Variety reports: “Colin Petrie-Norris was a pioneer in the free, ad-supported television (FAST) space as the founder of Xumo. Now he’s hoping to stake a claim on the future of AI entertainment. Petrie-Norris’ new company is Fairground Entertainment, a studio and streaming distribution service focused exclusively on AI-generated TV series.”
The Verge reports: “TikTok is introducing new accessibility features that make it easier for people with visual impairments to see text and use screen readers on the platform. After adding alt text support for still images in April, TikTok is now testing a feature that automatically adds an AI-generated alt text description to photographs when a creator hasn’t manually added it.”
CNBC reports: “HBO became HBO Max, and then it became Max. Now, it will be HBO Max once more. Warner Bros. Discovery is renaming its streaming platform again starting this summer, restoring a name it ditched just two years ago. The company announced the rebranding Wednesday during its upfront presentation in New York.”
80 Level reports: “Celebratory contests, exclusive interviews with industry leaders, special articles and offers – join us as we celebrate our 10th anniversary and gear up for a year of festivities ahead!
Ten years ago, the idea was born to create a place where Game Developers and Artists could share their stories and experiences. At first, there was just one person writing, then two – we were a small blog, reaching out to people who would agree to talk to a team no one had ever heard of.”
Music Business Worldwide reports: “Sony Music Entertainment doesn’t often shout about new deals with streaming companies in the press. That means we often have to search for confirmation of its licensing agreement renewals with DSPs in company filings. Today (May 13), we have learned that Sony Music has renewed a multi-year deal with Tencent Music Entertainment, the biggest owner of music streaming platforms in China.”
CNBC reports: “Google will begin a new fund aimed at investing in artificial intelligence startups, the company announced Monday. Through a fund it calls the “AI Futures Fund,” eligible startups will get Google investment; early access to AI models; and hands-on support from Google researchers, engineers and go-to-market specialists, the company said in a blog post Monday. They will also get credits to use on Google Cloud.”
The Hollywood Reporter reports: “Film-focused social media platform Letterboxd plans to launch a curated TVOD (transactional video-on-demand) service, targeted at its 20 million-strong cinema-obsessed user base. Letterboxd unveiled the plans at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday, saying the Letterboxd Video Store would feature themed rental “shelves” highlighting film festival selections, overlooked titles, global cinema, and emerging filmmakers. Rentals will be available either on demand or within timed windows modeled after festival screenings.”
Deadline reports: “Amazon is rolling out new ad formats on Prime Video, including contextually relevant pause ads and shoppable inventory. The tech giant announced the new formats ahead of its upfront presentation to advertisers Monday in New York. The pause ads are designed to be more contextually relevant, so that viewers pausing, for example, The Summer I Turned Pretty could be served with travel ads or something else matching what’s happening on screen.”
AdAge reports: “TelevisaUnivision is taking a page from social media for its upfront announcements, showcasing a slate of one-minute shows and vertical video products, and leaning into the video podcast trend. While many upfront shows are tunnel-visioned on sports to combat investment-wary marketers navigating macroeconomic uncertainty—and TelevisaUnivison has plenty of its own—the media company differentiated its pitch by focusing on Gen Z, about half of which identify as multicultural.”
Games Industry Biz reports: “Almost 50% of gamers have reduced their environmental impact after playing games highlighting the issues of climate change. That’s according to non-for-profit organisation PlanetPlay after releasing the latest results of its Play2Act survey, conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program. 181,000 players from 189 countries took part in the survey, which was placed in 24 games including Subway Surfers, Beatstar, Pokémon Go, and Avakin Life.”
