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NBC Prepares for Spin-Off By Hiring Christopher Halpin as CFO
NBCUniversal has appointed Christopher Halpin as chief financial officer as it prepares to separate from Comcast and operate as an independent public company within the next year. The move is significant because Halpin will help steer the company’s finances and strategy during a major corporate transition, while NBCUniversal seeks growth across media, entertainment and sports.…
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Musk plans big political ad buy in 8 states: Report
The article reports that Elon Musk is planning a major political advertising purchase across eight US states. If confirmed, the move would underline Musk’s growing willingness to use his wealth and public profile to influence electoral politics. The available text does not provide further details about the campaign’s purpose, the states involved, the cost of…
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EA’s $55bn buyout expected to close on 4 August
Electronic Arts expects its $55 billion go-private transaction to complete at the close of trading on 4 August, having secured all required regulatory approvals. The deal would take one of the world’s largest video game publishers off the stock market, subject only to the remaining customary closing conditions. The all-cash acquisition was announced last September…
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Cinemark, Marcus CEOs On Box Office Rebound: Younger Audiences, Longer Windows, Balanced Mix Of Films
Cinema chain executives at Cinemark and Marcus Theatres say the box office is entering a stronger phase, helped by younger audiences, a broader range of successful films and longer exclusive cinema releases. They argue that this mix can make theatrical exhibition more resilient by reducing reliance on a small number of major franchise releases and…
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Anne Sweeney leaves Netflix board after 11 years
Anne Sweeney has resigned from Netflix’s board after more than 11 years as a director, according to an SEC filing. Netflix said the resignation took effect on 26 July and was not caused by any disagreement, marking a further change to the company’s board following co-founder Reed Hastings’s June departure as executive chairman. Sweeney joined…
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GEEZER BUTLER Says He And Other Members Of BLACK SABBATH Were ‘Surprised’ By Success Of ‘Heaven And Hell’ Album
Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler said the band were surprised by the commercial and radio success of 1980’s “Heaven and Hell”, despite believing strongly in the song. He suggested that some listeners had expected the group to decline after Ozzy Osbourne’s departure, but were won over by the album and its new singer, Ronnie James…
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Amazon reports $62.6bn quarterly profit as advertising revenue rises 26%
Amazon exceeded Wall Street’s second-quarter expectations, reporting more than $200 billion in revenue and a sharp rise in profit. The results highlight the expanding role of advertising, cloud computing and AI infrastructure in Amazon’s business, with gains from its investment in Anthropic making a major contribution to earnings. Advertising services revenue rose 26% year on…
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Producer seeks $105m after Netflix allegedly loses Fortitude copy
Producer Simon Afram is suing Netflix for $105 million after an unencrypted copy of his Second World War film “Fortitude”, starring Nicolas Cage and Ben Kingsley, was allegedly stolen from the company’s offices. The case matters because Afram says the loss could damage the film’s exclusivity and commercial value before release, while Netflix disputes that…
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Live Nation second-quarter revenue rises 9% to $7.7bn
Live Nation reported continued second-quarter growth, with revenue rising 9% year on year to $7.7 billion, led by higher concert income and stronger international demand. The results underline sustained appetite for live music and support the company’s expectation of further growth despite continuing antitrust scrutiny and legal costs linked to its Ticketmaster business. Operating income…
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Urbanworld CEO Stacy Spikes Warns of Guilds Policing Filmmakers After WGA Pulls Sponsorship Over AI Initiative (EXCLUSIVE)
Urbanworld founder and CEO Stacy Spikes has criticised the Writers Guild of America East’s decision to end its sponsorship of the BIPOC-focused film festival after 12 years, following the launch of an AI-focused sidebar. He argued that withdrawing support risks discouraging emerging filmmakers and could lead industry bodies to police which tools creators are allowed…