Variety reports: “Can Topic execute a solid pivot into premium video? The digital storytelling outlet of Pierre Omidyar’s First Look Media thinks it can put together a niche Netflix-style subscription-video service curated to appeal to young ‘culture cravers.’”
VentureBeat reports: “Ubisoft revealed a list of more than 100 games that will be available on Uplay+, the subscription gaming service that will debut on September 3. First unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 2019) in June, Ubisoft said it will offer more than 4,000 hours of gameplay for the single-player versions of the titles alone. It will charge $15 a month for Uplay+.”
VentureBeat reports: “Landr, a Montreal-based startup developing an AI-powered creative platform for musicians, today announced that it has closed a $26 million series B funding round led by Sony Innovation Fund, microphone manufacturer Shure, and state-owned financing corporation Investissement Québec and Fonds de solidarité FTQ.”
gamesindustry.biz reports: “Disney has made a key appointment that should significantly boost its video games strategy, bringing in a former PlayStation exec into the fold. John Drake spent five years at the platform holder working on, and eventually leading, Sony’s portfolio and content acquisition efforts.”
Deadline reports: “Last year Netflix for the first time ever beat HBO in noms, 112 to 108, but in the end both took home 23 wins total. This year, HBO took the Emmy nom crown back and set a new network nom record for a single season with 137 Emmy noms. Netflix counts 117 noms today.”
Billboard reports: “Patreon — the membership funding platform that lets fans support musicians like Pentatonix and Amanda Palmer with monthly payments — has raised $60 million in late-stage funding from investors, co-founder and CEO Jack Conte announced Tuesday (July 16).”
Deadline reports: “Quibi is to launch two daily news shows aimed at millennials after striking a deal with NBC News. The broadcaster’s news operations becomes the first producer to partner with Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s short-form digital service for its curated daily news strand Daily Essentials.”
Hollywood Reporter reports: “The upcoming streaming service is still confusing. What’s on it? How much does it cost? It didn’t have to be this way, writes The Hollywood Reporter’s chief TV critic.”
The Verge reports: “While they’re known for strongly encrypting messages in transit, apps like WhatsApp and Telegram may not always be able to keep files safe after they’re on your phone. Today, researchers from Symantec explain how hackers could use a malicious app to subtly alter media files sent through the services.”
Variety reports: “James Murdoch, former CEO of 21st Century Fox, has invested $20 million in The Void, a startup specializing in location-based virtual reality (VR) experiences, Variety has confirmed. The funding comes through Murdoch’s Lupa Systems, a holding company that Rupert Murdoch’s younger son established with $1 billion in proceeds from the sale of his stake in 21CF to Disney earlier this year, per an FT report.”
