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[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.

☆ The Justice Department just shut down little-known crypto exchange Bitzlato and arrested its Russian founder in what authorities claim is a huge blow to crypto crime
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bitzlato is a little-known crypto exchange that was just shut down by the Justice Department. FBI agents arrested Anatoly Legkodymov, the founder of crypto exchange Bitzlato, on Tuesday. US authorities alleged that the site laundered millions tied to illicit Russian finances. The Justice Department and Treasury Department allege that the Hong Kong-registered platform laundered more than $700 million, some of which were tied to illicit Russian finances. Bitzlato is a small crypto exchange, which hasn't received mainstream attention until Legkodymov's arrest.

☆ ChatGPT used by mental health tech app in AI experiment with users
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

But for a few thousand people, the mental health support they received wasn’t entirely human. About 4,000 people got responses from Koko at least partly written by AI, Koko co-founder Robert Morris said. Academics, journalists and fellow technologists accused him of acting unethically and tricking people into becoming test subjects without their knowledge or consent when they were in the vulnerable spot of needing mental health support. “There are millions of people online who are struggling for help.”There’s a nationwide shortage of professionals trained to provide mental health support, even as symptoms of anxiety and depression have surged during the coronavirus pandemic. In June, the World Health Organization included informed consent in one of its six “guiding principles” for AI design and use.

☆ Netflix will air SAG Awards in another step into live broadcasting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Netflix will exclusively air this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards show in its first partnership with an awards show and its next step into live broadcasting. The SAG Awards, which will take place Feb. 26, will air live on Netflix's YouTube channel, but not the streamer's own platform. Netflix aims to broadcast the awards show on its actual service in 2024, according to a company spokesperson. Since 2007, the SAG Awards has aired on both TNT and TBS, channels owned by Warner Bros. Discovery parted ways with the SAG Awards in May as the newly merged company restructured.

Insider identified 75 of the most powerful execs at the streamer, in an interactive org chart. Product chief Greg Peters took on additional duties as chief operating officer and has since broadened his purview to include gaming. Former PepsiCo exec Sergio Ezama joined in 2021 to become Netflix's chief talent officer. Insider identified 75 of the most powerful executives now at Netflix. They include C-suite executives finance chief Spencer Neumann, as well as business leads like Bajaria and movie boss Scott Stuber.

☆ Vince McMahon is back at WWE to ensure a smooth sale process. Here's who might want to buy it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

WWE has hired JPMorgan to help the company advise on a potential sale, according to people familiar with the matter. But it remains unclear what type of role, if any, McMahon would want at WWE if he sold the company. WWE has a market capitalization of more than $6 billion after rising nearly 17% percent on Friday, buoyed by heightened sale speculation. McMahon's company already has an exclusive streaming deal with Comcast's streaming service, Peacock, and a cable TV deal with NBCUniversal's USA Network. Fox sold off most of its entertainment assets in its $71 billion sale to Disney in 2019, but WWE fits with the smaller company's sports and live events focus.

☆ So You Worked for FTX. Now What? Advice From Recruiters and Employers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Former employees of FTX and other failed crypto firms will likely face extra scrutiny in their job hunt. While not all of the failed firms are associated with fraud allegations like FTX, anyone who worked at these businesses could face a tough slog finding their next job. “I worked with plenty of compliance folks who came from Lehman Brothers…Is it gonna be career-ending for some people? “People who you worked with that can vouch for you can bolster and can set you apart,” Mr. Brown said. Candidates also need to practice how to separate themselves and their own work experience and accomplishments from the firm they worked at, recruiters and hiring managers said.

☆ FTX Creditors Committee Brings On Jefferies and FTI as Financial Advisers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Soma Biswas | Jonathan Randles | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The committee of FTX customers chosen to represent the interests of all exchange users in its chapter 11 case hired Jefferies and FTI Consulting Inc. as financial advisers, according to people familiar with the matter. Last week, the official committee brought on the law firm Paul Hastings LLP. Made up of nine members, the official committee is the sole customer group that can currently bill its legal and advisory fees to FTX.

☆ The Winklevoss twins and their cryptocurrency exchange Gemini are being sued for fraud by investors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Crypto exchange Gemini is facing a class action lawsuit over its interest-bearing accounts. Investors are accusing Gemini — along with founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss — of fraud, per a complaint filed on Tuesday. Gemini's Earn Program attracted customers because it offered up to 7.4% interest. Gemini Earn Program, which offered customers up to 7.4% interest, abruptly halted its offering last month, "effectively wiping out" customers who still had holdings in the program. Gemini "refused to honor any further investor redemptions, effectively wiping out all investors who still had holdings in the program," the complaint reads.

☆ How Netflix has changed the global entertainment industry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Since Netflix began its worldwide expansion in 2016, the streaming service has rewritten the playbook for global entertainment — from TV to film, and, more recently, video games. Still, Netflix's impact on the global TV industry is undeniable. More on Netflix's effect on global TV:The streamer's executive team was rebuilt with a global focusIn recent years, Netflix reoriented its leadership around its new global model. Peters also hired a new talent chief with international experience, former PepsiCo executive Sergio Ezama, to lead Netflix's global workforce. More on Netflix's corporate structure:Netflix has seen its first wide layoffs, though it continues to growThe corporate restructuring hasn't been without obstacles.

☆ Netflix is still hiring for hundreds of roles across its games studio, engineering teams, and more. Salary data shows how much the company has offered for 180 different jobs.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Netflix offered base salaries between $40 an hour and $800,000 a year for certain roles, data shows. The company doesn't disclose salary data, but, like other US firms, it discloses how much it plans to pay workers it hires on US visas. Many of the roles offered six-figure base salaries. Netflix may choose to pay employees more than the figures reflected in this data or compensate them in additional ways. Based on the data, Netflix offered annual base salaries ranging from $40.45 per hour to $800,000, with a median of $184,080, for various roles.

☆ Netflix will be next on Microsoft’s shopping list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Look for him to add Netflix (NFLX.O) to the list in 2023. Since his 2014 promotion into the technology titan’s corner office, Nadella has embarked on a pricey shopping spree. Later, Microsoft bought LinkedIn for $26 billion and the speech recognition and artificial intelligence software developer Nuance for $20 billion. Even if Nadella loses out on the video-game company for competition reasons, however, owning Netflix would make strategic sense and probably be an easier sell in Washington and Brussels. With a market value 13 times that of Netflix, as of early December, $1.8 trillion Microsoft can afford Netflix.

☆ FTX Founder Leaves Court in Handcuffs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

NOW PLAYINGFTX Founder Leaves Court in Handcuffs0:57Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates at Slower Pace1:44Prosecutor Announces Charges Against FTX Founder1:41FTX Used ‘Old-Fashioned Embezzlement,’ New Chief Says1:12Biden Celebrates Cooling Inflation0:48House Committee Vows to Find Answers Behind FTX Collapse0:42Metaverse ‘Fascinating,’ TikTok Chief Says, but It’s Too Early to Invest0:56‘I’ve Had a Bad Month,’ Sam Bankman-Fried Says1:10Apple’s App Store Dominance Is ‘Problematic,’ Zuckerberg Says0:58Introducing Ads Is a Good Tactic for Netflix, Hastings Says0:58Zuckerberg Says Social Media Is Still the Primary Focus of Meta1:05

☆ 12 media executives anonymously predict 2023's biggest deals, trends and changes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Candle Media has acquired intellectual property assets including Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine production company and Moonbug, which owns the animated kids series "CoComelon." Executive 3: Iger extends his contract There's been lots of speculation over who Iger will choose as his successor. History suggests he has a hard time leaving the role of Disney CEO. Christine M. McCarthy, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer The Walt Disney Company. "I love Shari [Redstone], but ViacomCBS is not long for this world as it stands today," said a media executive last year.

☆ Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates at Slower Pace
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

NOW PLAYINGFederal Reserve Raises Interest Rates at Slower Pace1:44Prosecutor Announces Charges Against FTX Founder1:41FTX Used ‘Old-Fashioned Embezzlement,’ New Chief Says1:12Biden Celebrates Cooling Inflation0:48House Committee Vows to Find Answers Behind FTX Collapse0:42Metaverse ‘Fascinating,’ TikTok Chief Says, but It’s Too Early to Invest0:56‘I’ve Had a Bad Month,’ Sam Bankman-Fried Says1:10Apple’s App Store Dominance Is ‘Problematic,’ Zuckerberg Says0:58Introducing Ads Is a Good Tactic for Netflix, Hastings Says0:58Zuckerberg Says Social Media Is Still the Primary Focus of Meta1:05Amazon Will Challenge Staten Island Union Election, C.E.O.

☆ Watch Live: Fed Chair Speaks After Policy Meeting
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

NOW PLAYINGWatch Live: Fed Chair Speaks After Policy Meeting1:44Prosecutor Announces Charges Against FTX Founder1:41FTX Used ‘Old-Fashioned Embezzlement,’ New Chief Says1:12Biden Celebrates Cooling Inflation0:48House Committee Vows to Find Answers Behind FTX Collapse0:42Metaverse ‘Fascinating,’ TikTok Chief Says, but It’s Too Early to Invest0:56‘I’ve Had a Bad Month,’ Sam Bankman-Fried Says1:10Apple’s App Store Dominance Is ‘Problematic,’ Zuckerberg Says0:58Introducing Ads Is a Good Tactic for Netflix, Hastings Says0:58Zuckerberg Says Social Media Is Still the Primary Focus of Meta1:05Amazon Will Challenge Staten Island Union Election, C.E.O.

☆ A key executive involved in Amazon's 'earth's best employer' initiative was investigated by the company after allegations that she created a hostile work environment
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

An executive involved in Amazon's "earth's best employer" initiative was recently investigated by the company after multiple employees alleged she created a hostile work environment, according to people familiar with the situation. Hastings' team of researchers, data scientists, and economists is generally tasked with studying and improving workplace culture across Amazon. The company's investigation lasted several months, much longer than the typical few weeks, seven people familiar with the investigation told Insider. We thoroughly investigate and take action where necessary," the spokesperson for Amazon told Insider. Those deemed to be underperforming are put into Amazon's Focus system.

☆ Netflix co-CEO Sarandos says streamer likely to offer multiple ad-supported tiers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix is likely to offer multiple subscription plans with ads in the future, the company's co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos said on Tuesday, just weeks after the streaming giant rolled out its first ad-supported option. For viewers who don't want to see commercials, Netflix already offers multiple plans ranging in price from $9.99 a month to $19.99 a month. And the company will likely do the same for its ad-supported model as the business grows, Sarandos said at the UBS TMT conference. "We have multiple tiers today, so it's likely we'll have multiple ad tiers over time, but nothing to talk about yet," Sarandos said. Disney+ also plans to launch a tier with advertising, while also raising prices for its commercial-free option and other streaming services.

☆ BuzzFeed to cut 12% of its workforce
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The BuzzFeed website on a smartphone arranged in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. BuzzFeed on Tuesday announced plans to cut its workforce by nearly 12%, or around 180 staffers. The company expects to cut most of the jobs by the end of the first quarter. Last year, BuzzFeed went public via a special purpose acquisition vehicle, and shares fell nearly 40% in their first week of trading. Peretti said Tuesday that he wants the company to invest "in areas that will drive growth" and build "a more robust creator business."

☆ Ben Affleck says Netflix's 'assembly line' approach to making quality films is
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ben Affleck is sounding off on how movies are being made in today’s age of Netflix and other streaming platforms, which offer an ever-expanding glut of content. “[Netflix’s head of original films] Scott Stuber is a really talented, smart guy who I really like…but it’s an impossible job,” he added. There aren’t enough – you just can’t do it.”Affleck acknowledged that “there’s (a) bigger audience for action movies than there is for small dramas. As seen in Variety, Artists Equity already has a first project in production – a yet-to-be-titled drama about the beginnings of Nike’s incredibly popular Air Jordan sneaker brand. Written and directed by Affleck, the film stars Damon as the executive who landed the endorsement deal for the shoe with Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan.

☆ Remembering Gary Strieker, who helped establish CNN's presence in Africa
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Tricia Escobedo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Gary Strieker had every reason to be a pessimist. Gary Strieker, who passed away in July 2022, helped establish CNN's presence in Africa. Courtesy Strieker family Born in the tiny Illinois farm town of Breese in 1944, Gary Gerard Strieker moved to San Diego, California at a young age. Courtesy Strieker family Strieker is remembered by his family and colleagues as a quiet, humble man who never lost his optimistic spirit or tireless energy for making the world a better place. Courtesy Strieker family Strieker was the network's only correspondent on the African continent for some time, covering the AIDs epidemic in the 1980s and other major moments in history, including the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

☆ Ben Affleck says it's an 'impossible job' to make great movies with Netflix's 'assembly-line process'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Affleck said it's impossible to make a large number of great movies with Netflix's "assembly-line process." "I would have said, 'How are we going to make 50 great movies? He noted that it's "impossible" to make a lot of great content under an "assembly-line process" like Netflix's, which pumps out hundreds of movies and TV shows a year. "If you ask [Netflix co-CEO] Reed Hastings … I'm sure there's some risk in that, and I'm sure they had a great strategy, but I would have said, 'How are we going to make 50 great movies? The company's content spend has included hundreds of millions of dollars on action movies that it hopes to turn into franchises, such as "Red Notice" and "The Gray Man."

☆ Metaverse ‘Fascinating,’ TikTok Chief Says, but It’s Too Early to Invest
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

NOW PLAYINGMetaverse ‘Fascinating,’ TikTok Chief Says, but It’s Too Early to Invest1:26‘I’ve Had a Bad Month,’ Sam Bankman-Fried Says1:10Apple’s App Store Dominance Is ‘Problematic,’ Zuckerberg Says0:58Introducing Ads Is a Good Tactic for Netflix, Hastings Says0:58Zuckerberg Says Social Media Is Still the Primary Focus of Meta1:05Amazon Will Challenge Staten Island Union Election, C.E.O. Says1:21Ben Affleck Says His New Movie Studio Will Be ‘Radically Different’1:04BlackRock C.E.O. Discusses FTX Crypto Exchange Collapse1:09Zelensky Derides Musk’s Peace Proposal for Ukraine and Russia1:05Yellen Urges More Regulation of Cryptocurrencies after FTX Collapse1:00Starbucks Workers Strike at Stores Nationwide1:40

☆ ‘I’ve Had a Bad Month,’ Sam Bankman-Fried Says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

0:42Metaverse ‘Fascinating,’ TikTok Chief Says, but It’s Too Early to InvestNOW PLAYING‘I’ve Had a Bad Month,’ Sam Bankman-Fried Says1:10Apple’s App Store Dominance Is ‘Problematic,’ Zuckerberg Says0:58Introducing Ads Is a Good Tactic for Netflix, Hastings Says0:58Zuckerberg Says Social Media Is Still the Primary Focus of Meta1:05Amazon Will Challenge Staten Island Union Election, C.E.O. Says1:21Ben Affleck Says His New Movie Studio Will Be ‘Radically Different’1:04BlackRock C.E.O. Discusses FTX Crypto Exchange Collapse1:09Zelensky Derides Musk’s Peace Proposal for Ukraine and Russia1:05Yellen Urges More Regulation of Cryptocurrencies after FTX Collapse1:00Starbucks Workers Strike at Stores Nationwide1:40

☆ Apple’s App Store Dominance Is ‘Problematic,’ Zuckerberg Says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

NOW PLAYINGApple’s App Store Dominance Is ‘Problematic,’ Zuckerberg Says0:58Introducing Ads Is a Good Tactic for Netflix, Hastings Says0:58Zuckerberg Says Social Media Is Still the Primary Focus of Meta1:05Amazon Will Challenge Staten Island Union Election, C.E.O. Says1:21Ben Affleck Says His New Movie Studio Will Be ‘Radically Different’1:04BlackRock C.E.O. Discusses FTX Crypto Exchange Collapse1:09Zelensky Derides Musk’s Peace Proposal for Ukraine and Russia1:05Yellen Urges More Regulation of Cryptocurrencies after FTX Collapse1:00Starbucks Workers Strike at Stores Nationwide1:40Fed Raises Interest Rates in Fight Against Inflation2:16British Prime Minister Vows to Raise Corporate Tax Rate1:15

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