ICYMI: Netflix Quake; Toughest Job in Tinseltown
Catch up on our recent best
It was an eventful week, to say the least. Never boring, Netflix boom-boom-boom had a significant shake-up, sports deal and earnings report in a span of three days. Our new weekly (every Monday) Series Business newsletter, about the TV market, made its big debut, and is coming back tomorrow (for paid subscribers only), this time about the state of unscripted. We dove into the Oscar noms, and the fever dream that was Barbenheimer. And our scorcher of a story about the worst job in Hollywood — corporate communications chief to the CEO (a.k.a, the ‘Pain Sponge’) — had the industry abuzz.
Now, our best of the week, ICYMI:
'Last Thanked, First Blamed'
Entertainment CEOs are under the microscope more than ever, and Claire Atkinson spoke with the PR pros forced to deal with high-strung bosses’ every whim and self-inflicted wound — from quashing negative stories to securing Taylor Swift tickets. And, of course, the dread of being called to the front of the private plane:
TV Business: Good? Bad? Help!
In Series Business, our new weekly newsletter covering the TV market, Elaine Low surveyed the steep decline in series orders, the new budget battles around renewals and pickups, and when the pitch market is expected (finally!) to heat up:
What Happened to Scott Stuber?
Richard analyzes the exit of film chief Scott Stuber at Netflix, and what it even means to be making films inside the world’s biggest TV company:
Penske Plays Editor; Sundance Takeaways
In this week’s Jamboree: Richard shares takeaways from his Sundance gun panel, and celebrates Slamdance. Also: Richard reveals how Jay Penske meddled with THR copy about Lily Gladstone:
Unpacking the Oscar Noms
First, before the noms, Gregg Kilday examined the sex-and-nudity filled contenders of the season; after, he assessed the Barbenheimer fallout, where only one of the two films scored big:
☀️THE WAKEUP
Seriously, if you aren’t starting your day with Sean McNulty’s analysis of this business, you’ve already fallen behind. His full breakdown this week of two earnings calls — Comcast and Netflix — and the unpacking of the Netflix-WWE deal are business tour de forces:
🎧 PODCASTS
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THE ANKLER
The Rapid-Fire News Out of Netflix An exec exit and a surprise WWE deal portend change — and leave Hollywood heads spinning:
MARTINI SHOT
Rob Long on the Hollywood art of protecting someone's feelings while insulting them:
👓 THE OPTIONIST
IP Picks🔎: A 'Psycho' Girlboss Plus, the hunt for a long-lost cult movie unleashes supernatural horrors
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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