For dozens of stations that depend heavily on federal dollars, a slow-motion crisis is now unfolding; many are already downsizing and cutting programming, and some report that if new sources of funding do not materialize they could go dark for good. - The New Yorker
The red-state audience that Hollywood is chasing isn’t a monolith, and there’s an experimental energy in the crop of shows catering to this newly prized demographic. - The New Yorker
Luma’s generative AI platform, Dream Machine, debuted last year and points toward a new kind of moviemaking, one where anyone can make release-grade footage with a few words. - Los Angeles Times
“If earlier a voice actor was doing 15-20 projects a month, now it's down to maybe six or seven,” says the leader of the Association of Voice Artists of India. Worse, if you work in dubbing, you may discover your voice being used in a film you knew nothing about. - The Hollywood Reporter
“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
