tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83619048329455190442024-02-28T15:42:59.036-08:00The Business of EntertainmentUpdates and comments on the business side of the entertainment industryAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-86706463027726069522014-04-05T17:14:00.000-07:002014-04-05T17:14:35.205-07:00Malaysia bans 'Noah' because of Russell Crowe
// <![CDATA[
var icx_iframe_id = "2620ac6c-dacf-43de-a045-b4808c6b0950";
// ]]>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-88902660882306632952012-12-31T17:44:00.001-08:002012-12-31T17:59:17.289-08:00How to Have Greater Success in Independent Film in 2013
Conditions in the film business are changing. Theaters are struggling as consumer habits are drastically shifting. People still want to see movies, but they
also want to play games and use Facebook and watch Youtube and engage in any other
number of activities.
The DVD market has also declined precipitously. When they do
watch films, many people are Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-26209015676445920522012-09-26T11:32:00.002-07:002012-09-26T11:32:50.279-07:00Microsoft Hires Nancy Tellem: Why This Is ImportantThis week, Microsoft hired veteran television executive, Nancy Tellem, to head the company's new entertainment division. The new division will be based in Los Angeles (where Tellem lives), rather than in Redmond, Washington where the main Microsoft headquarters is located. When I posted this news on Twitter and Facebook a couple days ago, my buddy Mike Duffin asked me Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-23216368447716265502012-06-30T11:32:00.000-07:002012-06-30T11:32:34.315-07:00In The Age of Social Media, Quality Prevails Over MarketingIn the pre-Internet entertainment business, access to the public was everything. There were a handful of gatekeepers who decided what songs people would hear and which movies they would see. If you couldn't get your project through one of those doors, it was unlikely anyone beyond your friends and family would ever experience your art.
Today, not only is it possible to get your musicAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-74867029398947749822012-06-15T10:26:00.005-07:002012-06-15T10:26:55.547-07:00Antitrust and the Cable IndustryI was recently contacted for an article for TechNewsWorld on the Justice Department's apparent antitrust investigation of the cable industry. Below is the full text of the comments I sent to the reporter, Erika Morphy.
It's a really good article and an interesting issue. Take a couple minutes and give it a read.
My comments to Erika on the DOJ investigation:
This Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-28286933506054088432011-08-20T10:33:00.000-07:002011-08-20T10:33:53.662-07:00Hewlett-Packard - A Lesson In Why A Strategy Must Respect The BrandFirst of all, it's nice to be back online. I took several weeks off of blogging and tweeting to recharge my battery and simply observe for a while. Time well spent. I'll probably start getting back into things a little slowly. Here's my first thought:
Hewlett-Packard's stock price suffered an historical drop this week. I suppose they could point to general Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-26940326756049954462011-06-25T13:13:00.000-07:002011-06-25T13:13:07.916-07:00New Media Isn't New Anymore, But It's Definitely DifferentI can't believe it's been several weeks since I posted. Some periods in our lives are like that. We get really busy and time flies by. Technology is definitely changing the pace of our lives, including how we use media. It's an impact that all of us in the entertainment business need to understand.
I went to a great program this week at the Screen Actors Guild.  Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-86750237822370109002011-05-16T12:52:00.000-07:002011-05-16T12:52:39.773-07:00Mobile Convergence: The Single Device SolutionEarlier this month, Nielsen released the results of a study that shows consumers moving towards tablet devices, and away from laptops and eReaders. I commented at the time that this isn't news, but it is an important trend that should not be ignored.
In a recent interview, Jeff Bezos wouldn't confirm that Amazon is going to release its own tablet, but he didn't deny it either. He Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-14789632760026124422011-05-14T10:33:00.000-07:002011-05-14T10:33:28.620-07:00How Do You Succeed In The Entertainment Business? Basic EconomicsYou learned everything you need to know about success in the entertainment industry the first two weeks of your junior year in high school.
About 7 months ago, I wrote a blog post about how to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the entertainment industry. It turned out to be one of my more popular posts, and as I sit here 7 months later, I think I stand by everything I said. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-80864127749062371992011-05-11T01:18:00.000-07:002011-05-11T01:26:13.135-07:00"May You Live In Interesting Times..."The Challenges of Deal-Making During A Digital Revolution
Clearly we live in interesting times; that's not news to anyone. But being a lawyer, agent, executive or other deal-maker in the entertainment business over the past few years has been especially challenging. In addition to the economic downturn, many challenges are arising from the blurring of lines between the various methods of Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-71892895787975684982011-04-23T16:43:00.000-07:002011-04-23T16:43:23.318-07:00The Clouds Are GatheringAs Distribution Moves To The "Clouds," How Will It Change Our Business?
In the wake of announcements and presentations at the NAB convention earlier this month, it has become clear that content management is moving to the clouds. Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, Verizon, HP and others are all aggressively pursuing the development of cloud-based media management systems. These companies are Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-55099144762619805632011-04-10T14:32:00.000-07:002011-04-10T14:32:42.903-07:00The Breath of Business and SuccessWatching and understanding the cycles of "life" in business are keys to longterm success.
Ok, this might be a little esoteric, but if you go with me for about 5 minutes, I think you'll get some benefit from the discussion.
In thinking about what I wanted to write this week, I was looking at the current activity in our industry. There are new companies coming online and old companies Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-21701442495125322742011-04-02T19:14:00.000-07:002011-04-02T19:14:41.664-07:00The Essential Element For Success In The Entertainment BusinessAnyone who reads my posts or tweets, knows that I love technology. I'm always reading and writing about cutting edge technologies and how they are impacting the entertainment industry. New tech is driving the launch of new companies, and the development of new strategies for old companies. Technology is undoubtedly the most important factor for achieving success in today's Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-50647465335977899862011-03-28T01:11:00.000-07:002011-03-28T01:11:45.021-07:00Current Entertainment Strategy: Grabbing Real EstateBefore going to bed this evening, I briefly scanned the entertainment news of the past couple days. A few things caught my eye, but this article really got me thinking. It's a short report on the Weinstein Company's new video game venture. That's right, Bob and Harvey are going into video games.
My first thought was the realization that gaming must truly be the new drivingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-44415373752879684002011-03-22T01:17:00.000-07:002011-03-22T12:23:31.884-07:00Now Is The Time To Create Quality ProgrammingAn exciting trend is quickly developing in the entertainment business. We are at the beginning of a new period of opportunity for creators of quality films and programming.
It seemed for the past several years, the quality of content was of marginal concern. Certainly many good films and programs were getting made, but the business and technical aspects of the industry seemed to be Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-91718381868702584952011-03-15T18:55:00.000-07:002011-03-15T19:33:43.666-07:00HP CEO Lays Out New Strategy - I Hope He's Got Something Else Up His SleeveHewlett-Packard's (Relatively) New CEO Has Some Ideas For The Company's Future -- Not Necessarily Great Ideas, But Ideas Nonetheless
In a 40-minute speech at an event in San Francisco yesterday, Hewlett-Packard CEO Leo Apotheker laid out his vision for the company's role in the new digital media universe. This was Mr. Apotheker's first public address since taking over the HP reins from Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-75520114274931625182011-03-13T12:37:00.000-07:002011-03-14T00:15:52.157-07:00"Anytime, Anywhere" - Cross-Platform Is A Critical Strategy For Game CompaniesUbisoft's "Companion Gaming" Strategy Is A Hint At How The Gaming Industry Is Getting On-Board With The Cross-Platform Experience
Every current strategy analysis in the content industry inevitably turns to the idea of migrating the content across different devices. In truth, this is one of the factors that is most important to a majority of consumers. If they buy or rent a Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-72025227709164927622011-03-05T14:04:00.000-08:002011-03-05T18:12:47.914-08:00iPad 2: Digital Media Becomes A ConversationAt first glance, the new iPad 2 appears to be a combination of already-existing technologies in a superior, user-friendly design - a fairly typical Apple product. That may be an accurate description, but this particular package of features might also provide a new vision of what digital media can and will become.
If you want to get an orientation on Apple's new tablet, check out this videoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-56084767443206532052011-02-26T15:51:00.000-08:002011-02-26T18:24:02.645-08:00Why The Film Business Doesn't Face The Same Fate As The Music BusinessFor years, there has been a steady stream of of articles reporting the continuing decline of the recorded music industry. Everyone knows the saga by now. As music became available on the Internet, people stopped buying CD's and younger listeners started freely copying song files from one another. A whole generation of consumers now has the idea that music should be free, and sales of Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-9074778514788913802011-02-23T01:26:00.000-08:002011-02-23T01:36:58.157-08:00A New Era In Home Entertainment Started TodayWith Amazon's entrance into the streaming business, the horses are officially out of the gate in the new race for home entertainment dominance.
My buddy, Jack Wrigley, emailed me today to point out the importance of Amazon's acquisition of LoveFilm which has allowed the Internet retailer to magically turn its Prime subscription shipping service into a film-streaming service. With the flip of a Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-44524745140166854602011-02-19T17:52:00.000-08:002011-02-19T17:52:08.548-08:00Broadcast Network Trend: Being The Brand!Broadcast and Cable Outlets Supplement Ad Revenue By Becoming Their Own Brands.
There is a fascinating trend going on in the world of broadcasting. Networks are recognizing that their own names and logos have market value that goes beyond merely attracting viewers. This isn't just a theory, as manufacturers of products are paying real dollars to carry the trademarks of outlets like E!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-17020943470067779322011-02-12T15:22:00.000-08:002011-02-12T15:25:48.282-08:00Pandora: A Good Bet for Wall Street?With an IPO currently scheduled for later this year, is Pandora sexy enough to attract investors?
This week, Internet radio company, Pandora, filed its application to sell stock to the public. If you read between the lines, the application may be more of a publicity move than a financial milestone.
There is no doubt that Pandora could use the $100 million it hopes to raise. The Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-62360539865920766142011-02-06T22:10:00.000-08:002011-02-06T22:10:00.245-08:00This Is The Year The Indie Film Business Starts To Come BackI was going to title this post with a question - asking if this is the year the indy film business starts to climb out of its doldrums. But in truth, I am writing about it because I think there is no question. This is indeed the turn around year. Here's why I feel so optimistic:
Obviously, the volume of sales at Sundance was a big positive. Since 2008, Sundance sales had Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-89126456004428989462011-01-29T16:20:00.000-08:002011-01-29T16:20:43.889-08:00TiVo's Best Strategy? Cord CuttersUnfortunately, Tom Rogers and his team don't seem to think so. This recent article on TiVo's struggles gives a clear picture of the challenges TiVo is facing. Major cable providers have no reason to partner with TiVo. They all have their own DVR's and TiVo would probably only confuse customers and cannibalize the cable provider revenue.
Tom Rogers
If you read the quotes from Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361904832945519044.post-20963611325714669332011-01-28T12:05:00.000-08:002011-01-28T12:05:18.977-08:00Feedback on Netflix' Place in The Media LandscapeIf you read my posts and tweets, you know that I am an avid observer of Netflix and its ongoing impact on the entertainment business. I also spend some time chatting about it offline with other folks in our industry. One of my favorite bantering partners is my friend Jack Wrigley of XStreamHD. (By the way, XStreamHD is a very cool delivery and management system for HD content. &Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01909177619015141167noreply@blogger.com0