☀️ HULU Next in Password Crackdowns, but How Potent are They
The 2024 NETFLIX Films count / SONY wins bidding war / SIRIUSXM looks for growth after stagnant 2023
Mornin’! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LinkedIn here if ya like), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY Feb 1, 2024.
Where, look - it’s a new month! 2024 do-over anyone 😬? I mean, when more than 14,000 people reply to an Elmo ‘wellness check’ tweet this week, with many sharing fears of being laid off, experiencing depression or financial hardships…
I’ll just take that as a prompt at the start of a fresh month for my occasional encouragement to give a call or drop a note to someone you know who was laid off last month, in the later half of last year… or even back in the massive WBD and DISNEY (and elsewhere) layoffs that are now almost 12-18 months ago in our industry (🤯) - folks who may still looking to land a new full-time job, and just say ‘hey’ and check in.
I’ve been on both sides of that coin, as I’m sure many of you have been at some point in your careers as well - and it usually means a lot, or at minimum it’s just nice to reconnect with someone and catch up a little… especially in a business where one’s perception about themselves can sometimes get too heavily tied into what one does, or where one works - and when that position goes away, well, it can be a bit of a gut check.
Most of us have little control over the bigger picture things happening in our industry - but we all fully control how we react to it on a person-to-person level. When in doubt, listen to Elmo.
ERR: Not the best segue, but uh…
TODAY IN JOB CUTS:
AUDACY’s podcast company PINEAPPLE is laying off 25% of its staff, or about 12 folks. AUDACY is currently in chapter 11.
The Messenger is shutting down, and if you have no idea what that is… that was basically the problem. Its approx. 265 employees won’t be getting severance, according to sources cited by Axios.
ALSO: SPOTIFY is now putting its Call Her Daddy pod on all platforms, but video will still only be on SPOTIFY (outside of the 5-8 minute clips that go on YT). Gotta monetize yo.
THEN: The IATSE & Teamsters negotiations with the AMPTP will begin on March 4 (the deal is up on July 21).
PLUS: NBCU will be doing its upfront on Monday May 13 at RADIO CITY.
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL
UNI/APPLE’s $200 Million Argylle is tracking broadly for an ‘upper teens’ ($15 Mil to $20 Mil) opening… so let’s go a little wide this week now that we uh, have a major theatrical release again!!
IN TODAY’S EDITION:
As #PasswordCrackdown becomes the go-to tool for streaming growth in 2024, let’s do some comps on just how effective it was for NETFLIX, and while I know we all “don’t care” about subcriber numbers anymore… let’s shine a light on the growth situation looks like at other streamers and who might benefit most.
A look at the volume approach NETFLIX is taking to films this year.
SONY wins one of the many film bidding wars that seem to have proliferated in popularity since the strikes, as SPC makes a high-profile pickup as well.
A SIRIUSXM earnings breakdown… and a look at what the timeline for their plan to restore growth looks like, and much more.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
