YouTube, renowned for pioneering user-generated content, has expanded its dominance from online platforms to TV screens. According to Nielsen's The Gauge report for May, YouTube captured 9.7% of all U.S. TV viewership, surpassing Netflix's 7.6%. This significant shift is prompting media giants like Netflix, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery to reassess their strategies in an increasingly digital-first landscape. Rich Greenfield, a media analyst at LightShed, emphasized YouTube's impact, stating, "Imagine YouTube on the biggest screen in the house, the TV. [...]

The big new character in Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is Anxiety, which makes sense, given how much pressure was being loaded onto the film before its release. In a Time feature, Pixar’s creative head and director of the first movie, Pete Docter, candidly admitted: “If this doesn’t do well at the theater, I think it just means we’re going to have to think even more radically about how we run our business.” Hollywood at large—the executives, producers, financiers, and other [...]

Pirates abound on the internet, with illegal streaming sites offering a stolen lineup of TV shows and movies larger than the combined catalogs of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon’s Prime Video. These operations are becoming increasingly sophisticated, moving overseas and taking advantage of the rising popularity of streaming to steal more content. In response, entertainment companies—under pressure from Wall Street—are striving to catch up. Hollywood is hopeful that shutting down these illegal sites could attract new customers to legitimate services. On [...]

Following strikes that halted cameras from May to November 2023, Hollywood's recovery has been slow. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in sets and recording studios saw a 20% contraction in April compared to pre-pandemic levels. Lockdown and picket lines aside, this marks the lowest employment rates in 30 years. FilmLA, responsible for issuing filming permits in Los Angeles County, reported an 8.7% decline in shoots in the first quarter of this year, with TV series productions [...]

Paramount Global is set to raise prices for its flagship streaming service, Paramount+, as part of its efforts to revitalize its business. This move reflects a broader trend among media companies to increase streaming service prices in a bid to achieve profitability. Starting August 20, new subscribers will see the price of the Paramount+ with Showtime plan rise by $1, bringing the monthly cost to $12.99. Meanwhile, the Paramount+ Essential plan, which does not include Showtime content, will see a [...]

Apple's ambitious expansion into artificial intelligence (AI) faces significant challenges, particularly in markets with stringent regulations. As the tech giant introduces Apple Intelligence—a suite of AI features aimed at enhancing its devices—the road to global implementation is not without obstacles. Apple Intelligence is designed to enhance user experience through a more advanced Siri, automatic email organization, and audio transcription capabilities. Set to launch in U.S. English this fall, with additional languages and features planned for next year, the initiative reflects [...]