• Netflix Inc. reported second-quarter revenue totaling $4.92 billion and U.S. subscribers numbers falling by 126,000 after Netflix had previously predicted an increase of 300,000 U.S. subscribers. Chief Financial Officer Spencer Neumann attributed the subscriber loss to price increases, saying that the streamer saw “some elevated churn rates and lower retention” after the price hike, but noted that the higher prices mean “increased revenue” for Netflix. (The Washington Post)

• STX Entertainment is reportedly seeking $500 million in capital and is interviewing executive candidates to work in its film division following a string of underperforming films, including “UglyDolls” and “Poms.” Founder Robert Simonds has been pursuing potential investors across the globe, which Chief Financial Officer Andy Warren said is part of a plan to “accelerate growth,” not as a means to “fund current operations.” (Variety) 

• CBS Corp. has partnered with former CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler, taking an ownership stake in PatMa Productions, a production company she created with Denise Di Novi to highlight diverse voices. The company will remain independent, but CBS — and its broadcast, cable and digital platforms — will have a first look at all programming produced. (Deadline Hollywood)

Hollywood donors handing out cash to multiple 2020 candidates in effort to beat Trump
Tina Daunt, Los Angeles Times 

When former DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg agreed to co-host a high-wattage Hollywood fundraiser this week for Joe Biden’s presidential bid, people may have assumed the former vice president was his pick for 2020. Hollywood’s key fundraiser has donated the maximum allowed, $2,800, to Biden. But he’s given the same to Kamala Harris, and to Pete Buttigieg, and Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Bennet, Beto O’Rourke, Steve Bullock, John Hickenlooper, Julián Castro, Seth Moulton and Jay Inslee, according to campaign finance reports.

LeBron James’ agent will lead UTA sports division as agencies bet on athletes
Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times 

LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul has been hired to lead a sports division at Hollywood talent firm UTA in a move that gets the agency — known for supporting actors like Kevin Hart and Angelina Jolie — into the business of representing athletes. Beverly Hills-based UTA on Wednesday said it has made a significant investment in Paul’s sports agency Klutch, which works for NBA stars including Anthony Davis, who recently joined James as a Laker , as well as Draymond Green, Ben Simmons and John Wall.

Massachusetts prosecutors drop Kevin Spacey sex assault case
Nate Raymond, Reuters

Massachusetts prosecutors on Wednesday dropped a criminal case accusing former “House of Cards” star Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man at a Nantucket bar in 2016 after the alleged victim refused to testify.

WGA’s fight with agents enters Act 2, but there’s no end in sight
Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times 

Like many of his peers, writer Rasheed Newson, a co-executive producer on the Showtime drama “The Chi,” was supportive of his union’s efforts to rein in some of the aggressive practices of talent agencies. But three months after the Writers Guild of America told members to fire their agents, Newson is growing frustrated with the lack of progress in resolving a dispute that has consumed Hollywood.

Disney Calls Heiress’s Remarks About Workers ‘Gross and Unfair’
Christopher Palmeri, Bloomberg 

A feud between Walt Disney Co. and the granddaughter of co-founder Roy Disney is getting more heated. The company slammed remarks by heiress Abigail Disney after she went to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and said conditions for park employees were bleak.

Have We Hit Peak Podcast?
Jennifer Miller, The New York Times 

In 2016, Morgan Mandriota and Lester Lee, two freelance writers looking to grow their personal brands, decided to start a podcast. They called it “The Advice Podcast” and put about as much energy into the show’s production as they did the name.

Comic-Con 2019: Where Have All the Major Movie Studios Gone?
Chris Lee, Vulture 

Producer Michael Uslan can pinpoint the precise moment he began to fear for the soul of San Diego Comic-Con. The filmmaker behind several Batman movies and a self-described “true comic-book geek” can fairly be called one of the architects of the modern-day Comic-Con. 

The Lion King Crowns an Era of Consolidation in Hollywood
Anousha Sakoui, Bloomberg 

Come for the harmonic pairing of Beyoncé and Donald Glover as they sing the Elton John classics, stay for the comedic fireworks of Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner in Walt Disney’s live-action The Lion King.

Disney’s ‘Lion King’ will be (yet another) slam dunk for 2019’s box office giant
Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times 

The Walt Disney Co. doesn’t have to wait to be king, unlike the little cub Simba. But the release of its latest remake, “The Lion King,” should further cement the company’s rule at the box office.

Do abuse allegations against ‘Bachelor’ creator Mike Fleiss spell trouble for the franchise?
Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times 

A Los Angeles County judge on Tuesday ordered Mike Fleiss, the reality television producer behind “The Bachelor” franchise, to stay 100 yards away from his estranged wife after she filed a complaint alleging that he’d verbally and physically abused her. As part of that complaint, she submitted photos of bruises she alleged he’d given her and footage of what she claimed was an altercation between the two that was caught on security cameras at the couple’s Hawaii home on July 6.

Alicia Keys, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul to Exec Produce Showtime Musical Drama
Elaine Low, Variety 

There’s music in the air for Showtime. The premium cable network has made a series commitment to a yet-to-be-titled musical drama series executive produced by Alicia Keys, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Norah O’Donnell’s ‘CBS Evening News’ Debut Drops 24% in Ratings
Tony Maglio, The Wrap 

Norah O’Donnell is the new anchor of “CBS Evening News,” though she’s not off to a particularly hot start. Her July 15, 2019 debut drew 1.221 million viewers ages 25-54 — the key demographic for news programming — which was down 24% versus the same night (Monday, July 16) last year.

Netflix Pledges To Remain Ad-free Even As U.S. Subscriptions Slip
Garett Sloane, AdAge

Netflix did its best Wednesday to quash speculation that it will start running advertising, even as subscriber growth cools. The streaming video giant reported revenue of $4.9 billion in the second-quarter, which was up 26 percent year-over-year.

Netflix says it can spend more on its own shows now that it’s not paying for ‘The Office’ and ‘Friends’
Sarah Whitten, CNBC 

Yes, Netflix is losing “The Office” and “Friends” in the next two years. But that may not be a bad thing for the streaming company.

‘A.P. Bio’ Revived for Season 3 on NBCUniversal’s Streaming Service
Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter 

NBC’s currently unnamed streaming service has its first scripted comedy — and it’s a familiar one. The Lorne Michaels-produced single-camera comedy A.P. Bio has been revived for a third season as the streaming platform’s first half-hour original. 

‘Gossip Girl’ Update Lands Straight-to-Series Order at HBO Max
Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter 

Hey Upper East Siders, get ready for some big news: Gossip Girl is returning to TV. WarnerMedia’s streaming service HBO Max has given a 10-episode, straight-to-series order for an update of the teen drama.

Pluto is cutting back on supply partners post-Viacom acquisition
Andrew Blustein, The Drum 

Ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) service Pluto has reduced its list of supply partners by around 15%-20% in the five months it’s been under Viacom’s wing. Viacom announced plans to purchase Pluto for $340m in January, and closed on that deal in March. 

Spotify partners with Disney on a new streaming hub aimed at families
Sarah Perez, TechCrunch 

In an effort likely aimed at boosting family memberships, Spotify this morning announced a new partnership with Disney on the creation of a Disney Hub on its streaming service. Here, Disney fans in select markets including the U.S. will find a selection of Disney playlists, like soundtracks from Disney, Pixar and Marvel movies, Star Wars instrumentals, classics, sing-alongs and more.

Who Won Game of Thrones? The fantasy series was gold for nearly every person, place, and broadcaster involved. But who came out on top?
Nate Jones and Chris Lee, Vulture

For nearly a decade, fans obsessively followed the question of who would win the game of thrones. This summer, we finally found out. 

HBO Max’s Golden Ticket
David Sims, The Atlantic 

As media conglomerates prepare for the next age of streaming television, it appears the most pivotal branding choice is the suffix. What punchy addendum do you tack on to your company name to suggest something new and exciting is in the offing?

Netflix’s Black Mirror
Laura Forman, The Wall Street Journal 

Netflix investors don’t need 13 reasons to be nervous. One is more than enough.