Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com to announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. 3/18/2019 Toysmith appoints Michael Keaton to the role of CEO. Keaton currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Toy Association in the U.S. … [Read more...] about Who’s News—March 2019
Netflix
Streaming & New Media Updates
Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com NBCUniversal is launching a new in-house streaming service in early 2020. Similar to Hulu's service, there will be a mix of ad-supported and free tiers—and the ad-supported tier will be available free to all 52 million subscribers of Comcast and European broadcaster Sky. However, unlike Disney's new service launching this year … [Read more...] about Streaming & New Media Updates
Legal Updates: Netflix/Chooseco, Rihanna, Sears & More
Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com Indie publisher Chooseco files suit against Netflix in federal court alleging infringement of its "Choose Your Own Adventure" trademark, which is used on the classic interactive children’s book series. Chooseco alleges that Netflix failed to license its use in the streamer's latest interactive feature, Black Mirror: … [Read more...] about Legal Updates: Netflix/Chooseco, Rihanna, Sears & More
Media Magnates
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group vaults itself into the entertainment business after having acquired VStar Entertainment Group this July. The combined entity currently has 29 shows in production, including branded offerings for Nickelodeon's Bubble Guppies and Paw Patrol. In 2019, Cirque will launch the first of six … [Read more...] about Media Magnates
Roundup: M&A & Partnerships
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. New Media Frontiers At a London event, Viacom CEO Bob Bakish shared that the company is looking at launching a branded AVOD portal that will draw in viewers by providing them with free digital content. Viacom will not, however, "follow Disney down the path of developing a Netflix-type streaming service because of the massive … [Read more...] about Roundup: M&A & Partnerships
Who’s News—8/21/2018
Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com to announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. Mattel shareholders elect Adriana Cisneros, CEO of Cisneros Group of Companies, and Roger Lynch, President & CEO of Pandora Media, to the … [Read more...] about Who’s News—8/21/2018
Who’s News—8/13/2018
Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com to announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. FremantleMedia names Jennifer Mullin its new CEO as of Sept. 1. Mullin has been CEO of FremantleMedia North America, the company’s largest unit, since … [Read more...] about Who’s News—8/13/2018
TV Talk: Series With Licensing Potential
Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com The average consumer has 4.5 different sources (up from 3.7 in 2014) to choose from when they’re ready to watch a TV show, including linear TV, DVR, VOD, Netflix, and Hulu, according to Hub Entertainment Research. Among younger viewers aged 18-34, the number of platforms is even higher at 5.1 average platforms. Only 39% of viewers … [Read more...] about TV Talk: Series With Licensing Potential
Company Spotlight: On Scaling Niche to Mass
Since filing for an IPO last year, Funko has released some of its financial data and offered a few key insights on the fast-growing, ever-volatile market for pop culture collectible merchandise. Here are some of the top takeaways and most interesting tidbits gleaned from a licensee generating around $800 million in licensed retail sales a year. While the company seems to … [Read more...] about Company Spotlight: On Scaling Niche to Mass
New Media: Streaming, TV & Movies
Entertainment properties distributed primarily through streaming services aren't the biggest source for consumer products licensing—linear TV programs reign, for many reasons. But licensees are getting wise to the potential behind streaming. For one, technology can offer new ways to market and sell goods à la traditional TV shopping, albiet in less obstructive ways. For … [Read more...] about New Media: Streaming, TV & Movies