Showbiz Sandbox 634: Spotify Gets Book Smart
October 10, 2023
Spotify, the music streaming service, is going all in on audiobooks in hopes of attracting and maintaining subscribers. Previously, Spotify offered some audiobooks for sale. Now the company’s 220 million premium subscribers get 15 hours of free audiobook listening each month. The service is launching with 150,000 titles and will pay publishers based on consumption.
Meanwhile, while the writers’ strike may be over, actors continue to walk picket lines outside Hollywood studios, networks and streamers. The good news is that SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP are finally sitting down to negotiate a new contract.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how Taylor Swift’s film is breaking records even before its release, Dreamworks Animation plans to outsource production and why Wall Street financiers are souring on investing in entertainment companies.
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‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Scares Up $45M WW Debut; ‘PAW Patrol’ Nears $100M; WB Crosses $2B Overseas For 2023 To Date
https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-exorcist-believer-opening-paw-patrol-the-mighty-movie-jawan-global-international-box-office-1235567119/
‘Exorcist’ Box Office: ‘The Believer’ Delivers $27.2M Opening Before Taylor Swift Storm Arrives
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/exorcist-the-believer-box-office-opening-1235611963/
Hi, ‘Barbie’! Russian Theaters Find Ways to Screen Blockbusters Amid Sanctions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/04/world/europe/barbie-russia-hollywood-ukraine-war.html
Walt Disney Pictures VFX Workers Vote to Unionize With IATSE
https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/walt-disney-pictures-vfx-workers-unionize-1235730179/
‘Drew Barrymore Show’ Head Writers Decline to Return After Host’s WGA Strike Controversy
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/drew-barrymore-writers-decline-return-strike-1235745464/
CAA, Disney Sued For Allegedly Enabling Sex Crimes By Harvey Weinstein
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/caa-sued-harvey-weinstein-julia-ormond-1235608906/
CAA Claims Julia Ormond Wanted $15M To Keep Agency Out Of Harvey Weinstein Lawsuit
https://deadline.com/2023/10/caa-julia-ormond-lawsuit-response-harvey-weinstein-assault-1235564520/
J-Pop Agency Johnny & Associates To Change Name Amid Sexual Abuse Scandal
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/02/j-pop-talent-agency-johnny-associates-change-name-sexual-abuse-scandal
Johnny’s Founder Accused of Sexually Abusing Teen in NHK Bathroom
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/10/10/japan/johnnys-sex-abuse-nhk/
Prime Video Outlines Ambition to Be a Streaming Super-Aggregator
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2023100464264/prime-video-outlines-ambition-to-be-a-streaming-super-aggregator.html
‘Yellowstone’ Episode 4 Reaches 4.4 Million Viewers on CBS
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/yellowstone-episode-4-ratings-viewers-cbs-1235742181/
Amazon Wants To Be The Gatekeeper
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2023100464264/prime-video-outlines-ambition-to-be-a-streaming-super-aggregator.html
Blackstone’s Billion-Dollar Bet on Hollywood, Reese Witherspoon Falls Short
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-06/blackstone-s-billion-dollar-bet-on-reese-witherspoon-falls-short
Dreamworks Shifting Away From In-House Production In Los Angeles; Sony Imageworks Is A New Production Partner
https://www.cartoonbrew.com/studios/dreamworks-shifting-away-from-in-house-production-in-los-angeles-sony-imageworks-is-new-production-partner-233466.html
DreamWorks Animation Hit With Layoffs, Cuts 4% Of Its Staff
https://deadline.com/2023/10/dreamworks-animation-layoffs-2-1235567278/
Spotify Gives Premium Subscribers Access to 150,000+ Audiobooks, and 15 Hours Free Listening Per Month
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-gives-premium-subscribers-access-to-150000-audiobooks-and-15-hours-free-listening-per-month/
Spotify Gave Subscribers Music and Podcasts. Next: Audiobooks.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/technology/spotify-audiobooks.html
Can Spotify Take Digital Audiobooks to the Next Level?
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/93323-publishers-bet-on-spotify-to-take-digital-audiobooks-to-the-next-level.html
Russell Batiste Jr., the Drumming Heartbeat of New Orleans, Dies at 57
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/06/arts/music/russell-batiste-dead.html
Terence Davies Obituary
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/oct/08/terence-davies-obituary
Terence Davies, Esteemed British Director of ‘Distant Voices, Still Lives,’ Dies at 77
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/terence-davies-dead-distant-voices-still-lives-1235748176/
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