Chord Music Partners, the Universal Music Group-backed music acquisition company, has secured an investment from Searchlight Capital partners, the companies announced on Thursday. Neither Chord nor Searchlight disclosed financial details of the investment such as how much Searchlight invested or how much of a stake in Chord it now owns, saying only that the deal will accelerate the Companys growth...

In 1954, the Writers Guild of America formed to bring screenwriters, TV and radio writers under one union umbrella. A few decades later, the labor group expanded its purview by adding animation primetime writers. In three, five or 10 years, could vertical (i.e., iPhone-sized content) writers, YouTubers and other content creators be next? Thats the vision presented by multiple candidates...

Paw Patrol studio Spin Master has promoted Marc De Vellis to executive vp and president of the toy makers Digital Games Creative Centre. Spin Master, which makes popular toy brands like Paw Patrol and Bakugan that have had successful big and small screen adaptations, has digital game brands like Toca Boca and PikNik, which together draw 58 million digital players...

Shares in newly-minted Paramount Skydance are nearing meme darling status on the heels of closing a merger between the storied Hollywood studio and David Ellisons Skydance, and then unveiling a deal with UFC and parent TKO to make Paramount+ the new streaming home to UFC events in the U.S. Paramount Skydance stock has displayed wild price swings this week typical...

SAG-AFTRA members have settled a lawsuit against the union health plan over a data breach that exposed their personal information. Lawyers for the actors on Tuesday told the court that theyve reached a settlement of this dispute, in principle. The terms werent disclosed. The proposed class action accused the SAG Health, a trust established to provide health benefits to members,...

Paramount Skydances top executives arent looking to follow moves by NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery to spin off their companys cable channels into a separate entity. That should not, however, be taken to mean that theyre just fine with the status quo. Theres no question that [cable is] a super challenging business, George Cheeks, chairman of TV media at the...

Shari Redstone may have sealed the deal on an $8 billion Paramount Global merger with Skydance Media, but her holding company, National Amusements, may now face a flurry of legal challenges. A major shareholder of Paramount stock has filed a class action lawsuit over the companys merger with Skydance, the first of whats expected to be several complaints involving the...

Drake is looking for ammunition in his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamars Not Like Us. In a discovery bid, Drake, born Aubrey Graham, urged the court to force UMG and chief executive Lucian Grainge to turn over the labels contract with Lamar, as well as information relating to allegations of domestic violence and other crimes committed...

Priscilla Presley has been sued by her former business partners, who accuse her of fraud and breach of contract for leaving them on the hook for massive damages after she falsely claimed ownership of her last name and brand despite secretly selling those rights decades ago. They claim she failed to disclose the sale while securing lucrative investments, leaving their...

One of President Donald Trumps special ambassadors to Hollywood is backing legislation aimed at extending the nations sole federal tax deduction for domestic film and television production. Jon Voight and his business partner Steven Paul called for the passage of the Creative Relief and Expensing for Artistic Entertainment Act (the CREATE Act) in statements on Wednesday that also plugged one...

Disney Entertainment is restructuring its marketing division, with executives Asad Ayaz and Shannon Ryan each taking on new roles. Ayaz, chief brand officer for The Walt Disney Co., is also adding the title of president of Disney Entertainment Marketing, reporting to Disney Entertainment co-chairs Alan Bergman and Dana Walden. Hell oversee marketing efforts for Disneys studios and TV and streaming...

The stations ratings guy was explaining the squishy reality of its newest star. The average Howard Stern fan listens an hour twenty minutes, the numbers man told program director Pig Vomit. The average Stern hater listens for 2 1/2 hours a day. If they hate him, Pig Vomit asked, growing loud and exasperated, why do they listen? That scene, of...

Taking on the Fleet Street rumor mill isnt easy, but it appears SiriusXM and Howard Stern are giving it a shot. In the lead-up to Sterns next contract talks with the satellite radio giant his five-year deal was estimated to be worth $100 million a year and is up at the end of 2025 a familiar refrain of Is this...