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Netflix Is Still, Almost Unbelievably, Popular

Think brand loyalty - remember those DVD envelopes? - Boston Globe (MSN)

Wait, Wasn’t Hollywood So Finished With Sex?

Nobody tell Challengers (or Saltburn) that some theories say Gen-Z doesn’t like sex in movies. The movies’ box office numbers tell a different story. - The New York Times

China Has Thousands, If Not Millions, Of ‘Micro-Drama’ Series

But the country’s government wants to clamp down on these low-budget, few-minutes-at-a-time, mini-shows. - Time

On The Whole Screentime Front, Some People Think Kids Belong In Front Of TVs Instead Of IPads

Are some screens better than other screens? Possibly! "Research strongly supports the benefits of ‘co-viewing,’ or actively engaging with screens together with your child. This can be easier on a TV, where the screen is bigger.” - Slate

The Golden Age Of Mid TV

How did Donald Glover (Atlanta) and Maya Erskine (PEN15) become the poster chlidren for middle-range, middle-of-the-road, no-stakes characters? Their work is just fine in Mr and Mrs Smith, but … well. "What we have now is a profusion of well-cast, sleekly produced competence.” - The New York Times

The Paramount Acquisition Drama Continues With An Ousted Longterm Executive

Bob Bakish "has been with Paramount and its Viacom predecessor since 1997. He was recruited by Redstone in 2016 to help bring order to a company that had descended into public legal brawling among shareholders and a battle for control.” - Variety

Is AI Ruining Facebook?

The Meta AI experience has so far been a spam-filled one. Nowhere is that clearer than on Instagram where the search function, once a place to look up a friend’s account, now exists seemingly to usher users into conversation with a chatbot. - Fast Company

“The Movie Critic” Was Supposed To Be Quentin Tarantino’s Final Film. Why Did It Fall Apart?

He reportedly had major stars attached and very enthusiastic studio (Sony) behind the project. Yet he dropped it all last week; he'll still make a 10th film, but it won't be this one. He's not saying why, but some observers have ideas. - The Hollywood Reporter

FCC Fines Non-Profit WBAI For Broadcasting Commercials

FCC Media Bureau Chief Holly Saurer says they negotiated a consent decree with Pacifica in which the broadcaster acknowledges that it has violated the underwriting laws and sponsorship ID rules. - Inside Radio

Is TikTok Going Away Soon? Short Answer: No!

Should the court-y things not go in ByteDance’s favor, then? They could always push the next Congress, and the next president, to repeal the law. Or they could simply abide by the legislation and sell this popular asset for scads and scads of cash. - Yahoo!

Journalists At Italy’s National Broadcaster Plan A Strike Over Political Interference

"Journalists at Italian state broadcaster RAI will strike next month in protest against the 'suffocating control' over their work by Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government. The reporters' trade union … criticised political attempts 'to turn RAI into a mouthpiece for the government' among ... grievances behind the 24-hour strike scheduled for May 6." - Reuters

Godard Finished This Film The Day Before He Died. It’s Premiering Next Month At Cannes.

"Scénarios is an 18-minute short that the film-maker finished in 2022 the day before he died via an assisted suicide procedure in Switzerland. Godard also made an accompanying 34-minute introduction which is a combination of 'still and moving images, halfway between reading and seeing' that will be screened alongside it." - The Guardian

How Losing Non-Compete Clauses Will Affect Hollywood

“The new FTC rule shines a klieg light on how best to retain quality employees in the industry — noncompetes are on their way out, so companies need a better solution." - Hollywood Reporter

The New Law Requiring The Sale Of TikTok Is Going To Make A Great Big Mess

"Setting aside the possibility that the courts declare the law unconstitutional, here are (some) of the glaring logistical issues facing the legislation: First, recommendation algorithms … are part of China’s export-control list. … This might make for a tough sell, which raises the second issue: Who is going to buy TikTok?" - The Atlantic (MSN)

NPR Has Serious Problems. They’re Well Beyond Any Alleged Bias.

"Internal documents … and interviews with more than two dozen current and former public radio executives show how profoundly the nonprofit is struggling to succeed in the fast-changing media industry. It is grappling with a declining audience and falling revenue — and internal conflict about how to fix it." - The New York Times

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