RTL Group, Europes biggest television company, made a major bid Friday to challenge the untrammeled dominance of the U.S. streaming giants, announcing a deal to acquire Comcasts Germany pay-TV network Sky Deutschland. RTL got Sky on the cheap, paying just 150 million ($175 million) upfront plus an additional payment based on share price performance, up to a maximum of 377...

Derek Dixons recently filed $260-million litigation against Tyler Perry alleges sexual harassment, battery and assault claims that the Atlanta entertainment mogul has called a shakedown. The sensational details of the suit, however, may obscure a more prosaic assertion found in the filing, one that has long trailed Perry that he is operating his namesake studio without standard workplace guardrails. Dixon...

From the Hollywood sign to red carpet premieres, the film industry is onethe identities of California. Its no surprise that state leaders want to keep the industry anchored here. However, the way it is being donethrough hundreds of millions of dollars in targeted tax creditsis shortsightedand displaysa deeper problem with how the state approaches economic development in California. At the...

Ellis Jacob, the longtime president and CEO of Canadian exhibition giant Cineplex, has announced plans to retire at the end of 2026. After thoughtful consideration, I welcome this next chapter. For decades, I have been focused on making Cineplex a great Canadian company, and I move forward with immense pride in what weve built for generations of Canadian movie fans...

Dorota Eberhardt, a former Warner Bros. Discovery executive, has been named the new CEO of Kino wiat, Polands leading independent film producer/distributor. Kino wiats parent company, French media group Canal+, unveiled the appointment on Friday. Eberhardt will report to Alex Hamilton, chief international officer at Canal+ subsidiary Studiocanal, and is expected to assume her role later this year. In her...

In a major shakeup of the European television market, German broadcast giant RTL Group has signed a deal to acquire pay-TV group Sky Deutschland from Comcast. The deal includes a 150 million ($176 million) upfront payment plus a variable component of up to 377 million ($442 million), provided RTLs share price exceeds 41, which Comcast can trigger any time within...

NBCUniversal is planning a second year-round horror destination for the Second City. Universal Destinations Experiences will open a location of its new concept called Universal Horror Unleashed in Chicago, Illinois, targeting a 2027 debut. The new location will be located across the street from the forthcoming Ballys Casino, in a 114,000-square-foot commercial building at 700 W. Chicago Avenue, directly on...

In a changing of the guard at Cond Nast, Anna Wintour will step aside as the editor in chief of Vogue, which will seek a new head of U.S. editorial. Wintour isnt leaving the company, she will continue as chief content officer for Cond Nast, as well as global editorial director of Vogue, overseeing the fashion media brands worldwide output....

The Formula One driver Alex Albon was coming around the Canadian Grand Prixs famous Turn 10 earlier this month when he suddenly slid past the curve to a desolate spot off the track, forced by an engine issue to retire. As he dejectedly pulled himself out of his car to exit the course, Albon found himself walking right through the...

In a surprise move, The Walt Disney Co. and the cable giant Charter have inked a new deal that expands their landmark 2023 carriage agreement to bring Hulu to Spectrum TV customers, while returning eight linear cable channels that had been pulled from its lineup. Back in 2023, Disneys channels (including ESPN and ABC) went dark for Spectrum customers as...

In the original 1996 Happy Gilmore film, Adam Sandlers title character learns to love the sub. In a memorable scene that begins inside a Subway restaurant and ends with Gilmore in a TV commercial teeing a sub into a fans mouth, the food brand was front and center. So it is fitting that Subway is returning for Happy Gilmore 2,...

In a wide-ranging conversation at the APOS summit in Bali on Wednesday, senior regional executives from Amazon laid out their vision for the companys twin-pronged streaming strategy in India, where the tech giant operates both the subscription-based Prime Video platform and the ad-supported service Amazon MX Player. The dual-service approach, they argued, is key to capturing Indias vast and varied...

Follow the money and follow the audience and its needs in the streaming age. That was one point that television industry leaders agreed on in Central and Eastern Europe at this weeks NATPE Budapest, even if their specific strategies may differ. We are following people wherever they watch whether its linear, paid streaming or free streaming, Levente Mlnay, the Hungary-based...