"I wear the cheese. It does not wear me." Most fans of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" will remember these words. Not because they're important, but rather because the Cheese Man (David Wells) has invited debate for decades. Creator Joss Whedon was once known for his careful planning, with many of the major decisions of "Buffy" famously being plotted years in advance. There are clues seeded in one season for major events that wouldn't take place until the next one or even later, so when it comes to dream sequences like the ones featured throughout the season 4 finale "Restless," fans could endlessly dissect every syllable.
After delivering the incredible one-two punch of "Becoming" and "Graduation Day" in seasons 2 and 3, respectively, "Restless" was an odd choice to wrap up the show's fourth season. There was no epic battle, no Big Bad to defeat, and no stakes of any kind really. That was all over and done with.
After delivering the incredible one-two punch of "Becoming" and "Graduation Day" in seasons 2 and 3, respectively, "Restless" was an odd choice to wrap up the show's fourth season. There was no epic battle, no Big Bad to defeat, and no stakes of any kind really. That was all over and done with.
- 12/26/2022
- by Jamie Gerber
- Slash Film
After 12 years in a lock box, former Los Angeles County prosecutor Roger Gunson’s conditional testimony in the Roman Polanski sex case was unsealed by court order on Thursday, and copies of a transcript were made available on Sunday night.
What the several hundred pages of testimony—taken over three days in 2010—finally delivered was not a series of bombshell revelations. Since Polanski fled the country before sentencing in 1978, constant examination of the case has left little room for surprises.
Rather, Gunson’s testimony provided a long, highly detailed, deeply informed recap both of Polanski’s crime—which involved the rape of a minor—and of alleged judicial and prosecutorial misconduct that followed it.
Perhaps the most striking details—other than blunt descriptions of the crime, which would surely be repeated if Polanski ever came to trial—involved Gunson’s account of having been blocked by superiors in the Los...
What the several hundred pages of testimony—taken over three days in 2010—finally delivered was not a series of bombshell revelations. Since Polanski fled the country before sentencing in 1978, constant examination of the case has left little room for surprises.
Rather, Gunson’s testimony provided a long, highly detailed, deeply informed recap both of Polanski’s crime—which involved the rape of a minor—and of alleged judicial and prosecutorial misconduct that followed it.
Perhaps the most striking details—other than blunt descriptions of the crime, which would surely be repeated if Polanski ever came to trial—involved Gunson’s account of having been blocked by superiors in the Los...
- 7/18/2022
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
A California appeals court has ordered that sealed testimony from Roman Polanski’s 1970s child rape case be opened, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced Wednesday.
The court order will unseal the transcripts of secret testimony given by Roger Gunson, a former Deputy District Attorney who led the prosecution of Polanski after he admitted to drugging and raping a 13 year old girl in 1977.
Despite the vile nature of his crime, Polanski worked out a plea deal that would have seen him plead guilty to unlawful sex with a minor and received a mandatory psychiatric evaluation, followed by probation. In exchange, other more serious charges, including a charge of rape via drugs, would be dropped. He was even allowed to leave the country to work on a film during this period.
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However, in 1978, after Polanski learned that the presiding judge,...
The court order will unseal the transcripts of secret testimony given by Roger Gunson, a former Deputy District Attorney who led the prosecution of Polanski after he admitted to drugging and raping a 13 year old girl in 1977.
Despite the vile nature of his crime, Polanski worked out a plea deal that would have seen him plead guilty to unlawful sex with a minor and received a mandatory psychiatric evaluation, followed by probation. In exchange, other more serious charges, including a charge of rape via drugs, would be dropped. He was even allowed to leave the country to work on a film during this period.
Also Read:
Warner Bros. Reports 43 Confirmed Covid Cases as Los Angeles Infection Rate Rapidly Rises
However, in 1978, after Polanski learned that the presiding judge,...
- 7/14/2022
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is no longer opposing a request to unseal a former prosecutor’s testimony that Roman Polanski claims will reveal misconduct from a judge, thus warranting dismissal of the decades-old case against him.
Los Angeles prosecutors on Tuesday lifted their opposition to unseal transcripts of closed-door testimony from the original prosecutor handling the case, Roger Gunson, who retired in 2002. District Attorney George Gascón told The Hollywood Reporter there were “some irregularities” in the case, starting with potential “judicial misconduct” from the judge who initially oversaw the proceedings.
A ruling unsealing the testimony could lead to Polanski being allowed to return to the United States without serving prison time for his underlying criminal case if it’s found that the court improperly reneged on the plea deal he allegedly struck with prosecutors for 90 days of psychiatric evaluation. He...
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is no longer opposing a request to unseal a former prosecutor’s testimony that Roman Polanski claims will reveal misconduct from a judge, thus warranting dismissal of the decades-old case against him.
Los Angeles prosecutors on Tuesday lifted their opposition to unseal transcripts of closed-door testimony from the original prosecutor handling the case, Roger Gunson, who retired in 2002. District Attorney George Gascón told The Hollywood Reporter there were “some irregularities” in the case, starting with potential “judicial misconduct” from the judge who initially oversaw the proceedings.
A ruling unsealing the testimony could lead to Polanski being allowed to return to the United States without serving prison time for his underlying criminal case if it’s found that the court improperly reneged on the plea deal he allegedly struck with prosecutors for 90 days of psychiatric evaluation. He...
- 7/12/2022
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix bid farewell to several senior programming executives in recent weeks — and the company’s two co-CEOs, Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos, maintained that the turnover is business as usual for the streamer.
In September, Sarandos named Bela Bajaria VP of global TV, while VP of original content Cindy Holland was given the “Keeper Test” after 18 years at the company. Other exits: Jane Wiseman departed after a little over six years as VP of originals and head of comedy, while Channing Dungey, VP of original content and head of drama, left two weeks ago and was just named chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group.
Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer who was elevated to co-ceo in July, was asked about the recent executive churn by Barclays Capital analyst Kannan Venkateshwar on the company’s third-quarter 2020 earnings interview.
“I restructured the content team to be more like our film team, and more like our animation team,...
In September, Sarandos named Bela Bajaria VP of global TV, while VP of original content Cindy Holland was given the “Keeper Test” after 18 years at the company. Other exits: Jane Wiseman departed after a little over six years as VP of originals and head of comedy, while Channing Dungey, VP of original content and head of drama, left two weeks ago and was just named chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group.
Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer who was elevated to co-ceo in July, was asked about the recent executive churn by Barclays Capital analyst Kannan Venkateshwar on the company’s third-quarter 2020 earnings interview.
“I restructured the content team to be more like our film team, and more like our animation team,...
- 10/21/2020
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Before he co-founded Netflix, Reed Hastings ran a debugging-tool company, Pure Software. And he’s convinced the morass of red tape he put in place at Pure led to the company’s eventual irrelevance and sale to a rival.
With Netflix, Hastings has focused on building a culture of employee empowerment — which he documents in a new business book, “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention,” co-authored by business professor Erin Meyer. (Read our five key takeaways from the book.)
“The key is embracing managing on the edge of chaos,” Hastings says. “That’s the message of the book.” It’s hard to find fault with that approach: Netflix had 193 million streaming customers as of the end of June, nearly tripling the base in the past five years.
Hastings recently sat down (virtually) with Variety to discuss the book, as well as the most difficult Keeper Test decision he’s had to make,...
With Netflix, Hastings has focused on building a culture of employee empowerment — which he documents in a new business book, “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention,” co-authored by business professor Erin Meyer. (Read our five key takeaways from the book.)
“The key is embracing managing on the edge of chaos,” Hastings says. “That’s the message of the book.” It’s hard to find fault with that approach: Netflix had 193 million streaming customers as of the end of June, nearly tripling the base in the past five years.
Hastings recently sat down (virtually) with Variety to discuss the book, as well as the most difficult Keeper Test decision he’s had to make,...
- 9/7/2020
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Whatifi, a new choose-your-own-adventure movie-watching app, has launched globally today after raising $10 million in venture funding. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz and featured participation from Matrix Partners as well as Silicon Valley luminaries like former Netflix CFO David Wells, Paypal co-founder Max Levchin, and Zynga founder Mark Pincus.
Whatifi was founded by the Estonian entrepreneur Jaanus Juss and his business partner, Hardi Meybaum, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Juss had previous experience in staging interactive theatrical works, and was inspired to implement that interactivity into app format after the runaway success of Netflix’s Bandersnatch.
The free, ad-free Whatifi app (a paid tier with additional features is in the works) allows users to watch a film together and choose how the story unfolds. Users can invite up to nine contacts to watch together, who must vote on outcomes at different junctures of the story. That said, the film...
Whatifi was founded by the Estonian entrepreneur Jaanus Juss and his business partner, Hardi Meybaum, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Juss had previous experience in staging interactive theatrical works, and was inspired to implement that interactivity into app format after the runaway success of Netflix’s Bandersnatch.
The free, ad-free Whatifi app (a paid tier with additional features is in the works) allows users to watch a film together and choose how the story unfolds. Users can invite up to nine contacts to watch together, who must vote on outcomes at different junctures of the story. That said, the film...
- 6/9/2020
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Netflix chief Reed Hastings is being handsomely rewarded for calling the shots at the streaming giant.
His compensation package, which is largely in the form of stock options, climbed 48% in 2018 to $36.1 million. That’s up from $24.4 million in the previous year. Hastings’ salary is a relatively modest $700,000, but his stock options are valued at a whooping $35.4 million, according to public filings.
Although Hastings is amply compensated for his work, it pales in comparison to what some media executives earn. Discovery chief David Zaslav enjoyed a compensation package valued at $129.5 million in 2018, while Disney head Bob Iger’s compensation package was valued at $65.6 million.
Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, the executive behind “Stranger Things,” “The Crown,” and other programming also saw his compensation package increase in value. His total haul climbed 32% to $29.6 million. Sarandos’ take-home pay is much higher than Hastings’, topping out at $12 million in salary. He also earned $17.6 million in options,...
His compensation package, which is largely in the form of stock options, climbed 48% in 2018 to $36.1 million. That’s up from $24.4 million in the previous year. Hastings’ salary is a relatively modest $700,000, but his stock options are valued at a whooping $35.4 million, according to public filings.
Although Hastings is amply compensated for his work, it pales in comparison to what some media executives earn. Discovery chief David Zaslav enjoyed a compensation package valued at $129.5 million in 2018, while Disney head Bob Iger’s compensation package was valued at $65.6 million.
Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, the executive behind “Stranger Things,” “The Crown,” and other programming also saw his compensation package increase in value. His total haul climbed 32% to $29.6 million. Sarandos’ take-home pay is much higher than Hastings’, topping out at $12 million in salary. He also earned $17.6 million in options,...
- 4/23/2019
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
A shareholder lawsuit against Netflix over its deductions of executive bonuses from company tax liabilities has been dismissed by a federal judge, but only after she noted the legitimacy of some elements of the complaint.
The City of Birmingham Relief and Retirement System found fault with the company’s accounting of some $18.7 million in bonuses to CEO Reed Hastings, content chief Ted Sarandos, former CFO David Wells and other executives. Netflix had deducted those payments from its overall tax liabilities, which the lawsuit portrayed as misleading to investors and part of a scheme to enable it to take tax deductions via financial targets achieved through “artificial precision.” The entire Board of Directors was also named in the suit, given that it had approved proxy statements stating the executive compensation.
In her opinion last Friday (read it Here), U.S. District Court Judge Beth Freeman acknowledged the suit raised some valid points about Netflix’s accounting.
The City of Birmingham Relief and Retirement System found fault with the company’s accounting of some $18.7 million in bonuses to CEO Reed Hastings, content chief Ted Sarandos, former CFO David Wells and other executives. Netflix had deducted those payments from its overall tax liabilities, which the lawsuit portrayed as misleading to investors and part of a scheme to enable it to take tax deductions via financial targets achieved through “artificial precision.” The entire Board of Directors was also named in the suit, given that it had approved proxy statements stating the executive compensation.
In her opinion last Friday (read it Here), U.S. District Court Judge Beth Freeman acknowledged the suit raised some valid points about Netflix’s accounting.
- 3/11/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix is beating Wall Street expectations for international subscriber growth — but its recently announced price increase in the U.S. may have put a damper on its momentum in the States.
For the fourth quarter of 2018, Netflix reported 1.53 million paid net adds in the U.S. and 7.31 million internationally, to end the year with 139 million streaming members worldwide. The 8.8 million overall net gain was the biggest Q4 in the company’s history. Netflix had forecast Q4 U.S. net additions of 1.5 million paid streaming subscribers and 6.1 million international paid subs, with analyst expectations roughly in line.
For the current quarter, Netflix forecast 1.6 million paid net adds in the U.S. and 7.3 million internationally. That’s lower in the United States and higher abroad than expected: Analysts were previously modeling Q1 2019 U.S. net paid subscriber additions at about 2 million and 6.7 million overseas.
The company beat Wall Street estimates on earnings...
For the fourth quarter of 2018, Netflix reported 1.53 million paid net adds in the U.S. and 7.31 million internationally, to end the year with 139 million streaming members worldwide. The 8.8 million overall net gain was the biggest Q4 in the company’s history. Netflix had forecast Q4 U.S. net additions of 1.5 million paid streaming subscribers and 6.1 million international paid subs, with analyst expectations roughly in line.
For the current quarter, Netflix forecast 1.6 million paid net adds in the U.S. and 7.3 million internationally. That’s lower in the United States and higher abroad than expected: Analysts were previously modeling Q1 2019 U.S. net paid subscriber additions at about 2 million and 6.7 million overseas.
The company beat Wall Street estimates on earnings...
- 1/17/2019
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix’s new chief financial officer will receive $10 million in total compensation, a more generous pay package than was afforded his predecessor, according to a new regulatory filing.
Spencer Neumann will earn $5 million in salary and receive $5 million in stock options. He’ll also get a one-time payment of $1.7 million, and be eligible for additional compensation in the for of life insurance and participation in the company’s 401(k) retirement plan.
His predecessor, Chief Financial Officer David Wells, was to earn $6.3 million in salary and stock options this year.
Neumann joins the company on Jan. 7, after a brief stint as Activision Blizzard’s chief financial officer. Before that, he held a number of positions of increasing responsibility at The Walt Disney Company, most recently serving as the chief financial officer and executive vice president of Global Guest Experience of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, from 2012 until May 2017
From 2005 to 2012, Mr.
Spencer Neumann will earn $5 million in salary and receive $5 million in stock options. He’ll also get a one-time payment of $1.7 million, and be eligible for additional compensation in the for of life insurance and participation in the company’s 401(k) retirement plan.
His predecessor, Chief Financial Officer David Wells, was to earn $6.3 million in salary and stock options this year.
Neumann joins the company on Jan. 7, after a brief stint as Activision Blizzard’s chief financial officer. Before that, he held a number of positions of increasing responsibility at The Walt Disney Company, most recently serving as the chief financial officer and executive vice president of Global Guest Experience of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, from 2012 until May 2017
From 2005 to 2012, Mr.
- 1/8/2019
- by Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
Spencer Neumann, who replaces David Wells, was reportedly on paid leave from Activision.
Netflix has recruited Spencer Neumann, a former high-ranking financial executive at Activision Blizzard and Disney, as its new chief financial officer.
Neumann will replace David Wells, who had served as Netflix’s CFO since 2010 but announced last August that he planned to step down after helping the company choose his successor. Wells had been with Netflix for 14 years, a period of explosive growth for the streaming giant.
Neumann had been Activision Blizzard’s CFO since May 2017. According to a Reuters report, however, the game company said in...
Netflix has recruited Spencer Neumann, a former high-ranking financial executive at Activision Blizzard and Disney, as its new chief financial officer.
Neumann will replace David Wells, who had served as Netflix’s CFO since 2010 but announced last August that he planned to step down after helping the company choose his successor. Wells had been with Netflix for 14 years, a period of explosive growth for the streaming giant.
Neumann had been Activision Blizzard’s CFO since May 2017. According to a Reuters report, however, the game company said in...
- 1/2/2019
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Netflix has named former Activision Blizzard CFO Spencer Neumann the company’s chief financial officer, succeeding David Wells.
The announcement confirms a Reuters report that the streaming service had poached Neumann from video game publisher, where he held the same post. Neumann also held several senior positions at the The Walt Disney Company.
“Spencer is a stellar entertainment executive and we’re thrilled that he will help us provide amazing stories to people all over the world,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in a statement.
Neumann served as Activision Blizzard’s CFO from May 2017. The game publisher filed a document with SEC on Monday saying it had terminated Neumann “for cause” — without specifying the reason.
Before his brief stint at Activision, Neumann held a number of positions of increasing responsibility at Disney, most recently serving as the CFO and executive vice president of global guest experience of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts,...
The announcement confirms a Reuters report that the streaming service had poached Neumann from video game publisher, where he held the same post. Neumann also held several senior positions at the The Walt Disney Company.
“Spencer is a stellar entertainment executive and we’re thrilled that he will help us provide amazing stories to people all over the world,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in a statement.
Neumann served as Activision Blizzard’s CFO from May 2017. The game publisher filed a document with SEC on Monday saying it had terminated Neumann “for cause” — without specifying the reason.
Before his brief stint at Activision, Neumann held a number of positions of increasing responsibility at Disney, most recently serving as the CFO and executive vice president of global guest experience of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts,...
- 1/2/2019
- by Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix has reportedly poached Activision Blizzard executive Spencer Neumann to serve as its new CFO.
Neumann, who held the same role at the video game company for less than two years, is expected to join the streaming giant early this year, Variety reports. At Netflix, Neumann is replacing David Wells, who announced that he planned to step down last summer after 14 years at the company.
Activision Blizzard, which is behind titles like Call Of Duty and Candy Crush Saga, announced that it planned to fire Neumann “for cause” in an SEC filing on Dec. 31, though it did not provide any additional details. Meanwhile, the company’s chief corporate officer, Dennis Durkin, will assume CFO duties, and is expected to be named to the position permanently, according to Variety.
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Neumann, who held the same role at the video game company for less than two years, is expected to join the streaming giant early this year, Variety reports. At Netflix, Neumann is replacing David Wells, who announced that he planned to step down last summer after 14 years at the company.
Activision Blizzard, which is behind titles like Call Of Duty and Candy Crush Saga, announced that it planned to fire Neumann “for cause” in an SEC filing on Dec. 31, though it did not provide any additional details. Meanwhile, the company’s chief corporate officer, Dennis Durkin, will assume CFO duties, and is expected to be named to the position permanently, according to Variety.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 1/2/2019
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Netflix’s two leading men, CEO Reed Hastings and chief content officer Ted Sarandos, will each see their pay rise to more than $31 million in 2019, according to a filing with the SEC on Friday.
Hastings could make $31.5 million next year, according to the filing, which counts his $700,000 salary and up to $30.8 million in stock options — marking about a 7 percent raise on the $29.4 million he was poised to receive this year.
Sarandos is lined up for an even bigger raise. He’ll make $18 million in salary in 2019 — a healthy jump from the $12 million salary he earned this year — and $13.5 million in stock compensation, matching Hastings in overall pay at $31.5 million. That marks a 20 percent increase from the $26.2 million he earned in 2018. This is the first time Sarandos will make as much as Hastings.
Also Read: Sorry, 'A Star Is Born' and 'Black Panther'! Netflix's 'Roma' Is Dominating...
Hastings could make $31.5 million next year, according to the filing, which counts his $700,000 salary and up to $30.8 million in stock options — marking about a 7 percent raise on the $29.4 million he was poised to receive this year.
Sarandos is lined up for an even bigger raise. He’ll make $18 million in salary in 2019 — a healthy jump from the $12 million salary he earned this year — and $13.5 million in stock compensation, matching Hastings in overall pay at $31.5 million. That marks a 20 percent increase from the $26.2 million he earned in 2018. This is the first time Sarandos will make as much as Hastings.
Also Read: Sorry, 'A Star Is Born' and 'Black Panther'! Netflix's 'Roma' Is Dominating...
- 12/28/2018
- by Sean Burch
- The Wrap
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos will see their pay packages rise to $31.5 million in 2019.
Hastings will collect an annual salary of $700,000 and stock options worth $30.8 million, according to the SEC filing. That’s a increase from his 2018 pay package, when he received options valued at $28.7 million on top of his $700,000 salary.
Sarandos will bring home $18 million in salary in 2019 — a significant bump from his $12 million salary this year. He’ll receive options worth $13.5 million, down from $14.25 million this year.
Chief Financial Officer David Wells will earn $6.3 million in salary and stock options; and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters will knock down $16.8 million in total compensation.
Netflix disclosed the compensation in a regulatory filing Friday.
These stock options are granted fully vested and can generally be exercised up to 10 years following the date of grant, regardless of employment status, according to the company’s filing.
Hastings will collect an annual salary of $700,000 and stock options worth $30.8 million, according to the SEC filing. That’s a increase from his 2018 pay package, when he received options valued at $28.7 million on top of his $700,000 salary.
Sarandos will bring home $18 million in salary in 2019 — a significant bump from his $12 million salary this year. He’ll receive options worth $13.5 million, down from $14.25 million this year.
Chief Financial Officer David Wells will earn $6.3 million in salary and stock options; and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters will knock down $16.8 million in total compensation.
Netflix disclosed the compensation in a regulatory filing Friday.
These stock options are granted fully vested and can generally be exercised up to 10 years following the date of grant, regardless of employment status, according to the company’s filing.
- 12/28/2018
- by Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
Icap, part of Tp Icap group, the world’s largest interdealer broker, is pleased to announce that its 26th annual global Charity Day will be held on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.
On the day, 100% of the revenues and commissions Icap generates globally will be donated to more than 100 charities worldwide.
More than 50 charities in the U.S. alone are set to benefit from the day’s proceeds. A number of charities will be joined and represented by celebrity ambassadors at Icap’s new offices in New York’s Financial District, where they will help brokers close deals and boost broking volumes with clients. Michael Douglas, famed for his depiction of Gordon Gecko in the classic film Wall Street, is amongst the dozens of celebrities set to attend. Douglas will be representing Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Other celebrities include Henrik Lundqvist representing the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation, David Wells representing The Perfect 33 Foundation and Chris Evert representing the Usta Foundation.
On the day, 100% of the revenues and commissions Icap generates globally will be donated to more than 100 charities worldwide.
More than 50 charities in the U.S. alone are set to benefit from the day’s proceeds. A number of charities will be joined and represented by celebrity ambassadors at Icap’s new offices in New York’s Financial District, where they will help brokers close deals and boost broking volumes with clients. Michael Douglas, famed for his depiction of Gordon Gecko in the classic film Wall Street, is amongst the dozens of celebrities set to attend. Douglas will be representing Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Other celebrities include Henrik Lundqvist representing the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation, David Wells representing The Perfect 33 Foundation and Chris Evert representing the Usta Foundation.
- 11/29/2018
- Look to the Stars
Ahead of Netflix’s quarterly earnings report on Tuesday, new figures from a Wall Street analyst show it smashed all records in the third quarter by releasing 676 hours of original programming, up 50% from the second quarter.
Cowen & Co. analyst John Blackledge delivered the eye-catching stat as part of his monthly survey of 2,500 consumers (both cord-cutters and those with pay-tv subscriptions) about their subscription video habits.
Netflix remains the top draw by far among all respondents, with 27% saying they turn to the platform as their top streaming choice, followed by basic cable (20%), broadcast TV (18%) and YouTube (12%). The gap is wider among those 18 to 34 years old, with 40% of those younger viewers rating Netflix the No. 1 source, followed by YouTube at 17% and basic cable at 12%. Even when cord-cutters and cord-nevers are excluded, Netflix is a strong No. 2 choice for viewers, with a 24% first-choice score, compared with 26% for basic cable.
While many skeptics question...
Cowen & Co. analyst John Blackledge delivered the eye-catching stat as part of his monthly survey of 2,500 consumers (both cord-cutters and those with pay-tv subscriptions) about their subscription video habits.
Netflix remains the top draw by far among all respondents, with 27% saying they turn to the platform as their top streaming choice, followed by basic cable (20%), broadcast TV (18%) and YouTube (12%). The gap is wider among those 18 to 34 years old, with 40% of those younger viewers rating Netflix the No. 1 source, followed by YouTube at 17% and basic cable at 12%. Even when cord-cutters and cord-nevers are excluded, Netflix is a strong No. 2 choice for viewers, with a 24% first-choice score, compared with 26% for basic cable.
While many skeptics question...
- 10/10/2018
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix has leased an entire 13-story Hollywood office building soon to be completed that will give the streaming giant 327,913 square feet of additional office space in Los Angeles, suitable for a company that is spending $8 billion just this year to create 700 original shows and 80 movies for its service.
It will begin moving into the building — Hudson Pacific’s Epic, located at 5901 Sunset Blvd — beginning in 2020. The lease runs into 2031.
The company has also just extended lease deals with Hudson for their current Icon and Cue facilities across the street on the Sunset Bronson Studios lot, which affords them and additional 325,757 square feet and 91,953 square feet of office space, respectively, between them. If you’re doing the math, the full Hudson deal today encompasses 745,623 square feet in that part of town.
“Epic is part of our continuing investment in L.A. and Hollywood. We’re thrilled to be able to continue to grow our team there,...
It will begin moving into the building — Hudson Pacific’s Epic, located at 5901 Sunset Blvd — beginning in 2020. The lease runs into 2031.
The company has also just extended lease deals with Hudson for their current Icon and Cue facilities across the street on the Sunset Bronson Studios lot, which affords them and additional 325,757 square feet and 91,953 square feet of office space, respectively, between them. If you’re doing the math, the full Hudson deal today encompasses 745,623 square feet in that part of town.
“Epic is part of our continuing investment in L.A. and Hollywood. We’re thrilled to be able to continue to grow our team there,...
- 10/5/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix is looking to bolster its film division by hiring highly regarded production executive Tendo Nagenda away from Disney.
It’s not a done deal, but Nagenda would work under Scott Stuber, who was brought on to lead the company’s flush with cash film division last March. Nagenda would serve as Netflix’s head of production.
After serving as a senior creative executive since 2010, Nagenda was promoted to executive VP of production two years ago, where he oversaw such films as “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Queen of Katwe,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “Cinderella,” “Dumbo,” and the upcoming” Mulan.”
Also Read: Netflix CFO David Wells to Step Down
He would be responsible for helping to build a similar slate for Netflix. Some of Netflix’s upcoming and most-anticipated films include Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” Amy Poehler’s “Wine Country,” and “6 Underground,...
It’s not a done deal, but Nagenda would work under Scott Stuber, who was brought on to lead the company’s flush with cash film division last March. Nagenda would serve as Netflix’s head of production.
After serving as a senior creative executive since 2010, Nagenda was promoted to executive VP of production two years ago, where he oversaw such films as “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Queen of Katwe,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “Cinderella,” “Dumbo,” and the upcoming” Mulan.”
Also Read: Netflix CFO David Wells to Step Down
He would be responsible for helping to build a similar slate for Netflix. Some of Netflix’s upcoming and most-anticipated films include Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” Amy Poehler’s “Wine Country,” and “6 Underground,...
- 8/25/2018
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
We spotted NY Yankees legend David Wells out in NYC -- and asked if he had any advice for Luis Severino, the Yankees ace who's been struggling recently. Wells told us he doesn't watch much baseball these days ... but did drop a few pearls of wisdom for the 24-year-old fireballer. "S**t happens when you struggle ... find a way out of it!" The clip is pretty great ... Wells talks locker room stories, golf and even...
- 8/18/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Netflix keeps raiding the TV biz for big-name creative stars. And it’s tucking the bulk of the eight-figure annual salary commitments and all of the production costs for those pacts into a separate area of its ledger, rather than accounting for them as current operating costs.
Yesterday, the streaming giant announced a pact with Kenya Barris, creator of “Black-ish,” worth $100 million over three years, Variety reported. That’s after Netflix landed Shonda Rhimes (whose hits for ABC include “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal”) in a pact reported to be worth $150 million over five years and signed Ryan Murphy in a five-year deal for up to $300 million.
Meanwhile, Netflix also has set a production deal with the Obamas and last fall inked a multiyear overall deal with Jenji Kohan, creator of “Orange Is the New Black” and Ep on “Glow.”
Those high-priced deals end up in an area of Netflix...
Yesterday, the streaming giant announced a pact with Kenya Barris, creator of “Black-ish,” worth $100 million over three years, Variety reported. That’s after Netflix landed Shonda Rhimes (whose hits for ABC include “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal”) in a pact reported to be worth $150 million over five years and signed Ryan Murphy in a five-year deal for up to $300 million.
Meanwhile, Netflix also has set a production deal with the Obamas and last fall inked a multiyear overall deal with Jenji Kohan, creator of “Orange Is the New Black” and Ep on “Glow.”
Those high-priced deals end up in an area of Netflix...
- 8/17/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix is on the hunt for a new chief financial officer. The streaming giant announced today that its current CFO, David Wells, will be helping to install his successor before stepping down and leaving Netflix.
“It’s been 14 wonderful years at Netflix, and I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished,” Wells said in the statement. “After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed [Hastings], we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company.”
Wells added that he intends to “focus more on philanthropy” in the next phase of his career.
Co-founder, chairman, and CEO Hastings praised Wells’ handling of finances “during a phase of dramatic growth that has allowed us to create and bring amazing entertainment to our members all over the world while also delivering outstanding returns to our investors.
“It’s been 14 wonderful years at Netflix, and I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished,” Wells said in the statement. “After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed [Hastings], we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company.”
Wells added that he intends to “focus more on philanthropy” in the next phase of his career.
Co-founder, chairman, and CEO Hastings praised Wells’ handling of finances “during a phase of dramatic growth that has allowed us to create and bring amazing entertainment to our members all over the world while also delivering outstanding returns to our investors.
- 8/13/2018
- by James Loke Hale
- Tubefilter.com
Netflix said Monday that Chief Financial Officer David Wells plans to step down after helping the company choose his successor.
Wells has served as Netflix’s CFO since 2010, during a transformative time for the streaming service that has emerged as an entertainment powerhouse. Wells says he intends to stay until his successor takes the role to ensure a smooth transition, then will focus on philanthropy.
“After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed [Hastings, CEO], we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company,” Wells said in a statement.
During his tenure at Netflix, Wells has overseen a rise in content spending, with programming costs projected to reach $12 billion this year, according to some estimates. That spending spree, which included costly multi-year deals with TV content creators such as Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy,...
Wells has served as Netflix’s CFO since 2010, during a transformative time for the streaming service that has emerged as an entertainment powerhouse. Wells says he intends to stay until his successor takes the role to ensure a smooth transition, then will focus on philanthropy.
“After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed [Hastings, CEO], we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company,” Wells said in a statement.
During his tenure at Netflix, Wells has overseen a rise in content spending, with programming costs projected to reach $12 billion this year, according to some estimates. That spending spree, which included costly multi-year deals with TV content creators such as Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy,...
- 8/13/2018
- by Denise Petski and Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
David Wells, the CFO of Netflix, is set to depart after 14 years with the company. He’s been in his position since 2010.
Wells will stay put until Netflix names his successor, a search which will include consideration of both internal and external candidates, the streaming service said on Monday.
“It’s been 14 wonderful years at Netflix, and I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished,” Wells said in a statement. “After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed, we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company.”
Also Read: 13 TCA Takeaways: 'Ahs' Deets, Why Kenya Barris Bailed on ABC, and Just What Is Going on at CBS?
“David has been a valuable partner to Netflix and to me,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings added. “He skillfully managed...
Wells will stay put until Netflix names his successor, a search which will include consideration of both internal and external candidates, the streaming service said on Monday.
“It’s been 14 wonderful years at Netflix, and I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished,” Wells said in a statement. “After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed, we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company.”
Also Read: 13 TCA Takeaways: 'Ahs' Deets, Why Kenya Barris Bailed on ABC, and Just What Is Going on at CBS?
“David has been a valuable partner to Netflix and to me,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings added. “He skillfully managed...
- 8/13/2018
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
David Wells, a 14-year veteran of Netflix who has guided the company through a period of massive growth since 2010 as chief financial officer, announced plans to leave the company.
Netflix said Wells will step down after helping the company choose his successor and announced that its search for a new CFO will include “both internal and external candidates.” Wells said in a statement that after exiting Netflix, he intends to focus more on philanthropy “but I’m not sure yet what that looks like.”
“After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed [Hastings, Netflix’s chairman and CEO], we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company,” Wells said.
Hastings, in a statement, said, “David has been a valuable partner to Netflix and to me. He skillfully managed our finances during a phase...
Netflix said Wells will step down after helping the company choose his successor and announced that its search for a new CFO will include “both internal and external candidates.” Wells said in a statement that after exiting Netflix, he intends to focus more on philanthropy “but I’m not sure yet what that looks like.”
“After discussing my desire to make a change with Reed [Hastings, Netflix’s chairman and CEO], we agreed that with Netflix’s strong financial position and exciting growth plans, this is the right time for us to help identify the next financial leader for the company,” Wells said.
Hastings, in a statement, said, “David has been a valuable partner to Netflix and to me. He skillfully managed our finances during a phase...
- 8/13/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
In their quarterly video conference moderated by a single Wall Street analyst — in this case, Todd Juenger of Sanford Bernstein — Netflix execs shrugged off the company’s disappointing second-quarter results.
“The fundamentals have never been stronger,” CEO Reed Hastings said, citing record levels of viewing and positive trends in many global territories. “We’re feeling very strongly about the business.” He added that the dip in the second quarter was unrelated to price increases in recent months, and is not unprecedented. “We’ve seen this movie before of a Q2 shortfall, two years ago. We never did find an explanation to that, other than there’s some lumpiness in the business, and we continued to perform after that.
CFO David Wells said the results would not cause any kind of reassessment of internal forecasting or fiscal management. “Long-term, nothing’s really changed,” he said, emphasizing the company’s focus on 12-month rolling results,...
“The fundamentals have never been stronger,” CEO Reed Hastings said, citing record levels of viewing and positive trends in many global territories. “We’re feeling very strongly about the business.” He added that the dip in the second quarter was unrelated to price increases in recent months, and is not unprecedented. “We’ve seen this movie before of a Q2 shortfall, two years ago. We never did find an explanation to that, other than there’s some lumpiness in the business, and we continued to perform after that.
CFO David Wells said the results would not cause any kind of reassessment of internal forecasting or fiscal management. “Long-term, nothing’s really changed,” he said, emphasizing the company’s focus on 12-month rolling results,...
- 7/16/2018
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix came up well short of subscriber-growth targets for the second quarter of 2018 — sending the streamer’s stock down more than 14% in after-hours trading Monday on fears its pace of expansion is slowing down.
The company reported 670,000 streaming net adds domestically and 4.47 million internationally. Wall Street analysts expected 1.23 million net adds in the U.S. and 5.11 million overseas for the period (slightly higher that Netflix’s prior guidance).
“We had a strong but not stellar Q2,” Netflix execs wrote in their quarterly letter to shareholders. “This Q2, we over-forecasted global net additions… as acquisition growth was slightly lower than we projected.”
Netflix also provided third quarter guidance that was below analyst forecasts. For Q3, it projects 650,000 net adds in the U.S. and 4.35 million overseas. That’s compared with analyst estimates that Netflix would have Q3 net adds of 947,000 in the U.S. and 5.05 million internationally.
In a post-announcement interview hosted by Netflix,...
The company reported 670,000 streaming net adds domestically and 4.47 million internationally. Wall Street analysts expected 1.23 million net adds in the U.S. and 5.11 million overseas for the period (slightly higher that Netflix’s prior guidance).
“We had a strong but not stellar Q2,” Netflix execs wrote in their quarterly letter to shareholders. “This Q2, we over-forecasted global net additions… as acquisition growth was slightly lower than we projected.”
Netflix also provided third quarter guidance that was below analyst forecasts. For Q3, it projects 650,000 net adds in the U.S. and 4.35 million overseas. That’s compared with analyst estimates that Netflix would have Q3 net adds of 947,000 in the U.S. and 5.05 million internationally.
In a post-announcement interview hosted by Netflix,...
- 7/16/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Yankees legend David Wells ain't exactly thrilled with the whole Robinson Cano scandal ... telling TMZ Sports he's disappointed over Cano's 80-game suspension. Cano was popped for taking a banned substance -- though he Insists it was a prescribed medication and Not a performance enhancing drug. But, not everyone is buying Cano's excuse ... considering the substance he took can be used as a masking agent for PEDs. So, when we saw Wells in NYC, we asked if he was disappointed.
- 5/18/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
No TV conversation is complete anymore without the Netflix behemoth, as the service adds entire seasons to its never-ending pile on a weekly basis. While recently putting together a roundup of every TV review IndieWire has published in 2018, we came to the realization that it would probably take a lifetime to get through all the shows released in this calendar year alone.
Netflix has said it will spend upwards of $8 billion annually in programming costs. Granted, some of that goes to acquisition of previously produced content — but CFO David Wells has said Netflix will produce as much as 700 originals worldwide this year. That’s a lot of TV.
In 2017, Netflix ended the year by reporting that users watched more than 140 million hours of content per day, or 1 billion hours per week. But that’s a collective stat. To put a solid number on how much of our lives Netflix has been vying for,...
Netflix has said it will spend upwards of $8 billion annually in programming costs. Granted, some of that goes to acquisition of previously produced content — but CFO David Wells has said Netflix will produce as much as 700 originals worldwide this year. That’s a lot of TV.
In 2017, Netflix ended the year by reporting that users watched more than 140 million hours of content per day, or 1 billion hours per week. But that’s a collective stat. To put a solid number on how much of our lives Netflix has been vying for,...
- 5/10/2018
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Reed Hastings’ base salary as chairman and CEO of Netflix actually declined in 2017 — but his overall compensation increased 5%, to $24.4 million, the company disclosed in a proxy filing Monday.
Hastings, 57, took home $850,000 in salary and $23.5 million in stock-option awards reflecting the grant-date value during fiscal 2017 (versus $22.3 million a year prior). As of April 9, Hastings owned 10.76 million Netflix shares, which are currently worth about $3.5 billion.
Per Netflix’s filing, Hastings owns two aircraft which are leased to Netflix by him under time-sharing agreements for business-related travel. In 2017, Netflix reimbursed him $759,164 under the time-sharing agreements.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, had a compensation package worth $22.4 million last year, up 18.6% from 2016. His 2017 comp included a $9 million bonus, $12.4 million in stock option awards and a base salary of $1 million.
Among other senior execs, chief product officer Greg Peters also got a pay hike of 15%, with a comp package worth $9.2 million last year. In 2017, that included a $2.76 million bonus,...
Hastings, 57, took home $850,000 in salary and $23.5 million in stock-option awards reflecting the grant-date value during fiscal 2017 (versus $22.3 million a year prior). As of April 9, Hastings owned 10.76 million Netflix shares, which are currently worth about $3.5 billion.
Per Netflix’s filing, Hastings owns two aircraft which are leased to Netflix by him under time-sharing agreements for business-related travel. In 2017, Netflix reimbursed him $759,164 under the time-sharing agreements.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, had a compensation package worth $22.4 million last year, up 18.6% from 2016. His 2017 comp included a $9 million bonus, $12.4 million in stock option awards and a base salary of $1 million.
Among other senior execs, chief product officer Greg Peters also got a pay hike of 15%, with a comp package worth $9.2 million last year. In 2017, that included a $2.76 million bonus,...
- 4/23/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix is spending a pretty penny on original entertainment — but while that stuff grabs most of the headlines, it’s actually licensed titles like TV show reruns that still form the core of the company’s streaming business.
That’s according to a data analysis from 7Park Data, which found that 80% of Netflix U.S. viewing is from licensed content with 20% from original shows like “House of Cards” or “Stranger Things.” The firm also found that 42% of Netflix subscribers watch mostly licensed content (95% or more of their total streaming). Just 18% of Netflix’s U.S. streaming customers are “originals dominant,” whose viewing comprises 40%-100% of originals, according to 7Park. The data is for the 12-month period that ended September 2017.
Top licensed titles on Netflix for that period included “Breaking Bad,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Blacklist,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “The Office,” and “Friends.” (Note that “How I Met Your Mother...
That’s according to a data analysis from 7Park Data, which found that 80% of Netflix U.S. viewing is from licensed content with 20% from original shows like “House of Cards” or “Stranger Things.” The firm also found that 42% of Netflix subscribers watch mostly licensed content (95% or more of their total streaming). Just 18% of Netflix’s U.S. streaming customers are “originals dominant,” whose viewing comprises 40%-100% of originals, according to 7Park. The data is for the 12-month period that ended September 2017.
Top licensed titles on Netflix for that period included “Breaking Bad,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Blacklist,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “The Office,” and “Friends.” (Note that “How I Met Your Mother...
- 4/12/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
In a lawsuit filed by a Netflix shareholder, Netflix’s board of directors have been accused of giving top managers undeserved bonuses in order to capitalize on federal tax deductions.
The lawsuit, brought by the City of Birmingham Relief and Retirement System against board members including CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells, claims bonuses were paid to managers under the pretense of rewarding good performance, but benchmarks were low enough to essentially make them a guarantee.
Under U.S. tax law prior to the cuts passed in December, bonuses for employees earning a salary of more than $1 million must be performance-based in order to qualify for a federal tax deduction. Further, performance goals must be “substantially uncertain.”
Also Read: Netflix Bails on Cannes Competition Over Theatrical Release Mandate
The shareholders’ suit accuses the board of “breaches of fiduciary duties of loyalty, good faith, and candor arising from the disloyal and dishonest management of Netflix’s Performance Bonus Plan (the “Plan”), in order to pay Netflix’s top officers unwarranted compensation.”
Netflix leadership met their goals in seven out of eight quarters leading up to July 2017, meaning top officers were paid approximately $18.73 million out of the $18.75 million set aside in a target pool. The complaint notes that the targets were missed by one percentage point in the other quarter, referring to the behavior as “artificial precision.”
“Through their conduct, Defendants rigged the compensation process, guaranteeing Netflix officers huge cash payments while misleading investors into believing that these payments were justified by attainment of real performance goals,” the complaint reads.
Also Read: Sacha Baron Cohen to Star in Netflix Limited Drama Series 'The Spy'
The shareholder derivative suit allows shareholders to sue on behalf of the company, given that the board “has not, and will not, commence litigation” against its own directors. The complaint says shareholders making a demand of the board prior to filing suit would have been “a useless and futile act.”
In addition to damages and a new system of corporate governance to prevent such action in the future, the lawsuit also demands that defendants give back “all compensation and remuneration of whatever kind paid by Netflix during the time that they were in breach of the fiduciary duties.”
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
Read original story Netflix Exec Bonuses Were a Sham to Capitalize on Tax Deductions, Shareholder Lawsuit Says At TheWrap...
The lawsuit, brought by the City of Birmingham Relief and Retirement System against board members including CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells, claims bonuses were paid to managers under the pretense of rewarding good performance, but benchmarks were low enough to essentially make them a guarantee.
Under U.S. tax law prior to the cuts passed in December, bonuses for employees earning a salary of more than $1 million must be performance-based in order to qualify for a federal tax deduction. Further, performance goals must be “substantially uncertain.”
Also Read: Netflix Bails on Cannes Competition Over Theatrical Release Mandate
The shareholders’ suit accuses the board of “breaches of fiduciary duties of loyalty, good faith, and candor arising from the disloyal and dishonest management of Netflix’s Performance Bonus Plan (the “Plan”), in order to pay Netflix’s top officers unwarranted compensation.”
Netflix leadership met their goals in seven out of eight quarters leading up to July 2017, meaning top officers were paid approximately $18.73 million out of the $18.75 million set aside in a target pool. The complaint notes that the targets were missed by one percentage point in the other quarter, referring to the behavior as “artificial precision.”
“Through their conduct, Defendants rigged the compensation process, guaranteeing Netflix officers huge cash payments while misleading investors into believing that these payments were justified by attainment of real performance goals,” the complaint reads.
Also Read: Sacha Baron Cohen to Star in Netflix Limited Drama Series 'The Spy'
The shareholder derivative suit allows shareholders to sue on behalf of the company, given that the board “has not, and will not, commence litigation” against its own directors. The complaint says shareholders making a demand of the board prior to filing suit would have been “a useless and futile act.”
In addition to damages and a new system of corporate governance to prevent such action in the future, the lawsuit also demands that defendants give back “all compensation and remuneration of whatever kind paid by Netflix during the time that they were in breach of the fiduciary duties.”
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
Read original story Netflix Exec Bonuses Were a Sham to Capitalize on Tax Deductions, Shareholder Lawsuit Says At TheWrap...
- 4/11/2018
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Netflix is seeking to acquire L.A.-based billboard company Regency Outdoor Advertising with an offer of more than $300 million, Reuters reported.
Netflix is not the only bidder for Regency Outdoor and the acquisition talks may fall through, according to the Reuters report, which cited anonymous sources.
A Netflix rep said in an email, “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation.” Regency Outdoor did not respond to requests for comment.
Among the billboard campaigns the streaming company has staged were plain white signs with black text that said “Netflix Is a Joke” that popped up last September on billboards from Regency and other outdoor advertisers. Two weeks later, it revealed the cryptic ads were promoting Netflix’s lineup of stand-up comedy specials from comics including Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, and Ellen DeGeneres.
Regency Outdoor Advertising, founded in 1973, is based in West Hollywood. The company offers billboards, displays,...
Netflix is not the only bidder for Regency Outdoor and the acquisition talks may fall through, according to the Reuters report, which cited anonymous sources.
A Netflix rep said in an email, “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation.” Regency Outdoor did not respond to requests for comment.
Among the billboard campaigns the streaming company has staged were plain white signs with black text that said “Netflix Is a Joke” that popped up last September on billboards from Regency and other outdoor advertisers. Two weeks later, it revealed the cryptic ads were promoting Netflix’s lineup of stand-up comedy specials from comics including Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, and Ellen DeGeneres.
Regency Outdoor Advertising, founded in 1973, is based in West Hollywood. The company offers billboards, displays,...
- 4/6/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
SVoD service to be made available in 2m Sky Q homes.
Sky has agreed a deal with Netflix to offer the SVoD service to its pay-tv subscribers.
The broadcaster is to launch a new ‘attractively priced’ entertainment pack, which will include access to the SVoD service, for its next-generation set-top box Sky Q subscribers later this year.
Sky Q, which is installed in 2m homes, unveiled a partnership with music streaming service Spotify earlier this week.
Existing Netflix subscribers who do not wish to subscribe to the forthcoming bundle will be able to login to their account via Sky, while...
Sky has agreed a deal with Netflix to offer the SVoD service to its pay-tv subscribers.
The broadcaster is to launch a new ‘attractively priced’ entertainment pack, which will include access to the SVoD service, for its next-generation set-top box Sky Q subscribers later this year.
Sky Q, which is installed in 2m homes, unveiled a partnership with music streaming service Spotify earlier this week.
Existing Netflix subscribers who do not wish to subscribe to the forthcoming bundle will be able to login to their account via Sky, while...
- 3/1/2018
- by Alex Farber Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
Whoa! For those of you looking for an endless amount of entertainment, Netflix has you covered. In 2018 alone, the streaming service will release 700 original movies and TV shows! That's an epic amount of content that no other network, streaming service or studio is developing.
Netflix will be spending around $8 billion dollars on this content over the course of the year. This news comes from Netflix CFO David Wells while speaking the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference.
According to Deadline, Wells talked about a number of global productions that the streaming service was bringing in, and that's where he made the big revealed, according to the report, "there are now about 80 such shows available on Netflix, and that doesn’t even count shows like Narcos or Orange is the New Black, which have penetrated globally but were not launched in the era of Netflix’s fully globalized reach. The latter category,...
Netflix will be spending around $8 billion dollars on this content over the course of the year. This news comes from Netflix CFO David Wells while speaking the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference.
According to Deadline, Wells talked about a number of global productions that the streaming service was bringing in, and that's where he made the big revealed, according to the report, "there are now about 80 such shows available on Netflix, and that doesn’t even count shows like Narcos or Orange is the New Black, which have penetrated globally but were not launched in the era of Netflix’s fully globalized reach. The latter category,...
- 2/28/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Streaming giant to spend $8bn on 700 originals in 2018.
Netflix CFO David Wells has said that the streaming giant will spend $8bn on around 700 original TV shows and films in 2018.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, he added that 80 of these projects would be non-English language shows.
Discussing their global strategy, Wells said: “More and more of what you’ll see is production coming from all parts of the world, from global production centres.
“People love high production values and good story, they don’t care where it comes from. Our focus is building out our global...
Netflix CFO David Wells has said that the streaming giant will spend $8bn on around 700 original TV shows and films in 2018.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, he added that 80 of these projects would be non-English language shows.
Discussing their global strategy, Wells said: “More and more of what you’ll see is production coming from all parts of the world, from global production centres.
“People love high production values and good story, they don’t care where it comes from. Our focus is building out our global...
- 2/28/2018
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Streaming giant to spend $8bn on 700 originals in 2018.
Netflix CFO David Wells has said that the streaming giant will spend $8bn on around 700 original TV shows and films in 2018.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, he added that 80 of these projects would be non-English language shows.
Discussing their global strategy, Wells said: “More and more of what you’ll see is production coming from all parts of the world, from global production centres.
“People love high production values and good story, they don’t care where it comes from. Our focus is building out our global production muscle and increasing product in various parts if the world.”
He added that shows such as Dark (Germany), Club Of Crows (Mexico), The Mechanism (Brazil) and Money Heist (Spain) were performing well for Netflix outside their original market. “Many shows might have a much wider audience than their home language country,” he explained. “It’s...
Netflix CFO David Wells has said that the streaming giant will spend $8bn on around 700 original TV shows and films in 2018.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, he added that 80 of these projects would be non-English language shows.
Discussing their global strategy, Wells said: “More and more of what you’ll see is production coming from all parts of the world, from global production centres.
“People love high production values and good story, they don’t care where it comes from. Our focus is building out our global production muscle and increasing product in various parts if the world.”
He added that shows such as Dark (Germany), Club Of Crows (Mexico), The Mechanism (Brazil) and Money Heist (Spain) were performing well for Netflix outside their original market. “Many shows might have a much wider audience than their home language country,” he explained. “It’s...
- 2/28/2018
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Streaming giant to spend $8bn on 700 originals in 2018.
Netflix CFO David Wells has said that the streaming giant will spend $8bn on around 700 original TV shows and films in 2018.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, he added that 80 of these projects would be non-English language shows.
Discussing their global strategy, Wells said: “More and more of what you’ll see is production coming from all parts of the world, from global production centres.
“People love high production values and good story, they don’t care where it comes from. Our focus is building out our global production muscle and increasing product in various parts if the world.”
He added that shows such as Dark (Germany), Club Of Crows (Mexico), The Mechanism (Brazil) and Money Heist (Spain) were performing well for Netflix outside their original market. “Many shows might have a much wider audience than their home language country,” he explained. “It’s...
Netflix CFO David Wells has said that the streaming giant will spend $8bn on around 700 original TV shows and films in 2018.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, he added that 80 of these projects would be non-English language shows.
Discussing their global strategy, Wells said: “More and more of what you’ll see is production coming from all parts of the world, from global production centres.
“People love high production values and good story, they don’t care where it comes from. Our focus is building out our global production muscle and increasing product in various parts if the world.”
He added that shows such as Dark (Germany), Club Of Crows (Mexico), The Mechanism (Brazil) and Money Heist (Spain) were performing well for Netflix outside their original market. “Many shows might have a much wider audience than their home language country,” he explained. “It’s...
- 2/28/2018
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
In an October 2017 letter to shareholders, Netflix said it planned to spend $8 billion on original content in 2018. What does that massive figure buy? According to Netflix CFO David Wells, such spend is good for hundreds of TV shows and movies. Wells, speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, said his company will have 700 original shows and movies up and running in 2018.
Wells' forecast includes both Us-based programs and the ones Netflix has acquired internationally. In its coverage of Wells' address, Variety noted that the latter of those two categories includes 80 properties, which continue to spread to more territories around the globe. Just yesterday, the leading Svod platform announced Jinn, its first original series from the Middle East.
Building such a massive library of original content has come at a steep price. Days after Netflix announced its $8 billion budget for its 2018 originals slate, it revealed its plan to take...
Wells' forecast includes both Us-based programs and the ones Netflix has acquired internationally. In its coverage of Wells' address, Variety noted that the latter of those two categories includes 80 properties, which continue to spread to more territories around the globe. Just yesterday, the leading Svod platform announced Jinn, its first original series from the Middle East.
Building such a massive library of original content has come at a steep price. Days after Netflix announced its $8 billion budget for its 2018 originals slate, it revealed its plan to take...
- 2/27/2018
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
David Wells, CFO at Netflix, offered a two-word explanation for the streaming giant’s decision to fork over up to $300 million to elite showrunner Ryan Murphy earlier this month: “customer joy.” Speaking at the Morgan Stanley media and telecom conference in San Francisco, Wells elaborated, “These deals are going to be rarer than you might think. Not everybody gets one. You have to have that track record of being a prolific producer. Like Shonda Rhimes, we were pleased…...
- 2/27/2018
- Deadline TV
Amid all the hangover headaches hitting most of the big digital powers lately, one Fang was noticeably not bumbling along in one or more stews of its own making. And this week, Netflix showed just how far out of the stew it really is compared to Google, Apple, Facebook and, to a lesser extent, Amazon.
I mean, did you see that quarterly earnings announcement on Monday?
The company reported roughly 8 million new subscribers, pushing it to 110 million worldwide, and more than $3 billion in revenues. Investors were so tickled they pushed the company’s market capitalization above $100 billion for the first time.
And if you missed the earnings announcement, how about what happened less than 24 hours later, in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday in Los Angeles, where the Oscar nominations included four for Netflix original film Mudbound, including its first outside of the best documentary category.
In a year (finally) of more inclusive nominations,...
I mean, did you see that quarterly earnings announcement on Monday?
The company reported roughly 8 million new subscribers, pushing it to 110 million worldwide, and more than $3 billion in revenues. Investors were so tickled they pushed the company’s market capitalization above $100 billion for the first time.
And if you missed the earnings announcement, how about what happened less than 24 hours later, in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday in Los Angeles, where the Oscar nominations included four for Netflix original film Mudbound, including its first outside of the best documentary category.
In a year (finally) of more inclusive nominations,...
- 1/26/2018
- by David Bloom
- Tubefilter.com
During Netflix’s January 22 earnings report, the company’s CFO, David Wells, mentioned a $39 million loss. Turns out, that loss came from the streaming service saying goodbye to star actor and alleged sexual predator, Kevin Spacey.
Wells called the $39 million a result of projects the streaming giant “decided not to move forward with.” Today, multiple reports confirmed that those projects involved Spacey.
One of those projects was House of Cards, Netflix’s original original series. Production of the popular show paused shortly after actor Anthony Rapp (of Rent and Dazed and Confused) came forward with claims of Spacey’s sexual misconduct, aimed at Rapp when he was just 14 years old. House of Cards production will continue, this time without Spacey. Instead, the sixth and last season will focus on Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright.
Netflix also canceled a biopic about Gore Vidal, called Gore. The movie, which had already reached post-production,...
Wells called the $39 million a result of projects the streaming giant “decided not to move forward with.” Today, multiple reports confirmed that those projects involved Spacey.
One of those projects was House of Cards, Netflix’s original original series. Production of the popular show paused shortly after actor Anthony Rapp (of Rent and Dazed and Confused) came forward with claims of Spacey’s sexual misconduct, aimed at Rapp when he was just 14 years old. House of Cards production will continue, this time without Spacey. Instead, the sixth and last season will focus on Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright.
Netflix also canceled a biopic about Gore Vidal, called Gore. The movie, which had already reached post-production,...
- 1/23/2018
- by Jessica Klein
- Tubefilter.com
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