Showbiz Sandbox 393: Disney Acquisition of Fox Underscores Hollywood’s Digital Transition

In one of the largest deals Hollywood has ever seen, the Walt Disney Company announced it had agreed to buy most of 21st Century Fox in a transaction valued at $66.1 billion. Disney will scoop up Fox assets that include 20th Century Fox film and TV studios, 300 cable channels, 22 regional sports networks, control over the Hulu streaming service and a stake in Sky. Fox will keep its news, sports and broadcast networks, as well as its publishing empire.

The move underscores how movie studios have become an intellectual property business where scale matters. Rupert Murdoch feared Fox never scaled properly to compete in the age of digital on-demand consumption of content and that his company was at the peak of its value. Selling a portion of his empire also avoids a family power struggle over who would take control of the company once he steps down.

Meanwhile, the first award nominations from a guild have arrived courtesy of the Screen Actors Guild. And the Library of Congress added 25 new works to the National Film Registry, including fiction and documentaries, features and shorts. We’ll discuss what significant works they’ve enshrined.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the FCC officially ditches net neutrality regulation, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces this year’s entries and why Norway is switching off FM radio.

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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of December 17, 2017
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-december-17-2017-300572378.html

SAG Award Nominations: Complete List
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/2018-sag-award-nominations-list-nominees-1202638033/

Oscars: Nine Films Advance in Foreign-Language Race
http://variety.com/2017/film/awards/oscars-nine-films-advance-in-foreign-language-race-1202641490/

The 2017 National Film Registry Is More Than a “Field of Dreams”
https://celluloidjunkie.com/wire/2017-national-film-registry-field-dreams/

The Fuentes Collection
http://www.texasarchive.org/library/index.php/Category:The_Fuentes_Collection

Interior New York City Subway 14th to 42nd Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J10-aYVG6HY

The Sinking of the Lusitania, 1918
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYKdXABWaFg

With the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnqYbpiWeEY

Ryan Lizza Fired by The New Yorker Over Sexual Misconduct Allegation
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/business/ryan-lizza-sexual-misconduct.html?_r=0

Dustin Hoffman Accused of Exposing Himself to a Minor, Assaulting Two Women
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/dustin-hoffman-2-1202641525/

I publicly accused Dustin Hoffman of harassment. Take it from me, it’s not easy to expose sexual misconduct
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-hunter-dustin-hoffman-standards-20171214-story.html

Veteran Anchor Steve Edwards Out at ‘Good Day L.A.’
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/steve-edwards-good-day-la-out-1202636751/

CAA Cancels Golden Globes Party, Will Help Start Legal Defense Fund for Sex Harassment Cases
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/caa-cancels-golden-globes-party-will-start-legal-defense-fund-sex-harassment-cases-1066558

Ken Friedman, Power Restaurateur, Is Accused of Sexual Harassment
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/dining/ken-friedman-sexual-harassment.html?_r=0

Netflix Fires Exec Who Told Danny Masterson Accuser “We Don’t Believe” Rape Claims
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-fires-exec-who-told-danny-masterson-accuser-we-dont-believe-rape-claims-1066889

Harvey Weinstein’s Hong Kong Associate Accused of Sexual Misconduct by Multiple Women
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harvey-weinstein-s-hong-kong-associate-accused-sexual-misconduct-by-multiple-women-report-1066921

Bollywood Sexual Harassment: Actors Speak Out on Indian Cinema’s Open Secret
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/dec/13/bollywood-sexual-harassment-actors-speak-out-indian-cinema-open-secret

PBS Suspends ‘Tavis Smiley’ Following Sexual Misconduct Investigation
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/tavis-smiley-pbs-1202639424/

Russell Simmons Accused of Sexual Assault by Four More Women
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russell-simmons-accused-sexual-assault-by-four-more-women-1067477

ABC Pulls ‘Great American Baking Show’ Off Schedule in Wake of Johnny Iuzzini Sexual Misconduct Allegations
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/johnny-iuzzini-great-american-baking-show-abc-sexual-harassment-1202640348/

CBS Showrunner Investigated Twice in 2016 for H.R. Violations, Employees Say Behavior Continues
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/brad-kern-cbs-showrunner-ncis-new-orleans-cbs-harassment-1202641474/

ESPN President John Skipper Abruptly Resigns, Citing “Substance Addiction”
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/espn-president-john-skipper-resigns-1068818

Tavis Smiley Vows to Fight Back Against Sexual Misconduct Allegations
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-tavis-smiley-vows-to-fight-back-1513266929-htmlstory.html

London Cancellation of Play About Abuse of Power Draws Criticism
http://bway.ly/88b0o#https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/14/theater/london-theater-cancels-play-rita-sue-and-bob-too.html

Peter Jackson Says Harvey Weinstein Told Him to Blacklist Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/peter-jackson-says-harvey-weinstein-told-him-blacklist-ashley-judd-mira-sorvino-1068299

‘Florida Project’ Producer Accused of Sexual Harassment by a Dozen Insiders
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/florida-project-producer-accused-sexual-harassment-by-a-dozen-insiders-1068287

Morgan Spurlock: ‘I Am Part of the Problem’
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/14/arts/morgan-spurlock-sexual-misconduct.html

Paul Haggis Hit With Lawsuit for Alleged Rape, Claims a $9 Million Shakedown
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/paul-haggis-haleigh-breest-lawsuits-1202642729/

Top Hollywood Execs Unveil Anti-Sexual Harassment Commission Chaired by Anita Hill
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/top-hollywood-execs-unveil-anti-sexual-harassment-commission-chaired-by-anita-hill-1068646

F.C.C. Repeals Net Neutrality Rules
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/14/technology/net-neutrality-repeal-vote.html

How the FCC’s Net Neutrality Plan Breaks with 50 Years of History
https://www.wired.com/story/how-the-fccs-net-neutrality-plan-breaks-with-50-years-of-history/

Publicists for Jennifer Lawrence, Daisy Ridley, Amy Adams Form New Firm
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/narrative-public-relations-publicists-1202642810/

Barry Diller Eyes $30 Million Gondola to Hollywood Sign
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/barry-diller-gondola-hollywood-sign-1202640003/

Norway Becomes First Country to Switch Off FM Radio
https://www.thelocal.no/20171213/norway-becomes-first-country-to-switch-off-fm-radio

Net Giants ‘Must Pay For News’ From Which They Make Billions
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/net-giants-must-pay-news-billions-185123237.html

Nintendo Switch Has Sold 10 Million Units to Date
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/nintendo-switch-10-million-console-sales-1202636150/

Media Rights to Become US Sports’ Biggest Revenue Generator
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017121350072/media-rights-to-become-us-sports-biggest-revenue-generator.html

October Bookstore Sales Fell 4.6%
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/75624-october-bookstore-sales-fell-4-6.html

Bon Jovi Leads 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: ‘It’s About Time’
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/arts/music/rock-roll-hall-fame-bon-jovi-nina-simone-cars.html

Disney Agrees to Buy Key Parts of 21st Century Fox in $52.4 Billion Deal
https://www.wsj.com/articles/disney-to-acquire-key-parts-of-21st-century-fox-for-52-4-billion-1513253593

Why Rupert Murdoch is keeping the Fox lot in Century City even as he sells to Disney
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney-fox-lot-20171216-story.html

Writers Guild West Rips Disney’s $52.4B Fox Deal, Citing Antitrust Concerns
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/writers-guild-west-opposes-disneys-524b-fox-deal-citing-antitrust-concerns-1067702

Fox News Is Most-Watched Basic Cable Network in 2017
https://www.thewrap.com/fox-news-watched-basic-cable-network-2017/

Jonghyun of Korean Pop Group SHINee Dies at 27
http://variety.com/2017/music/asia/jonghyun-of-k-pops-shinee-dead-dies-at-27-1202643601/

Keely Smith, Torch Singer With a Deadpan Role, Is Dead at 89
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/obituaries/keely-smith-torch-singer-with-a-deadpan-role-is-dead-at-89.html?_r=0