Both Apple and Facebook made headlines this week as details of their plans to produce original television content began to emerge. Apple announced the hire of two well-respected development executives to head up their efforts to participate in the golden age of TV, while Facebook closed deals on their first two shows.
It’s a good thing that both Facebook and Apple have deep pockets. If either hopes to upend the television industry the way Netflix and Amazon have, they’ll need to spend billions of dollars on original content, just like these other disruptors.
Spotify is also spending a small fortune to license music as its active worldwide user base suprasses 140 million. They plan on shelling out $2 billion over the next few years, a figure that is sure to rise as the streamer reaches agreements with more record companies.
Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Yoko Ono finally getting songwriting credit on John Lennon’s biggest solo hit, “Imagine”, why IMAX is downsizing its workforce, and industry response to Sony’s decision to offer “clean versions” for 24 film titles in their back catalogue.

comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of June 18, 2017
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-june-18-2017-300475596.html
China’s Weying Boards Paramount’s ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’
https://variety.com/2017/film/asia/chinas-weying-boards-paramounts-transformers-the-last-knight-1202465635/
Wanda Boards Paramount’s ‘Transformers 5’ as Marketing Partner in China
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wanda-boards-paramounts-transformers-5-as-marketing-partner-china-1014635
Chinese Censors Cut Michael Fassbender’s Gay Kiss From ‘Alien: Covenant’
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinese-censors-cut-michael-fassbenders-gay-kiss-alien-covenant-1014488
Spotify Passes 140 Million Users, Promises to Pay Labels $2 Billion as Losses Widen
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/spotify-passes-140-million-users-promises-to-pay-labels-2-billion-as-losses-widen-1202467102/
Be Free or Die by Cate Lineberry
http://bookfilter.com/2016/08/30/be-free-or-die/
The Force by Don Winslow
http://bookfilter.com/2016/09/28/unti-winslow-cop-novel-2/
‘A Horse Walks Into a Bar’ Wins Man Booker International Prize
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/books/a-horse-walks-into-a-bar-wins-man-booker-international-prize.html
Yoko Ono To Receive Songwriting Credit On ‘Imagine,’ 48 Years Later
http://www.npr.