successful “Mission: Impossible” franchise. Over the past year or so, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) has bought and increased its stake in Paramount to about 15%. Without the funding, her closely held firm might have needed to pledge more of its Paramount stock against a loan. Streaming service Paramount+ is similar to Netflix, whose enterprise is worth 5 times next year’s estimated revenue. “Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One,” from Paramount Pictures, opens in movie theaters on July 12.

Persons: Shari Redstone, Looney, Walt Disney, Sumner, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Goldman Sachs, Byron Trott, Rudolph Valentino, Mae West, Marx, Trustbusters, Martin Davis, Sumner Redstone, Simon, Schuster, Walt, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam, Streisand Neto Organizations: YORK, Reuters, Paramount, Warner Bros Discovery, AT, Netflix, Apple, Comcast, Electronic Arts, MSD Partners, Viacom, Audio Communications, CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, Time Warner, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Tiffany Network, National Football League, Fox, Amazon, MGM, U.S, Penguin Random, Walt Disney, Amusements, Paramount Global, BDT Capital Partners, “, Paramount Pictures, Thomson Locations: U.S, Gulf, Western, NAI

☆ Disney accused in lawsuit of 'systematically' paying women less than men in California
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Industry Insight | Corporate Attorneys Don T Want To Pay Law Firms For Chatgpt When They Could Use It Themselves | Zach Warren | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File PhotoJune 30 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) has been accused of systematically underpaying women in California in a lawsuit that alleges the company's female employees in the state earned $150 million less than their male counterparts over an eight year period. An analysis of Disney's human resource data from April 2015 through December 2022 has found female Disney employees were paid roughly 2% less than male counterparts, the filing said. Nine current or past Disney employees have joined the suit. Lower pay for women in California would breach the state's Equal Pay Act and the Fair Employment & Housing Act.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Walt Disney, David Neumark, Shawna, Swanson, LaRonda Rasmussen, Lori Andrus, Dawn Chmielewski, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Disney, University of California Irvine, Housing, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, California, Los Angeles

☆ ESPN lays off on-air talent including NBA analyst Van Gundy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Houston Rockets Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy shouts about a call during the second half of NBA basketball action against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City April 18, 2007. REUTERS/Steve Wilson (UNITED STATES)/File PhotoJune 30 (Reuters) - ESPN laid off about 20 of its sports personalities on Friday as the Walt Disney (DIS.N) unit seeks to more closely manage costs, a source said. Among those affected by the cuts were long-time NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy, former head coach of the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, and studio analyst Jalen Rose, a former NBA player at six teams including the Indiana Pacers. It also laid off ESPN Radio's morning show co-hosts, Max Kellerman and Keyshawn Johnson. ESPN has already undergone two rounds of layoffs that did not impact talent as part of parent company Disney's announced plans to eliminate 7,000 jobs.

Persons: Jeff Van Gundy, Steve Wilson, Jalen Rose, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, “, ”, Disney's, pare, Dawn Chmielewski, Ken Ferris Organizations: Houston Rockets, NBA, Utah Jazz, REUTERS, UNITED STATES, ESPN, Walt Disney, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, ” ESPN, Reuters, Burbank, Thomson Locations: Salt Lake, Los Angeles

☆ Hollywood faces possible second strike as actors' talks near deadline
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The letter came after union negotiators issued a video saying their talks had been "extremely productive," a possible sign that a deal was within reach. A strike by SAG-AFTRA, which represents 160,000 actors, would turn up the heat on Hollywood studios already grappling with a nearly two-month work stoppage by the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Any ongoing filming would have to halt if actors also strike. The studios and the WGA have not held talks since the writers' strike began on May 2. The last writers' strike in 2007 and 2008 cost the California economy an estimated $2.1 billion.

Persons: Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Phoebe Waller, Indiana Jones, Waller, AFTRA, Judd Apatow, Lisa Richwine, Hanna Rantala, Sarah Mills, Mary Milliken, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Netflix Inc, Walt Disney Co, SAG, Hollywood, Writers Guild of America, WGA, Reuters, Television Producers, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, London, California, Los Angeles

ANAHEIM, California, June 30 (Reuters) - For the first time ever, Marvel fans will be able to watch heroic super soldier Steve Rogers sing and dance on stage in Disneyland Resort's one-act musical theater production “Rogers: The Musical.”As part of Walt Disney's (DIS.N) 100th anniversary celebration, Disneyland opened the 30-minute musical on Friday at the Hyperion Theater in Disney California Adventure Park. “Rogers: The Musical” was introduced as a fictional Broadway musical in the first episode of the Disney+ miniseries “Hawkeye,” a show about the superhero Clint Barton, an archer who uses high-tech weaponry. What if we could turn 'Rogers: The Musical' into a real show?’" Dan Fields, executive creative director for Disney Live Entertainment, told Reuters. In addition to Steve Rogers, audiences can expect to see characters Peggy Carter, Nick Fury and some of the Avengers members as they go from Steve’s origin story into the future. “Rogers: The Musical” will perform multiple times per day, Tuesday through Saturday most weeks.

Persons: Steve Rogers, “ Rogers, Walt Disney's, Hawkeye, ”, Clint Barton, Rogers, Dan Fields, America, Christopher Lennertz, Kevin Feige, ” Fields, Peggy Carter, Nick Fury, Danielle Broadway, Mary Milliken, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Marvel, Disneyland, Hyperion Theater, Disney, Disney California Adventure, Disney Live Entertainment, Reuters, Disney Convention, Adventure, Thomson Locations: ANAHEIM, California, Disney California, ”

☆ US women's team to receive courage award for equal pay fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. women's national soccer team will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at next month's ESPYs in recognition of their fight for equal pay with their male counterparts, ESPN said on Wednesday. In May 2022, the U.S. women's and men's soccer teams reached landmark collective bargaining agreements with the national governing body for the sport that will see players receive equal pay and prize money, including at World Cups. "It feels like this is a paradigm shift or a moment we'll look back to and say that nothing was ever the same after this Women's World Cup," U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe said on Tuesday. The ESPYs, which pay tribute to the top athletes and performances of the past year, are presented and televised by Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) sports network ESPN. Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Arthur Ashe, Courage, Megan Rapinoe, Frank Pingue, Toby Davis Organizations: ESPN, Courage, Black tennis, Walt Disney Co, Thomson Locations: U.S, Toronto

Companies Walt Disney Co FollowWILMINGTON, Delaware, June 27 (Reuters) - The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) board did not act negligently when it criticized a sexual identity bill signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Delaware judge ruled on Tuesday, in a case the judge said was improperly directed by a conservative legal group. The ruling by Lori Will of Delaware's Court of Chancery means that Disney will not have to turn over internal records including years of board members' emails sought by shareholder Kenneth Simeone, who sued Disney in December. Disney's criticism touched off a war of words with DeSantis and led to the state removing the company's control of a special administrative district that promotes development around the Walt Disney World resort. DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, has used his battle against what he calls "woke Disney" to raise his national profile. Simeone, Jonna and Disney did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Lori Will, Kenneth Simeone, Will, Disney, Paul Jonna, Tom Hals, Jamie Freed Organizations: Walt Disney Co, Florida, Delaware's, Disney, Walt Disney, Thomas More Society, Thomson Locations: WILMINGTON , Delaware, Delaware, Wilmington , Delaware

☆ AI’s deflationary winds will blow away profits
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Francesco Guerrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

LONDON, June 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The prevailing expectation for artificial intelligence’s (AI’s) impact on humans is laden with doom. Yet the history of technological innovation suggests humans will see at least one tangible benefit from AI: lower prices for what they consume. One innovation that could give consumers an advantage over companies is AI agents. Streaming services like Netflix (NFLX.O) and Walt Disney’s (DIS.N) Disney+ could also suffer if AI agents take off. Junior lawyers, call centre operators and advertising copywriters, to name but a few, should probably be afraid, very afraid of AI’s looming threat.

Persons: ”, Geena Davis, David Cronenberg’s, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley reckons, HelloFresh, Walt Disney’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Goldman, McKinsey, Nvidia, May, Reuters Graphics Reuters, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Netflix, Deloitte, Thomson Locations: United States, Mallorca

LOS ANGELES, June 23 (Reuters) - Film and television directors voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new three-year labor contract with major Hollywood studios on Friday, averting a second work stoppage that would have added to upheaval caused by an ongoing writers' strike. The DGA represents 19,000 directors, assistant directors and others who work on film and TV productions. During the last WGA strike in 2007 and 2008, a studio deal with the DGA prompted writers to head back to the bargaining table. Striking writers have insisted that the directors' latest deal will not influence their position this time. Hollywood actors, meanwhile, are in the middle of their own labor talks with studios.

Persons: Lisa Richwine, Steve Gorman, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Hollywood, of America, Alliance, Television Producers, Walt Disney Co, Netflix Inc, Guild of America, WGA, DGA, SAG, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, Los Angeles

☆ Who are the Republican candidates running for president?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

June 22 (Reuters) - At least 11 Republican candidates have announced that they will try to win their party's nomination to take on Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 2024 election. DONALD TRUMPTrump, 77, announced his election campaign last November as he faced criticism from within his Republican Party over his support for far-right candidates who were defeated in the midterm elections. She attracts about 4% support among Republican voters. DOUG BURGUMDoug Burgum, who is serving his second four-year term as North Dakota's governor, launched his campaign earlier this month. WILL HURDFormer U.S. Representative Will Hurd, who was among the few Republicans who criticized Trump when he was president, is one of two Black candidates in the 2024 Republican race.

Persons: Joe Biden, DONALD TRUMP Trump, Biden, Trump, RON DESANTIS, DeSantis, MIKE, Pence, Trump's, NIKKI HALEY, Haley, TIM SCOTT, Scott, VIVEK RAMASWAMY, Ramaswamy, CHRIS CHRISTIE, Chris Christie, ASA HUTCHINSON, Hutchinson, DOUG BURGUM Doug Burgum, FRANCIS SUAREZ, FRANCIS SUAREZ Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Suarez, WILL HURD, Representative Will Hurd, Hurd, Katharine Jackson, Ross Colvin, Frances Kerry Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Republican Party, New, Twitter, Trump, Walt Disney Co, Ukraine, U.S . Capitol, Constitution, Republican White House, Christian, United Nations, Biden, TIM, Black Republican U.S, Reuters, New Jersey, ASA, White House, Microsoft, FRANCIS SUAREZ Miami Mayor, Cuban, WILL HURD Former U.S, Representative, CIA, Intelligence, Thomson Locations: New York, Florida, U.S, South Carolina, Arkansas, Southern, South Florida, East, South Asia

☆ TikTok COO Pappas quits after five years in the role
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 22 (Reuters) - TikTok Chief Operating Officer V. Pappas is stepping down after five years with the short-video company owned by China's ByteDance, according to an email seen by Reuters on Thursday. In an email to staff, Pappas said they would be taking on an advisory role for the company during the transition. "Given all the successes reached at TikTok, I finally feel the time is right to move on and refocus on my entrepreneurial passions," said Pappas, who uses the pronoun they. Adam Presser, TikTok's chief of staff, will become head of operations and oversee content, user operations and distribution, Chew said. Last month, TikTok sued Montana after it became the first state to ban the app state-wide.

Persons: Pappas, China's ByteDance, Shou Chew, Zenia Mucha, TikTok, Adam Presser, TikTok's, Chew, Samrhitha, Dawn Chmielewski, Sheila Dang, Devika Syamnath, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Reuters, Walt Disney Co, Thomson Locations: TikTok, Montana, Bengaluru, Dawn, Los Angeles, Dallas

☆ TikTok and Candle Media strike deal to co-create content
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 20 (Reuters) - TikTok and Blackstone-backed Candle Media will co-create content and branded entertainment as part of a broad strategic partnership in the United States, the companies said on Tuesday. A key piece of the partnership will be Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon's company that Candle acquired in 2021. TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, will also allow advertisers purchase advertisements directly adjacent to Candle content and share that ad revenue as part of the tie-up. Candle Media was founded by former top Walt Disney (DIS.N) executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs. Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Reese Witherspoon's, TikTok, HBO's, hashtag, China's ByteDance, Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs, Jaspreet Singh, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Blackstone, Media, Walt Disney, Thomson Locations: United States, Bengaluru

☆ 'Dahmer' producer Ryan Murphy plans to leave Netflix for Disney, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 20 (Reuters) - Hit television writer and producer Ryan Murphy is planning to leave Netflix (NFLX.O) to join Walt Disney (DIS.N), Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Murphy is known for his creation of hits from "Glee" to "9-1-1" and "American Horror Story" and serial-killer series "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," which became one of Netflix's most-watched series of all time. He left Fox in 2018 to join Netflix in a five-year deal valued as high as $300 million to produce a new series and film exclusively for the online giant. The TV show creator has been negotiating a new deal with Disney over the past year. Disney and Netflix did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

Persons: Ryan Murphy, Murphy, Dahmer, Jeffrey Dahmer, Carol Burnett, Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, Norman Lear, Samrhitha, Maju Samuel Organizations: Netflix, Walt Disney, Bloomberg, Fox, Disney, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Golden Globes, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

Universal’s “The Super Mario Bros.” movie and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” both animated films, have racked up big ticket sales this year. The successes of "Super Mario Bros." and "Spider-Man" also reflect a new post-COVID-19 trend at box offices, Hollywood insiders say. In his book, “Creativity, Inc.,” Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull credited Pixar's brain trust with the studio’s early box-office triumphs. Catmull and other members of the original brain trust are gone, though Docter remains, now in the role of chief creative officer. During the pandemic's peak, when many cinemas were closed, Disney launched three Pixar films directly to Disney+_in the U.S., bypassing theaters.

Persons: ”, Universal’s, Mario, Tony Chambers, Disney's, don’t, Chambers, DreamWorks Animation’s, “ Ruby Gillman, Tom Sito, King, Sito, Jeff Bock, Ed Catmull, — John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Joe Ranft —, Docter, Domee Shi, Soul’s ’ Kemp Powers, Pixar’s, Brad Bird, Oscar, “, Darla K, Anderson, “ Coco ”, Bob Chapek, there’s, we’ve, ” Docter, it’ll, Dawn Chmielewski, Lisa Richwine, Kenneth Li, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Pixar, Inc, Walt Disney, Universal Studios, DreamWorks, University of Southern, Netflix, Disney, Apple, Relations, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, U.S, Canada, Disney, University of Southern California, ”

☆ New Pixar film 'Elemental' opens weak for Disney
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The opening figure for the United States and Canada fell shy of box office forecasts and ranked among the lowest ever for a film from Pixar, the acclaimed animation studio behind "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and other classics. "Elemental," a story about overcoming outward differences, added $15 million overseas for a global total of $45 million, Disney said. The film opened in just three major international markets and will expand to other countries in the coming weeks. Pixar is looking to rebound from the box office disappointment of its 2022 release "Lightyear," the origin story of "Toy Story" hero Buzz Lightyear. The movie brought in an earthbound $226.7 million in global ticket sales, a fraction of the $1 billion take for 2019's "Toy Story 4."

Persons: Buzz Lightyear, Peter Sohn’s, Lisa Richwine, Leslie Adler Organizations: U.S, Walt Disney Co, Pixar, Disney, Reuters, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, United States, Canada, City, American

☆ Disney finance chief Christine McCarthy to step down
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

June 15 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) said on Thursday Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy would be stepping down. Kevin Lansberry, Executive Vice President of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products will serve as the company's interim CFO effective July 1. McCarthy is taking family medical leave of absence and will continue to serve as a strategic advisor to ensure a successful transition, the company said. Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Walt Disney, Christine McCarthy, Kevin Lansberry, McCarthy, Chavi Mehta, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Disney Parks, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

June 13 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) on Tuesday announced that a new "Star Wars" film will reach theaters in 2026 but said it would postpone the release of the next three installments in James Cameron's blockbuster "Avatar" series. The studio also pushed back the scheduled release dates for "Thunderbolts" and "Blade," two Marvel films that have been disrupted by the ongoing strike by Hollywood writers. "Avatar 3," originally scheduled to debut in December 2024, is now set for release in December 2025. "Avatar 4" is slated for December 2029 and "Avatar 5" for December 2031. A new "Star Wars" movie was scheduled for December 2026, one of two in the space saga that will be released that year.

Persons: James Cameron's, Jon Landau, Landau, Mahershala Ali, Ryan Reynolds, Dawn Chmielewski, Lisa Richwine, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Walt Disney Co, Tuesday, Marvel, Hollywood, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Sony’s India deal episode hits fresh cliffhanger
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, June 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Sony's (6758.T) Indian unit keeps running into fresh plot twists. The deal, in the works since late 2021, has already overcome multiple hurdles. Zee has weathered shareholder calls for a rejig of the company’s board and from creditors to declare it insolvent. After all, it is a strategic combination designed to take on Disney (DIS.N), Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), Netflix (NFLX.O) and others. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Punit Goenka, Subhash Chandra, Goenka, Shritama Bose, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Zee Entertainment, Securities, Exchange Board, India, Sony, Disney, Reliance Industries, Netflix, Zee, Twitter, Brookfield, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, London, Teck, China

The movie is projected to debut with a modest $31 million to $41 million this weekend in the U.S., according to the Box Office Pro website. That is well shy of the recent $120.5 million haul for Sony’s critically acclaimed animated hit "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." Pixar is looking to rebound from the box office disappointment of 2022 release "Lightyear," the origin story of "Toy Story" hero Buzz Lightyear. "Judging Pixar on the recent past, history would not be kind," said SVB MoffettNathanson media analyst Michael Nathanson. But the move dealt a blow to creatives who had hoped their films would be seen on the big screen, according to one Pixar director who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Persons: Athie, Leah Lewis, Pete Docter, Denise Ream, Peter Sohn, Adele Exarchopoulos, Vincent Lacoste, Jim Morris, Read, Buzz Lightyear, Pixar, Michael Nathanson, Sohn, Mario, Shawn Robbins, Robbins, Bob Chapek’s, Luca, creatives, Sohn’s, Dawn Chmielewski, Lisa Richwine, Nathan Frandino, Kenneth Li, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Cannes Film, Pixar Animation Studios, Box, Pixar, Reuters, Walt Disney Co, Reuters Television, Comcast, Universal Pictures, Mario Bros, Sony Pictures, Pro, Disney, U.S, Cannes, Rotten, Thomson Locations: U.S, City, Los Angeles, San Francisco

As part of India's anti-tobacco drive, the health ministry last month ordered streaming platforms to insert static health warnings during smoking scenes within three months. IAMAI asked the health ministry to revisit the "onerous" rules, saying a survey had shown viewers were indifferent to depictions of smoking on streaming platforms, the letter said. Beyond Hollywood content, streaming companies Netflix (NFLX.O), Amazon (AMZN.O), Disney (DIS.N) and JioCinema have become increasingly popular in India. Activists have welcomed India's new rules, saying it would discourage smoking in a country where tobacco kills 1.3 million people each year. All smoking and alcohol drinking scenes in movies in India's cinemas and on TV, under law, require health warnings, but there were so far no regulations for the streaming giants.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Mukesh Ambani's, IAMAI, Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine, Sanjay Seth, Seth, Aditya Kalra, William Maclean Organizations: Netflix, Disney, REUTERS, Reuters, Internet, Mobile Association of India, Health Foundation, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India

☆ Disney to offer free mobile streaming of cricket in India like rival JioCinema
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 9 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) Hotstar will offer free streaming of cricket tournaments in India on mobile devices, a move similar to its top rival JioCinema, as it aims to court more users in the cricket-crazy country. Hotstar on Friday said it will offer the Asia Cup and ICC Men's Cricket World Cup tournaments at no cost to users. The company lost the streaming rights for the highly popular Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament to Reliance Industries' (RELI.NS) JioCinema earlier this year. JioCinema, which made the tournament free to watch, clocked a record 1.47 billion digital views in the first weekend of the tournament. While JioCinema is preparing to start charging users for its content, it plans to keep IPL streaming free, Jyoti Deshpande, president of Reliance's media and content business, told Bloomberg in an April Interview.

Persons: Walt Disney, Hotstar, JioCinema, Jyoti Deshpande, Munsif Vengattil, Priya Sagar, Janane Venkatraman, Jason Neely Organizations: Walt Disney Co's, Asia Cup, ICC Men's Cricket, Indian Premier League, Reliance Industries, Research, IPL, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: India, Hotstar, New Delhi, Bengaluru

☆ Factbox: Who are the Republican candidates running for president?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

June 22 (Reuters) - At least 10 Republican candidates have announced that they will try to win their party's nomination to take on Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 2024 election. DONALD TRUMPTrump, 77, announced his election campaign last November as he faced criticism from within his Republican Party over his support for far-right candidates who were defeated in the midterm elections. Like Biden, the former president remains unpopular with swaths of the electorate. DOUG BURGUMDoug Burgum, who is serving his second four-year term as North Dakota's governor, launched his campaign earlier this month. FRANCIS SUAREZMiami Mayor Francis Suarez, 45, is the only Hispanic candidate in the Republican field and the third candidate from Florida along with Trump and DeSantis.

Persons: Joe Biden, DONALD TRUMP Trump, Biden, Trump, RON DESANTIS, DeSantis, MIKE, Pence, Trump's, NIKKI HALEY, Haley, TIM SCOTT, Scott, VIVEK RAMASWAMY, Ramaswamy, CHRIS CHRISTIE, Chris Christie, ASA HUTCHINSON, Hutchinson, DOUG BURGUM Doug Burgum, FRANCIS SUAREZ, FRANCIS SUAREZ Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Suarez, Katharine Jackson, Ross Colvin, Andy Sullivan, Colleen Jenkins, Nick Zieminski, Alistair Bell, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Republican Party, New, Twitter, Trump, Walt Disney Co, Ukraine, U.S . Capitol, Constitution, Republican White House, Christian, United Nations, Biden, TIM, Black Republican U.S, Reuters, New Jersey, ASA, White House, Microsoft, FRANCIS SUAREZ Miami Mayor, Cuban, Thomson Locations: New York, Florida, U.S, South Carolina, Arkansas, Southern, South Florida

Search resuls for: "DIS.N"

25 mentions found