Mediagazer: Hollywood studios, most facing investor pressure to halt streaming losses by 2024, return to theatrical releases after the success of Top Gun and Avatar sequels (Financial Times)

8:00 AM ET, March 13, 2023

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Jane Merrick / The i Paper:

After days of talks, the BBC reaches a deal with Gary Lineker, letting him return to presenting Match of the Day, and will review its social media guidelines — EXCLUSIVEThe climbdown by the corporation follows an extraordinary wave of protests by the presenter's colleagues

Discussion: The Guardian, @garylineker, Variety, Press Gazette, Bloomberg, BBC, The Guardian, CNN, New York Times, @garylineker, Politico, Financial Times, @nick_pettigrew, @alexhallhall, Broadband TV News, @garylineker, @mediaguardian, Deadline, BBC, The Independent, @danwootton, @neilukip, @darrengrimes_, @lucympowell, @lottelydia, @shippersunbound, @shippersunbound, Daily Mail, Sky News, @psmith, @edwinhayward, @nomiaiqbal, @bbcjoannag, @kevin_maguire, @jamiebrysoncpni, @henrymance, @paul__johnson, @adambienkov, @melissareddy_, @paulbranditv, @paulmainwood, @oliverkay, @owenjones84, @jolyonmaugham, @jamiebrysoncpni, The Athletic, @bmay, @janinegibson, The Hollywood Reporter, @_tomscholes, @jamiejackson___, @beardedgenius, @robharris, @robharris, @robharris, @bbcsport, @robdothutton, @jake_kanter, @gnev2, @bbchelena, The Athletic, @garylineker, @scottygb, The Sun, @lawton_times, @jelgott, @scottygb, @janemerrick23, Reclaim The Net, YouGov, Telegraph and HuffPost UK

Caroline Davies / The Guardian:

Tim Davie apologizes for disruption to the BBC's sports programming and says it is difficult to balance commitments to impartiality and freedom of expression — Presenters and commentators walked out over the weekend in support of star suspended for criticising government — Key events

Discussion: @adambienkov, The Independent, @jonnelledge, @hamidmirpak, @thomasjrennie, @cllrsamwebster, @davidherdson, @michaelbaggs, @philipstephens, @arusbridger, @sangitamyska, @adambienkov, @campbellclaret, @adambienkov, @implausibleblog, @emilybell and Variety

Jim Waterson / The Guardian:

The BBC's Match of the Day aired without presenters or pundits on March 11 after Gary Lineker's suspension; his co-hosts refused to show up in solidarity — BBC commentators also refusing to appear after corporation takes its highest-paid presenter off air over impartiality concerns

Discussion: Telegraph, CNBC, New York Times, The Sun, @lozzafox, @glabsandra, Financial Times, @jonsopel, @adambienkov, @paulwaugh, The Guardian, The Independent, @thesun, HuffPost UK, @billybragg, @bbcbreaking, Deadline, @keitholbermann, @millar_colin, @robharris, EFE Noticias, @piersmorgan, @adamrutherford, @nidhi, @rohini_sgh, @mehdirhasan, @david_ornstein, @martintheirish, The Guardian, @petertatchell, @calumam, @scottygb, @ankaman616, @charlesarthur, @rogermosey, @natpirks, mirror, @charlesarthur, @marcwebber, Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, New York Post, @owen_whiteley, The A.V. Club, @tombaldwin66, Bloomberg, @lord_sugar, The Guardian, @maxrushden, @tezilyas, @mrdanwalker, The Athletic, @thatginamiller, @thatginamiller, @scottygb, The Guardian, Associated Press, Awful Announcing, @sophiemcneill, @debspillane, RXTV info, @janafavero, @mediaanalystoz, @itvnews, @michaelpierse, @richardpbacon, @simplyredhq, @michael_hal, @kieranmlkelly, @alexisconran, @doctor_oxford, @richardosman, @sarahhemm, @mickclearytel, @abradacabla, @swardley, @johnbrewin_, @memorialdevice, @iconicnumber7, @craig_foster, WHY SPORT MATTERS, @proftimbale, Sky News, Unmade and The Hollywood Reporter

Todd Spangler / Variety:

CNN wins its first Oscar for Navalny, in the documentary feature film category, about Russian dissident Alexei Navalny and commissioned by CNN Films and HBO Max — CNN has scored its first Oscars win: “Navalny,” the harrowing film following Russian dissident and former presidential candidate Alexei Navalny …

Discussion: Al Jazeera, @ananavarro, The Hollywood Reporter, @deggans, @oliverdarcy, Los Angeles Times, @billbrowder, Deadline, The Wrap, @cnn, @vickypjward, @brianstelter, National Review, @kasie, CNN, @jaketapper, Politico, The Playlist and Mediaite

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Netflix wins six Oscars, including the Best International Feature Film for All Quiet on the Western Front and the Best Animated Feature Film for Pinocchio — Netflix picked up big wins at the 95th Academy Awards, including the international feature film Oscar for “All Quiet on the Western Front” …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Engadget, The Hollywood Reporter, GoldDerby, The Playlist, Washington Post, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, Associated Press and Fox News

Financial Times:

Hollywood studios, most facing investor pressure to halt streaming losses by 2024, return to theatrical releases after the success of Top Gun and Avatar sequels — After three of the worst years on record in the movie business, there was an almost palpable sense of relief in Hollywood …

Discussion: Forbes, @natocinemas, @cinema_uk, @patrickvons and @pdergarabedian

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:

Q&A with Fox News journalist Benjamin Hall on his memoir, surviving a missile attack in Ukraine, efforts to leave the country, and remembering killed colleagues — The Fox News journalist spoke to THR about his new memoir, ‘Saved,’ which recounts the attack and the dramatic effort to leave the country.

Discussion: Fox News and Mediaite

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Filing: Roku held $487M, or ~26% of its $1.9B in cash and equivalents, at SVB, “largely uninsured”, and says the $1.4B left “will be sufficient” for 12+ months — About one-fourth of Roku's cash and equivalents — nearly half a billion dollars …

Fortesa Latifi / Teen Vogue:

A YouTuber who went viral as a toddler says she resents her family for monetizing her childhood, as some influencer parents take their children off social media — “Nothing they do now is going to take back the years of work I had to put in.” — Search Claire's name online …

Discussion: @phil_lewis_, @mirandareinert, @chescaleigh, @kattenbarge, @fortesalatifi, @baileycarlin, @erinmayequade, @teenvogue, @fortesalatifi, @molls, @melissajpeltier and @tiffanycli

Marie Woolf / Globe and Mail:

Meta plans to block Canadians' ability to view or share written and broadcast news on Facebook and Instagram if the country passes its proposed Online News Act — Tech giant Meta has decided to block Canadians' ability to view or share news content on Facebook and Instagram …

Discussion: Reuters, Canadian Press, @nspector4, @yoda, @mgeist, @melissambarki, @robertfife, @awudrick, @dubsndoo, @kkomaitis, @nanaslugdiva, @justinhendrix, @jason_kint and Michael Geist, more at Techmeme »

Darren Major / CBC News:
Appearing before a Canadian Parliament committee, Google executives defend the company blocking news content for some users in a test expected to end next week

Discussion: @ezralevant, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @jason_kint and Reuters

Elizabeth Djinis / Poynter:

Special interest magazines, of which Dotdash Meredith and a360media control nearly 60%, grew 8% YoY in 2020 and 20% YoY in 2021 as the magazine market struggled — In a struggling magazine media market, a genre of magazines called special interest publications or bookazines has become a surprising winner.

Discussion: @harrymccracken, @b2bcontentguy, @aarongrunwald, @poynter, @poynter and @niemanlab

Julie Lasky / New York Times:

A look at Apartment Life, a monthly young urban American magazine founded in 1969 that had 800K readers, soon to be revived as a special interest publication — The cluttered, lively ethos of Apartment Life offers an antidote to the chilly perfectionism of Instagram — and creative ideas that still feel relevant.

Discussion: @marjorieingall, @ckummer, @seangraf, @jenrrain, @karrieurbanist, @alcademics and @langealexandra

Daniel Tilles / Notes From Poland:

After the suicide of a Polish opposition MP's 15-year-old son, three presenters resign from a state radio station accused of outing him as a sexual abuse victim — Three presenters have resigned from Radio Szczecin, a state broadcaster accused of helping publicly identify a 15-year-old sexual abuse victim …

Discussion: @notesfrompoland

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: Group Black submitted a ~$400M bid to acquire Vice Media, which has received other bids and hopes to wrap up the bidding process in the next few days — Company looks to acquire embattled media group once valued at $5.7 billion — Group Black, a company that aims to invest …

Discussion: @lostblackboy

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Sources: Group Black wants to acquire Paramount's BET and VH1, backed by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners; Tyler Perry and Byron Allen are also looking

Discussion: @jtoonkel, @cpa_trendlines, @pkafka, @mediaevan, @benmullin, @anthony@journa.host and The Wrap

Wall Street Journal:

A look at upcoming changes for failing RSNs; sources: MLB envisions a hybrid national and local programming venture with TV and streaming on its own platform — Once thriving, the regional-sports TV industry is suffering as cable bundles unravel — Two of the largest regional sports broadcasters …

Discussion: New York Post, @haleaziz, TVNewsCheck, Cord Cutters News, @jasongay, @kevinokeefe, @lindseyadler and @jbflint

Phillip Bupp / Awful Announcing:
Report: Sinclair's Diamond Sports Group is within a week of filing for bankruptcy and has not paid the Arizona Diamondbacks by exercising a grace payment clause

Discussion: @ourand_sbj