Business of Media
Sony Pictures not for sale, says CEO Yoshida Kenichiro
Sony Pictures is not for sale, nor will it be spun off as a stand-alone company anytime soon, says Sony Group CEO Yoshida Kenichiro, reports The Hollywood Reporter’s Patrick Brzeski.
The rapid consolidation seen across the screen sector — such as Amazon’s $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM and WarnerMedia’s high-profile merger with Discovery — has fueled industry speculation about Sony Pictures’ future. And the company’s strategic decision to act as a content supplier to established streamers rather than launching a flagship direct-to-consumer service of its own has made it something of an outlier in the streaming era. Meanwhile, the high price tag Amazon payed for MGM, which is a significantly smaller operation than Sony Pictures, underscored the enormous value Sony Group could potentially command for its film and television operations should it be open to parting with them.
“There is drastic realignment in the media industry, but I think our strategy of creating content as an independent studio while working with various partners will work,” the Sony CEO told the Financial Times on Wednesday.
Television
10 Melbourne in breach over caption fails
More network breaches of the Broadcasting Services Act have been issued by the media watchdog due to poor captioning, reports TV Tonight.
The Australian Communications Media & Authority ruled Network 10 Melbourne in breach for failing to supply comprehendible captions for to deaf and hearing impaired viewers.
Two broadcasts of 10 News First in April 2020 did not meet an industry standard, although a complainant advised issues had been ongoing for two months.
Full of heart and nostalgia, the Friends reunion is a ton of fun
It’s easy to see from the outset that Friends: The Reunion is gonna be the one with a lot of moments. But the best moments are sometimes the most subtle. And in the opening sequence of this long-awaited reunion, one early exchange is almost lost in the noise, reports SMH‘s Michael Idato.
As the six cast members from the world’s most popular 1990s television sitcom walk around the rebuilt sets on Warner Bros sound-stage no.24 and reminisce about their shared history, Matthew Perry says to Lisa Kudrow: “It had its moments.” And she replies: “That’s what I hear.”
Leigh Sales rips into Greg Hunt on 7:30 over slow Covid vaccine rollout
Leigh Sales has blasted federal health minister Greg Hunt over Australia’s slow vaccine rollout, at one point expressing horror when he revealed that 74 nursing homes around the country remained unvaccinated, reports News Corp’s Candace Sutton.
Sales’ fiery interview with Hunt trended across social media overnight as authorities announced a vaccination blitz underway for those aged between 40-49 in Victoria, with that age group eligible for the Pfizer vaccine from Friday.
Interviewing the minister on ABC-TV’s 7.30, Sales was scathing when Hunt revealed “for the first time” that just 500,000 people out of Australia’s 26 million population have been fully vaccinated.
Veronicas: “We signed on after they stressed a show with heart”
I’m not sure if The Veronicas have watched many episodes of Celebrity Apprentice but their newest tweets do sound like they aren’t overly familiar with previous seasons, reports TV Tonight.
It is, after all, the format that was once helmed by Donald Trump in the US, while Lord Alan Sugar is known for being equally blunt in the UK edition.
Bert Newton blessed with ‘so much love’ after surgery
Patti Newton has shared a new sweet picture of smiling husband Bert with his granddaughter as they adjust to their new normal, reports News Corp’s Jackie Epstein.
The TV legend had his leg amputated earlier this month after undergoing life-saving surgery.
“I wanted to show you Bert’s doing ok, still flirting with the nurses and having a laugh,” Patti wrote on Instagram.
“Spending time with his darling Lola. And taking a day at a time. A long journey but he’s blessed with so much love.”
Radio
Jackie ‘O’ Henderson turns on Meghan Markle after previously defending her
Radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has spent months defending Meghan Markle, reports News Corp’s Bianca Mastroianni.
Now, she has declared that she is “anti-Meghan Markle,” doing a complete 180 the more she thinks about the Duchess’ Oprah interview.
The 46-year-old got into a discussion about the royals with her KIIS FM co-host Kyle Sandilands on Thursday, admitting her change of heart.
Lisa Shaw death: BBC presenter had blood clots after AstraZeneca jab, family says
The award-winning BBC radio presenter Lisa Shaw died in hospital after suffering blood clots following her AstraZeneca vaccination, her family has said, reports The Guardian’s Lucy Campbell.
The 44-year-old, who was a well-known broadcaster in the north-east of England and had worked for BBC Radio Newcastle since 2015, developed severe headaches a week after having the jab and fell seriously ill a few days later, relatives said in a statement.
Shaw died at the Royal Victoria infirmary in Newcastle on Friday last week after being treated in intensive care for blood clots and bleeding. She was surrounded by family, the statement said.