Showbiz Sandbox 470: The End of the Paramount Consent Decree

December 1, 2019

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The Department of Justice has announced their intention to jettison the Paramount Consent Decree, the agreement that ended the studio system and under which the film industry has operated for the past 70 years. What will this mean for movie theater operators moving forward? Now that studios have become big media conglomerates will they behave anti-competitively?

Speaking of agreements, more mid-level talent agencies have signed the Writers Guild of America’s code of conduct. In the process, these agencies have gotten the WGA to agree not to enforce the ban on television packaging until one of four major firms signs on.

Meanwhile, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend was once again a time for audiences to return to cinemas en masse. However this year instead of going to see the latest blockbuster sequel, moviegoers actually sought out original films.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the Grammy nominations, why Netflix bought a movie theater in New York City and the controversy over the firing of Gabrielle Union from “America’s Got Talent.”


Box Office: ‘Frozen 2’ Breaks More Box Records And Reaches $739 Million Worldwide
https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2019/12/01/box-office-walt-disney-frozen-2-starring-idina-menzel-and-kristen-bell-breaks-thanksgiving-records-and-tops-738-million-worldwide/

‘Frozen II’ Feasts on Thanksgiving Records While ‘Knives Out’ & ‘Queen & Slim’ Enjoy Strong Holiday Openings
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3278898180/

Rothman Brecher Agency Signs Writers Guild Code
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rothman-brecher-agency-signs-writers-guild-code-1256062

WGA Allows Packaging For Smaller Agencies, Relaxes Affiliated Production Ban In Latest Franchise Agreement
https://deadline.com/2019/11/wga-franchise-agreement-allow-smaller-agencies-continue-packaging-indefinitely-relaxed-agency-affiliated-production-ban-1202793561/

Grammy Awards Nominations: The Complete List
https://variety.com/2019/music/news/2020-grammys-nominations-list-1203410085/

Justice Department Moves to End Paramount Antitrust Decrees
https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/paramount-decrees-end-makan-delrahim-1203408484/

Record Number of TV Episodes Directed by Women or Directors of Color
https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/tv-directors-diversity-record-1203408936/

Authorities to Arcades: No Kids Under 18 Except on Holidays
https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1004865/authorities-to-arcades-no-kids-under-18-except-on-holidays

Netflix Seals Long Term Deal To Keep Gotham’s Last Single-Screen Picture Palace Alive
https://deadline.com/2019/11/paris-theatre-longerm-lease-netflix-marriage-story-the-irishman-robert-solow-1202794519/

On-Demand Audio, Video Streams Pass 1 Trillion This Year for First Time in US
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8544777/us-audio-video-on-demand-streams-pass-1-trillion

Michael J. Pollard, Oscar-Nominated Actor in ‘Bonnie and Clyde,’ Dies at 80
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-j-pollard-dead-bonnie-clyde-oscar-nominated-actor-was-80-1257237

John Simon, Wide-Ranging Critic With a Cutting Pen, Dies at 94
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/arts/john-simon-dead.html

Photographer Terry O’Neill Dead at 81
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/18/arts/terry-oneill-dead.html

Robert FX Silverman Dies at 71
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/28/arts/music/robert-fx-sillerman-dead.html

Director Marion McClinton Dies at 65
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/28/theater/marion-mcclinton-dead.html

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