All posts published in April 2012
LONDON (Reuters) – Rupert Murdoch’s tetchy and uncompromising appearance at a British inquiry into phone hacking could come back to haunt him this week when politicians give their verdict on the scandal at his defunct News of the World newspaper. Three days of... More »
(Reuters) – Theatre operator AMC Entertainment has shelved plans for an initial public offering for the second time in almost four years, the LA Times reported, citing two people familiar with the matter. The IPO plan has been scrapped as AMC Entertainment’s o... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Apple Inc began talks earlier this year to stream films owned by EPIX, which is backed by three major movie studios, on devices including a long-anticipated TV, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations. Apple, which no... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – WPP, the world’s largest advertising group, nudged its full-year outlook higher on Friday after strong growth in Asia Pacific and Latin America got the group off to a solid start to 2012. Martin Sorrell’s firm said revenues on a like-for-lik... More »
(Reuters) – Imax Corp’s quarterly net profit missed estimates by a cent, even as the Canadian giant movie screen maker posted higher recurring revenue and continued to expand its global footprint. The company expects to install 17 to 21 new theatre systems in ... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Political advertising contracts with broadcasters are moving from filing cabinets in television studio basements to the Internet for all to view. The Federal Communications Commission adopted a rule on Friday that will force broadcasters... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Rupert Murdoch makes a keenly anticipated appearance before a high-profile media inquiry on Wednesday to confront charges that he used his powerful stable of British newspapers to influence politicians for the benefit of his business interes... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. regulators are investigating major U.S. movie studios’ dealings with China as the entertainment companies try to get a greater foothold in one of the fastest-growing movie markets in the world. The Securities and Exchange Commission... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Video rental company Netflix Inc projected slower subscriber growth this quarter for its key U.S. video-streaming service, disappointing investors and sending its shares down 17 percent after hours. While Netflix reported a first-quarte... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Media watchdog the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation brought out some big names in Hollywood over the weekend including American sweetheart Betty White to honor movies, TV shows and performers. At the annual GLAAD Media Awards o... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rich Ross resigned under pressure as chairman of Walt Disney Co’s movie studio after a less than three-year run that included the release of “John Carter,” one of the biggest flops in recent Hollywood history. Ross, named to the job in ... More »
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s revised growth and budget targets are consistent with a balanced budget in the medium term and creating a “sizable” primary surplus to cut the country’s massive 1.9-trillion-euro debt, according to an internal European Commission docum... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British legislators said on Thursday they hoped to publish on May 1 a long-awaited report into a phone hacking scandal centered on News Corp’s now-closed News of the World tabloid. Parliament’s culture committee is widely expected to critici... More »
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim plans to enter the online gaming market in his home country, offering more than 600 free titles to some 8 million users of his high-speed broadband for a month, with the aim of charging for the service afterwa... More »
OTTAWA (Reuters) – The Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Wednesday that former newspaper mogul Conrad Black is entitled to pursue libel suits in Ontario against the authors of a report that said he ran his U.S.-based media company, Hollinger International Inc, ... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. movie studios, drug manufacturers and other companies that depend heavily on copyrights, patents and trademarks to protect their creative works support 40 million jobs, or about 28 percent of the U.S. workforce, a U.S. report said o... More »
(Reuters) – Astral Media Inc’s second-quarter profit rose 10 percent, helped by steady but uninspiring growth in television revenue. Astral, in the process of being acquired by Canada’s largest telecom company BCE Inc for C$3 billion, said it made a consolidat... More »
(Reuters) – The cool, modernist lines and sober mien of Christian Dior’s new fashion director offer a clean break from the way out shows and wayward behavior of his predecessor, but he faces a challenge to restore the legendary French couturier’s luster. Raf S... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rapper Nicki Minaj shot straight to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday with her sophomore album “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” usurping the crown from Madonna, who suffered the biggest second week sales drop in chart ... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The operator of the planned Shanghai Disney theme park has secured a 12.9 billion yuan ($2 billion) syndicated loan for the construction of the park, Chinese media reported on Wednesday, a boost for Walt Disney Co as it embarks on a newly ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – DreamWorks Studios, the film company headed by director Steven Spielberg, will get around $200 million from its partner Reliance Entertainment to continue making films, according to a person with knowledge of the transaction. The financ... More »
(Reuters) – Former Thomson Reuters Chief Executive Tom Glocer will walk away with almost $20 million in compensation, including $3.1 million in severance to be paid over two years, according to a regulatory filing. Glocer stepped down as CEO at the end of 2011... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – James Murdoch’s belated acknowledgment that he had become a liability to satellite broadcaster BSkyB was a rare admission of defeat by the combative 39-year-old executive known for his self-belief and decisiveness. Murdoch resigned on Tuesda... More »
BOSTON (Reuters) – News Corp faces a call to appoint an independent board chairman on concerns Rupert Murdoch’s media company needs to pursue more reforms to deal with its phone-hacking scandal and other issues. The proxy proposal, filed by Christian Brothers ... More »
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A Sony-led group has offered to sell several music catalogues which generated 15 million euros ($19.9 million) in royalties last year to win EU approval for its planned buy of record label EMI’s music publishing business, two people famili... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Al Jazeera, best known for its Middle Eastern news coverage, is taking aim at Europe’s pay-TV market, using sport to build a global media brand, just as owner Qatar is raising its profile by hosting the 2022 World Cup. The broadcaster is raci... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The green slime flowed so much that even first lady Michelle Obama could not escape it at the Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday where singers Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift came away big winners. The program is an annual stop for Hollywoo... More »
