Showbiz Sandbox 350: Hollywood Has Faith in Religious Marketing
January 9, 2017
Organized religion and the film industry have traditionally not played nicely with one another. Recently however, movie studios have been courting Christian filmgoers, in hopes of increasing audiences for certain titles. Brooks Barnes, a staff reporter for the New York Times, joins us to discuss one of Hollywood’s latest marketing trends.
The Writers Guild and the National Society Of Film Critics have both weighed in with end of the year honors. But will any of their choices matter come Oscar time?
The same question could be asked about the Golden Globes which were held last weekend. “La La Land” and “Moonlight” walked away with the top prizes as they continue to march through awards season as this year’s front runners for a Best Picture Academy Award.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why Kodak is bringing back celluloid (sort of), how talk show host Conan O’Brien is going viral and Norway ditches FM radio.
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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 8, 2017
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-8-2017-300387464.html
Final Box Office: ‘Hidden Figures’ Beats ‘Rogue One’ With $22.8M
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-results-rogue-one-hidden-figures-all-but-tie-no-1-961867
Studios’ 2017 Forecast: Big Bets, Franchise Fears and Executive Intrigue
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2017-movies-biggest-gambles-justice-league-mummy-960935
Apple’s iPhone “Theater Mode” Patents Kick Off New Speculation
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apples-iphone-theater-mode-patents-kick-new-speculation-961165
‘Deadpool,’ ‘Moonlight,’ ‘La La Land’ Nab Writers Guild Nominations
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/moonlight-la-la-land-manchester-by-the-sea-writers-guild-1201952295/
‘Moonlight’ Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/national-society-film-critics-winners-2017-list-full-961677
TV Ratings: 2017 Golden Globes Climb to 20 Million Viewers
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-golden-globes-up-2016-early-numbers-962326
‘La La Land’ Breaks Record for Most Golden Globes Won by a Movie
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-golden-globes-2017-live-la-la-land-breaks-record-for-most-1483935005-htmlstory.html
Golden Globes 2017: Complete List of Winners
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/la-et-mn-golden-globes-2017-nominees-winners-list-20161212-story.html
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden – BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2015/05/04/the-bear-and-the-nightingale/
A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman
http://bookfilter.com/2016/05/09/a-really-good-day/
Dish Debuts AirTV Device to Bring Free Broadcast Television to Sling TV
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/dish-airtv-free-local-tv-sling-tv-1201951319/
Hulu Live TV Service to Be Priced Under $40
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/hulu-live-tv-service-adds-cbs-1201952360/
‘Sunday Night Football’ Wraps Its Season Only Slightly Humbled at No. 1
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sunday-night-football-wraps-season-slightly-humbled-at-no-1-960783
Apple Removes New York Times Apps From Its Store in China
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/04/business/media/new-york-times-apps-apple-china.html
Norway to Switch Off FM Radio in Risky, Unpopular Shift to Digital
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-radio-idUSKBN14P1TH
Fox Taps Tucker Carlson to Replace Megyn Kelly
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2017/01/05/fox-taps-tucker-carlson-replace-megyn-kelly/96199004/
Tucker Carlson Takes Megyn Kelly’s Primetime Fox News Slot
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tucker-carlson-takes-megyn-kelly-s-primetime-fox-news-slot-961016
Greta Van Susteren to Join MSNBC
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/greta-van-susteren-msnbc-1201951934/
UK Publishers Shy Away From ‘Alt-Right’ Star Milo Yiannopoulos
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/04/uk-publishers-shy-away-from-alt-right-star-milo-yiannopoulos
Milo Yiannopoulos’ Book Deal is Publishing Business as Usual
http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-yiannopoulos-book-deal-20170104-story.html
Amazon Books Opening in Manhattan, Second Store Slated for Boston
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/72425-amazon-books-opening-in-manhattan-second-store-slated-for-boston.html
Nielsen Could Delay Debut of Total Viewer Measurement Data (EXCLUSIVE)
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/nielsen-measurement-total-content-tv-advertising-1201953370/
Kodak Ektachrome Film is Coming Back From the Dead
http://petapixel.com/2017/01/05/kodak-ektachrome-film-coming-back/
Conan O’Brien to Remain Nightly, for Now, TBS Boss Kevin Reilly Says
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/conan-obrien-remain-nightly-tbs-boss-kevin-reilly-says-961128
Secular Hollywood Quietly Courts the Faithful
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/24/business/media/hollywood-movies-christian-outreach.html?_r=0
Has Hollywood found religion? No, it still worships the Almighty Dollar. But in the latest episode of our free podcast, we talk with Brooks Barnes of the New York Times about how Hollywood is reaching out to mega-churches and leaders in the religious community more effectively than ever: set visits, meet and greets with stars and bullet points for the Sunday sermon. And then we explain why this eager new marketing tool is already being abused and about to wear out its welcome. Check it out!
[…] this week’s episode of Showbiz Sandbox I lamented to my co-host, Michael Giltz, that my attempts to catch up with “Moonlight” were […]