New WGA Contract Explained: AI Is Not a Writer, Solo Scribe Shows Don’t Need Minimum Staff and More

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Canal+ Group chairman and CEO Maxime Saada, who was honored at Mipcom with the Variety Vanguard Award Monday, underscored how the experience of the past informs the company’s future strategy, which includes an emphasis on aggregation and a ramping up of in-house production. He also explained why he believes his company “owes so much to Netflix,” but fears Amazon and YouTube.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Eva Longoria and Cris Abrego have known each other for 20 years. As two of entertainment’s most prominent Latino figures, they have developed a strong friendship around shared experiences and a similar passion for nurturing creative talent.

Nadine Shah has teased that “new music is imminent” and announced two intimate solo shows, as well as some support slots with Young Fathers.The Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter released her fourth and most recent studio album, ‘Kitchen Sink’, back in 2020.Yesterday (October 12), she took to social media to share an update with her fans. “Hello friends.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Shawn Ryan feels like he’s picked up in mid-sentence. The seasoned showrunner is back in his element, leading a writers room and juggling two series, Netflix’s “The Night Agent” and the final season of CBS’ high-octane police drama “S.W.A.T.” The end of the Writers Guild of America strike late last month unleashed a torrent of work for Ryan and his teams based at Sony Pictures Television. “Night Agent” was a little more than halfway done with writing for the 10 episodes for Season 2 when writers went pencils down on May 2.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor NBCUniversal content chief Donna Langley has vowed that the top executives involved in contract negotiations with SAG-AFTRA will devote the time it takes to reach a new deal. Langley, who is chairman of NBCUniversal Studio Group and chief content officer of NBCUniversal, declined to say much about the state of talks with the performers union during her address Wednesday evening at Bloomberg Media’s Screentime conference in Hollywood. But she did express that her executive counterparts in the negotiating room — Disney’s Bob Iger, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Warner Bros.

Taylor Swift‘s “Eras Tour” concert film in Los Angeles. “I appreciate you being here because this night is a core memory for me and you’re a part of it,” Swift said introducing the highly-anticipated movie before a packed auditorium of Swifties, celebrities (and celebrity Swifties), including Adam Sandler, Julia Garner, Maren Morris, Flava Flav, Karamo Brown, Hayley Kiyoko, Becca Tilley, Simu Liu, Molly Sims, Jennifer Meyer and Mariska Hargitay, as well as the Grove owner Rick Caruso.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel opened Bloomberg Media’s Screentime conference Wednesday evening with a strong condemnation of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that he left the country vulnerable to the heinous terrorist attacks that began Oct. 7. “A morally corrupt Bibi Netanyahu exposed Israel to rape and beheadings of babies, children,” Emanuel said in measured tones after moderator Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg’s managing editor of media and entertainment, asked him for his thoughts on the devastation in Israel.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor As Big Media becomes ever more consolidated, Studios71 is preparing to launch a flotilla of startup media businesses in the coming years. The creator services company is designed to fulfill a range of production, marketing, distribution, advertising and sponsorship sales functions for its social media star clients. The end game is to turn personalities into brands that harness the power of their followings in social media first and foremost.

achieved his dreams of being an actor and wanted his kids to work on reaching their own goals. “I spent lots of time in LA pursuing my interests and my career, and now it’s time for them to pursue theirs. Everybody is thriving there.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Lowell Peterson‘s tenure as executive director of the Writers Guild of America East was destined to be bookended by strikes. After 15 years at the helm, Peterson will step down from his post as of Nov. 15 when his current three-year contract expires.

Michaela Zee New York’s entertainment industry elite gathered at Loosie’s Nightclub on Thursday night in celebration of Variety’s annual New York issue. Beneath a ceiling of disco balls, the 2023 class from the New Power of New York List drank Jack Daniels specialty cocktails, filmed TikToks and discussed everything that they love about the greatest city in the world.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor AI, streaming residuals and minimum rate hikes will be among the key issues on the table when SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood’s largest employers sit down Monday for the first formal bargaining talks since the performers union went on strike July 14. SAG-AFTRA and negotiators for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are expected to meet around midday at the union’s Miracle Mile headquarters at SAG-AFTRA Plaza. The talks follow the settlement the AMPTP reached last week with the Writers Guild of America after a 148-day strike.

Swifties’ wildest dreams are coming true because Taylor Swift is back for another one of Travis Kelce‘s games. A week after the pop star set the internet ablaze by popping up next to the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s mom at his game again

iHeartRadio has unveiled its star-studded 2023 Jingle Ball lineup, including performances by Olivia Rodrigo, Usher, Nicki Minaj, SZA, Niall Horan, and Jelly Roll.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor 1957 was a big year for David McCallum, the respected Glasgow-born actor known for “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “The Great Escape” and his 20-year run on “NCIS” as quirky pathologist Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard. The actor, who died Sept.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor SAG-AFTRA has ended its scheduled negotiations with video game producers for a new Interactive Media contract without reaching an agreement. The union has a strike authorization vote in its back pocket, but a joint statement from SAG-AFTRA and the game producers issued late Thursday signaled the sides are still hoping to avoid a second major work stoppage. SAG-AFTRA has been on strike against Hollywood’s largest employers in TV and film since July 14.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor David Goodman, Chris Keyser and Meredith Stiehm have spent this year in warrior mode on behalf of their fellow 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America. Goodman and Keyser, both past presidents of the WGA West, were co-chairs of the WGA’s 25-member negotiating committee. Stiehm was re-elected earlier this month to her second two-year term as WGA West president.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor The WGA West will extend health care benefits through year’s end to members who were facing an Oct. 1 expiration of coverage because of the strike. The extension was worked out as a part of the tentative contract agreement reached Sunday with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which will bring an end the nearly five-month strike.

Ellise Shafer The Writers Guild of Great Britain has issued a statement congratulating the WGA after a tentative agreement was reached with the AMPTP on Sunday night. In a post on the WGGB’s website on Monday morning, chair Lisa Holdsworth wrote: “In the past 146 days we’ve seen an extraordinary show of solidarity from writers and their union siblings on both sides of the Atlantic, and indeed around the world.