Showbiz Sandbox 657: New Streaming Business Models Require New Measurement Tools
May 7, 2024
Streaming services seem to have settled on engagement as the metric by which to measure the success of a series or movie or even the platform itself. However, the industry has yet to decide a method for how to measure and report such figures in a consistent way. Some services publish random viewership figures citing how many subscribers sampled specific programming without describing how that figure is calculated.
This is becoming a big problem now that labor unions depend on reliable data to make sure studios, networks and streamers are keeping their end of the bargain when it comes to sharing profits for big hits.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including this year’s Tony nominations for Broadway shows, television producer Dan Schneider sues the filmmakers behind the “Quiet On Set” Documentary, and Madonna performs in Rio de Janeiro for more than 1.5 million fans.
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Showbiz Sandbox 647: Disney Teams Up For Sports Streaming Service
February 13, 2024
Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox are teaming up to deliver a new subscription streaming service that will combine all of their sports programming on a non-exclusive basis. It will have 14 channels including ESPN, ABC, FS1, Fox, TNT and TBS. The surprise announcement has generated more questions than answers, especially over whether any antitrust laws are being broken.
Meanwhile, awards season chugs along with the Directors Guild of America handing out its top prize to Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer.” Plus, the Oscars add a new category for casting directors.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why Universal Music pulled all of its music from TikTok, Disney invests in “Fortnite” developer Epic Games and Paramount starts pulling content off its streaming service.
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Showbiz Sandbox 637: Spotify Fighting Fraud With New Payment Plan
November 7, 2023
Spotify is changing how it pays out royalties in an effort to deter fraud, demonetize the flood of new music that almost no one listens to and frustrate those gaming the system. None of the changes will alter the amount of money paid out in royalties each year. But Spotify believes the move may add up to $1 billion a year going to actual musical artists, rather than con artists.
Meanwhile, the actors’ strike continues despite word that SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP were close to a deal on a new three-year contract. Word is that one of the remaining sticking points has to do with how artificial intelligence can be used to create performances in future productions.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including a new Broadway season ramps up with plenty of new productions, Live Nation reports record earnings thanks to sales of concert tickets and Britney Spears becomes a bestselling author.
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Showbiz Sandbox 629: Disney vs. Charter Feud Could Finally Unbundle Cable
September 5, 2023
Carriage disputes between cable companies and media companies are nothing new. They happen regularly around big events like the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup or the Oscars. However this time Charter Communications, the second largest cable operator in the United States, has pulled all of Disney’s 19 networks from its service, refusing to pay the higher licensing fees, arguing that the bundled pay television business model no longer works. Settling the disagreement could significantly alter the future of the television landscape.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift has conquered the album charts and football stadiums and now she’s going to conquer movie theaters. And with summer box office hitting $4 billion, Swift’s concert film comes at the perfect time, at least for those in North America.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the Hollywood Reporter gets another editor-in-chief, more details about Kevin Costner’s departure from “Yellowstone” and Michael Mann brings his “Ferrari” to the Venice Film Festival.
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Showbiz Sandbox 625: SAG-AFTRA Concerns Over AI Are Justified
August 8, 2023
One of the key disputes striking actors are having with the AMPTP (the studios and the streamers) is over artificial intelligence and how it will be used in movies and television shows in the future. What rights will actors have and will they get paid if their image and likeness is used through AI? We look at some of the issues surrounding AI and how it relates to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Meanwhile, talks between the Writers Guild and the AMPTP over their own strike for a new contract resumed last week. Unfortunately it seemed all they talked about was whether they should start talking again. It would help if both sides could agree on what they are arguing about.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why an opera star is suing the Metropolitan Opera, how Lizzo is accused of fat-shaming and the economic impact of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.
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Showbiz Sandbox 624: Hollywood Is Bungling Its Barbenheimer Momentum
August 2, 2023
The idea of counter-programming the simultaneous global release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” over the same summer weekend always seemed like a gamble. But somehow Greta Gerwig’s comedy about a popular toy doll and a Christopher Nolan’s biopic of the renowned nuclear physicist wound up becoming a worldwide phenomenon breaking all sorts of box office records over its first two weeks. Now, instead of capitalizing on this success, Hollywood studios are determined to drag out a dual strike with writers and actors which shows no sign of ending anytime soon.
Having joined the Writers Guild of America on the picket lines, SAG-AFTRA continues to make its case in the court of public opinion. Unfortunately, producers (meaning studios, streamers and networks) aren’t ready to start negotiating a compromise.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including country music’s big moment, why Disney CEO Bob Iger called in some former senior executives to consult with the company and how video streaming is hitting new heights.
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Showbiz Sandbox 614: Streaming Fraud Is Costing Musicians Billions
April 10, 2023
When the recording industry first moved online in the early 2000’s piracy was driven by fans illegally downloading music through services like Napster. These days piracy is being committed by the music industry itself through streaming fraud. Artists and/or record labels are generating millions of fake automated streams to pump up playback numbers with the aim of receiving higher royalty payments. It’s costing musicians a lot of money and, though the industry knows it’s a problem, they haven’t agreed on a way to fix it.
Meanwhile, all those news stories during the pandemic about the death of movie theaters aren’t aging very well. Box office is recovering all over the globe thanks to surprise hits such as “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” And the best is yet to come since most of this year’s Hollywood blockbusters have yet to be released.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how two new “Shrek” films are in the works, the musical “Wicked” the fourth longest-running Broadway show in history, and why the members of Motley Crue are suing each other.
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Showbiz Sandbox 612: No Easy Cure for Concert Ticket Troubles
March 28, 2023
Everyone from fans of popular music groups to Broadway regulars are still facing angst and high prices when buying tickets. When the English rock band The Cure decided to forego dynamic pricing and charge only $20 to verified fans for tickets to their upcoming tour, the service fees and facility charges added up to more than twice that amount. Now lead singer Robet Smith is calling out Ticketmaster to explain how this could happen.
Meanwhile, the awards season officially comes to an end as the 48th Annual IRA Awards are announced, highlighting at least 30 films, some of which were previously overlooked and definitely worth checking out.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the controversy over Disney’s firing of a top executive at Marvel, how ad supported streaming services are making their presence known and Apple plans to spend big money to make original films for movie theaters.
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Showbiz Sandbox 608: The Television Landscape Is Changing FAST
February 22, 2023
Major television networks, cable channels and even streamers are all reeling from all of the changes the industry has been undergoing recently. New shows are being canceled before they air. Others disappear after only a single season with all their episodes yanked from streaming libraries. Ratings for linear and cable are way down causing every stakeholder to earn less money from advertising and carriage fees.
All of this has caused the industry to get super excited by FAST – Free Ad Supported TV. These are streaming platforms built around existing properties like “Westworld” or original series like “Die Hart” which can be watched on-demand, only with ads peppered in. Annoying perhaps if you subscribe to HBO Max and expected to be able to binge shows that are no longer available on the platform.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why Roald Dahl’s books are being updated, box office in India rebounds nicely in 2022 and the big winners at this year’s BAFTAs.
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Showbiz Sandbox 604: Which Awards Actually Matter?
January 17, 2023
As we get deeper into this year’s awards season we’re finally hearing from groups whose opinions mean something. For instance, the guilds for directors, producers and cinematographers have all nominated their top picks from last year’s movies. In other instances however, awards are handed out in so many different categories, it seems like every film released gets a gold star.
Meanwhile, as the Grammy Awards are nearly upon us, we are learning that last year’s top five songs are generating less interest than the top five songs from 2021. In fact, the ten biggest songs of each year are drawing fewer and fewer listeners year-after-year, becoming a smaller piece of the streaming pie.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why Amazon is parting ways with Jeremy Clarkson, how Cathleen Hoover dominated the 2022 best seller lists and a first look at last year’s global box office tally.
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