Awards season

• HBO led all television networks and streaming services with four wins – two each for “Succession” and “Chernobyl” – at the 77th Golden Globe Awards. On the film side, Sony Pictures Releasing, Sony’s film distribution arm, came out on top, winning three trophies for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” while Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures each took home two awards. 

• This year’s Golden Globes telecast was watched by 18.3 million viewers, an eight-year low and down 2 percent from last year’s 18.6 million viewers. 

• The Oscars will be hostless for the second straight year, with ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke saying the telecast will feature “huge entertainment values, big musical numbers, comedy and star power” and that the awards show may return to the hosted format in the future. Last year’s telecast saw a 12 percent increase in viewership from 2018’s broadcast. 

#MeToo 

• The criminal trial against Harvey Weinstein began last week at the New York State Supreme Court, with Weinstein’s lawyers filing a motion to bar Justice James M. Burke from the case, alleging he had a bias against Weinstein. Justice Burke denied the motion, and jury selection continued with opening statements set to expected to happen at least a week from now. 

• As his New York trial began, Weinstein was charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault in Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey. Weinstein, who has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sexual activity, could spend up to 28 years in prison if convicted.

• In a November deposition made public this week, former CBS anchor Charlie Rose admitted to having “inappropriate” relationships over his 45 years in the workplace. Rose did not answer all questions but acknowledged that his behavior was known at the company and that he flirted with CBS colleagues Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell, as well as others in the studio. 

Streaming 

• WarnerMedia Chief Technology Officer Jeremy Legg and Andy Forssell, the company’s EVP and GM of direct-to-consumer, shared details about the company’s upcoming HBO Max streaming service at CES, with Forssell saying that WarnerMedia will be “aggressive” when it comes to bundling the service as the practice “is good for consumers and it’s good for people doing the bundle” when done correctly. Legg added that the plan for the HBO Max interface is to use technology and human curation to eliminate “endless” scrolling and create a better mobile display.

• At CES, Quibi debuted its Turnstyle video technology, a format enabling viewers to switch between landscape and portrait mode while watching videos, which Quibi Chief Product Officer Tom Conrad said is patent-pending. The service, set to launch in April, plans to debut 175 shows in its first year, and according to Chief Executive Meg Whitman, users will see 25 shows each day in a feed curated for them. 

• WarnerMedia is set to shutter DirecTV’s Audience Network in the spring, and will instead use the channel to market the HBO Max streaming service. Sources say that although no decision has been made, one or more of the network’s four scripted original series – “Mr. Mercedes,” “Condor,” “Loudermilk” and “You Me Her” – could become HBO Max originals. 

• Amazon. com Inc. is talking with app owners about selling ads on other TV streaming systems such as Apple TV, Playstation and Xbox for the first time, according to people familiar with the matter, with talks taking place between programmers and Amazon Publisher Services. Sources say Amazon, which already works with CNN, Discovery and A&E, and ad-supported streaming services including Pluto TV and Tubi TV, began contacting app owners last year. 

• Hulu will have a section dedicated to FX originals beginning March 2, a move that FX Chief Executive John Landgraf said was a “transformative opportunity” for the network. The section, which Landgraf indicated could attract younger viewers who have moved away from linear viewing, will feature FX library content, including “Atlanta” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and exclusive originals such as “Devs.” 

WGA antitrust suit 

• William Morris Endeavor, Creative Artists Agency and United Talent Agency will be allowed to move forward with their antitrust suit against the Writers Guild of America after a federal judge ruled that the WGA did not provide “a plausible argument that prohibiting packaging enhances overall efficiency and makes markets more competitive.” The WGA said it would continue with its case, with a tentative trial date set for March 2021. 

Peak TV

• The number of scripted television shows in the United States totaled 532 in 2019, a 7 percent year-over-year increase, according to data from FX Networks. Landgraf predicted that this year will see another increase in the amount of scripted programs and noted that the increased volume of content raises the cost of production. 

Nielsen 

• Nexstar Media Group has signed a multiyear deal with Nielsen Holdings PLC to provide measurement services for its 197 television stations and digital subchannels in 115 markets. Nexstar Broadcasting President Timothy Busch said that the partnership will help Nexstar better serve advertising clients.

• The Critics Choice Awards are tonight. On the film side, “The Irishman” leads with 14 nominations, followed by “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” with 12. “When They See Us” leads television nominees with six nods. 

• Oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow morning. Look for titles from Netflix Inc. — such as “The Irishman” and “Marriage Story” — as well as Palme d’Or winner “Parasite” and Golden Globe winners “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and “1917” to be among the nominees. Diversity will be something to watch after the BAFTAs failed to nominate any performers of color in its acting categories and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association failed to nominate any women in the best director and best screenplay categories at last week’s Golden Globes. 

• Comcast Corp. is set to hold an investor meeting to discuss its Peacock streaming service on Thursday. 

• The Producers Guild of America will announce the winners of the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards will be held on Jan. 19. 

• The Sundance Film Festival will begin Jan. 23 and runs through Feb. 2. 

• The Grammys are Jan. 26. Lizzo, who will perform during the Alicia Keys-hosted telecast, earned 8 nominations, more than any other artist this year. 

1) Change or Die: 50% of Media and Entertainment Execs Say They Can’t Rely on Old Biz Models, Survey Finds
Todd Spangler, Variety 

2) Charlie Rose Deposition: He Admits “Inappropriate” Relationships
Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter 

3) Golden Globes by the Numbers: ‘Once Upon a Time,’ HBO Emerge as Big Winners
Tony Maglio and Jennifer Maas, The Wrap 

4) WarnerMedia Execs Talk HBO Max’s “Swipey” Interface, Distribution Plan, State Of HBO
Dade Hayes, Deadline Hollywood

5) Hollywood Deal Adviser Michael Kassan Predicts Future of Streaming Wars and Cooling M&A Market
Natalie Jarvey, The Hollywood Reporter

6) Yes, Megyn Kelly has seen ‘Bombshell.’ Now she’s revealing what she thought
Christie D’Zurilla, Los Angeles Times 

7) ‘Hustlers’ Real-Life Stripper Sues STX for $40 Million Over Jennifer Lopez’s Portrayal
Trey Williams, The Wrap 

8) Top Hollywood Execs Look Ahead to a Year of Disruption
Cynthia Littleton, Variety 

9) Content Clashes and the Netflix Effect: Hollywood Lawyers Discuss the Decade Ahead
Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter 

10) Theater Chains Face Uncertain 2020 With Few Must-See Films
Ryan Vlastelica, Bloomberg