Analysts expect the fifth installment of Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story” franchise will pull in at least $150 million in the U.S. and Canada, with some predicting as much as $175 million — either of which would set a franchise record, topping the nearly $121-million opening of 2019’s “Toy Story 4.” - Los Angeles Times
“A £1 billion regeneration project to transform an industrial site in North London into a ‘landmark’ film and television studio site has been given the green light” — by a one-vote margin — “from Camden Council.” - The Standard (London)
“The U.K. public service broadcaster, will cut around 550 jobs, slash content spending by £80 million ($107 million) over two years and ‘review’ broadcast TV channels as part of a big cost savings push. … (The network is) also eyeing further job reductions in corporate and other areas (totaling) around 700.” - The Hollywood Reporter
Everything costs more in L.A., starting with labor, due to the high cost of living and elaborate union agreements. Other states and countries have developed crew bases of their own, are more solicitous of producers’ needs and offer more generous incentives. Producers are also under pressure from the audience to deliver ever more spectacular experiences. - Variety
Ever since the old Fox sold off most of its entertainment assets to Disney, Lachlan Murdoch — son of Rupert and CEO of Fox Corp. — has been using the money from that deal to rebuild his father’s TV empire for the streaming era. - Vulture (MSN)
“The University of Texas at Austin has dismissed Debbie Hiott as General Manager of KUT Public Media, ending the tenure of a … public media executive whose public dispute with university officials over the KUT Festival drew statewide attention and raised questions about the relationship between the university and its NPR-affiliated station.” - Inside Radio
“Opponents allege the Ellison family's acquisition of so many media properties — CBS News, CNN and Larry Ellison's stake in TikTok — threatens free speech and democratic society itself. Meanwhile, Paramount insists it's trying to save Hollywood, and that there are untoward political and racial motivations to kill its deal from far-left forces.” - TheWrap (MSN)
“Assembly Bill 2319, which passed the California State Assembly and is awaiting a vote in the State Senate, would establish a $100 million budget allocation that would give productions that do their post work in the Golden State a base tax writeoff equivalent to 35% of qualified spending,” - TheWrap (Yahoo!)
“The National Public Radio affiliate WLVR, which broadcasts at 91.3 FM, has been sold outright to LVPM by the university, which announced the transfer on Thursday. LVPM, which has operated the station since entering into a partnership with Lehigh in 2019, will purchase the Federal Communications Commission license.” - The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) (MSN)
The transaction combines Fox’s sports, news, and entertainment content and the Tubi streaming service with Roku’s connected TV platform, The Roku Channel, first-party data and direct relationship with more than 100 million global streaming households, the deal partners touted. - The Hollywood Reporter
The early renewal order represents one of the most significant actions the Trump administration has taken against a media company, a potential regulatory death-blow to go alongside the myriad legal actions taken against the press and access restrictions placed upon journalists. - The Guardian
“You can keep it pretty simple. There are the alien movies where the aliens come in peace and the alien movies where the aliens do not come in peace.” - NPR
Said one presenter at the Canadian screen awards, "A country that doesn’t tell its own stories in its own way is just a market for someone else, and we’re better than that.” - The New York Times
