Showbiz Sandbox 573: Paramount Takes A Global Approach to Streaming
February 21, 2022
During its most recent earnings call ViacomCBS outlined how they plan on reorganizing the media giant to compete with streaming leaders such as Netflix. First they are bringing content from all of their current services into Paramount+ and retaining the rights to popular programming such as “South Park.” They announced a glut of new projects including a new “Star Trek” movie and to hammer the point home changed the company name to Paramount Global. Wall Street immediately responded by selling off shares.
Meanwhile, the Academy Awards announced their COVID health and safety guidelines for this year’s Oscars ceremony. Masks and proof of vaccine will be required, depending on who you are, where you’re sitting and whether you’re appearing on the telecast. Everyone seems to agree, the rules are confusing and don’t seem to make much sense.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how actor Tom Holland is ruling the box office in two different movies, more leadership shakeups at CNN and Netflix strikes a deal with comedian Dave Chappelle.
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Showbiz Sandbox 572: Picking The Best Music From The Past Year
February 15, 2022
In an age when everyone with GarageBand and a kazoo is releasing a record, finding good new music isn’t always easy. Sal Nunziato, the curator of the Burning Wood music blog and the drummer for The John Sally Ride, tells us about some of the best music he’s discovered over the past year. Nunziato listened to hundreds of records each year to create his list, always coming up with a few surprises like Micky Dolenz and Brian Wilson.
None of the performers at this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show made Nunziato’s list, but that’s because most of the hip-hop artists on stage released their best music over 20 years ago. Even so, it was nice to see the NFL finally invite hip-hop to the big game.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how the Academy Awards are allowing fans to vote for their favorite film, Disney continues to grow their streaming service and MoviePass raises the curtain on its second act.
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Showbiz Sandbox 571: Want Ratings? Get Joe Rogan To Host The Oscars!
February 9, 2022
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brought an end to the endless speculation of countless awards pundits by announcing this year’s Oscars nominations. Now we’ll all have to deal with the griping about who was snubbed along with seven weeks of incessant reports about which Best Picture nominee is gaining momentum with Oscar voters.
Perhaps we should thank the Oscars for stealing the headlines from comedian Joe Rogan whose podcast has caused no end of controversy and grief for Spotify, its exclusive distributor. The only good news out of the Rogan mess is that it’s finally brought the band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young back together, at least in regards to their desire to remove their music from the streaming service.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how a Disney soundtrack is dominating the music charts, viewership of the Winter Olympics plummets and the head of CNN is suddenly ousted.
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Showbiz Sandbox: Streaming Through the 2022 Sundance Film Festival
February 2, 2022
For the second straight year the COVID pandemic forced the Sundance Film Festival to move its 2022 event online. Even so, its organizers did a great job of putting on a virtual festival programmed with movies from emerging filmmakers and important documentaries on timely subjects.
Joining us to discuss the 2022 Sundance Film Festival is Stephen Garrett, a writer for the Book & Film Globe and the founder of Jump Cut, a marketing company that specializes in creating compelling trailers and posters for a wide variety of acclaimed motion pictures. We discuss the entries that will surely see some life after the festival, a few that won’t and the likelihood that any of them will ever be seen in movie theaters.
As expected, streamers such as Apple, Netflix and Hulu opened up their checkbooks to acquire Sundance titles for their subscription services, perhaps signaling a pause, if not an end, to big theatrical acquisitions being made at the festival.
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Showbiz Sandbox 570: The Realistic Future of a Mature Netflix
January 26, 2022
When Netflix was just shy of meeting its estimated new subscriber growth during the last financial quarter it faced immediate repercussions as its stock price plummeted over 20% in a single day. We explain why Netflix is not suddenly a failing company, it’s just one in a mature market of its own making. Even so, Netflix’s sudden deflation has given Hollywood’s media giants cause for concern, since most of them followed the company’s lead by launching their own streaming services.
Meanwhile the Sundance Film Festival, which usually takes place in Utah each January was forced by COVID forced to go virtual for the second year in a row. However, even remotely, the festival remains one of the premiere launching pads for independent film and, at the halfway point, we’ll tell you what titles are generating all the buzz.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including Microsoft’s big video game acquisition, YouTube stops paying for original content and Adele postpones her Las Vegas residency.
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Showbiz Sandbox 569: Are Music Catalog Deals Overvalued?
January 18, 2022
Every week it seems another aging artist is selling off their music publishing rights for exorbitant amounts. Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, ZZ Top, David Bowie’s estate and recently Bruce Springsteen. Why are so many back catalogs for sale and are they really worth hundreds of millions of dollars? Ryan Faughnder, a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times discusses his latest article which tackles this very issue.
Meanwhile, streaming numbers for television shows, series, and movies for the last few weeks of 2021 were finally published. The top ten original programs were dominated by Netflix, which might be why they decided to “update” their pricing. Translation; they are raising prices, at least in North America.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why the British government is freezing funding for the BBC, Spotify shutters its podcasting studio and this year’s SAG Awards nominations.
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Showbiz Sandbox 568: Catalog Music Dominates Consumption on Streaming Services
January 11, 2022
Last year consumers listened to more music than ever before. However, according to a report from the analytics firm MRC Data, catalog music, albums and songs at least 18 months old accounted for 75% of music listening on streaming services. When it came to new music, artists such as Morgan Wallen, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and Doja Cat, dominated streaming services. Maybe there’s a reason big legacy acts keep selling their back catalogs.
Speaking of legacies, unfortunately the first week of 2022 saw a number of beloved and legendary entertainment figures die, including actor Sidney Poitier, comedian Bob Saget and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how a spike in COVID cases has canceled an in-person Sundance and indefinitely postponed the Grammy Awards. Meanwhile, the Golden Globes were announced and we’ll tell you who won and whether anyone actually cares.
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Showbiz Sandbox 567: That Time Everyone In Hollywood Got COVID
January 4, 2022
It’s a new year but the entertainment industry is contending with the same coronavirus pandemic that has decimated theatrical box office, shuttered Broadway productions and stalled concert tours. The news wasn’t all bad however, with global box office in 2021 creeping halfway back to its once record level. China remains the top market in that regard, though is relying mostly on homegrown hits to drive revenue.
And as we turn the page to 2022 we join many who were saddened by the death of actress Betty White just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday. This led us to take a closer look at whether we pay more attention to the passing of entertainment figures during the holiday season than we do ordinarily.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how the Oscars failed to make the list of top telecasts of 2021, the Hugo Awards honor the best in science fiction and fantasy, and Winnie-The Pooh enters the public domain.
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