Carolyn Giardina, award-winning journalist and author, has joined Variety and Variety VIP+ as Senior Entertainment Technology & Crafts Editor as Variety expands its coverage of the fast-evolving production technology landscape as well as the Artisans sector.
Giardina has devoted her career to covering the art and science of entertainment and brings to her new role a wealth of knowledge of entertainment technology and the creative arts, as well as film history. She has covered such industry inflection points as the digital television and digital cinema transitions; entertainment technology including production and post, exhibition, immersive media and consumer electronics; the crafts including cinematography, editing, animation, sound and VFX; and related topics such as labor.
Giardina comes to her new role from The Hollywood Reporter, where she served as tech editor and was an active member of the awards team covering the crafts categories. In her new role at Variety, Giardina will work in collaboration with Jazz Tangcay,...
Giardina has devoted her career to covering the art and science of entertainment and brings to her new role a wealth of knowledge of entertainment technology and the creative arts, as well as film history. She has covered such industry inflection points as the digital television and digital cinema transitions; entertainment technology including production and post, exhibition, immersive media and consumer electronics; the crafts including cinematography, editing, animation, sound and VFX; and related topics such as labor.
Giardina comes to her new role from The Hollywood Reporter, where she served as tech editor and was an active member of the awards team covering the crafts categories. In her new role at Variety, Giardina will work in collaboration with Jazz Tangcay,...
- 2/15/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Attending the Consumer Electronics Show is an eye-opening experience that offers intriguing glimpses into the future and an overwhelming amount of information about how the media, entertainment and tech industries are evolving in the present day.
For the past decade, Variety has partnered with the Consumer Technology Association to help Hollywood players navigate a fast-changing marketplace with an entertainment business-focused track of programming at the big show.
On this special edition of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” our editorial team goes deep on the trends, innovations and industry rumors that swirled around Sin City as the tech, media and business worlds converged on Las Vegas this week. The daylong Variety Entertaiment Summit on Jan. 10 served up a powerhouse slate of executives, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers and even a TikTok star in comedian Leenda Dong.
As ever, Team Variety‘s mission is to track trends and new developments in content production and monetization,...
For the past decade, Variety has partnered with the Consumer Technology Association to help Hollywood players navigate a fast-changing marketplace with an entertainment business-focused track of programming at the big show.
On this special edition of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” our editorial team goes deep on the trends, innovations and industry rumors that swirled around Sin City as the tech, media and business worlds converged on Las Vegas this week. The daylong Variety Entertaiment Summit on Jan. 10 served up a powerhouse slate of executives, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers and even a TikTok star in comedian Leenda Dong.
As ever, Team Variety‘s mission is to track trends and new developments in content production and monetization,...
- 1/12/2024
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
When asked to summarize his thoughts on streaming in 2024 with just one word, Joe Cady—executive vice president of advanced advertising & partnerships at NBCUniversal—used “democratization.”
“The application of data for targeting and measurement, together with automation, lets us make our premium content available to so many more marketers than we could otherwise work with,” he said. “As we go forward into 2024 and beyond, that will be so much more of an opportunity to expand the scope of marketers who can participate in premium TV.”
Cady was joined by Rebecca Panico, vice president and global head of media at Hilton and Jed Dederick, chief client officer at The Trade Desk, at a panel moderated by Andrew Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst at Variety Intelligence Platform, as a part of Variety’s CES Entertainment Summit held on January 10 in Las Vegas.
The panel aimed to talk about the state of...
“The application of data for targeting and measurement, together with automation, lets us make our premium content available to so many more marketers than we could otherwise work with,” he said. “As we go forward into 2024 and beyond, that will be so much more of an opportunity to expand the scope of marketers who can participate in premium TV.”
Cady was joined by Rebecca Panico, vice president and global head of media at Hilton and Jed Dederick, chief client officer at The Trade Desk, at a panel moderated by Andrew Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst at Variety Intelligence Platform, as a part of Variety’s CES Entertainment Summit held on January 10 in Las Vegas.
The panel aimed to talk about the state of...
- 1/11/2024
- by Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
From Hollywood strikes to the ascent of AI to sinking stock prices, 2023 was a topsy-turvy year for media and entertainment.
Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein, hosts of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” discuss the highs and lows of the past year on the latest episode.
Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst of Variety Intelligence Platform data division, pointed to the spread of easy-to-use generative AI tools as the biggest unknown that is casting a cloud over the industry. “This is something that is still just in the very early stages of transforming so many processes, particularly in production — and even of course beyond this industry,” Wallenstein observed.
The hosts also discuss the twists and turns of the streaming wars in a year when traditional Hollywood faced steep cuts. Netflix earned the right to do a “victory lap,” the hosts agreed, for solidifying its global lead in streaming subscribers.
“It was the...
Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein, hosts of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” discuss the highs and lows of the past year on the latest episode.
Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst of Variety Intelligence Platform data division, pointed to the spread of easy-to-use generative AI tools as the biggest unknown that is casting a cloud over the industry. “This is something that is still just in the very early stages of transforming so many processes, particularly in production — and even of course beyond this industry,” Wallenstein observed.
The hosts also discuss the twists and turns of the streaming wars in a year when traditional Hollywood faced steep cuts. Netflix earned the right to do a “victory lap,” the hosts agreed, for solidifying its global lead in streaming subscribers.
“It was the...
- 1/4/2024
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix is “pleased with the growth that we’re seeing” in its ad-supported tier since its launch nine weeks ago, said Jeremi Gorman, president of worldwide advertising.
Gorman, speaking Friday at Variety’s Entertainment Summit at CES, declined to break out subscriber numbers (Netflix reports fourth-quarter 2022 earnings on Jan. 19). However, she said, “You would be able to see if I was a concerned human — I wear it on my face.”
Gorman, who joined the streamer last year from Snap, where she was chief business officer, said the expectation is for Netflix’s ad tier to be at least revenue neutral — if not positive. About the risk of cannibalizing Netflix’s subscribers who pay for no ads, Gorman said, “The whole goal of it is customer choice… Historically with Netflix, people stay on the plan they originally subscribed to.”
Netflix Basic With Ads launched in the U.S. on Nov. 3 at $6.99 per month.
Gorman, speaking Friday at Variety’s Entertainment Summit at CES, declined to break out subscriber numbers (Netflix reports fourth-quarter 2022 earnings on Jan. 19). However, she said, “You would be able to see if I was a concerned human — I wear it on my face.”
Gorman, who joined the streamer last year from Snap, where she was chief business officer, said the expectation is for Netflix’s ad tier to be at least revenue neutral — if not positive. About the risk of cannibalizing Netflix’s subscribers who pay for no ads, Gorman said, “The whole goal of it is customer choice… Historically with Netflix, people stay on the plan they originally subscribed to.”
Netflix Basic With Ads launched in the U.S. on Nov. 3 at $6.99 per month.
- 1/6/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Buckle up: 2022 has been a bumpy ride so far for global equities markets. Experts may be debating how long the bear market will last or when a full-fledged recession could hit, but this much is clear: The good times are over.
There’s no shortage of factors driving the downturn: Rising inflation, interest-rate hikes, supply chain issues, the lingering pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the ripple effects of economic sanctions on Russia. This sorry state of affairs is spreading the pain throughout the global economy.
But for the media and entertainment business, the macroeconomic clouds are adding salt to a festering wound. Hollywood has already been contending with its own particular set of problems amid the volatility, from the encroachment of Silicon Valley giants diverting audience eyeballs to launching viable streaming services as Wall Street rapidly loses patience with the red ink needed to build up capital-intensive streaming platforms.
There’s no shortage of factors driving the downturn: Rising inflation, interest-rate hikes, supply chain issues, the lingering pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the ripple effects of economic sanctions on Russia. This sorry state of affairs is spreading the pain throughout the global economy.
But for the media and entertainment business, the macroeconomic clouds are adding salt to a festering wound. Hollywood has already been contending with its own particular set of problems amid the volatility, from the encroachment of Silicon Valley giants diverting audience eyeballs to launching viable streaming services as Wall Street rapidly loses patience with the red ink needed to build up capital-intensive streaming platforms.
- 6/9/2022
- by Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein
- Variety Film + TV
The pandemic, the rise of new social media platforms, the formation of new streaming services and the passion of fan communities are just a few of the factors that all who work in entertainment marketing have had to take into special consideration over the past few years. While different strategies can be more or less effective in different contexts, there are a few key ideas that entertainment marketers can all learn from each other.
At the Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte, marketing executives who lead companies ranging from Snap to the Los Angeles Rams came together to discuss what their work looks like in the media landscape of 2022.
Aim for Long-Lasting Impact in Marketing Strategies
Jackie Gagne, SVP of multicultural marketing at HBO and HBO Max, detailed a recent Los Angeles-based marketing campaign for HBO Max’s 1980s Lakers drama series “Winning Time.” The company partnered with Project Blackboard,...
At the Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte, marketing executives who lead companies ranging from Snap to the Los Angeles Rams came together to discuss what their work looks like in the media landscape of 2022.
Aim for Long-Lasting Impact in Marketing Strategies
Jackie Gagne, SVP of multicultural marketing at HBO and HBO Max, detailed a recent Los Angeles-based marketing campaign for HBO Max’s 1980s Lakers drama series “Winning Time.” The company partnered with Project Blackboard,...
- 5/25/2022
- by Sasha Urban and Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix is going to ride the gaming rocket. TikTok is just getting started. The metaverse is real and so is the threat of the regulatory ax swinging against Big Tech in the aftermath of this year’s mid-term elections.
Those were among the key conclusions about what’s ahead for media, offered up Friday morning in the Variety Intelligence Platform-hosted “Future of Content” presentation that helped kick off the SXSW festival and conference in Austin, Texas.
Andrew Wallenstein, president of Variety‘s subscription data service Variety Intelligence Platform, and VIP senior media analyst Gavin Bridge outlined their vision for the contours of the media and entertainment business in the near future. The pair went deep on the state of the pay TV marketplace amid its transition to streaming, a movie business coming off the ropes after Covid and the rise of video gaming, particularly mobile gaming and E sports, as...
Those were among the key conclusions about what’s ahead for media, offered up Friday morning in the Variety Intelligence Platform-hosted “Future of Content” presentation that helped kick off the SXSW festival and conference in Austin, Texas.
Andrew Wallenstein, president of Variety‘s subscription data service Variety Intelligence Platform, and VIP senior media analyst Gavin Bridge outlined their vision for the contours of the media and entertainment business in the near future. The pair went deep on the state of the pay TV marketplace amid its transition to streaming, a movie business coming off the ropes after Covid and the rise of video gaming, particularly mobile gaming and E sports, as...
- 3/11/2022
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Ramin Setoodeh will be elevated to Co-Editor-In-Chief of Variety in the coming months, working alongside world-class journalist Cynthia Littleton to lead the editorial operations of the venerable entertainment business news brand. Littleton and Setoodeh will co-run the newsroom and oversee editorial activities across all Variety platforms.
“Cynthia is one of the most intelligent and highly-regarded journalists in the industry. She possesses a rare mixture of kindness, deep integrity, professionalism and killer journalistic instincts. Her world-class business reporting coupled with Ramin’s talent shaping Variety’s key content franchises make them the definition of a power duo. I look forward to seeing them lead the newsroom,” said Jay Penske, Chairman, Founder and CEO of Penske Media.
Littleton and Setoodeh will report to Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Variety‘s President and Group Publisher.
Littleton has been Co-Editor-In-Chief of Variety since October 2020, when it was announced that she would move into the top editorial post in 2022. Previously,...
“Cynthia is one of the most intelligent and highly-regarded journalists in the industry. She possesses a rare mixture of kindness, deep integrity, professionalism and killer journalistic instincts. Her world-class business reporting coupled with Ramin’s talent shaping Variety’s key content franchises make them the definition of a power duo. I look forward to seeing them lead the newsroom,” said Jay Penske, Chairman, Founder and CEO of Penske Media.
Littleton and Setoodeh will report to Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Variety‘s President and Group Publisher.
Littleton has been Co-Editor-In-Chief of Variety since October 2020, when it was announced that she would move into the top editorial post in 2022. Previously,...
- 1/10/2022
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu released a new teaser for “Nine Perfect Strangers,” premiering on Aug. 18.
Based on the best-selling book by Liane Moriarty, the eight-episode series follows nine stressed city-dwellers embarking on a wellness retreat led by a suspicious resort director, Masha (Nicole Kidman).
Kidman stars alongside Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Bobby Cannavale, Regina Hall, Samara Weaving, Melvin Gregg, Asher Keddie, Grace Van Patten, Tiffany Boone and Manny Jacinto.
“Nine Perfect Strangers” is from David E. Kelley, Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films and Endeavor Content. Jonathan Levine directs all eight episodes of the series and serves as executive producer alongside Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, Jodi Matterson, Kidman, Per Saari, Moriarty, Kelley, John Henry Butterworth, Molly Allen, Samantha Strauss and McCarthy. Co-showrunners Kelley and Butterworth serve as co-writers with Strauss.
Watch the teaser below.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
Dates
Disney Plus announced that the...
Based on the best-selling book by Liane Moriarty, the eight-episode series follows nine stressed city-dwellers embarking on a wellness retreat led by a suspicious resort director, Masha (Nicole Kidman).
Kidman stars alongside Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Bobby Cannavale, Regina Hall, Samara Weaving, Melvin Gregg, Asher Keddie, Grace Van Patten, Tiffany Boone and Manny Jacinto.
“Nine Perfect Strangers” is from David E. Kelley, Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films and Endeavor Content. Jonathan Levine directs all eight episodes of the series and serves as executive producer alongside Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, Jodi Matterson, Kidman, Per Saari, Moriarty, Kelley, John Henry Butterworth, Molly Allen, Samantha Strauss and McCarthy. Co-showrunners Kelley and Butterworth serve as co-writers with Strauss.
Watch the teaser below.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
Dates
Disney Plus announced that the...
- 6/11/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Check out this interview with Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, and John C. Reilly about their new space comedy on Showtime, Moonbase 8.
“Going to space is no joke. The astronauts who make it up there go through years of training, endlessly repeating drills and crisis management maneuvers, and must be as intelligent as they are cool under pressure. In other words, they need to be everything the characters in Moonbase 8 are not,”
Read more at Thrillist.
From World Kindness Day to National Flossing Day, here are some offbeat holidays to celebrate in November.
“While you’re busy celebrating Banana Pudding Lovers Month, National Georgia Pecan Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month, and World Vegan Month, be sure to schedule in these daily celebrations, some of which are seasonally relevant—and some of which are not relevant to anything at all.”
Read more at Mental Floss.
iPhone 12 hasn’t even begun shipping to consumers,...
“Going to space is no joke. The astronauts who make it up there go through years of training, endlessly repeating drills and crisis management maneuvers, and must be as intelligent as they are cool under pressure. In other words, they need to be everything the characters in Moonbase 8 are not,”
Read more at Thrillist.
From World Kindness Day to National Flossing Day, here are some offbeat holidays to celebrate in November.
“While you’re busy celebrating Banana Pudding Lovers Month, National Georgia Pecan Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month, and World Vegan Month, be sure to schedule in these daily celebrations, some of which are seasonally relevant—and some of which are not relevant to anything at all.”
Read more at Mental Floss.
iPhone 12 hasn’t even begun shipping to consumers,...
- 11/9/2020
- by Ivan Huang
- Den of Geek
Spotify may be looking to launch, down the line, a new subscription tier -- or tiers -- dedicated exclusively to podcasts.
The conceit was first spotted by Variety’s Andrew Wallenstein in the form of a survey sent through the Spotify mobile app, which inquired about offering access to: exclusive podcasts not available on other services, bonus content, and other perks for a monthly subscription fee.
The survey describes a range of different offers -- none of which include access to music -- with prices beginning at $3 and topping off at $8 (see below). In addition to the above perks, the plans include some combination of early access to shows that aren't available elsewhere, and the removal of platform-inserted ads.. Wallenstein notes that none of the purported plans makes mention of video podcasts, which Spotify has pushed to a greater extent in recent months.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
The conceit was first spotted by Variety’s Andrew Wallenstein in the form of a survey sent through the Spotify mobile app, which inquired about offering access to: exclusive podcasts not available on other services, bonus content, and other perks for a monthly subscription fee.
The survey describes a range of different offers -- none of which include access to music -- with prices beginning at $3 and topping off at $8 (see below). In addition to the above perks, the plans include some combination of early access to shows that aren't available elsewhere, and the removal of platform-inserted ads.. Wallenstein notes that none of the purported plans makes mention of video podcasts, which Spotify has pushed to a greater extent in recent months.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 11/9/2020
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson claimed that he can’t be canceled, though he believed cancel culture is targeting heterosexual males. Jackson sat down for an interview with Andrew Wallenstein at Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit on Wednesday and dished on everything from cancel culture to Kanye West, and promoted his new show, Power Book II: Ghost. “You gotta […]
The post 50 Cent On Kanye West Presidential Campaign: ‘Does He Go To Jail For Tampering With An Election?’ appeared first on uInterview.
The post 50 Cent On Kanye West Presidential Campaign: ‘Does He Go To Jail For Tampering With An Election?’ appeared first on uInterview.
- 8/29/2020
- by Marie Fiero
- Uinterview
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson doesn’t think he can be canceled.
The rapper and television producer, whose newest project, “Power Book II: Ghost” premieres on Starz Sept. 6, said during Variety‘s Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte that he doesn’t care whether people love him or hate him – as long as they care.
“I’m an entertainer, so to entertain is, I believe, to provoke emotion,” Jackson told Variety‘s Andrew Wallenstein. “…I don’t believe I can be canceled. They gotta go to jail to get canceled, they gotta shoot a girl,” he said, possibly referencing rapper Tory Lanez’s alleged shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. “You gotta do something extremely bad to be canceled, and I think it’s so unfair to the people that are canceled.”
50 certainly isn’t a stranger to risk, whether that be on social media or within the entertainment industry. When “Power...
The rapper and television producer, whose newest project, “Power Book II: Ghost” premieres on Starz Sept. 6, said during Variety‘s Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte that he doesn’t care whether people love him or hate him – as long as they care.
“I’m an entertainer, so to entertain is, I believe, to provoke emotion,” Jackson told Variety‘s Andrew Wallenstein. “…I don’t believe I can be canceled. They gotta go to jail to get canceled, they gotta shoot a girl,” he said, possibly referencing rapper Tory Lanez’s alleged shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. “You gotta do something extremely bad to be canceled, and I think it’s so unfair to the people that are canceled.”
50 certainly isn’t a stranger to risk, whether that be on social media or within the entertainment industry. When “Power...
- 8/26/2020
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Breaking: Claudia Eller, editor-in-chief of our sister publication Variety, will take a two month administrative leave after making an angry social media outburst in a heated moment.
This came after Eller wrote an article lamenting that Variety did not have enough diversity in its staff, and vowed to work to change things. She was challenged on social media and responded to a former employee at a rival trade, Piya Sinha-Roy, who is of South Asian descent. Eller called the woman “bitter,” leading to a continued heated exchange. After a meeting between Eller, Pmc and Variety staffers who were offended by the back and forth, it was mutually decided it would be best for Eller to take some time away to consider her actions.
While Eller is doing that, Cynthia Littleton will step in as interim editor. Littleton had been co-editor-in-chief along with Eller and Andrew Wallenstein, before stepping away from...
This came after Eller wrote an article lamenting that Variety did not have enough diversity in its staff, and vowed to work to change things. She was challenged on social media and responded to a former employee at a rival trade, Piya Sinha-Roy, who is of South Asian descent. Eller called the woman “bitter,” leading to a continued heated exchange. After a meeting between Eller, Pmc and Variety staffers who were offended by the back and forth, it was mutually decided it would be best for Eller to take some time away to consider her actions.
While Eller is doing that, Cynthia Littleton will step in as interim editor. Littleton had been co-editor-in-chief along with Eller and Andrew Wallenstein, before stepping away from...
- 6/5/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The current public health crisis facing the world has changed the way people live, work and consume media — and will undoubtedly have a long-lasting impact on industries across the world.
Kicking off the inaugural Variety Streaming Room session with a virtual conversation with executives from NBCUniversal, Spotify, WarnerMedia and PwC, Variety president and chief media analyst Andrew Wallenstein dug into just what that means for the media and entertainment space:
More At-Home Consumers Means Changes in Consumption Habits
“Engagement is way up,” said WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer chief strategy officer Sean Kisker. “It’s hard to look at something like that, which is a bit of a tailwind for us, in the broader context, and get excited about it, but when we look at the constraints people have, consumption is way up.”
“Net-net, from a contextual point of view, it’s a good time to be providing solutions to people...
Kicking off the inaugural Variety Streaming Room session with a virtual conversation with executives from NBCUniversal, Spotify, WarnerMedia and PwC, Variety president and chief media analyst Andrew Wallenstein dug into just what that means for the media and entertainment space:
More At-Home Consumers Means Changes in Consumption Habits
“Engagement is way up,” said WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer chief strategy officer Sean Kisker. “It’s hard to look at something like that, which is a bit of a tailwind for us, in the broader context, and get excited about it, but when we look at the constraints people have, consumption is way up.”
“Net-net, from a contextual point of view, it’s a good time to be providing solutions to people...
- 4/9/2020
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
Kevin Hart declared that he plans to become a media mogul. Richard Plepler promised that the premium subscription TV business is not a zero-sum game. Dana Walden explained why she took the big TV gig at Disney. Dawn Ostroff spoke about the humbling process of learning how to produce for digital platforms after a long career in TV.
Conversations with those industry A-listers and dozens more have been featured on “Strictly Business,” Variety‘s weekly podcast that is marking its 100th installment with a retrospective episode featuring highlights from the past two years. The interview-driven podcast that debuted on April 3, 2018, is hosted by Variety business editor Cynthia Littleton and Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein.
“Strictly Business” casts a wide net across media and entertainment, sitting down with power players and specialists who can provide insights about seismic shifts in the marketplace amid the haze of disruption and consolidation.
Interview subjects have...
Conversations with those industry A-listers and dozens more have been featured on “Strictly Business,” Variety‘s weekly podcast that is marking its 100th installment with a retrospective episode featuring highlights from the past two years. The interview-driven podcast that debuted on April 3, 2018, is hosted by Variety business editor Cynthia Littleton and Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein.
“Strictly Business” casts a wide net across media and entertainment, sitting down with power players and specialists who can provide insights about seismic shifts in the marketplace amid the haze of disruption and consolidation.
Interview subjects have...
- 3/4/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Variety‘s Strictly Business podcast hits the road this week to Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show conference.
Hosts Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein walk through CES’ C Space installation at Aria Las Vegas while discussing the seismic shifts under way for media and entertainment thanks to the onslaught of competition from digital streaming and on-demand viewing platforms.
Strictly Business also speaks with movers and shakers including Mark Cuban, Quibi partners Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, and UTA partner Brent Weinstein, who was an early adopter among Hollywood talent agents of the digital media realm as a business opportunity.
Listen to this week’s podcast below:
Pluto TV chief Tom Ryan weighs in about what he sees as the market for free ad-supported streaming options as a complement to the Big Three streamers of Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. Bleacher Report CEO Howard Mittman details the evolution of the...
Hosts Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein walk through CES’ C Space installation at Aria Las Vegas while discussing the seismic shifts under way for media and entertainment thanks to the onslaught of competition from digital streaming and on-demand viewing platforms.
Strictly Business also speaks with movers and shakers including Mark Cuban, Quibi partners Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, and UTA partner Brent Weinstein, who was an early adopter among Hollywood talent agents of the digital media realm as a business opportunity.
Listen to this week’s podcast below:
Pluto TV chief Tom Ryan weighs in about what he sees as the market for free ad-supported streaming options as a complement to the Big Three streamers of Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. Bleacher Report CEO Howard Mittman details the evolution of the...
- 1/9/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Las Vegas — Maverick investor Mark Cuban sees the development of AI technology as a national priority that is on a par with the urgency to invest in the space program in the 1950s and ’60s.
Speaking at Variety’s annual Entertainment Summit at CES, Cuban offered his views on the imperative of AI for the U.S. economy, the merits of TikTok and the prospects that Big Tech will face a new regulatory environment in the not-to-distant future as calls increase in politics and culture to rein in the actions and market power of industry behemoths.
Cuban was most enthusiastic about the potential for AI to transform myriad aspects of the way people live, work and play. In the wide-ranging Q&a with Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein, Cuban stated flatly that most American businesses have no choice but to integrate AI technology into their strategic plans. He said he’s...
Speaking at Variety’s annual Entertainment Summit at CES, Cuban offered his views on the imperative of AI for the U.S. economy, the merits of TikTok and the prospects that Big Tech will face a new regulatory environment in the not-to-distant future as calls increase in politics and culture to rein in the actions and market power of industry behemoths.
Cuban was most enthusiastic about the potential for AI to transform myriad aspects of the way people live, work and play. In the wide-ranging Q&a with Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein, Cuban stated flatly that most American businesses have no choice but to integrate AI technology into their strategic plans. He said he’s...
- 1/9/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Twitter has become more than a social media platform. It has become a means of communication and discourse that brings people together — and, most recently, it divides people. During a panel at CES, Variety‘s Andrew Wallenstein moderated a conversation with Matt Derella, Global VP Customers Twitter, and did not waste any time to talk about the platform’s biggest user: Donald Trump — but they did not mention his name once. Even though they treated Trump’s name like Voldemort, everyone knew the epicenter of the issue, considering Trump’s recent tweets in regards to the tensions rising between the United States and Iran. However, the conversation did not only apply Trump but to all politicians and world leaders.
Wallenstein said that world leaders are currently discussing the current “geopolitical crisis” especially with the events of the first week of the year — and Twitter is in the middle of it.
Wallenstein said that world leaders are currently discussing the current “geopolitical crisis” especially with the events of the first week of the year — and Twitter is in the middle of it.
- 1/8/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Menlo Park, Calif. — Wanda Sykes wears a lot of hats as a comedian, writer, producer and entrepreneur, and that gives her a keen sense of the ever-growing content marketplace. She also has a very clear understanding of what she’s worth in dollars and cents, as she shared Tuesday in her Q&A at Variety’s Silicon Valleywood conference presented by PwC.
The explosion in the number of outlets seeking original content has been a godsend for comedians and other creatives. Sykes is in the midst of building up her Push It Productions banner.
“Before it was always, what are the buyers looking for on the production side? You try to cater to that what are they looking for. Now so many buyers are out there especially with streaming. They’re just looking for good content,” she said. “They’re going to find someone who is interested in what you’re putting out there.
The explosion in the number of outlets seeking original content has been a godsend for comedians and other creatives. Sykes is in the midst of building up her Push It Productions banner.
“Before it was always, what are the buyers looking for on the production side? You try to cater to that what are they looking for. Now so many buyers are out there especially with streaming. They’re just looking for good content,” she said. “They’re going to find someone who is interested in what you’re putting out there.
- 4/23/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Menlo Park, Calif. — CBS All Access can’t serve up addressable advertising inventory fast enough for marketers hungry to reach consumers watching premium video online. That was the upbeat outlook shared by CBS Interactive CEO Jim Lanzone during his keynote address on Tuesday at Variety’s Silicon Valleywood presented by PwC.
“There’s not a form of advertising hotter than Ott video,” Lanzone said in a Q&A that kicked off the daylong gathering at Rosewood Sand Hill resort. “It’s premium, it’s addressable. We are sold out basically at all times.”
Lanzone noted that much of the bulk growth in digital advertising is driven by direct response marketers, or what he described as “the bottom of the funnel.” The premium-content approach that CBS Interactive has focused on — from CBS All Access to the ad-supported free services Cbsn, CBS Sports HQ and Et Live — is designed to deliver the...
“There’s not a form of advertising hotter than Ott video,” Lanzone said in a Q&A that kicked off the daylong gathering at Rosewood Sand Hill resort. “It’s premium, it’s addressable. We are sold out basically at all times.”
Lanzone noted that much of the bulk growth in digital advertising is driven by direct response marketers, or what he described as “the bottom of the funnel.” The premium-content approach that CBS Interactive has focused on — from CBS All Access to the ad-supported free services Cbsn, CBS Sports HQ and Et Live — is designed to deliver the...
- 4/23/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein sat down with key leaders in the media industry Monday at the Venetian in Las Vegas for Nab to discuss the impact of direct-to-consumer marketing on content and audience engagement.
“I would bucket what we’re looking at at Nab, would be news gathering tools for CBS News, distribution and end monetization,” Christy Tanner, Evp of Cba News Digital, said at the panel co-presented by Accenture. “There’s a third part — a fourth part — that is a real challenge for us in the streaming space, which is the lack of third party measurement. If there’s one area that I would love to see a demonstration, or somebody offer a solution for, it’s third-party measurement of the Ott space.”
Denise Colella, Svp and head of advanced advertising and strategy at NBCUniversal, explained that the company aims to keep its clients on the forefront of advertising technology.
“I would bucket what we’re looking at at Nab, would be news gathering tools for CBS News, distribution and end monetization,” Christy Tanner, Evp of Cba News Digital, said at the panel co-presented by Accenture. “There’s a third part — a fourth part — that is a real challenge for us in the streaming space, which is the lack of third party measurement. If there’s one area that I would love to see a demonstration, or somebody offer a solution for, it’s third-party measurement of the Ott space.”
Denise Colella, Svp and head of advanced advertising and strategy at NBCUniversal, explained that the company aims to keep its clients on the forefront of advertising technology.
- 4/10/2019
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
Steve Harvey, TV personality and multi-hyphenate entertainer/entrepreneur, admitted that he was surprised when NBC announced that a new show hosted by Kelly Clarkson would take over his timeslot on its owned-and-operated stations.
Harvey, a headline speaker at the Variety Entertainment Summit at CES, was asked by interviewer Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein whether he going to stay with NBCUniversal. Harvey responded, “I thought I was, until they made an announcement a couple weeks ago that they wanted to give Kelly Clarkson the [NBC] O&O networks – that’s my slot.”
Insiders confirmed to Variety that NBCUniversal, which had been distributing Harvey’s daytime yakker, “Steve,” will no longer be doing so after the end of this season. Img, which produces the show, has been shopping the show to various syndication, cable, streaming, and broadcast outlets. A source said Harvey has options on the table, and is confident “Steve” will continue elsewhere after this year.
Harvey, a headline speaker at the Variety Entertainment Summit at CES, was asked by interviewer Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein whether he going to stay with NBCUniversal. Harvey responded, “I thought I was, until they made an announcement a couple weeks ago that they wanted to give Kelly Clarkson the [NBC] O&O networks – that’s my slot.”
Insiders confirmed to Variety that NBCUniversal, which had been distributing Harvey’s daytime yakker, “Steve,” will no longer be doing so after the end of this season. Img, which produces the show, has been shopping the show to various syndication, cable, streaming, and broadcast outlets. A source said Harvey has options on the table, and is confident “Steve” will continue elsewhere after this year.
- 1/9/2019
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Some of film, television, music and tech’s biggest influencers gathered Thursday for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Variety‘s 2018 State of the Entertainment Industry Conference.
Producer Vin Di Bona; executives Kristin Cavanaugh of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Christina Derenthal of Paramount Pictures; chamber of commerce chair Donelle Dadigan; and Los Angeles city officials Mitch O’Farrell and Kevin James kicked off the program with opening remarks. They were followed by James Corden. The CBS late-night host introduced music-industry executives Lucian Grainge and Irving Azoff, who spoke with Corden about the business as well as their longstanding friendship.
“Irving doesn’t like one-sided deals,” Grainge said, when talking about the number of times that he and Azoff have negotiated.
“I regularly try to tell people that this isn’t the sports business where somebody has to lose and somebody has to win,” Azoff added.
A conversation led by Variety...
Producer Vin Di Bona; executives Kristin Cavanaugh of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Christina Derenthal of Paramount Pictures; chamber of commerce chair Donelle Dadigan; and Los Angeles city officials Mitch O’Farrell and Kevin James kicked off the program with opening remarks. They were followed by James Corden. The CBS late-night host introduced music-industry executives Lucian Grainge and Irving Azoff, who spoke with Corden about the business as well as their longstanding friendship.
“Irving doesn’t like one-sided deals,” Grainge said, when talking about the number of times that he and Azoff have negotiated.
“I regularly try to tell people that this isn’t the sports business where somebody has to lose and somebody has to win,” Azoff added.
A conversation led by Variety...
- 11/16/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Executive Editor Debra Birnbaum will be leaving her post of four and a half years to join Amazon as director of awards. Her last day at Variety will be Nov. 23.
Birnbaum has led Variety’s TV team and coverage since joining the news organization in 2014, serving both as editor and writer of some of the publication’s strongest cover stories, including her recent profile of Robin Wright and her takeover of “House of Cards.”
Along with her many newsroom and managerial duties, Birnbaum has overseen Variety’s annual TV awards coverage and gold standard Emmy standalones. She has also moderated numerous industry panels with top talent and led the charge on Variety’s award-winning TV Actors on Actors series.
“We will sorely miss Debra and all of the enormous contributions she has made to our organization—both from an editorial and business perspective,” says Claudia Eller and Andrew Wallenstein,...
Birnbaum has led Variety’s TV team and coverage since joining the news organization in 2014, serving both as editor and writer of some of the publication’s strongest cover stories, including her recent profile of Robin Wright and her takeover of “House of Cards.”
Along with her many newsroom and managerial duties, Birnbaum has overseen Variety’s annual TV awards coverage and gold standard Emmy standalones. She has also moderated numerous industry panels with top talent and led the charge on Variety’s award-winning TV Actors on Actors series.
“We will sorely miss Debra and all of the enormous contributions she has made to our organization—both from an editorial and business perspective,” says Claudia Eller and Andrew Wallenstein,...
- 11/5/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant shared his off-the-court playbook for making his way through the media business in a keynote Q&A at Variety’s Sports & Entertainment Breakfast Thursday morning at the Beverly Hilton.
Durant explained that when it comes to projects for his production company Thirty Five Media, basketball is always going to play a central theme.
“I think the soul of it all comes from just loving the game, and so many different avenues come from that,” he said in a conversation with Variety’s co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein. “I mean, everything you have to muster up to become a basketball player — I think everyone could relate to that story. It’s always gonna be about basketball for me.”
Rich Kleiman, Durant’s partner at Thirty Five, added that their upcoming slate of projects is “all about that backdrop of basketball, which is what he loves and is what I love.
Durant explained that when it comes to projects for his production company Thirty Five Media, basketball is always going to play a central theme.
“I think the soul of it all comes from just loving the game, and so many different avenues come from that,” he said in a conversation with Variety’s co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein. “I mean, everything you have to muster up to become a basketball player — I think everyone could relate to that story. It’s always gonna be about basketball for me.”
Rich Kleiman, Durant’s partner at Thirty Five, added that their upcoming slate of projects is “all about that backdrop of basketball, which is what he loves and is what I love.
- 7/19/2018
- by Tara Bitran
- Variety Film + TV
Kevin Durant and Lindsey Vonn are set to keynote Variety‘s Sports and Entertainment Breakfast on Thursday, July 19, which will be held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Durant, who just scored his second NBA Championship win playing for the Golden State Warriors last month, will discuss his moves into entertainment at Thirty Five Media with the co-founder of the organization, Rich Kleiman.
As the most-decorated female skier ever, who has won more than four overall World Cup championships, Vonn will speak to balancing her sports and media career. She is a New York Times bestselling author as well as the founder of the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which was established to empower young girls. She served as the 2018 Winter Olympics International Games Ambassador.
Kevin Demoff, chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Rams, will also be featured at the event.
“We are honored to have such outstanding talent join us in conversation,...
Durant, who just scored his second NBA Championship win playing for the Golden State Warriors last month, will discuss his moves into entertainment at Thirty Five Media with the co-founder of the organization, Rich Kleiman.
As the most-decorated female skier ever, who has won more than four overall World Cup championships, Vonn will speak to balancing her sports and media career. She is a New York Times bestselling author as well as the founder of the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which was established to empower young girls. She served as the 2018 Winter Olympics International Games Ambassador.
Kevin Demoff, chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Rams, will also be featured at the event.
“We are honored to have such outstanding talent join us in conversation,...
- 7/16/2018
- by Tara Bitran
- Variety Film + TV
PBS SoCal’s “Variety Studio: Actors on Actors” specials have received two nominations for the 70th annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards.
Variety’s “Actors on Actors — TV Actors” received a nomination in the arts category, with Variety’s co-editor in chief Andrew Wallenstein and executive editor of TV Debra Birnbaum garnering nominations for their work on the series.
The nominated special featured conversations between Sarah Jessica Parker (“Divorce”) and Michelle Pfeiffer (“The Wizard of Lies”); Kevin Bacon (“I Love Dick”) and John Lithgow (“The Crown”); Oprah Winfrey (“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”) and Thandie Newton (“Westworld”); Freida Pinto (“Guerilla”) and Milo Ventimiglia (“This is Us”); and Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life”) and Constance Zimmer (“UnReal”).
The only other nominee in the arts category, “Take Me Home Huey,” also hails from PBS SoCal,
Variety’s “Actors on Actors — Film Actors” conversations earned a nomination for entertainment programming,...
Variety’s “Actors on Actors — TV Actors” received a nomination in the arts category, with Variety’s co-editor in chief Andrew Wallenstein and executive editor of TV Debra Birnbaum garnering nominations for their work on the series.
The nominated special featured conversations between Sarah Jessica Parker (“Divorce”) and Michelle Pfeiffer (“The Wizard of Lies”); Kevin Bacon (“I Love Dick”) and John Lithgow (“The Crown”); Oprah Winfrey (“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”) and Thandie Newton (“Westworld”); Freida Pinto (“Guerilla”) and Milo Ventimiglia (“This is Us”); and Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life”) and Constance Zimmer (“UnReal”).
The only other nominee in the arts category, “Take Me Home Huey,” also hails from PBS SoCal,
Variety’s “Actors on Actors — Film Actors” conversations earned a nomination for entertainment programming,...
- 6/12/2018
- by Tara Bitran
- Variety Film + TV
Variety.com was the most popular website among all entertainment-news publications in April, including Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly, according to ComScore.
Variety.com reached nearly 21.5 million unique visitors in April, eclipsing both Vanity Fair and THR, according to ComScore’s monthly worldwide multiplatform measurement, not to mention other websites focused on popular culture including EW, The New Yorker and The Daily Beast.
The milestone month marked the highest traffic levels in the history of the Penske Media Corporation-owned brand and the first time it topped all of its rivals in the same month.
Variety‘s peak performance was fueled by a broad-based array of stories ranging from an exclusive video featuring the alleged victim of NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw’s sexual harassment to the untimely death of music sensation DJ Avicii and the breakthrough success of “Avengers: Infinity War.”
“It’s gratifying to see the continued growth of Variety.
Variety.com reached nearly 21.5 million unique visitors in April, eclipsing both Vanity Fair and THR, according to ComScore’s monthly worldwide multiplatform measurement, not to mention other websites focused on popular culture including EW, The New Yorker and The Daily Beast.
The milestone month marked the highest traffic levels in the history of the Penske Media Corporation-owned brand and the first time it topped all of its rivals in the same month.
Variety‘s peak performance was fueled by a broad-based array of stories ranging from an exclusive video featuring the alleged victim of NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw’s sexual harassment to the untimely death of music sensation DJ Avicii and the breakthrough success of “Avengers: Infinity War.”
“It’s gratifying to see the continued growth of Variety.
- 5/22/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has earned 36 Los Angeles Press Club SoCal Journalism Award nominations, including six for New York Bureau Chief and Senior Film Writer Ramin Setoodeh, who was nominated for Entertainment Journalist of the Year.
Variety’s special issues on the Harvey Weinstein scandal and sexual harassment have been nominated for In-House or Corporate Publication.
Variety.com was nominated for Website, Traditional News Organization.
Variety’s art department picked up seven nominations including page design of the “Twin Peaks” cover story, photos of Stephen Colbert and Alexander Payne, and four illustrations.
“We’re enormously proud of the great work from our newsroom reflected in these nominations,” said Variety co-editors-in-chief Claudia Eller and Andrew Wallenstein. “The sheer breadth of the quality journalism from our publication being recognized here is a testament to the incredible growth Variety has experienced in recent years.”
In addition to his bid for Entertainment Journalist of the Year, Setoodeh...
Variety’s special issues on the Harvey Weinstein scandal and sexual harassment have been nominated for In-House or Corporate Publication.
Variety.com was nominated for Website, Traditional News Organization.
Variety’s art department picked up seven nominations including page design of the “Twin Peaks” cover story, photos of Stephen Colbert and Alexander Payne, and four illustrations.
“We’re enormously proud of the great work from our newsroom reflected in these nominations,” said Variety co-editors-in-chief Claudia Eller and Andrew Wallenstein. “The sheer breadth of the quality journalism from our publication being recognized here is a testament to the incredible growth Variety has experienced in recent years.”
In addition to his bid for Entertainment Journalist of the Year, Setoodeh...
- 5/17/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
It’s not easy for any digital publisher to make money in the age of the very powerful platforms that dictate the terms of the content business. Despite the challenges, Group Nine CEO Ben Lerer is sanguine about the future of the digital media ecosystem.
In the latest episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast, Lerer acknowledges the current state of play with Facebook in particular is not ideal but there’s progress worth noting.
“Do we feel like we’re being fairly compensated for the value we’re creating on Facebook today? No,” he tells Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein. “Do we feel we’re being better compensated than we were a year ago? Yes.”
Lerer called on Facebook to move faster toward sharing revenue from its News Feed, as opposed to just from other ancillary components of the platform like the Watch video hub. But while he thinks Facebook...
In the latest episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast, Lerer acknowledges the current state of play with Facebook in particular is not ideal but there’s progress worth noting.
“Do we feel like we’re being fairly compensated for the value we’re creating on Facebook today? No,” he tells Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein. “Do we feel we’re being better compensated than we were a year ago? Yes.”
Lerer called on Facebook to move faster toward sharing revenue from its News Feed, as opposed to just from other ancillary components of the platform like the Watch video hub. But while he thinks Facebook...
- 5/16/2018
- by Andrew Wallenstein
- Variety Film + TV
HBO chairman/CEO Richard Plepler has done the math on peak TV, and it all adds up as long as his brand stays healthy.
Take the 487 scripted series currently on TV, which amounts to 5,000 hours of programming, and add that to the 750 unscripted series that amount to 4,000 hours, and you get a total of 9,000 hours of originals on the air–and yet there’s only 8,760 hours in a year.
“So what does that mean?” said Plepler. “It means you can’t keep track of everything, and brands matter more than ever.”
Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety‘s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of entertainment. In this week’s episode, Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein talks with Plepler about navigating HBO through what may be the most fiercely competitive environment the brand has faced in its 45-year history.
But he’s got an ambitious goal for HBO:...
Take the 487 scripted series currently on TV, which amounts to 5,000 hours of programming, and add that to the 750 unscripted series that amount to 4,000 hours, and you get a total of 9,000 hours of originals on the air–and yet there’s only 8,760 hours in a year.
“So what does that mean?” said Plepler. “It means you can’t keep track of everything, and brands matter more than ever.”
Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety‘s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of entertainment. In this week’s episode, Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein talks with Plepler about navigating HBO through what may be the most fiercely competitive environment the brand has faced in its 45-year history.
But he’s got an ambitious goal for HBO:...
- 5/8/2018
- by Andrew Wallenstein
- Variety Film + TV
HBO chief Richard Plepler has set his sights on a big target: 50%.
Speaking at Variety‘s Ent and Tech conference in New York, Plepler said Friday his goal is to drive HBO into as many has half of U.S. pay TV households. The company at present reaches about one-third of those 100 million-plus homes.
“We think there’s a lot of growth left. We’re going to attack it,” Plepler told Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein during his keynote conversation at the Mandarin Oriental hotel.
Plepler’s ambition is bolstered by the fact that HBO saw strong subscriber and revenue growth last year. Moreover, some 35% of the total growth in HBO’s 46-year history has come during the past five years. On HBO’s top performing distribution partners, the service is already near the 50% penetration mark. The advent of the standalone HBO Now streaming services and the entry of virtual MVPDs...
Speaking at Variety‘s Ent and Tech conference in New York, Plepler said Friday his goal is to drive HBO into as many has half of U.S. pay TV households. The company at present reaches about one-third of those 100 million-plus homes.
“We think there’s a lot of growth left. We’re going to attack it,” Plepler told Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein during his keynote conversation at the Mandarin Oriental hotel.
Plepler’s ambition is bolstered by the fact that HBO saw strong subscriber and revenue growth last year. Moreover, some 35% of the total growth in HBO’s 46-year history has come during the past five years. On HBO’s top performing distribution partners, the service is already near the 50% penetration mark. The advent of the standalone HBO Now streaming services and the entry of virtual MVPDs...
- 5/4/2018
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
HBO chairman and CEO Richard Plepler and “CNN Tonight” anchor Don Lemon will be keynote speakers at Variety’s Entertainment & Technology NYC Summit. Held on Friday, the conference will explore how film, TV, gaming, music and digital media is being transformed by new technologies.
The Ent and Tech Summit will also include a keynote conversation with Chris Carey, head of sales for strategy and business development for Verizon Digital Media Services, and Joe Ambeault, senior vice president of product and technology for Discovery Communications.
“Variety is excited to examine the latest strategies to grow our entertainment industry, which is both challenged and inspired by technology’s great impact on their businesses,” said Andrew Wallenstein, co-editor- in-chief of Variety. “Ent & Tech New York is a crucial gathering to discuss brand storytelling, new TV business models, multi-platform advertising and marketing and more.”
The day-long event, held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, will also include speakers Lyle Schwartz,...
The Ent and Tech Summit will also include a keynote conversation with Chris Carey, head of sales for strategy and business development for Verizon Digital Media Services, and Joe Ambeault, senior vice president of product and technology for Discovery Communications.
“Variety is excited to examine the latest strategies to grow our entertainment industry, which is both challenged and inspired by technology’s great impact on their businesses,” said Andrew Wallenstein, co-editor- in-chief of Variety. “Ent & Tech New York is a crucial gathering to discuss brand storytelling, new TV business models, multi-platform advertising and marketing and more.”
The day-long event, held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, will also include speakers Lyle Schwartz,...
- 4/30/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
“Avengers: Infinity War” and American Airlines.
“Black Panther” and Lexus.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” and Doritos.
At first blush, some of Marvel Entertainment’s most successful blockbusters and Madison Avenue’s well-known brands might not seem to have much in common. But in the latest episode of the new Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Mindy Hamilton, senior VP of global partnerships and marketing at Marvel, reveals the delicate art of how she pairs consumer products and her studio’s productions to achieve maximum promotional power.
The partnerships Hamilton engineers with blue-chip brands are an increasingly important part of marketing mix that allows content companies like Marvel to reach additional audiences that exceed the grasp of traditional staples like billboards and 30-second spots.
But it’s not as simple as just jamming as many product plugs as you can into a two-hour movie, Hamilton told Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein.
“Brands are getting savvy about this space,...
“Black Panther” and Lexus.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” and Doritos.
At first blush, some of Marvel Entertainment’s most successful blockbusters and Madison Avenue’s well-known brands might not seem to have much in common. But in the latest episode of the new Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Mindy Hamilton, senior VP of global partnerships and marketing at Marvel, reveals the delicate art of how she pairs consumer products and her studio’s productions to achieve maximum promotional power.
The partnerships Hamilton engineers with blue-chip brands are an increasingly important part of marketing mix that allows content companies like Marvel to reach additional audiences that exceed the grasp of traditional staples like billboards and 30-second spots.
But it’s not as simple as just jamming as many product plugs as you can into a two-hour movie, Hamilton told Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein.
“Brands are getting savvy about this space,...
- 4/17/2018
- by Andrew Wallenstein
- Variety Film + TV
As public-relations nightmares go, it’s hard to top the one that can’t seem to die down at Sinclair Broadcast Group.
The notoriety of the largest TV station owner in the U.S. went nuclear thanks to a viral video published March 31 that showcased Sinclair’s controversial practice of mandating its anchors read a message suggesting the news media was politically motivated perpetrators of fake news.
While the notion that Sinclair itself has ethical shortcomings isn’t exactly new, the backlash from the video shone a brighter spotlight on the company’s conservative tilt than ever before. Journalism school deans banded together to condemn the company, which also saw some of its own staff publicly criticize their employer’s propagandist proclivities.
It’s only gotten worse this week. As a fresh round of criticism came to greet a series of promos Sinclair issued aggressively defending its anchor-mandated messages, the company’s CEO,...
The notoriety of the largest TV station owner in the U.S. went nuclear thanks to a viral video published March 31 that showcased Sinclair’s controversial practice of mandating its anchors read a message suggesting the news media was politically motivated perpetrators of fake news.
While the notion that Sinclair itself has ethical shortcomings isn’t exactly new, the backlash from the video shone a brighter spotlight on the company’s conservative tilt than ever before. Journalism school deans banded together to condemn the company, which also saw some of its own staff publicly criticize their employer’s propagandist proclivities.
It’s only gotten worse this week. As a fresh round of criticism came to greet a series of promos Sinclair issued aggressively defending its anchor-mandated messages, the company’s CEO,...
- 4/11/2018
- by Andrew Wallenstein
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has tapped veteran journalist Brian Crecente as its new video games editor.
In the new role, he will cover all aspects of the gaming industry for both print and online, contributing analytical features and trend stories, as well as breaking news. He will start at Variety on April 9 and will work out of the company’s New York offices, reporting to co-editors-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein and Claudia Eller.
“Adding coverage of the booming video game sector to Variety‘s editorial mix represents another step forward in our effort to offer great journalism regarding every aspect of the modern media landscape,” said Wallenstein and Eller. “As one of the most respected names on the video game beat for many years, Brian brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Variety that will complement our distinguished staff.”
Crecente will continue to contribute periodically to Rolling Stone, where he most recently served as...
In the new role, he will cover all aspects of the gaming industry for both print and online, contributing analytical features and trend stories, as well as breaking news. He will start at Variety on April 9 and will work out of the company’s New York offices, reporting to co-editors-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein and Claudia Eller.
“Adding coverage of the booming video game sector to Variety‘s editorial mix represents another step forward in our effort to offer great journalism regarding every aspect of the modern media landscape,” said Wallenstein and Eller. “As one of the most respected names on the video game beat for many years, Brian brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Variety that will complement our distinguished staff.”
Crecente will continue to contribute periodically to Rolling Stone, where he most recently served as...
- 4/6/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Welcome to Variety‘s new podcast “Strictly Business,” which each week will feature conversations with Andrew Wallenstein and Cynthia Littleton about the business of entertainment from industry insiders including studio, network and media executives, producers, creators and tech leaders.
Kicking off the series, co-editor-in-chief Wallenstein sat down with comedian, actor and producer Kevin Hart at Variety‘s Massive Entertainment Marketing Summit to talk his behind-the-scenes hustle and dreams of Hollywood’s next entertainment powerhouse.
“The goal of being a mogul is a real one,” Hart told Wallenstein. “I want to be a billionaire…I’m 38. By the time I’m 45, you guys are going to be telling a completely different story.” In addition to his work on screen, starring in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” this year, Hart recently launched the Laugh Out Loud (Lol) Network and is expanding his HartBeat Productions company.
A massive part of Hart’s brand also comes from social media,...
Kicking off the series, co-editor-in-chief Wallenstein sat down with comedian, actor and producer Kevin Hart at Variety‘s Massive Entertainment Marketing Summit to talk his behind-the-scenes hustle and dreams of Hollywood’s next entertainment powerhouse.
“The goal of being a mogul is a real one,” Hart told Wallenstein. “I want to be a billionaire…I’m 38. By the time I’m 45, you guys are going to be telling a completely different story.” In addition to his work on screen, starring in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” this year, Hart recently launched the Laugh Out Loud (Lol) Network and is expanding his HartBeat Productions company.
A massive part of Hart’s brand also comes from social media,...
- 4/3/2018
- by Kirsten Chuba
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has launched a new podcast joining the publication’s growing library of audio conversations. Co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein and managing editor TV, Cynthia Littleton, will join other journalists from Variety in conversations about the business of entertainment.
The weekly podcast “Strictly Business” will debut a new episode each Tuesday.
First in the series is Wallenstein’s interview with comedian, actor, producer and box office star Kevin Hart from his keynote at Variety’s Massive Entertainment Marketing Summit. Hart provides a glimpse into his mogul-in-the-making mindset.
“Strictly Business” will feature discussions with industry insiders including studio, network and media executives, producers, creators, and tech leaders. Upcoming guests include Instagram’s global head of programs, Charles Porch and Marvel Entertainment’s senior VP and head of global partnerships, Mindy Hamilton.
The new series debuts on April 3 and can be downloaded on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Sound Cloud.
“Strictly Business” joins Variety podcasts “Playback,...
The weekly podcast “Strictly Business” will debut a new episode each Tuesday.
First in the series is Wallenstein’s interview with comedian, actor, producer and box office star Kevin Hart from his keynote at Variety’s Massive Entertainment Marketing Summit. Hart provides a glimpse into his mogul-in-the-making mindset.
“Strictly Business” will feature discussions with industry insiders including studio, network and media executives, producers, creators, and tech leaders. Upcoming guests include Instagram’s global head of programs, Charles Porch and Marvel Entertainment’s senior VP and head of global partnerships, Mindy Hamilton.
The new series debuts on April 3 and can be downloaded on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Sound Cloud.
“Strictly Business” joins Variety podcasts “Playback,...
- 4/3/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
HBO’s security continues to be attacked online — this time, by a so-called security group.
Late Wednesday night, the notorious hacking group OurMine sent messages over HBO’s official Twitter and Facebook accounts that read:
“Hi, OurMine are here, we are just testing your security ,HBO team please contact us to upgrade the security – ourmine .org -> Contact”
OurMine is well-known for infiltrating big-name accounts. In the past, the organization has taken over the social media accounts of Netflix, Marvel, and Google. They’ve hacked into YouTube, as well as other celebrity accounts.
During Wednesday night’s breach, they accessed accounts for “Game of Thrones,” “The Leftovers,” “Silicon Valley,” “Veep,” “Last Week Tonight,” “Girls,” “Ballers,” “The Knick,” “The Comeback,” “Real Sports,” “Looking,” “Vinyl,” “Outcast,” “Any Given Wednesday,” Cinemax, HBO Docs, HBOboxing, HBO Now, HBO Now Help, HBOGo Help, and HBO Careers.
Read More:hbo Hack: ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Episodes Leaked As Hackers Get More Aggressive
Typically,...
Late Wednesday night, the notorious hacking group OurMine sent messages over HBO’s official Twitter and Facebook accounts that read:
“Hi, OurMine are here, we are just testing your security ,HBO team please contact us to upgrade the security – ourmine .org -> Contact”
OurMine is well-known for infiltrating big-name accounts. In the past, the organization has taken over the social media accounts of Netflix, Marvel, and Google. They’ve hacked into YouTube, as well as other celebrity accounts.
During Wednesday night’s breach, they accessed accounts for “Game of Thrones,” “The Leftovers,” “Silicon Valley,” “Veep,” “Last Week Tonight,” “Girls,” “Ballers,” “The Knick,” “The Comeback,” “Real Sports,” “Looking,” “Vinyl,” “Outcast,” “Any Given Wednesday,” Cinemax, HBO Docs, HBOboxing, HBO Now, HBO Now Help, HBOGo Help, and HBO Careers.
Read More:hbo Hack: ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Episodes Leaked As Hackers Get More Aggressive
Typically,...
- 8/17/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
This July 14, Variety and Sports Illustrated are teaming up to hold their first ever Sports Entertainment Industry Summit. The inaugural event will be held at the Vibiana in Los Angeles and include five-time NBA Champion, NBA Mvp and NBA’s 3rd all-time leading scorer Kobe Bryant as a keynote speaker.
“With every passing year, the sports world becomes a more critical component of the broader media and entertainment ecosystem,” said Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein. “This collaboration with Sports Illustrated allows Variety to demonstrate its commitment to covering the facets of our business that are of the utmost importance to our readers.”
Read More: ‘Ghostbusters’ Is Trying To Drive Men to Female Reboot Via Custom NBA Finals Ads
The one-day summit will cover topics on the intersection between sports and entertainment, the state of live sports coverage, the future of in-stadium/arena entertainment, sports marketing, high tech sports – Vr & augmented reality,...
“With every passing year, the sports world becomes a more critical component of the broader media and entertainment ecosystem,” said Variety co-editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein. “This collaboration with Sports Illustrated allows Variety to demonstrate its commitment to covering the facets of our business that are of the utmost importance to our readers.”
Read More: ‘Ghostbusters’ Is Trying To Drive Men to Female Reboot Via Custom NBA Finals Ads
The one-day summit will cover topics on the intersection between sports and entertainment, the state of live sports coverage, the future of in-stadium/arena entertainment, sports marketing, high tech sports – Vr & augmented reality,...
- 7/5/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
I've sort of just sat back in muted horror all week as a lot of entertainment journalists have finally gotten their moment in the sun, to act like the Fourth Estate in the wake of the Sony hack, to act as if bitchy emails and spreadsheets documenting famous people's salaries somehow equate to The Pentagon Papers. I've read my computer screen, mouth agape, as writers have tried to explain it away as an unprecedented gray area, when all I see is fundamental black and white. The ethical ickiness has been shrill and it's been shrieking. It seems "The Newsroom" creator Aaron Sorkin (no stranger to hot button issues, he) feels similarly. Sorkin wrote the script for an upcoming Steve Jobs biopic that made for much of the early fodder in this mess as it was chewed over in private emails between producer Scott Rudin and Sony co-chair Amy Pascal. Taking...
- 12/15/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Hollywood Reporter's digital chief Will Lee is exiting the entertainment biz magazine's website to join People.com as Editor, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap. The entertainment news veteran leaves the publication after eight months as THR's VP of Digital Programming. Lee replaced ousted editor Chris Krewson in Jan. 2014 in the newly titled role, reporting to THR digital general manager Dan Strauss. Lee becomes the fifth person to exit THR.com's top job in its various iterations in just five years. TheWrap's executive editor Joseph Kapsch, Variety's editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein, USA Today's Bryan Alexander and Krewson each separately.
- 9/22/2014
- by Khalil Garriott
- The Wrap
The best movie culture writing from around the internet-o-sphere. There will be a quiz later. Just leave a tab open for us, will ya? “10 Comic Books That Would Make Excellent TV Shows” — Charlie Jane Anders at io9 rounds up the usual suspects in this perennial list, while adding some unexpected, clever choices. At this point it’s sort of strange that we can’t tune into Ex Machina on HBO. “What’s Really the Matter with Cannes and Documentaries” — Daniel Walber at Nonfics notes the esteemed festival’s reluctance to show real-life stories and attempts to explain why. “Cannes is nothing if not the physical manifestation of the resilience of the idea of the auteur in European cinema. Filmmakers like Ken Loach come back year after year, even if their recent work isn’t particularly impressive. Meanwhile, few Official Competition slots are given to directors who haven’t competed before. It...
- 5/15/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
CBS announced last night that indie darling Greta Gerwig will star in the How I Met Your Mother sort-of spinoff How I Met Your Dad. It's Frances Ha herself heading to a network sitcom! Cue the rending of garments and lamentations on artistic integrity — the mumblecore icon on CBS, she has betrayed us all! Tweeted Variety's digital editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein, "I tear up each time an indie starlet sells out." Added film blogger (and Vulture contributor) Jordan Hoffman, "Greta Gerwig may have just secured her financial future but officially became of no use to me anymore." Leave me out of these woeful histrionics. Because Greta Gerwig starring in Himyd is great news.Gerwig will play the show's protagonist Sally, a "female Peter Pan who has never grown up and has no idea of where she’s going in life," according to a casting breakdown. This is Gerwig's jam! That is...
- 2/12/2014
- by Margaret Lyons
- Vulture
The entire planet was palled by a cratering sadness late last night when it was announced by Variety that Greta Gerwig, Queen of Indie Darlings, had signed on to produce, write and star in CBS’s spin-off sitcom How I Met Your Dad. Her most ardent fans are furious that they’ll be able to see an actress they love on a weekly basis. Of course, per Arbitrary Cultural Rule #293, it also means that her nuanced indie filmmaking career is over. As we all know, once you’ve chosen artless sell-out fare that will provide a higher profile that empowers you to make more personal films, you can never make a personal film again. To make matters worse, Gerwig’s show will shoot in New York City where independent films are rarely, if ever, made. But perhaps most disheartening for fans, her How I Met Your Dad character is described as “a female Peter Pan who has...
- 2/12/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
At the end of 2012, Swedish gamer PewDiePie counted 3.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel; if he hadn't gained a single new subscriber between then and now, he would still currently be one of the 100 most subscribed channels on the site. Of course, his rapid rise is well-documented. PewDiePie is so popular that he has gained more new subscribers in the past two months than he had in his entire fanbase at the end of 2012. Right now, he claims upwards of 18.8 million YouTube subscribers, nearly four million more than second-place channel Smosh. I've already written at length about the methods PewDiePie used to achieve his current status. His greatest hallmark has been his remarkably consistent schedule. He has posted 30 videos in the past month, each one claiming millions of views. There is, however, a more interesting question to be asked than simply "How did he do it?" More specifically, does he deserve it?...
- 12/27/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Seth MacFarlane's Google-exclusive vignettes are interesting, but the platform is curious, writes Andrew Wallenstein. Full story...
Digital Reporter: Apple has granted HBO premium iTunes prices after rebuffing others, writes Andrew Wallenstein. Will More shows get variable pricing? Full story.
- 5/27/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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