Tag Archives: Entertainment

iHeart Media & Entertainment

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by TALIA LEVY and VALERIE POWELL
iheartmedia-04

[16] iHeartMedia Company Logo

iHeartMedia, Inc
200 East Base Road
San Antonio, Texas

 

HISTORY
    iHeart Media was originally founded in San Antonio, Texas under the name Clear Channel Communications. The company was founded by Lowry Mays and B.J. McCombs in 1972. In 2008, the company became private by a leveraged buyout through Bain Capital, LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners.
    iHeartMedia has the widest reach in America for any radio or television outlet with an audience of over a quarter of a billion listeners each month. The company currently covers 150 of the U.S. markets with 858 broadcast radio stations. iHeartMedia delivers a variety of content including music, talk shows, news, and sports through broadcast stations, satellite, online, via smartphones and via live shows. iHeartRadio currently has 92 million registered users with a year-over-year growth of 22% with an increase of 8% in total listening hours. As of September 30th, cumulative upgrades and downloads have reached a new record of 1.1 billion [4].

 

KEY EXECUTIVES

Bob Pittman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Bob Pittman                         [12] Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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Wendy Goldberg       [13] Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

 

 

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William Eccleshare [15] Chairman and CEO, Clear Channel International

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Richard J. Dressler [14] President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

FINIANCIAL 
    For the second quarter of 2016, iHeartMedia’s loss widened to $278.89 million due to billboard sales in Turkey that expanded the ongoing debt $56.6 million. The loss was more than five times the amount of 2015’s second quarter loss of $54.66 million [3]. Even though there was a large loss in the second quarter, the company is still generating revenue in the third quarter of 2016 for a total of $857.1 million. Due to a growth in network business and the Presidential Election, digital advertising and broadcast radio primarily drove the growth in revenue of $10.2 million (1.2%) from the previous year’s third quarter revenue [4].
    The increase in revenue allows iHeart to stay on top of their current debt of $20.78 billion as of June 30th, 2016. The large debt is mainly due to a buyout in 2008 by two Boston private-equity firms, allowing them to gain 70% of the iHeartMedia Company. Debtwire senior credit analyst, Seth Crystall, explains that iHeart is a “powerful brand” and will continue to increase revenue to make up from their current losses by the transformation of their listeners to their mobile app [3].
[17]

[17] Singer Taylor Swift singing at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

iHEART MUSIC FESTIVALS
    The iHeart Music Festival Tour is iHeartRadio’s biggest live musical event, generating a large income for the company, with a portion of the ticket profits going towards the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. iHeartMedia’s President of National Programming Group, Tom Poleman, says, “Fans wait all year to hear who will be playing this tour and we’re thrilled to announce an impressive lineup” [11]. The concerts are held in major cities throughout the country by the iHeartRadio stations in those areas. The Jingle Ball Tour is iHeartRadio’s biggest musical event, generating a large income for the company. The tour is sponsored by Capital One, which allows card holders to gain early access to tickets before going to the general public [7].
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[18] Bon Jovi Photographed performing at an iHeartRadio live concert.

    The live iHeart Radio concerts are a mutually beneficially event for both the artists involved and iHeartMedia. For example, most recently the artist The Weekend celebrated the release of his new album Starboy in Toronto by headlining the iHeartRadio Canada Jingle Ball. Thirty minutes of his live set was broadcasted on the iHeartRadio App, along with 112 of iHeart Media’s radio stations including KISS in Los Angeles and Z100 in New York [1]. The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in Toronto also included performances by major artists such as Niall Horan, The Chainsmokers, and Alessia Cara.

[23] iHeartRadio celebrated One Direction’s 2013 album Midnight Memories with a special release party.

 

iHEART GLOBALLY
    Recently, iHeartRadio expanded into Canada with the collaboration of North America’s fastest growing digital audio service, Bell Media [2]. Canadians now have instant access to stations and to free streaming channels via iOS, Android apps, and at iHeartRadio.ca. iHeartRadio Canada uses content from Bell Media, which has over 105 licensed radio stations and 100 streaming channels [2]. With the expansion into Canada, iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball will now be present in Toronto.
concert_iheartradiofiestalatina

[21] iHeartMedia’s Fiesta Latina is a part of the company’s Hispanic initiative.

    This part quarter iHeart partnered with Hispanic radio legend Enrique Santos, to create a new Hispanic initiative to develop new programming content for iHeartMedia across their various platforms. This new initiative recognizes the increasing size of the the U.S. Hispanic community that are both English and Spanish speakers, as well as utilizes Santos’ popular reputation within the Latino community [8].
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[22] iHeart partnered with Telemundo to air the program.

    Building off of this new initiative, just this past November iHeart celebrated the best in Latin Music at the iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina. They partnered with Telemundo to air the exclusive TV special and streamed the event live on Telemundo.com. Telemundo is an American-Spanish language television network owned by Comcast through NBCUniversal [10]. The event broadcasted live on iHeartMedia Spanish-Pop, Tropical, regional Mexican and Spanish Adult Hit radio stations all across the country [8].

 

THE FUTURE
    This coming January, iHeartMedia will be launching a new On-Demand music streaming service, that will put them amongst competition of services like Spotify and  Apple Music. The iHeartRadio All Access service will offer its subscribers unlimited on-demand listing to over 30 million songs. They will also offer a cheaper option, iHeartRadio Plus, which will gives its subscribers the ability to instantly replay songs they heard on iHeartRadio stations, through the app. According to iHeartRadio,the company has not yet decided how to price the two new services. However, $9.99 a month has become an industry standard for full on-demand subscriptions services. iHeartMedia earns most of its revenue through on-air advertisements, which they still will continue to air, despite the new revenue from the subscription service.
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[19] iHeart will be unveiling 2 different On-Demand services. iHeartRadio Plus and iHeartRadio All Access.

    iHeartMedia is not the only major radio based company making the switch, Pandora is creating its own on-demand based product estimated to cost $4.99 a month in the near future [6]. According to iHeart, iHeart All Access will “include a full on demand music collection experience – but one still tied directly to radio.” the company said. When listeners hear a song on the radio that they like, for the first time ever they will be able to replay that song or even save it directly to their playlist.

 

iheartradio_on_demand_pr

[20] iHeart Radio’s On-Demand service is expected to launch in January 2017.

Sources:

[1] Bliss, Karen. “The Weeknd’s Album Release Day Live Set Broadcast on IHeartRadio.”Billboard. Billboard Music, 26 Nov. 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

[2] Dupuis, Renee. “IHeartRadio Now Available in Canada: Free Streaming Service Brings  Canadians Biggest and Best Music Experience.” Bell Media. Bell Media Canada, 6 Oct. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[3] Hendricks, David. “IHeartMedia’s Second-quarter Loss Widens to $278.9 Million.” San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio Express-News, 4 Aug. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[4] IHeartMedia, Inc. IHEARTMEDIA, INC. REPORTS RESULTS FOR THIRD QUARTER 2016. Rep. IHeartMedia, INC., 9 Nov. 2016. Web.

[5] Karp, Hannah. “IHeartMedia to Launch On-Demand Music Service.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 23 Sept. 2016. Web. 15 Oct. 2016.

[6] Lovelace, Berkeley, Jr. “Pandora CEO on On-demand Services: We’re in the Perfect Position.” CNBC. CNBC, 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[7] McAlone, Nathan. “The Biggest Radio Powerhouse in the US Just Took Aim at Apple and Spotify with a New Service.” Business Insider. Business Insider, 23 Sept. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[8] Ross, Kevin. “IHeartMedia, Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter Ended September 30, 2016.” Radio Facts. N.p., 10 Nov. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[9] Stine, Randy. “IHeartMedia Shows Revenue Growth in Q3.” Radio World. Radio World, 10 Nov. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[10] Telemundo. “IHeartRadio Fiesta Latina 2016.” Telemundo. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[11] Vitucci, Danielle. “IHeartMedia Rings in the Holiday Season with the Return of Its Iconic 2016 National “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour Presented by Capital One”.” IHeartMedia Rings in the Holiday Season with the Return of Its Iconic 2016 National “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour Presented by Capital One” | Business Wire. BusinessWire, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

[12] Bob Pittman. iHeartMedia, Inc. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[13] Wendy Goldberg.  iHeartMedia, Inc. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[14] Richard J. Dressler. iHeartMedia, Inc. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[15] William Eccleshare. iHeartMedia, Inc. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[16] iHeartMedia. RadioFacts. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[17] iHeartMedia. Yahoo News. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[18] iHeartMedia. VectorNetworks. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[19] iHeartMedia. Hollywood.com. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[20] iHeartMedia. Business Wire. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[21] iHeartMedia. Aaarena.com. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[22]  iHeartMedia. iHeart.com. Retrieved: November 28th 2016

[23] One Direction Last First Kiss IHeartRadio Album Release Party. Perf. One Direction. Youtube, 3 Jan. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

Sony Corporation

Posted on by 
Charlotte Traver, Brendan Weaver, David Sorokanich
sony-logo-1-jpg

Sony Entertainment Logo [15]

Company

Located in New York, NY, Sony Corporation of America is the US headquarters of Sony Corporation, which is based in Tokyo, Japan. Sony is involved in multiple businesses including electronics and mobile, film and television, music, gaming, digital services, and others. Sony employs about 125, 300 people and recorded annual sales of $71.7 billion of the fiscal year ending in March 2016.

Background

Sony Electronics is a leading provider of audio/video electronics and products. Sony Mobile is also a leading company in providing video, game, audio and communications technology products. Sony Pictures Entertainment is a huge innovator in major motion picture production and produces major blockbusters regularly. Sony Music Entertainment is one of the most well-known global recorded music companies and features artists famous on both a local and international scale. Sony/ATV Music Publishing works alongside Sony Music Entertainment and is the world’s leading music publisher. Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC is known for the PlayStation, a popular gaming console owned by millions of Americans. Other businesses that may not be as well known include Sony DADC, Sony Biotechnology Inc., Micronics, Inc., and Sony Card/Sony Rewards. [7]

Sony Pictures Executives

CEO of Sony Entertainment where he oversees the Sony’s global enterprise including Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Michael Lynton: CEO of Sony Entertainment where he oversees the Sony’s global enterprise including Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing [18]

Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment he oversees the company’s financial affairs and development

Philip Rowley: Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment he oversees the company’s financial affairs and development [18]

Executive Vice President & Chief Communications Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment responsible for the distribution and implementation of Sony Pictures Entertainment communications

Robert Lawson: Executive Vice President & Chief Communications Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment responsible for the distribution and implementation of Sony Pictures Entertainment communications [18]

Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Pictures Group in which he oversees the production and distribution of all Sony films

Tom Rothman: Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Pictures Group in which he oversees the production and distribution of all Sony films [18]

Senior Executive Vice President & General Counsel for Sony Pictures Entertainment and is the highest ranking legal consultant for Sony and is head of its law department

Leah Weil: Senior Executive Vice President & General Counsel for Sony Pictures Entertainment and is the highest ranking legal consultant for Sony and is head of its law department [18]

Sony Entertainment Financials

Screenshot of MarketWatch Report on Sony Corp. Stocks on Nov. 29, 2016.

Screenshot of MarketWatch Report on Sony Corp. Stocks on Nov. 29, 2016 [13]

Sony Entertainment’s 2016 Q2 Earnings, which were finalized on September 30, 2016, show a 10.8% decrease in Sales and Operating Revenue compared to 2015’s Q2. Q2 is also showing a 45.7% decrease in Operating Income, a 40.5% decrease in Income before Income Taxes, and a 4.8% decrease in Sony Entertainment net income attributed to stockholders. These are all in comparison to the success Sony Entertainment showed in Q2 of 2015. [12] Furthermore, as of November 29, 2016, Sony Entertainment stock prices are at $29.49 per share. This is much lower in comparison to the past three months in which shares were at a high of $34.17. [13]

Sony Launches China Writers Initiative

On November 1, 2016, Sony Pictures Entertainment launched a China Writers Initiative, which will allow emerging and well-known writers from China access to the studios. Writers will be able to work with Hollywood film and television executives and screenwriters to collaborate on ideas for both Hollywood and Hollywood Chinese productions. The program was developed with Sony Pictures China and is intended to be a mutually educational program for both countries involved. Sony Pictures will select four writers at a time to travel to Los Angeles and work at the Sony Pictures Studios. A finalist will then be selected and able to produce their chosen project. [6]

Sony Dives into Virtual Reality

Sony Interactive Entertainment of America has been on the forefront of virtual reality technology and has just recently made VR accessible for all. With the release of the PlayStation VR in October 2016, virtual reality is available for all gamers who wish to take gaming to a new level. Virtual reality takes players into an immersive atmosphere never experienced before, one in which players are in the game themselves and experience something entirely different from traditional gaming. The release of the PlayStation VR included 30 games, but Sony Interactive Entertainment predicts that the PlayStation VR will have 50 games by the end of the year. President Shawn Layden of Sony Interactive Entertainment commented that virtual reality brings a “new medium into the homes of PS4 fans”. Sony Interactive Entertainment hopes that virtual reality will soon enter the homes of many average Americans, as more and more interactive experiences independent of gaming are released. A variety of VR experiences such as Hulu, Allumette, Invasion! and others will soon offer their own interactive experiences. [9]

[11]

Sony’s PlayStation VR outsold other virtual reality headsets released in 2016, including the HTC Vive and Facebook’s Oculus Rift. The PlayStation VR is predicted to outsell both the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift by more than 295,000 headsets, which is largely due to price. The PlayStation VR is a simple add on to the PlayStation 4, so users find this headset to be a better choice since many already own the console. However, SuperData Research’s director of research Stephanie Llamas seems to think that without a push in marketing from Sony, they will forever remain behind their potential.

-Is 2016 The Year Virtual Reality Finally Goes Mainstream? by NPR [14]

New Chairman and CEO of Sony Music

Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment, announced that Doug Morris will transition from operational management of Sony Music Entertainment and assume the role of Chairman in April 2017, and Rob Stringer, who was formerly Chairman and CEO of Columbia Records, will become CEO of Sony Music. Over the last six years as CEO, Morris has increased Sony Music’s market share and profitability. This has helped Sony achieve its status as the second largest music company in the world. He has also helped Sony reach its impressive status by initiating partnerships with record labels, extending a joint venture deal with Syco Entertainment, and by supporting the growth and development of Vevo, which he founded with Eric Schmidt in 2009. [4]

Rob Stringer, new CEO of Sony Music [17]

New Bob Dylan releases from Sony Music

A massive 36CD box set of Bob Dylan’s 1966 concert tours of the US, UK, Europe, and Australia was released on November 11 by Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment. The box set, “The 1966 Live Recordings”, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the live performances. The recordings are drawn from three main sources: soundboards, CBS Records mobile recordings, and audience tapes. The majority of the recordings are previously unreleased in any format and are being made available for the first time ever. [10]

Sony Pictures Classics Acquires The Comedian

Sony Pictures Classics has announced that they’ve acquired North American rights to Taylor Hackford’s comedy, THE COMEDIAN, starring Robert De Niro and Danny DeVito. Written by Art Linson, the film centers around an aging comic whose attempts to reinvent himself fail to impress an audience that only wants to know him as a former television character he played. Warner Bros. International will be handling foreign distribution of the film, under its deal with Cinelou.[2]

Sony Pictures Acquires TEN Sports From ZEE

Sony Pictures have entered into agreements to acquire TEN Sports Network from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited for 385 million dollars. The acquisition will add South Asia’s leading sports network to SPN’s portfolio of channels. Ten Sports holds broadcast rights to wrestling, cricket, football, golf, motorsports, and cycling events. SPN comprises Sony Entertainment Television, one of India’s leading Hindi general entertainment television channels.[5]

ten-sports-network

Sony has acquired TEN Sports Network from Zee Entertainment Enterprises [16]

Sony and Multi-Deal International

In its commitment to broaden its global presence and its support of local language productions, Sony Pictures International Productions has signed a multi-picture development deal with filmmakers Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman. The deal will allow Mexico and LA-based Cisneros and Shuman to write and produce three new films.  Cisneros is one of the most successful writers in the Latin American film industry, with successes such as Instructions Not Included and Familia P. Luche. In 2014, Cisneros and Shuman began collaborating, writing the FOX feature comedy “Upgrade.” [3]

Sony Recognized as a Leader in Combating Climate Change

For the second year, Sony has been recognized as one of the highest performing companies on the CDP Japan 500 Climate Change Report 2016. CDP surveyed over 5,500 companies globally to compile their list. Their inclusion in the list recognizes the company’s effort to reduce the energy consumption of its manufactured products, curb greenhouse gas emissions at its operating sites, and accelerate use of renewable energy. Sony is one of 193 companies worldwide to be ranked as an “A” company, a distinction it has achieved for 2 consecutive years. [1]

sony-climate-change

Actions Sony has taken to combat climate change [19]

                                 

Works Cited

  1. Sony Recognized as a Leader in Combating Climate Change in the CDP Japan 500 Climate Change Report 2016 for 2nd Consecutive Year. Retrieved November 27, 2016. 
  2. SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES CINELOU’S THE COMEDIAN. Retrieved November 27, 2016. 
  3. SONY PICTURES INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS SIGNS MULTI-PICTURE DEVELOPMENT DEAL WITH EDUARDO CISNEROS AND JASON SHUMAN. Retrieved November 27, 2016. 
  4. ROB STRINGER PROMOTED TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. Retrieved November 27, 2016. 
  5. Sony Pictures To Acquire TEN Sports From ZEE. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  6. SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT MOTION PICTURE GROUP LAUNCHES CHINA WRITERS INITIATIVE. Sony Pictures. Retrieved: November 28, 2016.
  7. Who We Are. Sony.com. Retrieved: November 29, 2016.
  8. Company News. Sony.com. Retrieved: November 27, 2016.
  9. Gilbert, Ben (November 29, 2016). PlayStation is on track to crush Facebook and HTC in the first year of VR sales. Business Insider. Retrieved: November 28, 2016.
  10. Columbia/Legacy Set to Release Bob Dylan: The 1966 Live Recordings, A Monumental Box Set featuring Every Known Recording from the Artist’s Mythic and Controversial 1966 Tour of the US, UK, Europe and Australia. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  11. PlayStation VR – Games Preview Summer 2016 | PSVR. Youtube.com. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  12. Sony Corporation 2016 Q2 Report. Retrieved November 26, 2016. https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/library/fr/16q2_sony.pdf
  13. MarketWatch Reports on Sony Corporation Stocks. Retrieved November 29, 2016. http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/sne/profile
  14. NPR on Virtual Reality. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2015/12/30/461432244/is-2016-the-year-virtual-reality-finally-goes-mainstream
  15. Sony Entertainment Logo. Retrieved November 27, 2016. https://www.sony.co.uk
  16. Ten Sports Logo. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/44872_Ten-Sports-unveils-new-network-logo
  17. Rob Stringer Photo. Retrieved November 29, 2016. https://www.sonymusic.com/executives/rob-stringer/
  18. Sony Management Team. Retrieved November 29, 2019. http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/management.html
  19. Sony CRS Reporting. Retrieved November 29, 2016.  https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/csr_report/environment/

Time Warner

Posted on by 
Lizzie Michael and Andrew Maercklein
Time Warner, Inc. logo

Time Warner, Inc. logo [1]

Time Warner, Inc.

One Time Warner Center
New York, NY 10019-8016
212-484-8000

Company

Time Warner, Inc. is an entertainment and media conglomerate whose works and influence reaches all over the world. First created in 1989 in a $14 billion merger between Time, Inc. and Warner Communications, Time Warner now owns magazines such as Time, People, and Sports Illustrated; HBO, The CW, and Cinemax, as well as the Turner Broadcasting System, which in turn holds networks such as TBS, CNN and Cartoon Network; DC Comics; and one of the world’s largest production companies, Warner Brothers Entertainment. [2] [3].

Some of Time Warner's assets. [4]

Some of Time Warner’s assets. [4]

The company has undergone a few trouble spots in the past, including a $164 deal with AOL in the year 2000. [5]. The deal, which eventually proved to be misguided and led to major financial losses in 2002, was said to be “the biggest mistake in corporate history” by current CEO and Chairman Jeff Bewkes. [6]. That being said, Time Warner has since rebouded and is currently enjoying success from several of its assets, including HBO and Warner Brothers, and is looking forward to the completion of an acquisition, with a total transaction value of
$108.7 billion, with AT&T. [7].

Who are some key executives?

Financial information

Time Warner is a publicly traded company on the NYSE under the ticket TWX. As of 11/17/16, their current stock price is $93.20, as compared to one of their primary competitors, Walt Disney Co., who is at $98.82. [9]. On Oct. 27 the company announced cash dividends for Common Stock at $0.4025 per share, with a record date of Nov. 30. and a payment date of Dec. 15. [10] [11]. Thanks in part to the AT&T announcement, Time Warner’s stock has been on the upswing, having increased nearly 22.07% since April 2016; additionally, about 67% of analysts covering Warner’s stock rate this as a good time to buy. [11].

TW revenues and earnings per share [12]

TW revenues and earnings per share [12]

In Warner’s 3rd quarter reports for 2016, total revenues for Turner, HBO, and Warner Broadcasting combined were at more than $7 billion, and there was an increase of $153 million in cash and cash equivalents. [13]. With the recently released Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and HBO’s Westworld recently having success, revenues from ticket sales and merchandising for Time Warner can be expected to increase in 2016’s 4th quarter, and should give the company a strong year-end yield. [14].

Warner Brothers

Warner Bros. Logo [14]

Warner Bros. Logo [15]

Warner Bros., which was founded in 1923 and notably produced the first “talkie” in 1927’s The Jazz Singer, is one of the largest production companies in the world, with both New Line Cinema and DC Films in its toolbox. [16]. In 2015, Warner Bros.’ worldwide box office receipts exceeded $3 billion for the ninth consecutive year ($3.71 billion worldwide), and saw both international and domestic reaching the billions. [17].

[18]

The company houses several major franchises, including the Matrix series, the Harry Potter Franchise, and the world of DC Comics. In 2016 alone, multiple films were released to massive success, including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Sully, Suicide Squad, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Suicide Squad was in theaters for an impressive 14 weeks and earned more than $700 million worldwide, while Fantastic Beasts has been open for less than two weeks and has already made nearly $500 million. [19] [20].

This success will likely carry into 2017, as Wonder Woman, Justice League, and two more animated Lego movies are all slated for wide release. [21].

Machinima's logo [23].

Machinima’s logo [22]

In news besides its releases, Warner Bros. also recently announced it will acquire Machinima, a “global programming service and production company” with a focus on gamer culture. [23]. The deal, which was estimated to be just slightly under $100 million, will allow Machinima to be its own entity within the Warner Bros. Digital Networks. [24].

HBO

HBO logo [31]

HBO logo [31]

Home Box Office, or HBO, is one of Time Warner’s most successful divisions. In terms of its financial performance, in the 2016 third quarter HBO’s revenues increased 4%, or $59 million, to $1.4 billion due to a 5% increase in subscription revenues. [12].

HBO’s content has gone over incredibly well with viewers. HBO took home 22 Primetime Emmys at the 2016 Emmy Awards, the most of any other network for the 15th year in a row. [12] [29]. Shows such as Veep, Game of Thrones, and Last Night with John Oliver all have loyal fan bases, while newcomer Westworld premiered in October 2016 to more than 13 million viewers. [12].

In other news, HBO just recently launched a new video streaming service in Spain, HBO España, that is expected to very well. The service offers both original HBO content, as well as films and programming from other networks as well, like Disney, Nickelodeon, and other Spanish programming. [30].

AT&T Merger

Click here for AT&T and Time Warner Merger (Video): http://nyti.ms/2exY5SK [27]

AT&T is looking to purchase Time Warner, Inc. in a $85 billion deal, and despite many setbacks, AT&T is confident the deal will go through. [25]. Were the FCC to oversee this deal, the time frame would have been elongated and the deal itself would be much less likely to go into effect. However, it is likely the deal will not be subject to the tight restrictions set by the FCC, as the FCC may be excluded from the process and the decision will be made by the Department of Justice. Randall L. Stephenson, the CEO of AT&T, is very optimistic regarding this scenario and said this deal will satisfy not only those looking for earnings growth, but also investors that are simply searching for income. [27]. However, this deal will cause AT&T to push its debt upwards of $190 billion. [27]. The average user of DirecTV Now will pay $35 per month, which translates to $1.32 gross margin, and despite an apparent lack of funding, there are expected to be approximately 15 million paid subscribers by 2020. [26].

AT&T logo []

AT&T logo [28]

Many investors are skeptical of the deal and doubt the level of success predicted by AT&T. AT&T, being the only company of its competitors to move in this direction, will be able to corner a large section of the market before anyone else. Through securing customers with a low price now, AT&T hopes to attract many more consumers in the future while still being able to raise the price of service as necessary. [26]. Furthermore, AT&T wants to boost their wireless business in an attempt to take back some of the market from other wireless companies. They plan to do this by allowing wireless users to watch DirecTV without using data. This is known as zero-rating and it’s frowned upon by the FCC because it would allow for AT&T to reduce competition, especially among its own assets. [25]. Between the low prices as well as other incentives to switch, AT&T is focused on increasing its consumer following as opposed to generating revenue. Revenue will theoretically be the focus after AT&T has accrued a mass following. In addition, it’s predicted there will be less subscription cancellations as well as a large boost in advertising revenue. [25]. Should the deal be successful, it will be one of the largest to date and will push AT&T further ahead of competitors. Should the deal not be approved, or even fail, AT&T will have to tread very carefully to avoid serious damage to the company’s finances, as well as the integrity of the company.

 [27]

Resources

[1] Time Warner Cables Customer Service Phone Number, Office Address, Toll Free Helpline Support. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.officeaddresshelplinenumber.com/time-warner-cables-customer-service-phone-number-office-address-toll-free-helpline-support/

[2] The Creator of Time Warner, Steven J. Ross, Is Dead at 65. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/21/obituaries/the-creator-of-time-warner-steven-j-ross-is-dead-at-65.html

[3] Top 3 Companies Owned By Time Warner (TWX). Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/102215/top-3-companies-owned-time-warner.asp

[4] Company Profile. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.timewarner.com/company

[5] Statistics on Mergers. Retrieved November 27, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20120106045040/http://www.imaa-institute.org/statistics-mergers-acquisitions.html

[6] AOL merger was ‘the biggest mistake in corporate history’, believes Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/8031227/AOL-merger-was-the-biggest-mistake-in-corporate-history-believes-Time-Warner-chief-Jeff-Bewkes.html

[7] AT&T to Acquire Time Warner. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://about.att.com/story/att_to_acquire_time_warner.html

[8] Senior Corporate Executives. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.timewarner.com/company/management/senior-corporate-executives

[9] TWX: NY. Retrieved November 27, 2016. https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/TWX:US

[10] Time Warner Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.timewarner.com/newsroom/press-releases/2016/10/27/time-warner-declares-regular-quarterly-cash-dividend

[11] Dividend Action: Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX) advises to “Mark your calendars” for Dec 15, 2016; dividends expected to reach $0.40. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://friscofastball.com/2016/11/27/dividend-action-time-warner-inc-nysetwx-advises-to-mark-your-calendars-for-dec-15-2016-dividends-expected-to-reach-0-40/

[12] Time Warner Inc. Revenue & Earnings Per Share (EPS). Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/twx/revenue-eps

[13] Earnings Releases & Related Materials. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://ir.timewarner.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70972&p=quarterlyearnings

[14] Weekend Box Office: November 25-27, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/

[15] Warner Bros. Logo Design Evolution. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://annyas.com/screenshots/warner-bros-logo/

[16] Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/divisions/warner-bros-entertainment-inc

[17] Warner Bros. Pictures. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/divisions/warner-bros-pictures

[18] Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Final Trailer [HD]. Retrieved November 28, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vso5o11LuGU

[19] Box Office Mojo: Suicide Squad. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dc2016.htm

[20] Box Office Mojo: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fantasticbeasts.htm

[21] Warner Bros., Quietly Thriving, Recasts Its Own Story. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/business/media/warner-bros-quietly-thriving-recasts-its-own-story.html

[22] Machinima. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.machinima.com/

[23] Warner Bros. Entertainment to Acquire Machinima. Retrieved November 28, 2016.  http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/warner-bros-entertainment-acquire-machinima

[24] Warner Bros. Acquires Full Control of Machinima. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/warner-bros-acquires-machinima-1201920793/

[25] McAlone, Nathan. “Here’s Why AT&T Is Buying Time Warner, and Why It Thinks the Government Can’t Stop the Sale.” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 15 Nov. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. http://www.businessinsider.com/att-time-warner-merger-government-regulation-2016-11

[26] Molla, Rani, and Shira Ovide. “AT&T Plays It Forward.” Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 23 Nov. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2016-11-23/at-t-wants-digital-video-share-with-direct-tv-now

[27] Morgenson, Gretchen. “The AT&T-Time Warner Merger: A Match Built on Hope.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Oct. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.  http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/business/the-att-time-warner-merger-a-match-built-on-hope.html?_r=0

[28] LLC, UnderConsideration. “Reviewed.” Brand New: New Logo and Identity for AT&T by Interbrand. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.  http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_and_identity_for_att_by_interbrand.php#.WDyz-6IrL_Q

[29] How FX Broke HBO’s Grip on the Emmy Awards. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://fortune.com/2016/09/19/emmy-awards-2016-hbo-fx/

[30] HBO Launches in Spain, Adds Content from Disney, Nickelodeon. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/biz/global/hbo-espana-spain-disney-nickelodeon1201927778-1201927778/

[31] HBO Logos. Retrieved November 28, 2016. https://www.homeboxoffice.com/lodging/cmp/logos.html

Cumulus

Link

Sarah Rebetje, Kate Weyant, Eddie
Cumulus Logo

Cumulus Logo – [1]

History

Cumulus Media is a radio broadcasting company with an audience reach of 245 million. Cumulus distributes its sports, news, talk, and entertainment content through its 447 stations that are owned-and-operated by the company. The company’s reach expands across 90 markets in the United States, including eight of the top ten markets in the country [1]. In a $260 million deal in December of 2013, Cumulus acquired Dial Global, Inc., and renamed it Westwood One. Westwood One now serves as a programming service, allowing Cumulus to deliver its content across multiple platforms [4].

Key Executives 

Mary G. Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer [2]

Mary G. Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer [2]

john-abbot

John Abbot – Executive VP, Treasurer, and Chief Financial Officer [3]

 

 

 

 

 

 

richard-s-denning

Richard Denning – Senior VP, Secretary and General Council [5]

Westwood One

Westwood One

Westwood One is a national syndication company that was acquired by Cumulus Media in 2013. Originally known as Dial Global, the company functioned under CBS for over three decades and specialized in syndicated sports broadcasting. Currently, they cover sports such as football in the NFL, golf during The Masters, and broadcast Olympic coverage every two years for both the Winter and Summer games [4]. Westwood One is producing four Christmas from Nov 26th to December 1st 2016. Some of the featured acts will include Train, Neil Diamond and Rascal Flatts. Westwood One looks to create relevant content that pertains to the upcoming Holiday of Christmas [15].

NASH FM

NASH FM is a Cumulus-owned media brand and group of radio station broadcasting across the country. Named after the cultural center of country music, Nashville Tennessee, the NASH FM brand includes 36 different local radio stations that all broadcast on an FM frequency. This brand’s content is broadcasted through the the nation and covers genres from country to rock to hip-hop. It has over 300K followers on their official Twitter account, and often host shows with famous country singers as guests.

Pictured above is the winner of the NASH Next 2016 Contest, Todd O'Niell. Hosted by NASH FM, this contest seeks to find the best talent that might be the next big thing in country music [].

Pictured above is the winner of the NASH Next 2016 Contest, Todd O’Niell. Hosted by NASH FM, this contest seeks to find the best talent that might be the next big thing in country music [13].

As well as being a local station in Iowa, NASH FM also syndicates its shows on a national level under the guidance of Cumulus [7].

The Downfall

For Cumulus, 2015 was a year of tragedy. The company accumulated $2.5 billion in debt. The share price of Cumulus was worth spare change, dropping from its original price by almost 90 percent [8]. One reason this striking increase in debt occurred was because of the hit that the overall radio industry has taken from a significant decrease in listeners these past few years as online streaming content has become more popular. Just in 2016, the revenue of the industry has fallen flat [10]. Cumulus’ top competitor, iHeartmedia, even suffered from this online conversion with its share price dropping by 95 percent [8]. Cumulus has also still been struggling with paying off the debt it accumulated when it bought Citadel, taking on a debt count of $2.8 billion [9]. Cumulus also made the mistake of neglecting tp focus on local markets and caring only about its acquisition of Westwood One and Citadel. Cumulus’ risky business decisions have led the company to drown rather than thrive [8]. However, the new CEO of the Cumulus, Mary Berner, seems to have turned the company in a more positive direction [12].

Financials

In the past three years, Cumulus has seen a decline in sales revenue, a rise in sale expenses, and thus a decline in its net income.

Net income comparison between 3Q2015 and 3Q2016 [6]

Net income comparison between 3Q2015 and 3Q2016 [6]

In 2014, Cumulus’ net revenue was $1.26 billion, with a net income of $11.4 million. The following year, in 2015, their net revenue was $289.44 million with a net income loss of $542.18 million. This is in part due to the massive amount of debt that it has accumulated ($2.5 billion). In 2016, Cumulus announced at the end of the Third Quarter that its net revenue so far for the year is $286.14 million, which is 1.1% down from 2015. The company also reported that 2016’s net income is $32.96 million, which is up from a net income loss of $541 million. 895 million in the first three-quarters of 2015, $14.4 million of its expenses were spent on a legal dispute with CBS over syndicated content.

President Mary Berner expressed the failures of previous years and the somewhat hopeful future of the company by stating that Cumulus, “gained share for the first time in at least four years (in 2016)” [6].

Future

As the newest CEO, Mary Berner is leading a key initiative to turn around the company. Berner has an extensive resume, including her position as CEO at Reader’s Digest Association, Fairchild Publications, and Association of Magazine Media [12]. Berner has experience with companies in trouble, helping Reader’s Digest at a time when it was undergoing reorganization due to bankruptcy [8]. With her expert background in managing large companies, Berner has immediately taken on the challenge of addressing key issues of decreased focus on national syndication, and increased focus on employee satisfaction and local affiliates [12].

In order to combat a large amount of debt that has been accumulated by the company, Cumulus plans to create a more open dialogue with its stakeholders. This way, Cumulus can come up with strategies aimed at reducing the debt, because attempts in previous years have not worked. Cumulus also stated that it will review all possible options in order to its maximize its efficiency on both a corporate, national and local level.

Cumulus has announced that the company will undergo a restructuring of its organization. It will shift the control of the company into the hands of its localized affiliates and work from a “bottoms-up” approach by strengthening its foundation. Cumulus believes that this approach will increase ratings as well as improve the operation of the company.

Employee Turnover over the course of 2015 and 2016 [14].

Employee Turnover over the course of 2015 and 2016 [14].

With prior negative feedback from employees about the culture of Cumulus, the company looks to initiate a better work environment [12]. Communications will be enhanced through a “top-down” process, where Berner stated that she will answer any employee’s email within 48 hours. Policies about vacation and leave will be reevaluated so that employees will receive improved benefits. Though the merit system has not been manipulated for the past ten years, Cumulus declared that the system will be increased to promote motivation and work efficiency. This initiative has reflected positively among employees. As shown in the above graph, turnover significantly decreased between 2015 and 2016, where voluntary sales turnover experience the most impact, where turnover was reduced from 42% to 27% from April of 2015 to April of 2016 [14].

Cumulus has also started to improve its sales execution in hopes of decreasing its debt. The company aims to incorporate new sales strategies both on a national and a local level. Cumulus also stated that it will extend measurements of sales productivity in order to gather more research about what works and what does not work. That way it can tackle issues and create more productivity in the future. Cumulus is also trying to improve both its marketing tactics, and improve the training given to new employees.

As Cumulus strives to create a more optimal working environment with increased employee satisfaction, the future looks brighter than it did before Mary Berner stepped up as CEO. With the restructuring of management, as well as the focus on local markets over national syndication, Cumulus has taken the necessary steps in order to stay afloat. Although the company still needs to address the debt situation, Cumulus continues to make strides towards increasing revenue and slowly paying the debt off [11].

 

Sources

[1] Cumulus. Retrieved: 22 November 2016. http://www.cumulus.com/

[2] Mary G. Geber. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: 22 November 2016. http://www.cumulus.com/leadership/mary-g-berner.html

[3] John Abbot. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: 22 November 2016. http://www.cumulus.com/leadership/john-abbot.html

[4] Cumulus Completes Previously Announced Acquisition of Westwood One. Global News Wire. Retrieved: 22 November 2016. https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/12/12/596613/10061374/en/Cumulus-Completes-Previously-Announced-Acquisition-of-WestwoodOne-f-k-a-Dial-Global-Inc.html

[5] Richard Denning. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: 22 November 2016. http://www.cumulus.com/leadership/richard-s-denning.html

[6] Cumulus Reports Operating Results for Third Quarter 2016. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: 27 November 2016. http://www.cumulus.com/PR/CMLS_09_30_2016_Earnings_Release.pdf

[7] NASH FM 94.7. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: November 28 2016. http://www.nashfm947.com

[8] Radio giant Cumulus tumbles after flying high. Grantham, Russell. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved: 24 November 2016. http://www.myajc.com/news/business/radio-giant-cumulus-tumbles-after-flying-high/npx9H/

[9] Cumulus Media drowning in debt, stock slides. Ho, Rodney. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved: 25 November 2016. http://radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com/2016/01/10/cumulus-media-drowning-in-debt-stock-slides/

[10] Will 2017 Be Better For Radio? Radio Ink. Retrieved: November 27 2016. http://radioink.com/2016/11/18/will-2017-better-radio/

[11] 2016 First Quarter Earnings Call Presentation. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: November 25 2016. https://www.cumulus.com/PR/CMLS_1Q_2016_Earnings_Release_Presentation-050616.pdf

[12] (9-19-2016) The Cumulus Turnaround. Radio Ink. Retrieved: November 27 2016. http://radioink.com/2016/10/21/the-cumulus-turnaround/

[13] And the Winner is: Country Singer Todd O’Neill Wins NASH Next 2016 Challenge including Cumulus Radio Airplay Across the U.S. and Big Machine Label Group Recording Contract. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: 28 November 2016. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/and-the-winner-is-country-singer-todd-oneill-wins-nash-next-2016-challenge-including-cumulus-radio-airplay-across-the-us-and-big-machine-label-group-recording-contract-300351675.html

[14] 2016 First Quarter Earnings Call Presentation. Cumulus Media. Retrieved: November 25 2016. https://www.cumulus.com/PR/CMLS_1Q_2016_Earnings_Release_Presentation-050616.pdf

[15] Westwood One Making Christmas Special. Radio Ink. Retrieved: November 28 2016. http://radioink.com/2016/11/18/westwood-one-making-christmas-special/

 

Sirius XM Radio – Joshua Weisleder

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imgres

 

 

 

 

 

 

1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

James E Meyer Chief Executive Officer

James E. Meyer | Chief Executive Officer, SiriusXM

SiriusXM_Preisdent_and_Chief_Content_Officer_Scott_Greenstein

Scott Greenstein | President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM

daraaltman
Dara Altman | Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, SiriusXM

About

SiriusXM delivers quality ad-free satellite radio programing to its subscribers ever since its early inception in Washington, DC in the early 90’s. The broadcasting company transmits satellite radio services like Sirius Satellite Radio, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius XM Radio anytime and and anywhere for its subscribers in North America. Users can access the service in their car, computer, and smartphone and tablet devices. Sirius also has constructed deals with every major automaker while also providing weather and traffic updates for automobiles, trucks, boats, RVs and aircrafts. In regards to content, Sirius offers musical stations from various genres and time periods, sporting entertainment from all major professional leagues and top notch talk show programming across its hundreds of channels. SiriusXM also allows users to individualize their content by using MYSXM which lets users listen to hours of on-demand programing so they will never miss a beat. In regards to revenue, SiriusXM is the biggest in the market and recently reached 30 million subscribers during its first quarter of 2016(1). The American based company also has a Canadian subsidiary called SiriusXM Canada, which has a user base of 2 million users.

New Programming

This past year, SiriusXM has added more quality programs to its already impressive collection of stations. Some of their new content includes SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, SiriusXM Comedy Greats, FOX News Headlines 24/7, Velvet (a vocalist curated station for the likes of John Legend and Adele), SiriusXM Fly (Hip/Hop and RnB from the 90’s and early 2000’s) and KIDZBOP Radio(2).

SiriusXMNHLNetworkRadio-8185-12-Logo-160x86-P-11042014SiriusXMComedyGreats-9408-12-Logo-160x86-P-28042015FOXNewsHeadline-9410-12-Logo-160x86-P-12062015,0Velvet-9361-12-Logo-160x86-P-102513SiriusXMFly-9339-12-Logo-P-160x86-020813KidzBop-9366-12-Logo-160x86-P-091313

SiriusXM also schedules in limited time channels throughout the year to test out potential ratings or to celebrate particular events or musical artists. In anticipation for the acclaimed music festival, Sirius launched Coachella Radio on April 11 to feature music by artist that are scheduled to perform(3). Last January, recently after his death, Sirius added a commemorative David Bowie station on channel 30 to celebrate his legendary career(4). As well, with the recent passing of Prince, they created a station in his honor on channel 50(5).

princetribute20fta-800x450-green-v1 dbchannel-fi-800x450-v21

This past march, SiriusXM provided all users access to every second of every game of the 2016 NCAA March Madness on their satellite radios and internet connected devices. They provided extensive coverage for both mens and women’s basketball with insight analysis from Mike Krzyzewski, Bobby Cremins, Tom Brennan, Steve Lappas and Mateen Cleaves(6). In addition, at the beginning of April, SiriusXM expanded its broadcasting coverage for Golfs biggest event, The Masters. There programing included commentary and hours of live play-by-play coverage from Augusta National(7). As well, Sirius will broadcast all the NBA and NHL playoff action this postseason while also providing MLB and NFL regular season and playoff games throughout the rest of 2016 and beyond.

CollegeSports_FI_260x146_031111,4SXMNBARadio-Court-FI-260x146,4 SiriusXMNHLRadio-FI-260x146-100112,0

Finances

Currently, Sirius XM Holdings Inc. has a share price of $3.96 on NASDAQ(8)

Screen Shot 2016-04-24 at 5.24.57 PM

In 2015, the company recorded its highest revenue at $4.6 billion while having their Net Income reach $510 million(9). Their Net Subscriber base grew by 2.3 million in the previous year, which helped them propel to 30.1 total users in 2016. In addition, their EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization(10)) surged 13% to an all time high for the company by reaching $1.66 Billion at the end of 2015 which eclipsed its 2014 mark of $1.47 Billion. For 2016, the company projects a 1.4 million net subscriber increase, $4.9 Billion rise in revenue, an EDBITDA of roughly $1.78 Billion and a Free Cash flow of around $1.4 billion. In addition, highly regarded financial analysis and TV personality for Mad Money, Jim Cramer, publicly stated earlier in April that: “When you see a lot of cars being sold — and we have a remarkable number of cars being sold — you want to own Sirius(11).” With SiriusXM having market control of satellite radios with the main automobile manufactures, its safe to say that SiriusXM will continue to be profitable.

Howard Stern

The king of SiriusXM’s programing is unquestionably Howard Stern. He has two stations on the service, Howard 100 and Howard 101, attracts millions of listeners and has generated huge earning for the company. As the highest paid radio broadcaster in the country, there was speculation if Stern would leave SiriusXM to purse a new distribution medium like Apple Music or Netflix(12). However, he decided to renew his contract with SiriusXM last November to give him a 5 year $90 Million per year deal, which is an annual increase from his previous $80 million yearly salary. By locking him up, SiriusXM can ensure that there biggest star is happy and still an integral part of their growing business(13).

Broadcasting Partners

Despite having several fantastic musical stations, SiriusXM has established great partnerships with several sports, news and talk programming corporations. Some of their partners are BBC, Bloomberg Radio, CNBC, CNN, the Dave Ramsey Show, ESPN, NPR, Playboy, Radio Disney, and the Weather Network(14). By having a strong group of media corporations available for users within the Sirius ecosystem, it gives users tons of options to recieve quality news and talk.

Automobile Partnerships

With a major source of listenership generated from car owners, SiriusXM has partnered with almost every major car manufacture in the market. They have existing deals with Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Harley Davidson, Honda, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Toyota, and many more manufacturers(15). By having SiriusXM accessible with both American and non-American automobiles and in both luxuries and more affordable cars, the company is allowing all drivers the opportunity to subscribe to their service and its setting themselves up to be the go to place for in car audio entertainment in North America.

Closing Statements

SiriusXM provides a service unmatched in the industry. Despite heavy competition in the streaming market, SiriusXM is the only provider of ad-free satellite radio with a multitude of stations to entertain any kind of listener. From your favorite pop songs on Hits 1 to breaking news on CNN, you have 100’s of channels to choose from. After following another successful fiscal year, locking up their biggest entertainment asset in Howard Stern and continuously locking down automobile partnerships, theres nothing slowing down the satellite radio giant.

Sources

  1. Billboard – April 23rd, 2016
  2. SiriusXM: Channel Update – April 23rd, 2016
  3. SiriusXM: Investor Update – April 22nd, 2016
  4. SiriusXM Blog: David Bowie – April 24th, 2016
  5. SiriusXM Blog: Prince – April 24th, 2016
  6. SiriusXM: Investor Update Golf – April 22nd, 2016
  7. Marketwatch – April 23rd, 2016
  8. SiriusXM Investor Update – April 22nd, 2016
  9. SiriusXM 2015 Financial Report – April 15, 2016
  10. Investopedia – April 24th, 2016
  11. The Street – April 22nd, 2016
  12. TechTimes – April 22nd, 2016
  13. Today – April 23rd, 2016
  14. SiriusXM Partners – April 24th, 2016
  15. SiriusXM Automobile Partners – April 24th, 2016

 

 

Viacom

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Viacom-Blue-logo

About the Company

Viacom is an American global mass media company. The company and its content reach audiences in over 160 countries with content produced nationally and internationally [2]. It is the sixth largest broadcast and cable company as far as revenue but has the largest portfolio of ad-supported cable networks in the United States. Viacom’s cable networks are among some of the most popular and most watched channels by families across the world. This includes BET, VH1, MTV, TV Land, Comedy Central, Spike TV, Nickelodeon including all of its spin-offs, amongst many others [3]. In fact,Viacom has been rated the number one family cable network for numerous years.

Key Executives

Phillippe Dauman serves as President, CEO, and the Executive Chairman [4].

PhilippeDauman

Wade Davis serves as Executive Vice President and CFO.

WadeDavis

Thomas E. Dooley serves as Chief Operating Officer.

TomDooley

Sumner M. Redstone [5], is a majority owner of the company and also serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors. However, his unstable health conditions [6] have decreased his ability to be present in the flesh during meetings as he is currently struggling with physical and speech mobility [7].

Unknown

The Deal on Dish

Tensions between Viacom and Dish, a satellite-TV provider, had been brewing for quite a while before the issue was publicized nearing the Wednesday, April 20, 2016, deadline for a new carriage contract [8]. The root of the problem was a supplier-distributor disagreement in which Dish felt the carrier fees being charged by Viacom was unreasonable and overpriced. They stated that they only wanted to sign a contract that took into account the significant changes in the TV landscape and the way media is consumed. The company threatened to drop Viacom’s channels if Viacom didn’t compromise on the new deal [9].

VVD

Viacom however, suggested that they had offered Dish a best-of-its-kind deal for its very popular channels and explained that they have extended the deadline multiple times for Dish [10]. Refusal to come to an agreement would have resulted in a blackout of Viacom channels at midnight-eastern standard time. This would have been bad news for Viacom who has suffered low viewership with media being consumed in non-linear ways and would certainly impact ad revenue if it lost Dish’s 14 million viewers. The situation caused Viacom stock to drop nearly 10% on Tuesday with the fate of Viacom and Dish’s partnership still in the air [11]. However, the share prices increased the next day after CEO Charlie Ergen hinted in a conference call on Wednesday, that he would be interested in pursuing a new deal with Viacom should the company adhere to their conditions [13].

KEEPVIACOM.COM

In efforts to boost awareness on this issue, Viacom launched a website under the name www.keepviacom.com. The site broadcasted Dish’s plan to get rid of a total of 18 Viacom channels and allowed concerned visitors to learn more about the situation under a tab called “Get The Facts.” Other important tabs featured on the web page included “Shows You Will Miss” outlining viewer favorites and other shows that would have been gone forever. Screen Shot 2016-04-20 at 3.30.09 PM

One of the most important features on the site was a link titled “What People Are Saying” which provided a live feed from a discussion board of distressed Dish users and other Viacom supporters that spoke out against Dish threatening to drop the channels. Many Dish users openly expressed willingness to leave the cable provider should they drop the Viacom channels. The website also provided direct access to Dish’s Facebook page encouraging viewers to “make their voice heard” by posting on the page and urging them to join in the conversation on both Facebook and Twitter in which the hashtag #KeepViacom was trending. People of all ages used the hashtag to support Viacom and prevent Dish network from dropping the channels. The site made sure users of Dish network were able to voice their opinions by including Dish’s phone number on the digital protest site along with tips on how to get through to the company via phone [14].

Screen Shot 2016-04-20 at 3.37.09 PM

Aftermath

Within the 24 hours leading up to the fate of Viacom and Dish’s relationship, hundreds of thousands passionate consumers reached out to Dish. Their voices proved to have been heard as the network did not drop the channels. Instead, Dish rose to the occasion meeting the deadline and renewing a multiyear deal with Viacom. The “keep Viacom” site has since been taken down, replaced by a message expressing gratitude and assuring users that an agreement with Dish had been met [15].

Fortunately, an agreement was reached putting both Viacom and Dish in a better position. The renewed multi-year deal includes plans for bringing select Viacom content onto Sling TV, Dish’s single and multi-stream service, as well as keeping all Viacom channels available for Dish subscribers [17].

Viacom in International Markets

Viacom has made an imprint in international markets through both acquisitions and expansions. Viacom’s acquisition of channel 5 in the United Kingdom has contributed to the company’s continued growth with a 20% growth in operating income in the country. With the acquisition of channel 5, Viacom was able to garner 23 others crucial networks allowing the company to gain access to 100% of the UK’s television audience. Viacom also has assets in India’s television market [18]. With a recent launch of VOD digital streaming service VOOT that gives India exclusive rights to consume over 17,000 hours of content through the service that is available on Android, and iOS devices for free with lots of kid-friendly content from Nickelodeon and MTV readily accessible [20].

VIacom_680x340_Voot

Financial Plans

Despite ratings revealing that Viacom may be experiencing trouble with viewership, considering the decrease in ad revenue by 1% year over year and a decrease in overall revenue by 6% year over year, the CEO Phillippe Dauman assures everyone that Viacom will bounce back soon and see a growth in both ad revenue and overall ratings. They are making strides to accomplish this by using other tools of measurement aside from Nielsen in order to get advertisers acclimated with new ad formats. In addition to allowing them to make use of other platforms more frequently used to consume Viacom content such as laptops and tablets. One such tool is a service called Vantage which allows advertisers to place their ads more accurately along a variety of different platforms using varied consumer data as a catalyst [22].

Social Media

Viacom maintains communication with fans and investors via social media outlets such as Facebook  in which the overall company has close to 150,000 likes and Twitter where it has over 23,000 followers. These numbers do not include the subscriber base for Viacom’s individual channel networks such as MTV and Nick for example, in which the numbers would soar much higher.


Forecast

Looking ahead Viacom’s future looks promising [23]. Many of its networks have plans for renewing shows for additional seasons after audience viewership numbers soared. The networks have also green-lighted lots of original content that will be introduced that should certainly garner some positive feedback. As of Friday, April 22, 2016, Viacom’s share price is $43.78, an increase of 2.87% [24]. Leading into May, the stock is now at the highest it’s ever been since the beginning of February.

Viacom’s 2nd Quarter Earnings Conference call is set to release on April 28, 2016, which will provide additional information into the company’s future and finances [25].

Unknown

 

Sources

[2] “ABOUT VIACOM.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/default.aspx.

[3] “Viacom Brands.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. https://www.viacom.com/brands/pages/default.aspx.

[4]”SENIOR MANAGEMENT.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/seniormanagement.aspx#.

[5] “BOARD OF DIRECTORS.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/boardofdirectors.aspx?bioid=1.

[6] Ackner, Daniel. “Inside the Viacom “Brain Drain”” Vanity Fair. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/04/inside-the-viacom-brain-drain.

[7] Person, and Vanity Fair Magazine. “Read Sumner Redstone’s E-mails About His Succession Plans.” Vanity Fair. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/05/sumner-redstone-retirement-health-viacom-future.

[8] Ingram, Mathew. “Dish vs. Viacom Fight Is All About the Shifting Balance of Power in TV.” Fortune Dish vs Viacom Fight Is All About the Shifting Balance of Power in TV Comments. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://fortune.com/2016/04/20/dish-vs-viacom/.

[9] James, Meg. “Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen Threatens to Permanently Drop Viacom Channels.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-dish-charlie-ergen-viacom-dispute-20160420-story.html.

[11 ]Lieberman, David. “Viacom Warns That Its Networks May Go Dark On Dish Network.” Deadline. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/04/viacom-dish-contract-negotiations-impasse-1201740218/.

[12] “Charlie Ergen.” About DISH. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://about.dish.com/leadership/executive-leadership/charlie-ergen.

[13] Littleton, Cynthia. “Viacom Stock Plunges as Dish Renewal Fight Heats Up.” Variety. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/viacom-dish-stock-drop-renewal-deadline-1201756655/

[14] “Viacom and DISH Agree to Multi-Year Renewal.” Viacom. N.p., 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. http://news.viacom.com/press-release/viacom/viacom-and-dish-agree-multi-year-renewal.

[15] Frankel, Daniel. “Dish Deal Shows Viacom Channels Haven’t Lost Their Value, Analysts Say.” FierceCable. N.p., 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. http://www.fiercecable.com/story/dish-deal-shows-viacom-channels-havent-lost-their-value-analysts-say/2016-04-22.

[21] “1st Quarter ’16 Earnings Presentation.” (n.d.): n. pag. Viacom. 9 Feb. 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.

[17] Perez, Sarah. “Streaming Service Sling TV Will Add MTV, Comedy Central, Nick Jr & More, following Viacom deal.” TechCrunch. N.p., 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://techcrunch.com/2016/04/22/streaming-service-sling-tv-will-add-mtv-comedy-central-nick-jr-more-following-viacom-deal/.

[18] Pelts, Shirley. “Welcome to Market Realist.” India: Why Is It Viacom’s Valuable Asset? N.p., 24 Mar. 2016. Web. 1 Apr. 2016. http://marketrealist.com/2016/03/india-viacoms-valuable-asset/?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=feed&utm_content=read-next-a&utm_campaign=viacoms-acquisition-channel-5-stronghold-uk.

[20] “Voot Video-on-Demand Service Launched in India.” NDTV Gadgets360.com. N.p., 30 Mar. 2016. Web. 1 Apr. 2016. http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tv/news/voot-video-on-demand-service-launched-in-india-819555.

[21] “1st Quarter ’16 Earnings Presentation.” (n.d.): n. pag. Viacom. 9 Feb. 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.

[23] Lazaroff, Leon. “Viacom Could Go Higher Even after Dish Deal Removes Overhang.” TheStreet. N.p., 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. http://www.thestreet.com/story/13541284/1/viacom-could-go-higher-even-after-dish-deal-removes-overhang.html

[24] “Viacom, Inc.” Yahoo! Finance. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. http://finance.yahoo.com/q?uhb=uh3_finance_vert&fr=&type=2button&s=viab.

[25] “Events & Presentations.” Viacom Inc. -. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=170845.

Pictures (not cited above):

[1] “Voot Image Logo.” Viacom18. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom18.com/viabuzz/viacom18-digital-ventures-voot/.
[2] “Viacom Brands Logo. “Whoever Controls the Media, Controls the Mind.”  N.p., 25 Dec. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. http://annesmedia.blogspot.com/.

Hearst Television #1

Posted on by 
Jamaya Powell

 

Logo of the Hearst Corporation

Logo of the Hearst Corporation  Source: BounceExchange.com [9]

History

The Hearst Corporation started out as a single newspaper by William Randolf Hearst in 1887.[1]

Founder of the Hearst Corporation, William Randolph Hearst Source: Old-Picture.com

Founder of the Hearst Corporation, William Randolph Hearst
Source: Old-Picture.com [10]

Since then, the Hearst Corporation has grown to become one of the biggest media and information companies in the world. [2] Hearst incorporated broadcasting into its company in 1928, when they purchased WSOE radio in Milwaukee. The station also became the groundwork of WISN-TV. In 1948, after acquiring various stations across markets, Hearst launched WBAL-TV in Baltimore, WLWT-TV in Cincinnati, and WDSU-TV in New Orleans. These were some of the inaugural  television stations in the nation. In 1953, Baltimore’s WBAL-TV was one of the first television stations to transmit in color, as well as launching the famous children’s show “Romper Room,” [3] that ran from the early 1950s to the 1980s.  Throughout the years, Hearst Broadcasting acquired more broadcasting stations across various markets. In 1981, WCVB-TV in Boston was declared “the best television station in America” by the New York Times. Hearst Broadcasting acquired Argyle Television Inc., which owned six stations at the time, for $320 million dollars,[4] forming Hearst-Argyle in 1997.[2]

Here is a clip from the popular children’s TV show, Romper Room, as mentioned above. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq9-8ZxZ6_Y)

One of the Hearst-Argyle’s stations, WISN-TV in Milwaukee, was the first station within its market to create their very own website, based off its weather segment.The website, which was started in 1997, offers snow closing information, around the clock. In that same year, KITV-TV in Honolulu was the first American digital commercially licensed TV station, which meant that they could provide digital high-definition television or HDTV, for short. Television Broadcast magazine named KITV “Broadcaster of the Year” in 1997. Later in 1999, New England’s WCVB-TV station was the first stations, local and nationwide, to produce an high-definition (HD) TV episode. The TV episode was of its renowned public-affairs program “Chronicle.” [2]

One of the first HD television programs created

One of the first HD television programs created Source: Constant Contact Archive [11]

That same year, the Hearst-Argyle company acquired the Pulitzer Publishing Co, which owned nine TV stations and five radio stations. They also bought the television properties to Kelly Broadcasting Co. out of Sacramento, California. By the end of the year 1999, Hearst-Argyle owned 26 TV stations, which reached about 17.5 percent of U.S. households, and they acquired seven radio stations. [2]

Hearst-Argyle became one of the first major station groups to release a policy about not airing R-rated movies during prime time television, which is also family viewing time. They announced this policy in 2000, which was a very busy year for the company. They also partnered with the Belo Corporation and LIN Television and launched Broadcast Sales Academy, in order to train future sales professionals and they later launched the Producer Academy in 2002, a training program for the companies’ news producers. Hearst-Argyle had a joint venture with Gannett Broadcasting, the NBC station group and NBC Enterprises to develop and carry syndicated programs on their stations, reaching 60% of U.S. households. Hearst-Argyle was also the first large TV station group to commit at least 5 minutes of on-air time every night to focus on election coverage, starting 30 days leading up to the elections. This charge became the foundation of the company’s “Commitment 2000” effort, which worked to provide comprehensive political-news coverage through the election cycles and this effort later earned them a consecutive number of Walter Cronkite Awards, awarded by the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication. In 2004, the former president and CEO, David J. Barrett is named by Broadcasting & Cable magazine as “Broadcaster of the Year.” This year, every single Hearst-Argyle television station completed their transition into digital television broadcasting and some of them were the first to offer video on demand for local programming. [2]

One of Hearst's college partnerships Source: NCAT.edu

One of Hearst’s college partnerships
Source: NCAT.edu [12]

In 2006, Hearst-Argyle partnered with North Carolina A&T University or NCAT for short, to train journalism students and it was one of many internship/ training programs partnerships the company has.[2]

Financials

Hearst Corporation is #33 of Forbes List of America’s Largest Private Companies and the company has produced over $10.3 billion in revenue. [5]

Key Executives

e74fd7809dfc0ccf974669996da21c726aacb977

Jordan Wertlieb President of Hearst Television Source: Hearst.com [13]

1ef575148efddb5de969d9df818328770f18c295

Frank Biancuzzo Senior Vice President of Hearst Television Inc. Source: Hearst.com [14]

14a6aff22f4dcbce986736615852a61052f9ffc9

John J. Drain Senior Vice President of Finance at Hearst Television Inc. Source: Hearst.com [15]

 

 

e613619820579b50b4970b093b7473fd9f652243

Micheal J. Hayes Senior Vice President of Hearst Television Inc. Source: Hearst.com [16]

1d227b6136bddc83dedbe47afcde9fdf114fac31

Rodger Keating Senior Vice President of Hearst Television Inc. Source: Hearst.com [17]

c0aa5d91c1ad4b69c3ba86809577a518eba0481d

Neeraj Khemlani Co-President of Hearst Entertainment & Syndication & President of Hearst Digital Studios [18]

610e7432b4870a19eaefd55894153a21f4f6baa6

George Kliavkoff Co-President of Hearst Entertainment & Syndication & President of Hearst Ventures [19]

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment & Syndication

One of Hearst's Entertainment & Syndication brands

One of Hearst’s Entertainment & Syndication brands Source: Facebook [20]

Hearst Entertainment and Syndication is a combination of cable network partnerships, television programming activities, and newspaper syndication as well as merchandise licensing operations. Their brands include A&E Networks, Awesomeness TV, Complex, Cosmopolitan Television, ESPN, Hearst Digital Studios, Hearst Entertainment, King Features, NorthSouth Productions, Reed Brennan, and United Artists Media Group.[6]

 

One of A&E's popular television shows Source: Gstatic.com

One of A&E’s popular television shows
Source: Gstatic.com [21]

One of their television brands, A&E Networks, is an award-winning, global media content company. It consists of three brands: A&E Network, HISTORY, and Lifetime. [6] Some of their most popular shows on A&E Networks are Duck Dynasty, Married At First Sight, Storage Wars, The First 48, and Intervention. [7]

 

 

 

 

United Arts Media Group

The United Arts Media Group creates programming for all media platforms offered by Hearst, including on screen, online and on-the-go. [8]

Current Programming

The Voice Promo Flyer Source: NBC

The Voice Promo Flyer
Source: NBC [22]

United Arts Media Group (UAMG) has created many popular programming including The Voice, Shark Tank, and Survivor. The Voice is currently in its 6th season and has crushed its show rival, American Idol, by having higher viewers and its ability to hold the attention of their key demographic of Americans aged 18-49.

 

Their other show, Shark Tank, is steadily growing in viewership and in the young adult segment. One of their oldest shows, Survivor, has an average of 9.5 million viewers and has just entered its 29th season. They also produced a feature film called Son of God, which generated $60 million in revenue through U.S. box office sales alone. The film also sold over 700,000 DVDs. [8]

Just this year, they released a follow-up program to the mini TV series, The Bible, called A.D., a 12-hour series that premiered on Easter. They also released a new game show on ABC called 500 Questions. FOX has purchased episodes of UAMG’s hit show, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Due to the popularity of the original show, Shark Tank, they released a spin-off called Beyond The Tank, which follows up with the startup companies after they launch. They also teamed up with MGM and Paramount to create a remake of the movie, Ben-Hur. They also worked with Open Road to create the film, Little Boy. [8]

Works Cited

  1. History. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
  2. Hearst Television History. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
  3. Romper Room. TV Party. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  4. Gilpin, Kenneth N. Hearst to Buy Argyle TV In a Rare Public Venture. The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 Mar. 1997. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  5. America’s Largest Private Companies. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
  6. A+E Networks. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  7. All Television Shows – A&E. AETV. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  8. Entertainment. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
  9. Unlock Your Highest Conversion Revenue. Bounce Exchange. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  10. William Randolph Hearst. Old Picture. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  11. Weekly News Update. Downtown Boston. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  12. STUDENT SCHEDULE. NCAT. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  13. Jordan Wertlieb. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
  14. Frank Biancuzzo. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  15. Bios. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  16. Bios. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  17. Rodger Keating. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  18. Neeraj Khemlani. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  19. George Kliavkoff. Hearst. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  20. CosmoTV. Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
  21. Gstatic. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
  22. The Voice. NBC. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.

 

 

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on by 
by JOHN HOPKINS

Warner_Bros-logo

 

-Warner Brothers Logo- Courtesy of housepr.com

Corporate Headquarters

4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA 91522

Phone: (818)- 954- 6000

www.warnerbros.com

History

Founded by Albert, Sam, Harry, and Jack L. Warner on April 4, 1923, Warner Bros. Entertainment is a fully integrated, broad based entertainment company that leads the industry in feature films. Warner Bros. Pictures first saw success in 1927 when the four brothers The Jazz Singer, the first synchronized-sound feature film. The company is a subsidiary of Time Warner and produces 18-22 films each year, creating little risk and maximizing productivity. Warner Bros. has released many popular films ranging from Goodfellas (1990) to classic series movies such as Star Wars (1977-2005), Harry Potter (2001-2011), and Academy Award-winning films such as American Sniper (2014), which grossed 347,300,219 domestically.

Key Executives

Kevin_Tsujihara_2014

-Kevin Tsujihara, Chairman and CEO

Dan_Fellman_195x230

-Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution

Paul_Broucek_195x230

-Paul Broucek, President, Music

Chris+de+Faria+2nd+Annual+Japan+Cool+Content+SYLDNhMY1I9l

-Chris deFaria, President, Animation, Digital Production and Visual Effects

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-Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution

Financials

Warner Bros. Pictures maintains worldwide distribution rights as they fully finance or co-finance their films with companies such as Village Roadshow Pictures. Currently, Warner Bros. is at the top of the list for distributors as they currently have 21.1% of the market share with their overall gross being 621.2. The top grossing movie was American Sniper which grossed 345,881,971 playing in 3.885 theaters. Warner Bros. Pictures also experienced a 7 percent rise in the last quarter. In 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures made 1.56 billion domestically in the box office, totaling a 4.73 billion globally. Both of these surpassed the billion-dollar mark for the 14th year in a row.

chart

-Courtesy of Google Finance

In Theaters

“Focus” (2015)

-“Focus” is a romantic dark comedy film written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.

2015_Focus_film_poster

The dark comedy film starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie took the #1 rank during the opening weekend releasing in 3,323 theaters garnering a total of $18,685,137. The film has grossed a total of 53,415,316 domestically in addition to the 94,800,000 domestically. Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX announced they would also release the re-mastered version of the movie on February 27, 2015. The film released made 13 million in the UK, 3.1 million in Russia, and 1,765,832 in the Netherlands. This came out to a total gross of around 12 million being released in the theaters of 39 markets of other territories in the same opening weekend.

“Get Hard” (2015)

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“Get Hard” starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart had a domestic gross of 72,872,676, along with 13,400,000 foreign totaling a gross amount of 86,272,676 with their budget being at 40million. In it’s opening weekend “Get Hard” took the number 2 rank behind Home (52.1 million) as the comedy grossed 33.8 million. Ferrell’s third highest opening for an action film, it was released in 3,175 theaters for the opening weekend with each theater averaging around $10,647, taking the total percent of the total gross to 46.4%. “Get Hard” premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 27th.

Recently Released 

“American Sniper” (2014)

“American Sniper” opened with a limited release on December 25, 2014 playing at four theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas, earning 850,000 during this limited release. The limited release was successful as it was nominated for numerous academy awards among many other awards including best picture, best actor, and best adapted screenplay. The movie won an academy award for best sound editing and an American Film Institute award for top 10 films of the year among many others. The movie the next weekend had an average of 169,277 at each venue, which proved to be the second-biggest weekend average for an action movie. The limited release was extremely successful for Warner Bros. Pictures because it earned $3.4 million in only three weekends. The film then took North America by storm on January 16 in 2015 as it grossed 30.5 million on its opening day at 3,555 different theaters. In addition to that, the movie also set an IMAX record as it earned a total of 10.6 million in the month of January. The film then expanded and reached out to 3,705 theaters and set the record for eighth largest second weekend gross. BoxOfficeMojo predicted “American Sniper” would be the highest grossing film in 2014 in just its second week released. The film remained at the top through its third week earning $30.66 million in gross earnings. Although the movie did extremely well, Warner Bros. Pictures suffered some controversy with many people believing it celebrated the bloodshed during the Iraqi war and turned it into a fairy tale. In light of the criticism, the movie received strong reviews including a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Upcoming

“Entourage”

A comedy film based off the HBO TV series starring Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven, will be released on June 5, 2015. Directed by Doug Ellin, Entourage follows the career of a movie star named Vincent Chase along with his group of friends from home, and their lives in Hollywood. The movie’s previous release date was June 12, 2015 but Warner Bros. moved it up a week.

“Arms & the Dudes”

Warner Bros has undergone principal photography on a new movie staring Oscar nominee Jonah Hill and Miles Teller directed by Oscar nominee Todd Phillips (Borat). The story chronicles two friends in their early 20’s living in Miami during the Iraqi war that make money by bidding on U.S Military government contracts. Phillips co-wrote the script along with Jason Smilovic and Stephen C. Chin based off of a rolling stone article. Bradley Cooper and Todd Phillips are producing the film under their company 22nd & Green Productions along with Mark Gordon under The Mark Gordon Company. This film is a promising project for Warner Bros. Pictures as many prominent people who have had recent successful films are involved in the movie, which gives it a great chance to become another success for Warner Bros. Productions.

Projections for Warner Bros. Pictures

With American Sniper being named the highest grossing film of 2014 and receiving numerous academy award nominations, Warner Bros. Pictures is looking towards an amazing upcoming year with the buzz that has already been created for this year. The upcoming year has already had stellar moves released by Warner Bros. including American Sniper, Focus, and Get Hard among many others. Warner Bros. The studio has numerous upcoming movies that will be sure to create a buzz including Entourage, Magic Mike, Tarzan, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Tarzan, and King Arthur. Tsujihara has also come up with an expansion plan that has Warner Bros. releasing three LEGO-branded films over the next four years coming off of the $468 million worldwide box office success that was “The Lego Movie”.

Sources

[1] “Warner Brothers – House PR.” House PR. 2015 House Public Relations, 3 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.housepr.com/portfolio/warner-brothers/>.

[2]”The Water Diviner – WarnerBros.com – Movies.” The Water Diviner – WarnerBros.com – Movies. Warner Bros. Pictures, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/water-diviner?sec=in>.

[3] “Paul Broucek – WarnerBros.com – The Studio.” Paul Broucek – WarnerBros.com – The Studio. Executives- Warner Bros. Pictures, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/paul-broucek>.

[4]”Time Warner.” – Investor Relations. Quarterly Summary- Time Warner, 12 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://ir.timewarner.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70972&p=irol-reportsannual>.

[5]”Focus – Official Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 14 Jan. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btI7yHxn1NU>.

[6]”Focus (2015) (2015) – Box Office Mojo.” Focus (2015) (2015) – Box Office Mojo. Focus Movie – Box Office Mojo, 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=focus2015.htm>.

[7] “Get Hard – Official Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTi-h6zNDLg>.

[8] “Get Hard (2015) – Box Office Mojo.” Get Hard (2015) – Box Office Mojo. Get Hard – Box Office Mojo, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gethard.htm>.

[9] “American Sniper – Official Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99k3u9ay1gs>.

[10]”American Sniper (2014) – Box Office Mojo.” American Sniper (2014) – Box Office Mojo. American Sniper – Box Office Mojo, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americansniper.htm>.

[11] “Entourage – Official Main Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 15 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGSE_XPF4_g>.

[12] “Entourage (2015) – Box Office Mojo.” Entourage (2015) – Box Office Mojo. Entourage- Box Office Mojo, 4 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=entourage.htm>.

[13]”Shooting Begins on “Arms & the Dudes” From “The Hangover” Director Todd Phillips – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News.” Shooting Begins on “Arms & the Dudes” From “The Hangover” Director Todd Phillips – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News. Arms and Dudes- Warner Bros. Pictures, 14 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/shooting-begins-arms-dudes-hangover-director-todd-phillips>.

[14]”Warner Bros. Makes Its All-Digital Projection Debut Today With “The Perfect Storm” In Three Countries – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News.” Warner Bros. Makes Its All-Digital Projection Debut Today With “The Perfect Storm” In Three Countries – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News. About Warner Bros. Productions, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/warner-bros-makes-its-all-digital-projection-debut-today-%E2%80%9C-perfect-storm%E2%80%9D-three>.

[15]”Time Warner Cable – Investor Relations – Financial Reports & Filings – Annual Meeting Materials.” Time Warner Cable – Investor Relations – Financial Reports & Filings – Annual Meeting Materials. N.p., 17 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://ir.timewarnercable.com/investor-relations/financial-reports-and-filings/annual-reports/default.aspx>.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on by 
by Carly Kaplin
logo_wb_white

Warner Bros. Studios [a]

Contact Information:

Address: 3400 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91522

Phone: (818) 972-8687

http://www.warnerbros.com/

Company Executives:

PhotoSizedDown_Kevin_Tsujihara_2014-1

Kevin Tsujihara: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. [b]

RichardFox

Richard J. Fox: Executive Vice President, International, Warner Bros. Entertainment [c]

ThomasGewecke-1

Thomas Gewecke: Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Warner Bros. Entertainment [d]

DeeDee_Myers

Dee Dee Myers: Executive Vice Present, Worldwide Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Warner Bros. Entertainment [e]

Company Overview:
Warner Brother’s is an entertainment company involved in the creation, production, distribution and marketing of many different forms of entertainment. The company specializes in feature films and television. Since they were founded, Warner Brother’s has produced nearly 6,500 feature films and 3,000 television shows. Warner Brother’s Studios is a subsidiary of Time Warner and within itself has several subsidiaries. [1]

 

gallery_warner-bros

Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner [f]

Company History:

Warner Brother’s was founded on April 4th, 1923 by Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner. The studio released the world’s first “talkie” movie on October 6th, 1927. Before this time, the world had never seen a movie with sound. This was a groundbreaking moment in the film industry. The studio won their first Oscar for best picture in 1937 for a film biography on the life of Émile Zola. In 1955, Warner Brothers started working in television creating the drama series, Cheyenne. [2]

Financials:

Warner Brother’s Studios is one of the global leaders in film production. However, the studio was negatively impacted by a low summer box office. Luckily, video-on-demand revenue contributed and raised revenue 3% to $2.8 billion. The studio made its highest box office numbers ever with the Harry Potter movies and The Dark Knight trilogy. The Dark Knight earned the studio over $530,000,000 domestic, and over $1 billion including international sales in 2008. In 2013, Warner Brothers television programs grossed almost $1.5 billion internationally. In the same year, the international box office for films generated revenue of over $5 billion for the fifth year in a row Warner Brothers made over $4 billion in the worldwide box office. Warner Brothers currently stands at third place in the 2014 studio market share of the box office with 14.3%, behind 20th Century Fox with 17.2% and Buenavista with 16.1%. Warner Brothers has released the most movies this year out of the three top studios, making it’s position at number 3 not ideal. [3] [4]

By the end of this year, Warner Brothers will have released a total of 21 feature films. The highest grossing movie of the year for the studio was The Lego Movie, generating a total domestic revenue of $257 million and $210 million internationally, making it a total of $468 million. [5] [6]

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Warner Brother’s movies by release date in 2014 [g]

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Gravity [h]

Recent History                                                            

In early 2014, Warner Brother’s films won 10 Academy Awards, the most of any other studio. 7 of these awards were taken by Gravity, two for The Great Gatsby and one for Her. Gravity took home the oscar for best director for Alfonso Cuarón, visual effects, cinematography, film editing, original score, sound editing and sound mixing. [7]

What’s Happening Now?

Warner Brother’s Studios has recently announced that they will be cutting 1,000 jobs from a total of around 8,000 companywide in an attempt to decrease costs since the low box office and television results this year. After 10 years at number one in the domestic box office, it is currently at number 3. Some divisions of the company are expected to be impacted more by these layoffs than others. The finance and information technology will be cut down more than film and television production groups. [8]

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The Judge [i]

Warner Brother’s recently released The Judge on October 10th, 2014. The Judge made only $45.5 million in the domestic box office, which is not the success the studio would have hoped for the movie with a $50 million production budget. It did bring in $29 million international, bringing the total gross up to $74.5 million. The movie opened at number 5 its opening weekend, competing with the new releases of Dracula Untold and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, which opened at 2, and 3 respectively. [9]

Annabelle-poster

Annabelle [j]

Annabelle, the prequel to last year’s The Conjuring, was the studio’s highest grossing movie this season. With a domestic total of $84 million but was widely popular overseas with an international total of over $186 million, it took the number one place in the international box office its opening weekend. The production budget was only $6.5 million so Annabelle was a huge success for Warner Brothers. Annabelle was released on October 3rd, opening at the number two spot in the box office, just barely beaten out by $400,000 by the highly anticipated Gone Girl. [10]

horrible-bosses-2-poster-405x600

Horrible Bosses 2 [k]

Horrible Bosses 2 is the studio’s next movie to hit theaters, opening on November 26th, 2014. The first Horrible Bosses movie, released in July of 2011 made $60 million during its opening weekend. The budget was $35 million, meaning the movie made back almost twice its budget in the first weekend. This sequel is definitely one that didn’t do as well as the first movie. This past weekend was opening weekend for Horrible Bosses 2 and opening at the number 5 spot, they made a mere $15 million domestically. Having opened on a Wednesday, they did generate some more money before the “weekend” bringing the domestic total to $23 million. But this opening weekend was a tough one in terms of competition. Horrible Bosses was competing with the second weekend of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 which brought in the majority of audiences for this Thanksgiving weekend. Warner Brothers expected Horrible Bosses 2 to make around $35 million opening weekend, but the production budget was relatively low, at $42 million. Warner Brothers executives are hopeful that Horrible Bosses 2 will perform better next weekend as the excitement of The Hunger Games slows down as it enters its third week. [11] [12] [13]

Excitement continues to grow for fans of The Hobbit series as the trilogy comes to an end this year with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. It will be released on December 17th, 2014 by Warner Brothers. The most talked about aspect of the movie so far is the 45 minute battle scene which ends the movie, the biggest fight scene director Peter Jackson has ever done. [5] [14]

Warner Brothers will be releasing two more movies before the end of the year. Inherent Vice on December 12th, featuring Owen Wilson and Reese Witherspoon, and American Sniper on December 25th, with Bradley Cooper, directed by Clint Eastwood. Inherent Vice has already won the Robert Altman award, which is given to “one film’s director, casting director, and ensemble cast.” [5] [15]

Sources:

1. Warner Bros. Company Overview – warnerbros.com RT: 11/15/2014

2. Warner Bros. Company History – warnerbros.com RT: 11/16/2014

3. Time Warner Q3 Earnings Results – money.cnn.com RT: 11/17/2014

4. Time Warner Annual Reports – TimeWarner.com RT: 11/15/2014

5. Warner Bros. Future Releases – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/21/2014

6. The Lego Movie – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/18/2014

7. Warner Bros. Oscar Results – hollywoodreporter.com RT: 11/17/2014

8. Warner Bros. Layoffs – nytimes.com RT: 11/19/2014

9. The Judge Box Office Mojo – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/16/2014

10. Annabelle Box Office Mojo – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/17/2014

11. Horrible Bosses Opening Weekend – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/20/2014

12. Horrible Bosses 2 Opening Weekend – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/30/2014

13. Variety Horrible Bosses 2 Article – variety.com RT: 11/30/2014

14. FansShare The Hobbit Article – fansshare.com RT: 11/21/2014

15. NoneSuch Inherent Vice Article – nonesuch.com RT: 12/1/2014

Multimedia Sources

a. http://corporate.kabam.com/company/ RT: 11/14/2014

b. Warner Bros. Company Executives – Kevin Tsujihara RT: 11/15/2014

c. Warner Bros. Company Executives – Richard J. Fox RT: 11/15/2014

d. Warner Bros. Company Executives -Thomas Gewecke RT: 11/15/2014

e. Warner Bros. Company Executives – Dee Dee Myers RT: 11/15/2014

f. PBS Gallery RT: 11/16/2014

g. Box Office Mojo RT: 12/1/2014

h. IMDB Gravity RT: 11/20/2014

i. IMDB The Judge RT: 11/21/2014

j. IMDB Annabelle RT: 12/1/2014

k. Collider.com RT: 11/17/2014

l. Youtube.com RT: 12/1/2014

 

Discovery Communications

Posted on by 
By Parker Davis
Discovery_Communications_Logo

Discovery Communications Logo- image courtesy of givingtuesday.org

Overview [1] [2]

TLC Logo- image courtesy of businessinsider.com

John Hendricks originally founded Discovery Communications under the name Appalachian Community Service Network in 1982. The first station launched was The Learning Channel, an educational station for youths and adults alike. When the company changed its name to Discovery Communications in 1985, other education based channels were established such as the Discovery Channel and the first 24/7 HD basic cable channel, Discovery HD, currently known as Velocity [1]. Today, Discovery Communications is the world’s #1 subscription based television network, reaching over 2 billion subscribers in 220 countries. They own over 200 television stations including: the Science Channel, Animal Planet, and OWN. Outside of television, Discovery Communications is also a large publisher of educational books and operates online media channels such as Revision3 and howstuffworks.com [2].

Executives [3]

John S. Hendricks- image courtesy of corporate.discovery.com

 

 

John S. Hendricks: Founder and Chairman Discovery Communications

 

 

David M. Zaslav- image courtesy of corporate.discovery.com

 

 

David M. Zaslav: President and CEO Discovery Communications

 

 

Jean Briac Perette- image courtesy of corporate.discovery.com

 

 

Jean Briac (JB) Perette: President Discovery Networks International

 

 

 

 

Financials [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Discovery Communications is publicly traded under three stock series: DISCA, DISCB, and DISCK. Each ticker symbol translates to series A, B, and C stock. The newer issuances indicate a new corporate milestone, thus returning a higher company valuation number, resulting in a higher IPO for the new distribution of shares. DISCA contains the most shareholders. Within the previous three months, DISCA prices ranged from $76.80 to $85.97. Currently, it is recovering from its lowest point in the period, occurring April 15, 2014, and slowly increased 1.7% to $77.83 on April 18 [4].

Comparison of DISCA, DISCB, DISCK over a three month period- courtesy bloomberg.com

Comparison of DISCA, DISCB, DISCK- image courtesy of bloomberg.com

In the Annual Financial Statement for 2013, total revenue equated to $5.54 billion. A 19% increase over 2012, which generated $4.49 billion, a mere 8% increase over 2011 [5]. This growth is credited in their recent “acquisition of the majority stake in Eurosport International will drive international to contributing more than 50 percent of total company revenue” [6]. Discovery Communications possesses only 1% of total market share, competing alongside other media conglomerates such as: A&E, NBCUniversal, and Viacom [7] [8].

Retirement and the Curiosity Project [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

John S. Hendricks- image courtesy of curiosityretreats.com

Discovery founder and chairman, John Hendricks, officially announced his retirement in March. He will formally resign during the annual shareholder’s meeting on May 16; however, he has not released who will take his place as chairman. Although, sources speculate that current CEO, David Zaslav, may be a potential candidate for the position [9]. In his retirement letter to the board of directors, Hendricks explained that he will “spend the next few years traveling the planet and discovering the questions and mysteries that intrigue us all.” He will also use the opportunity to expand his new business, Curiosity Project LLC, announced February 10 of this year [10].

The mission of Curiosity Retreats is to create a unique forum where the lifelong curious can gather to explore in-depth the great questions of today. [11]

Curiosity Video Overview (Vimeo)

One currently operational aspect of the project is retreats for inspirational and open- minded thinkers alike. The retreats are five nights long at the Gateway Canyons resort in Colorado, including a panel of 8 different experts in the field of: science, technology, civilization, and human spirit [12]. The purpose of the retreat is to enlighten already intellectual minds and expand their imagination by collaborating and with others.

Gateway Canyons- image courtesy of multivu.com

The new aspect of Hendricks’ venture is video on demand. His plan is to compile recordings of the experts from the retreats and publish their talks online for an annual fee of $19.99. However, this venture may prove impractical because there are already free services similar to his found in university publications and intellectual websites, such as TED [13].

Hendricks founded Discovery in 1982 and stepped down as CEO in 2004 and began his role as chairman on the board of directors. He was with the company for 32 years [14].

Eurosport [15] [16] [17]

Eurosport Logo- image courtesy of 3.bp.blogspot.com

Discovery Communications is expanding its international affiliations by moving into the televised sports market. On January 21, Discovery purchased controlling share (51%) in Eurosport for $1.2 billion [15]. Since April 2013, Discovery owned 20% stake in the station. The extension was made in a monetary agreement with TF1, a French television network and previous majority owner of Eurosport. The purpose of Discovery’s equity increase is to compete with British Sky Broadcasting and BT, a UK cable provider, for exclusive Premier League television rights [16]. Discovery chose to expand its control over sporting networks so it can combine its international sports rights with its US based stations to avoid competing head on with domestic sporting networks. The new international acquisitions expand Discovery’s network portfolio, thus inflating revenue and control over the total media market [17].

DogTV [18] [19] [20]

DogTV Logo- image courtesy of dogtv.com

Discovery Communications has recently purchased an unspecified percentage of DogTV: a 2 year old network that targets the dog owner demographic and airs content specifically for pet entertainment. The station is distributed through DirecTV and has a subscription fee of $5 for television viewing and $10 for online streaming [17]. Current programming on the network includes 3-6 minute clips focused on a dog’s relaxation, stimulation, and exposure. Discovery Communications has developed a strategic partnership with DogTV, jointly creating similar programming for Animal Planet while spreading the reach of the network to other countries. This tactic by Discovery can be seen as a gamble to invest in television for dogs, however, over 43.3 million US households own at least one dog, collectively spending over $55.8 billion annually on pet products, and over half of which claim their dogs show interest in what occurs on television [18]. The channel is designed to relieve the stress and anxiety of stay at home pets [19].

DogTV in The News (YouTube)

New Form [21] [22] [23]

Left to Right: Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, David Zaslav- image courtesy variety.com

Discovery has co-founded and launched a new digital media site, New Form, alongside producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer [21]. The purpose of the studio is to infiltrate the scripted media market, whereas Discovery contains mainly non-fiction and reality based content. In the startup, the firm appointed Kathleen Grace, former Head of Creative Development for YouTube Space LA, as the Chief Creative Officer for New Form [22]. The videos created will be used in conjunction with current Discovery Digital Networks rather than creating a new site from the ground up. The venture was also announced the same week as Discovery’s upfront presentations to entice advertisers about the concept. Today, media advertisers divide their capital between television and online mediums, serving as a potentially dramatic advertisement revenue increase for Discovery.  Zaslav is making the push for Discovery to move into the Internet realm to make their channels easily accessible on all platforms for anyone to use [23].

Interview with David Zaslav and Ron Howard on New Form (Bloomberg)

Works Cited:

[1] Discovery Communications Founder John Hendricks to Retire as Chairman of Company’s Board. Discovery Communications. March 20, 2014. RT: April 13, 2014.

[2] Overview & Mission. Discovery Communications. RT: April 13, 2014.

[3] Leadership. Discovery Communications. RT: April 13, 2014.

[4] Google Finance Data. Google. RT: April 15, 2014.

[5] 2013 Annual Report. Discovery Communications. RT: April 15, 2014.

[6] Discovery CEO touts International Growth, Outlook. The Hollywood Reporter. Georg Szalai. April 3, 2014. RT: April 15, 2014.

[7] Introduction to the Entertainment & Media Industry. Plunkett Research, Ltd. RT: April 15, 2014. Used to calculate total market share.

[8] Top Competitors for Discovery Communications, Inc.. Hoovers. RT: April 15, 2014

[9] Discovery Communications Chairman John Hendricks stepping down. Los Angeles Times. Joe Flint. March, 20 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[10] John Hendricks Retirement Letter. John S. Hendricks. March 20, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[11] Curiosity Mission Statement. Curiosity Retreats. RT: April 17, 2014.

[12] Curiosity About Page. Curiosity Retreats. RT: April 17, 2014.

[13] Discovery chairman John Hendricks to step down to pursue lifelong learning academy. Washington Post. Dan Beyers. March 23, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[14] Cable Pioneer John Hendricks to Retire From Discovery Communications. Variety. Cynthia Littleton. March 20, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[15] Discovery Takes Controlling Stake in Eurosport. New York Times. David Gelles. January 21, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[16] Eurosport owner Discovery considering Premier League TV rights bid. The Guardian. Mark Sweney. January 24, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014

[17] Discovery to Take Control of Eurosport International. The Hollywood Reporter. Georg Szalai. January 21, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014

[18] Discovery Acquires Stake in DogTV, a Network Aimed at Canine Viewers. Variety. Todd Spangler. April 8, 2014. RT:April 18, 2014.

[19] Discovery Wants Your Dog To Watch More TV. Bloomberg Businessweek. Kyle Stock.  April 8, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[20] Discovery Buys Stake In A TV Channel For Dogs. Huffington Post. Bill Bradley. April 11, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[21] Discovery teams with Howard, Grazer for online shows. USA Today. Roger Yu. April 3, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[22] Brian Grazer, Ron Howard Launch ‘New Form’ Digital Studio With Discovery. The Hollywood Reporter. Natalie Jarvey. April 2, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[23] Howard, Grazer to team with Discovery on Web shows. New York Post. Claire Atkinson. April 2, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.