Scripps Interactive

Posted on October 16, 2016 by amsortal

By Ryan Lannum & Aaron Sortal

[1] Scripps Interactive Network Logo

Brief History [1]

Scripps Networks Interactive began in 1878 when Edward W. Scripps founded The Penny Press in Cleveland, Ohio. Jump forward a 100 years and Scripps Networks Interactive began buying and building cable television systems, making it one of America’s largest cable operators, which was later sold to Comcast. In the 1990s, Scripps Network Interactive began building their media network. After the purchase of Cinetel Productions, a Knoxville-based cable creator, it launched HGTV in 1994.

[1] Source: WBIR-TV 10 Knoxville / Scripps Network Interactive

After the launch of HGTV, Scripps Networks started more lifestyle networks including: Food Network (1997), DIY Network (1999), Fine Living Network (2002), Great American Country (2004), and Travel Channel (2009). The organization describes itself as a “niche broadband [of] channels that extend the core brands’ presence on the Internet with advertiser-supported, on-demand content” (Scripps Networks Interactive).

In 2007, the board of directors decided to split The E.W. Scripps Company into two publicly-traded companies. One of the organizations would concentrate on national television lifestyle brands and the other focus on innovative and enduring local media businesses.

Financials

Stock er-er the last 5 years [2]

Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. has done very well financially the last few years. At the end of 2015, Scripps’ revenue totaled $3.02 billion, with a total net income of $606.83 million [2]. This is a great increase from the previous years, as its 2014 net income totaled 545.28 million, and its 2013 net income totaled $505.07 million. Their total net incomes are increasing at a steady rate, and will likely continue in the coming years. While their stock price is lower than it was five years ago, it being at $70.06 now and 76.50 then, it has increased greatly in the past year, with the price being only $59.04 in November of 2015.

In the fall of 2016, Scripps Networks reported a 6.6 percent increase in advertising revenues, which totaled to a $477.5 million in advertising revenue during the quarter [3]. This jump in advertising revenue also added to five of the six networks having a ratings boost. Focusing on ads that connect to the demographics that watch their channels resulted in tremendous success both in viewership and in revenue. The need for advertising revenue caused a major problem when it came to a subscription video on demand service deal with Netflix.

Netflix Deal Not Renewed for a New Season

Netflix Desktop [4]

During the fall of 2016, Burton Jablin, Scripps Networks Interactive’s COO, announced the organization would not be renewing its digital distribution deal with Netflix on the company’s quarterly earnings conference call [5]. This isn’t the first-time Scripps Networks Interactive has ended a subscription video on demand deal with a media distributor [6]. In February 2013, Scripps Networks Interactive had a deal with Amazon. That deal ended in March 2014. This prompted the Netflix and Scripps Networks Interactive deal that ended this past November. According to a Variety.com article, Scripps Networks could have lost about $11 million of licensing revenue from Amazon [6]. Unlike the deal with Amazon, the CEO of Scripps Networks Interactive, Kenneth Lowe, commented on the company’s decision to leave Netflix. Lowe stated that a major reason for leaving Netflix was the loss of advertising dollars [7], which brought-in roughly $445 million dollars in revenue during the last quarter [3]. Jablin said in a Variety.com article: “In the end, it really is not the kind of dual-revenue model that best monetizes our content over the long term” (Spangler). [8] Over the past couple of months, Netflix has removed content from its database because the company wanted to create room for its original content. All of Scripps Network’s shows will not be removed until the end of the year [7]. Some of the shows that are being removed are: “Cupcake Wars,” “Chopped,” and “Man v. Food.”

AT&T Long-Term Distribution Agreement

http://www.csc.com/global_alliances/alliances/112505-at_t

AT&T Logo [9]

In September of 2016, Scripps Interactive reached a deal with AT&T, in which they agreed for a continuation of distribution of Scripps Networks for DIRECTV [10]. This deal will be made for multiple years, ensuring that DIRECTV will continue its widespread distribution of the Scripps Network channels. They also agreed to include Scripps Networks on DIRECTV’s streaming service, DIRECTV NOW. Programs on channels such as HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Great American Country, and Cooking Channel are included to be distributed through this deal.

As DIRECTV has over 20 percent of the market share of cable providers in the US, this deal will assist in allowing Scripps Networks’ programs to be distributed to as many people as possible [11]. DIRECTV is also expected to grow in market share in the next decade, so this deal will continue the great relationship Scripps has with AT&T. With DIRECTV NOW launching at the end of November, it will also allow people whom prefer to stream their content the chance to view Scripps Network shows [12]. The portability of DIRECTV NOW will allow its customers to view Scripps Network shows at anywhere at any time, which will increase the flexibility and make it more likely that the shows will be viewed a lot more often than before. DIRECTV NOW is also a lot cheaper alternative to established cable packages, so the low cost may also bring in a lot more viewers, in which can increase Scripps’ revenue and exposure.

DirecTV NOW Informational Video [13]

Pluto TV Financing

Pluto TV Logo [14]

Pluto TV is a television platform launched in 2014, which is solely internet-based [14]. They play content from over 75 different partners, including NBC, Bloomberg, Sky News, and Paramount Pictures [15]. The format is basically the same as a television network, as the programs are played in different time slots, as opposed to letting the viewer decide what they want to watch whenever they want to watch it.

In October of 2016, Scripps Networks participated in a $30 financing round, which was led by ProSiebenSat.1. With this participation, this will allow Pluto TV to air a great amount of Scripps’ content, giving more exposure and potential revenue as a result. Pluto TV is also available for free, so even people without cable can have access to Scripps’ content. With this plus the AT&T deal involving DIRECTV NOW, it can definitely be shown that Scripps Networks is investing a lot of money into online streaming services, as they can see the market for internet-based content is growing every year. If regular cable tv ends up being less popular and streaming services become the most used service to access television, Scripps will be ahead of the change and be able to retain and potentially gain a lot of revenue for the future.

Pluto TV Advertisement[16]

Sources

[1] Scripps Networks Interactive. “ History.” History | Scripps Networks Interactive, www.scrippsnetworksinteractive.com/our-company/history/.

[2] “SNI Income Statement – YahooFinance.” Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo!, finance.yahoo.com/quote/SNI/financials?p=SNI.

[3] Littleton, Cynthia. “HGTV, Advertising Gains Power Scripps Networks Interactive’s Q3 Earnings.” Variety, 7 Nov. 2016, variety.com/2016/tv/news/scripps-networks-interactive-q3-hgtv-travel-channel-1201911392/. [3] Littleton, Cynthia. “HGTV, Advertising Gains Power Scripps Networks Interactive’s Q3 Earnings.” Variety, 7 Nov. 2016, variety.com/2016/tv/news/scripps-networks-interactive-q3-hgtv-travel-channel-1201911392/.

[4] Sebastian. “How to Watch Netflix While Abroad .” TigerVPN Blog, 4 May 2016, blog.tigervpn.com/howtowatchnetflixwhileabroad/.

[5] Szalai, Georg. “Scripps Networks Won’t Renew Netflix Deal, CEO Says ‘We’Re Big Enough.’” The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2016, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/scripps-networks-wont-renew-netflix-deal-ceo-says-were-big-944709.

[6] Spangler, Todd. “Amazon Drops Discovery and Scripps Shows, with Scripps the Bigger Loser.” Variety, 26 Mar. 2014, variety.com/2014/digital/news/amazon-drops-discovery-and-scripps-shows-with-scripps-the-bigger-loser-1201147369/.

[7] Faulkner, Trisha. “Netflix Loses Scripps Networks Interactive Contract: Say Goodbye To HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, And More.” The Inquisitr News, 12 Nov. 2016, www.inquisitr.com/3709928/netflix-loses-scripps-networks-interactive-contract/.

[8] Spangler, Todd. “Netflix Losing Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel Shows at End of 2016.” Variety, 9 Nov. 2016, variety.com/2016/digital/news/netflix-scripps-food-network-hgtv-travel-channel-shows-1201913874/.

[9] “AT&T.” Computer Sciences Corporation, CSC, www.csc.com/global_alliances/alliances/112505-at_t.

[10] “Scripps Networks Interactive, AT&T Sign Long-Term Multi-Platform Distribution Agreement.” Nasdaq GlobeNewswire , GlobeNewswire, 22 Sept. 2016, globenewswire.com/news-release/2016/09/22/873822/0/en/Scripps-Networks-Interactive-AT-T-Sign-Long-Term-Multi-Platform-Distribution-Agreement.html.

[11] Munson, Ben. “Top 9 Cable, Satellite and Telco Pay-TV Operators in Q1: Ranking Comcast to TWC to Charter to Cablevision.” FierceCable, 11 May 2016, www.fiercecable.com/special-report/top-9-cable-satellite-and-telco-pay-tv-operators-q1-ranking-comcast-to-twc-to.

[12] Rogowsky, Mark. “Is DirecTV Now The Video Service Cord Cutters Have Been Waiting For?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 29 Nov. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/markrogowsky/2016/11/29/is-directv-now-the-video-service-cord-cutters-have-been-waiting-for/#7781ae8330ef.

[13] CNET. “DirecTV Now Offers 100 Channels of Live TV Starting at $35 a Month.” YouTube, YouTube, 28 Nov. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=040r9p0oijk.

[14] “What Is Pluto Tv?” Pluto TV, Pluto TV, corporate.pluto.tv/.

[15] Pham, Alex. “Pluto TV Lands $30M Financing From Scripps Networks And ProSiebenSat.1.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 12 Oct. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/alexpham/2016/10/12/pluto-tv-lands-30-million-financing-from-scripps-networks-and-prosiebensat-1/#16d668db4e3f.

[16] PlutoTV. “Pluto.TV: Watch What’s Possible.” YouTube, Pluto TV, 31 Mar. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=atNBbc6ofiE.

Disney

Posted on October 16, 2016 by jlrose

by JACK ROSE, AUDREY LEW, and BRITTANY ORTIZ

Disney Logo [1]

Background

Disney is a leading producer, owner, and distributor of media that owns, among many other things, broadcast network ABC; movie studios Pixar, Walt Disney Animation, Marvel, and Lucasfilm; Walt Disney Parks and Resorts that attracted nearly 150 million people in 2015 [2]; and cable sports network ESPN [3]. Between ABC, its affiliates, and ESPN, Disney operates more than 300 channels worldwide, while its movie studios own the rights to The Avengers family and Star Wars [4]. The last Star Wars release became the highest grossing domestic film earlier this year and with another releasing this December, the company’s film division remains strong [5]. However, fluctuating results on the television side have led Disney to invest in new technologies and a desire to expand international reach birthed a new theme park in China, which opened earlier this year.

Corporate Structure

CEO Bob Iger [1]

Disney’s Chief Executive since 2005, Bob Iger helmed the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Since Iger’s promotion from Chief Operating Officer, Disney’s stock price has risen more than $70 while it’s TV division has come to account for half of the company’s profit [6]. Nearing the end of his career, Iger has repeatedly delayed his retirement and most recently set 2018 as the expiration date for his own tenure. His last task will be selecting his successor, after a recent candidate failed to last as heir.

Disney’s Organizational Chart [7]

Beyond Iger, various chairmen run each of Disney’s major compartments and the company’s board of directors is comprised of 11 members. However, it is this organizational chart, distributed by Walt Disney Studios in 1943, that largely explains Disney’s management philosophy [7]. Rather than the typical hierarchy, the chart displays an interlocking web of managers, producers, and creators that are needed to produce a film. This organization is intended to encourage creativity and teamwork by emphasizing collaboration rather than chain of command. Each role supports, instead of merely instructing, another.

Financials

Annual revenue, profit, and net income have increased yearly since at least 2013, as has Disney’s valuation of its assets and balance sheet as whole. Disney’s revenue dwarfs that of most of its competitors in media, exceeded only by Sony and other conglomerates that produce and own as much content as Sony and Disney. Disney’s stock price is similarly higher than most competitors, currently hovering around $100 [8]. The company’s price per share seems to be inextricably linked to the success of ESPN, which is struggling with subscriber losses and adapting to the future (see “Investments in Technology” section below).

Disney’s Stock Price for last two years [8]

Investments in Technology

MLB Advanced Media Logo [11]

Disney’s future focus is in technology as it attempts to revitalize ESPN and stay on the cutting edge of content creation and media. Primarily, in August the company invested $1 billion for a 33% stake in Major League Baseball’s BAMTech, a leading television streaming company. The deal included an option for Disney to take a majority stake in the company down the road. The first collaboration between the two will be BAMTech’s creation of a standalone streaming service for ESPN, which Disney hopes will help ease the network’s subscriber losses and struggling ratings. BAMTech adds 7.5 million paid subscribers across a multitude of streaming platforms to Disney’s already massive user base [9]. The investment in BAMTech isn’t completely black and white, however. Television’s trend toward skinny bundles complicates the relationship between every content producer and cable provider, with Sling, DirecTV, Hulu, and more getting into the live over-the-top business. Disney’s BAMTech investment suggests a possibility that Disney itself could run a direct-to-consumer cable distributor itself [10].

Throughout this year, rumors swirled about the possibility of Disney purchasing Snapchat, Twitter, and/or Netflix, though analysts agree: none of these are likely. Twitter’s struggle to remain profitable and stabilize its stock price creates nonstop purchase rumors, but it seems that Disney doesn’t stand to benefit much from a Twitter acquisition [11]. Snapchat has proved to be a unique outlet for Disney’s content, but doesn’t seem to be a likely purchase for the social media company [12]. Though the investment in BAMTech signifies Disney’s interest in streaming, Netflix doesn’t appear to be a perfect partner, either. Netflix’s dominance in the streaming market has waned as challengers such as Amazon and Apple have stolen subscribers [13].

Box Office

Star Wars Moana banner [17]

After the November 23 release of Moana, Disney is nearing $2.5B in total domestic box office gross for 2016 [14]. With the top four grossing films of 2016 thus far (Finding Dory, Captain America: Civil War, The Jungle Book, and Zootopia), the company topped $6B in worldwide box office gross for the first time in its history [15]. This new record will only increase as Moana and Doctor Strange continue to screen and Disney’s final 2016 film releases: the newest film, Rogue One. Beyond the box office, movies like Star Wars, Finding Dory, and Moana provide massive profits in merchandising, both in America and abroad. In 2013, Disney merchandise sales brought in over $40B.

Theme Parks

On June 16, Disney’s fourth international theme park opened in Shanghai, with the tagline “authentically Disney, distinctly Chinese” [16]. The company avoided western branding and symbols by changing street names within the park and by filling the concessions with 70% Chinese food. Traditional Disney characters can be seen wearing traditionally Chinese silk costumes and speaking the native language. The Shanghai Disney Resort seeks to take advantage of the massive potential offered by China and the wider Asian market.

Shanghai Disney Resort [18]

Conclusion

Despite Disney’s losses in television, its massive successes at the box office in 2016 have made up for it. The control of Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar promises success in the motion pictures department nearly every year. Further, Disney’s land holdings of theme parks underscore the company’s finances with physical propoerty–while most media conglomerates own intellectual property, Disney holds more tangible assets as well. The company’s investments in technology put it in a good place for the future–its theme parks’ MagicBands have already proven successful. But while the company must hope these investments pay off, it also faces the uncertain future of navigating an evolving marketplace with a new CEO. Iger’s selection of his successor is by far the most important storyline to follow within the massive world of Disney.

Sources

About The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved November 25, 2016. https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about/
The Data Team. June 16, 2016. The Economist. A New Disney Theme Park Opens in China. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2016/06/daily-chart-11
Johnson, Madeleine. June 16, 2016. Zacks. Your Complete Guide to All the Things Owned by Disney. Retrieved November 25, 2016. https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/220682/your-complete-guide-to-all-the-things-owned-by-disney
Carpenter, J. William. October 29, 2015. Investopedia. Top 5 Companies Owned by Disney. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/102915/top-5-companies-owned-disney.asp
Brevet, Brad. January 7, 2016. Box Office Mojo. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Becomes Highest Grossing Domestic Release of All-Time. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4142&p=.htm
Belloni, Matthew. June 22, 2016. The Hollywood Reporter. In-Depth With Disney CEO Bob Iger on China Growth, ‘Star Wars’ Reshoots and Political Plans: “A Lot of People Have Urged Me to [Run]”. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bob-iger-interview-star-wars-905320
Hirasuna, Delphine. August 7, 2009. At Issue Journal. Walt Disney’s Creative Organization Chart. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.atissuejournal.com/2009/08/07/walt-disney%E2%80%99s-creative-organization-chart/
Yahoo! Finance. The Walt Disney Company (DIS). Retrieved November 25, 2016. https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DIS/financials?p=DIS
Brown, Maury. August 9, 2016. Forbes. Disney Buys $1B Stake In MLB’s BAMTech, To Launch ESPN Streaming Service. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2016/08/09/disney-co-makes-1-billion-investment-becomes-minority-stakeholder-in-mlbams-bamtech/#1f44b1915972
Markman, Jon. August 23, 2016. Forbes. Disney Streaming Into A Perilous Future. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmarkman/2016/08/23/disney-streaming-into-a-perilous-future/#4f34784210f7
Kafka, Peter. September 26, 2016. Recode. Why Disney won’t buy Twitter. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.recode.net/2016/9/26/13062276/disney-won-t-buy-twitter
Munarriz, Rick. April 9, 2016. The Motley Fool. Disney Isn’t Buying Netflix or Snapchat. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/09/disney-isnt-buying-netflix-or-snapchat.aspx
Cohan, Peter. October 5, 2016. Forbes. Why Walt Disney Should Not Buy Netflix. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2016/10/05/why-walt-disney-should-not-buy-netflix/#710bdc20395d
Box Office Mojo. Studio Market Share. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/?view2=yearly&view=parent&p=.htm
Tartaglione, Nancy. November 6, 2016. Deadline Hollywood. Disney Crosses $6B At Global Box Office; First Time In Studio’s History. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/11/disney-crosses-six-billion-dollars-global-box-office-studio-record-doctor-strange-finding-dory-zootopia-captain-america-1201849749/
Gardner, Hannah. June 16, 2016. USA Today. Disney’s new Shanghai park is supersized. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/06/15/disneys-new-shanghai-park-supersized/85920926/
Disney. Moana. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://movies.disney.com/moana

Paramount Pictures- Julia Dorin

Posted on February 18, 2016 by smwarren

Paramount Pictures

5555 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA. 90038

www.paramount.com

HOW IT ALL STARTED

Paramount Pictures, founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor, is the fifth oldest film studio on Earth. Along with Zukor, Paramount’s founding fathers include Jesse L. Lasky ad Cecil B. DeMille, whose innovation and determination have created an empire. Since its conception in 1912, Paramount has become one of the foremost production and distribution companies in the entertainment industry [1]. Owned by media conglomerate Viacom, Paramount maintains a solid reputation and has branched into various divisions including Paramount Animation, MTV Films, Comedy Central Films, Nickelodeon Movies and many others. Paramount has had multiple successful releases in 2016 so far and anxiously awaits the release of various new projects.

THE TEAM

Led by Chairman and Chief Executive Brad Grey, Paramount Pictures develops and produces iconic pictures such as “The Big Short”, ”The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Star Trek”, and many more. Grey took over the company in 2005, leading it to great success by finishing first in the global market in 2011, and maintaining high morale and a good reputation throughout his tenure. However as of late, Grey has faced financial trouble as the leader of Paramount, showing a substantial decrease in operating profit from last fiscal year’s $205 million to this fiscal year’s $111 million [2]. Another revered executive, Rob Moore, serves as the Vice Chairman for Paramount Pictures. Moore works to oversee the company’s Worldwide Marketing and distribution of films and television programs. Other executives include Frederick Huntsberry, Marc Evans, and Amy Powell, all who contribute to Paramount’s long-lasting success [3].

Brad Grey- CEO of Paramount Pictures [12]

FINANCES

So far this year, Paramount Pictures has acquired a total film gross of $311,567,245 from a variety of films. “Daddy’s Home” grossed a total of $150,357,137 since its release in December of 2015. “The Big Short”, also released in December of 2015 grossed $70,259,870 as well as receiving the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay. The film was also nominated for another four Oscars and four Golden Globe awards as well. Paramount also released “Anomalisa”, which was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film in the 2016 Academy Awards. Other releases such as “Zoolander 2” and “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” have contributed to Paramount’s total film gross thus far [4]. Paramount is known for some of the most grandiose pictures ever produced, such as James Cameron’s 1996 Blockbuster “Titanic”, which was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture during the year of its release. Other top notch production includes “Interstellar”, starring Matthew McConaughey, which won an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects during the 2015 Oscars.

[9]

[10]

THE FUTURE

Looking ahead, Viacom is searching for a minority investor in Paramount in order to expand its content through the help of another company. Philippe Dauman, Viacom’s Chief Executive, believes a new investor would aid in Paramount’s recently dropping stock price and decreased ratings, which is depicted by the 2015 market share of 5.9%. Ideally, Paramount is looking for a Chinese investor to expand the company’s horizons and broaden its foreign influence. With the strict censorship implemented by China’s government, a Chinese partner would be extremely helpful for Paramount’s future success due to China’s massive population being about twenty percent of the total world population. Other interested parties include high profile companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Lionsgate Entertainment who have expressed the desire to get involved with Viacom’s Paramount Pictures. However, there is some controversy surrounding a new investor due to Paramount’s decrease in net worth. Viacom paid $9.8 billions dollars to acquire Paramount in 1994, yet current predictions value the company at only $5.5 billion today [5]. 21^st Century Fox has demonstrated great interest in buying a portion of Paramount, which could be a smart business move and allow the company to begin paying off some of their debt [6].

GLOBAL EXPANSION

[11]

Paramount recently gained rights to continue sharing their content to European countries after a long investigation with the European Union. The EU charged many companies including Google with anti-trust violations, claiming that streaming services such as Sky, which were carrying Paramount programs, were unfairly inaccessible to those outside of certain territories in the European Union. After much debate, Viacom and Paramount Pictures have reached a peaceful and satisfactory conclusion with the EU, allowing the production company to continue to license their programs through premium pay-TV output license agreements. This agreement also abolishes the prospect of fines as well as establishing a basis to solve other disagreements between various entertainment companies and the European Union [7]. Symbiosis between the EU and Paramount Pictures aids the company in reaching global success and distributing their programs and films across the world.

COMING UP

As one of the most iconic companies in the industry, Paramount has produced classic films such as “The Godfather”, and with numerous new releases on the horizon, they continue to hope for more success at the box office. Anticipated releases include “Star Trek Beyond”, “Ben-Hur”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”, all of which Paramount has great hope for [8]. Huge blockbusters are essential not only to increase the company’s market share price and total gross but to maintain their outstanding reputation as well. Films such as “Star Trek Beyond” bode well for Paramount, due to the franchise’s already established consumer base, making the film a much anticipated release in the coming year.

Although Paramount Pictures has seen better days fiscally, the company still holds its head high and continues to produce and distribute projects that change the way audiences view cinema. With the implementation of a new investor combined with the already established leadership of Brad Grey and his team, Paramount will certainly make a comeback in the industry. With the increase of foreign cooperation, Paramount executives have high hopes that their company to extend beyond country borders, making their films renowned around the world.

SOURCES

[1] Paramount.com. (2016). The Paramount Story. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[2] Atkinson, C. (2016). Paramount’s Brad Grey Needs Big Success to Save his Job. New York Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[3] Paramount.com (2016). Paramount Executives. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[4] Boxofficemojo.com. (2016). Paramount Yearly Comparisons. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[5] Bond, P. (2016). Paramount’s Suitors? Here’s Seven Top Prospects. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[6] Atkinson, C. (2016). 21st Century Fox Eyes Minority Slice of Paramount Pictures. New York Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[7] Jafaar, A. (2016). Paramount Offers Concessions in EU Anti-trust Investigation. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[8] Boxofficemojo.com. (2016). Paramount Upcoming Releases. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[9] Paramount.com. (2015). Daddy’s Home Image. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[10] Wikipedia. (2015). Anomalisa Poster. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[11] Trekcore. (2015). Star Trek and Beyond Poster. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[12] Paramount.com. (2015). Brad Grey Executive Biography. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

Comcast/NBCU

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Nicholas Ross

Nick Ross

NBCUniversal Logo (Source: nbcuniversal.com)[21]

30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY – 10112
(212) 664-4444

Who They Are

NBC Universal is a subsidiary of Comcast with this article focusing primarily on the television arm of the NBC Universal family. NBC is perhaps best known for broadcast television which includes NBC Entertainment (what people think of when they think of shows like Parks and Recreation, The Office, and 30 Rock), NBC News, NBC Sports, the NBC Olympics, and Telemundo. They also have many holdings in cable including Bravo, CNBC, E!, the Esquire Network, the Golf Channel, MSNBC, NBC Sports Network, Oxygen, Syfy, The Weather Channel, and the USA Network. NBCU also owns three TV production studios which include Universal Television, Universal Cable Productions, and Telemundo Studios. Beyond the network level of the company, NBCU also has various regional television holdings. They own twenty-eight NBC and Telemundo local stations as well as ten NBC sports regional networks across the country. NBCU is also a partner in the video streaming site Hulu.[1]

NBCU Holdings (Source: tvmediainsights.com) [23]

Key Executives [1]

Matt Bond
Chairman, Content Distribution

Steve Burke
CEO

Patricia Fili-Krushel
Executive Vice President

Cesar Conde
Chairman, NBCU International Group & Telemundo Enterprises

Robert Greenblatt
Chairman, NBC Entertainment

History

NBC History (Source: Rocketland Photography/Pinterest) [24]

NBC Universal traces its roots to the National Broadcasting Company. NBC was founded in 1926 as a radio broadcasting company by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA).[2] NBC is the oldest major broadcast network in the United States. They began television broadcasts in the late 1930s as one of the first major television networks. NBC Universal was formed when NBC and Universal merged in 2004.[3] The new company was owned by General Electric and Vivendi. Then, in 2009, Comcast announced plans to buy a controlling 51% stake in NBCU. [4] The deal went through and GE owned 49% of the company following the acquisition. In March of 2013, GE divested its stake resulting in Comcast owning 100% of the company. [5] Comcast continues to own the entirety of NBC Universal to this day.

Financial

Comcast stock has been on the rise over the past three months. As a whole, the stock has climbed by about $5. In their 2015 Quarter 3 earnings report on October 27, NBC Universal has also been doing well as part of the Comcast portfolio.[6] NBCU revenue increased 20.8% and NBC ranked as number one among adults 18-49 for the fifth summer in a row. NBC also won the opening two weeks of the broadcast season for the fourth straight year among adults 18-49.

Stock price chart for Comcast over the past three months.

Comcast stock prices over the past three months. (Source: Google/Yahoo Finance)[22]

What’s New for NBCU

Seeso

The biggest story right now for NBCU is the imminent launch of their new internet streaming comedy service called Seeso. The service launches on December 3 in a public beta.[7] Users will be able to sign up with an e-mail address and the service will be free for the first month. After this initial beta, the service will cost just $3.99 per month.[8] Rather than targeting broader demographics as services like Netflix or Amazon Prime do, Seeso aims to target a more narrow market: comedy fans. NBC hopes to use the service to mine the value of its comedy programming like Saturday Night Live, and all of its late-night comedy programming.[9] This service won’t just recycle content that’s already aired, however. Its biggest selling point is the original content. The service will launch with 20 original programs in its first year alone. Dan Harmon, best known for creating NBC’s Community and Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty,[10] will be a driving force behind the creation of original content for Seeso.[9] Beta members will also get access to a live stand-up comedy special “The Guest List: Live From The Barrel House” which will stream on December 8^th, exclusively on Seeso.7 NBCU mentions that the service will be available in full in January including access to connected devices, however it does not specify which devices (AppleTV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, etc.) it will be available on.

Video: NBCU/Seeso [7]

Expanded Streaming Options

Amazon’s Fire TV (Source: idownloadblog.com) [25]

Over-the-top services are the story right now for NBCUniversal. In October, Amazon and NBCU were rumored to be in talks about creating a live-streaming option on Amazon’s popular Fire TV platform for NBC content.[11] The option would allow users to access NBC content live as well as on-demand via Amazon’s set top box. Nothing has yet been confirmed by either Amazon or NBCU, however just a few weeks ago, CBS launched its “All Access” service which allows for CBS on-demand and live content on the Fire TV.[12] It is more than likely that NBC will be soon to follow. Important to note is that NBC News already has an Amazon Fire TV app which allows for viewing of live and on-demand content, but this applies only to news content.[13] It does not include NBC’s vast collection of entertainment content. The rumored new application would allow for the entire NBC collection as well as expanded live programming options.

Fall TV Lineup/Cancellations

The Player Poster (Source: NBCUniversal) [26]

As NBC looked forward at the beginning of its fall season, they were counting on old, reliable shows to bring them the numbers they’d gotten in the past. As usual, The Voice, The Biggest Loser, and Dateline returned as perennially successful programs.[14] Sunday Night Football also continues to be number one in primetime ratings and will continue to be broadcast through the fall season. NBC’s fall slate of shows, however, has seen relatively low ratings across the board.[15] The Player, receiving a dismal 0.83 rating, already had its order reduced from thirteen episodes to nine before being cancelled.[16] Truth Be Told (0.63) and Undateable (0.77) are already airing Friday nights and are likely next on the NBC chopping block. Grimm is pulling a 0.98 rating on Fridays and is still hanging on in its fifth season. No word yet on its cancellation.

The Wiz! Live

David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion (Source: NBCU/AdAge) [19]

Well known for its past live events, NBC is now producing The Wiz! Live to air on December 3^rd.[17] In the past, NBC has produced Peter Pan Live, and The Sound of Music Live to fairly good ratings (2.4 and 4.6 respectively[18]) and they hope to capitalize on this “live event” success with The Wiz!. Starring Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier, Stephanie Mills, Common, and newcomer Shanice Williams as Dorothy, the star power is there for a good event.[19] NBC has also secured a variety of sponsorships for the broadcast with some of the same sponsors who funded past live events returning again. The live event should have very little in the way of competition in its Thursday night time slot.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

A perennial ratings boon for NBC, the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade did not disappoint in 2015. The three-hour event drew a 12.6 rating, the highest of any program all season.[20] The broadcast also pulled in a 7.0 rating among adults 18-49 which is up slightly from the previous year’s broadcast.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Source: forthemommas.com) [27]

Footnotes

[1] NBC Universal Business – Corporate Site. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://www.nbcuniversal.com/business/

[2] Various Authors. September 1926. Announcing The National Broadcasting Company, Inc. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://earlyradiohistory.us/1926nbc.htm

[3] NBC Universal Careers – Credo & History. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.nbcunicareers.com/our-company/credo-history

[4] Goldman, David. December 3, 2009. GE, Comcast announce joint NBC deal. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/03/news/companies/comcast_nbc/index.htm

[5] Lieberman, David. March 19, 2013. Comcast Completes Acquisition Of GE’s 49% Stake In NBCUniversal. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://deadline.com/2013/03/comcast-completes-acquisition-nbcuniversal-457181/

[6] October 27, 2015. COMCAST REPORTS 3RD QUARTER 2015 RESULTS. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://www.cmcsa.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=938550

[7] NBCUniversal – Seeso Is Coming. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/seeso-coming

[8] Jarvey, Natalie. October 15, 2015. NBCUniversal to Launch Comedy Streaming Service Seeso. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbcuniversal-launch-comedy-streaming-service-832351

[9] Littleton, Cynthia. October 30, 2015. Upright Citizens Brigade, Dan Harmon Drive Originals Strategy For NBCUniversal’s Seeso. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/dan-harmon-upright-citizens-brigade-nbcuniversal-comedy-seeso-1201630545/

[10] IMDB Page – Dan Harmon. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1363595/

[11] Risley, James. October 7, 2015. Amazon rumored to be in talks with CBS, NBCUniversal for live streaming TV. Retrieved November 28, 2015. http://www.geekwire.com/2015/amazon-rumored-to-be-in-talks-with-cbs-nbcuniversal-for-live-streaming-tv/

[12] Fingas, Jon. November 23, 2015. CBS’ streaming video service comes to Amazon’s Fire TV. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.engadget.com/2015/11/23/cbs-all-access-on-amazon-fire-tv/

[13] Amazon Fire TV Product Page. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-DV83YW-Fire-TV/dp/B00U3FPN4U

[14] Kissell, Rick. June 2, 2014. NBC Announces Fall Premiere Dates for New, Returning Series. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/nbc-announces-fall-premiere-dates-for-new-returning-series-1201207308/

[15] December 1, 2015. NBC Renew/Cancel standings, week 10: ‘Grimm’ need not be scared yet. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/12/01/nbc-renewcancel-standings-week-10-grimm-need-not-be-scared-yet/

[16] Friedlander, Whitney. October 23, 2015. NBC Cuts Episode Order for Wesley Snipes Thriller ‘The Player’. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/the-player-cancelled-nbc-wesley-snipes-1201621293/

[17] Gajewski, Ryan. November 2, 2015. Watch NBC’s ‘The Wiz Live!’ Teaser: “There Is No Place Like Home”. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/watch-nbcs-wiz-live-teaser-836259

[18] Kissell, Rick. December 5, 2014. ‘Peter Pan Live’ Ratings: Not ‘Sound of Music’ Big But Strong for NBC Thursday. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/peter-pan-live-ratings-not-sound-of-music-big-but-strong-for-nbc-thursday-1201371871/

[19] Crupi, Anthony. November 30, 2015. NBC’s ‘Wiz’ to Ease On Down the Road with Reddi-Wip. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://adage.com/article/media/nbc-ease-road-reddi-wip/301515/

[20] Porter, Rick. November 27, 2015. Macy’s Thanksgiving parade draws big ratings for NBC. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/11/27/macys-thanksgiving-parade-draws-big-ratings-for-nbc/

[21] NBCUniversal Corporate Website. Retrieved November 30, 2015. http://www.nbcuniversal.com/

[22] Google Finance – CMCSA. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ:CMCSA

[23] Berman, Mark. July 15, 2015. NBC Universal Portfolio Closes Upfront Selling at a Reported $6 Billion. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.tvmediainsights.com/highlights/nbc-universal-portfolio-closes-upfront-selling-at-a-reported-6-billion/

[24] History of NBC Logos – Pinterest. Retrieved December 1, 2015. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/401946335463790603/

[25] Zibreg, Christian. April 2, 2014. Amazon unveils its Apple TV competitor: meet the $99 Fire TV set-top box. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.idownloadblog.com/2014/04/02/amazon-firetv/

[26] Tallerico, Brian. September 21, 2015. TV REVIEW: NBC LAUNCHES THREE NEW DRAMAS IN “BLINDSPOT,” “THE PLAYER,” “HEROES REBORN”. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://www.rogerebert.com/demanders/tv-review-nbc-launches-three-new-dramas-in-blindspot-the-player-heroes-reborn

[27] 2015 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Retrieved December 1, 2015. http://forthemommas.com/thanksgiving/2015-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade

Netflix

Posted on October 5, 2014 by mmueller

by Micaela Mueller

Company Logo – www.netflix.com

100 Winchester Circle, Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 540-3700

Executives [1]

Reed Hastings, Founder and CEO

David Wells, CFO

Twani Cranz, Chief Talent Officer

Kelly Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer

About [2]

Netflix is an international public company that allows users to stream movies and television shows online with a monthly subscription. They also offer rentals by mail for an additional cost and produce their own original programming.

History

Courtesy of postalnews.com

Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph founded Netflix in 1997 as an online movie rental service. In 2007, Netflix introduced streaming services that allowed members to use personal computers to instantly watch movies and television shows online. In 2012, Netflix began producing original content and became the first Internet TV network to be nominated for the primetime Emmy with 31 nominations in 2013 [3]. Currently in 2014, Netflix has over 53 million members in nearly 50 countries worldwide and accounts for more than 34 percent of the peak wired download traffic in North America [4].

Financials

Netflix is publically held. According to the company’s 2014 third quarter report, it has $1,223 billion in total revenue, a 27% increase from the same quarter of the previous year. The company reported a 20% increase in domestic revenue from the same quarter of the previous year and a 47% increase in international revenue due to their expanded global market. Netflix predicts a 6% increase in total revenue and an additional 4 million subscribers by the end of the fourth quarter, bringing their total revenue up to $1,305 billion and their global membership to 57 million. Netflix’s two major competitors are Hulu and Amazon [5].

Courtesy of finance.yahoo.com

Over a 3-month period, Netflix’s highest share price was $484.39. However, after a massive 25% drop on October 16^th, the price dropped to $361.70 and eventually reached it’s lowest share price of $346.59 on November 30^th [6].

The 25% drop in share price occurred a day after Netflix reported that the company’s subscriber growth was below the original forecast. Netflix speculates that the subscriber growth was lower than anticipated as a result of the increased price for membership that was announced in May 2014 [7]. The price increased $1 from $7.99 to $8.99 monthly [8].

Recent News

International Expansion

Courtesy of gigaom.com

For the past couple of years, Netflix has been working to increase their international presence. Since 2012, Netflix has been available internationally in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden and in the Netherlands since 2013. In September of 2014, Netflix announced that streaming services are now available to subscribers in Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg via all devices with Internet access including computers, smartphones, and video game consoles [9].

Then, in November of 2014, Netflix announced, that by March of 2015, it will expand into New Zealand and Australia [10].

Netflix and Nielsen

Since its start in 1997, the company has never released how many people watch each show on Netflix. The company claims that because their revenue comes from subscribers and not advertisers, the only number that matters is their subscriber count. The company’s decision bothers networks such as HBO, Showtime, and Starz, who also rely on subscribers and not advertisers, but who have their ratings recorded by Nielsen [11].

However, according to the Wall Street Journal, Nielsen is going to start measuring viewership for streaming services like Netflix. Starting next month, Nielsen will use already existing in-home metering devices to record Netflix viewership without the need of the company’s permission. Nielsen, however, will not be able to record viewership via mobile devices, a platform heavily used for Netflix streaming [12].

Recent Original Content

Netflix started producing original programming in 2012 with the release their first series Lilyhammer starring former Sopranos star Steven Van Zandt [13]. Since then, the company has produced a number of successes such as Orange is the New Black, winning 3 Primetime Emmy Awards [14], and House of Cards, winning 4 Primetime Emmy Awards [15].

Courtesy of netflix.com

In addition to producing their own content, Netflix picks up dropped on-the-air television shows and continues to produce them. Arrested Development, for example, was off the air for a number of years before Netflix produced its fourth season in 2013. In August of 2014, the network confirmed that it will be producing a fifth season in the coming year [16].

On June 19, 2014, Netflix announced the company’s pairing with Chelsea Handler to produce a Netflix original comedy talk show. Handler decided to pair with Netflix in order to keep herself new and interesting. The talk show will debut in early 2016 [17]. However, on October 10^th, the network premiered a stand up comedy performance from Handler’s latest comedy tour, Uganda Be Kidding Me, as her debut to Netflix [18].

Looking Ahead

Film

Courtesy of imdb.com

On September 30, 2014, Netflix announced their pairing with the Weinstein Company to release their first original movie. The movie will be a sequel to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, a 2002 martial-arts epic movie directed by Ang Lee, also the director of Life of Pi and Brokeback Mountain [19]. The sequel will be titled Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend and will be directed by Yuen Wo-ping. It will be produced by Harvey Weinstein, Academy Award winner for The King’s Speech, Peter Berg, Emmy Award winner for Friday Night Lights, and Sarah Aubrey, producer of Lone Survivor. The film tells a martial arts story where good and evil battle for the fate of the Martial World. Major stars of the film will include Harry Shum Jr., Jason Scott Lee, Roger Yuan, and Eugenia Yuan [20]. It will be released and available to all subscribers on August 28, 2015 as well as in select global IMAX theaters [21].

Days later, on October 2^nd, Netflix announced a deal they made with Adam Sandler, comedy actor and founder of Happy Madison Productions [22]. Sandler, alongside Happy Madison Productions, committed to acting and producing four films exclusively available through Netflix. The first movie could come as early as late 2015 and currently has no theatrical component [23].

Television

Courtesy of netflix.com

Netflix will be premiering two original programming pieces on December 12, 2014. The first is Marco Polo, a series centered on Marco Polo’s exploration during the time of the 13^th century war in China and will be produced by The Weinstein Company [24].

The second is a stand-up comedy special, American Ham, with actor Nick Offerman, known for his role in NBS’s Parks and Recreation. The special will appear in the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland [25].

The company will continue their original series in 2016 with a relationship sitcom called Love. Judd Apatow, known for producing Knocked Up and 40-Year-Old Virgin, will co-write and produce this Netflix original series [26].

Courtesy of joblo.com

Another sitcom in the works is Grace and Frankie, starring Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. The show is targeted to premier in summer 2015 [27].

Sources

[1] “Officers and Directors”, ir.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[2] “Company Overview”, pr.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[3] “Company Timeline”, pr.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[4] “Netflix Crowned King of Streaming With More Than a Third of Peak Traffic”, Time Magazine, 5/14/14, RT: 11/29/14

[5] “Letter to Shareholders”, ir.netflix.com, 10/15/14, RT: 11/29/14

[6] “Netflix, Inc.”, Yahoo!Finance, RT: 11/30/14

[7] “Netflix Shares tank 20% on Weak Results”, CNN Money, RT: 11/29/14

[8] “A Quick Update on Our Streaming Plans and Prices”, blog.netflix.com, 5/9/14, RT: 11/29/14

[9] “Netflix Launches in Belgium and Luxembourg”, Multichannel News,9/9/14, RT: 11/29/14

[10] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 11/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[11] “How Much Longer Can Netflix Keep Ratings a Secret?”, Forbes, 9/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[12] “We’re Still a Long Way Away From Knowing How Many People Watch Netflix and Amazon Shows”, vulture.com, 11/20/14, RT: 11/29/14

[13] “Lilyhammer, Netflix’s First Original Show, Available to Watch Online Now”, Huffington Post, 2/6/12, RT: 11/29/14

[14] “Orange is the New Black Awards”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[15] “House of Cards Awards”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[16] “Will Arnett Confirms ‘Arrested Development’ Season 5 Is Happening”, Huffington Post, 8/8/14, RT: 11/29/14

[17] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 6/19/14 RT: 11/29/14

[18] “Chelsea Handler to Launch Netflix Talk Show”, CBS News, 6/19/14, RT: 11/29/14

[19] “Ang Lee”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[20] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 9/30/14, RT: 11/29/14

[21] “Netflix to Release First Original Movie”, Time Magazine, 9/30/14, RT: 11/29/14

[22] “Adam Sandler”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[23] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 10/2/14, RT: 11/29/14

[24] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 4/8/14, RT: 11/29/14

[25] “Netflix Sets Premiere for Nick Offerman’s ‘American Ham’ Stand-up Comedy Special”, bostonherald.com, 11/24/14, RT: 11/29/14

[26] “Netflix (NFLX) to Stream Original Content Love in 2016”, zacks.com, 9/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[27] “Netflix Orders Comedy Series to Star Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin”, Variety 3/19/14, RT: 11/29/14

iHeartMedia INC.

Link

by Michael Rubloff

Contact Information:

iHeartMedia INC. 200 East Basse Road, San Antonio, Texas, 78209 (210) 822-2828

Company History

iHeartMedia INC. was founded in 1972 with the purchase of a first FM channel in San Antonio under the name of Clear Channel Communications. iHeartMedia expanded over the course of thirty years, and by 1995 owned forty-three radio stations. However, with the Telecommunications Act of 1996, iHeartMedia radically expanded and added several stations. Currently, iHeartMedia owns eight hundred-fifty radio stations in the United States that reaches 150 markets. In September 2014, Clear Channel Communications rebranded itself as iHeartMedia INC. [1]

Clear Channel Logo [2]

iHeartMedia INC. logo [3]

On September 16th, 2014 Clear Channel made a massive commitment to the future by rebranding to iHeartMedia INC. The former name Clear Channel was derived from an AM channel and is no longer relevant. iHeartRadio however, is a massive source of entertainment for millions of people. iHeartMedia better reflects what Clear Channel had built and its goals for the future. iHeartMedia also felt that its name was not well known compared to other services such as Spotify and Pandora even though iHeartRadio provided millions of people everyday with entertainment. This move was made in order to make the brand and the product more synonymous with each other.

Corporate Leaders:

Robert Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia INC. [2]

Robert Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Richard J. Bressler, President and CFO of iHeartMedia INC. [2]

Richard J. Bressler, President and CFO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Wendy Goldberg- Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

Wendy Goldberg, Executive Vice President and CCO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Gayle Troberman, Executive Vice President and CMO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Financials:

iHeartMedia is a publically traded company in the OTC market (IHRT). Over the past year the stock has remained relatively stable with a year low of $6.10 and a high at $9.40. The high occurred in the week after the announcement of the rebranding to iHeartMedia.[5] Previously, the ticker for Clear Channel was CCO. In its third quarter report, iHeartMedia reported that revenues were up three percent to 1.6 billion dollars. [6]

Past Six Months of Stock Values of iHeartMedia [3]

Past Six Months of Stock Values of iHeartMedia [5]

Competitors:

iHeartMedia’s long-standing rivals have been CBS Radio and Cumulus Media. However, in the past ten years with the emergence of Satellite Radio, Sirius XM has taken over as iHeartMedia’s biggest rival in terms of revenue. iHeartMedia has permeated SiriusXM, as two of the stations featured on SiriusXM, Z100 and Kiis 102.7, are owned by iHeartMedia.

Pandora Logo [7]

Now that iHeartMedia is putting a focus on its online music service, iHeartRadio, it now competes with Spotify, Pandora, iTunes Radio, and Google Play. In this field iHeartRadio has a great deal of catching up to do as Spotify and Pandora dominate the online streaming market.

However, iHeartMedia has an advantage over its competitors because it crosses over multiple platforms. For instance, Other radio giants such as Cumulus or Sirius are limited to their radio stations. On the other hand, Pandora and Spotify are limited to their apps or their website. iHeartMedia is able to cross between these two platforms in order to better serve their customers desires. Because of this, it is able to capitalize on where its competitors are limited.

Events:

iHeartMedia is known for its excellence in creating live events directly catered to specific demographics. On October 2nd, it announced the first ever iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, a massive concert aimed at Latin music fans.[8] It took place on November 22nd, and was a massive success. This experimental event seems to have been a good investment for iHeartMedia as their Spanish and English radio stations reach “93 percent of Hispanics monthly” [9].

iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina logo [10]

The Fiesta Latina is the newest addition to iHeartMedia’s collection of live events including the Jingle Ball Concert Tour, Country Festival, and the iHeartRadio Music Festival. While it remains to be seen if the Fiesta Latina will be made into an annual event, it most likely will given its success. One week later, on October 9th, the lineups and locations of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour were announced. This annual tour has become one of the year’s most exciting events. The tour will begin on Sunday, November 30th and finish on Monday, December 22nd. This event is supposed to cater to listeners of the top40 stations on iHeartRadio and reflect what listeners want to see. This year the New York City concert will be streamed exclusively on Yahoo.com for fans who are unable to attend.[11]

October 2014:

October was a busy month for iHeartMedia as it made several business announcements. On October 7th, iHeartMedia announced a $200 million partnership with Omnicom to develop a multi platform device that will give insight into iHeartMedia’s events as well as technologies.[12]

While this will help Omnicom better target customers, the real winner is iHeartMedia. This deal is dangerous for iHeartMedia’s competitors because this project will allow iHeartMedia to see how it can improve on its multi platform features. Essentially, iHeartMedia will continue to widen the gap between what Pandora and Cumulus are able to do. This will help iHeartMedia become a more versatile company and extend its already industry leading reach.[12]

The next day on October 8th, iHeartRadio announced that it would be available on Android Wear beginning on October 15th. This represents another step forward for the integration of iHeartRadio in technology as iHeartRadio had already announced integration with “Amazon’s Fire Phone, Amazon’s Fire TV, Android Auto, Google’s Chromecast, Apple’s CarPlay, Samsung’s Gear 2 Smartwatch, Qualcomm’s AllPlay and new auto partnerships with Subaru, AT&T Drive, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia and Volvo” [13] earlier this year. By spreading across to different manufacturers, iHeartMedia makes itself more accessible, convenient, and well known. This strategy is directly reflective of the rebranding because it exposes more users to the services provided by iHeartMedia.

iHeartMedia did not stop there. On October 15th, Gayle Troberman was named the Chief Marketing Officer of iHeartMedia. This is a new role created with the intention to “connect them (iHeartMedia) more closely to consumers, helping integrate the company’s brands, products and platforms even more deeply into consumers’ daily lives.” [14] This is necessary after the rebranding because it will decrease the amount of time needed for consumers to become familiar with the iHeartMedia brand. This is a fantastic idea and could pay off exponentially for iHeartMedia in the coming years. iHeartMedia is doing a fantastic job of identifying what it needs to improve and is taking logical steps to ensure it remains an industry leader.

What’s in the future:

In the next year, iHeartMedia hopes to continue to reach more customers through social media, live events, and radio. It hopes that its customers will become familiar with the iHeartMedia brand and be able to connect it to popular music events, radio stations, and the iHeartMusic application.

iHeartMedia has embraced the change that is coming to the industry and appears to pioneering the way for other companies to follow it. While the long term effects of rebranding remain to be seen, it has initially been successful. In the next half year, look for iHeartMedia’s competitors to try and catch up with the ability to move across platforms.

Resources

[1] Clear Channel Becomes iHeartMedia. Published September 16, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[2] Clear Channel Logo. Published June 26, 2012. Accessed November 29th.

[3] iHeartMedia INC. Logo. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 29th.

[4] Corporate Team. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 22nd.

[5] Stock Information. Updated Daily. Accessed November 29th.

[6] Financial Report. Published October 28th, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[7] Pandora Logo. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 22nd.

[8] iHeartMedia Fiesta Latina Announcement. Published October 2nd, 2014. Accessed October 30th.

[9] iHeartMedia Factsheet. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 22nd.

[10] iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina Logo. Published November 22nd. Accessed November 29th

[11] Jingle Ball Tour. Published October 9th. Accessed November 22nd.

[12] iHeart Media Omnicom Partnership. Published October 7th, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[13] iHeartRadio Android Wear Integration. Published October 8th, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[14] Gayle Troberman named iHeartMedia’s Chief Marketing Officer. Published October 15, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

Viacom

Posted on October 5, 2014 by nawhite

by Nalae White

Viacom Inc. 1515 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

United States

Phone: (212)-258-6000

http://www.viacom.com [1]

Key Executives:

Philippe Dauman, CEO

Sumner M. Redstone, Founder & Executive Chairman

Thomas E. Dooley, COO

Wade Davis, CFO

Company Overview:

Viacom Inc. is an American mass media company that mainly produces films and cable television shows. Viacom is the fifth largest broadcasting and cable company in the country. Their network reaches approximately 700 million subscribers internationally, throughout about 160 countries and territories. It is estimated that Viacom owns and operates roughly 170 networks, in addition to Paramount Studios, America’s oldest film studio and distributor. Viacom’s networks are largely content based, satisfying more niche markets. Viacom operates hundreds of online, mobile, and app experiences across a wide range of media platforms, including both traditional and new forms of media. [2]

Viacom Owned Networks [i]

Viacom’s history as an independent company has been complicated. Viacom began as a spin-off network from what was then CBS, Inc., establishing itself as a public company in 1971. In 1987, National Amusements acquired the controlling shares of Viacom, owning 83% of the company. However, in 2000, Viacom formed a $39.8 billion merger with CBS Corporation, uniting the two companies once again. Then, in 2005, the companies parted ways again and Viacom rebranded itself as Viacom Inc. Along the way, Viacom had acquired and created over 100 channels through MTV Networks and otherwise. The company has experimented with joint ventures like EPIX, partnerships with music groups like Warner Music Group, feeding into more targeted markets with channels like mtvU, and of course new and innovative ideas for creating and distributing content. [3]

Current Ongoings:

Rendering of Columbia Square [4]

Viacom recently made the decision to relocate and consolidate several of its big name networks to one building in Columbia Square on Sunset Boulevard. MTV, Spike TV, Comedy Central, and BET will all operate out of the $420 million complex within 180,000 square feet of space. The move will put the networks closer to Paramount Studios, which operates a mile from the building. Viacom’s 12-year lease states that the company will capacitate nearly the entirety of a 6-story building within the complex. The lease is the largest to be signed in Hollywood in the last 10 years. Viacom is expected to poster sizable graphics that will be visible from far distances on the building. The purchase is instrumental in what is seen as a revamping of Hollywood, with the complex being the largest “media-tenant” since the construction of the Capitol Records Tower in the 1950s. [4]

Viacom’s network continues to expand, opening new channels to satisfy new markets. This year, Viacom renewed an existing distribution deal with Hulu, an online media streaming service. The contract allows Hulu to use Viacom’s existing repertoire of cable networks to substantiate Hulu’s own library. The renewal will also allow Hulu a wider range of material to choose from, including networks that were not previously available to the streaming service before, such as MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. The deal will contribute largely to the “Hulu Kids” section of the website, reviving older series accompanied by a sense of nostalgia like “Ren & Stimpy” and “Hey Arnold!” which currently air on Viacom’s TeenNick channel. The deal also greatly amplifies the number of Viacom’s past reality shows that will be featured on Hulu. It is speculated that the deal is an attempt by Hulu to compete with Amazon Prime’s Instant Video Inventory. However, the deal barely rivals the existing subscription-streaming deal between Amazon and Viacom, which was the largest sum Amazon has paid for a streaming deal thus far.[5]

Channel 5 Logo [ii]

Viacom has, additionally, closed a £450 million deal, acquiring UK’s Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited from Northern & Shell Media Group. Channel 5 and Viacom’s existing networks have begunexperimenting with joint programming, airing Nickelodeon originated shows on Channel 5, as well producing new content with children’s shows like “Nella the Knight” and a reality show called “10,000 B.C.”[6]

Recent Legal Incidents:

In 2007, Viacom filed a $1 billion lawsuit against YouTube, claiming that the website was perpetuating Copyright Infringement. The judge ruled in YouTube’s favor in 2010, and Viacom filed for an appeal. The suit litigated for a total of 6 years until in 2013, the judge ruled again that YouTube “did not have to police itself”, and that it was Viacom’s responsibility to find infringing videos and alert YouTube to their presence. In March of 2014, Viacom made the decision to cut their losses, reaching an undisclosed settlement in which no money was exchanged with Google, YouTube’s parent company. Since the settlement, the two companies have been in contact about “seizing opportunities”, with the allusion of possible collaborations and close interactions between them.[7][8]

Promotional still for VH1’s TLC Biopic, CrazySexyCool [11]

In April of 2014, Viacom was sued by Perri “Pebbles” Reid, former manager of 90’s R&B group TLC, for claims of defamation. In 2013, the 2-hour biopic “CrazySexyCool”, following the lives and fame of the popular R&B group, premiered on VH1, a channel owned by Viacom Inc. The biopic was reported to have given VH1 its highest ratings in 5 years. The lawsuit calls for $40 million in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a request to ban the movie or associated promotional materials from being publicized. Reid believes that the movie disparaged her reputation both as an entertainer and businesswoman, and that “Viacom abandoned journalistic and literary integrity and ignored fundamental canons of journalistic and literary conduct by publishing false and defamatory accusations with actual malice.” The former manager claims that she was presented as “conniving and dishonest”, as it demonstrated that she deceived her clients and robbed them of their royalty money. Reid claims that she had no control over the group’s lawyer’s or accountants. Viacom has refused to comment. [9][10][11]

In February of 2013, Cablevision filed an antitrust lawsuit against Viacom, alleging illegal channel tying during program negotiations; Cablevision claims that Viacom threatened a “10 figure penalty” if Cablevision did not agree to carry smaller suites in addition to must-have cable programming. Viacom counters that the “10 figure penalty” in question is the difference between standard rates and a negotiation between Viacom and Cablevision as the result of “good-faith negotiations” since the two have worked together in the past. The lawsuit was filed three months after a carriage deal between Cablevision and Viacom. Viacom moved to have the case dismissed, however the judge ruled that there was viable evidence on Cablevision’s behalf to review an antitrust claim. There is no trial date set.[12]

Financial Information

Fiscal 2014 Report:

Revenues: $13.78B

Adjusted Operating Income: $4.13B

Adjusted Net Earnings: $2.38B

Adjusted Diluted EPS: $5.4M

Viacom’s fiscal year came to a close on September 30^th, 2014. The company demonstrated an impressive fiscal year. While Viacom’s total revenue showed a negligible change in comparison to the previous year, other factors were notable. Both the company’s Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share reached all time highs, rising 5% and 15% respectively. The company’s Adjusted Net Earnings also increased by 3.8% from the previous year.[13]

Sources:

1 Yahoo! Finance: Viacom Financial Profile Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

²Viacom Website: About Viacom Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

3 Viacom Timeline: History of Viacom Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

4 LA Times: Viacom Signs 12-Year Lease at Columbia Square in Hollywood Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

5 LA Times: Hulu Extends Streaming Deal With Viacom, Expands Library Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

6 Viacom News: Viacom Closes Acquisition of Channel 5 Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

7 Bloomberg BusinessWeek Technology: Viacom Gives Up On Its YouTube Copyright Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

8 Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Viacom and Google Settle YouTube Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

9 Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Former TLC manager sues Viacom For Defamation Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

10 The Root: Pebbles Files $40,000,000 Lawsuit Against Viacom Over TLC Biopic Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

11 Eurweb: TLC Biopic Gives VH1 Its Highest Ratings in 5 Years Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

12 The Hollywood Reporter: Viacom Can’t Escape Cablevision’s Antitrust Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

13 4^th Quarter ’14 Earnings Press Release: Viacom Reports Record Profit For Fiscal 2014 Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

Photo Sources:

i Stop the Cap: Viacom Demands 100% Rate Increases Date Acquired: December 1st, 2014

ii Deadline.com: Channel 5 Sale Speculations Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

Hulu

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Caroline Soss

By Caroline Soss

Photo courtesy of: [1] www.crunchbase.com

ADDRESS

12312 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064 [2]

CONTACT

Phone (310) 570-4700
Website www.hulu.com
Twitter @hulu

PROFILE

Hulu is an over-the-top video service provider streaming on-demand programming from NBC, ABC, A&E, AMC, FOX, The CW, MTV and more.

Hulu offers advertisement-supported free programming with limited commercial interruption on its website Hulu.com. Regular advertisers include Johnson & Johnson, McDonald’s, Microsoft, GEICO and Target.

Photo courtesy of: [4] www.vulture.com

For a monthly fee of $7.99, Hulu Plus subscribers can stream unlimited premium and exclusive content from any Hulu+ enabled device. These devices include smart televisions, game consoles, smartphones/tablets and media players like Apple TV and Roku [3].

Hulu delivers over 70,400 hours of video from 514 different content partners [5]. Hulu streams popular TV shows such as FAMILY GUY, SCANDAL, THE VOICE, PARKS AND RECREATION, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART [6] and more than 800 films from The Criterion Collection [7].

Photo courtesy of: [6] www.hulu.com

Hulu also produces its own original content like DEADBEAT, EAST LOS HIGH, THE AWESOMES and THE HOTWIVES OF ORLANDO [8].

Watch Hulu’s promo for their 2014 Originals here. Video courtesy of: [9] www.hulu.com.

Hulu.com was launched in 2008 as a joint venture between Comcast’s NBCUniversal and News Corporation [10]. Today, NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Company’s Disney-ABC Television Group and 21st Century Fox’s Fox Broadcasting Company together own Hulu’s online subscription service [11].

As of February 2014, Hulu reported more than five million Hulu+ subscribers and thirty million monthly free service users [12] with over four billion videos streamed in 2013 [13].

KEY EXECUTIVES

CEO Mike Hopkins, photo courtesy of: [14] www.engadget.com

Last October, Hulu replaced its acting CEO with Mike Hopkins, former President of Distribution at Fox for five years [14]. Within weeks of joining the company, Hopkins hired Disney’s Elaine Paul as CFO [11]. In February 2014, Hopkins hired NBC’s Peter Naylor as SVP of Advertising Sales [13] and Sony’s Tiam Lim as Chief Technology Officer [12]. In March 2014, Disney’s Tim Connolly joined the company as Head of Distribution [15]. In April 2014, Warner Bros.’ Craig Erwich was hired as Hulu’s SVP and Head of Content [16].

FINANCIALS

Hulu is a privately held company and not required to publicly release its financial information. However, CEO Mike Hopkins reported Hulu earning one billion dollars in annual revenue at the end of last year [17]. In 2013, Hulu’s owners (Comcast, Disney and 21st Century Fox) also dropped offers to sell Hulu and instead invested $750 million dollars into the company [11].

Photo courtesy of: [18] www.techcrunch.com

FOCUS IN THE U.S.

In February 2014, Hulu sold its Japanese subsidiary to Tokyo-based Nippon Television Network Corporation. Since 2011, Hulu had streamed 13,000+ videos from fifty different American and European content providers to Japan. While Hulu will continue to make its content and brand available for use by Nippon TV as well as provide infrastructure service to the Japanese company, Hulu will focus on the U.S. rather than internationally [19].

MULTI-PLATFORM

Hulu aims to operate on all types of platforms with 50% of Hulu+ subscribers streaming solely on devices [17].

Photo courtesy of: [21] blog.hulu.com

In April 2014, Amazon.com launched Amazon Fire TV – the company’s new set-top box/game console hybrid positioned to replace media players like Apple TV, Roku and Xbox [20].

Amazon Fire TV streams not only Amazon’s own online video subscription service (Amazon Prime) but also partner on-demand services, including Hulu Plus. Hulu promises the “most enhanced and updated version of the Hulu Plus Living Room experience on Amazon Fire TV” [21]. Further, Amazon added Hulu Plus to the list of services available through voice search by speaking into the Fire TV remote – making Hulu even easier to utilize on this new platform [22].

NEW CONTENT

Hulu is continuing to grow its content library with both current season television and original programming [17].

Photo courtesy of: [23] blog.hulu.com

In April 2014, CEO Mike Hopkins announced Hulu will be exclusively streaming NBCUniversal-produced THE MINDY PROJECT and Golden Globe-winning comedy BROOKLYN NINE-NINE as well as popular series like KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS and TOP CHEF. These high-in-demand hit programs will not be available to competitors Netflix or Amazon Prime, ultimately giving Hulu monopoly control over more content [23].

Hulu also recently acquired the rights to stream ELEMENTARY, the highly rated CBS drama starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu [24], and popular CBS classics like THE BRADY BRUNCH and CHEERS.

Photo courtesy of: [25] blog.hulu.com

Hulu is expanding its library of popular TV shows from past decades [25]. This may be a tactic to keep fairly older viewers, who grew up with this content, entertained; 60% of Hulu subscribers fall between the ages of 18 and 49 years old with an average age of 39 [26].

Photo courtesy of: [26] www.hulu.com/advertising

However, the Nielsen Company will continue excluding broadband-only households, a large total of Hulu Plus viewership, in the ratings for the 2014-2015 television season [27].

ORIGINAL CONTENT

Hulu developed twenty original series in 2013 and plans to launch twenty more this year [28]. Hulu’s original shows THE AWESOMES, BEHIND THE MASK and THE WRONG MANS were among the top ten weekly shows watched on Hulu when they aired in 2013 and were all recently renewed for another season in 2014 [17].

New in 2014, Hulu’s original comedy series DEADBEAT, starring Tyler Labine, is receiving strong reviews from Variety, the New York Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer since its premiere [29]. All ten episodes of the show’s first season were uploaded to Hulu on April 9th, 2014, and only hours later DEADBEAT as dubbed “Hulu’s best show yet” [30].

Photo courtesy of: [29] www.hulu.com

DEADBEAT follows Kevin Pacalioglu (Tyler Labine), a lazy stoner who can see the dead and becomes a freelance medium to pay his rent, helping ghosts move on to the afterlife by competing in eating contests and proposition their ex-girlfriends.

Watch the DEADBEAT series trailer here. Video courtesy of: [31] www.hulu.com.

Critics, however, argue that Hulu being owned by television companies may explain why competitor Netflix is still spending so much more than Hulu on original programming [32].

TV EVERYWHERE

In the past year, Hulu has hired 260 new employees to complete a staff of more than 725 members with plans to continue growing the company [17].

As public interest in more convenient Internet TV Everywhere services grows, analysts predict subscribers may more easily authenticate their pay services through a social media account like Facebook or Twitter – a business tactic that may be in Hulu’s near future [33].

SOURCES

[1] Hulu CrunchBase Profile. CrunchBase. RT: 4/18/14

[2] Company Overview of Hulu, LLC. Bloomberg BusinessWeek. RT: 4/18/14

[3] Hulu – About. Hulu.com. RT: 4/18/14

[4] “Streaming Scorecard: Is Hulu Plus Still the TV King?” Vulture. RT: 4/19/14

[5] “Hulu Names Warner Bros. TV’s Craig Erwich Head of Content.” Variety. RT: 4/18/14

[6] Hulu Popular TV Shows. Hulu.com. RT: 4/20/14

[7] “‘The Great Beauty’ Debuts Only on Hulu Plus.” Blog.hulu.com. RT: 4/19/14

[8] “A New Year With New Hulu Originals.” Blog.hulu.com. RT: 4/19/14

[9] Hulu Promos 2014 Hulu Originals. Hulu.com. RT: 4/20/14

[10] “Hulu Opens to Public.” Hulu.com. RT: 4/18/14

[11] “Hulu Hires Disney’s Elaine Paul as CFO.” Variety. RT: 4/18/14

[12] “A World-Class Builder Joins the Hulu Ranks.” Blog.hulu.com. RT: 4/18/14

[13] “A Big Sales Win – Welcome Peter Naylor.” Blog.hulu.com RT: 4/18/14

[14] “Hulu officially announces its new CEO, former Fox exec Mike Hopkins.” Engadget. RT: 4/18/14

[15] “Hulu Hires Disney’s Tim Connolly as Head of Distribution.” Variety. RT: 4/18/14

[16] “Hulu Original Series Chief Departs Amid New Programming Push.” The Hollywood Reporter. RT: 4/18/14

[17] “A Strong 2013.” Blog.hulu.com. RT: 4/18/14

[18] “The Second Screen Becomes The First Screen: Hulu Says 50% Of Its 5M Subscribers Use Devices Exclusively.” TechCrunch. RT: 4/18/14

[19] “Hulu Says Sayonara, Sells Off Japanese Unit to Nippon TV.” TechCrunch. RT: 4/18/14

[20] “Amazon Fire TV review: the set-top that tries to do everything.” Engadget. RT: 4/19/14

[21] “Hulu Plus on Amazon Fire TV.” Blog.hulu.com. RT: 4/19/14

[22] “Amazon Fire TV’s voice search expands to cover Hulu Plus and Showtime, but not Netflix.” Engadget. RT: 4/19/14

[23] “We’re Flipping Out for NBCU Library Shows Only on Hulu Plus.” Blog.hulu.com. RT: 4/19/14

[24] “Hulu Plus Acquires Subscription Video on Demand Rights for Popular CBS Drama ‘ELEMENTARY.’” Business Wire. RT: 4/19/14

[25] “More CBS Shows Coming to a Hulu Plus Screen Near You.” Blog.hulu.com. RT: 4/19/14

[26] Hulu Advertising. Hulu.com. RT: 4/18/14

[27] “Nielsen Capitulates, Agrees to Withhold Broadband Households from Local Ratings – For Now.” MediaPost. RT: 4/19/14

[28] Hulu Exclusive Series. HuluMovies. RT: 4/20/14

[29] Deadbeat. Hulu.com. RT: 4/20/14

[30] “‘Deadbeat’ Is Hulu’s Best Show Yet.” Flavorwire. RT: 4/19/14

[31] Deadbeat Series Trailer. Hulu.com. RT: 4/21/14

[32] “Netflix has nothing to fear from Hulu’s sad little content expansion.” BGR. RT: 4/20/14

[33] “Hulu’s Original Content Strategy Continues to Progress Steadily.” Adweek. RT: 4/20/14

Netflix

Link

By Carly Goldstein

Company Logo

100 Winchester Circle

Los Gatos, CA 95032

(408) 540-3700

www.netflix.com

Executives [1]

Courtesy of Netflix.com

Reed Hastings, Founder and CEO

Courtesy of Netflix.com

Kelley Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer

Courtesy of Netflix.com

Tawni Cranz, Chief Talent Officer

Courtesy of Netflix.com

David Wells, Chief Financial Officer

About [2]

Courtesy of internettrailer.com

As a leader in internet television, Netflix not only allows its members to instantly stream movies and television for a monthly fee, but also provides customers with original content. Users can also choose to select and receive content through the mail for an additional monthly cost. Competitors of the service include Hulu and Amazon.

History [3]

Courtesy of http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/

Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. The company provided online movie rentals that would be delivered to the costumer’s home within several business days. In 2007, Netflix introduced streaming, allowing subscribers to instantly watch movies and television shows on their electronic devices. Netflix began to introduce original content in 2012. As of 2013, the service has over 40 million users globally.

Financials

Domestically, the company reported an increase in net additions of 2.33 million in the fourth quarter, 14% above the 2.05 million of the same quarter of the previous year.[4] Internationally, Netflix reported a net addition of 1.74 million in the fourth quarter, increasing the number of international members to 10.93 million. [4] In the coming months, Netflix aims to broaden its international presence by offering its services in Germany. [5]

Courtesy of Google Finance

In April of 2013, the company tested a new membership plan in which subscribers could simultaneously stream on four different devices for $11.99 per month. [6] Netflix continues to adjust their prices and aims to offer three different membership options for new members in the coming year. The options include the $11.99 price as well as a $6.99 subscription for those who only require instant streaming on one device.[4]

The first quarterly report of 2014 will be shared on April 21st. However, consensus estimates a dramatic increase from the first quarterly report of 2013. [7] Currently, the Netflix stock rests at 346.73.

Original Content

Courtesy of http://o.aolcdn.com/

Beginning in 2012, Netflix has produced a variety of original programming including television series, documentaries and children’s programs. Lillyhammer, a Norwegian drama starring Steven Van Zandt, is considered Netflix’s first series and premiered on February 6, 2012.[8] Other original content includes The Ropes, Bad Samaritans, Hemlock Grove, and Turbo FAST. The site has also premiered a variety of documentaries and comedy specials such as Mitt and The Square. The later was the first movie of its kind to be nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary. [9]

Courtesy of upload.wikimedia.org

Netflix also produces material that no longer has a place on television. Several years after it’s cancellation, Arrested Development was resurrected for a fourth season on the streaming service in May of 2013. [10] In 2014, the season earned a Golden Globe nomination for Jason Bateman for best actor in a comedy series. [11] Netflix will also be reviving The Killing after it’s cancellation on AMC. [12] The show’s final season will premiere on the site some time this year.

Courtesy of upload.wikimedia.org

On February 1, 2013, Netflix released House of Cards. The show, based on the English television program of the same name, follows Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, a ruthless politician who does whatever it takes to gain more political power. House of Cards also stars Robin Wright and Kate Mara. The program received favorable reviews from critics, earning 3 Emmys and a Golden Globe after its first season[13], becoming the first show of its kind to do so.

As a result of the success of the first season, Netflix ordered a second season of House of Cards which was released on February 14, 2014. Utilizing Procera Network, it was reported that 15% of users of a particular internet service viewed the first episode within 14 hours of its release, an increase from the 2% of users who watched the first episode of the first season within the premiering weekend. [14]

10 days before the premiere of the second season, Netflix announced the renewal of House of Cards for a third season. [15]

Courtesy of www.galaticnewsone.com

Orange is the New Black premiered on Netflix on July 11, 2013. The program stars Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman, a thirty-year old woman sentenced to 15 months in jail after she is convicted of crime committed ten years before. The show is based on a memoir by Piper Kerman of the same name. The show was nominated for a Golden Globe for best performance by an Actress in a drama television series, as well as a Grammy for its theme song. [16]

Netflix announced the premiere date of the second season of Orange is the New Black after the credits of the final episode of House of Cards. [17] The show’s second season is set to be available on June 6, 2014.

Looking Ahead

Courtesy of www.wired.com

Within this year, Netflix will be premiering numerous projects. Animated comedy, Bojack Horse, staring Will Arnett and Aaron Paul, will be released in the coming months.[18] As will Marco Polo, a adventure drama produced by The Weinstein Company.[19] The company will continue to show its interest in children’s programming when animated shows Puss in Boots, King Julien and Veggie Tales in the House are available for streaming later this year. [20] The second seasons of Orange is the New Black and Hemlock Grove will also premiere in June and July, respectively.

In 2015, Netflix will not only release its third season of House of Cards, but also release new original series. Science fiction drama Sense8, from the writers of The Matrix, will debut sometime in 2015. [21] Also set to be available for streaming in 2015, Narcos, a drama depicting the Medellin Cartel in Colombia, and Grace and Frankie a situational comedy staring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. [22]

Courtesy of http://www.digitaltrends.com/

In February of 2014, it was announced that Disney will collaborate with Netflix to create four original series for Marvel heroes: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. The Marvel’s Defenders project will cost over $200 million over a three year span and film predominately in New York City. Filming will begin July of 2014 and premiere on Netflix sometime in 2015. [23]

Sources

[1] “Officers and Directors”. netflix.com. RT: 4/10/14

[2] “Company Overview” . pr.netflix.com RT: 4/11/14

[3] “Company Timeline”. pr.netflix.com RT: 4/11/14

[4] “Letter to Shareholders” . ir.netflix.com. January 22, 2014. RT: 4/11/14

[5] “Netflix Inc. Will Arrive in Germany”. Value Walk. April 16, 2014. RT: 4/18/14

[6] “Netflix Consumers Get Ready”. Bloomberg Businessweek. January 24, 2014. RT: 4/18/14

[7] “Earnings for Netflix Projected to Rise”. Forbes. April 16, 2014. RT: 4/18/14

[8] “Lillyhammer”. wikipedia.org. RT: 4/15/14

[9] “The Square Awards”. IMDB.com. RT: 4/15/14

[10] “New Arrested Development Season”. The New York Times. April 4, 2013. RT: 4/15/14

[11] “Golden Globes 2014”. Los Angeles Times. January 12, 2014. RT: 4/15/14

[12] “The Killing Shock”. Entertainment Weekly. November 15, 2013. RT: 4/16/14

[13] “House of Cards Awards”. IMDB.com. RT: 4/13/14

[14] “House of Cards Viewing Soars”. Variety. February 14, 2014. RT: 4/13/14

[15] “Netflix Renews House of Cards”. The Hollywood Reporter. February 4, 2014. RT: 4/13/14

[16] “Orange is the New Black Awards”. IMDB.com. RT: 4/13/14

[17] “Orange is the New Black Season 2 Date Revealed”. eonline.com. February 15, 2014. RT: 4/13/14

[18] “Netflix Adds Bojack Horseman”. Variety. December 11, 2013. RT: 4/18/14

[19] “Netflix Announces Pickup”. Variety. January 14, 2014. RT: 4/18/14

[20] “DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots”. videoink.com. March 13, 2014. RT: 4/18/14

[21] “Matrix Creators to Film Netflix Series”. Chicago Tribune. March 17, 2014. RT: 4/18/14

[22] “Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin to Star in in Netflix Sitcom”. Los Angeles Times. March 19, 2014. RT: 4/20/14

[23] “Disney to Spend $200 Million on Marvel Series”. Variety. February 26, 2014. RT: 4/20/14

Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Alexandra Koskoris

By Ali Koskoris

Lionsgate Entertainment

Photo Courtesy of destructoid.com[i]

Contact Information:[ii]

2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 200, Santa Monica,CA 90404

1-310-449-9200

www.lionsgate.com

About Lionsgate Entertainment:

Founded in 1997 in Canada [iii], Lionsgate Films is an independent international entertainment company and segment of the Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation. It produces and distributes motion pictures, television programming and syndication, animation, and digital media. [iv] In 2003 the company merged with Artisan Entertainment and in 2012 it purchased Summit Entertainment for approximately $413 million. [v]

Lionsgate has gained momentum by creating blockbuster film franchises based on books, including Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Divergent. [vi] With a focus on cost discipline, Lionsgate releases approximately fifteen feature films and six to eight specialty films a year through its sister company, Roadside Attractions. The company television section also has close to thirty television series distributed through multiple mediums, including Mad Men and Orange is the New Black, and holds contracts with Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon. [vii]

Key Executives:

Photos and info Courtesy of: http://www.lionsgate.com [viii]

Financials:

In 2013 Lionsgate Entertainment earned $2.7 billion dollars – a 70.58% growth from 2012- and had a gross income of $1.3 billion dollars- a 95.22% gross income increase from 2012. [ix] Thus far in 2014 (through April 13), Lionsgate has grossed approximately $232 million domestically, led by recent release, Divergent and followed by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which is no longer in theatres. [x] The company stays small, with just 636 employees worldwide. [xi]

What’s Happening Now?

In 2014, Lionsgate Entertainment released eight films, and five are still in theatres. Divergent, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and I, Frankenstein lead 2014 in gross so far respectively (with the latter two out of theatres). [xii]

Divergent
The third of Lionsgate’s novel-to-film franchises, Divergent tells the story of a young woman who finds out she does not fit into the confined factions of her world and is “Divergent.” She must find out the truth about what it means to be Divergent when she uncovers a plot to destroy her faction. The film, directed by Neil Burger, is based on the Veronica Roth novel and features rising star Shailene Woodley. [xiii]

Photo Courtesy of http://themoviemash.com/ [xvi]

Photo Courtesy of themoviemash.com [xiv]

In its opening weekend (21-23 March 2014), Divergent topped the box office charts, grossing approximately $54.6 million domestically to its $85 million budget. Currently in its fourth week in theatres, the film has grossed $178.4 million worldwide. [xv] Like Harry Potter and the Twilight Saga, Lionsgate announced on 15 April 2014 that Allegiant, the third and final book of the series, will be split into two films. Part one will be released on 18 March 2016 and Part 2 will be released on 24 March, 2017. [xvi]

Draft Day
Draft Day tells the story of an NFL general manager who works to rebuild his team by trading for the number one pick. The film is directed by Ivan Reitman and it stars American sportscaster Chris Berman and actress Jennifer Garner. [xvii]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb

During its opening weekend (11-13 April 2014), the film ranked number four in domestic weekend gross, making about $9.7 million. As of 18 April 2014, it has grossed $15.8 million domestically. [xviii]

Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club
Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club is about a group of five single moms who overcome problems through their support group. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film stars Nia Long and Wendi McLendon-Covey. [xix]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb

For its opening weekend, the film ranked number five in domestic gross with $8 million. In week five (as of 17 April 2014), the film has grossed $15.8 million domestically. [xx]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb [xxv]

Joe In addition to these three films, Lionsgate is boasting Joe, a film distributed by Roadside Attractions. The film, starring Nicolas Cage and directed by David Gordon Green, tells the story of an ex-con who befriends a teenaged boy. [xxi] The film is different from Lionsgate’s other recent films because it was released On Demand on the same day it was released in theatres (11 April 2014). [xxii] The film was released in just 48 theatres domestically and, as of 20 April 2014, has grossed about $330 thousand at the domestic box office. [xxiii] The film has received positive reviews, with an 84% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and a 79% rating from audiences. [xxiv]

In Other News:

Photo Courtesy of rocketjump.com [xxvii]

On 14 April 2014, Lionsgate announced that it has created a multi-year partnership with video creator RocketJump Studios, which gained fame through its web series Video Game High School. RocketJump has 6.8 million subscribers and shows its content through multiple platforms. The partnership gives Lionsgate access to RocketJump’s digital content and gives RocketJump access to Lionsgate’s international marketing resources. [xxvi]

Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! [xxix]

On 20 March 2014 Lionsgate extended its contract with producer Grindstone Entertainment Group through a multi-year agreement. The team has been successful in the past with films like Empire State and Frozen Ground. Lionsgate Co-COO Steve Beeks said that Lionsgate is excited about the extension. [xxviii]

What’s to Come:

Lionsgate will release its newest film, The Quiet Ones, on 25 April 2014. The film, based on a true story, directed by John Pogue, and starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin, tells the story of a professor and a group of students who uncover terrible secrets when they experiment on a young girl.[xxx]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb [xxxi]

Reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes seem to be mixed, so it should be interesting to see how the film does in theatres. [xxxii]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb [xxxiv]

On 25 July 2014, Lionsgate will release Step Up: All In, the fifth installment of the Step Up series. The film tells of a dancer and his dance crew who work to win an LA dance competition. The film is directed by Trish Sie and stars Ryan Guzman and Briana Evigan. Multiple stars from the previous films are featured as well. There are not yet any reviews for the film. [xxxiii]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb [xxxvi]

Lionsgate will also be releasing The Expendables 3 on 15 August 2014. Directed by Patrick Hughes and starring Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham, the third film in the series tells of the conflict between The Expendables and the founder’s new, younger group of Expendables. The film also has not received any reviews. [xxxv]

Photo Courtesy of itk.ua [xxxix]

In addition to releasing three new films, Lionsgate will be recognized as the Company of Distinction for 2014 at the Banff World Media Festival (8-11 June 2014). [xxxvii] Lionsgate will be receiving this award because of its success, its diverse programming, and its “visionary approach to the global television business.” [xxxviii]

[i] Lionsgate Logo From 26 July 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[ii] Lionsgate Contact Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[iii] Founded From 24 Jan 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[iv] What Liongate does Updated 17 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[v] Merging with Artisan and Summit From 24 Jan 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[vi] Blockbuster Film Franchises Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[vii] Distribution Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[viiii] Key Executives Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[ix] 2013 Gross Income Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[x] 2014 Income Until April 13. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xi] Employees Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xii] 2014 Films Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xiii] Divergent Synopsis Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xiv] Divergent Poster Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xv] Divergent Financials As of 17 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xvi] Divergent’s Future From 15 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xvii] Draft Day Synopsis Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xviii] Draft Day Opening Week As of 17 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xix] Tyler Perry’s the Single Moms Club Synopsis Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xx] Tyler Perry Financials As of 17 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xxi] Joe Synopsis Retrieved 20 April 2014.

[xxii] Joe On Demand Retrieved 20 April 2014.

[xxiii] Joe Financials As of 20 April 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2014.

[xxiv] Joe Ratings As of 20 April 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2014.

[xxv] Joe Poster Retrieved 20 April 2014.

[xxvi] RocketJump Studios From 14 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xxvii] RocketJump Logo Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xxviii] Grindstone Extension 20 March 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xxix] Grindstone Logo Retrieved 18 April 2014.

[xxx] The Quiet Ones Synopsis Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxi] The Quiet Ones Poster Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxii] The Quiet Ones Reviews As of 19 April 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxiii] Step Up: All In Synopsis Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxiv] Step Up: All In Poster Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxv] The Expendables 3 Synopsis Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxvi] The Expendables Poster Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxvii] “Company of Distinction for 2014” From 27 March 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxviii] Why Receiving Award Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[xxxix] Banff Logo Retrieved 19 April 2014.