Latest Business News
Major Paramount Layoffs to Begin Today, Co-CEOs Tell Staff
Paramount will begin cutting 15 percent of its U.S.-based workforce beginning today. Paramount co-CEOs Chris McCarthy, Brian Robbins and George Cheeks announced to staff in a memo that the planned layoffs will begin on Tuesday, and happen in three phases. The first phase begins today, and will continue through the end of 2024. They add […]
- By
Casting Assistants Unanimously Vote to Unionize With Teamsters Locals
Freelance casting assistants in New York and Los Angeles have unanimously voted to unionize with two Teamsters Locals. In a National Labor Relations Board vote whose ballots were counted on Monday, 91 casting assistants employed by top studios supported unionizing with Teamsters Locals 399 and 817. The election took place between July 19 and Aug. […]
- By
BuzzFeed Sees Small Advertising Gain Amid Push Toward AI
Buzzfeed reported total revenue of $47 million for the second quarter, down from $62 million a year ago. Advertising revenue declined 19 percent year-over-year to reach $23.8 million, with programmatic advertising revenue at $16 million compared to $15.5 million a year ago. Content revenue plunged 48 percent to $11.4 million. Jonah Peretti, founder and CEO […]
- By
Nickelodeon, Paramount+ Marketing Exec Sabrina Caluori Exits
A second top marketing executive is departing Paramount Global. Sabrina Caluori, executive vp kids and family marketing for Nickelodeon and Paramount+, is leaving the company. Her departure follows that of Paramount+ and Showtime chief marketing officer Michael Engleman, and comes at a time when Paramount is looking at large numbers of layoffs ahead of its […]
- By
Warner Bros. Discovery Olympics Coverage Hits Streaming Records
Warner Bros. Discovery is claiming the gold at this year’s Olympic Games, boasting record streaming and viewership figures for its coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics in Europe. Official figures released by WBD on Monday show the company reached a cumulative 215 million viewers in Europe across its television and streaming platforms, fully 23 percent, […]
- By
From Christina Aguilera’s Sexual Wellness Line to Beyoncé’s Hair Care, 6 Celebrity Startups to Watch
From Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty to Dwayne Johnson’s Teremana, even the most successful star-backed brands began with just the spark of an idea and the courage to get behind it. “I commend anyone that takes the risk and makes it through all the hurdles,” says Gomez, one of The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 30 Star Entrepreneurs […]
- By
Next Gen 2024: The Hollywood Reporter Accepting Nominations for 35 Under 35 List
For the past three decades, The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Next Generation issue — THR‘s definitive list of the year’s 35 best and brightest individuals age 35 and under — has been tapping the future of Hollywood leadership, including Donna Langley, Bela Bajaria and Kevin Feige. Do you know someone who should be on the list? […]
- By
Selling Celebrity: The Top 30 Stars Minting Cash From Beauty, Booze and Snack Brands
The stock market may be unpredictable, but you can still bet on star power. Celebrity-backed brands continue to boom in 2024 as big stars are driving disruptive businesses across a slew of categories and making bank at retail during an entertainment industry contraction. Dwayne Johnson’s Teremana tequila sold a million cases in the U.S. last […]
- By
Glen Powell, Nicholas Braun, Taraji P. Henson, Tracee Ellis Ross Lead New Audible Comedy Podcasts
Audible and Broadway Video Enterprises are launching two new, original comedy podcasts this fall, with a lineup of castmembers including Glen Powell, Nicholas Braun, Taraji P. Henson and Tracee Ellis Ross. The Best Man’s Ghostwriter follows Nate (voiced by Powell) as a speechwriter hired to help write best man speeches and one of his client’s, […]
- By
Meta, Universal Music Group to Allow Users to Share Songs on WhatsApp
Universal Music Group has inked a first-time licensing deal with Meta to allow music from the major label’s artists to be uploaded to WhatsApp and shared without violating copyright ownership. The move is part of an expanded global licensing agreement, first signed in 2017, to have UMG artists and songwriters continue placing copyrighted music across […]
- By
Animation Guild Fires Up Members at Pre-Negotiations Rally: “We’re Going to Win Our Industry Back”
Animation workers and supporters argued that recent technological and business shifts have left their craft hanging in the balance during a packed union rally in Burbank on Saturday, with one speaker positing that “the American animation industry is at stake.” The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) organized the event before it heads into bargaining over […]
- By
From ‘Encanto’ and Disney Villains to ‘Monsters, Inc.’ and Tony Stark: All the New Disney Theme Park Lands and Attractions Announced at D23
Disney turned Saturday night’s D23 showcase into a veritable all-star concert, bringing A-list talent on stage to perform classic songs from Disney films and help introduce a veritable avalanche of new attractions and lands based on the company’s intellectual property. Performers included Meghan Trainor, Shaboozey, Rita Ora, Plain White T’s, Pentatonix, Chromeo, Abi Carter, Tank […]
- By
Susan Wojcicki, Former YouTube CEO, Dies at 56
Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube and one of the first employees at Google after it was founded in 1998, has died. She was 56. Her husband, Dennis Troper, announced on Facebook Friday night that Wojcicki died after a two-year battle with non-small cell lung cancer. “It is with profound sadness that I share […]
- By
Michael Jackson’s Nephew Jaafar Jackson Signs With CAA
Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, who will portray the pop star in the upcoming biopic about the singer’s life, has signed with CAA for representation. Jackson is the son of Jermaine Jackson and the nephew of Michael Jackson and will make his acting debut in the role of his late uncle in Michael. Antoine Fuqua […]
- By
After Walkout, Crooked Media Union Reaches Tentative Deal With ‘Pod Save America’ Company
After a rocky final stretch of negotiations, the union representing staff members at Crooked Media and the progressive media company behind Pod Save America have reached a tentative contract agreement. The labor group and management jointly announced their provisional deal, which is still subject to ratification, on Friday. “We’re delighted to have agreed on a […]
- By
Warner Bros. Discovery Shutters Cartoon Network Website
Cartoon Network’s website is no more. As of Friday, the landing page of CartoonNetwork.com features a popup directing users to sign up for Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship streaming service. “Looking for episodes of your favorite Cartoon Network shows? Check out what’s available to stream on Max (subscription required),” the message reads in part. It […]
- By