Hollywood Reporter reports: “Investment firm Elliott Management Corp. said Monday that funds that it manages have acquired $3.2 billion of AT&T stock and called for changes at the telecom and entertainment giant, arguing that its acquisition strategy in particular has hurt the company’s shares and performance.”
Variety reports: “(EXCLUSIVE) Los Angeles-based MoJo Global Arts, former Shoreline Ent. CEO Morris Ruskin’s newly-minted production-management venture, has struck a strategic alliance with top Spanish-language group 2btube and its subsidiary Touché Films.”
Variety reports: “Digital-media company Group Nine Media raised $50 million in new funding, led by its lead investor Discovery along with participation from German publishing firm Axel Springer.”
VentureBeat reports: “Vivaldi, the desktop browser company founded by Opera cofounder Jon von Tetzchner, is now offering its browser on mobile devices for the first time. The Norwegian startup, which launched its browser for desktop machines back in 2016, announced plans for an Android app earlier this year.”
VentureBeat reports: “Medal.tv said it has raised $9 million in funding for short-form videos that have become a big means of self-expression in the social media age. Horizons Ventures led the round with participation from existing investors Makers Fund, Backed.VC, and Social Starts. In just 14 months since launch, the platform said it has grown into one of the largest and fastest-growing platforms in gaming.”
gamesindustry.biz reports: “Virtual reality social platform VRChat this week closed a Series C investment round worth $10 million. Along with continued support from HTC, Brightstone Venture Capital, and GFR Fund, the latest round sees Makers Fund join as a new investor.”
Hypebot reports: “Valence Media, the parent company of Billboard and Hollywood Reporter is acquiring Nielsen’s music-related data, software and analytics business, according to multiple reports. Nielsen Soundscan provides the data that power’s Billboard’s iconic music charts.”
Billboard reports: “Two bipartisan groups of state attorneys general are launching separate antitrust investigations into Facebook and Google, adding to regulatory scrutiny of two of the world’s largest and most ubiquitous tech companies.”
Variety reports: “Crunchyroll, the anime streaming-service division of WarnerMedia’s Otter Media, entered into a pact to become the majority owner of Viz Media Europe Group, the top anime distributor and manga publisher in Europe.”
Deadline reports: “XYZ Films has signed its inaugural group of clients for its new management division, which focuses on filmmakers with an emphasis on global talent.”
