Billboard reports: “Vox Media will be ending contracts with California freelance writers ahead of the state’s implementation of a bill intended to protect workers from exploitation as independent contractors.”
Variety reports: “MGM’s TV division has inked a first-look deal with production and management outfit 42. The two parties will jointly develop drama projects aimed at the U.S. market. London- and LA-based 42 will work with MGM on original ideas as well as mining the historic studio’s library for IP that can be reworked for TV and on-demand platforms.”
TechCrunch reports: “In a world where ad rates are declining for traditional broadcast media, the corporations responsible for making the fictions that millions devour daily need to find a new business model.”
Variety reports: “Madison Avenue has long been able to stuff some $70 billion annually into TV commercials. Now the advertising industry is trying to figure out how much of that money it can put down on streaming video.”
gamesindustry.biz reports: “Game.tv has closed a successful round of funding to the tune of $25 million. The company operates Tourney, an AI-powered esports tournament platform which can be integrated into online communities (on Discord, for example) and run weekly tournaments based around when most players are online.”
Hollywood Reporter reports: “Disney+ has signed an exclusive distribution deal with French pay TV giant Canal Plus Group, which will see the unit of Vivendi be the sole distributor of Disney’s new streaming service in France from its launch March 31, 2020.”
Hollywood Reporter reports: “The U.S. Department of Justice is examining whether concert promoter Live Nation — owner of Ticketmaster — should be allowed to buy a competing ticketing company called Rival and take over the startup’s contract with billionaire Stan Kroenke.”
Deadline reports: “ABC News and Apple News are partnering on coverage of the 2020 presidential election, starting with plans for a Democratic debate on Feb. 7 in New Hampshire. For that event, Apple News will feature ABC News videos and live streaming, as well as graphics and polling data. WMUR-TV also is a partner in hosting the debate.”
Forbes reports: “Rambler, a Russian media company, is planning to sue Amazon’s Twitch for allegedly and illegally broadcasting 36,000 Premier League soccer games—and has since blocked Twitch from streaming the games, according to Reuters.”
VentureBeat reports: “Bigscreen and Paramount Pictures announced a multi-year agreement to distribute classic 2D and 3D films in 10 countries through Bigscreen, the social VR movie-watching platform.”
