ICYMI: TV News Scoops & Chaos; Amazon TV Wishlist; Blum on Dealmaking
Plus: Richard's elegy for the 'Los Angeles Times'
In 2010, I named The Black List’s Franklin Leonard one of the most creative people in business. Not one of the most creative people in entertainment, mind you, but in all of business. I’ve enjoyed watching what he’s done ever since, and his creativity is certainly on display in his latest venture, which we announced this week at Adweek’s Mediaweek conference. Janice opened the event onstage with Leonard and LAist Studios’ VP of podcasts, Shana Naomi Krochmal, to reveal Nobody Knows Anything, a very fun new game and chat podcast that puts a who’s who of Hollywood to the test. Launching in December, the weekly series will be available on all podcast platforms and will also air as a weekly radio program on LAist 89.3, the biggest NPR station in Southern California. The series is supported by its launch partner, FX.
The first episode, taped in front of a live audience, features Leonard as host with Natasha Lyonne, Oscar-winner Cord Jefferson and comedian Sherry Cola (Netflix’s Nobody Wants This). We think it’s great, but if you don’t want to take our word for it, Natasha agrees:
In other events news, The Ankler will host our latest Art & Crafts event on Nov. 12 at 11:30 a.m. in Hollywood, featuring cinematographers, production designers, VFX supervisors, sound editors, composers and editors from Blitz, Emilia Pérez, Wicked and The Wild Robot. We’re delighted to be back at the ASC Clubhouse in for these great conversations, and hope you can join us in person. Request your invitation here or click the image below:
Now, with no further ado, ICYMI:
Power Plays, Pay Freefall: TV News’ Election Eve Chaos
Following up on his blockbuster feature on CNN’s star salary “beheadings,” Lachlan Cartwright delivers some serious dish from the TV news ecosystem on Election Day eve, with scoops on Brian Williams’ paltry Amazon payday (and that of his on-air contributors), NBC News’ control room drama and anchor power struggle, ABC News’ next talent chief, UTA’s C-suite departure; lots of CBS News sturm und drang; and the anchor photo that had CNN PR complaining:
Series Business
TV Sellers’ Guide to Amazon Prime Video
Amazon has been one of the only places avidly hearing pitches post-strikes. In Elaine Low’s latest Fall Market Guide (for paid subscribers only), she reveals what every project needs for Prime Video to be interested; what its recent greenlights signal for how to sell a show; and who has the power in Prime Video’s unusual organizational structure:
A Voice from the Grave: Producers’ AI Anxiety
The news of legendary British talk-show host Michael Parkinson returning from the dead as an AI voice for a podcast sparked such a backlash that, as Manori Ravindran reports, it’s forcing producers and broadcasters to come clean on where and how they’re deploying AI right now:
Rushfield: Anatomy of the L.A. Times’ Fall
Drawing off his five-year stint at the paper, Richard Rushfield breaks down the arrogant, inflexible culture that’s doomed Los Angeles’ paper of record. Plus, Richard chats with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall about their history collaborating with GOAT film composer John Williams:
Netflix, 20th TV & Hulu Execs on a Mission
Latinos make up a disproportionately high amount of Hollywood’s audience. Its leadership? Not so much. Nicole LaPorte profiles the support group-slash-social club Latina Squad — made up of Latina women largely in Hollywood’s development ranks — and how it advances its members’ careers as it pushes forward the larger goal of Hollywood seizing the $18 billion Latin opportunity audience:
A Dealmakers Q&A: Jason Blum
In this edition of Dealmakers (for paid subscribers only), Ashley Cullins has a remarkably frank chat with the Blumhouse founder and CEO on his strategy of using deals to grow faster; his message to agents and lawyers about deal reform; how much marketing plays in a movie’s success; why he partnered with Meta on its Movie Gen AI tools; and how audience is driving the changing mix of sequels and originals:
Photos: Sideways Reunion, Anora’s Splashy L.A. Bow
In this week’s Todd on the Town, our roving photographer takes you to Anora’s L.A. premiere, a Hollywood gala featuring Ted Sarandos and Magic Johnson, Warner Bros. TV Group’s fall TV season party and much more:
Prestige Junkie: James Carville, Kirsten Dunst, Clint
As Election Day approaches, Katey Rich chats with James Carville and his documentarian Matt Tyrnauer about the race, their new documentary and what’s going to happen on Tuesday. Plus, Katey interviews Kirsten Dunst and tries to make sense of Warners’ Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2:
THE WAKEUP
Earnings season is upon us, and the smartest people in the business rely on Sean McNulty to go deeper than what the CEOs tell analysts. This week, that meant parsing why Comcast president Mike Cavanagh floated a cable network spinoff and name-checked Paramount, and the state of the FAST business through the lens of Roku’s inability to turn a profit:
🎧 PODCASTS
THE ANKLER
Free. Popular. Unprofitable People love Tubi and Roku. But where's the money?
MARTINI SHOT
Let Them See You Sweat Rob Long reveals how a young person can still have a career in Hollywood:
👓 THE OPTIONIST
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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