Showbiz Sandbox 291: Media Companies Come Clean On Cord Cutting
August 24, 2015
After years of denying cord cutting was happening on any level, several large media companies are finally confessing that cord cutting is a growing trend which may soon affect their bottom lines. After decades of steady growth, cable operators are now beginning to see flat or declining subscriber numbers as new content streaming services pop-up.
Clearly, the business models the television industry has relied on in the past are evolving rapidly, more so than movies or theater or even publishing at the moment. Yet some industry insiders believe the cable cord isn’t being cut, but that it’s slowly fraying as the definition of what it means to be a television network has changed.
Some media companies aren’t waiting to study market indicators before making strategic moves. Last week NBCUniversal made a $200-million investment in the online news outlet Buzzfeed, leaving many to wonder how this could possibly benefit the network.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how boy band One Direction wants to take a break, why Spotify wants to breach your privacy and Cirque du Soleil is headed to Broadway.
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One Direction to ‘Take a Break in 2016’ After Release of Fifth Album
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/34037397/one-direction-to-take-a-break-in-2016-after-release-of-fifth-album
‘Terminator: Genisys’ Smashes Records at Chinese Box Office
https://variety.com/2015/film/box-office/terminator-genisys-chinese-box-office-records-1201576476/
‘Compton’ Tops the Charts Again
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4098&p=.htm
China’s Currency Crisis Creates Mixed Outlook for Hollywood
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinas-currency-crisis-creates-mixed-816020
Regal Cinemas Institutes Bag Checks After Theater Attacks
https://variety.com/2015/film/news/regal-cinemas-bag-checks-theater-attacks-1201573858/
Media Stocks Plunge on Fears About Health of TV Business
https://variety.com/2015/film/news/media-stocks-netflix-time-warner-pay-tv-decline-1201574683/
Media Stocks Face Wild Ride As Markets Plunge, Recover and Plunge Again
https://variety.com/2015/biz/news/media-companies-beat-up-stock-market-crash-1201576635/
Subs May Have Drained, but Q2 Pay-TV ARPU Rises
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015082339584/subs-may-have-drained-but-q2-pay-tv-arpu-rises.html
Mexicans Quietly Cut The Cord
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015082139558/mexicans-quietly-cut-the-cord.html
Top US pay-TV Providers Lose Big In Q2 – Again
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015081839509/top-us-pay-tv-providers-lose-big-in-q2-again.html
Attention Wall St. Investors: Yes, the Traditional TV Media Climate Is Changing, But the Sky Is Not Falling
https://www.tvweek.com/open-mic/2015/08/attention-wall-st-investors-yes-the-traditional-tv-media-climate-is-changing-but-the-sky-is-not-falling/
New Devices and Platforms Flourish But TV Consumption Stays the Same
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015081939534/new-devices-and-platforms-flourish-but-tv-consumption-stays-the-same.html
European Film Industry Adopts Gender Equality Declaration
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/european-film-industry-adopts-gender-815967
The Tide Is Turning on Frank Ocean
http://www.spin.com/2015/08/frank-ocean-fyf-fest-tide-turning-kanye-west-why-are-you-doing-this/
FYF Fest: Kanye West Saves the Day After Frank Ocean Cancels
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-fyf-fest-kanye-west-rihanna-saves-the-day-after-frank-ocean-cancels-20150823-story.html
20th Century Props Reopens Amid Production Rebound In L.A.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-20th-century-props-20150819-story.html
Cirque du Soleil Show Is Broadway Bound
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/20/theater/cirque-du-soleil-show-is-broadway-bound.html
‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ Sets Broadway Closing Date
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/hedwig-and-the-angry-inch-sets-broadway-closing-date/
Airline Plans ‘Star Wars’-Branded Transpacific Flights
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/airliner-plans-star-wars-branded-816002
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek On Privacy Policy Dust-Up: ‘Sorry’
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-spotify-ceo-privacy-policy-sorry-20150821-story.html
India’s Zee Launches Dishflix Ahead of Netflix, Amazon Entry Into Country
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/indias-zee-launches-dishflix-netflix-816234
NBCUniversal makes $200-million investment in Buzzfeed
http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-nbcuniversal-investment-buzzfeed-20150818-story.html
TV’s Batgirl Yvonne Craig Dies at 78
https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/yvonne-craig-dead-batgirl-batman-dies-1201573165/
Batgirl Teaches Batman a Lesson about Equal Pay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n00xZ_mKQgk
Doudou N’diaye Rose, 85, Senegalese Drummer and ‘Human Treasure,’ Dies
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/24/arts/music/doudou-ndiaye-rose-senegalese-drummer-and-human-treasure-dies-at-85.html
Bud Yorkin, Writer and Producer of ‘All in the Family,’ Dies at 89
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/19/arts/television/bud-yorkin-writer-and-producer-of-all-in-the-family-dies-at-89.html
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