In the streaming wars, every company wants its own Baby Yoda, Demogorgon or optimistic soccer coach to entice consumers to sign up for yet another streaming service. But licensed favorites can be just as much of a draw as these new originals, according to new Morning Consult analysis. 

I took a look at the 50 films that ranked in Netflix’s U.S. Top 10 from Jan. 1- March 31 and found that there was roughly a 50-50 split between original and licensed titles. Additionally, these films spent roughly the same amount of time in the Top 10, illustrating the importance of a strong licensed catalog to balance with new originals.

• Peter Dunn and David Friend, two CBS television station executives who allegedly bullied female employees and impeded efforts to hire Black journalists, are no longer with the company, CBS Chief Executive George Cheeks announced in an email to staff. Dunn, who served as president of the TV Stations unit, and Friend, formerly the senior vice president of news, have denied the allegations. (Los Angeles Times) 

• Oscar-nominated Netflix films saw an increase in viewership in the seven days after this year’s nominations were announced, according to the streamer, which said the documentary short “A Love Song for Latasha” saw the biggest bump, with new viewers increasing by 1,802 percent. “Mank,” the Oscars’ most-nominated film this year, earned the second highest lift, with new viewers increasing by 702 percent. (Variety)

• Eighty actors and entertainment professionals, including Amy Poehler and Naomie Harris, signed an open letter calling for studios to hire disability officers, in an effort  to promote opportunities for disabled talent and provide inclusive, accessible hiring practices. While roughly 1 in 4 U.S. adults has a disability, only 3.5 percent of regular characters in TV programs in 2020 had a disability, according to an industry study. (The Independent)

What Is a Grammy Win Worth? Well, Some Earn 6-Figure Bonuses
Tatiana Cirisano and Ed Christman, Billboard 

At the 63rd annual Grammy Awards on March 14, the night’s leading artists and performers took home gold statues, press, praise — and extra cash.

The Weeknd Dominates iHeartRadio Music Awards Nominations Following Grammy Snub
Brian Welk, The Wrap

The Weeknd landed eight nominations from the iHeartRadio Music Awards, leading the pack of all nominees after he was shut out from Grammy nominations earlier this year.

“Everyone Just Knows He’s an Absolute Monster”: Scott Rudin’s Ex-Staffers Speak Out on Abusive Behavior
Tatiana Siegel, The Hollywood Reporter 

On a brisk Halloween day in 2012, the thin facade of normalcy at Scott Rudin Productions shattered. Literally.

Why Sony Is Making a Big Bet on Theme Park Business Despite the Pandemic
Jeremy Fuster, The Wrap Pro 

The tourism industry may still be reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, but Sony Pictures is making a big bet on its recovery with plans for a rebranded water park in Thailand and a new push into theme parks and location-based entertainment based on hit films like “Ghostbusters” and “Men in Black.”

Disney cancels US cruises through end of June
Alexandra Steigrad, New York Post 

Disney is extending its cruiseline suspension once again. The Mouse House said Tuesday that all cruises departing from the US would be canceled through June and that all European sailings aboard Disney Magic would be canceled through Sept. 18 with the exception of limited, short voyages for UK residents this summer.

‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is the first film ‘hit’ of the vaccine era. But that era still contains plenty of cloudiness.
Steven Zeitchik, The Washington Post 

The battle in the newly released “Godzilla vs. Kong” is between a giant mythical ape and a massive radioactive lizard, two forces wreaking smoldering havoc on all that lies in their path as they attempt to destroy each other.

Directors Guild Leaders Condemn Georgia’s “Voter Suppression Law”
David Robb, Deadline Hollywood 

Leaders of the Directors Guild of America have sent a direct appeal to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, urging him to withdraw his support for the state’s restrictive new voting law, saying it “threatens to undermine the pillar of our democracy – the right to vote.”

Hollywood Actor Charged With Running Film-Distribution Ponzi Scheme
Heather Murphy, The New York Times

The 2017 film “Bitter Harvest” would not, by many definitions, be considered a success. “It’s a bad sign when even the prayers in this movie are crappy,” observed one reviewer, who contributed to the film’s 15 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nielsen, TV Networks in Showdown Over Counting Viewers Amid Pandemic
Brian Steinberg, Variety 

Sometimes, the simple act of counting can result in something much more complex.

Brooke Baldwin Criticizes CNN for Gender Pay Disparity on Her Way Out
Lindsey Ellefson, The Wrap 

Outgoing CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin opened up this week about gender pay disparity at the network, but said “it’s getting better.”

‘The Chase’ & ‘The Hustler’ Renewed At ABC As Network Unveils Summer Unscripted Schedule With Shows Including ‘Bachelor In Paradise’
Peter White, Deadline Hollywood 

ABC has unveiled its summer unscripted schedule and it looks like things are back to normal after last year’s Covid interruption.

MTV Entertainment Group Taps Jason White as CMO
Kelsey Sutton, Adweek 

Jason White, a seasoned marketing executive who has been serving as the chief marketing officer of the cannabis brand Curaleaf, is joining ViacomCBS as the new chief marketing officer of MTV Entertainment Group, the company announced today.

Streaming service Newsy to launch over-the-air broadcast channel
Thomas Moore, The Hill 

Streaming channel Newsy will offer over-the-air broadcasts starting Oct. 1, parent company E.W. Scripps announced Tuesday.

Unions at The Ringer and Gimlet Media announce their first contracts.
Noam Scheiber, The New York Times 

Unions representing employees at two prominent podcasting companies owned by Spotify, the audiostreaming giant, announced Wednesday that they had ratified their first labor contracts.

The Major Label NFT Strategy Will Focus on Long-Term Revenue
Micah Singleton, Billboard

The major record companies are gearing up to capitalize on the boom in NFTs — non-fungible tokens — but they won’t be “putting every song on the blockchain and calling it a day,” an executive tells Billboard.

Jon Stewart Sets Title, Launch Plans for Apple Series
Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter 

Jon Stewart has settled on a name. His forthcoming Apple series, set to debut this fall, will be titled “The Problem With Jon Stewart.”

YouTube is social media’s big winner during the pandemic
Salvador Rodriguez, CNBC 

YouTube saw the most significant growth of any social media app among American users during the pandemic, the Pew Research Center reported Wednesday.

Patreon’s Valuation Triples to $4 Billion as Platform Draws Creators, Fans
Maria Armental, The Wall Street Journal 

Patreon Inc., an online platform that connects musicians and other creators with fans, was valued at $4 billion in its latest investment round, more than tripling its value since September as venture capitalists bet on startups that serve content creators.

Twitter Held Discussions for $4 Billion Takeover of Clubhouse
Katie Roof et al., Bloomberg 

Twitter Inc. held talks in recent months to acquire Clubhouse, the buzzy audio-based social network, according to people familiar with the matter.

U.S. State Department announces new video game diplomacy program
Noah Smith, The Washington Post 

American culture has been projected overseas in various ways: Elvis, blue jeans, Coca-Cola, MTV, Hollywood films. Now, in a program announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of State, this pantheon will include video games.

Instagram’s Plan for Kids Met With Hostile Response
Jeff Horwitz, The Wall Street Journal 

With a version of Instagram for kids, Facebook Inc. says it can build a safer social-media haven for users under 13.

How Hulu’s Head of Social and Brand Embraces Disruptive, Earth-Shattering Moments
Julian Gamboa, Adweek 

Streaming service Hulu has Live Sports, your favorite shows and movies —and great leaders. Meet Tatiana Holifield, Hulu’s Head of Social Media, Brand and Adweek’s Social Media Council co-chair, who has found herself at the crossroads of innovation and social media.

Will People of Color Win All Four Acting Oscars This Year?
Kyle Buchanan, The New York Times 

Five years after back-to-back bouts of #OscarsSoWhite put a spotlight on award-season diversity, could the Academy Awards be on the verge of a major breakthrough where people of color win every single acting trophy?

Inside the Dirty Business of Hit Songwriting
Jem Aswad, Variety 

Sixty-four years ago, as Elvis Presley’s career reached its supernova stage, the 21-year-old singer’s team hit on a strategy that enabled him to profit from songwriting without actually writing songs. 

CodeMiko Will See You Now
Bijan Stephen, The Verge 

When I watch CodeMiko, I think a lot about unreality — though not for the obvious reasons.