Showbiz Sandbox
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Showbiz Sandbox 637: Spotify Fighting Fraud With New Payment Plan
Spotify is changing how it pays out royalties in an effort to deter fraud, demonetize the flood of new music that almost no one listens to and frustrate those gaming the system. None of the changes wi
Showbiz Sandbox 636: Why Streaming Subscriptions Are Getting More Expensive
When Netflix announced its earnings for the third quarter of 2023 it also confirmed that it would be increasing prices for those that dont want to view ads. Amazon recently said it would also be rais
Showbiz Sandbox 635: Deciphering Hollywood Hits and Misses
Hollywood studios often try to camouflage the success or failure of their movies. Sometimes they claim a film is unprofitable, yet go on to make several sequels, as Nu Image did with the Has Fallen
Showbiz Sandbox 634: Spotify Gets Book Smart
Spotify, the music streaming service, is going all in on audiobooks in hopes of attracting and maintaining subscribers. Previously, Spotify offered some audiobooks for sale. Now the companys 220 mill
Showbiz Sandbox 633: Dissecting the New Writers Guild Contract
The Writers Guild of America released details of the new contract they negotiated with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers ending their historic 148 day strike. The 94-page document
Showbiz Sandbox 632: Pickets Down – Hollywood Writers Strike A Tentative Deal
The Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) potentially ending its strike after 146 days. Enterta
Showbiz Sandbox 631: Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals Kick Off Unusual Awards Season
Every annual awards season has its own strange rhythm and unexpected twists. But with both actors and writers on strike, unable to promote certain movies, surely this years awards season will be the
Showbiz Sandbox 630: Resurrecting Silent Films Can Be Profitable (Theoretically)
The 1923 silent film The Spanish Dancer starring Pola Negri is the latest restoration project being theatrically released by Milestone Film & Video, one of the key players over the past 30 years in
Showbiz Sandbox 629: Disney vs. Charter Feud Could Finally Unbundle Cable
Carriage disputes between cable companies and media companies are nothing new. They happen regularly around big events like the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup or the Oscars. However this time Charter Comm
Showbiz Sandbox 628: An Inside Look at Streaming’s Microscopic Residual Payments
The recent success of the television series Suits on Netflix has shined a spotlight on how much money writers make on a cable or broadcast hit versus one on a streaming service. Last week one of the