Hollywood Reporter; Disney’s Dana Walden Reorganizes Senior Team: John Landgraf, Simran Sethi Elevated

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Dana Walden has solidified her senior executive team.

Media Guardian: Stunning Rupert Murdoch deposition leaves Fox News in a world of trouble

Story from Media Guardian:

In his 71 years as a media executive, Rupert Murdoch has proved himself to be a grand master in the arts of survival.

Hollywood Reporter; Paramount CFO: Streaming Content Spending Could Come in Below $6B Target In 2024

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Paramount Global CFO Naveen Chopra signaled during an investor conference on Feb. 28 that the entertainment giant could spend less on streaming content in 2024 than previously forecast due to the integration of Paramount+ and Showtime.

Variety: Nexstar’s Political Ad Sales Skyrocket in Q4 With Midterms as the CW Network Takes $94 Million Loss

Story from Variety:

Nexstar reported its fourth-quarter 2022 earnings Tuesday, revealing its core ad sales fell 3.3% from Oct. 1-Dec. 31, the quarter following the finalization of its purchase of 75% of the CW Network, but political ad revenue was up 1,306.9% due to the 2022 midterm elections.

Deadline; CNN’s CEO Chris Licht Calls Don Lemon’s Comments About Women “Unacceptable,” Morning Show Co-Anchor Apologizes To Staff

Story from Deadline:

Chris Licht, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, called Don Lemon’s comments on women “unacceptable,” while Lemon apologized to staffers in an editorial call on Friday.

Deadline: John Oliver Roasts Fox News Hosts For Questioning Why Julia Roberts Wasn’t At Train Derailment Site Like Erin Brockovich

Story from Deadline:

John Oliver started off Last Week Tonight roasting Fox News for the second week in a row. The HBO Max host show started off by noting that Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg attended the train derailment in Ohio.

New York Post: ‘CNN This Morning’ ratings rose 5 percent during Don Lemon’s absence

Story from New York Post:

Don Lemon’s three-day hiatus from “CNN This Morning” resulted in a 5% increase in viewership for the struggling cable news show, which was thrown into turmoil by the co-host’s sexist remarks about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley last week.

Deadline; ‘South Park’ Showdown: Warner Bros Discovery Hits “Opportunistic” Paramount Global & Series Creators With $200M Streaming Rights Suit

Story from Deadline:

“Screw you guys, we’re going to sue,” a Cartman paraphrasing Warner Bros Discovery essentially said to Paramount Global and the series creators today in a scathing lawsuit over South Park streaming rights.

Deadline; Discovery+ Economics Justify Continuing It As A Stand-Alone Streamer After Launch Of Merged HBO Max Offering, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav Says: “Why Would We Shut That Off?”

Story from Deadline:

The motivation for continuing to offer Discovery+ as a stand-alone streaming service after a combined offering with HBO Max debuts later this spring, is largely financial, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav says.

Deadline; LIV On CW: Behind Nexstar’s Drive To Secure TV Stations For Controversial Golf League

Story from Deadline:

Earlier this month, The CW proudly trumpeted how the 2023 LIV Golf League season will air in 100% of markets across the U.S.

Hollywood Reporter: Warner Bros. Discovery Seeks to Exit Regional Sports Networks Business

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to get out of the regional sports networks business.

Hollywood Reporter; “Turning the Corner?”: Warner Bros. Discovery Stock Analysts See Positive Trends Amid Open Questions

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Reduced streaming losses, strong free cash flow and a focus on debt reduction – those were some of the positives in Warner Bros. Discovery’s fourth-quarter earnings update on Feb. 24 that were dissected by Wall Street experts overnight.

Deadline: ‘The Goldbergs’ To End With Season 10 On ABC

Story from Deadline:

The Goldbergs’ journey through the 1980s is over. The family comedy’s current tenth season will be its last, with the May 3 season finale serving as a series finale.

Deadline; ‘Thunderbolts’: Steven Yeun Joins Marvel Studios Pic In Key Role

Story from Deadline:

Following his Oscar-nominated role in Minari and scene-stealing part in Nope, Steven Yeun is continuing to show his range as he is now looking to add a Marvel movie to his resume.

Deadline: David Zaslav Praises CNN Adding More GOP Voices; “Balance Strategy” Is “Important,” Warner Bros Discovery Boss Says

Story from Deadline:

Promising “2023 will be a year of building,” Warner Bros Discovery boss David Zaslav made a point today on the company’s latest earnings call to sing the praises of CNN’s “more inclusive range of voices and viewpoints.”

New York Post: Charles Barkley only considering CNN show out of ‘respect’ for Gayle King

Story from New York Post:

Charles Barkley is only considering a CNN show because he could have his own TV news version of a super team.

Hollywood Reporter: New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movies in the Works at Warners, New Line

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Warner Bros. and New Line are going back to Middle-earth, with the studio making a deal that will allow it to develop more Lord of the Rings movies.

Hollywood Reporter: Warner Bros. Discovery Posts $217M Streaming Loss, Hits 96M Subscribers

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Warner Bros. Discovery reported 96.1 million streaming subscribers in its latest quarterly earnings report, up from 94.9 million last quarter.

Variety: Warner Bros. Discovery Tops 96 Million Streaming Subscribers Across HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+

Story from Variety:

HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+ added 1.1 million subscribers in Q4 to end 2022 with a total of 96.1 million worldwide.

Deadline: ‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ Eyeing $35M Box Office Opening, But It’s Still Early

Story from Deadline:

Warner Bros/New Line/DC’s sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods hit early tracking Thursday and surprised many with a low projection of $35 million, which is under the first installment’s $53.5M opening in 2019.

Hollywood Reporter: HBO Max Orders ‘It’ Prequel Series ‘Welcome to Derry’ From Andy Muschietti

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Pennywise the Dancing Clown is coming to HBO Max.

Deadline: ‘TCM Underground’ Label Fading Out For Good, Two Months After Related Staff Cutback

Story from Deadline:

Warner Bros Discovery’s TCM is officially discontinuing its Underground sub-brand, two months after laying off programmer Millie De Chirico.

Variety: Is the Worst Really Over? Wall Street Hunts for Evidence of Turnaround Momentum in Warner Bros. Discovery Q4 Results

Story from Variety:

As the fourth-quarter earnings cycle for Big Media closes Thursday, with Warner Bros. Discovery results after the market close, Wall Street will be eagerly looking for green shoots to confirm that the worst is truly over for the newly minted conglomerate.

Hollywood Reporter: ‘The Flash’ Movie to Screen at CinemaCon

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

The long-awaited The Flash movie will screen for the first time in April at this year’s CinemaCon, the annual convention of theater owners, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

Variety; HBO’s Leading Man: Casey Bloys on Perfecting ‘The Last of Us,’ HBO Max Streaming Merger and Axing Shows

Story from Variety:

Casey Bloys was about four years into his tenure as a programming executive at HBO when he was driven to champion a project that was disliked by others at the network.

Hollywood Reporter: Don Lemon Doesn’t Address Nikki Haley Comments on the Air During CNN Morning Show Return

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Don Lemon is back on CNN, and he’s sorry. Though viewers of CNN This Morning that have avoided social media may not have gotten the full picture.

Variety: ’Judge Mathis,‘ ’People’s Court’ Canceled By Warner Bros. After More Than Two Decades

Story from Variety:

The verdict is in: Syndicated court staples “Judge Mathis” and “The People’s Court” will both end their run at the end of this season, Variety has confirmed.

Daily Mail: Greg Olsen won't 'roll over and die' for Tom Brady at Fox Sports

Story from Daily Mail:

Greg Olsen isn't leaving the broadcast booth without a fight as he expects to battle with the newly-retired Tom Brady over his lead analyst role at Fox Sports from 2024.

Variety; Robin Wright Is Waiting to Join ‘Wonder Woman’ Prequel Series on HBO Max: ‘Maybe I’m Too Old!…Make That Happen for Me’

Story from Variety:

When James Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled the new DC Universe slate in January, the lineup included a “Wonder Woman” prequel series titled “Paradise Lost” that is set for HBO Max.

Deadline: BBC News Review Says Journalists’ “Lack Of Understanding Of Basic Economics” Brings “High Risk To Impartiality”

Story from Deadline:

BBC News’ journalists failure to understand “basic economics” is bringing a “high risk to impartiality,” according to a BBC-commissioned report.

Deadline: BBC News Says Presenters Can Relax Formal Dress Code As “Sweaty & Dirty” Look Is More Trustworthy

Story from Deadline:

BBC News presenters have been told that they can relax their formal dress code in the pursuit of more authentic reporting as the broadcaster seeks to reinvent its 24-hour news channel.

Naja Nielsen, BBC News’ Director of Digital, told staff last week that the more rugged “sweaty and dirty” look certain journalists adopt when away from the studio can be more trustworthy.

Nielsen was speaking as the BBC steps up plans to merge BBC World News with its domestic news channel in an effort to cut costs and make its rolling news output more appealing to online audiences. Managers argue it is a chance to create the best news channel in the world.

Nielsen told a wide group of journalists: “It’s a bit like, be as sweaty and dirty as when we’re in the field is actually more trustworthy than if we look like we’ve just stepped out of an awards ceremony or a fine dinner party.”

Some presenters took this as a signal to ditch suits and dresses. One source said dress code changes were already happening on screen, pointing to weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker wearing a jacket and T-shirt on at least one occasion. Other insiders said Nielsen’s comments were simply her expressing a desire for increased authenticity.

Her ambition is to encourage more smartphone camera reporting from journalists as the channel seeks to engage the TikTok generation. She told journalists that her mother is impressed by studio presentation, but her children are less so.

The relaunched channel will feature more links hosted from the heart of the newsroom and, as one insider put it, “presenters standing in front of giant iPads to show how we verify footage.”

The BBC News channel will have a team of eight journalists who will serve as both correspondents and studio presenters. Recruitment is underway for the roles.

Deadline revealed earlier this month that 10 of the BBC’s most seasoned anchors face an uncertain future after being told they will not be Chief Presenters on the channel.

Martine Croxall, Ben Brown, and Annita McVeigh were among those who were not successful. The channel’s lineup will comprise: Matthew Amroliwala, Yalda Hakim, Christian Fraser, Lucy Hockings, and Maryam Moshiri. They will earn as much as £230,000 ($276,000).

• The BBC hopes to launch the new channel on April 3, though insiders said changes will be phased in over an unspecified period of time. Pilots are underway, with a dry run of the new schedule taking place on March 6.

One senior source said: “The single channel operation will be a phased launch over months, with different elements being introduced over time. No-one should get hung up on April or expect to see everything change at once.”

Paul Royall, the BBC’s acting Editor of news channels, said he has high hopes for the relaunched service. “My aim, my objective is that we will have the best global news channel in the world,” he told staff.

The channel will carry more international news, but will split up for big UK news, so that domestic audiences will receive bespoke output. It will be anchored from London during UK daytime and evening, and from Washington D.C. and Singapore overnight.

One source said that the BBC is yet to get its technical setup in Washington right and that people on the ground think the operation is a “shambles.”

There remains a great deal of anger about the treatment of presenters with decades of experience. “People are furious about it,” said one insider. “Producers think the presenters have been treated brutally.”

© 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC.

Deadline: Don Lemon To Return To ‘CNN This Morning’ On Wednesday, Will Participate In “Formal Training” Following Backlash Over Comments About Women

Story from Deadline:

Don Lemon will return to CNN This Morning on Wednesday following the backlash over comments he made last week about when women were in their “prime.”

Variety: CNN Will Use Don Lemon Substitute on Monday Amid ‘CNN This Morning’ Controversy

Story from Variety:

Don Lemon will be absent from “CNN This Morning” for a second consecutive broadcast as CNN continues to grapple with backlash to comments he made last week about the abilities of women over 40 — a crucial demographic for any morning-news program.

Digital TV Europe: Vampires and Zombies help AMC Networks deliver solid Q4, 2022 results

Story from Digital TV Europe:

AMC Networks has reported robust results for Q4 2022 – but remains concerned about the impact of the shift from linear to streaming on its business.

Variety; ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Has Box Office Buzzing With $120 Million Debut Over President’s Day Weekend

Story from Variety:

Disney’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” buzzed to $120 million at the domestic box office, beating expectations and scoring by far the biggest opening weekend in the pint-sized Marvel trilogy.

Deadline: Warner Bros Discovery’s David Zaslav, Amazon’s Andy Jassy, Apple’s Tim Cook Among Most Overpaid CEOs In New Study As SEC Disclosure Rules Set For Shakeup

Story from Deadline:

Warner Bros Discovery chief executive David Zaslav earned $232 million in excess compensation in 2021, according to As You Sow’s latest annual ranking of the most overpaid CEOs among S&P 500 companies.

Variety: CNN Readies ‘CNN Primetime’ For 9 PM Hour

Story from Variety:

CNN may be getting ready to take a new swing at fixing its long-running 9 p.m. problem.

Broadband TV News: NBCUniversal promotes key executives

Story from Broadband TV News:

NBCUniversal has promoted three key executives across the portfolio, furthering the company’s commitment to cross-divisional partnerships.

Media Guardian: CNN chairperson rebukes Don Lemon over anchor’s remarks on Nikki Haley

Story from Media Guardian:

CNN’s chairperson Chris Licht has reproached Don Lemon for his sexist on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who the news anchor had said “isn’t in her prime”.

New York Post: Poppy Harlow leaves CNN set after tense exchange with Don Lemon

Story from New York Post:

Don Lemon’s sexist rant about Nikki Haley on Thursday turned the stomachs of his co-anchors and added to pressure on CNN boss Chris Licht to dump the acid-tongued host, The Post has learned.

New York Post: CNN’s Don Lemon called out for Nikki Haley ‘apology’ — which didn’t mention her

Story from New York Post:

CNN host Don Lemon tweeted out a so-called apology Thursday after he sparked outrage for saying Nikki Haley was not “in her prime” — but he failed to even mention the GOP presidential candidate’s name or the word “sorry.”

New York Post: Here’s why CNN should fire blowhard Don Lemon

Story from New York Post:

When will CNN fire sexist blowhard Don Lemon?

New York Post: CNN’s Don Lemon, 56, claims Nikki Haley, 51, ‘isn’t in her prime’

Story from New York Post:

“CNN This Morning” co-host Don Lemon caused some on-air tension and triggered an uproar on social media Thursday after claiming GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not “in her prime” — and should not comment on the age of other politicians.

Variety: Jonathan Majors ‘Walked Out’ of His First Marvel Meeting After Execs Kept Him Waiting Too Long: ‘It’s Cool. I’ll Just Go’

Story from Variety:

Jonathan Majors’ career is about to enter a new level with the release of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”

Deadline: Paramount Global Shuttering UK Non-Scripted Production Division

Story from Deadline:

Paramount Global is shuttering the UK unscripted division of its international production arm, which makes the likes of Catfish UK and True Life Crime.

Deadline: Paramount+ To Boost Prices After Showtime Merge, Paramount Global Will Take Up To $1.5 Billion Q1 Content Charge

Story from Deadline:

Paramount Global’s CFO said the company will take a $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion hit in the current first quarter mostly on content as it restructures its streaming business, absorbing Showtime into Paramount+.

eOne Takeover - Deadline: Hasbro Extends Slump, Delivering Weaker-Than-Expected 2023 Forecast Along With Soft Q4 Results

Story from Deadline:

Hasbro extended its streak of Wall Street disappointments, delivering a weaker-than-expected forecast for 2023 along with soft fourth-quarter financials reflecting a host of holiday-season challenges.

eOne Takeover - Deadline: Hasbro Seeing “Strong Interest” From Potential Buyers Of eOne, CEO Says, Hinting Deal Could Be Finalized By Spring

Story from Deadline:

Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said the toymaker is seeing “strong interest” from bidders on the company’s eOne subsidiary, a majority of which was put on the block last fall amid a host of financial and strategic challenges.

Hollywood Reporter: AMC Networks Names Kristin Dolan New CEO

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

AMC Networks, the James Dolan-run company behind such cable brands as AMC, IFC and Sundance TV, as well as such streaming services as AMC+, Acorn TV and Shudder, has named Kristin Dolan its new CEO. Kristin is the wife of James Dolan, and the executive succeeds Christina Spade, who briefly held the top role at AMC last year.

Hollywood Reporter: AMC Networks Reorganizes Commercial Revenue Team Ahead of Upfronts

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

AMC Networks is undergoing a reorganization of its commercial revenue team ahead of its 2023/2024 upfront.

Variety; Jonathan Majors‘ Kang Is Marvel’s ’Highest-Testing Villain‘ Ever in Pre-Screenings, Kevin Feige Says: ‘He’s So Unique From Thanos’

Story from Variety:

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen its fair share of memorable villains, from Josh Brolin’s Thanos to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Cate Blanchett’s Hela.

Variety; Kevin Feige on Marvel’s Future: ‘Spider-Man 4’ Story Is Locked, President Harrison Ford, ‘Blade’ Films in ‘10 Weeks or So’ and More

Story from Variety:

Fans of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man are getting good news from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who confirmed in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly that Holland’s fourth “Spider-Man” movie is now being written.

Variety: Investigation Discovery Inks Deal With Elizabeth Chambers to Host and Produce Show About Toxic Relationships

Story from Variety:

Investigation Discovery has inked a development deal with TV personality and host Elizabeth Chambers, Variety has learned.

Variety: Dave Hollis, Former Disney Distribution Chief, Dies at 47

Story from Variety:

Dave Hollis, Disney’s former president of worldwide distribution, died Saturday night at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 47.

Broadband TV News: Showtime-MTV Entertainment merger leaves 120 staff redundant

Story from Broadband TV News:

The merger of US pay-TV network Showtime into its sister brand MTV Entertainment Studios has resulted in the layoff of around 120 staff.

BBC News; Batgirl: Scrapped movie was hit by Glasgow rain

Story from BBC News:

The film was based on the DC Comics character Barbara Gordon - or Batgirl - played by Leslie Grace The star of the scrapped Batgirl movie has said the production faced "obstacles" while filming in Glasgow.

Deadline; ‘The Penguin’: Rhenzy Feliz Joins HBO Max’s Batman Series

Story from Deadline:

Former Marvel star Rhenzy Feliz is jumping to DC. Feliz, who headlined Marvel’s Runaways on Hulu, has been cast as a lead opposite Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti in the HBO Max original series The Penguin (working title) from Warner Bros Television and DC Studios.

Advanced Television: Warner Bros Discovery extends US Open rights deal across Europe

Story from Advanced Television:

Warner Bros Discovery has extended its rights to show the US Open in 45 markets across Europe, including exclusive access in 42 territories, after reaching a new five-year agreement with the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

Media Guardian: Fox’s Super Bowl expertly blended NFL pedigree with thoughtless patriotism

Story from Media Guardian:

With Tom Brady finally, probably off the scene and the age of Patrick Mahomes upon us, this year’s Super Bowl promised a new beginning for football in America, a kind of cultural reset after the Kaepernick-Trump years.

Deadline: Jonathan Majors Wants Robert Downey Jr. To Reprise Iron Man Role In ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’

Story from Deadline:

Jonathan Majors enters the MCU as the next major villain portraying Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Hollywood Reporter: Bob Iger’s Cost-Cutting, Restructuring Plan for Disney Wins Over Wall Street

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

From a vast business restructuring and Disney+ losing subscribers for the first time to 7,000 job cuts, $3 billion in expected content cost savings and a planned return to dividend payments, Wall Street analysts had a lot to digest in the Walt Disney Co.’s first earnings update since Bob Iger’s return as CEO.

Hollywood Reporter: What Next for Hulu? Wall Street Debates Deal Scenarios for Disney and Comcast

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Does Disney need Hulu? Does Comcast want Hulu? Can the two sector giants strike a win-win deal for Hulu? Those are just some of the questions swirling around Wall Street these days.

Hollywood Reporter: Lionsgate Stock Pops On Earnings Beat, Spin Off Plan

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Stock in Lionsgate shot up 25 percent on Friday after the Hollywood media giant posted a third-quarter earnings beat and strong content licensing by its studio ahead of a planned separation from Starz.

Variety: CBS Chief George Cheeks Says Network Will Review Closed Captioning for Live Events After Grammys Bad Bunny Controversy

Story from Variety:

CBS is reviewing its closed captioning process for all live entertainment events, following criticism over the network’s Grammys telecast and its initial lack of Spanish captioning. That’s according to CBS president/CEO George Cheeks, who has responded to a letter from U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) that had addressed the controversy.

Deadline: ‘Uncoupled’ Picked Up By Showtime For Season 2 Following Netflix Cancellation As Part Of New Content Strategy

Story from Deadline:

Uncoupled, has been saved. I hear Showtime is picking up Season 2 (and potentially beyond) of the comedy series, from Emily in Paris creator Darren Star and Modern Family veteran Jeffrey Richman, a couple weeks after the MTV Entertainment Studios-produced show was canceled by Netflix.

Deadline: ‘Avenue 5’ Canceled At HBO After Two Seasons

Story from Deadline:

Armando Iannucci’s space comedy Avenue 5 officially has been canceled by HBO.

Media Leader; BBC Studios: expand or die?

Story from Media Leader:

TV production is widely expected to enter a period of decline. Shouldn’t the commercial arm of the BBC be investing in homegrown talent?

Media Leader: Disney’s new content strategy: growing ‘quality’ subscribers

Story from Media Leader:

Disney CEO Bob Iger signalled to investors that the entertainment giant would be shifting its focus from purely chasing a growth in streaming subscriber numbers to trying to grow “quality” subs that are less sensitive to pricing adjustments.

Media Guardian: News Corp cuts driven by Murdoch’s mission to prop up news assets

Story from Media Guardian:

The shrinking of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation by 1,250 roles after a plunge in profits of almost a third serves as a stark reminder that the billionaire mogul’s abortive attempt to reunite his media empire was built on a mission to protect his weakest publishing assets.

Media Guardian: News Corp to cut 1,250 jobs after missing second-quarter estimates

Story from Media Guardian:

Media conglomerate News Corp said on Thursday that it would cut 1,250 jobs after it missed estimates for second-quarter earnings due to weakness in its news and digital real estate businesses.

Hollywood Reporter: Lionsgate Takes $80M Content Write-Down As TV, Film Library Makes Revenue Gains

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Lionsgate has released its third quarter financial results while exploring a possible sale or spinoff of the premium cable and streaming platform Starz or its studio business.

Variety: Spider-Man Noir Live-Action Series in the Works at Amazon

Story from Variety:

A Spider-Man Noir live-action series is in the works at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.

Deadline: ‘Frozen’, ’Toy Story’ & ‘Zootopia’ Sequels In The Works, Disney CEO Bob Iger Says

Story from Deadline:

Animated sequels to Toy Story, Frozen and Zootopia are in the works, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced on today’s Q1 earnings call.

Deadline: Warner Bros Pictures Production VP Peter Dodd Heads To Netflix As Film Team Director

Story from Deadline:

Warner Bros Pictures VP Production Peter Dodd is joining Netflix as a Director on the film team. He’ll be part of VP Niija Kuykendall’s group focused on midsize features.

Deadline: Disney CEO Bob Iger Is Open To Selling Hulu

Story from Deadline:

Disney CEO Bob Iger said today that he’s open to selling Hulu — instead of forking over billions of dollars to buy out Comcast’s stake in the streaming platform.

Deadline: Nelson Peltz Abandons Proxy Fight With Disney

Story from Deadline:

Activist investor Nelson Peltz said Thursday morning that he’s ending his proxy fight against Disney after CEO Bob Iger announced sweeping restructuring and cost-cutting plans yesterday alongside the company’s latest quarterly earnings.

Digital TV Europe: Warner Bros. Discovery secures rights to Ligue 1 in Spain

Story from Digital TV Europe:

Warner Bros. Discovery has struck a deal with the exclusive international distributor for premium French football, beIN Media Group, to acquire the exclusive broadcasting rights to France’s Ligue 1 football in Spain for the remainder of the 2022-2023 season and the 2023-2024 campaign.

Variety; Iger’s Disney Reorg: Dana Walden and Alan Bergman to Co-Run All TV, Film and Streaming; ESPN Becomes Standalone Unit

Story from Variety:

Disney CEO Bob Iger has implemented a sweeping reorganization of the company’s operations, creating a Disney Entertainment business unit to be led by Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, as well as a separate unit for ESPN’s operations including streamer ESPN+.

New York Post: Don Lemon goes on unscripted rant after James Comer calls NY Post ‘credible’

Story from New York Post:

That’s one bitter Lemon.

Deadline: Disney Ex-CEO Bob Chapek Made $24 Million in FY 2022; Bob Iger Comp Totaled $14 Million As Company Releases Latest Executive Pay

Story from Deadline:

Former Disney chief executive Bob Chapek earned $24 million in fiscal 2022, down sharply from $32 million the year before, the company revealed in its proxy Tuesday.

Deadline: Fox Corp. Ad Revenue Climbs 4% In A Tough Quarter, Boosted By NFL And World Cup

Story from Deadline:

Fox Corp. matched Wall Street expectations for its fiscal second quarter, powered by NFL football in the U.S. and football at the World Cup.

Deadline: Paramount+ & Prime Video Strike International ‘Star Trek’ Deal

Story from Deadline:

Paramount and Prime Video have struck a Star Trek deal for the former’s international streamer outside Canada.

Deadline; Fox Eyes M&A After Merger With News Corp. Scrapped: “Scale Is Important”, Lachlan Murdoch Says

Story from Deadline:

Fox will be actively pursuing M&A opportunities now that it won’t be merging with News Corp.

Deadline: Amazon’s Kelly Day Restructures Prime Video International

Story from Deadline:

Prime Video is restructuring its international business along regional lines in EMEA, APAC and the Americas.

Variety: Discovery+ to Remain Standalone Streaming Platform While Still Combining With HBO Max

Story from Variety:

Warner Bros. Discovery has decided to keep Discovery+ as a standalone streaming offering and to proceed with launching the yet-to-be-named combined product of Discovery+ and HBO Max, Variety has confirmed.

Variety; Thwarted Meetings, a Sailing Trip Excuse and an Angry Investor: Why Activist Nelson Peltz Threatens to Disrupt Bob Iger’s Disney Comeback

Story from Variety:

Bob Iger is gearing up to take the earnings stage on Feb. 8 for his first quarterly report and public Wall Street conference call since his surprise return to the Disney CEO post that he exited in February 2020.

Deadline: Super Bowl Movie Trailer Spots Will Include ‘The Flash’, ‘Fast X’, ‘Transformers’ & ‘Ant-Man’

Story from Deadline:

With this year’s domestic box office expected to rise to $9 billion, of course the major Hollywood studios are taking Super Bowl LVII ad spots seriously.

New York Post: Don Lemon, ‘CNN This Morning’ crew keep it civil after tantrum at co-host exposed

Story from New York Post:

Don Lemon and his “CNN This Morning” co-hosts made no mention of any on-set turmoil Monday as all three appeared together for the first time since Lemon’s reported December tantrum was revealed by The Post last week.

New York Post: CNN’s Chris Licht says left-leaning network not interested in ‘partisan hackery’

Story from New York Post:

CNN boss Chris Licht said his third-place cable news network will no longer be home to “partisan hackery” or “idealogical talking points” as continues to revamp the lineup.

Deadline: Disney Sets Date For Annual Shareholder Meeting Amid Proxy Fight

Story from Deadline:

Disney has finally unveiled the date for its annual meeting of shareholders, a virtual event to be held at 10 a.m. PT on Monday, April 3.

Media Guardian: Tom Brady says he will delay Fox Sports broadcasting career until 2024

Story from Media Guardian:

Tom Brady will not go immediately from the playing field to the broadcast booth.

Deadline: BBC Apologizes For Captioning Viola Davis Grammys Image With “Beyoncé’s Big Night”

Story from Deadline:

The BBC has been forced to apologize after an image of Viola Davis from January’s Golden Globes was shown on its news channel with a headline identifying the Oscar winner as history-maker Beyoncé.

Deadline: ‘Billions’ Spinoffs In Works At Showtime; ’Dexter’ Prequel Confirmed

Story from Deadline:

Chris McCarthy has been speaking about a franchise strategy for Showtime since he took over the network a couple of months ago.

New York Post; Bill Maher jokes about ‘Overtime’ debut on CNN: ‘Did they go nuts?’

Story from New York Post:

Longtime HBO host Bill Maher feigned shock as his post-show segment “Overtime” made its debut as a standalone program on CNN.

Deadline: The CW’s New Owner, Nexstar Media, Updates Investors On “Offensive And Defensive” Reasons For Its Acquisition Of The Broadcast Network

Story from Deadline:

Nexstar Media Group, which last year acquired 75% of The CW, updated investors on the “offensive and defensive” rationale for the acquisition.

Deadline: Bill Maher Condemns Woke Revolution, Twitter’s ‘Red Guard’, And Its US Parallels

Story from Deadline:

China was much on Bill Maher’s mind in this week’s edition of HBO’s Real Time.

Deadline: Warner Bros Takes Stephen King Bestseller ‘Billy Summers’, Bad Robot & Appian Way To Produce

Story from Deadline:

Warner Bros. has acquired the Stephen King bestseller Billy Summers.

New York Post; Megyn Kelly blasts Don Lemon over tantrum at CNN co-host: ‘I would have had him fired’

Story from New York Post:

Megyn Kelly says she would have made sure Don Lemon would be out of a job if he had reamed her out in front of colleagues as he did to his “CNN This Morning” co-anchor Kaitlan Collins.

Variety; Seth Rogen Says Marvel Movies Are ‘Geared Toward’ Kids: They’re ‘Just Not For Me,’ an Adult with No Children

Story from Variety:

As a producer on Amazon Prime Video’s “The Boys,” Seth Rogen has a hand in one of television’s most popular comic book properties.

New York Post; Don Lemon ‘screamed’ at ‘CNN This Morning’ co-host, left crew ‘rattled’: sources

Story from New York Post:

Tensions on the set of “CNN This Morning” have recently boiled over, with Don Lemon allegedly “screaming” at co-host Kaitlan Collins off-camera during an ugly December incident that has left the cast and crew rattled ever since, The Post has learned.

Deadline: ‘Batgirl’ “Was Not Releasable” Says DC Co-Chief Peter Safran, But Studio Would Like To Be Back In Business With Pic’s Directors

Story from Deadline:

DC Co-Chairmen and CEOs Peter Safran and James Gunn were asked to postmortem the Batgirl axing situation yesterday at their slate unveiling for the comic book studio.

Deadline: Trevor Noah Produces Space Doc For Science Channel, But Cable Network “Not Priority” For Warner Bros. Discovery

Story from Deadline:

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Kathleen Finch broke a lot of science producers’ hearts in Austin, Texas last week when she said that Science Channel was “not very high on our priority list”.

Deadline: Disney Says Nelson Peltz On Board Would “Threaten Strategic Management” At Crucial Time As Proxy Battle Boils

Story from Deadline:

With Nelson Peltz angling for a seat on Disney’s board, the company on Thursday blasted the activist investor, his firm Trian Group, and his son, Matthew Peltz, whom Trian is proposing as a possible alternate candidate.

New York Post: DC Comics teases new ‘trans man’ superhero ‘Circuit Breaker’

Story from New York Post:

DC Comics recently revealed a new transgender superhero, whose own comic book series will debut this Valentine’s Day.

BBC News; Superman: James Gunn discusses Henry Cavill exit and DCU future

Story from BBC News:

One of the new bosses of DC Studios, James Gunn, has denied sacking Henry Cavill from his role as Superman.

Deadline: BBC Studios Boss Talks “Excellent” ‘Doctor Who’ Deal, M&A & International Growth

Story from Deadline:

Doctor Who’s latest regeneration represents “excellent commercial value,” according to BBC Studios boss Tom Fussell.

Deadline: BBC Receives Hundreds Of Complaints After Calling Paul Mescal A “British Actor” In Oscars Coverage

Story from Deadline:

The BBC has revealed that it received more than 600 complaints from viewers after describing Paul Mescal as a “British actor” in its coverage of his Oscar nomination.

Hollywood Reporter: James Mangold in Talks to Tackle ‘Swamp Thing’ Movie for James Gunn, Peter Safran’s DC Studios

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

James Mangold may be trading in his whip for a trip to swamp country.

Hollywood Reporter: ‘CNN This Morning’ Finds New Exec Producer

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

CNN has found the next executive producer for its morning program CNN This Morning.

Variety: Warner Bros. Discovery Promotes Rebecca Rørmark to Head of Streaming Marketing for EMEA

Story from Variety:

Rebecca Rørmark has been promoted to the newly created role of senior VP, head of streaming marketing, for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Warner Bros. Discovery, reporting into Patrizio Spagnoletto, global chief marketing officer for direct-to-consumer.

Hollywood Reporter: DC Drama ‘Pennyworth’ Canceled at HBO Max

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

HBO Max is clearing out all of its live-action DC Comics scripted original series.

Deadline: The CW To Develop “Innovative” Non-Scripted Series That “Catalyze Conversations” As Network Confirms Heather Olander As Unscripted Chief

Story from Deadline:

The CW has confirmed Deadline’s scoop that Heather Olander is joining the network as its new unscripted chief. 

Deadline: Peacock Continues Strategic Shift, Dropping Access To Free Tier For New Subscribers

Story from Deadline:

Continuing a strategic shift that dates back to 2021, NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock is no longer letting new subscribers sign up for its free, basic tier.

Hollywood Reporter; DC Slate Unveiled: New Batman, Supergirl Movies, a Green Lantern TV Show, and More From James Gunn, Peter Safran

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

A new Batman movie without Robert Pattinson (but featuring Bruce Wayne’s murderous son).