Showbiz Sandbox 444: Disney Gets Serious About Streaming
April 15, 2019
From the moment the Walt Disney Company announced they would eventually launch their own video streaming service everyone wanted more detailed information. When would the service launch? How much would it cost? What content would be offered? Last week Disney answered all of those questions during an investor media event.
Disney+, as the service has been named, will launch this November in and will offer hundreds of hours of television and movies, both old and new, for the attractive price of $6.99 per month or $70 per year. Unlike Apple, who announced their own streaming service just a few weeks ago, Disney proved they know how to launch an attractive content platform. Not surprising since they have content from their animation, Marvel and Lucasfilm labels to offer up.
Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America and the talent agents which represent their membership, are still arguing over the adoption of a new code of conduct which would prevent agencies from collecting packaging fees on new television series. Late last week the WGA asked its members to fire their agents, which many did rather publicly via social media.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how Apple Music has topped Spotify (in the United States), the Emmys revise how certain TV shows are classified and Netflix buys a movie theater.
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‘Shazam!’ #1 for Second Weekend as ‘Little’ Tops ‘Hellboy’ to Lead Newcomers
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4503&p=.htm
‘Shazam!’ Rules International Box Office Again With $35 Million
https://variety.com/2019/film/box-office/shazam-box-office-international-bohemian-rhapsody-1203189231/
Talent Agencies Offer to Share Packaging Fees with Writers in Significant Move Towards Deal
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/talent-agencies-offer-share-packaging-fees-wga-significant-move-deal-1201553
What to Know About the Fight Between Hollywood’s Writers and Agents
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/14/business/media/wga-writers-agents-hollywood.html
WGA-ATA Impasse Throws Up Questions For UK Writers & Agencies
https://deadline.com/2019/04/wga-ata-impasse-throws-up-questions-for-uk-writers-agencies-1202595694/
Geoffrey Rush Wins Defamation Case Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations
https://variety.com/2019/film/news/geoffrey-rush-wins-defamation-case-sexual-allegations-1203186608/
Deborah Dugan Selected to Succeed Neil Portnow as Recording Academy President/CEO: Sources
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8506967/deborah-dugan-succeed-neil-portnow-recording-academy-president-ceo
Tanya Simon Named Executive Editor of ’60 Minutes’
Tanya Simon Named Executive Editor of ’60 Minutes’
Apple Music Has More Paid U.S. Subscriptions Than Spotify
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/apple-music-has-more-paid-us-subscriptions-than-spotify-report/
Record Labels Want TikTok Owner To Pay Them More Money
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/labels-want-tiktok-owner-bytedance-to-pay-them-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-in-guaranteed-money-report/
TikTok Launches Talent Search Competition in Japan, South Korea
http://chinafilminsider.com/tiktok-launches-talent-search-competition-in-japan-south-korea/
Netflix In Talks To Acquire Hollywood’s Historic Egyptian Theatre From American Cinematheque
https://deadline.com/2019/04/egyptian-theater-hollywood-netflix-buying-cinematheque-1202591851
Why the Assange Arrest Should Scare Reporters
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/assange-arrest-charges-taibbi-821107/
Country or Not? Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ Raises Big Questions About Genre in the Streaming Age
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8506428/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-splits-country-music-industry-opinion-genre-streaming-age
Country Vs Hip Hop
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/arts/music/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-country-rap.html
Emmys: ‘American Horror Story’, ‘The Sinner’ & ‘American Vandal’ Out Of Limited Series Category
https://deadline.com/2019/04/tv-academy-reclassifies-american-horror-story-the-sinner-american-vandal-1202592264/
Playwrights Kenneth Lonergan, Harvey Fierstein & Mart Crowley OK’d For Tony Award Eligibility
https://deadline.com/2019/04/tony-awards-kenneth-lonergan-harvey-fierstein-mart-crowley-eligibility-1202594290/
Disney+ to Launch in November, Priced at $6.99 Monthly
https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/disney-plus-streaming-launch-date-pricing-1203187007/
How Disney+ Could Raise the Stakes in the Streaming Wars
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/how-disney-could-raise-stakes-streaming-wars-1201525
Journalism’s Assange Problem
http://theconversation.com/journalisms-assange-problem-115421
Actor Seymour Cassell Dies At 84
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/seymour-cassel-dead-familiar-face-john-cassavetes-films-was-84-1102383
Bibi Andersson, Luminous Presence in Bergman Films, Dies at 83
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/14/movies/bibi-andersson-dead.html
Quiz Show Cheat Charles Van Doren Dies at 93
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charles-van-doren-dead-disgraced-tv-quiz-show-champion-was-93-1023908
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