Showbiz Sandbox 344: Did the Media Bungle The 2016 Election?
November 14, 2016
We don’t cover politics on Showbiz Sandbox per se, however we do provide analysis and commentary on the worldwide media and entertainment industries. Thus, we discuss the role, and some might say the culpability, of the news media in the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. While there is no doubt some divisiveness over the election of president-elect Donald Trump, there seems to be unanimous consensus that mainstream media blew it… bigly.
We also take a look at the impact the results of this year’s presidential election will have on the entertainment business. Deals currently in the works may have a tougher time getting approved, and decisions that passed years ago may be in danger of being overturned.
China meanwhile has passed a new film industry law intended to crack down on box office fraud and promote “core socialist values”. It weaves a new layer of protectionism into the business by requiring that two thirds of the country’s movie screens be reserved for Chinese films.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the why IMDb is going to court over its right to post actors ages, Universal Pictures makes some changes at DreamWorks Animation and Robert Redford’s retirement plans.
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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of November 13, 2016
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-november-13-2016-300361888.html
Record-Breaking 27 Animated Features Submitted For 2017 Oscars
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/breaking-record-breaking-27-animated-features-submitted-2017-oscars-144839.html
China Adopts Film Law, With Mixed Implications for Hollywood
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-adopts-film-law-mixed-implications-hollywood-945214
Sony CEO Breaks Silence Amid Film Studio Revolt: Tom Rothman Has “Full Support”
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-ceo-breaks-silence-film-studio-revolt-tom-rothman-has-full-support-945479
Has Election 2016 Been a Turning Point for the Influence of the News Media?
http://www.niemanlab.org/2016/11/has-election-2016-been-a-turning-point-for-the-influence-of-the-news-media/
Can the Media Recover From This Election?
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/arts/television/after-this-election-can-the-media-recover.html
The Forces That Drove This Election’s Media Failure are Likely to Get Worse
http://www.niemanlab.org/2016/11/the-forces-that-drove-this-elections-media-failure-are-likely-to-get-worse/
Facebook, in Cross Hairs After Election, Is Said to Question Its Influence
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/technology/facebook-is-said-to-question-its-influence-in-election.html?_r=0
‘The Simpsons’ Predicted a Trump Presidency Back in 2000
http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/the-simpsons-predict-trump-election-1201914078/
Swing Time by Zadie Smith on BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/03/21/swing-time/
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay on BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/07/20/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-the-original-screenplay/
The Godfather Notebook on BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/06/30/the-godfather-notebook/
Settle for More on BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/04/27/unti-nonfiction-3/
European Publishers ‘Shocked’ at EU E-book Lending Ruling
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/72010-european-publishers-shocked-at-eu-e-book-lending-ruling.html
DreamWorks Animation and Universal Kill ‘Croods 2’
http://variety.com/2016/film/news/dreamworks-animation-universal-kill-croods-2-sequel-1201916453/
Dreamworks Animation Ceasing Operations In India?
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/business/breaking-dreamworks-animation-ceasing-operations-india-144799.html
Steve Harvey to End Daytime Talker for New One With IMG, NBCUniversal
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/steve-harvey-end-daytime-talker-new-one-img-946553
Robert Redford Says He’s Retiring From Acting
http://variety.com/2016/film/news/robert-redford-retire-acting-retiring-1201915928/
IMDb Sues to Invalidate California’s Actor Age Censorship Law
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/imdb-sues-invalidate-californias-actor-age-censorship-law-946261
NFL Mulls the Future of the Gridiron
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2016111345046/nfl-mulls-the-future-of-the-gridiron.html
‘South Park’ Re-Writes Episode to Reflect Donald Trump Victory in Day-After Election Episode
http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/south-park-donald-trump-episode-president-election-2016-1201914281/
Trump’s Victory Could Threaten AT&T’s Purchase of Time Warner
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-att-time-warner-trump-20161110-story.html
Hollywood Grapples With Fear, Dismay Over Prospect of Trump Presidency
http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/donald-trump-hollywood-reaction-1201914142/
Celebrities Call for People Boycott After Glowing Trump Cover Is Unveiled
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/people-magazine-sees-backlash-donald-trump-cover-946189
Robert Vaughn, Who Starred as Napoleon Solo in ‘Man From U.N.C.L.E.,’ Dies at 83
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/arts/television/robert-vaughn-dead.html
Leon Russell, Hit Maker and Musicians’ Musician, Dies at 74
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/arts/music/leon-russell-hit-maker-and-musicians-musician-dies-at-74.html
Leonard Cohen, Epic and Enigmatic Songwriter, Is Dead at 82
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/obituaries/leonard-cohen-dies.html
It’s the latest episode of Media Matters…I mean, Showbiz Sandbox, where we can’t help but reflect on the election (annoyingly so, if you voted for Trump) but then do indeed pivot and discuss the impact of the election on the entertainment biz. Does this put the kibosh on the TimeWarner merger with AT&T? Somehow, does it mean streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu and whomever is created next will realize they don’t have friends in the White House, unlike the OTT champions in the Obama administration? And is it sad that Leonard Cohen died? Not when he died on top and in creative flower, says Michael. Check it out.