Showbiz Sandbox 240: Nikki Finke Is Back! And This Time It’s Personal
June 16, 2014
An infamous entertainment industry journalist who causes Hollywood executives to break into cold sweats is back on the interwebs. Nikki Finke, the founder and former editor of Deadline Hollywood whom the New York Times once dubbed “a digital-age Walter Winchell”, launched her new website last week. Using her trademark brash and personal writing style, Finke admits she is ready to spill some show business blood.
Amazon appears to be just as aggressive as Finke when negotiating with their suppliers. First the online retailer started making it difficult to purchase books from the publisher Hachette. Now they’re taking the same approach with Warner Bros. movies as they come to a new agreement with the studio. According to PriceWaterhouseCoopers we’ll all be buying more of our media on digital platforms rather than physical ones anyway.
The platform the Metropolitan Opera cares most about is the stage. However New York’s opera company is weathering some tough negotiations of its own as it tries to balance big salaries with a shrinking endowment. A recent tax filing has revealed the Met’s inner financial workings, including some of the hefty salaries it pays to employees and performers.
Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including Matt Lauer extends his contract at NBC, Bjork gets selected by the Museum of Modern Art and actor Harrison Ford takes that “break a leg” saying to a whole new level on the set of the new Star Wars movie.
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‘22 Jump Street’ and ‘Dragon 2’ Power Weekend Box Office
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/22-jump-street-and-dragon-2-power-weekend-box-office
New Front in Amazon Kerfuffle: Warner Movies
http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/11/media/amazon-warner/index.html
Is the End Near for Physical Media?
http://www.itworld.com/offbeat/422388/end-near-physical-media
Box Office Revenue in North America from 1980 to 2013
http://www.statista.com/statistics/187069/north-american-box-office-gross-revenue-since-1980/
Met Opera Tax Filing Reveals Pay For Gelb
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/17/arts/music/met-opera-tax-filing-reveals-pay-for-gelb-and-angers-unions.html
Sherlock Holmes Belongs to the Public, U.S. Court Rules
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/06/16/arts/16reuters-sherlockholmes-lawsuit.html?hp
Paula Deen Launching Digital Network in September
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paula-deen-launching-digital-network-711058
TV Ratings: ‘Duck Dynasty’ Continues to Slide
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-duck-dynasty-continues-711460
MoMA Acquiring Bjork’s Phone App
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/miranda/la-biophilia-bjork-moma-collection-phone-app-20140613-column.html
Harrison Ford Injured on the ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ Set
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/harrison-ford-injured-star-wars-711457
Louis C.K. Asks TMZ to Remove Video of Tracy Morgan Crash
http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/louis-c-k-asks-tmz-to-remove-video-of-tracy-morgan-crash-1201218858/
Miramax Settles Saul Zaentz’s $20 Million ‘English Patient’ Lawsuit
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/miramax-settles-saul-zaentzs-20-711072
Despite Upheavals, NBC Extends Lauer’s Contract
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/13/business/media/despite-upheavals-nbc-extends-lauers-contract.html?hp
Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek Is Now a Guinness World Record Holder
http://www.vulture.com/2014/06/alex-trebek-now-a-guinness-world-record-holder.html
What Warner Bros/DC Comics Is Planning At Comic-Con In July
http://nikkifinke.com/comic-con/
Why I Started NikkiFinke.com
http://nikkifinke.com/first-nikki-post/
Penske Trying To Shut Me Down
http://nikkifinke.com/jay-penske-trying-shut/
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