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☆ Spotify's user growth beats estimates, expects 500 mln listeners next quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The number of monthly active users rose to 489 million in the quarter, beating Spotify's guidance and analysts' forecasts of 477.9 million. Premium subscribers, who account for most of the company's revenue, rose 14% to 205 million, topping estimates of 202.3 million, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. The growth was driven by marketing campaigns and as more listeners signed up in countries such as India and Indonesia. Apart from the forecast of half a billion users, Spotify also expects premium subscribers to reach 207 million in the current quarter and revenue of 3.1 billion euros ($3.35 billion). Spotify last year laid out plans to get 1 billion users by 2030 and to reach $100 billion revenue annually.

Despite a rich stable of characters from Batman to Wonder Woman, the DC film and television studio has failed to match the success of Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) Marvel hit factory. Also in 2025, DC Studios will release "Batman - Part II," a sequel starring Robert Pattison, a darker, more adult tale that is not part of Gunn's newly envisioned "DC Universe." While Marvel has become the highest-grossing film franchise in history, DC Studios has had mixed results. Four DC film projects that were completed before Gunn and Safran took over the studio will be released to theaters this year, "Shazam! Zaslav cut some costs by scrapping a third "Wonder Woman" film and a "Batgirl" movie that was headed to streaming.

Apart from the forecast of half a billion users, Spotify also expects premium subscribers to reach 207 million in the current quarter and revenue of 3.1 billion euros ($3.35 billion). Analysts were expecting 202 million subscribers and revenue of 3.05 billion euros. Spotify last year laid out plans to get 1 billion users by 2030 and to reach $100 billion revenue annually. "Spotify will double down on things that worked well and stop doing the things that don't work," he said. In 2023, the company expects revenue to begin to grow faster than operating expenses, which have jumped due to headcount growth and higher advertising costs.

☆ As his beliefs have seeped into homes and classrooms, children as young as 11 think Andrew Tate is their 'god'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Insider spoke with teachers and parents about how Tate's beliefs are seeping into young boys' minds. Insider spoke with seven teachers who said Tate's words and beliefs have significantly impacted their students — some as young as 11 years old. Many young boys are drawn in by this promise of personal development. Mary McCarthy, a mother of four from Dublin, told Insider that Tate seems to have an "intoxicating" effect on her 14-year-old son. Speaking to the BBC, Nia Williams, a psychologist and academic, addressed why so many young boys get "sucked in" by Tate's image.

Box office receipts can rise as much as 75% in the weeks following a best picture nomination, according to Comscore data. The distributor, United Artists Releasing, planned the release strategy to coincide with this week's Oscar nominations, with the hope the movie would benefit from a box-office bounce. "Tar," a best picture contender starring Cate Blanchett as a manipulative orchestra conductor, will expand to 535 theaters from 100. 'NOT LOOKING GREAT'Even legendary director Steven Spielberg has had trouble drawing crowds to best picture nominee "The Fabelmans," his autobiographical story about family strife and anti-Semitism he faced as a teenager. Warner Bros is re-releasing the film in movie houses this weekend after it landed eight Oscar nominations including best picture and best actor.

NEW YORK, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Large shareholders in News Corp (NWSA.O) on Wednesday applauded Rupert Murdoch's decision to withdraw a proposal to reunite the owner of Dow Jones and Fox Corp , as News Corp decided to pursue a sale of Move Inc instead. On Tuesday, activist investment firm Irenic Capital, which had also opposed the proposed reunion of Fox and News Corp, applauded the decision to not move forward. Cowen & Co's Doug Creutz said investors were pleased by the decision to walk away from a potential combination, saying that pressure from investors like T Rowe Price weighed on the Murdoch's decision to pursue the deal. Fox shares were up about 2% on Wednesday. "The other big question is – does News Corp give their shareholders their pro-rata shares of REA in addition to selling Move?

Three sources familiar with the matter said News Corp was in talks to sell its stake in Move to CoStar for about $3 billion. The deal would have recombined the media empire Murdoch split nearly a decade ago. No offer was exchanged between News Corp and Fox Corp before merger deliberations were abandoned, according to sources familiar with the process, who said pushback from News Corp shareholders played a role in those plans being scrapped. News Corp currently has a market capitalization of about $11 billion, while Fox is valued at a shade over $17 billion. Rupert Murdoch and his family trust control about 40% of News Corp and Fox.

Jan 24 (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch reversed course on Tuesday and withdrew a proposal to re-unite News Corp (NWSA.O) and Fox Corp as the company is also exploring a sale of its stake in Move Inc., which operates the Realtor.com website, according to a regulatory filing and sources familiar with the process. Several top shareholders had publicly said they opposed the proposed plan, and on Tuesday News Corp said in a statement that the combination was "not optimal for shareholders of News Corp and Fox at this time." The deal would have reunited the media empire Murdoch split nearly a decade ago. No offer was exchanged between News Corp and Fox Corp before merger deliberations were abandoned, according to sources familiar with the process, who said pushback from News Corp shareholders played a role in those plans being scrapped. "Looking ahead, News Corp has an opportunity to create substantial value for its owners."

☆ 'Avatar' director James Cameron, 'Top Gun' star Tom Cruise snubbed by Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Director James Cameron arrives at the world premiere of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' in London, Britain December 6, 2022. Cameron was joined - in omission - by another box-office standout, actor Tom Cruise, whose starring role in “Top Gun: Maverick” wowed audiences but was overlooked in the best actor category. Another notable snub from the best picture list was "Babylon," "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle's ambitious ode to old Hollywood. This year none of the nominees for best director are women. One of the most successful recording artists of the era, Taylor Swift, also was snubbed by the Academy.

☆ Box office hits 'Everything Everywhere,' 'Elvis' and 'Avatar' land Oscar nominations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"Everything Everywhere," a science-fiction flick about an exasperated Chinese immigrant struggling to finish her taxes, landed 11 nominations, including best picture and four acting nods. Other films in the hunt for the top trophy at the Academy Awards included sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water," James Cameron's visual spectacle that currently ranks as the sixth-highest grossing movie of all time. Last year's Academy Awards ceremony, when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock before winning best actor, drew about 15.4 million TV viewers, the second-smallest audience ever. Apple TV+ (AAPL.O) nabbed best picture last year for heartwarming drama "CODA." This time, Disney received the most nominations, a total of 22, for movies including "Avatar," "Banshees" and animated "Turning Red."

"This was my road to Damascus experience, a turning point in my understanding of the role of talent density in organizations," Hastings wrote. Hastings credits the company's culture of internal transparency and innovation, which endows top-performers with unusual autonomy, for Netflix's success. "This is a big psychological change for Netflix," said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData. "There's no big strategy shifts or big culture shifts," he said in a post-earnings video interview with an analyst. They'll also need to find new sources of revenue, including in video games -- where Netflix will confront established rivals.

[1/3] Reed Hastings, Co-CEO, Netflix speaks at the 2021 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. October 18, 2021. "It was a baptism by fire, given Covid and recent challenges within our business," Hastings said in a statement. To kick-start growth, Netflix introduced a cheaper, ad-supported option last November in 12 countries. We believe we have a clear path to reaccelerate our revenue growth," Netflix said in its quarterly letter to shareholders. That 2011 initiative cost the company 800,000 subscribers and sent the stock plunging.

LOS ANGELES, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The 2013 video game “The Last of Us” was a hit with critics and players thanks to a powerful narrative. Ten years later, that story is headed to television on HBO in what the industry hopes is a harbinger for artfully adapting video games to TV and film. The PlayStation game won numerous awards, including “Game of the Year” at the 17th Annual Design Innovate Communicate Entertain summit (DICE), which honors video game industry professionals. The TV series has received glowing reviews from critics, garnering a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes. "It shouldn’t be surprising that a drama based on a video game can have heart.

☆ Netflix to live-stream Screen Actors Guild Awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Bing GuanJan 11 (Reuters) - Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) will live-stream the annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards beginning in 2024, as it explores bringing live programming to its service. The streaming giant stepped in to carry the SAG Awards, which had lost its broadcast home on cable networks TNT and TBS. Netflix will stream this year's ceremony on its YouTube Channel and, next year, stream the awards show to subscribers via Netflix's service. Nominees will be announced at 7 a.m. Pacific time on Wednesday and the 29th Annual SAG awards take place on Feb. 26. Netflix is in the early days of testing live broadcasts, as it contemplates bringing live sports to the platform.

☆ CES technology trade show adopts social theme
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Las Vegas, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Farm equipment took the keynote spotlight at the CES technology trade show in Las Vegas, as "human security for all" became the first theme in its 56-year history. "Technology allows farmers to create more with less," May told an audience of 2,000 at one of the world's largest tech events, organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). The trade group is partnering with the World Academy of Art and Science and the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security to encourage the tech industry to help tackle the world's most pressing problems. The CES sessions are the first phase of the trade group's "rolling thunder" campaign to raise awareness across all sectors of the economy, said Garry Jacobs, executive chairman of the Human Security For All campaign. Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Las Vegas; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Automakers from Sony Honda to Hyundai are introducing ways at the CES 2023 technology trade show this week to reshape the in-car entertainment experience, including offering video games during the rides. "This is a field which can be deployed very quickly," Dirk Hilgenberg, head of Volkswagen AG's (VOWG_p.DE) CARIAD software unit, told Reuters at CES. In December, Tesla issued a "holiday update" to its software to add access to 1,000 PC games through the Steam platform. Still, these are features that consumers are demanding, so VW is at CES seeking partnerships. "We will see the content ... which is provided by software enabled functionality will be a decisive factor for buying."

☆ Sony Honda Mobility weighs future IPO for electric vehicle joint venture
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 5 (Reuters) - Sony and Honda's year-old electric vehicle joint venture is in early discussions about a potential stock offering as a way to raise cash, the chairman of Sony Honda Mobility said on Thursday. Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe said in March that while he was not thinking about taking the joint venture public immediately, he would not dismiss that as an option to expand the firm. Sony Honda Mobility plans a global roll-out that includes Europe, parts of Asia and the Middle East, he added. Sony Honda Mobility also is contemplating selling the vehicle in China, which Mizuno described as an attractive but intensely competitive market for electric vehicles. The joint venture is discussing how to service the vehicles.

☆ At CES 2023, Sony's 'Gran Turismo' flags new entertainment strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

It also represents a significant bridging of the divides between Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony PlayStation and Sony Music, according to a dozen current and former senior executives interviewed by Reuters. “I defined our identity as a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation on technology,” Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said. Sony’s “creative entertainment” company approach extends beyond content. A Sony-Honda electric vehicle, scheduled to reach consumers by 2026, is being framed as a rolling showcase of Sony’s entertainment, gaming and camera sensor prowess. This August will bring another test of Sony’s strategy when “Gran Turismo” hits theaters after languishing for 12 years.

☆ Pioneering U.S. television journalist Barbara Walters dead at 93
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Bill Trott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Television personality Barbara Walters arrives for the premiere of the film "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" in New York September 20, 2010. "I asked Yeltsin if he drank too much, and I asked Putin if he killed anybody," Walters told the New York Times in 2013. "These two men were really quite brutal to me and it was not pleasant," Walters told the San Francisco Examiner. The New York Times called her "arguably America's best-known television personality" but also observed that "what we remember most about a Barbara Walters interview is Barbara Walters." Walters' three marriages - to businessman Robert Katz, theatrical producer Lee Guber and television executive Merv Adelson - ended in divorce.

A spokesperson for the Washington Post, which Bezos bought in 2013 for $250 million, said it is not for sale. "A Bloomberg acquisition of the (Post) is not necessarily just a business decision. According to Axios, Bloomberg sees Dow Jones, also the publisher of Barron's and MarketWatch, as the ideal fit but would buy the Post if Bezos was interested in selling. Dow Jones did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Reuters competes with Dow Jones and Bloomberg News, a unit of Bloomberg L.P., a provider of financial news.

☆ Media mogul Bloomberg eyes Dow Jones or Washington Post acquisition, no talks yet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

According to the Axios report, Bloomberg sees News Corp-owned (NWSA.O) Dow Jones, also the publisher of Barron's and MarketWatch, as the ideal fit but would buy the Post if Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) founder Jeff Bezos was interested in selling. Bloomberg L.P., the Washington Post and Dow Jones did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. "The transaction would be challenged only if the resulting choices leave insufficient competition in the market for either users or suppliers. In October, Rupert Murdoch had started a process that could reunite his media empire, News Corp and Fox Corp (FOXA.O), nearly a decade after the companies split. Reuters competes with Bloomberg News, a unit of Bloomberg L.P., as a provider of financial news.

Dec 12 (Reuters) - News Corp (NWSA.O) named Sunday Times editor Emma Tucker the new editor of the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires on Monday. In his new role, Murray will take on “several critical growth projects supporting News Corp,” the company said. That vision appears to align with that of the Journal's publisher and Dow Jones chief executive, Almar Latour, who is credited with leading the digital transformation of the publication, which now boasts more than 3 million digital subscribers. “Emma is a brilliant, inspiring editor, with digital nous and the highest standards of integrity,” Thomson said in a statement on Monday. “She has been a thoughtful custodian of The Sunday Times and will bring verve and virtue to Dow Jones.

"The issue with Google Ad Manager has been resolved and ad serving has now been restored for the affected users,” Google said in a tweet on Thursday evening. “We apologize for the inconvenience.”News websites such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times were being affected by the issue, one of the sources said. The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Ad Manager has about 90% share of the U.S. market for ad-serving software, which publishers embed on their websites, according to an ongoing antitrust lawsuit Texas and other states have been pursuing against the tech giant. The lack of competition has left publishers with few back-up options to Google Ad Manager, the sources said, and lawmakers in the U.S. and elsewhere are pursuing legislation to curb Google's market power.

☆ Disney+ streaming service launches with major advertisers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - The ad-supported version of the Disney+ service launched Thursday, attracting major advertisers from different sectors, bringing in new revenue as Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) strives to push its streaming business into profitability. The company is under pressure to turn a profit on its streaming business, which posted a $1.5 billon loss in the company's most recent quarter. The company's other streaming services, Hulu and ESPN+, already have commercials. A $3-a-month price increase also took effect Dec. 8, bringing the price for the ad-free version of Disney+ to $10.99. Other streaming services, such as HBO Max, Paramount+ and Peacock, also offer ad-supported versions of their streaming services, emulating the business model that has long supported the television business.

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

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

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