Showbiz Sandbox 259: Sony Hack Reveals Hollywood’s Digital Dilemma
December 1, 2014
Digital technology helped Hollywood significantly reduce the production cost of movies that overflow with stunning visual effects. One major downside to such technological advances is how easy it has become to steal, duplicate and distribute pristine copies of digital content. Movie studios were reminded just how vulnerable they are after a cyberattack against Sony Pictures resulted in several upcoming films being leaked online.
Netflix, on the other hand, delivers digital content legally, even if some of its subscribers happen to be access the service surreptitiously from countries where the company doesn’t operate. Netflix announced it would be launching soon in two such countries; Australia and New Zealand.
On Broadway meanwhile, productions are gearing up for what is usually a busy holiday season. A few new musicals however are off to slow starts. We’ll give you a rundown on how all the shows are doing and which are worth seeing.
Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including Russia’s proposed boycott of Hollywood movies, why Hasbro ditched Dreamworks Animation and how Apple intends to bundle Beats Music.
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Can ‘Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1’ Make Franchise History?
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-preview-can-hunger-750182
‘Boyhood’ Named Best Film of 2014 by New York Film Critics Circle
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/new-york-film-critics-circle-winners-full-list-nyfcc-2014-1201367693/
Netflix to Expand to Australia and New Zealand
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-expand-australia-new-zealand-750015
Netflix Rivals Down Under Readying for a Fight
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-rivals-down-under-readying-750196
Tina Fey’s New Show Moves From NBC to Netflix
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tina-feys-new-show-moves-751358
Netflix Pulls Bill Cosby Special Amid Rape Allegations
http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/netflix-pulls-bill-cosby-special-amid-rape-allegations-1201359886/
Bill Cosby’s Legacy, Recast: Accusers Speak In Detail About Sexual-Assault Allegations
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/bill-cosbys-legacy-recast-accusers-speak-in-detail-about-sexual-assault-allegations/2014/11/22/d7074938-718e-11e4-8808-afaa1e3a33ef_story.html
NBC Scraps Bill Cosby Comedy in Wake of Rape Allegations
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nbc-scraps-bill-cosby-comedy-749587
Whitaker Nixes Revisions to Cosby Bio…for Now
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/64873-whitaker-nixes-revisions-to-cosby-bio-for-now.html
Raven-Symone Speaks Out Against Rumors That Bill Cosby Assaulted Her
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/20/raven-symone-bill-cosby_n_6194912.html
Bill Cosby’s Las Vegas Tour Date Canceled
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bill-cosbys-las-vegas-tour-751113
Calling Out Bill Cosby’s Media Enablers, Including Myself
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/business/media/calling-out-bill-cosbys-media-enablers-including-myself.html?_r=0
Sting Climbs Aboard Foundering ‘Ship’
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/theater/sting-to-join-the-cast-of-his-broadway-musical.html
Bayou Meets Broadway: Staging ‘Duck Dynasty’
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/theater/duck-dynasty-musical-las-vegas.html
John Cameron Mitchell to Return as Star of ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/john-cameron-mitchell-to-return-as-star-of-hedwig-and-the-angry-inch/?_r=0
New Broadway Musicals Off to Slow Start
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/new-broadway-musicals-off-to-slow-start/?_r=0
DreamWorks Animation Deal Talks Sabotaged by Anonymous Letter
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dreamworks-animation-deal-talks-sabotaged-750094
WNYC’s ‘Soundcheck’ to Go Online-Only
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/11/wnycs-soundcheck-to-go-online-only/
‘Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade’ Rises to Second Most-Watched Telecast in 13-Years
http://www.tvmediainsights.com/highlights/macys-thanksgiving-parade-rises-second-watched-telecast-13-years/
Nielsen to Reportedly Measure Netflix and Amazon Viewership
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nielsen-reportedly-measure-netflix-amazon-750134
Apple May Push Beats Music to iPhones
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/apple-may-push-beats-music-to-iphones-20141120
Russia Promises Exhibition Preferences for Chinese Films
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russia-promises-exhibition-preferences-chinese-752752
Russian Parliament Won’t Consider Restrictions on Hollywood Films
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russian-parliament-wont-consider-restrictions-752699
Sony Pictures Investigates North Korea Link In Hack Attack
http://recode.net/2014/11/28/sony-pictures-investigates-north-korea-link-in-hack-attack/
Sony Pictures Hackers Release List of Stolen Corporate Files
http://arstechnica.com/security/2014/11/sony-pictures-hackers-release-list-of-stolen-corporate-files/
Sony Movies Leak Online As Computer Systems Remain Dark
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-sony-pictures-hack-20141130-story.html
Two Arrested in Britain in ‘Expendables 3’ Movie Leak Investigation
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-lionsgate-expendables-3-arrests-london-20141125-story.html
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