Streaming provided an explosion of opportunity at first, but profits dried up along with the pool of potential subscribers. The dual strike is happening in part because companies focused on cost-cutting measures like shorter seasons and smaller writers rooms. - Washington Post
"I stream plenty of movies, and listen to most of my music on Spotify. The real reason I stuck it out was the queue. Netflix allows DVD subscribers to save titles to a list of films, which are then sent in the order in which you added them. I’ve grown very attached." - The Atlantic
Cable TV has become too expensive for consumers and providers, Charter Communications said in an 11-page presentation to investors on Friday, adding that cord-cutters and rising fees are contributing to a “vicious video cycle.” - The New York Times
"Set to a budget of 200 million rubles ($2.05m), The Witness has grossed less than 14 million rubles ($143,000) in its first two weeks, with viewers across the country reporting empty cinema halls." - The Observer (UK)
I reminded them that I was older than their dads, but they didn’t mind, and I became a fusion of agony uncle, village witch doctor and fly on the wall. I witnessed their dramas, and learned the minutiae of their lives. - The Guardian
A host and producer of a Norwegian true-crime documentary series write about how and why, instead of the customary practice of using actors to recreate events, they used generative AI software to create animated video. - International News Media Association
By Tuesday, tickets for Hayao Miyazaki’s film “The Boy and the Heron” had topped $527 — more than a $200 increase. Meanwhile, tickets for “Dumb Money” were going for nearly $900. - The Wrap
"Although the festivals won't be as deprived of stars as feared, the agreements mean there will be a patchwork of talent: Who is and isn't attending depends on the project, the person's role in it and even their own calculation about the optics of appearing (or not)." - Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)
In early 2019, YouTube announced tweaks to its recommendation system with the goal of dramatically reducing the promotion of “harmful misinformation” and “borderline content” (the kinds of videos that were almost extreme enough to remove, but not quite). - The Atlantic
The two highest-power frequencies in the western Massachusetts network, one FM and one AM, are moving to the news/talk format familiar on most NPR affiliates, while classical programming will be placed on five local frequencies with less geographical reach. - MassLive
Netflix says games are a key part of its proposition to stay relevant with audiences in years to come, and is slowly ramping up plans to offer more gaming experiences to subscribers. - BBC
A recently released film titled The Witness, about a touring violinist, caught in Kiev as the invasion begins, who sees (entirely fictional) atrocities committed by (fictional) neo-Nazi Ukrainian troops, is part of a wave of propagandistic feature films produced by the Russian state. Will Russians go see it? - AP
"From studio rentals and set construction to dry cleaning for costumes and transportation to sets, it's hard to find a corner of the Los Angeles economy that has entirely escaped the reverberations. … Restaurants, coffee shops, even nail salons that neighbor major studios — they're all desperate for a quick resolution." - AP
Child advocacy groups now suspect that a second FTC probe into YouTube could result in a fine that dwarfs that 2019 record penalty. Their letter suggested that if millions of COPPA violations are discovered through the FTC probe, "the Commission should seek civil penalties upwards of tens of billions of dollars." - ArsTechnica
The major issues remain the same: Streaming residuals, AI plans, and more. Can anything be resolved soon? Well, that's up to the producers. - Washington Post
