Peacock-Paramount+ Merger Rumors, Questions, and What-Ifs
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Peacock’s strong start to 2024 and the prospect of a possible joint venture or “commercial partnership” with Paramount+, as reported by The Wall Street Journal late last week. They run through the logistics of a merger, the curious timing of the Journal’s story, the critical role live sports rights play, Warren Buffett's sale of a third of his stake in Paramount Global, and who is most to blame for Paramount's struggles. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about John Oliver’s HBO show, ‘Last Week Tonight.’ For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
20 Helmi 202432min
How to Win Best Picture on a Budget, With Neon’s Tom Quinn
Matt is joined by Neon founder and CEO Tom Quinn to talk about the thesis for launching Neon, the difficulty of starting a theatrical distribution company centered around adult-oriented movies in 2017, how they are able to compete financially with other major studios’ Oscar campaigns, the business model behind a movie like ‘Anatomy of a Fall,’ what they learned from ‘Parasite,’ what he deems a success in independent film, and more. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of the ‘True Detective’ franchise. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Tom Quinn Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
17 Helmi 202431min
Hopeful or Hopeless? Takeaways From 2024's Bleak Box Office Beginning
Matt is joined by box office columnist and Puck contributor Scott Mendelson to discuss the historically bleak start to the year at the box office, filled with few tentpole releases and bombs from movies like ‘Argylle.’ They preview the rest of the year’s movie slate, discuss whether movies like 'Dune: Part Two' can outperform the limitations of their genre, offer up some potential wild-card hits, and wonder whether the lack of major franchise releases in 2024 will boost original and original-ish movies like Ryan Gosling's ‘The Fall Guy.’ Matt finishes the show by giving a box office prediction for the upcoming film ‘Madame Web.’ For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Scott Mendelson Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
15 Helmi 202432min
Live From Las Vegas: Oscars Pressure, Late-Night TV, and the Vegas Sports Boom With Jimmy Kimmel
Live from Las Vegas, Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw and special guest Jimmy Kimmel to discuss the state of sports television, the NFL's dominance in an otherwise struggling television landscape, Las Vegas as a Super Bowl venue, the potential move of the Oakland A's to Vegas, the hardest part about hosting the Oscars, the future of late-night television, and more. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guests: Lucas Shaw and Jimmy Kimmel Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12 Helmi 202440min
Did Disney Get Its Magic Back?
Matt is joined by media analyst Rich Greenfield to discuss Disney’s latest quarterly earnings report, as well as a slew of new announcements from CEO Bob Iger. Matt and Rich run through each announcement, including their new $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games, a stand-alone ESPN streaming service, their bundled sports streaming service with Fox and WBD, Moana 2, Taylor Swift's concert movie coming to Disney+, and the Nelson Peltz proxy battle. Later, the pair determine whether they can prove to the creative community that they are officially back. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the Gina Carano–Disney lawsuit. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Rich Greenfield Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9 Helmi 202432min
Will the New All-in-One Sports App Finally Kill Cable?
Matt is joined by sports business journalist and Puck contributor John Ourand to discuss ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery teaming up to create a new over-the-top sports streaming platform that will air live sports from ESPN, TNT, FS1, and more. They discuss the dynamics of this deal, why this is happening, how it will affect the future of linear cable, potential drawbacks, and more. Matt finishes the show with a Super Bowl ratings prediction. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: John Ourand Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8 Helmi 202432min
Five Major Music Business Questions After the Grammy's
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the highlights, lowlights, and most pressing music industry questions after the 2024 Grammy Awards. Matt and Lucas check in on the music business, including the ongoing feud between Universal Music Group and TikTok, Taylor Swift's new album announcement, the Grammy's problem with hip-hop, the future of the Las Vegas Sphere, and more. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5 Helmi 202432min
TikTok vs. Universal Music: Why Taylor, Drake and Others Were Yanked
Matt is joined by Rolling Stone’s Ethan Millman to discuss the ongoing battle between Universal Music Group and TikTok, why Taylor Swift, Drake, and other artists’ music is no longer on the app, if TikTok deserves to pay less in royalties because of its cultural prominence and inherent marketing advantage, and ultimately who needs who more. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the final season of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Ethan Millman Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 Helmi 202432min
