Business of Media
Paul Kent sacked: NRL 360 presenter punted after wild brawl outside Sydney pub
Rugby league pundit Paul Kent has been sacked from his commentary jobs after being filmed allegedly taking part in a wild street brawl outside a Sydney hotel, reports The Daily Mail Australia‘s Stephen Gibbs.
Kent was dismissed by both Fox Sports, where he was a pugnacious presenter on NRL 360, and News Corp, for which he wrote regular columns in The Daily Telegraph.
The 54-year-old is due to face Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, having indicated he will seek to have a charge of affray dealt with on mental health grounds.
‘Inside Out 2’ becomes first movie of 2024 to hit $1 billion at Global Box Office
Talk about a mood booster. Disney and Pixar‘s emotion-laden Inside Out 2 is the first film of the year to hit $1 billion at the global box office, reports Variety Australia‘s Rebecca Rubin.
After 19 days of release, the animated sequel has grossed $469.3 million in North America and $545.5 million internationally for a worldwide tally of $1.015 billion. It’s one of 11 animated films to join the billion-dollar club (eight of which are Disney titles), and it’s the fastest animated release to do so.
See also: Box Office: Inside Out 2 becomes first film since Barbie to gross $1 billion globally
Hunter Biden sues Fox News over ‘mock trial’ miniseries
US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden sued conservative news outlet Fox News on Monday for publishing nude photos and videos of him in a fictionalised “mock trial” show focused on his foreign business dealings, reports Reuters‘ Jack Queen.
Hunter Biden alleges Fox violated New York state’s so-called revenge porn law, which makes it illegal to publish intimate images of a person without their consent. He is also suing for unjust enrichment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Marketers up investment in brand marketing citing record growth
Australian businesses are shifting marketing investment into brand marketing activity, citing increased awareness, better sales and a greater return on investment, reports News Corp’s Danielle Long.
Companies including Intrepid Travel, Koh and Airtasker have reported strong uplifts in business results and brand metrics after adjusting performance marketing budgets and increasing brand activity across TV, out-of-home, radio and press channels.
Signs of life appear in TV show purchases
It has been nearly seven months since Hollywood resolved its strikes, but momentum still hasn’t taken hold in the entertainment industry. “Survive till ’25” has become an informal slogan among entertainment workers, reports The New York Times‘s John Koblin.
But the global market for ordering new TV shows is beginning to show some signs of life, and it has been overwhelmingly driven by two players – Netflix and Amazon.
Social Media
Supreme Court avoids final decision on state regulation of social media
The Supreme Court on Monday said social-media platforms’ content-moderation policies can be protected by the First Amendment. The justices sidestepped a ruling on the validity of laws in Texas and Florida that sought to restrict Facebook, YouTube and other internet giants from suppressing user speech, reports The Wall Street Journal‘s Jan Wolfe.
The court, in an opinion by Justice Elena Kagan, said lower courts hadn’t properly analysed the scope of Texas and Florida’s laws.
Andy Cohen joins Influencers against antisemitism summit, encouraging creators to “represent Jewish culture with pride to your followers”
“I am a proud American Jew,” Andy Cohen declared to cheers at the Voices For Truth: Influencers United Against Antisemitism summit in New York, where the TV host appeared first at the opening gala on Sunday and then moderated an “Influencers Town Hall” conversation on Monday, reports Hollywood Reporter‘s Kristen Chuba.
The two-day event, organised by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, saw more than 200 social media influencers congregate for conversations about fighting antisemitism, with Cohen among the speakers at the opening night event.
Entertainment
Celebrity chef Manu Feildel makes surprise return to restaurant industry with pub bistro
After declaring the restaurant industry broken and vowing never to open another venue, celebrity chef Manu Feildel is making a surprise return to the industry, reports News Corp’s Karlie Rutherford.
The My Kitchen Rules Host is set to open Bistro Red Lion by Manu at Rozelle’s 196-year-old pub The Red Lion.
“I’m doing it for different reasons this time – or right reasons this time – I’m doing it to have fun,” Feildel told The Daily Telegraph.
Morgan Freeman slams AI voice imitations of himself
Morgan Freeman shared a note giving thanks to his fans Friday morning, expressing gratitude for users’ efforts calling out unauthorised AI imitations of the actor’s recognisable voice, reports Variety Australia‘s Selena Kuznikov.
The celebrated 87-year-old actor has become legend for his narration in films such as March of the Penguins, The Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby. The sterling reputation of Freeman’s voice has made him a particularly popular target of AI-generated voice imitations, including in a recent viral series of TikToks created by a woman posing as the actor’s “nepo niece.” Freeman is not a fan of the practice.
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Top image: Paul Kent