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☆ NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service is growing, thanks to live sports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

NBCUniversal's sports portfolio has been driving growth at its streaming service Peacock, and the company has no plans to let up, with other sports rights deals top of mind. Sports are a double-edged sword for media companies contending with relentless cord cutting and trying to make their streaming services profitable. At the same time, sports are serving as a propeller of growth for streaming, especially for fledgling services such as Peacock and Paramount Global's Paramount+. NBCUniversal's parent company, Comcast , on Thursday touted that Peacock nearly doubled its customer count year over year to 24 million. According to Cavanagh, simultaneous streaming has given the company and its sports assets "tremendous reach," and all at a lower cost to the consumer.

Persons: Travis Kelce, Raymond James Stadium, Peacock, Mike Cavanagh, Cavanagh, it's Organizations: Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Paramount, Comcast, Sports, NFL, Nascar, Premier League, Telemundo —, Paris Olympics, Sunday, Football, Premier League soccer

☆ Comcast beats expectations as higher prices offset slowing broadband growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Comcast beat analyst estimates on Thursday when it reported its second-quarter results, as higher pricing helped offset a continued slowdown in its broadband business. The company now groups its Xfinity-branded broadband, cable TV and wireless services with its U.K.-based Sky. Higher average rates helped to offset second-quarter subscriber losses, leading to broadband revenue growth of 4.4%. Comcast and its peers have experienced slowing growth in the broadband segment following quarters of robust gains during the early days of the Covid pandemic. The drop in domestic advertising was largely due to lower revenue at NBCUniversal's TV networks, which was partially offset by the leap in Peacock revenue.

Persons: Peacock, Cord, Bob Iger, NBCUniversal, Mario Organizations: Comcast, Refinitiv, Disney, USA Network, Bravo, Premier League soccer, Peacock, Sky Sports, Revenue, Mario Bros, Super Nintendo, CNBC Locations: Beijing, Japan, Orlando, Florida

BMI generates about $145 million in 12-month earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to the sources. Spokespeople for BMI, which is controlled by several TV networks and radio broadcasters, and Goldman Sachs declined to comment. Created in 1939, BMI represents the public performance rights in more than 20 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.3 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. BMI and ASCAP jointly account for more than 90% of the music licensing market. Reporting by Milana Vinn and Anirban Sen in New York Editing by Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Spokespeople, Goldman Sachs, Milana Vinn, Anirban Sen, Nick Zieminski Organizations: YORK, Inc, BMI, Goldman Sachs, U.S . Justice Department, Justice Department, American Society of Composers, Publishers, Blackstone Inc, ASCAP, Concord Music, Thomson Locations: New York

☆ Netflix says subscribers to its ads plan have doubled. Meet the 19 execs driving the streamer's aggressive push into advertising.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Netflix said in its 2Q earnings that subscribers to its ads plan have doubled over the previous quarter. Peter Naylor, VP of global advertising salesPeter Naylor, VP, global advertising sales. Netflix has also brought on several directors and other roles in ad sales who've worked at Hulu, Snap, and elsewhere. Chad Rumminger, who focuses on automotive accounts, from automotive ad sales at Twitter. Julie Taylor Green is head of US vertical ad sales; she was TikTok's director of global business solutions before that.

Persons: execs, they're, Jeremi Gorman, Peter Naylor —, Netflix salespeople, Nielsen, DoubleVerify, Kelly Metz, They've, Gorman, Peter Naylor, who've, Naylor, Julie DeTraglia, Kinsey Tamberrino, He's, Hulu playbook, Adam Gerber, Gerber, he's, it's, She's, Asaf Davidov, DeTraglia, Jon Whitticom, Whitticom, that's, Kinsey Osberg Tamberrino, Michaela Giovengo, Valerie Bischak, Doug Brodman, Victoria Morris, Amy Newton, Joanna Read, Eric Berman, Chad Rumminger, Morgan Tully, Nicole Sabatini, Julie Taylor Green, Chris Smutny Organizations: Netflix, Hulu, ABC, Microsoft, Omnicom Media, Yahoo, Gorman's, ABC Television Group, Disney, Comcast, Viacom Media Network, Amobee, Twitter, Google, Amazon, Tech, Gaming, Entertainment Locations: Hulu, TikTok

The ninth Women's World Cup, which kicks off on July 20, is expected to attract the largest television audience in the history of women's soccer and FIFA will pay $30,000 directly to each participating player. In Argentina, the big local teams do not always open the doors of their stadiums for women's soccer matches, which are played at smaller venues. The South American Soccer Confederation (CONMEBOL)recognizes the disparity between men's and women's soccer and said recently it was taking steps to reduce it. Invigorated by Argentina's qualification for a fourth Women's World Cup, fans hope that progress into the knockout stage will generate more support for the sport. In women's soccer, everything is more difficult," she said.

Persons: Julieta Cruz, UAI Urquiza, Mariana Nedelcu, Lionel Messi, Messi, Diego Maradona, Estefania, Yamila Rodriguez, Laurina, Oliveros, Laura Fortunato, Fortunato, Martina Borgatello, Jacinta, Borgatello, Lucila Sigal, Anna, Catherine Brigida, Daniela Desantis, Nick Mulvenney, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Boca, Libertadores, America, REUTERS, Boca Juniors, soccer, FIFA, South American Soccer Confederation, CONMEBOL, women's, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Argentine, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Sweden, South Africa, Albiceleste, Paraguay

☆ The media industry is in turmoil, and that's not changing anytime soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

All of this turmoil will be on investors' minds as the media industry kicks off its earnings season this week, with Netflix up first on Wednesday. Netflix, with a new advertising model and push to stop password sharing, looks the best positioned compared with legacy media giants. At the top of the list is contending with Disney's TV networks, as that part of the business appears to be in a worse state than Iger had imagined. The labor fight blew up just as the industry has moved away from streaming growth at all costs. Last week's ruling from a federal judge that Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of game publisher Activision Blizzard should move forward serves as a rare piece of good news for the media industry.

Persons: Mike Blake, Bob Iger, Iger, Bob Iger's, Michael Nathanson, SVB, CNBC's David Faber, Nathanson, Producers –, Mark Boidman, Ross Benes, Benes, Comcast's NBCUniversal, Solomon, Boidman, Random, Paramount's Simon, Schuster, Tegna, Jason Anderson, Peter Liguori, Anderson, HBO Max, Homer, Marge Getty Organizations: Guild of America, Netflix, Alliance, Producers, Reuters, Disney, Disney's, Paramount Global, Comcast, Warner Bros, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, Media, Solomon Partners, CNBC, Hollywood, Intelligence, ABC, Paramount, BET, NBC Sports, USA, Discovery, Activision, Federal Trade Commission, dealmaking, Microsoft, Tribune Media, Max, HBO, Amazon, MGM, Sky, Fox Corp, FOX Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, MoffettNathanson, Hulu

☆ Hollywood actors set to strike after talks with studios and streaming services fail to reach a deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It could be the first simultaneous strike by actors and writers in more than 60 years. The union representing 160,000 actors is set to call for a strike after contract talks failed to reach an agreement. And not since 1960 have both the actors and writers' unions taken industrial action at the same time. The union's negotiating committee voted unanimously to recommend a strike, on which its national board will vote Thursday morning. The results of SAG-AFTRA's national board vote on strike action are due to be announced at a press conference at 12 p.m. PT Thursday.

Persons: Netflix —, AFTRA, Fran Drescher, Rodin Eckenroth, Duncan Crabtree Organizations: SAG, Morning, Alliance, Television Producers, Warner Bros, Disney, Netflix, Guild of America Locations: Ireland

☆ Bob Iger says Disney is not sexualizing children in CNBC interview
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Disney CEO Bob Iger said Disney wants to avoid the so-called culture wars but defiantly pushed back against right-wing critics who have claimed Disney is adding inappropriate sexual content to its programming. “The notion that Disney is in any way sexualizing children is preposterous and inaccurate,” Iger said in a CNBC interview Thursday. Some Republican politicians, including Florida Gov. DeSantis has called Disney a “woke” corporation and has tried to make his verbal and legal attacks on Disney a winning political message. Disney (DIS) also owns ESPN, but Iger said that he’s “bullish” on sports and wants to stay in the sports business.

Persons: Bob Iger, Disney, ” Iger, Ron DeSantis, ”, Tucker Carlson, DeSantis, Iger, Bob Chapek, didn’t, Bud Light, “, Disney’s, Hollywood, It’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Disney, CNBC, Republican, Florida Gov, ” Former Fox News, ABC, Geographic, ESPN, NFL, NBA, “, Hollywood Locations: New York, Florida

LOS ANGELES, July 13 (Reuters) - Hollywood actors will go on strike at midnight on Thursday after talks with studios broke down, joining film and television writers who have been on picket lines since May and deepening the disruption of scores of shows and movies. The actors' union announced at a Thursday press conference that the strike will begin at midnight after its national board unanimously authorized the walkout. Fran Drescher, former star of "The Nanny" TV show and the president of SAG-AFTRA, called the studios' responses to actors' concerns "insulting and disrespectful." But the loss of actors, who will also not promote their films or TV shows while on strike, will put more pressure on media companies to find a resolution. The economic damage is expected to spread after actors join the picket lines on Friday.

Persons: Fran Drescher, Drescher, AFTRA, Rather, Duncan Crabtree, Ridley Scott, Bob Iger, Iger, Matt Damon, Oppenheimer, Lisa Richwine, Jonathan Allen, Dawn Chmielewski, Marie, Louise Gumuchian, Mark Porter, Bill Berkrot Organizations: SAG, Writers Guild of America, Television Producers, Netflix Inc, Walt Disney Co, Reuters, Alliance, Paramount Pictures, Hollywood, WGA, Screen Actors Guild, Disney, CNBC, Comcast, Paramount Global, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, United States, Hollywood's, Morocco, Malta, Idaho, California

☆ 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

☆ Zaslav brings in Spielberg, Scorsese, Anderson to help curate TCM film lineup after shakeup
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Warner Bros. "This unique arrangement, initiated by David Zaslav, reflects his commitment to honoring the TCM legacy while also involving us on curation and programming." The inclusion of the filmmakers came after Warner Bros. Part of that was a major shakeup at TCM, recognized as a place for preservation of classic films and a carefully curated lineup augmented by guest star introductions. The changes had caused concern among movie buffs and those dedicated to film preservation, who voiced their distress on social media.

Persons: Steven Spielberg, helmer Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy, Mike, Pam, David Zaslav, Charles Tabesh Organizations: Warner Bros, Turner, TCM, Discovery

☆ WBD chief Zaslav contacted filmmakers Scorsese, Spielberg to quell fears around TCM layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Warner Bros. The layoffs affected the company's vast portfolio of cable-TV networks including the Discovery Channel, Investigation Discovery and the Food Network. Its offerings are among the movies and shows included on Warner Bros. The shakeup at the network inspired Warner Bros. Scorsese, Spielberg and Anderson added that Zaslav contacted them regarding the restructuring of TCM, adding they each spent time talking with the CEO, individually and as a group, "and it's clear that TCM and classic cinema are very important to him.

Persons: shakeup, David Zaslav, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Paul Thomas Anderson, —, Turner, Scorsese, Spielberg, Anderson, Zaslav Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Turner, TCM

☆ Musk is 'changing the way we think about risk': Satellite incumbent plans fightback against Starlink
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke is betting on that massive acquisition of a British firm called OneWeb to turn around the company's fortunes. These so-called geostationary or GEO satellites is what Eutelsat specializes in. OneWeb, a British company, specializes in so-called low Earth orbit, or LEO satellites, which are used for things like internet connectivity. By combining Eutelsat's legacy GEO business with the LEO business of OneWeb, Berneke feels like it could be a big advantage. OneWeb, a direct competitor to Elon Musk's Starlink, which counted Japanese giant SoftBank among its investors, filed for bankruptcy in 2020.

Persons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Eva Berneke, Berneke, Eutelsat, Elon Musk's Organizations: PARIS, CNBC, GEO, LEO, Elon Musk's Starlink Locations: British, Paris, OneWeb

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery stock rises for second straight day as company pays down debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The media giant has been contending with a heavy debt load stemming from the 2022 merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros.

Persons: Chris Licht, Wells Fargo, Steven Cahall, Cahall, David Zaslav Organizations: Warner Bros, CNN, Discovery, Warner Bros . Discovery, Public, Max, HBO, Discovery Channel, TLC Locations: U.S

☆ PGA Tour, LIV merger may lead to higher viewers and costs for golf sponsors
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The move ends a bitter legal battle between the organizations that has split the golf world and its top players. The organizations said on Tuesday they will work to allow a process for LIV Golf players to reapply for membership on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. The potential for top players to compete on other tour events will help boost ratings, experts said. It is unclear how broadcasting rights for the TV networks that sell commercial time during golf events could change in the long term. The CW network, which airs LIV Golf in the U.S., said there is no change to the event schedule in 2023, while NBC Sports, which airs some PGA Tour events, said it was still learning about the announcement.

Persons: LIV, Paul Childs, Neal Pilson, I've, Michael Goldman, LIV Golf, Patrick Rishe, St . Louis, Pilson, Jamal Khashoggi, Goldman, Sheila Dang, Dawn Chmielewski, Lisa Richwine, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Centurion Club, LIV Golf, REUTERS, PGA, Pilson Communications, CBS Sports, National Golf Foundation, CBS, CW, LIV, NBC Sports, Nexstar Media Group, Comcast, University of San, Washington University, Brands, Public Investment Fund, Saudi, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Britain, Saudi, United States, U.S, University of San Francisco, St ., Saudi Arabia, Dallas, Los Angeles

☆ NBCUniversal’s New Leader, a Hollywood Outsider, Steps Into the Spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jeff Shell, who oversaw the media company before him, was fired after an investigation into sexual harassment. Linda Yaccarino, who ran the company’s multibillion-dollar ad business, left abruptly this month to become the chief executive of Twitter. NBCUniversal is losing billions on its streaming service, Peacock, while viewership of its traditional TV networks continues to fade. In 2008, when the U.S. financial system was on the brink of failure, Mr. Cavanagh was a senior executive at JPMorgan Chase, one of the few major banks that was not at risk of collapse. He spent time alongside Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s chief executive, and other executives during all-nighters to work out the details of acquiring Bear Stearns, a rival on the verge of bankruptcy.

☆ Desperate for streaming profits, media giants look to a soft ad market for help
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

(AP Photo/Universal Pictures) Photo Credit: Universal Pictures/Tippett StudioAfter spending years amassing streaming subscribers at great cost, media companies now need to make some profits. Look no further for proof of that than the most recent annual Upfronts, the events where media companies like Fox Corp ., Warner Bros. During Disney's earnings call earlier this month, CEO Bob Iger put new emphasis on ad-supported streaming. 'We need ads'There's been an uptick of consumers signing up for ad-supported streaming subscriptions. But media companies are struggling with the question of whether ad-tier subscriptions make up for other losses.

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Apple's upcoming 'Reality' headset, BookTok drives book sales, and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AI startup cloud deals by Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are ringing "accounting alarm bells" across Silicon Valley over revenue "round-tripping." As Big Tech firms invest in AI startups in exchange for commitments to use their cloud services, some investors question whether those arrangements are artificially inflating cloud revenue growth. A former Apple marketing executive predicts the company's upcoming "Reality" headset risks being "one of the greatest tech flops of all time." How the BookTok phenomenon helped send book sales to an all-time high and reignite a love for reading. Read on to find out more about what you can use the AI app for.

☆ These 18 top Netflix execs are driving its advertising push under head Jeremi Gorman as the company makes its first big TV upfronts pitch
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Peter Naylor, VP of global advertising salesPeter Naylor, VP, global advertising sales. Netflix has also brought on several directors and other roles in ad sales who've worked at Hulu, Snap, and elsewhere. They are Kinsey Osberg Tamberrino, who is Publicis' main point of contact, and who spent eight years at Hulu, rising to director of advertising sales. Chad Rumminger, who focuses on automotive accounts, from automotive ad sales at Twitter. Julie Taylor Green is head of US vertical ad sales; she was TikTok's director of global business solutions before that.

This year, advertisers and ad agencies may well use the strike as a bargaining tool, said Erin Firneno, vice president of business intelligence for researcher Advertiser Perceptions. The writers’ strike, which has entered its third week, is also injecting a new element of uncertainty for ad buyers, at a time when television viewership is declining and the possibility of recession looms. While the TV networks have long contended with splintered viewership amid the rise of social media and streaming, the writers' strike puts content production at risk, said Rishad Tobaccowala, a former executive at advertising and public relations giant Publicis Groupe and advisor on business transformation. Last year, NBC’s upfront presentation emphasized star power as the network returned to a live event after a COVID-19-imposed hiatus. Ahead of the upfront presentations, media executives sought to reassure investors about the strike’s impact.

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery's ad sales chief reveals how he'll tout flexible offerings and 6 new measurement deals to grab brand dollars from TV rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Discovery ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf has a strategy to grab market share at the TV upfronts. WBD left money on the table at the 2022 upfront, Steinlauf said, and faces a soft 2023 ad market. Discovery's pitch to advertisers was all about the breadth of its newly merged portfolio of news, sports, and lifestyle entertainment. When it comes to WBD's Premiere package of top ad inventory, for example, ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf emphasized how advertisers could customize the mix of programming to meet their wants. Discovery debuted at an inopportune time, just a few weeks ahead of the biggest TV sales event of the year.

The departure of ads chief Linda Yaccarino to Twitter has thrown NBCU into chaos. The exit comes on the heels of the departure of NBCU CEO Jeff Shell after sexual harassment allegations. One advertising executive who works closely with NBCUniversal described the situation inside the company as a "Cuban missile crisis." NBCU does have a deep bench of ad executive talent that's highly regarded in the ad industry. Although Yaccarino's departure from NBCUniversal to Twitter was a surprise, she had been close with the company and its billionaire owner.

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery's top ad exec details his plans to grab market share from TV rivals with flexible offerings and 6 new measurement deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Discovery ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf shared plans to grab market share at the TV upfront. WBD left money on the table at the 2022 upfront and faces a soft ad market. When it comes to WBD's Premiere package of top ad inventory, for example, ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf emphasized how advertisers could customize the mix of programming to meet their wants. Discovery debuted at an inopportune time, just a few weeks ahead of the biggest TV sales event of the year. WBD dove into its 2022 TV upfront negotiations without the benefit of time to share information across its predecessor companies, causing some blowback among top advertisers.

☆ Sony's faith-based streaming service merges with Hallmark rival Great American Media
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sony Pictures Entertainment and its streaming service Pure Flix are making room on the cable TV dial. The company's streaming service, known for faith-based content, is merging with Great American Media, a recent upstart cable rival to the Hallmark Channel. It will also beef up the slate for Great American's TV networks Great American Family and Great American Living. As part of the deal, which has yet to close, content from both Pure Flix and Great American Media will cross each other's platforms. Great American Media and its two cable TV networks were launched in 2021 by Bill Abbott, former CEO of Crown Media, the parent of the Hallmark Channel.

Persons: Maria Conchita Alonso, Bill Abbott Organizations: Los Angeles, Hilton Los Angeles, Universal City, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Great American Media, Hallmark Channel, Sony, Crown Media, Hallmark Locations: Universal City , California, U.S, Canada

☆ Disney's revenue is on the rise, giving CEO Bob Iger a victory lap amid legal battle with Florida's Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney announced its fiscal second quarter earnings, with 13% revenue growth in the three months ending April 1. The results come as CEO Bob Iger reorganizes the company and pursues a legal battle with Florida Gov. Walt Disney Co. reported $21.79 billion in second quarter revenue, which topped Wall Street expectations for the period and marked 13% growth for the three months through April 1, the company said. The company noted decreases in advertising revenue at non-sports channels including both ABC network and A&E cable channels. Still, Disney's direct-to-consumer unit grew revenue by 12% in the second quarter to $5.5 billion while its operating losses decreased.

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