“Skydance Media has closed its takeover, unveiled in July 2024, of Paramount Global to form what the merger partners have called a ‘next-generation media and technology leader, positioned to win in today’s rapidly transforming media landscape.’” - The Hollywood Reporter
They’ve built syndication businesses, production studios, national programming, university partnerships, cross-media tie-ups, statewide networks, and a thousand other things meant to strengthen the institution. For them, the federal defunding will be painful but not fatal. - NiemanLab
“Zero Day Attack …, which aired its first episode over the weekend, was partially funded by the Taiwanese government, which hopes to raise awareness about the threat China poses. But the show has landed at a highly divisive moment in Taiwan and attracted (accusations) of fear-mongering” even before the first episode aired. - BBC (MSN)
“Nearly every one of Disney’s core brands – in addition to Marvel Studios, (they are) Pixar and Lucasfilm (home of Star Wars) – have been diminished by the company’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform and that platform’s insatiable thirst for fresh content.” - TheWrap (Yahoo!)
“Hank is trapped between his state’s past and present, between the egotism and insecurity that is the Texan’s peculiar yin and yang. He is committed to an authenticity that, like that of so many Texans living in urban areas — around 84 percent of us — is more than a little performative.” - Texas Monthly
The prime suspects are generally considered to be the writing-directing team of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, none of whose films have ever scored higher than 7% on Rotten Tomatoes. But no less than David Zucker, co-creator of Airplane! and the original Naked Gun films, points at a different culprit. - Slate (MSN)
Disney and Metaphysic spent 18 months negotiating on and off over the terms of the contract and work on the digital double. But none of the footage will be in the final film when it’s released next summer. - The Wall Street Journal
Michael Abramowitz, the director of Voice of America, has been fired after refusing to accept what he called an “illegal” reassignment to run a broadcasting station in North Carolina, according to a new court filing on Monday. - Washington Post
But hey, one currently hard-up business might benefit: "If anything sends viewers back to the cineplex, it will be ads for depression meds in the middle of a rom-com or a sophisticated chase scene." - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
“Writing and directing winners often get caught up in a sweep … so when they do diverge from the series winner, it can seem like an even bigger triumph.” Please, Somebody, Somewhere? - Vulture
“The film’s popularity in South Korea is rooted in its keenly observed details and references to Korean folklore, pop culture and even national habits — the result of having a production team filled with K-pop fans, as well as a group research trip to South Korea.” - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
As Netflix and YouTube vie for the eyeballs on TV sets, Netflix (and other streamers) are increasingly using YouTube to test the waters for the kind of content viewers will flock to. - CBC
Netflix’s generative AI approach marks a fundamental shift. Instead of building digital scenes piece by piece, artists simply describe what they want and algorithms generate full sequences instantly. This turns a slow, laborious craft into something more like a creative conversation. But it also raises tough questions. - The Conversation
