Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Defends Not Disclosing Streaming Numbers: Creators Felt ‘Trapped’ by Ratings, Box Office

ongoing strike to an end. The offer comes at the end of a renewed wave of negotiations between the two groups, which have been taking place over the past 12 days.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The studios told SAG-AFTRA on Saturday that they have made their “last, best and final” offer, as they seek an end to the 114-day actors strike. The offer includes an enhanced residual bonus for high-performing streaming shows. Under the proposal, actors who appear on the most-watched shows on each platform will see their standard streaming residual doubled.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer AMC Networks reported its third-quarter 2023 earnings Friday, revealing it had added 100,000 subscribes across AMC+ and its other niche streamers in Q3, following two straight quarters of declining subs. Streaming subscribers stand at 11.1 million as of Sept. 30, up 1% from where they ended at 11 million at the conclusion of Q2 in June.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ Magnolia Network is producing four unscripted series with a family-friendly focus for Max, including one called “Human vs Hamster” that, aptly, pits humans against hamsters in challenges. The unscripted projects, which are set to debut in 2024, are described as “ambitious large-scale competitions” and “out-of-the-box social experiments” that are intended to create a co-viewing experience on Max for parents and children.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer SAG-AFTRA is set to meet again on Wednesday with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers after a “productive” day of talks on Tuesday. The sides continue to project “cautious optimism” about resolving the strike, which is now on Day 110. The studios have warned that they must get a deal this week in order to be able to produce partial seasons of scripted network TV series.

EXCLUSIVE: Sunday will not be a day of rest for SAG-AFTRA leadership and the studios this weekend.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer SAG-AFTRA is expected to hold bargaining sessions with the major studios over the weekend, as the two sides continue to work toward a deal to end the 106-day strike. The sessions may be held virtually, rather than in person. The two sides met on Friday for the third day this week at SAG-AFTRA headquarters.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The CEOs of four major entertainment companies offered SAG-AFTRA on Tuesday an improved bonus for the most-watched streaming shows, as well as higher increases in minimum rates. But the studios are still not offering a cut of total streaming revenue, which the actors union has made the centerpiece of its demands to end its 104-day strike. SAG-AFTRA is expected to deliver its response to the studios’ latest proposal today.

This is day 103 of SAG-AFTRA strike.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Four CEOs are set to return to SAG-AFTRA headquarters on Tuesday with a new offer that they hope will break the stalemate in the 102-day actors strike. Among them will be Disney’s Bob Iger, who called SAG-AFTRA’s top negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, on Saturday to invite the actors back to the bargaining table. The CEOs — who also include David Zaslav of Warner Bros.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer “Jet Lag: The Game” is refueled for Season 8 and bringing “Challenge Accepted” host Michelle Khare along for the ride. Streamy winner Khare has joined “Jet Lag” as the guest contestant on the new season of the hit web travel game show, which will be returning to the U.S. for its eighth season after several installments shot abroad in Europe, Japan and New Zealand, playing alongside usual competitors: Sam Denby, Adam Chase and Ben Doyle (the winner of Season 7).

#SagAftraMembers:As we mark the 100th day of our strike, we are pleased to confirm the company executives have asked us to return to the table. Official Negotiations will resume on Tuesday, October 24th. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/m5llCsTqxq— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) October 21, 2023The strike began on July 14, when SAG-AFTRA – the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists – failed to come to an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) over increased pay, a share of streaming revenues and protection against actors’ images and voices being replicated by AI.Talks between the two parties broke down on October 11, in a move that senior figures in SAG-AFTRA described as a “surprise move”.“It is clear that the strength and solidarity shown by our members has sent an unmistakable message to the CEOs,” continued SAG-AFTRA’s statement.

EXCLUSIVE: Ted Sarandos may have insisted today that he and other studio CEOs want to end the over three-month long actors strike and “get everyone back to work,” but for SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator, the Netflix boss is full of nothing but hot air.

Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos expects streaming data to become “much more transparent” in the near term, conforming with metrics for movies, TV and music.

Netflix’s multi-year deal with Skydance Animation, which shifted over from Apple TV+, “helps complement the work that we’re doing” with original animated fare, Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said.

“We want nothing more than to resolve this and get everyone back to work,” declared Netflix’s Ted Sarandos at the top of the streamer’s Q3 earnings video call Wednesday, exactly a week after talks with the actors guild ceased, for now. “That’s true for Netflix. That’s true for every member of the AMPTP,” the co-CEO added of his studio peers.

Netflix is adamant that it’s not interested in live sports.

Netflix said it’s working on modifications to CEO pay policies after a majority of shareholder voting not to approve executive compensation in a non-binding vote at the last annual meeting. The company had said as much earlier this year.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Netflix is increasing the price of both its basic and premium plans in the U.S., as well as in France and the U.K. Prices for the ads and standard tiers remain the same.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Netflix subscribers grew by 8.76 million in Q3, totaling 247.15 million by the end of the fiscal period Sept. 30.