DID STUDIOS BRIBE CHINESE OFFICIALS?

Reports that the SEC is looking into dealings between the major Hollywood studios and the Chinese government come as no surprise to studio executives who regularly are required to deal with China. Producer Michael Peyser, who is currently in Beijing exploring co-production opportunities with the Chinese, told today’s (Thursday) Los Angeles Times, “China favors a […]

REPORT: SEC PROBING STUDIO DEALS WITH CHINA

On the heels of reports that at least three Hollywood studios have made major breakthroughs with China, effectively lifting the quota on the number of films that are shown there and entering into coproductions worth tens, or even hundreds, of millions of dollars, Reuters is reporting that the Securities and Exchange Commission wants the studios […]

MORE TROUBLES FOR NETFLIX

As if Netflix didn’t already have enough problems to sort out, now comes word from a website called Disclosure Insight that the online video rental company is the target of an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. “In a letter dated [Dec. 1], we received information from the SEC suggesting this company was involved […]

VOICEMAIL SCANDAL HITS NEWS CORP WHERE IT HURTS

The voicemail hacking scandal that shut down its News of the World tabloid in London has taken its toll on News Corp’s bottom line. The media conglomerate on Wednesday said in an SEC filing that while total revenue rose to $7.96 billion, its profits dropped 5 percent. At the center of its profit drain were […]

WITH ABDUCTION TANKING, LIONSGATE WARNS OF BIG LOSSES

This weekend’s failure of Abduction made it three money losers in a row for Lionsgate, and the mini-studio wasted no time in filing a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission saying that, as a result, it now expects to lose $40-50 million in the current quarter. The filing is required by the SEC in […]

KATZENBERG SAYS SOME “SUCCESSFUL” FILMS AREN’T

While several media writers have written about how strongly animated feature films have been performing at the box office this year, DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg begs to differ. In a conference call following the release of first quarter financial results, Katzenberg remarked that some animated movies released this year have performed poorly, even though […]

NBC-COMCAST MERGER DEAL EXTENDED TO MARCH

Although NBC Universal and Comcast executives have repeatedly insisted that they expect a merger of the two companies to be completed by the end of this month or in early January at the latest, they said in an SEC filing on Friday that they have extended their agreement to March 3. The extension comes as […]

ICAHN — DOWN, BUT STILL SWINGING

Activist investor Carl Icahn made it clear Tuesday that he’s not about to throw in the towel in his battle to gain control of Lions Gate Entertainment. He announced Tuesday that he will appeal Monday’s decision by the British Columbia Supreme Court to toss out his lawsuit against the management of Lions Gate, whom he […]

NETFLIX SAYS IT’S NOW “PRIMARILY A STREAMING COMPANY”

Netflix, the online DVD renter said on Wednesday that it is growing faster than even it had anticipated and now expects to have 19.7 million subscribers signed up by the end of the year, up from its previous forecast of 17.7 million to 18.5 million, making it a serious rival of cable TV. In an […]

BLOCKBUSTER KIOSK DEPLOYMENT QUESTIONED

Reports that Blockbuster is planning to install some 10,000 Blockbuster Express kiosks in key locations by the end of the year may have been exaggerated. According to Home Media magazine, the kiosks are being installed, financed and stocked not by Blockbuster but by the maker of the kiosks, NCR Corp. The magazine said on Tuesday […]

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