More from Erik Hayden
WME Buys D.C. Literary Agency Ross Yoon, Bringing Over Authors and Journalists
Talent agency WME is establishing a foothold inside the Beltway. The Beverly Hills-based representation giant has acquired the literary agency Ross Yoon, the company said on Friday. Led by Gail Ross and Howard Yoon, the agency focuses on the non-fiction space, and has a roster of author clients including Time journalist Molly Ball, Mother Jones’ […]
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Rebooted MoviePass Says It’s Expanding Nationwide
MoviePass, a rebooted version of the app that once burned through cash promising theatergoers all-you-can-watch features for a single fee, says it’s now going to expand nationwide again during the busy box office Memorial Day frame. In its latest incarnation, the firm, run by Stacy Spikes, has subscription plans that range from $10 a month […]
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Vice Media Bankruptcy: CNN, HBO, A&E Networks Among Creditors List
As Vice Media, the brash company that once had ambitions of replacing legacy news giants, files for bankruptcy protection, with $834 million in debt obligations, its finances are coming into focus. While its largest creditors include Fortress Investment Group (with a $474.6 million claim), there’s several media companies that are listed as top unsecured creditors […]
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Gersh Sells Minority Stake to Private Equity Firm Crestview Partners
In the race to establish a foothold as Hollywood’s No. 4 agency, Gersh is taking private equity cash to fuel expansion in the talent representation space. Investment firm Crestview Partners has secured a significant stake, 45 percent, in the Beverly Hills-based agency, the companies said on Monday. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but the […]
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Paradigm Remakes Leadership With Partner Promotions
In a notable executive move, Paradigm Talent Agency is elevating fourteen agents to partner, the firm’s leaders told staff on Monday. The promotions bring the total number of partners to 15 at the company, which has about 100 employees. Those partners, who’ll receive equity in the Sam Gores-founded agency, are as follows: Jim Dempsey (Talent), […]
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Netflix’s Reed Hastings Buys Stake In Ski Resort
Three months after revealing that he’s stepping back from his day-to-day co-CEO role at Netflix to become executive chairman at the streaming giant, Reed Hastings is investing more in leisure. Specifically, he bought a stake in a ski resort. The mogul purchased an ownership stake in Utah’s Powder Mountain, an 8,464-acre property with 154 ski […]
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WME Buys Boutique Music Agency to Build Touring Revenue
WME, which has seen live touring become a key part of its representation business as part of a publicly-traded company, is now acquiring a boutique music agency. The Endeavor-owned talent giant bought the Nashville-based agency Red 11 Music, which has a focus on concert booking and touring Americana acts, the company said Friday. Red 11’s […]
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Lionsgate Cuts Staff in Film Division
Layoff season isn’t over at Lionsgate’s film division. The company, based in Vancouver and headquartered in Santa Monica, laid off a dozen employees in its Motion Picture Group, a source confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. The cuts impact about 3 percent of the division, which totals about 400 employees. The pink slips hit the group […]
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Austin City Council Member to SXSW: Do Right by Artists Who Are Raising Pay Issues
There were few SXSW badges in sight as a crowd filled in Austin’s West Campus mainstay Hole in the Wall bar on March 14, one night after a car collided into the venue. For this showcase, one of countless during the annual festival week, pay for the eight billed artists was top of mind. “There’s […]
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Why Mattel Aims to Be In the Driver’s Seat For Its Films and TV Shows
On March 10, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves — the big-budget bet based on Hasbro’s role-playing game franchise — premiered as SXSW’s opening night title to mostly positive reviews from critics in Austin. The early takes are a sign that Hasbro, which co-produced the film through its eOne division with Paramount, could score a […]
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Peacock/NBC Chief: It’s a Mistake to Cut Some Shows Short Without an Aim to Build a Library
After jumping from Warner Bros. to lead NBCUniversal’s TV and streaming efforts during the depths of the pandemic in October 2020, Susan Rovner was offered an anecdote from CEO Jeff Shell about how the company differs from its rivals. “‘When you walk in to our theme parks, there’s a feeling you have,” Rovner recalls Shell […]
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Hollywood Startup Wrapbook Says Payroll Delayed By Silicon Valley Bank Failure
Wrapbook, a startup payroll services firm aimed at Hollywood production companies, told its customers on Friday that its processing for March 10 will be delayed. The entertainment industry firm, with offices in Los Angeles, Toronto and New York, cited the failure of Silicon Valley Bank for the impact to its services. In an update to […]
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