Showbiz Sandbox 292: There Is Simply Too Much Television
August 31, 2015
Television network executives have begun publicly acknowledging a predicament their audiences recognized some time ago; there is simply too much television. In the midst of what has been dubbed a “golden age” of television, viewers are becoming reluctant to sign up for yet another new or existing series.
In fact, John Landgraf, the head of FX Networks, recently told the Television Critics Association that the glut of TV content means it has become more difficult to “cut through the clutter and create real buzz” when producing a show. With so much programming available, great shows can often go unnoticed or take longer to find an audience.
Then there are countries in which content is being suppressed. In Russia a politically active Ukrainian filmmaker was recently handed a 20 year prison sentence drawing international criticism that the charges were fabricated. Bangladesh meanwhile has banned a banned a new movie because it shed light on the country’s billion dollar garment industry, which is well known for exploiting its workers.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why Warner Bros. is headed to China, Spongebob Squarepants is headed to Broadway and how Netflix is about to lose more than 1000 movie titles.
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‘Terminator: Genisys’ Smashes Records at Chinese Box Office
https://variety.com/2015/film/box-office/terminator-genisys-chinese-box-office-records-1201576476/
‘Compton’ Cruises to No. 1 With $26.8 Million, Newcomers Fall Flat
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-compton-cruises-no-816948
Universal’s ‘Minions’ hits $1 billion in worldwide box office
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-universal-minions-1-billion-box-office-20150828-story.html
‘Minions’ Is Now the Third-Highest Grossing Animated Film of All-Time
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/box-office-report/minions-is-now-the-third-highest-grossing-animated-film-of-all-time-118188.html
Russian Court Sentences Ukrainian Director Oleg Sentsov to 20 Years in Prison on Terror Charges
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oleg-sentsov-sentenced-20-years-817446
European Film Academy Seeks Donations to Fund Oleg Senstov Appeal
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/european-film-academy-seeks-donations-818105
Moscow Premiere Film Festival Canceled After Government Pulls Funding
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/moscow-premiere-film-festival-canceled-817830
Bangladesh Court Bans Movie About Fatal 2013 Factory Collapse
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bangladesh-court-bans-movie-fatal-817442
Warner Bros. in Talks to Make Movies in China
http://www.wsj.com/articles/warner-bros-in-talks-to-make-movies-in-china-1440475260
Let Consumers Use Better, Cheaper Cable Boxes
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/31/opinion/let-consumers-use-better-cheaper-cable-boxes.html?_r=0
Amazon Prime Instant Video to launch in Japan next month
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-amazon-prime-instant-video-launch-japan-september-20150827-story.html
Netflix Set To Double Its L.A.-Area Office Space With Move To Hollywood
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-netflix-move-to-hollywood-20150827-story.html
Epix Movies Are Leaving Netflix, Coming to Hulu
https://variety.com/2015/digital/news/netflix-epix-deal-expiring-1201581520/
One Minute Of Silence Is Now The #1 Song In Austria
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/08/one-minute-of-silence-is-now-the-1-song-in-austria.html
George RR Martin ‘Relieved’ After Sad Puppies’ Hugo Awards Defeat
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/26/george-rr-martin-relieved-after-sad-puppies-hugo-awards-defeat?CMP=ema_565
Inside the Making of ‘Dead Petz,’ Miley Cyrus’s Surprise Album
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/01/arts/music/miley-cyrus-and-her-dead-petz.html
CEA Boosts HDR With Official Definition
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2015082939663/cea-boosts-hdr-with-official-definition.html
Palme d’Or Winner Jacques Audiard Reveals First English-Language Feature
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/palme-dor-winner-jacques-audiard-817151
ESPN Suspends Analyst Curt Schilling for Tweet Comparing Muslims to Nazis
https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/curt-schilling-suspended-espn-twitter-muslims-1201578022/
Disney Using The Force of Unboxing Videos To Hype Star Wars Merchandise
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney-star-wars-20150826-story.html
‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Musical Targets Broadway with Supergroup Songlist
https://variety.com/2015/legit/news/spongebob-squarepants-musical-broadway-1201581781/
Soul-Searching in TV Land Over the Challenges of a New Golden Age
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/31/business/fx-chief-ignites-soul-searching-about-the-boom-in-scripted-tv.html
Fear the Walking Dead’s Debut Was the Most-Watched Cable-Series Premiere Ever
http://www.vulture.com/2015/08/fear-the-walking-dead-sets-records.html
Wes Craven, Whose Slasher Films Terrified Millions, Dies at 76
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/31/movies/wes-craven-a-master-of-slasher-horror-films-dies-at-76.html
Gary Keys, Filmmaker Who Documented Duke Ellington, Dies at 81
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/31/movies/gary-keys-filmmaker-who-documented-duke-ellington-dies-at-81.html
Oliver Sacks, Neurologist Who Wrote About the Brain’s Quirks, Dies at 82
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/31/science/oliver-sacks-dies-at-82-neurologist-and-author-explored-the-brains-quirks.html
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