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Apple Makes A Big Bet On Brad Pitt Movie

“F1” is one of Apple’s biggest entertainment bets since it leapt into Hollywood in 2019 and embodies its unusually lavish and meticulous approach to the business, which has brought little commercial success. - The Wall Street Journal

A First: BBC Will Start Charging US Users To Access Content

In the first scheme asking users outside the UK to pay a direct subscription for its news content, US users will be offered the chance to pay for a “premium experience”, including unlimited news and feature articles and a livestream of the BBC News channel. - The Guardian

The End Of The Internet’s Business Model For Publishing

Suddenly, fewer people are traveling outside the generative-AI sites—a development that poses an existential threat to the media, and to the livelihood of journalists everywhere. - The Atlantic

Are These The Best Movies Of The 21st Century So Far?

To find out, we embarked on an ambitious new project, polling more than 500 filmmakers, stars and influential film fans to vote for the 10 best movies (however they chose to define that) released since Jan. 1, 2000. - The New York Times

“South Park” Creators Accuse Paramount Global’s Buyer Of Illegally Meddling In $2.5 Billion Extension Deal

While purchaser Skydance has the right to approve any major contracts Paramount enters into before the acquisition is complete, “gun-jumping” — actively taking part or interfering in negotiations — is against federal securities law. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone argue that Skydance has seriously jumped the gun. - Bloomberg (Yahoo!)

Even C-SPAN Is Getting Hammered By Viewers’ Switch From Cable To Streaming

“The not-for-profit network … which reached around 100 million homes in 2015, is now down to 51 million households. The contraction has led to a significant loss in revenue for C-SPAN, which has never sold advertising. C-SPAN took in $46.3 million in 2024, down 37% from $73 million in 2015.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Movie Execs: Traditional Move Experience Will Be Gone In 20 Years

More than 50% of exhibition executives polled in a new survey believe that the “traditional cinema experience” has less than 20 years remaining as a viable business model. - Variety

Inside BBC World Service’s First Experiment With AI Translation

The broadcaster has just launched the website BBC News Polska, for which a team of four native Polish speakers is curating material on global news from the English-language service, using AI machine translation to render that content into Polish, and reviewing the accuracy of the translation before posting. - Press Gazette (UK)

Indie Filmmakers Are Using California’s New Tax Credits As Studio Features Go Elsewhere

“Of the 48 titles selected to receive filming subsidies, only five are feature films, announced the California Film Commission on Monday. They account for roughly an even split of the $96 million in tax credits that the state is allocating this round.” - The Hollywood Reporter

Hollywood Is Struggling. But Its CEO’s Are Making Out Like Bandits

The median compensation for media and entertainment executives for 2024 was $33.9 million, up 7% from 2023, according to figures from data company Equilar. - Los Angeles Times

Layoffs And Programming Cuts At Wisconsin Public Radio

“Faced with ongoing budget shortages and the possibility of federal funding cuts, Wisconsin Public Radio is laying off at least 15 staff members and has decided not to fill several vacant positions, while canceling four of its programs.” - Inside Radio

London’s Fabled Ealing Studios Get A Revamp And, Owners Hope, A New Life

“What we dreamed of doing was to make a studio that had all this history, the old stages built in the 1930s and the heritage since 1902, but also have the most modern facilities. … It needed to be absolutely fit for the 21st century.” - The Guardian (UK)

Pixar, Once The Golden Child, Is Having A Very Rough Time With Its Original Movies

What in the heck is going on? Since the pandemic, “while audiences often say they want to see new stories, box office ticket sales show they gravitate toward sequels, reboots and other familiar fare.” - Los Angeles Times

Money And Status Aren’t Everything, Right?

Right? Uh … TV creators? - Chicago Tribune

The US Administration Has Effectively Killed The Voice Of America

“Once a Cold War-era powerhouse for U.S. diplomacy, the U.S. Agency for Global Media has been gutted under a Trump executive order — slashing ... 85% of its workforce — in a move Kari Lake calls a win for taxpayers and critics warn is a death knell for press freedom.” - Salon

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