Top Stories

  • Viacom Inc. is the top contender to purchase a stake in Miramax LLC, after Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. dropped out of the bidding process, according to people familiar with the matter. While a deal is not official, the companies are said to have discussed a price of at least $100 million for the stake in the library that includes more than 700 titles. (Bloomberg)
  • “Bones” stars Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz and two producers of the drama have reached a settlement regarding their profit-sharing dispute with 20th Century Fox Television after a judge in May overturned the decision to award the stars and producers $128.5 million in punitive damages. No financial details of the settlement were disclosed. (Los Angeles Times
  • Bill McGoldrick has been named head of programming for NBCUniversal’s upcoming streaming service, with sources saying he’s been unofficially working in that role for months. The new title expands his current purview as president of scripted content at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment and president of unscripted content at USA and Syfy. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Chart Review

Boxed In 2018-19: Women On Screen and Behind the Scenes in Television
Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, San Diego State University

Events Calendar (All Times Local)

09/12/2019
IAB NewFronts West
2019 Toronto International Film Festival
Tribeca TV Festival
09/13/2019
2019 Toronto International Film Festival
The Information’s One-Day Media Business Bootcamp
Tribeca TV Festival
09/14/2019
2019 Toronto International Film Festival
Tribeca TV Festival
Creative Arts Emmys
09/15/2019
2019 Toronto International Film Festival
Tribeca TV Festival
IFP Week 2019
Creative Arts Emmys
09/16/2019
adXchange 2019
IFP Week 2019
09/17/2019
adXchange 2019
IFP Week 2019
View full calendar

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General

WGA Elections Define Fight With Agencies, Set Stage for Next Year’s Studio Talks
Cynthia Littleton and Dave McNary, Variety 

The campaigning around the Writers Guild of America West’s Sept. 16 election has focused in large part on the intense debate over the guild’s handling of its franchise contract renegotiations with Hollywood’s largest talent agencies. But more than anything, the contest for WGA West officer and board seats has put the spotlight on guild members’ frustration with the status quo and concerns about the future.

Geena Davis says Hollywood gender imbalance an ’embarrassment’
Kathryn Carlson, Reuters 

The under-representation of women in Hollywood behind the camera is an “embarrassment”, American actor and activist Geena Davis said at France’s Deauville Film Festival. Davis, who starred in the cult classic “Thelma and Louise” with Susan Sarandon, criticized the Hollywood gender gap from the red carpet of the festival, where she was promoting her new documentary “This Changes Everything” on gender inequality.

Democratic Debate: Hollywood Will Watch For A Turning Point That Defines 2020 Race
Ted Johnson, Deadline Hollywood 

When 10 Democratic candidates meet in Houston on Thursday for the next Democratic debate, Hollywood’s base of influential donors and activists will be looking for a turning point —- those breakout moments that will point to the best person suited to take on President Donald Trump. Up to now, the 2020 race has been unwieldy, as a blizzard of contenders courted industry figures at meet and greets, in one-on-one conversations and at tony fundraisers, all in the hopes of eventually being their one and only choice.

Film

Jennifer Lopez stripper movie ‘Hustlers’ could give STX some welcome relief
Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times 

A movie starring Jennifer Lopez as a seasoned stripper who scams Wall Street bankers could provide a much-needed win for studio STX Entertainment this weekend. The $20-million, R-rated crime drama “Hustlers,” also starring Constance Wu (“Crazy Rich Asians”), is expected to debut with about $25 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada this weekend, according to people who have reviewed pre-release audience surveys.

James Cameron reacts to ‘Avatar’ losing box office top spot to ‘Avengers’
Marisa Dellatto, New York Post 

A hot-tempered Hollywood heavyweight is getting introspective. Filmmaker James Cameron made his first comments since “Avengers: Endgame” stomped on his 21-year-long reign atop the list of the highest-grossing films in history.

As Jordan Peele Is Named Best Director at Britannia Awards, Can ‘Us’ Reemerge as Oscar Contender?
Zack Sharf, IndieWire 

One of the big questions this Oscar season is whether or not Jordan Peele’s horror thriller “Us” will reemerge as a major contender. “Us” opened way back in March and the conversation around the film has not endured as strongly as Peele’s breakthrough directorial debut, “Get Out,” which opened in February 2017 but stayed in the cultural conversation well into 2018.

Television

The end of the backend? Disney wants to limit profit participation on its new TV shows
Stephen Battaglio and Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times 

Walt Disney Co., which became a dominant player in television production with its acquisition of Fox assets earlier this year, is pushing to transform how TV show creators are compensated for their work. For decades, the brass ring for showrunners was seeing their series hit the 100-episode mark.

Blackouts Expected to Lead To 300,000 Sub Losses at AT&T
Jon Lafayette, Broadcasting & Cable 

After lengthy blackouts of CBS and Nexstar stations, plus the impact of price increases, AT&T expects to lose about 300,000 to 350,000 subscribers in the quarter, CFO John Stephens said. Speaking at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference on Wednesday, Stephens talked about the decision to let some programmers go dark on its DirecTV, Uverse and other TV services.

Comcast sues Maine over a law requiring a-la-carte cable offerings
Christine Fisher, Engadget 

Cord cutting may seem like the new norm, but plenty of people still pay for cable TV. That doesn’t mean they’re happy with it though. 

Discovery CFO Says Scripps Deal Was a Game Changer, Talks Further M&A Appetite
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter 

Discovery is “very happy” with the integration of Scripps Networks Interactive after its acquisition and how the mega-deal provided the company an opportunity for “transformation,” CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels said at an investor conference on Wednesday.

Comscore emerges from restructure with focus on TV
Andrew Blustein, The Drum 

Twenty years after its birth to measure the digital world, Comscore’s chief product officer now says the measurement and analytics company has its eyes firmly set on growing its video footprint.

Primetime Emmys 2019: Michael Douglas, Viola Davis, Zendaya & Cast Of ‘Game Of Thrones’ Among Presenters
Peter White, Deadline Hollywood 

Michael Douglas, Viola Davis, Zendaya and the cast of Game of Thrones are among the first set of presenters for this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards.

Technology and New Media

Quibi Teams With BBC News On Daily News Show For Millennials
Denise Petski, Deadline Hollywood 

Quibi, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s short-form video platform, has announced a partnership with BBC News to produce an original daily international news show aimed at millennials. It’s slated to launch in April 2020.

Apple TV Plus Is Just $5. Will People Pay for It?
John Koblin, The New York Times 

Tim Cook went into full salesman mode at Apple’s promotional event on Tuesday as he revealed the price for a monthly subscription for its streaming service, Apple TV Plus. “All — all — of these incredible shows for the price of a single movie rental,” Mr. Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said. “This is crazy.”

Most of Netflix’s Newest Rivals Aren’t Really Trying to Take On Netflix
Kelsey Sutton, Adweek 

In the rapidly intensifying streaming wars, Netflix doesn’t have nearly as many competitors as it might seem.

Spotify Acquires Music Production Marketplace SoundBetter
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter

Audio streaming giant Spotify Technology said Thursday that it has acquired SoundBetter, a music and audio production and collaboration marketplace. 

Nintendo is seeking millions in damages from a website that allegedly charged $30/year for fast, unlimited downloads of video games
Kevin Webb, Business Insider 

Nintendo filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the owners of RomUniverse.com, a video game emulation website that advertises itself as boasting downloads of more than 60,000 different games.

Apple, like Disney, is using TV to drive other parts of its business
Andrew Blustein, The Drum 

Apple and Disney are diving into streaming TV, and they’re positioning it as a gateway for consumers to discover and stick with their varied product portfolios. Yesterday (10 September) saw Apple introduce its subscription streaming service, Apple TV+, for the staggeringly low price of $4.99 a month.

Apple TV Squeezing Into India Market With $1.40 a Month Service
P.R. Sanjai, Bloomberg 

Apple Inc. is jumping into India’s crowded film and TV streaming market with services that could undercut premium global brands like Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. that are also betting on growth in the country.

Ellen Digital Network Announces Two New Shows at NewFronts West
Tyler Hersko, IndieWire 

The Ellen DeGeneres empire continues to grow. The comedian and television host’s digital network announced two new projects Wednesday, during its panel at IAB NewFronts West 2019.

Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research

Apple TV Plus is trying to be HBO, not Netflix
Julia Alexander, The Verge 

In a blowout event in March, Apple announced its plans for TV Plus, its standalone streaming service to stand alongside the growing number of offerings from Netflix, HBO, Disney, and others. At the company’s iPhone event on Tuesday, it gave us a fuller picture of the service, which is set to launch on November 1st.

What I learned from 5 days of binge-watching YouTube
Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times 

Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and get out. This was one of those times.

Why Apple made the unusual move to sell its streaming service for next to nothing
Steve Kovach, CNBC 

Apple rarely sells anything at a discount. Between its $1,000 iPhones and pricey accessories like the $159 AirPods, the company has built a reputation for convincing customers to pay a premium for anything with the Apple brand.

The new ‘Joker’ movie offers a provocative punch: A comic-book movie about a mass shooter
Steven Zeitchik, The Washington Post 

After mass shootings this year, Americans have been embroiled in a debate over the nature of the perpetrators and the factors that drive them. Now Hollywood is about to weigh in.

Morning Consult