Ad revenue is up about 4%.   According to the earnings statement from parent company Alphabet Inc., YouTube returned to growth in the second quarter of 2023, with ad revenue up about 4% year-over-year to $7.7 billion. The news arrived along with the announcement of a rebound in Google's advertising income (Google is also part of Alphabet). "[In] YouTube, we saw ongoing signs of stabilization in advertiser spending," said Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat. "We are prioritizing product focus on [...]

Netflix is looking for a Product Manager – Machine Learning Platform and the estimated compensation for the position is expected to be between $300,000 and $900,000 per year.   The job posting has been criticized due to the timing of the writers' and actors' strikes, especially considering that one of the key demands of the strike is to prevent the replacement of writers and actors with artificial intelligence. An example comes from actor Shaan Sharma who is part of the [...]

Such as a horror movie starring Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver.   Hollywood is at a standstill with a historic double strike (the last one was in the '60s and brought writers and actors pensions and health insurance). However, some productions are still working. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors and other performers, has been granting waivers, or exemptions, to a select group of independent films and television shows that are not affiliated with the major studios and streaming giants that are [...]

Making it the year's biggest opening weekend, too.   With its $155 million at the box office, Barbie is the biggest opening weekend ever for a female director (Greta Gerwig) and the year's biggest opening weekend. Captain Marvel, co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, previously held the title after earning $153 million in 2019. Wonder Woman, directed by filmmaker Patty Jenkins, made history in 2017 with its $103 million debut, becoming the highest-grossing movie solely directed by a woman. [...]

Barbie numbers beat Oppenheimer 155 to 80 (million dollars).   Can a doll and a physicist save cinema? The answer is yes. What was called the "Barbenheimer" weekend was a huge success, earning a combined total of $235.5 million at the U.S. box office. Barbie, portrayed by Margot Robbie, stole the show with an impressive $155 million ticket sales. Oppenheimer, the film about the renowned physicist behind the development of the atomic bomb, also fared well, bringing in $80.5 million. [...]

It will become X, the little blue bird will disappear.   "Soon, we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds," tweeted Elon Musk last Saturday. Before long, the tweeting matter will be once again assigned to the animal kingdom. The Tesla entrepreneur, who bought Twitter last October, will change the social media's name and logo. Twitter will be renamed X, and the little blue bird will be gone. He also said the platform's website would [...]