It turns out members of the Writers Guild aren’t the only ones who want to overhaul the way television gets produced and paid for. Discovery Networks wishes to change how reality shows are funded in the United States, asking producers to foot the bill, rather than fund episodes up front. This is the same model employed in the European Union, however on that continent the producers maintain ownership of the content.
In another seismic shift, Disney TV Studios and Warner Bros. are letting the industry know that they want to change the way everyone working a television show gets compensated. Rather than the standard back-end profit participation model, the studios would pay one larger lump sum at the time of production for any of their broadcast, cable or streaming series.
Meanwhile, we’re learning that the reason censorship has grown tighter in China is thanks to the establishment of the new Central Propaganda Department. Perhaps those now in charge of monitoring the content of movies being distributed in the Middle Kingdom are still learning how spot objectionable content at the script stage.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including a slump in the live music business, Nicki Minaj pulls out of a concert in Saudi Arabia and Netflix preps its most expensive movie to-date.

‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’ Repeats at #1, Nearing $850 Million Worldwide
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4528&p=.htm
In China, Censors Are Hollywood’s Best Friends
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-07-11/china-film-censors-are-driving-viewers-to-hollywood-blockbusters
Nicki Minaj Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Concert
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nicki-minaj-cancels-saudi-arabia-concert-1223155
‘Friends’ to Leave Netflix for WarnerMedia’s HBO Max Streaming Service in 2020
https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/warnermedia-hbo-max-friends-exclusive-streaming-1203262335/
Netflix Picks up “Red Notice”
https://variety.com/2019/film/news/red-notice-dwayne-johnson-gal-gadot-ryan-reynolds-netflix-1203262879/
‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart
https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8519786/revenge-of-the-dreamers-iii-no-1-billboard-200
Rolling Stone Album Chart Week Of July 5 Through July 11
https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/albums/2019-07-11/
Bond’s Number is Up: Black Female Actor ‘Is The New 007’
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jul/15/lashana-lynch-new-007-james-bond-daniel-craig
Live Music Business Slumps In First Half of 2019