Matt is joined by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix's newest expansion into data transparency, called “What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report,” a biannual report covering six months of streaming habits on the platform across more the 18,000 shows and movies between January-June 2023. Matt and Lucas dive into the data and ask Ted about Netflix’s shift in strategy, the downstream effect on the rest of the streamers, and how this will alter the deal-mak...
Dec 13, 2023•41 min
Matt is joined by Ted Hope, a producer and former cohead of movies at Amazon Studios, to discuss streaming's negative impact on the movie business. Ted provides his perspective to explain how global streaming platforms have damaged the independent film business, how predatory pricing has corrupted the market, how the incentives of streamers have changed, and what should be done to fix this. Matt finishes the show with a box office prediction for Hayao Miyazaki's newest film, ‘The Boy and the Her...
Dec 08, 2023•33 min
Matt is joined by Axios senior correspondent Sara Fischer to dissect the biggest deals of 2023, and what we can expect in 2024. They discuss why private equity may dominate the deal market next year, the possibility of a major merger, and predict what 2024 will hold for Paramount Global, Warner Bros. Discovery, Comcast, theater chains, NBA rights, and more. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction on a potential IATSE strike in the spring. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insid...
Dec 07, 2023•33 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Ashley Carman to discuss the state of the podcast industry and its struggle to reach profitability despite its growth. They talk about the murky metrics for success, the era of companies going “all in” on celebrity podcasts, the comedy podcaster boom, Spotify vs. Apple vs. YouTube, and the rise of the video podcast. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of streamer bundling. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What ...
Dec 05, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Julia Alexander—the director of strategy at Parrot Analytics and a streaming wars expert—to discuss the year's most strategic and powerful moves made by streamers to try to gain an advantage over their rivals, and which worked the best. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the 2024 Oscars. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Julia Ale...
Dec 01, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by longtime casting director Denise Chamian to provide her perspective on some of the industry’s most pressing topics, including Hollywood’s lack of young movie stars, AI replacing actors, the effectiveness of the SAG-AFTRA strike, as well as misconceptions about the casting process and how it has changed. She also reveals a few secrets about the casting for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘Elvis’, and highlights a few actors she believes are stars in the making. Matt finishes the show by...
Dec 01, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Paramount Global’s struggle to survive in the age of streaming, whether owner Shari Redstone will be forced to sell the family business, and, if so, whom she will sell it to. Matt finishes the show by giving an update on the 2023 box office draft between him and Lucas. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas ...
Nov 28, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Vox senior correspondent and 'Recode Media' host Peter Kafka to discuss the new era of tech and Hollywood, including the long-term place of Apple and Amazon in the entertainment industry, the rise of advertising in streaming, YouTube's and TikTok’s power, the complicated relationship between big tech and sports, big tech’s foray into the media ecosystem, how it will affect the traditional broadcast industry, Elon Musk's impact on Twitter and social media, and the upcoming Elon ...
Nov 22, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss some of the unexpected winners and losers in the wake of the strikes, highlighting those who suffered from collateral damage or perhaps benefited from fortuitous timing during Hollywood's extended shutdown. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Dev...
Nov 20, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Justine Bateman—writer, director, producer, former actress, and SAG-AFTRA negotiation committee consultant on the use of AI—to discuss the protections established against the use of AI in the new SAG-AFTRA deal. She voices criticisms of the AI portion of the contract, and highlights potential loopholes that could significantly affect working actors and permanently alter the future of filmmaking. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the upcoming release of ‘The Hunger ...
Nov 17, 2023•38 min
Matt is joined by journalist and former chief media correspondent for CNN Brian Stelter to discuss the unique business behind Fox and its relationship with Hollywood moving forward in post-Rupert era, including how it continues to generate billions in profits every year, their lucrative deal with the NFL, and their ad-supported TV service, Tubi. Matt finishes the show with a prediction on Tom Brady’s media career. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearin...
Nov 14, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss one year of Bob Iger 2.0 and his latest comments surrounding the company's fourth quarter earnings report, including more aggressive cost-cutting measures, quantity vs. quality criticism of the film and TV division, and their promising streaming subscriber gains. Matt finishes the show with a prediction on the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery’s unreleased movie, ‘Coyote vs. Acme.’ For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ...
Nov 13, 2023•32 min
On Wednesday night, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP reached a tentative deal on a three-year contract valued at over $1 billion, ending the longest strike in the union’s history at 118 days. Matt is joined by the national executive director and chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, to give more details on what the actors won in their new deal. They discuss the provisions for consent and compensation with AI, the new streaming and viewership-based program for residuals, why he was thri...
Nov 09, 2023•37 min
Matt is joined by New York Times’ Kyle Buchanan to discuss the upended awards season in the wake of the actors strike, how it has stripped actors of participating in all of the usual promotional activities, and how much disruption on the campaign trail actually matters this Oscars season. They talk about who is suffering the most, who has been given a boost, and how things will shake after the strike ends. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ...
Nov 08, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how the non-Netflix streaming services can survive in a Netflix-dominated world. They discuss Warner Bros. Discovery's licensing of a large collection of DC films to Netflix and whether sending A-list content to Netflix is sustainable for the other streamers. Matt finishes the show with a prediction on where Jon Stewart will land a new show. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Em...
Nov 07, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by entrepreneur, media personality, and former Bravo star Bethenny Frankel to discuss the abusive and oppressive working conditions on reality shows, the mistreatment of their participants, and why she is pushing for the unionization of reality TV. She discusses why a union is the best way to protect reality TV stars, the forces preventing this from happening, and how she sees her role in this process. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Disney’s buyout of Hulu. For a 2...
Nov 02, 2023•39 min
Matt is joined by former NBC and Fox executive Preston Beckman to discuss if the TV revival is a viable option for TV networks nowadays. Do networks see pre-branded properties like 'Frasier' as more important than ever, or are they a vestige of a past era on its last leg? They also discuss the art of pilot recastings, if 'Friends' will ever be revived, the state of the binge model, and if TV scheduling is more or less important than ever. Matt finishes the show with a prediction on the World Ser...
Nov 01, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how the strikes have affected the 2024 movie calendar after several studios have pushed the releases of several blockbuster films, including Disney’s ‘Snow White’ remake and the next ‘Mission: Impossible,’ both now pushed to 2025. They discuss whether these moves can be seen as strategic or simply responses to production delays caused by the strikes. They discuss the similarities that 2024 might have to the pandemic box office, nominate some po...
Oct 30, 2023•32 min
Welcome back to Town Hall! Matt and Craig answer a slew of listener questions about why Hasan Minhaj lost the 'Daily Show' job, stories from inside the strike negotiation rooms, whether Hollywood would ramp up during the holidays if SAG-AFTRA reaches a deal in the next few weeks, consolidation in the entertainment industry, Taylor Swift’s ‘Argylle’ rumor, and give a prediction for ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s.’ For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’...
Oct 27, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Joanna Robinson to talk about the reasons behind Marvel’s decline and whether the superhero era in general has reached its natural end or whether a resurgence is possible. They discuss Marvel’s brand oversaturation, its messy foray into television, its visual effects issues, what it will do about Jonathan Majors, whether the original stars need to come back, and Marvel president Kevin Feige’s future with the company. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood in...
Oct 25, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix’s reign of dominance in 2023 and how it managed to return to form after the Great Netflix Correction. They discuss how Netflix managed to succeed over the past year with moves like cracking down on password sharing and licensing shows from other streamers, and why its competition seems to be the weakest it's ever been. They also discuss Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos’s latest comments about the actors strike. For a 20 percent discount on M...
Oct 23, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Rich Paul, the founder and CEO of Klutch Sports Group, as well as co-head of UTA Sports, to discuss why Klutch made a deal with UTA, the upcoming NBA media rights deal, Lionel Messi’s unique deal with MLS, LeBron James’s business interests and players becoming team owners, financial literacy with athletes, his relationship with Adele, and much more. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thet...
Oct 20, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Andrew Wallenstein, Variety Intelligence’s chief media analyst, to discuss live concerts' hot streak and the post-pandemic rise of the experience economy, as well as historic ticket prices, the lengths fans are going to to see their favorite artists, what this means for the future of live music, and more. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about stand-up comedy on streaming. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click he...
Oct 18, 2023•31 min
Live from Bloomberg’s Screentime event in Los Angeles, Matt and Lucas Shaw buy and sell a slew of Hollywood-related topics, including Travis Kelce’s eventual post-NFL career, Netflix’s ad tier, megastar music documentaries, Sam Levinson, the state of talent agencies, Paramount Global, and more. They also discuss the latest update in the ongoing actors strike. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spot...
Oct 16, 2023•43 min
Matt is joined by Howard King, a music industry expert and trial lawyer who has represented Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and many major artists in the music industry, to shed light on the complicated world of copyright infringement in the music industry songwriting credits, and why Olivia Rodrigo had to give writing credits to Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff for her songs “Deja Vu” and “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back.” Matt finishes with a review of the Taylor Swift Eras tour movie after attending ...
Oct 12, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss yet another round of price hikes for ad-free streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix, how the business is evolving to push people into the ad-supported tiers, the disappearance of the streaming middle class, how much these subscription prices could be, and more. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction about the Sphere. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your t...
Oct 10, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by JB Perrette, president and CEO of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, to discuss WBD's simulcasting live sports option on its streaming platform, Max; why they're doing this; growing direct to consumer without turning their back on linear channels; where the future of live sports is; maintaining a relationship with cable carriers; how this will affect Warner Bros. Discovery's bid for NBA rights; and more. Matt finishes the show with a prediction for the openin...
Oct 05, 2023•34 min
Matt is joined by journalist and author Taylor Lorenz to discuss how influencers and the creator economy have both benefited and suffered from the strike, the relationship between Hollywood and digital creators, the goal of the modern influencer, the best platforms for monetization, and much more. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction on ‘Naked Attraction,’ the newest reality show added to the Max streaming service. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What ...
Oct 04, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the business of screenwriting in the wake of the end of the writers strike. Most would agree that “peak TV” is over, and most streamers are cutting back on the amount of television shows they produce each year. Matt and Lucas discuss how this retrenchment will affect the bottom line for writers, and if the slowdown in overall deals will push writers back toward movies. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction about Beyoncé and Taylor Swift...
Oct 02, 2023•32 min
Matt is joined by producer and former NBC executive Warren Littlefield to discuss the state of broadcast television and how the industry has changed from the heyday of the must-see TV era of the ’90s. Warren talks about what it was like to run a TV network in the ’90s—and when shows would generate ratings that seem unthinkable today—and how the fall TV slate has declined in the streaming era. Matt finishes the show with a box office prediction about a slate of movies being released this weekend....
Sep 29, 2023•32 min
