ANALYST: CABLE-TV “HEADING FOR THE CLIFF”

A leading Wall Street media analyst has warned that the cable-TV industry appears to be “heading for the cliff.” Speaking to a meeting of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Craig Moffett, senior analyst and partner of the research firm MoffettNathanson, said that rising subscription costs for cable-TV service, brought about by higher content costs, […]

DAVID GEFFEN MAY BUY CLIPPERS IF STERLING IS FORCED TO SELL

Entertainment mogul David Geffen said on Monday that he would be interested in buying the L.A. Clippers basketball team of current owner Donald Sterling is forced by other NBA owners to sell it. Geffen, the “G” in the original DreamWorks SKG banner (the “S” was Steven Spielberg and the “K,” Jeffrey Katzenberg), reportedly attempted to […]

RATINGS: CBS AHEAD IN TOTAL ADULTS; ABC, IN 18-49 DEMO

CBS wound up well ahead of its rivals in attracting the most viewers last week, but failed to come out ahead where it counts the most — the 18-49 age group. CBS averaged 8 million viewers — far in front of second-pace ABC with 6.4 million. But the two networks switched places when it came […]

DWA TAKES BIG WRITE-OFF ON UNDERPERFORMING PEABODY

It’s hard to believe that a film that has earned $261 million worldwide in theaters and untold millions more in future home-video sales can in fact be a big loser for a movie studio. But such is the case with DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman, which, the studio said on Monday, has resulted in […]

TIME WARNER SEES JUMP IN PROFIT IN FIRST QUARTER

As it prepares to spin off its last non-entertainment enterprise, Time Inc., Time Warner today (Wednesday) issued outstanding results for its first quarter showing a 71-percent surge in profit. Net income rose to $1.29 billion from $754 million during the same quarter a year ago, thanks largely to the success of The Lego Movie and […]

CAST OF STAR WARS: EPISODE 7 DISCLOSED

Writer-director J.J. Abrams on Monday released the names of the cast of the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII (presumably an additional descriptor will be appended to that title). Joining members of the cast from the original film trilogy are John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow. […]

79-YEAR-OLD SOPHIA LOREN TO BE BUSY AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Sophia Loren, who turns 80 in September, will be returning to the Cannes Film Festival, where she won the award for best actress for her performance in producer Carlo Ponti’s Two Women, directed by Vittorio De Sica. She will be making two appearances there — the first for a screening of La Voce Humana (The […]

BOB HOSKINS DEAD AT 71

British actor Bob Hoskins, best known for his role as the leading live actor in the 1988 animated hit Who Framed Roger Rabbit? has died in London at the age of 71. Hoskins, who retired in 2012 after announcing that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, died after contracting pneumonia, a family statement said […]

CRAIG FERGUSON TO LEAVE LATE-NIGHT TV, TOO

Craig Ferguson opened his Late Late Show Monday night with these words: “Good evening, everyone. Before we begin the show tonight, I’d like to make a special announcement. … And at the end of this year, I will be stepping down as the host of this show. [Audience groans.] Thanks, everybody. That was quite convincing. […]

NBA BANS CLIPPERS OWNER FOR LIFE

UPDATE: The NBA has banned Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also said that he would recommend that the board of governors of the organization force a sale of the team. EARLIER: Clippers owner Donald Sterling was the object of a full-court press by members of […]

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