• ABC’s telecast of the 95th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, drew 18.7 million viewers, a 12% increase from last year’s ceremony of 16.6 million, though both programs were among the least-watched and lowest-rated in the award show’s history. This year’s event also generated 27.4 million interactions across Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, an increase of roughly 5 million compared with the 2022 ceremony, which included Will Smith’s infamous slap of Chris Rock. (Deadline)
• HBO’s “The Last of Us” finale averaged 8.2 million viewers, its largest audience to date, which represents a 74.5% increase from the 4.7 million who watched the Jan. 15 series premiere. The six episodes of “The Last of Us” averaged 30.4 million viewers, HBO said, compared with 29 million viewers for the first season of its “Game of Thrones” spinoff “House of the Dragon.” (The Hollywood Reporter)
• Sean “Diddy” Combs joined the growing list of suitors interested in buying BET Media Group from Paramount Global, which includes Tyler Perry and Byron Allen, as part of his strategy to “build a Black-owned global media powerhouse,” according to a source close to Combs, who owns the digital cable network Revolt. Paramount, which declined to comment, has reportedly not yet entered into talks with any prospective buyers. (Variety)

The Taylor Swift Fandom Is White, Suburban and Leans Democratic

Morning Consult

Silicon Valley Bank Failure Closely Watched In Entertainment As Biden Reassures Investors

Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter

On Sunday, regulators took control of another financial firm, Signature Bank, which is used by many Broadway productions.

At SXSW, an unexpected banking crisis disrupts a tech-world tradition

Brian Crontreras, Los Angeles Times

Walking through Roku City on Sunday afternoon, you’d hardly know the namesake company was having an unusually stressful weekend.

Peacock/NBC Chief: It’s a Mistake to Cut Some Shows Short Without an Aim to Build a Library

Erik Hayden, The Hollywood Reporter

“When you look at a lot of the streamers and how they program now its ‘three seasons, eight episodes each season and we’re done,’” Susan Rovner said at a SXSW panel. “I think that’s going to catch up.”

Comcast Changes Segment Reporting to Align Sky With Connectivity and Content Businesses

Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter

The move follows the media conglomerate in recent years stepping up cooperation and integration between Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal and Sky, for which it took an $8.6 billion non-cash charge in the third quarter of 2022.

WGA and AMPTP Exchange Proposals Ahead of Next Week’s Negotiations

Gene Maddaus, Variety

The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers exchanged proposals on Monday, as they prepare for face-to-face bargaining next week.

Disney Elevates Sonia Coleman To Chief Human Resources Officer, Succeeding Paul Richardson  

Jill Goldsmith, Deadline

Disney is promoting HR exec Sonia Coleman to Senior EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, effective April 8 and reporting to CEO Bob Iger.

Tilda Swinton Is Over COVID Film Set Rules: ‘I Was Told to Wear a Mask at All Times, and I’m Not’

Selome Hailu, Variety

Tilda Swinton is over the pandemic, and she doesn’t care who knows it. She opened her keynote appearance at South by Southwest by sharing her pleasure that the pandemic had gotten to a point where audience members at the event didn’t have to wear masks anymore.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Nike Film ‘Air’ to Make Surprise Debut at SXSW

Rebecca Rubin, Variety

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Nike drama “Air” is heading to Austin, Texas.

Dwayne Johnson Weighs In on Henry Cavill’s DC Exit After ‘Black Adam’ Brought Superman Back: We ‘Put Our Best Foot Forward’

Zack Sharf and Marc Malkin, Variety

Dwayne Johnson took a moment on the Oscars red carpet to reflect on the DC Universe overhaul that put a pin in his plans for a Black Adam-Superman crossover movie.

Fire TV users can fill out NCAA brackets with the new March Madness feature

Lauren Forristal, TechCrunch

Amazon launched today its new interactive NCAA bracket feature on Fire TV, giving users the ability to create a bracket and track their progress throughout the March Madness tournament.

Netflix is reviewing its ad strategy, considering ‘build or buy’ pivots away from Microsoft

Ronan Shields, Digiday

Netflix announced its Microsoft partnership in July as part of a pact that was expected to generate billions in advertising revenue for the online streaming service. 

In Unusual Move, CNN Taps Two Exec Producers to Help Revive Morning Show

Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter

Lauren Mensch will become executive producer of the show hosted by Don Lemon, Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow, joining Chris Russell, who THR previously reported would be joining the program.

Whispers already spreading around CNN that Chris Licht is on his way out

Oli Coleman, Page Six

Is he Licht already? Less than a year after he took over as chairman of CNN, Page Six hears that there’s already chatter throughout the halls of the network that Chris Licht will be gone before Labor Day.

‘The Daily Show’ Lands President Biden Interview With Guest Host Kal Penn

Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter

The “Harold & Kumar” actor kicks off his week at the Comedy Central show with a discussion of marriage equality and LGBTQ rights with the president.

‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Has Quietly Recast a Character From Netflix Series

Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine

There will be at least one familiar name attached to a new face when Disney+’s “Daredevil” revival-of-sorts arrives in Spring 2024.

‘The Last of Us’ TV adaptation resonates beyond gamers

Karena Phan, The Associated Press

In the HBO series “The Last of Us,” a fungal infection has taken over Earth, rendering the United States an apocalyptic landscape protagonists Joel and Ellie need to traverse. Fans unfamiliar with the video game, from which the series was adapted, might assume this is just another zombie show packed with action and gore.

BuzzFeed Posts $106.2M Quarterly Loss Over Impairment Charge

Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter

The digital media company saw advertising and content revenues fall as total revenue dropped 8 percent to $134.6 million and a steep non-cash goodwill impairment charge was recorded.

YouTube Shorts ad payouts to creators highlights deeper monetization woes

Krystal Scanion, Digiday

YouTube’s decision to share ad revenue on Shorts last month was intended to help creators make more cash. So far it hasn’t, and creators aren’t sure if (or when) it ever will.

Discord Revises Its Privacy Policy After Backlash Over AI

Thomas Germain, Gizmodo

People noticed when Discord quietly removed privacy promises as it announced AI integrations. Then Discord added them back.

Are they for real? South Korean girl band offers glimpse into metaverse

Hyunsu Yim, Reuters

Less than two months ago, the first music video by South Korean girl quartet MAVE: went viral, racking up nearly 20 million views on YouTube and setting the stage for potential global success.

Morgan Wallen Notches First Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 With ‘Last Night’

Gary Trust, Billboard

The track is the first shared Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs leader by an unaccompanied male artist since Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night” in 1981.

Drake announces 2023 North American tour with 21 Savage

The Associated Press

Four-time Grammy-winner Drake is teaming up with collaborator 21 Savage for a North American arena tour this year.

Riley Keough Reportedly Locked Priscilla Presley Out of Graceland

Helen Holmes, The Daily Beast

Presley has been challenging the validity of her late daughter Lisa Marie Presley’s will, which bars her from accessing a large fortune.