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☆ I'm an assistant at Disney and I feel completely stuck in my career
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Even though I knew that going in, I needed a job — and a job at Disney sounded good. So I took the job as a Disney assistant, and part of me hoped that things would sort themselves out once I started working. Personally, I feel stuck as an assistant at Disney, and don't see any career mobility at all. But a lot of people stay in these creative executive roles and senior executive roles — and even junior executive roles, the rank closest to mine — for a long time. In the rare event that there's an opening, companies sometimes look for external candidates to fill open executive roles, which is also frustrating.

Persons: I've, It's, —, we've, who's, hasn't, they're, it's, that's, I'm, Reed Alexander Organizations: Disney, Hollywood Locations: Hollywood, —, Los Angeles

☆ I thought my Disney assistant job would supercharge my career. But moving up seems harder every day with the challenges facing Hollywood, and my hope is fading.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Persons: I've, It's, —, we've, who's, hasn't, they're, it's, that's, I'm, Reed Alexander Organizations: Disney, Hollywood Locations: Hollywood, —, Los Angeles

☆ Hollywood insiders are bracing for M&A activity to make a comeback, as 10 experts reveal the deals they're predicting
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Reed Alexander | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

"The unknown is hard to transact in," Sam Powers, the global head of technology, media, and telecommunications for Bank of America, told Insider. Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision , which was completed Thursday, has also put media and tech M&A back in the spotlight. "People have been holding their breath in nervous anticipation" about the idea of tech buying big media , one investor told Insider. Private-equity bets on media and Hollywood have seen mixed resultsPrivate-equity firms may have the cash to finance major media acquisitions, but they're reckoning with market volatility. Are you a Hollywood insider?

Persons: Hollywood dealmakers, Jonathan Handel, Sam Powers, Bob Iger, —, Byron Allen, Greg Doherty, Iger, Disney's, Byron Allen —, Allen, Disney, it's, Handel, It's, you've, Reese Witherspoon, Dave Kotinsky, Moonbug, Reese Witherspoon's, Jeff Zucker, Abu, Tom Staggs, Kevin Mayer, Lucia Moses, Reed Alexander Organizations: Hollywood, Puck News, Bank of America, SAG, Writers Guild of America, Disney, ESPN, Activision, Byron Allen The Weather, Wall Street shareholders, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hulu, ABC, Nexstar Media Group, Allen Media Group, Weather, Lionsgate, Starz, Paramount, BET, Warner Bros, Games, Disney Digital Network, Maker Studios, Observers, Comcast, Paramount Global, Tech, MGM, Microsoft, Netflix, Apple, RedBird Capital Partners, RedBird IMI, Private, SP, G Global Market Intelligence, Bloomberg, Media, Apollo Global Management, Yahoo Locations: Hollywood, Blackstone, Abu Dhabi, lmoses@insider.com, ralexander@insider.com

☆ Families of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas are pleading for their release and say they have no idea how their relatives are doing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Insider spoke to family members of those believed to be kidnapped to understand what happens now. He added that the American Jewish Committee's offices in Jerusalem and the US were actively "responding when we receive calls from family members" about missing loved ones. "We started getting WhatsApp messages from family members that Hamas was in the kibbutz," Onn said. But, as for those who were taken, Onn said the family has to hold on to hope during an excruciating time. A plea from loved onesInformation about missing loved ones has been hard to come by, people in Israel told Insider on Sunday and Monday.

Persons: —, Jonathan Conricus, Nir Oz, Abbey, Onn, That's, it's, Ted Deutch, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Kenneth Quinn, who's, Quinn, Nahar, Adrienne Neta, Biden, Neta, Rubi Chen, Itay, Chen, Lester Holt, John Kirby, Kirby, Shelly Shem Tov, Omer, Jake Tapper, Shem Tov, Tapper, she'd, Reed Alexander Organizations: Service, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, US State Department, Israel Defence Forces, American Jewish Committee, Democratic, Jewish, Israel, Reuters, State Department, NBC News, National Security Council, White, United, CNN Locations: Gaza, Israel, American, Herzliya, Tel Aviv, Florida, Jerusalem, Hamas, Washington, United States, Israeli

☆ Assistants at companies like Netflix and Disney are 'waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel' as their careers stall and they can't get promoted: 'I don't see a way up'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Trying to maintain a career in Hollywood was "not something that was feasible for me to continue," this person told Insider. Insider spoke with eight current and former assistants at Hollywood companies, plus a former creative executive at a midsize film studio. Many hopefuls can't find jobs in an industry that's been wracked with head count reductions and budget cuts. Netflix's website lists just one open assistant job — a role in a non-creative vertical. At Paramount, which cut 25% of staff from its US cable networks earlier this year, there appear to be no open executive assistant jobs in entertainment capacities .

Persons: —, strivers, that's, David Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, Bob Iger —, there's, WBD, they've, they'd, I'm, Reed Alexander Organizations: Hollywood, Netflix, Paramount Global, Disney, Warner Bros . Discovery, Paramount, Media, Writers Guild of America, Challenger, Warner Bros, Discovery, Entertainment Locations: Hollywood, Los Angeles and New York

☆ How an Army combat medic pivoted to filmmaking, thanks in part to a Sundance program that fostered directors like Ryan Coogler and Chloe Zhao
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Directors Lab, which goes back 40 years and claims graduates from Quentin Tarantino and Gina Prince-Bythewood to Ryan Coogler to Chloe Zhao, is a supercharged accelerator for new filmmakers. Rashad Frett, right, a member of the 2023 Directors Lab, speaks with Michelle Satter, founding director of the Sundance Institute's Feature Film Program. It's a 20-minute short that screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January; Fretts' time at the Directors Lab was devoted to developing it into a feature, filming multiple scenes. But it took a few tries before his application to join the Directors Lab was successful, he said. Rashad Frett works on his short film "Ricky" during this year's Directors Lab, conducted by the Sundance Institute.

Persons: Rashad Frett, Frett, Quentin Tarantino, Gina Prince, Bythewood, Ryan Coogler, Chloe Zhao, Michelle Satter, who's, Sciences Jean Hersholt, Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton, Satter, —, Jonathan Hickerson, he'd, Spike Lee, Ricky, Lin Que Ayoung, It's, Fretts, Sam Emenogu, Joan Darling, Joan Tewkesbury, it's, he's, Reed Alexander Organizations: Army, Sundance, Labs, Hollywood, of Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, New York University, NYU, Sundance Film, Lab, Sundance Institute Locations: New York, Sundance, Utah, New, Hollywood

☆ Once upon a time, the 'Disney adult' was ridiculed. Now, kidless millennials and Gen Z-ers with money to burn are packing into the parks — here's how Disney is winning them over.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Newlyweds Natalie and Brett Schwartz exchanged vows at Walt Disney World in Orlando this summer. "Our approach was to shine a light on the beautiful tapestry of people that come to Walt Disney World," Trejo said. Francis Dominic, the former parks worker turned influencer, has also been tapped to promote Disney parks and films. It's a difficult tightrope to navigate, but it could define the future of Disney parks. Are you a Disney parks or Walt Disney Co. insider?

Persons: Sarah Rachul, I'm, Rachul, Orlando —, —, Molly May, Francis Dominic, Dominic, who's, Taylor, Ron DeSantis —, Japan pavilion's Takumi, Jonathan de Araujo, it's, Tara Goldstein, Ann van Oostendorp, Disney, Van Oostendorp, Natalie Schwartz, Brett, Schwartz, Sierra Keller's, Keller, Natalie, Brett Schwartz, Jason Petrina, he's, Disney's, He's, They're, Petrina, Mickey, Chris Evans, Zoe Saldaña, What's, Wan Kenobi, Emperor Palpatine, she'd, welling, haven't, Neph Trejo, Walt, " Trejo, It's, Halle Bailey, Kent Phillips, Gaston, Jeremy Singh, I'd, Singh couldn't, he'd, Singh, they're, Patrick Dougall, Mark Eades, Eades, we've, Amanda Krause, Reed Alexander Organizations: Walt Disney, Epcot, Disney Vacation, Disney, Mouse, Disneyland, Disney Parks, Walt Disney Co, Florida Gov, Universal, Guardians, Galaxy, University of Tampa, Disney World, Honeymooners, Star Wars, Marvel, Magic, Cafe Orleans, Disney World's Hollywood Studios, Hollywood Studios, Star, Gucci, Dooney, Animal, Dole, Walt Disney World's, ABC, Getty, Management, Disney Imagineer, Disneyland Alumni Locations: Ohio, Disney, Orlando , Florida, Anaheim , California, Italy, China, Tuscany, Orlando, Florida, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo, Japan, Epcot, California, Anaheim, Belle Terrace, Hollywood

☆ ‘We are casualties of this’: A film influencer with 470,000 TikTok followers on scrambling to take second jobs, making up for lost income, and facing online hate as Hollywood’s strikes drag on
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Jasmine Paige Moore, a TikTok creator, tells Insider about giving up content creation and returning to bartending during the strike. This first-person as-told-to story is based on an August interview with Jasmine Paige Moore, a content creator with nearly 470,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 23,000 on Instagram. Within the first few days of the Hollywood actors' strike, a friend of mine — a fellow content creator with a large following on TikTok — faced backlash from users online. "We as content creators should be helping to educate each other, not tearing each other down," I wrote. And what this whole experience has done more than anything is show me that the content creator community has really not had a voice during this strike.

Persons: Jasmine Paige Moore, TikTok —, he'd, I didn't, I've, AFTRA, they'll, We've, Con, Barbie, what's, we're, influencers, There's, haven't, they've, —, Reed Alexander Organizations: SAG, bartending, Hollywood, San Diego Comic, Warner Bros, Guild of America Locations: influencers, I'm, bartending

☆ 3 key questions Disney analysts say CEO Bob Iger faces ahead of earnings, as concerns mount about succession and streaming profits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reed Alexander | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

For Disney, Iger's return was a doctor's-orders scenario. "What is the long game for any pure-play media company in a world where we have tech-driven media companies that are much larger than any traditional media company and have fundamentally different business models?" Will Disney sell TV assets like ABC? Industry watchers have focused on private-equity firms as likely buyers of Disney's TV assets. Are you a Disney insider?

Persons: Bob Iger, Bob Chapek, Iger, Disney, Iger's, Peter Csathy, Tom Staggs, Kevin Mayer, Csathy, they're, He's, Paul Verna, Verna, David Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, Hulu —, it's, Dave Portnoy's Barstool, Will, Evercore, Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, Puck, Disney bigwigs, Mayer, Walden, Bergman, Reed Alexander, Lucia Moses Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Walt Disney Co, Hollywood, Creative Media, Apple, PE, Candle Media, Insider Intelligence, Hulu, LightShed Partners, Penn Entertainment, ESPN Bet, Penn, Yahoo Finance, Will Disney, ABC, Geographic, CNBC, Industry, Disney's, Parks

☆ 3 key questions Disney analysts say CEO Bob Iger faces ahead of earnings this week, as concerns mount about succession and streaming profits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Reed Alexander | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Persons: Bob Iger, —, Bob Chapek, Iger, Disney, Iger's, Peter Csathy, Tom Staggs, Kevin Mayer, Csathy, they're, He's, Paul Verna, Verna, David Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, Hulu —, Will, it's, Evercore, Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, Puck, Disney bigwigs, Mayer, Walden, Bergman, Reed Alexander, Lucia Moses Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Walt Disney Co, Hollywood, Creative Media, Apple, PE, Candle Media, Insider Intelligence, Hulu, LightShed Partners, Will Disney, ABC, Geographic, CNBC, Industry, Disney's, Parks

☆ Cheddar News was meant to be a digital-media darling that could rival Bloomberg and CNBC. Now it's reportedly considering a sale — here's how the network was pushed to the brink.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The owner of embattled network Cheddar News is reportedly considering selling the seven-year-old startup. NYT's DealBook reported on Monday that Altice USA tapped Goldman Sachs to explore a possible sale. NYT reporters Lauren Hirsch and Ben Mullin noted a sale isn't a foregone conclusion and Altice USA could decide not to proceed. Spokespersons for Altice USA did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on Monday morning and a spokesperson for Goldman Sachs had no comment. Check out Insider's exclusive coverage of the chaos at Cheddar News:Are you a Cheddar News or Altice USA insider?

Persons: DealBook, Goldman Sachs, Lauren Hirsch, Ben Mullin, Altice, —, I'd, Baker Machado, Chloe Aiello, Read, I've, Jon Steinberg, Steinberg, Reed Alexander Organizations: News, Telecom, Altice USA, Cheddar News, New York Times, USA, Insiders, Mail, Cheddar Locations: USA, Cheddar, Portugal

☆ Why Hollywood actors and writers are on strike and how the WGA and SAG-AFTRA walkouts are changing the entertainment industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The Hollywood writers' strike got a boost when actors joined the picket lines in July. Together, the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes have upended development and promotion of new content. Read more about the issues and demands driving the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes:When will the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes end? Some are predicting that the writers' strike appears to be on course to outlast the previous the 100-day WGA strike of 2007-8, which cost the California economy roughly $2 billion. Read more about how Hollywood companies prepared for the strikes:Getting a job in Hollywood right now: Is anyone still hiring?

Persons: AFTRA, Oppenheimer, Abbott, Fran Drescher, it's, Read, Adam Conover, Ted Sarandos, David Zaslav, picketers, showdowns, Hollywood's, Reed Alexander, Lucia Moses Organizations: Hollywood, SAG, WGA, Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Television Producers, Netflix, Warner Bros, Discovery, Employees, Wall, Big Tech Locations: Los Angeles and New York City, California, Hollywood

☆ Read the leaked Hearst Magazines memo announcing dozens of layoffs across titles like Cosmopolitan and Seventeen: 'Change can be difficult but it is necessary'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Reed Alexander | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Hearst Magazines implemented layoffs Thursday affecting dozens of employees across its portfolio. Insider obtained the full memo from the president of Hearst Magazines announcing the news. Hearst Magazines Media Union tweeted that 41 of its members were laid off due to "company restructuring." Change can be difficult but it is necessary as we pave the way forward as a digital-first media company. Thank you all for your dedication as we work together to build the future for Hearst Magazines.

Persons: we're, Debi Chirichella, Hearst, —, Hearst Magazines Media Union, Chirichella, Slack, I'm, You'd, he'd, Jessica Giles, EIC Kristin Koch, It's, we've, Reed Alexander, Lucia Moses, lmoses, Alison Brower, Dan Whateley Organizations: Hearst, Hearst Magazines, Cosmopolitan, Hearst Magazines Media, Hearst Union, Twitter, Fashion

☆ Hearst slashes roles across its magazine portfolio, which includes Cosmopolitan and Seventeen, as it looks to implement 'strategic decisions'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Lucia Moses | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Hearst Magazines implemented layoffs Thursday affecting employees across its portfolio. The Hearst Magazines union tweeted that some 41 roles were cut. "As we continue to produce the highest-quality content across all platforms, we're also making strategic decisions that position the business for long-term growth," a Hearst Magazines spokesperson told Insider in a statement. Hearst Magazines Media Union tweeted that 41 of its members were laid off due to "company restructuring." The Hearst Union did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider on Thursday.

Persons: we're, didn't, Hearst Magazines Media Union, Hearst, Lucia Moses, Reed Alexander, ralexander, Dan Whateley Organizations: Hearst, Hearst Magazines, Cosmopolitan, Hearst Magazines Media, Hearst Union

☆ This exclusive chart reveals why the groundswell of buzz around 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' could help reverse Hollywood's box-office doldrums in spite of the actors' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This year, a number of films have flopped at the box office, including "Elemental" and "The Flash." A social-media analysis from Diesel Labs points to possible success for "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" — here's why. Temperatures are rising all around the world, with one notable exception: the box office, where this year's film openings have mostly been, at best, lukewarm. Social-media attention on forthcoming and recent film releases looks to be generally trending higher for titles like "Barbie," "Oppenheimer," and "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Pt. This story has been updated to reflect new box office estimates and an estimate of how many moviegoers will see "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" on the same day.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mario Bros, tentpole, Indiana Jones, —, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, Michael O'Leary, David A . Gross, Tom Cruise's, Gross, Screenrant, Ruby Gillman, Mario, America's, Christopher Nolan's, Greta Gerwig's, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Reed Alexander Organizations: Diesel Labs, SAG, Writers Guild of America, www.diesellabs.com Diesel Labs, National Association of Theatre Owners, Warner Bros, Rotten, Entertainment Research, Variety, Disney, Mario Bros, Writers Guild, Wednesday, London Locations: Hollywood, North America

☆ New data reveals why the groundswell of buzz around 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' could help reverse Hollywood's box-office doldrums in spite of the actors' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This year, a number of films have flopped at the box office, including "Elemental" and "The Flash." A social-media analysis from Diesel Labs points to possible success for "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" — here's why. Temperatures are rising all around the world, with one notable exception: the box office, where this year's film openings have mostly been, at best, lukewarm. Social-media attention on forthcoming and recent film releases looks to be generally trending higher for titles like "Barbie," "Oppenheimer," and "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Pt. Diesel Labs’ data has found that social-media buzz about the forthcoming launches of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” is trending ahead of last year’s benchmark levels.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mario Bros, tentpole, Indiana Jones, —, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, David A . Gross, Tom Cruise's, Gross, Screenrant, Ruby Gillman, Mario, America's, Christopher Nolan's, Greta Gerwig's, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Reed Alexander Organizations: Diesel Labs, SAG, Writers Guild of America, www.diesellabs.com Diesel Labs, Warner Bros, Rotten, Entertainment Research, Variety, Disney, Mario Bros, Writers Guild, Hollywood Locations: Hollywood, London

☆ Inside the actors' strike: Why Netflix, Max, and Paramount+ series stars are bringing their 'war' over pay and AI to Hollywood companies that are 'trying to kill our industry'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

With both writers and actors on strike, Hollywood hasn't faced this situation in more than 60 years. SAG-AFTRA union members on Friday hit the picket lines alongside Hollywood writers, who've been striking for nearly three months. Any other use requires the background actor's consent and bargaining for the use, subject to a minimum payment," the spokesperson said in a statement. Union members were quick to decry his remarks as incendiary and out of touch. The 25-year-old has been there since May, when the writers' strike all but paralyzed production in Los Angeles and New York this spring.

Persons: Hollywood hasn't, Laci Mosley, Mosley, Mosley —, Lopez, —, Conan O'Brien's, Coco —, Fran Drescher, Drescher, We've, who've, CHRIS DELMAS, We're, they're, Rather, AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree, Sam Russell, Russell, Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, we've, AFTRA who's, Bobby Quillard, Bob Iger, Iger, Bob — they're, Iger's, Jonathan Handel, Puck, you've, Carson Rowland —, it's, Rowland, Carson Rowland, Maria, Rodin, WireImage Rowland, he's, Reed Alexander Organizations: SAG, Hollywood, Paramount, Sirius XM, Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Television Producers, WGA, Getty, Disney, CNBC, Union, Atlas Financial Advisors, Television Locations: Los Angeles, Los Angeles and New York, Sun Valley , Idaho, South Florida, Boca Raton, LA

☆ A Netflix assistant launched a newsletter for young Hollywood because 'there is no blueprint' to break in, and she's enlisting help from workers at Disney, Showtime, and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

A Hollywood assistant role has long been a launching point for a career in entertainment. But "there is no blueprint" for how to get such a job, said Cathy Campo, a creative assistant at Netflix. Campo launched The Hollywood Assistant, a monthly newsletter aimed at industry hopefuls, to change that. In February, Campo launched The Hollywood Assistant, a free newsletter that recently released its sixth edition. It's difficult to make ends meet on those salaries in the costly cities where the entertainment industry is most heavily concentrated: Los Angeles and New York.

Persons: Cathy Campo, Campo, she's, —, Matthew Belloni, Nick Lachey, She's, Emma Weiss, Jonathan Groff, Alyssa Tumale, Drew Barrymore, Brown, Jimmy Fallon, Michelle Greene, Don Rutledge, Natalie Lifson, Buchwald, Allison Leffingwell, Rutledge, Puck, Reed Alexander Organizations: Netflix, Hollywood, Brown University grad, NBCUniversal, CBS, Disney Entertainment, CAA, Chautauqua Ordway, Campo, Universal, Showtime, Media, Universal Filmed Entertainment Locations: Stillwater, Hollywood, Los Angeles and New York

☆ Actors on strike over pay and the threat of AI are ready for 'war' and vowing to outlast Hollywood execs in 'ivory towers': 'They've already been starving us'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Persons: Hollywood hasn't, Laci Mosley, Mosley, Mosley —, Lopez, —, Conan O'Brien's, Coco —, Fran Drescher, Drescher, We've, who've, CHRIS DELMAS, We're, they're, Rather, AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree, Sam Russell, Russell, Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, we've, AFTRA who's, Bobby Quillard, Bob Iger, Iger, Bob — they're, Iger's, Jonathan Handel, Puck, you've, Carson Rowland —, it's, Rowland, Carson Rowland, Maria, Rodin, WireImage Rowland, he's, Reed Alexander Organizations: SAG, Hollywood, Paramount, Sirius XM, Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Television Producers, WGA, Getty, AMPTP, Disney, CNBC, Union, Netflix, Atlas Financial Advisors Locations: Los Angeles, Los Angeles and New York, Sun Valley , Idaho, South Florida, Boca Raton, LA

☆ Actors are joining writers on strike against the Hollywood companies, and they're driven by a fear plaguing workers everywhere: Robots are coming for our jobs.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Hollywood writers are entering their third month on strike. Film and TV writers say they're among those who have fared the worst as their industry has been remade, even as others reap the rewards. These Hollywood storytellers share something in common with workers in every industry: Everyone is afraid that the robots are coming for their jobs, Terminator-style. Now, they're some of the dominant forces controlling new content development in the entertainment industry. Recently, I reported on how the Hollywood writers' strike is dispiriting industry hopefuls at the outset of their careers — you can read it here.

Persons: Everything's, Fran Drescher, Adam Conover, Ted Sarandos, Bob Iger, Goldman Sachs, You've, We've, Jonathan Handel, Puck, they'll, Zayd Dohrn, —, Dohrn, Reed Alexander Organizations: Morning, NBC, Nickelodeon, Disney, Hollywood, Netflix, Wall, ., Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Television Producers, SAG, Apple, Big Tech, WGA, Northwestern University Locations: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and New York, Chicago

☆ Inside the buzzy newsletter a Netflix assistant launched to create a ‘blueprint’ for breaking into Hollywood — featuring tea from workers at Disney, CBS, and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

☆ The fear driving Hollywood writers to strike — and soon, maybe actors too — is the same one roiling every industry: Robots are coming for our jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Hollywood writers are entering their third month on strike. Film and TV writers say they're among those who have fared the worst as their industry has been remade, even as others reap the rewards. Either way, the bottom line is this: Everyone in Hollywood is afraid that the robots are coming for their jobs, Terminator-style. Now, they're some of the dominant forces controlling new content development in the entertainment industry. Recently, I reported on how the Hollywood writers' strike is dispiriting industry hopefuls at the outset of their careers — you can read it here.

Persons: Everything's, Adam Conover, Ted Sarandos, Bob Iger, Goldman Sachs, You've, We've, Jonathan Handel, Puck, they'll, Zayd Dohrn, —, Dohrn, Reed Alexander Organizations: Morning, NBC, Nickelodeon, Disney, Hollywood, Netflix, Wall, ., Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Television Producers, WGA, Apple, Big Tech, Northwestern University Locations: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and New York, Chicago

☆ How the writers' strike is crushing Hollywood's next generation, as job-seekers face 'skyrocketing' debt, crumbling hope, and endless hours 'just doom-scrolling LinkedIn'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Hollywood development and production have mostly ground to a halt amid the film and TV writers' strike. Young workers hoping to break into entertainment say the strike has made a competitive job market even tougher. Sears, who is currently unemployed, graduated this year with a master's degree in entertainment industry management from Carnegie Mellon University. Now, she's attempting what feels like a herculean feat: getting her career off the ground in the midst of a months-long Hollywood writers' strike, the first labor stoppage to grind the industry to a halt in 15 years. Contact this reporter to share your experience during the writers' strike.

Persons: Young, Delaney Sears, — there's, Sears, they've, —, Joanna Sucherman, Sucherman, Trevor Romero, Romero, Dan Green, grads, Green, Nabha, She's, Purohit, they'd, execs, he's, haven't, Kody Proctor, Proctor, he'd, We've, Reed Alexander Organizations: Hollywood, Carnegie Mellon University, Writers Guild of America, SAG, WGA, Disney, Warner Bros, JLS Media, Fox, United Talent Agency, Young Entertainment, Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College of Information Systems, Public, Savannah College of Art, Alliance, Television Producers, Paramount Pictures, Melrose, Paramount, University of Southern, North Dakota, Carnegie, E, Victoria Cheyenne Locations: California, Angeles, LA, Chicago, Fremantle, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Georgia, Elm, Mumbai, India, University of Southern California, North, North Hollywood, Victoria, Bolivia

☆ Cheddar News is slashing jobs including longtime anchors and broadcast producers in the latest blow after months of low morale, discontent, and staff exits
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Cheddar News cut a series of roles on Thursday, the latest blow to its dwindling newsroom. The embattled news network is cutting at least two anchors and several producers, sources said. The embattled network Cheddar News cut a series of jobs on Thursday, resulting in the ouster of at least two senior anchors and numerous other producers and back-office staff, Insider has learned. At Altice USA, news and advertising revenues were down nearly 14% year-over-year, according to the company's most recent earnings report. Do you work at Cheddar News or Altice USA and have additional details to share?

Persons: —, Manoj Shamdasani, Altice, …, it's, Reed Alexander Organizations: Cheddar, Altice, Cheddar News, Altice USA Locations: Cheddar, Altice USA, newsrooms, New York, Hollywood

☆ Hollywood interns and early-career media professionals: How is the writers' strike affecting your career prospects?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Dreaming of working in Hollywood but facing setbacks because of the 2023 writers' strike? If you're starting out at a Hollywood company or on a summer internship program — what are you working on? How is the strike shaping your current experience in the industry? Reed Alexander can be reached via email at ralexander@insider.com, or SMS/the encrypted app Signal at (561) 247-5758. We're open to considering anonymous contributions and can obscure the identities of people already working at Hollywood companies.

Persons: Reed Alexander Organizations: WGA, Hollywood Locations: Hollywood

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