Fox Sees Ad Dip But Profit Soars From Year Earlier Quarter Hit By Fox News-Dominion Settlement

Donald Trump said that his campaign has agreed to participate in a vice presidential debate — but on Fox News.

Joshua Bassett just released his new single “The Golden Years” – Just Jared Jr Harrison Butker‘s viral, controversial speech has drawn criticism from the school’s nuns – Celebitchy Get the scoop on the Pokémon makeup collection at ColourPop – Popsugar Nickelodeon just picked up another new spinoff series! – Just Jared Jr

If you’ve been keeping up with distribution news recently, there’s been one name you’ll have seen pop up again and again: Vertical.

sports-streaming service set to be launched by Walt Disney, Warner Bros.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The joint venture of Disney/ESPN, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery to package together a sports streaming bundle has a name — Venu Sports.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The turmoil in TV and advertising has been reflected in a high level of turnover among top TV ad sales executives, so media buyers will be doing business with a number of new faces in this year’s upfront advertising sales market. Madison Avenue’s growing reliance on streaming video has given rise to a new array of top sales honchos. Jeff Collins is leading Fox Corp.’s efforts this year following the retirement of sales stalwart Marianne Gambelli.

Naman Ramachandran ProSiebenSat.1 Group, which owns one of Germany’s leading broadcasters and one of its top streaming platforms, has had an encouraging start to 2024 after a rough 2023 financial year that saw revenues dip by 7%. Financial results for the first quarter of 2024, reported on Tuesday, reveal that group revenues increased by 6% to €867 million ($935 million) in the first quarter of 2024 and adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) grew by 35% to €72 million ($77.6 million) despite higher programming expenses. The group said that in addition to revenue growth, the positive numbers are due to the cost control program implemented in the previous year.

Naman Ramachandran ProSiebenSat.1 Group, which owns one of Germany’s leading broadcasters and one of its top streaming platforms, has had an encouraging start to 2024 after a rough 2023 financial year that saw revenues dip by 7%. Financial results for the first quarter of 2024, reported on Tuesday, reveal that group revenues increased by 6% to €867 million ($935 million) in the first quarter of 2024 and adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) grew by 35% to €72 million ($77.6 million) despite higher programming expenses. The group said that in addition to revenue growth, the positive numbers are due to the cost program implemented in the previous year.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The 2024 Fox upfront presentation featured an appearance by Jamie Foxx in one of his first public appearances since his health crisis last year. Foxx took to the stage and did his best to crack up the crowd of advertisers, a tall order considering the bar had yet to open.

Fresh from being roasted on Netflix, Tom Brady turned up to the Fox Upfronts.

A new Wicked movie featurette was released by Universal Pictures today, and it has new footage from the movie, plus, the emotional moments that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo found out they’d be portraying Glinda and Elphaba, respectively.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large At the NBCUniversal upfronts, they saved the best for almost last: “Late Night with Seth Meyers” host Seth Meyers hit the Radio City Music Hall stage to throw out a few quips before introducing NBCUniversal ad sales chief Mark Marshall. Meyers came out swinging: “Hello and welcome to the NBC upfronts. If you’re looking for the Fox News upfronts, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courtroom,” he said to chuckles.

There’s even more news about Fox’s renewal/cancellation TV show slate for 2024!

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Tencent Music Entertainment, China’s largest online music corporation, got smaller but more profitable in the first quarter of 2024. That continued a trend seen previously in the company’s 2023 accounts. Revenues in the January to March quarter weighed in at $937 million (RMB6.77 billion), a 3% decrease compared with the same quarter last year. But profits after tax increased 28% to $212 million (RMB1.53 billion). Monthly active users across its free and paid for tiers decreased by 2% to 592 million.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer When NBCUniversal kicks off TV’s traditional week of upfront presentations on Monday, picket-free sidewalks outside Radio City Music Hall will be a sight for sore eyes following last year’s noisy protests in the first weeks of what proved to be the nation’s “hot labor summer.” Hosting a programming presentation at a megawatt New York City venue like Radio City or Javits Center is stressful enough. Executives are eager to return to business as usual in wooing Madison Avenue.

Fox has announced renewal and cancellation decision for two more shows.

K.J. Yossman Lionsgate will handle U.S. distribution of eagerly awaited “Greenland” sequel “Greenland: Migration,” Variety can confirm.

A year ago, Warner Bros. Discovery was raking in cash from astonishing sales of Hogwarts Legacy, the game launched in February of 2023 that had sold more than 12 million units and hit $850 million in global sales in its first two weeks. CEO David Zaslav said then that games were key to the merged company’s strategy. It made for a very tough comp to this year as the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League game, also out in February, was no Hogwarts Legacy.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery — ordinarily rivals for consumers’ time and money — are teaming up for a triple-play bundle of Disney+, Hulu and Max. The companies announced a new streaming bundle comprising Disney+, Hulu and Max will be available this summer in the U.S.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said the upcoming sports streaming venture with Disney/ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery is forging ahead with over 150 engineers now on board dedicated “to building a unique and innovative product” for sports fans outside the traditional cable bundle.