Showbiz Sandbox 390: The Government Takes Aim At Media Mega Mergers and Net Neutrality
November 27, 2017
The Justice Department filed suit to block the merger of AT&T and TimeWarner. Since President Donald Trump promised to oppose the deal and repeatedly complained about CNN news coverage many see this as political payback. Ironically, however, many impartial observers agree with the Trump administration’s stance, just not for the same reasons. They see the merger as a questionable convergence of media power and vertical integration.
At the same time the Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission wants to kill net neutrality regulations that he claims are crippling the internet. Pai’s proposal, which is certain to pass in December, is despised by consumer groups, tech companies and just about everyone other than the handful of giant telecommunications companies it is aimed to help.
Meanwhile, the number of sexual harassment allegations against power players in Hollywood, the media and politics continues to grow, though now we’re calling it sexual misconduct. We’ll touch on the latest entrants to the list including journalist Charlie Rose and Pixar’s John Lasseter.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Netflix’s first Colombian production, Time Inc. gets a new owner, and the nominations for this year’s Spirit Awards.
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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of November 26, 2017
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-november-26-2017-300561623.html
Wanda Sony Pictures Financing And Marketing Deal Is Over
http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/wanda-sony-pictures-finance-deal-halted-1202620411/
Spirit Awards Nominations Led by ‘Call Me by Your Name’
http://variety.com/2017/film/awards/spirit-awards-nominations-2018-call-me-by-your-name-1202620662/
Murder On The Orient Express Sequel In The Works
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/murder-orient-express-sequel-works-1060513
FCC Plans Net Neutrality Repeal in a Victory for Telecoms
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/technology/fcc-net-neutrality.html
FCC Chairman Proposes Repeal of Net Neutrality Rules
http://variety.com/2017/politics/news/fcc-net-neutrality-repeal-1202620531/
FCC Eyes Raising TV Station Ownership Cap Amid Sinclair-Tribune Merger Review
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fcc-national-ownership-cap-sinclair-tribune-1202620605/
Justice Department Sues to Block AT&T-Time Warner Merger
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/business/dealbook/att-time-warner-merger.html
U.S. Faces Tough Battle Proving AT&T Would Use Time Warner to Squeeze Competition
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-att-time-warner-20171121-story.html
Even With Streaming Video, A Third of Americans Still Buy and Rent
https://qz.com/1136150/even-with-streaming-video-a-third-of-americans-still-buy-and-rent/
NBC Sees Ratings Feast For Thanksgiving Programming
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017112649831/nbc-sees-ratings-feast-for-thanksgiving-programming.html
Grosses Analysis: Broadway Hits Record Thanksgiving Week, With Dear Evan Hansen, Hello, Dolly!, More Reaching Milestones
http://www.playbill.com/article/grosses-analysis-broadway-hits-record-thanksgiving-week-with-dear-evan-hansen-hello-dolly-more-reaching-milestones
Meredith Seals $2.8 Billion Time Inc. Deal With Koch Brothers Backing
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/official-meredith-buy-time-28-billion-1061403
Netflix to Make its First Original Colombian Series
http://variety.com/2017/film/festivals/netflix-to-make-first-original-colombian-series-1202621537/
Eight Women Say Charlie Rose Sexually Harassed Them
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/eight-women-say-charlie-rose-sexually-harassed-them–with-nudity-groping-and-lewd-calls/2017/11/20/9b168de8-caec-11e7-8321-481fd63f174d_story.html
PBS Cancels “Charlie Rose”
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/pbs-cancels-charlie-rose-1202620817/
Al Franken Issues Apology After Accusation of Forcible Kissing and Groping
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/us/politics/al-franken-sexual-harassment-groping-forcible-kissing.html
Former ‘Saturday Night Live’ Female Stars, Staff Support Al Franken in Signed Statement
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/saturday-night-live-female-stars-staff-support-al-franken-1060656
John Lasseter Taking Leave of Absence From Pixar Amid “Missteps”
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-lasseter-taking-leave-absence-pixar-missteps-1057113
Harvey Weinstein’s First Civil Suit Over Sexual Assault Filed in U.K.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harvey-weinstein-civil-suit-filed-uk-1061474
WME’s Adam Venit Returns After Suspension Over Terry Crews’ Groping Claim
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wmes-adam-venit-returns-suspension-terry-crews-groping-claim-1061563
David Cassidy, Former Teen Idol and ‘Partridge Family’ Star, Dies at 67
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/david-cassidy-dead-partridge-family-star-pop-singer-was-67-1059782
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