With the Tokyo Olympics just a few months away, Morning Consult senior sports reporter Alex Silverman wrote recently that roughly 3 in 5 U.S. adults are planning to check out “some” or “a lot” of the event, a figure former NBCUniversal researcher Joe Brown said bodes well for the networks of NBCUniversal, which will broadcast the games. But Brown is cautious, noting that this year could produce “NBC’s lowest-rated Summer Olympics” as vaccinated viewers might leave their TV sets and look for entertainment elsewhere.

• After New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo failed to expand capacity of New York City movie theaters from 25 percent to 50 percent, Joe Masher, president of New York’s National Association of Theatre Owners branch, said theaters “can’t make it” at the current capacity, noting that some venues haven’t reopened due to the 25 percent cap. Some 5,000 theater employees remain out of work because chains can’t afford to operate with a full staff, he said. (Deadline Hollywood)

• Facebook unveiled dynamic ads that will show consumers personalized video recommendations from streaming services and allow users to sign up for a trial or subscription within their news feed. The campaign will be seen by desktop, mobile and tablet users. (Adweek)

• Roku Inc. plans to introduce an advertising feature called Roku Recommends in 2021’s second or third quarter that will promote content available on the Roku platform, according to three agency executives. The feature, which will utilize a banner on the home screen that plays a video once a user clicks on it, will reportedly be sponsored by different brands and is expected to be used by services including Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max. (Digiday)

Andrew Yang Proposes Public-Private Broadway Ticket Rescue Plan & Pilot Program For Streaming Theater Productions
Greg Evans, Deadline Hollywood 

NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Yang released a sweeping “arts revival” proposal today that would include the use of city funds and corporate commitments to purchase “hundreds of thousands” of Broadway and Off Broadway tickets at reduced prices to “bring people back into theatre seats” and stimulate economic growth.

Actors’ Equity Issues New Protocols for ‘Fully Vaccinated’ Productions
Ryan McPhee, Playbill 

Actors’ Equity Association has released updated guidelines for theatres that intend to employ its members, which include performers and stage managers, as indoor productions begin to take the stage once again following the pandemic shutdown. 

Hollywood has overlooked the 50-plus audience. Producer Amy Baer aims to change that
Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times 

Even before the pandemic corralled Americans onto their couches to binge and consume a steady churn of content, producer Amy Baer knew the entertainment industry was missing an opportunity to sate viewers.

Lil Nas X Rides a Second Wave of Controversy to No. 1
Ben Sisario, The New York Times

Exactly two years ago, a young rapper with buzz on TikTok released a remix with Billy Ray Cyrus, and a pop-culture juggernaut was born.

Harvey Weinstein appeals New York sexual assault conviction
James Queally, Los Angeles Times 

Harvey Weinstein formally appealed his rape conviction Monday, arguing the combination of a biased juror and a New York City judge’s decision to allow prosecutors to use evidence that wasn’t connected to the crimes for which the movie mogul was standing trial led to violations of his constitutional rights.

‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Is a Box Office and HBO Max Hit. Will It Shake Up the Future of Moviegoing?
Rebecca Rubin, Variety 

“Godzilla vs. Kong” proved that buzzy new movies can sell tickets, even if they’re already available to watch at home.

Media Buyers Sound Confidence in Cinema Sector Before Silver Screen Reopenings
Stephen Lepitak, Adweek 

One of the major sectors most affected by the year-long Covid-19 pandemic has been cinemas—an experience of escapism that has been disrupted perhaps irrevocably.

From Sundance to the Oscars: How ‘Minari,’ ‘Promising Young Woman,’ and More Conquered the Circuit
Anne Thompson, IndieWire 

The pandemic heated up the long-simmering romance between January’s Sundance Film Festival and the Academy Awards: For the first time, the Oscar race showcases four Best Picture contenders that were Sundance premieres.

Guillermo del Toro Overcomes Claim ‘The Shape of Water’ Was Plagiarized
Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter 

The producers of “The Shape of Water” will no longer have to contend with a copyright lawsuit that claims that Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro film infringed the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Zindel.

After ‘WeWork’ and ‘Hysterical’ Docs, Campfire Is Primed for a Big 2021
Brent Lang, Variety 

Campfire, a producer of scripted and non-scripted content, has been on a tear. The company debuted three films at this year’s SXSW, the buzzy documentaries “WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn,” “Hysterical,” and “The Lost Sons,” and also fielded “A Glitch in the Matrix,” which scored rave reviews at Sundance.

Guy Fieri Signs New Three-Year Deal With Food Network
Mikey O’Connell, The Hollywood Reporter 

Food Network’s biggest homegrown star is staying put for the foreseeable future. Guy Fieri has inked a new, three-year exclusive deal with the Discovery-owned network.

‘The Chase’: WGA & ITV America Resolve Dispute After Writers’ Strike
Peter White, Deadline Hollywood 

ITV America and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have resolved their dispute concerning ABC gameshow “The Chase.” This comes as the show is on the brink of being renewed for a second season.

‘Chad’: Inside the 5-Year Odyssey From Failed Fox Pilot to TBS Comedy
Tim Baysinger, The Wrap Pro 

When TBS debuts its new comedy “Chad” on Tuesday, its star and creator is probably going to have a hard time believing her eyes. “Certainly when I first had this idea and became excited about it, I didn’t expect that it would premiere exactly five years later,” Nasim Pedrad, who serves in the triple role of star, creator and showrunner on the teen comedy, told TheWrap.

‘The Neighborhood’ Creator Jim Reynolds Exits Amid Leadership Complaints
Elaine Low, Variety 

“The Neighborhood” creator, producer and showrunner Jim Reynolds has exited the show amid concerns over his leadership style.

Won and done: Why ‘The Voice’ hasn’t produced a big star in its 10 years
Chuck Arnold, New York Post 

Once Alisan Porter was the last singer standing on the 10th season of “The Voice” in 2016, she won — as all of the confetti-doused champions do — $100,000 and a recording contract.

The State Of Non-Scripted TV: Networks & Streamers Optimistic In 2021 As They Seek Post-Pandemic Stability & Noisy New Hits
Peter White, Deadline Hollywood 

The non-scripted television business is made up of a wily group of people who deftly navigated their way through the Covid-19 pandemic to get a large volume of shows on air.

Anthony Scaramucci Joins CNBC as Contributor
Lindsey Ellefson, The Wrap 

Anthony Scaramucci has joined CNBC as a contributor. During an appearance on the business network Monday morning, the chyron identified him as such.

Hulu’s New Marketing Campaign Goes Back to Basics
Kelsey Sutton, Adweek 

For its past marketing campaigns in the last year, Hulu has put most of its marketing muscle behind marketing its pricier live sports and live TV offerings. 

Supreme Court Hands Google a Landmark Win — and Hollywood a Huge Concern
Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter 

Google can let out a huge sigh of relief now that the Supreme Court has saved the tech giant from billions of dollars in damages in a long-lasting lawsuit brought by Oracle over computer code used to build the Android operating system.

Inside BritBox’s strategy to hold the streaming British TV crown
KC Ifeanyi, Fast Company 

You love British TV—even if you don’t know it. For decades, British programming has enjoyed massive success in the United States, with breakout hits such as “Downton Abbey,” “Sherlock,” “Doctor Who,” “The IT Crowd,” and more. 

Audible Hires Film and TV Veteran Zola Mashariki to Oversee Original Content
Todd Spangler, Variety 

Zola Mashariki, former senior exec at Fox Searchlight and BET, is the new head of Audible Studios. In the role at the Amazon-owned audio content platform, Mashariki will lead the creation of all original programming from concept to release, overseeing the entire studio operation including the development and implementation of content strategy.

Spotify opens a second personalized playlist to sponsors, after ‘Discover Weekly’ in 2019
Sarah Perez, TechCrunch

Spotify is opening up its personalized playlist, “On Repeat,” to advertising sponsorship. This playlist, launched in 2019 and featuring users’ favorite songs, is only the second personalized playlist on the music streaming service that’s being made available for sponsorship.

Independent Video Game Stores Are Here to Stay
Gabriel Solis, Wired 

When I walk into J&L Games on 6th Avenue in New York, I feel as though I’ve entered something between a time capsule from 1998 and a dive bar where everyone knows my name. 

What Does Marvel Want to Use Television For?
Alison Herman, The Ringer 

In the premiere episode of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” Bucky Barnes—former brainwashed assassin, current scowling loner—lays out his current predicament. “I never had a moment to deal with anything,” he explains to his court-mandated therapist. 

How Warner Bros. Built a Fake Brand That Lives Beyond the Cartoon World
Robert Klara, Adweek 

As you read these words, a team of writers and animators at Warner Bros. is working on a much-buzzed cartoon film slated for a 2023 release. It will be funny, of course, but it will finally air the details of an ugly legal dispute that’s been festering since 1948. 

Covid Closed Theaters. But It Also Made Them Accessible.
Esmé Weijun Wang, The New York Times

I have never lived in either London or New York, and thus have next to no experience with the hotbeds of English-speaking theater.