Showbiz Sandbox 371: Apple and Facebook Get Serious About Original Content

June 19, 2017

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Both Apple and Facebook made headlines this week as details of their plans to produce original television content began to emerge. Apple announced the hire of two well-respected development executives to head up their efforts to participate in the golden age of TV, while Facebook closed deals on their first two shows.

It’s a good thing that both Facebook and Apple have deep pockets. If either hopes to upend the television industry the way Netflix and Amazon have, they’ll need to spend billions of dollars on original content, just like these other disruptors.

Spotify is also spending a small fortune to license music as its active worldwide user base suprasses 140 million. They plan on shelling out $2 billion over the next few years, a figure that is sure to rise as the streamer reaches agreements with more record companies.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Yoko Ono finally getting songwriting credit on John Lennon’s biggest solo hit, “Imagine”, why IMAX is downsizing its workforce, and industry response to Sony’s decision to offer “clean versions” for 24 film titles in their back catalogue.

comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of June 18, 2017
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-june-18-2017-300475596.html

China’s Weying Boards Paramount’s ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’
https://variety.com/2017/film/asia/chinas-weying-boards-paramounts-transformers-the-last-knight-1202465635/

Wanda Boards Paramount’s ‘Transformers 5’ as Marketing Partner in China
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wanda-boards-paramounts-transformers-5-as-marketing-partner-china-1014635

Chinese Censors Cut Michael Fassbender’s Gay Kiss From ‘Alien: Covenant’
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinese-censors-cut-michael-fassbenders-gay-kiss-alien-covenant-1014488

Spotify Passes 140 Million Users, Promises to Pay Labels $2 Billion as Losses Widen
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/spotify-passes-140-million-users-promises-to-pay-labels-2-billion-as-losses-widen-1202467102/

Be Free or Die by Cate Lineberry
http://bookfilter.com/2016/08/30/be-free-or-die/

The Force by Don Winslow
http://bookfilter.com/2016/09/28/unti-winslow-cop-novel-2/

‘A Horse Walks Into a Bar’ Wins Man Booker International Prize
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/books/a-horse-walks-into-a-bar-wins-man-booker-international-prize.html

Yoko Ono To Receive Songwriting Credit On ‘Imagine,’ 48 Years Later
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/06/15/533049527/yoko-ono-to-receive-songwriting-credit-on-imagine-48-years-later

Top US pay-TV Providers Shed Nearly Half a Million Subs in Q1
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017061447607/top-us-pay-tv-providers-shed-nearly-half-a-million-subs-in-q1.html

Majority of Streaming is Now Long-Form Content
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017061347588/majority-of-streaming-is-now-long-form-content.html

Video to Form Three-Quarters of Mobile Traffic by 2022
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017061447598/video-to-form-three-quarters-of-mobile-traffic-by-2022.html

Imax Lays Off 100 Employees in Cost-Cutting Move
https://variety.com/2017/film/news/imax-lays-off-100-employees-in-cost-cutting-move-exclusive-1202462762/

Layoffs Hit Seeso as Future of NBCU’s Streamer Hangs in the Balance
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/layoffs-hit-seeso-as-future-nbcus-streamer-hangs-balance-1014275

Despite Tony Wins, ‘Indecent’ Announces Its Broadway Closing
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/theater/despite-tony-wins-indecent-announces-its-broadway-closing.html

Lynn Nottage’s ‘Sweat’ to Close on Broadway
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/theater/lynn-nottages-sweat-to-close-on-broadway.html

‘Six Degrees of Separation’ Broadway Revival to Close Early
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/theater/six-degrees-of-separation-broadway-revival-to-close-early.html

AAP’s First Report on 2016 Shows Sales Down
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/73991-industry-sales-dropped-6-6-in-2016.html

Audiobook Sales Up Again in 2016, Posting Double-Digit Gains
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/audio-books/article/73917-audiobooks-posted-double-digit-gains-in-sales-output.html

Seth Rogen Criticizes Sony’s Plan to Release “Clean Versions” of Films
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/seth-rogen-criticizes-sonys-plan-release-clean-versions-films-1010778

Sony Debuts ‘Clean Version’ of 24 Movies, But Seth Rogen’s Not a Fan
https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/sony-debuts-clean-version-itunes-vudu-fandango-1202456869/

Sony’s Sanitized Movie Initiative Faces Growing Opposition
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sonys-sanitized-movie-initiative-faces-growing-opposition-1013144

Judd Apatow to Sony: ‘Shove the Clean Versions of Movies Up Your A–!’
https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/dga-judd-apatow-outcry-sony-clean-version-movies-1202465372/

Shanghai Disneyland Hits 11M Admissions in First Year, Exceeding Forecasts
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/shanghai-disneyland-hits-11m-admissions-first-year-exceeding-forecasts-1014126

Apple signals larger Hollywood ambitions by poaching two Sony TV veterans
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-apple-sony-hire-20170616-story.html

Apple Taps Sony TV Chiefs to Lead Programming Push
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apple-taps-sony-tv-chiefs-lead-programming-push-1014049

Facebook Dives Into Scripted Television With Nicole Byer Comedy Series
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/facebook-dives-scripted-television-nicole-byer-comedy-series-1012002

Facebook Greenlights Reality Competition Series ‘Last State Standing’
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/facebook-greenlights-reality-competition-series-last-state-standing-1012849

John G. Avildsen, Director of ‘Rocky,’ ‘Karate Kid’ Films, Dies at 81
https://variety.com/2017/film/news/john-g-avildsen-dead-dies-rocky-karate-kid-1202469349/

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