Lisa Valentino, a senior executive at Disney Advertising Sales who had in the past been tasked with several of the unit’s digital initiatives, has left the company, according to people familiar with the matter, even as Disney is in the midst of its “upfront” talks with advertisers.
Valentino had been working her second stint at Disney, most recently as executive vice president of category sales and client solutions. In the recent past, she had touted some of Disney’s most critical new ad-tech to clients. These included some of the company’s efforts to find new methodologies of tabulating audiences and helping advertisers to reach those crowds with more precision with so-called “addressable” formats.
Valentino declined to comment.
She departed as the result of a planned re-alignment of the advertising sales staff, according to one of the people familiar with the situation. “Any employee impacted by a reorganization that...
Valentino had been working her second stint at Disney, most recently as executive vice president of category sales and client solutions. In the recent past, she had touted some of Disney’s most critical new ad-tech to clients. These included some of the company’s efforts to find new methodologies of tabulating audiences and helping advertisers to reach those crowds with more precision with so-called “addressable” formats.
Valentino declined to comment.
She departed as the result of a planned re-alignment of the advertising sales staff, according to one of the people familiar with the situation. “Any employee impacted by a reorganization that...
- 5/29/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Now that the upfronts are over, it’s time to hand out much-deserved accolades to those who made this year’s presentations truly unforgettable.
Just remember, everyone’s a winner here. But these folks made the week extra special in New York.
Most Ominous Overture: Kelly Clarkson kicking off a week of upfronts that used to be the sole proprietorship of broadcast networks with tunes like “Whatever Makes You Stronger” and “Since U Been Gone.”
Best Dressed Code Breakers: Men like Bob Iger, Casey Bloys, Mike Hopkins and Rob Wade for appearing without ties. Nothing says we are hemorrhaging money more than a nude neck.
Earworm Award: Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em and Miley Cyrus’ Flowers that were played on a loop.
Best Joke of the Week: “NBC is launching the new adventure Destination X,” said Seth Meyers at the NBCU upfront. “It was originally titled the Linda Yaccarino story.
Just remember, everyone’s a winner here. But these folks made the week extra special in New York.
Most Ominous Overture: Kelly Clarkson kicking off a week of upfronts that used to be the sole proprietorship of broadcast networks with tunes like “Whatever Makes You Stronger” and “Since U Been Gone.”
Best Dressed Code Breakers: Men like Bob Iger, Casey Bloys, Mike Hopkins and Rob Wade for appearing without ties. Nothing says we are hemorrhaging money more than a nude neck.
Earworm Award: Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em and Miley Cyrus’ Flowers that were played on a loop.
Best Joke of the Week: “NBC is launching the new adventure Destination X,” said Seth Meyers at the NBCU upfront. “It was originally titled the Linda Yaccarino story.
- 5/17/2024
- by The Deadline TV Team
- Deadline Film + TV
Elon Musk has completed the rebrand of Twitter, the dynamic social media platform he acquired in 2022, as the URL, or site name, officially changes to X.com. “All core systems are now on X.com,” he said in a post today. Twitter.com links now redirecting to the X.com.
All core systems are now on https://t.co/bOUOek5Cvy pic.twitter.com/cwWu3h2vzr
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 17, 2024
A message at the bottom of login and home pages reads: “We are letting you know that we are changing our URL, but your privacy and data protection settings remain the same.”
The reaction to this latest step in a billionaire’s takeover and renaming of a wildly popular app with a beloved name that fit like a glove was not great. A Tweet has now become the onerous ‘a post on X (formerly Twitter)’. Wired compared today’s...
All core systems are now on https://t.co/bOUOek5Cvy pic.twitter.com/cwWu3h2vzr
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 17, 2024
A message at the bottom of login and home pages reads: “We are letting you know that we are changing our URL, but your privacy and data protection settings remain the same.”
The reaction to this latest step in a billionaire’s takeover and renaming of a wildly popular app with a beloved name that fit like a glove was not great. A Tweet has now become the onerous ‘a post on X (formerly Twitter)’. Wired compared today’s...
- 5/17/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Seth Meyers has been an annual tradition at NBCUniversal’s Upfronts. Much like Jimmy Kimmel at the Disney event, Meyers loves to roast the television industry and his own employer.
This year was no different, taking shots at NBC, Peacock, Dick Wolf, Bravo star Tom Sandoval, and former ad chief Linda Yaccarino in a five-minute bit.
Check out the jokes below:
“Welcome to the NBCU Upfront. If you’re looking for the Fox News upfront, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courtroom.”
“What a joy to be back in Radio City; I asked an NBC executive ‘Why do you hole up here every year?’ and they said ‘I like looking at the marquee and thinking, sure, it’s a tricky time for TV, but it could be worse, we could be in radio’.”
“It’s been a very good day for me, I found $20 on street this morning. Long story short,...
This year was no different, taking shots at NBC, Peacock, Dick Wolf, Bravo star Tom Sandoval, and former ad chief Linda Yaccarino in a five-minute bit.
Check out the jokes below:
“Welcome to the NBCU Upfront. If you’re looking for the Fox News upfront, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courtroom.”
“What a joy to be back in Radio City; I asked an NBC executive ‘Why do you hole up here every year?’ and they said ‘I like looking at the marquee and thinking, sure, it’s a tricky time for TV, but it could be worse, we could be in radio’.”
“It’s been a very good day for me, I found $20 on street this morning. Long story short,...
- 5/13/2024
- by Peter White and Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
After the Writers Guild strike derailed his annual routine last year, Late Night host Seth Meyers returned to the stage of Radio City Music Hall Monday morning during NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation, where he took aim at the entertainment industry, and his own company.
Here are some of Meyers’ top jokes from the event.
On Fox News: “Hello and welcome to the NBC upfronts, if you’re looking for the Fox News upfront, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courthouse.”
On Paramount: “Not to brag, it’s been a very good day for me, I found $20 on the street this morning. Long story short, I’m one of the two finalists for Paramount.”
On advertising: “Good time to be me. Let’s be honest, it’s a great time to be you. It must feel so gratifying that eventually everyone comes back to advertising. Remember when streamers...
Here are some of Meyers’ top jokes from the event.
On Fox News: “Hello and welcome to the NBC upfronts, if you’re looking for the Fox News upfront, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courthouse.”
On Paramount: “Not to brag, it’s been a very good day for me, I found $20 on the street this morning. Long story short, I’m one of the two finalists for Paramount.”
On advertising: “Good time to be me. Let’s be honest, it’s a great time to be you. It must feel so gratifying that eventually everyone comes back to advertising. Remember when streamers...
- 5/13/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At the NBCUniversal upfronts, they saved the best for almost last: “Late Night With Seth Meyers” host Seth Meyers hit the Radio City Music Hall stage to throw out a few quips before introducing NBCUniversal ad sales chief Mark Marshall.
Meyers came out swinging: “Hello and welcome to the NBC upfronts. If you’re looking for the Fox News upfronts, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courtroom,” he said to chuckles.
He then took aim at the broadcast industry: “What a joy to be back in Radio City Music Hall. I asked an NBC executive why do you hold upfronts here every year and they said, ‘I like looking at the marquee and thinking, “Sure. It’s a tricky time for TV but it couldn’t be worse. We could be in radio.”’”
The uncertain fate of Paramount Global was ripe for comment: “Also, not to brag — a very good day for me.
Meyers came out swinging: “Hello and welcome to the NBC upfronts. If you’re looking for the Fox News upfronts, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courtroom,” he said to chuckles.
He then took aim at the broadcast industry: “What a joy to be back in Radio City Music Hall. I asked an NBC executive why do you hold upfronts here every year and they said, ‘I like looking at the marquee and thinking, “Sure. It’s a tricky time for TV but it couldn’t be worse. We could be in radio.”’”
The uncertain fate of Paramount Global was ripe for comment: “Also, not to brag — a very good day for me.
- 5/13/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
After an opening performance by a guitar-picking Jimmy Fallon — who sung about, among other things, how “next year I’ll be a hologram” — the NBCUniversal upfront got underway Monday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
So you didn’t make it to the home of the Rockettes? Here’s what you missed:
-NBCUniversal Chairman Mark Lazarus briefly took the stage to crow “while others have been spinning, we’ve spent the last year investing in our content, tech and overall experience.” “No one else can do what we do,” he added.
-Talent like Jabari Banks and Jesse L. Martin talked up content like The Irrational and Bel-Air before tossing to a breathless video package touting NBCUni content that was hosted by Mark-Paul Gosselaar.
-NBCUniversal Studio Group Chair and Chief Content Officer Donna Langley chatted about how she’s “excited to build up our story legacy across film,...
So you didn’t make it to the home of the Rockettes? Here’s what you missed:
-NBCUniversal Chairman Mark Lazarus briefly took the stage to crow “while others have been spinning, we’ve spent the last year investing in our content, tech and overall experience.” “No one else can do what we do,” he added.
-Talent like Jabari Banks and Jesse L. Martin talked up content like The Irrational and Bel-Air before tossing to a breathless video package touting NBCUni content that was hosted by Mark-Paul Gosselaar.
-NBCUniversal Studio Group Chair and Chief Content Officer Donna Langley chatted about how she’s “excited to build up our story legacy across film,...
- 5/13/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Mark Marshall has been given a lot of time to prepare for NBC Universal’s annual presentation to advertisers. Last year, he only had 72 hours.
Marshall, a longtime second-in-command at NBCU’s ad-sales division, at about this time last year found himself unexpectedly in charge of the company’s “upfront” process — an annual sale of advertising that has in recent years generated approximately $7 billion in commitments from sponsors — after the abrupt departure of his colorful predecessor, Linda Yaccarino. She had served in the role since 2012 and surprised her corporate bosses and dozens of clients by taking a new job as CEO of X, the social-media hub once known as Twitter.
NBC typically dazzles Madison Avenue with talk of BravoCon, “Sunday Night Football” and “Saturday Night Live.” Marshall was being asked to do just that when the chatter around the company was about anything else.
Within hours of Yaccarino’s departure becoming known,...
Marshall, a longtime second-in-command at NBCU’s ad-sales division, at about this time last year found himself unexpectedly in charge of the company’s “upfront” process — an annual sale of advertising that has in recent years generated approximately $7 billion in commitments from sponsors — after the abrupt departure of his colorful predecessor, Linda Yaccarino. She had served in the role since 2012 and surprised her corporate bosses and dozens of clients by taking a new job as CEO of X, the social-media hub once known as Twitter.
NBC typically dazzles Madison Avenue with talk of BravoCon, “Sunday Night Football” and “Saturday Night Live.” Marshall was being asked to do just that when the chatter around the company was about anything else.
Within hours of Yaccarino’s departure becoming known,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has renewed its content partnership with the NFL.
The multi-year agreement between the pro football league and the digital platform dates back to 2013.
“X will continue to delight users with NFL in-progress game highlights including all touchdowns moments after they happen in the game,” read a statement from X shared on the micro-blogging site. “Under this multiyear deal extension, the NFL and X will bring even more custom content for brands to sponsor in the form of co-branded highlights, sponsored Spaces, polls, and other creative formats. Let’s go!”
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, celebrated the partnership extension by sharing a message of her own.
“A dream team of epic proportions!” she posted. “Whether you’re at the game or streaming it live, the energy from fans is contagious on X — sharing the thrill of every tackle and touchdown as it happens!
The multi-year agreement between the pro football league and the digital platform dates back to 2013.
“X will continue to delight users with NFL in-progress game highlights including all touchdowns moments after they happen in the game,” read a statement from X shared on the micro-blogging site. “Under this multiyear deal extension, the NFL and X will bring even more custom content for brands to sponsor in the form of co-branded highlights, sponsored Spaces, polls, and other creative formats. Let’s go!”
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, celebrated the partnership extension by sharing a message of her own.
“A dream team of epic proportions!” she posted. “Whether you’re at the game or streaming it live, the energy from fans is contagious on X — sharing the thrill of every tackle and touchdown as it happens!
- 4/30/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The CEO of the company formerly known as Twitter has confirmed that it is bringing its videos to a new screen. The X TV App is coming “soon,” according to a tweet shared by X exec Linda Yaccarino.
Rumors about the X TV App have been swirling ever since X owner Elon Musk teased the channel last month. At the time, no details about the app were known publicly, but Yaccarino’s update includes a video preview and a rundown of planned features. The X CEO didn’t provide a specific launch date for the app. “We’re still building it,” she wrote.
So what can viewers expect from the X TV App? Yaccarino touted several features related to recommendations, including AI-powered categories and an algorithm that will surface trending videos. The app will be available on “most smart TVs.”
From the small screen to the big screen X is changing everything.
Rumors about the X TV App have been swirling ever since X owner Elon Musk teased the channel last month. At the time, no details about the app were known publicly, but Yaccarino’s update includes a video preview and a rundown of planned features. The X CEO didn’t provide a specific launch date for the app. “We’re still building it,” she wrote.
So what can viewers expect from the X TV App? Yaccarino touted several features related to recommendations, including AI-powered categories and an algorithm that will surface trending videos. The app will be available on “most smart TVs.”
From the small screen to the big screen X is changing everything.
- 4/24/2024
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
After rebranding Twitter as X, Elon Musk is bringing his favorite letter to the small screen. The billionaire tech mogul is launching a new television streaming app for smart TVs called — you guessed it! — X TV. The company boasts that it will feature tailored algorithms, among other features. So what exactly is X TV, and where can you find it? Here’s everything we know about the streaming service so far. What does X TV claim to offer? The company’s CEO Linda Yaccarino touted its benefits on Twitter Tuesday, writing that while it’s still being built, the features of the service will include a “trending video algorithm” (perhaps similar to the “for you” list of tweets or the trending topics bar), “AI-powered topics,” “cross-device experience”, “enhanced video search,” “effortless casting,” and “wide availability.” From the small ...
- 4/24/2024
- TV Insider
Elon Musk’s X platform is continuing its video push, launching a dedicated app for smart TV sets.
The X video app launched Tuesday, with the company touting a handful of key features, including a trending video algorithm, artificial intelligence-powered trending topics and cross-device compatibility, so users can start watching on their phone and continue watching on TV.
The X TV app will not have any ads at launch, according to a note sent to the company’s corporate partners Tuesday.
“We’re focusing on launching this new feature for consumers first, but we do plan to monetize it, and will discuss different forms of partnerships — and that may include ads,” the note said.
The company also posted a preview video of the video experience, providing a brief glimpse of the TV app. The videos included in the preview video included Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin and footage...
The X video app launched Tuesday, with the company touting a handful of key features, including a trending video algorithm, artificial intelligence-powered trending topics and cross-device compatibility, so users can start watching on their phone and continue watching on TV.
The X TV app will not have any ads at launch, according to a note sent to the company’s corporate partners Tuesday.
“We’re focusing on launching this new feature for consumers first, but we do plan to monetize it, and will discuss different forms of partnerships — and that may include ads,” the note said.
The company also posted a preview video of the video experience, providing a brief glimpse of the TV app. The videos included in the preview video included Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin and footage...
- 4/23/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A judge on Friday moved to halt an investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) into the liberal watchdog journalism organization Media Matters, issuing a preliminary injunction in the case.
Calling Media Matters a “radical left-wing” and “anti-free speech organization,” Paxton claimed to be investigating “potential fraudulent activity” by the group under Texas’ Deceptive Trade Practices Act, in response to its reporting about X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Media Matters President and CEO Angelo Carusone said in a statement on Friday evening that X owner...
Calling Media Matters a “radical left-wing” and “anti-free speech organization,” Paxton claimed to be investigating “potential fraudulent activity” by the group under Texas’ Deceptive Trade Practices Act, in response to its reporting about X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Media Matters President and CEO Angelo Carusone said in a statement on Friday evening that X owner...
- 4/13/2024
- by Andrew Perez
- Rollingstone.com
As Amazon ramps up its efforts to woo ad dollars that once were earmarked for traditional TV, it is also luring ad executives who tried to capture that money for TV networks.
Krishan Bhatia, previously a senior executive at NBCUniversal who ran the business aspects of the company’s ad-sales division, is joining Amazon as vice president of global video advertising for Amazon Ads. He will be charged with leading a global sales seeking to monetize Amazon’s growing video operations tied to sports, Freevee, Twitch and Prime Video.
He will report to Alan Moss, global ad sales vice president.
“I’m excited about the impact his wealth of experience in the media and advertising business will have for our customers in the streaming TV space,” Moss said.
Amazon in January raided Disney to hire Jeremy Helfand, who rose from a position at Hulu to supervise all advertising innovation across Disney’s interactive businesses,...
Krishan Bhatia, previously a senior executive at NBCUniversal who ran the business aspects of the company’s ad-sales division, is joining Amazon as vice president of global video advertising for Amazon Ads. He will be charged with leading a global sales seeking to monetize Amazon’s growing video operations tied to sports, Freevee, Twitch and Prime Video.
He will report to Alan Moss, global ad sales vice president.
“I’m excited about the impact his wealth of experience in the media and advertising business will have for our customers in the streaming TV space,” Moss said.
Amazon in January raided Disney to hire Jeremy Helfand, who rose from a position at Hulu to supervise all advertising innovation across Disney’s interactive businesses,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Ymu, the UK agency that reps Simon Cowell, Graham Norton, and Nicole Scherzinger, has confirmed its sale to private lending firm Permira Credit under a £60M ($76M) deal.
Permira has taken full control of Ymu’s newly-created parent company Yokozuna Newco Limited, with Trilantic Europe exiting the agency after five years, according to financial filings.
Under the deal, Permira has converted £32.9M of Ymu debt into Yokozuna shares and canceled a further £16M of debt. Permira also made a credit facility of £10M available to Ymu.
Ymu is understood to have created a new management incentive plan that will give its senior leadership team, including CEO Mary Bekhait, an equity stake in the agency.
As part of Ymu’s financial restructure, Lloyds Bank has made a £16M debt facility available to Ymu, $12M of which is valued in dollars.
In its latest earnings, Ymu said the restructure, which included...
Permira has taken full control of Ymu’s newly-created parent company Yokozuna Newco Limited, with Trilantic Europe exiting the agency after five years, according to financial filings.
Under the deal, Permira has converted £32.9M of Ymu debt into Yokozuna shares and canceled a further £16M of debt. Permira also made a credit facility of £10M available to Ymu.
Ymu is understood to have created a new management incentive plan that will give its senior leadership team, including CEO Mary Bekhait, an equity stake in the agency.
As part of Ymu’s financial restructure, Lloyds Bank has made a £16M debt facility available to Ymu, $12M of which is valued in dollars.
In its latest earnings, Ymu said the restructure, which included...
- 3/18/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Former CNN host Don Lemon revealed on Wednesday that just hours after filming an interview with Elon Musk for the premiere of a show to air exclusively on X (formerly Twitter), the platform’s impulsive owner killed the streaming deal altogether.
In a statement shared on X, Lemon said Musk unilaterally canceled the partnership — part of a “public commitment to amplifying more diverse voices” on the site — ahead of a March 18 debut, but that the segment they taped will still be released in various formats, including on X, on that date.
In a statement shared on X, Lemon said Musk unilaterally canceled the partnership — part of a “public commitment to amplifying more diverse voices” on the site — ahead of a March 18 debut, but that the segment they taped will still be released in various formats, including on X, on that date.
- 3/13/2024
- by Miles Klee
- Rollingstone.com
Don Lemon won’t be bringing a show to Elon Musk’s X platform, after all.
Lemon on Wednesday said that Musk “has canceled the partnership I had with X … he informed me of his decision hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday.”
The interview with Musk is slated to be the debut episode of The Don Lemon Show, which was supposed to debut on X (formerly known as Twitter) and YouTube. Lemon says the interview will run as planned on YouTube, and that future episodes will be released there.
Lemon said that “there were no restrictions” in the interview, and that “we had a good conversation. Clearly he felt differently.”
Replying to a comment on X, Musk said that they canceled the show because “his approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying.
Lemon on Wednesday said that Musk “has canceled the partnership I had with X … he informed me of his decision hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday.”
The interview with Musk is slated to be the debut episode of The Don Lemon Show, which was supposed to debut on X (formerly known as Twitter) and YouTube. Lemon says the interview will run as planned on YouTube, and that future episodes will be released there.
Lemon said that “there were no restrictions” in the interview, and that “we had a good conversation. Clearly he felt differently.”
Replying to a comment on X, Musk said that they canceled the show because “his approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying.
- 3/13/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A Congressional hearing featuring five notable tech CEOs proved to be as combative as advertised. Meta‘s Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok‘s Shou Zi Chew, X‘s Linda Yaccarino, Snapchat‘s Evan Spiegel, and Discord‘s Jason Citron defended their companies’ safeguards for underage users during a four-hour Capitol Hill gathering on January 31.
The Senate Judiciary Committee summoned the five CEOs to speak about child safety on social media. That subject is one of the pillars of the Biden Administration’s tech policy platform; the U.S. President stressed the need to protect minors online during his first State of the Union address.
When the latest Big Tech hearing was first announced, Judiciary Committee leaders Dick Durbin (D-il) and Lindsay Graham (R-sc) cited security and safety lapses that have affected minors online. Those topics came up again at the hearing, which was attended by parents whose children have been negatively affected by social media.
The Senate Judiciary Committee summoned the five CEOs to speak about child safety on social media. That subject is one of the pillars of the Biden Administration’s tech policy platform; the U.S. President stressed the need to protect minors online during his first State of the Union address.
When the latest Big Tech hearing was first announced, Judiciary Committee leaders Dick Durbin (D-il) and Lindsay Graham (R-sc) cited security and safety lapses that have affected minors online. Those topics came up again at the hearing, which was attended by parents whose children have been negatively affected by social media.
- 1/31/2024
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
NBCUniversal has confirmed the dates of its annual upfront event at Radio City Music Hall in May as well as the fourth edition of its “OnePlatform” showcase of advertising technology in March.
The upfront will be held on May 13, its usual Monday slot on the traditional week of upfront pitches to ad buyers in New York. NBCU’s Hispanic media subsidiary Telemundo will host a party on the evening of May 13 at The Shed in Hudson Yards.
Sellers are getting an early jump on the upfront season, which could be the first truly familiar one since before Covid. Warner Bros. Discovery has also put a marker down for its annual mid-May event. Paramount Global has said it will continue to hold smaller gatherings with its clients instead of its previous Carnegie Hall presentations. Those upfront extravaganzas were a longtime staple of CBS, which became a division of Paramount in 2019.
NBCU...
The upfront will be held on May 13, its usual Monday slot on the traditional week of upfront pitches to ad buyers in New York. NBCU’s Hispanic media subsidiary Telemundo will host a party on the evening of May 13 at The Shed in Hudson Yards.
Sellers are getting an early jump on the upfront season, which could be the first truly familiar one since before Covid. Warner Bros. Discovery has also put a marker down for its annual mid-May event. Paramount Global has said it will continue to hold smaller gatherings with its clients instead of its previous Carnegie Hall presentations. Those upfront extravaganzas were a longtime staple of CBS, which became a division of Paramount in 2019.
NBCU...
- 1/31/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Parents of deceased and exploited children heckled Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday during a Senate hearing on the role tech companies play in online child sexual exploitation.
Parents holding photos of their deceased children, many of whom died by suicide, audibly hissed at Zuckerberg as he entered the chamber. According to NBC News, some of the family members who attended the hearing hold Meta’s subsidiary, Instagram, responsible for facilitating the abuse and suicide of their children.
As the CEO gave his opening statement to lawmakers, he acknowledged the families’ presence in the room.
Parents holding photos of their deceased children, many of whom died by suicide, audibly hissed at Zuckerberg as he entered the chamber. According to NBC News, some of the family members who attended the hearing hold Meta’s subsidiary, Instagram, responsible for facilitating the abuse and suicide of their children.
As the CEO gave his opening statement to lawmakers, he acknowledged the families’ presence in the room.
- 1/31/2024
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
NBCUniversal has set May 13 for its annual upfront presentation, returning to Radio City Music Hall to give advertisers a look at “what’s to come in entertainment, news, live sports and events, scripted programming and more.”
The event will be followed by a Telemundo Celebration at The Shed in NYC that evening. “With NBCUniversal’s diverse content slate and advertising technology, marketers of all sizes can activate within premium tentpole content in English and Spanish and across all platforms,” NBCU said today.
The Comcast-owned company also announced it will hold its fourth annual technology conference, One24, at 30 Rock’s Studio 8H, home of SNL, to present its latest capabilities in automation, data, ad innovations, and measurement. The combo events “will demonstrate the technological advancements that power NBCUniversal’s premium content as well as the celebrated IP and iconic talent that bring inspiring stories to life every day from across the company’s vast portfolio,...
The event will be followed by a Telemundo Celebration at The Shed in NYC that evening. “With NBCUniversal’s diverse content slate and advertising technology, marketers of all sizes can activate within premium tentpole content in English and Spanish and across all platforms,” NBCU said today.
The Comcast-owned company also announced it will hold its fourth annual technology conference, One24, at 30 Rock’s Studio 8H, home of SNL, to present its latest capabilities in automation, data, ad innovations, and measurement. The combo events “will demonstrate the technological advancements that power NBCUniversal’s premium content as well as the celebrated IP and iconic talent that bring inspiring stories to life every day from across the company’s vast portfolio,...
- 1/31/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, X CEO Linda Yaccarino and other tech industry leaders faced a grilling from lawmakers today as they appeared for a landmark Senate hearing on the online exploitation of children.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-il) blamed the tech platforms at the outset for allowing the exploitation to proliferate, while dismissing the latest efforts the companies have taken to boost safety.
“They are responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” Durbin said, calling it a “crisis in America.”
“Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands. You have a product that is killing people,” said the top Republican on the committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-Sc), told Zuckerberg, as he sat at the witness table.
He called for the repeal of Section 230, the provision of a...
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-il) blamed the tech platforms at the outset for allowing the exploitation to proliferate, while dismissing the latest efforts the companies have taken to boost safety.
“They are responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” Durbin said, calling it a “crisis in America.”
“Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands. You have a product that is killing people,” said the top Republican on the committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-Sc), told Zuckerberg, as he sat at the witness table.
He called for the repeal of Section 230, the provision of a...
- 1/31/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, is moving heavily into original entertainment with a multi-show slate deal with Range Media Partners.
The first show as part of the deal with the Elon Musk-owned platform will be hosted by sports host Jim Rome.
It comes after the platform announced that former CNN host Don Lemon would also be hosting a show on the platform.
Rome, the host of The Jim Rome Show, the longest running, nationally syndicated long-form sports talk program in America, will launch a digital video show airing throughout the year on X starting after the Super Bowl.
The deal will see Musk’s company and Range develop and produce at least 10 shows, across various genres and formats.
It is thought to be the first multi-show slate deal for the controversial social media platform, although Musk has signed the likes of Tucker Carlson to launch...
The first show as part of the deal with the Elon Musk-owned platform will be hosted by sports host Jim Rome.
It comes after the platform announced that former CNN host Don Lemon would also be hosting a show on the platform.
Rome, the host of The Jim Rome Show, the longest running, nationally syndicated long-form sports talk program in America, will launch a digital video show airing throughout the year on X starting after the Super Bowl.
The deal will see Musk’s company and Range develop and produce at least 10 shows, across various genres and formats.
It is thought to be the first multi-show slate deal for the controversial social media platform, although Musk has signed the likes of Tucker Carlson to launch...
- 1/9/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Elon Musk’s X is making a significant push into original programming.
The platform on Tuesday announced a number of content deals, including exclusive shows hosted by former CNN anchor Don Lemon, former congresswomen Tulsi Gabbard, and former Fox Sports host and current sports radio personality Jim Rome.
Lemon, Gabbard and Rome announced the shows on X Tuesday.
“I’ve heard you… and today I am back, bigger, bolder, freer!,” Lemon wrote. “My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show. It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening. And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free space in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.
The platform on Tuesday announced a number of content deals, including exclusive shows hosted by former CNN anchor Don Lemon, former congresswomen Tulsi Gabbard, and former Fox Sports host and current sports radio personality Jim Rome.
Lemon, Gabbard and Rome announced the shows on X Tuesday.
“I’ve heard you… and today I am back, bigger, bolder, freer!,” Lemon wrote. “My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show. It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening. And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free space in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.
- 1/9/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Throughout 2023, The Hollywood Reporter‘s art department conceived and commissioned nearly 120 illustrations for stories serious, stylish and satirical. Below are 25 favorites.
Attack of the Chatbots: Screenwriters’ Friend or Foe?
Illustration by Antonio Sortino
Art direction by Peter B. Cury
Read the story.
Guest Column: ‘Stranger at the Gate’ EP Malala Yousafzai on Entertainment’s “Power to Reveal Our Shared Humanity”
Illustration by Leonardo Santamaria
Art direction by Kelsey Stefanson
Read the story.
2023 Oscars Issue Cover
Illustration by Zuzanna Rogatty
Art direction by Peter B. Cury
What Michelle Yeoh Taught Me About Motherhood
Illustration by Jasu Hu
Art direction by Clare Lynne Ramirez
Read the story.
Brad Pitt and the Bizarre Charity Mess That’s Left Katrina Victims Stranded Again
Illustration by Carl Burton
Art direction by Peter B. Cury
Read the story.
“This Was One Hot Mess”: Lisa Vanderpump, Keke Palmer and the THR Reality Roundtable
Illustration by Stefano Colferai...
Attack of the Chatbots: Screenwriters’ Friend or Foe?
Illustration by Antonio Sortino
Art direction by Peter B. Cury
Read the story.
Guest Column: ‘Stranger at the Gate’ EP Malala Yousafzai on Entertainment’s “Power to Reveal Our Shared Humanity”
Illustration by Leonardo Santamaria
Art direction by Kelsey Stefanson
Read the story.
2023 Oscars Issue Cover
Illustration by Zuzanna Rogatty
Art direction by Peter B. Cury
What Michelle Yeoh Taught Me About Motherhood
Illustration by Jasu Hu
Art direction by Clare Lynne Ramirez
Read the story.
Brad Pitt and the Bizarre Charity Mess That’s Left Katrina Victims Stranded Again
Illustration by Carl Burton
Art direction by Peter B. Cury
Read the story.
“This Was One Hot Mess”: Lisa Vanderpump, Keke Palmer and the THR Reality Roundtable
Illustration by Stefano Colferai...
- 12/27/2023
- by Kelsey Stefanson
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Elon Musk’s X/Twitter is back up after going down tonight all over the world.
The usually reactive owner of the struggling social media platform hasn’t said anything about what happened or why, but for users it was certainly like someone pulled the plug for nearly an hour late Wednesday.
Detected by Downdector just before 10 pm Pt, the site went almost dormant with no feeds, no posts, and not much of anything expect the likes of #MyTwitter, #NotTwitter, Did Elon, and #TwitterDown trending. Jumping on the site or app, most X/Twitter users saw this late tonight:
Clicking that “Let’s Go” didn’t really take users anywhere.
At around 11 pm Pt, the platform appeared to be functioning normally (as normal as normal can be for X/Twitter of late). Again, no explanation of what happened from either X or Musk – at least not yet. Though the sentiment...
The usually reactive owner of the struggling social media platform hasn’t said anything about what happened or why, but for users it was certainly like someone pulled the plug for nearly an hour late Wednesday.
Detected by Downdector just before 10 pm Pt, the site went almost dormant with no feeds, no posts, and not much of anything expect the likes of #MyTwitter, #NotTwitter, Did Elon, and #TwitterDown trending. Jumping on the site or app, most X/Twitter users saw this late tonight:
Clicking that “Let’s Go” didn’t really take users anywhere.
At around 11 pm Pt, the platform appeared to be functioning normally (as normal as normal can be for X/Twitter of late). Again, no explanation of what happened from either X or Musk – at least not yet. Though the sentiment...
- 12/21/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Political junkies and online video observers should circle January 31, 2024 on their calendars. That’s when the CEOs of five major tech companies — Meta, X, TikTok, Snap, and Discord — will visit the U.S. Capitol to answer questions related to child safety on social media.
The hearing will be hosted by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will grill the assembled execs about their “failure to protect children online.” That’s how Judiciary Committee leaders Dick Durbin (D-il) and Lindsay Graham (R-Sc) described Big Tech’s security and safety lapses in a press release announcing the hearing.
This will not be the first time that tech execs have faced off against a hostile Congressional committee. Representatives from YouTube and TikTok address concerns about data privacy during a contentious 2022 hearing. A few months later, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew took his turn in the Senatorial spotlight as he looked to fend off...
The hearing will be hosted by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will grill the assembled execs about their “failure to protect children online.” That’s how Judiciary Committee leaders Dick Durbin (D-il) and Lindsay Graham (R-Sc) described Big Tech’s security and safety lapses in a press release announcing the hearing.
This will not be the first time that tech execs have faced off against a hostile Congressional committee. Representatives from YouTube and TikTok address concerns about data privacy during a contentious 2022 hearing. A few months later, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew took his turn in the Senatorial spotlight as he looked to fend off...
- 11/30/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
On Wednesday, Elon Musk retaliated against major advertisers leaving X (formerly Twitter) following his antisemitic remarks on the platform, and told them to “go fuck yourself” during The New York Times’ DealBook Summit. His remarks have since gained cheers from right-winger commentators as the billionaire continues to blame his platform’s decline on anyone but himself.
Turning Point CEO Charlie Kirk took to Truth Social to rally behind Musk, writing, “Elon Musk drops the Hammer on advertisers who bailed on X following antisemitism smears made against him,” before rooting, “Go Elon!
Turning Point CEO Charlie Kirk took to Truth Social to rally behind Musk, writing, “Elon Musk drops the Hammer on advertisers who bailed on X following antisemitism smears made against him,” before rooting, “Go Elon!
- 11/30/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Elon Musk made plain his view of the widespread advertiser withdrawal this month from X, formerly Twitter.
“Don’t advertise,” he urged any marketer with misgivings. “Somebody’s going to try to blackmail me with advertising?! Blackmail me with money? Go f–k yourself. Go. F–k. Yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.”
The billionaire tech exec’s remarks came at the beginning of an occasionally awkward, epic-length but frequently compelling session capping the New York Times DealBook Summit. (Watch the segment about advertising in the clip above.)
Moderator Andrew Ross Sorkin noted that Disney has been among the companies pausing ads on X in the wake of Musk’s endorsement of an antisemitic post. CEO Bob Iger was among the notable guests earlier in the day at the conference.
“Hey, Bob, if you’re here in the audience,” Musk said. “Sorry, that’s how I feel.”
Sorkin...
“Don’t advertise,” he urged any marketer with misgivings. “Somebody’s going to try to blackmail me with advertising?! Blackmail me with money? Go f–k yourself. Go. F–k. Yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.”
The billionaire tech exec’s remarks came at the beginning of an occasionally awkward, epic-length but frequently compelling session capping the New York Times DealBook Summit. (Watch the segment about advertising in the clip above.)
Moderator Andrew Ross Sorkin noted that Disney has been among the companies pausing ads on X in the wake of Musk’s endorsement of an antisemitic post. CEO Bob Iger was among the notable guests earlier in the day at the conference.
“Hey, Bob, if you’re here in the audience,” Musk said. “Sorry, that’s how I feel.”
Sorkin...
- 11/29/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and the owner of X (formerly Twitter), says that the current advertiser boycott could “kill the company.”
“What this advertising boycott is going to do is, it is going to kill the company,” Musk said Wednesday. “And the whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company.”
Musk was interviewed by Andrew Ross Sorkin on Wednesday afternoon at the New York Times Dealbook Summit, capping off a day of speakers that included Vice President Kamala Harris, FTC chair Lina Khan, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and PGA commissioner Jay Monahan.
Musk also responded to Iger, who explained his company’s decision to pull advertising from the platform earlier.
“Don’t advertise. If someone is going to try and blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go fuck yourself,” Musk said. “Go fuck yourself, is that clear? Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience.
“What this advertising boycott is going to do is, it is going to kill the company,” Musk said Wednesday. “And the whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company.”
Musk was interviewed by Andrew Ross Sorkin on Wednesday afternoon at the New York Times Dealbook Summit, capping off a day of speakers that included Vice President Kamala Harris, FTC chair Lina Khan, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and PGA commissioner Jay Monahan.
Musk also responded to Iger, who explained his company’s decision to pull advertising from the platform earlier.
“Don’t advertise. If someone is going to try and blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go fuck yourself,” Musk said. “Go fuck yourself, is that clear? Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience.
- 11/29/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino has committed the platform to “combat antisemitism,” insisting “there’s absolutely no place for it anywhere in the world.” But this supposed crackdown on hate is being undermined by the conspiracy theorist and far-right broadcaster Stew Peters, who was reinstated to the platform late last year. Peters is taking the Israel-Hamas war as license to promote animus toward Jews — and using Elon Musk’s platform to spread his bile.
A distrust of Jews has long been part of the toxic mix of Peters’ ideology. The...
A distrust of Jews has long been part of the toxic mix of Peters’ ideology. The...
- 11/29/2023
- by Tim Dickinson
- Rollingstone.com
When Elon Musk announced last May that he was naming Linda Yaccarino the CEO of the company that I will always call Twitter, few people outside of the media business had any idea who she was. By now, just a few months later, the former head of advertising at NBCUniversal has become a lightning rod for rage arising from Musk’s erratic, impulsive and, in many cases, repulsive behavior, even as he has made it all but impossible for her to fulfill the mission of making Twitter an alluring place for advertisers.
Through it all, Yaccarino has generally presented herself as oblivious to Musk’s conduct and its impact on the company that she at least nominally leads — behavior so maddening that she has been dragged on the very platform she supposedly runs.
According to those who have worked for or with Yaccarino in the past, the Twitter job gave...
Through it all, Yaccarino has generally presented herself as oblivious to Musk’s conduct and its impact on the company that she at least nominally leads — behavior so maddening that she has been dragged on the very platform she supposedly runs.
According to those who have worked for or with Yaccarino in the past, the Twitter job gave...
- 11/29/2023
- by Kim Masters
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There was never any evidence that Pizzagate, the conspiracy theory claiming prominent Democrats were running a satanic pedophilic operation out of a D.C. pizza parlor, was real. No supposed victims ever came forward, and the basement of Comet Ping Pong — where conspiracy theorists claimed everything went down — didn’t even exist. Yet nearly a decade after the crazed theory was put to bed, Elon Musk is shoving it back into the public consciousness.
The X (formerly Twitter) owner boasts more than 164 million followers on the platform, and last week...
The X (formerly Twitter) owner boasts more than 164 million followers on the platform, and last week...
- 11/28/2023
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
Between Elon Musk’s response to an antisemitic post and his recent lawsuit with the media watchdog Media Matters, X has been making even more headlines than usual. That’s why on Tuesday night Jimmy Kimmel thought he’d check in on the one woman bearing the brunt of this bad press: X CEO Linda Yaccarino.
“Elon is outspoken. But I can fix him. I just have to shrink myself down and hide under a chef hat and just kind of control everything he does,” Blaire Erskine (as Yaccarino) said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
As Kimmel asked this fake Yaccarino more questions, she became more and more frenzied.
“Everything’s going great. I don’t know what you’re talking about, everything’s going great,” Erskine told Kimmel while pouring herself a full glass of wine. When asked why she was drinking so much wine, she curtly responded, “I already drank all the vodka.
“Elon is outspoken. But I can fix him. I just have to shrink myself down and hide under a chef hat and just kind of control everything he does,” Blaire Erskine (as Yaccarino) said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
As Kimmel asked this fake Yaccarino more questions, she became more and more frenzied.
“Everything’s going great. I don’t know what you’re talking about, everything’s going great,” Erskine told Kimmel while pouring herself a full glass of wine. When asked why she was drinking so much wine, she curtly responded, “I already drank all the vodka.
- 11/22/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
More than a month after announcing a major commerce deal with X, formerly Twitter, Paris Hilton’s media company has suspended their advertising campaign with the Elon Musk-owned social media platform.
11:11 Media’s decision to halt ads with X follows a report by the watchdog group Media Matters, which said it found ads for brands like Apple, Bravo, and Amazon on X alongside white nationalist content.
“11:11 Media made the decision to immediately pull the campaign from the platform,” said Bruce Gersh, 11:11 Media’s president and chief operating officer,...
11:11 Media’s decision to halt ads with X follows a report by the watchdog group Media Matters, which said it found ads for brands like Apple, Bravo, and Amazon on X alongside white nationalist content.
“11:11 Media made the decision to immediately pull the campaign from the platform,” said Bruce Gersh, 11:11 Media’s president and chief operating officer,...
- 11/22/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
After Elon Musk threatened a “thermonuclear lawsuit” against Media Matters Friday, his company X (formerly Twitter) sued the media watchdog group on Monday for defamation, alleging the non-profit “maliciously” tried to drive away advertisers after it published a report on ads appearing alongside posts featuring antisemitic rhetoric.
”Media Matters knowingly and maliciously manufactured side-by-side images depicting advertisers’ posts on X Corp.’s social media platform beside Neo-Nazi and white-nationalist fringe content and then portrayed these manufactured images as if they were what typical X users experience on the platform,” X...
”Media Matters knowingly and maliciously manufactured side-by-side images depicting advertisers’ posts on X Corp.’s social media platform beside Neo-Nazi and white-nationalist fringe content and then portrayed these manufactured images as if they were what typical X users experience on the platform,” X...
- 11/21/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, is calling for users to stand by them after media companies pulled their ad dollars out over antisemitic posts being served next to advertisements on the network.
Yaccarino took to X to share data about the ads served and alleges that it was less than a handful of people who saw the antisemitic campaigns.
“If you know me, you know I’m committed to truth and fairness. Here’s the truth,” Yaccarino posted. “Not a single authentic user on X saw Ibm’s, Comcast’s, or Oracle’s ads next to the content in Media Matters’ article. Only 2 users saw Apple’s ad next to the content, at least one of which was Media Matters.”
She continued, “Data wins over manipulation or allegations. Don’t be manipulated. Stand with X.”
If you know me, you know I'm committed to truth and fairness.
Yaccarino took to X to share data about the ads served and alleges that it was less than a handful of people who saw the antisemitic campaigns.
“If you know me, you know I’m committed to truth and fairness. Here’s the truth,” Yaccarino posted. “Not a single authentic user on X saw Ibm’s, Comcast’s, or Oracle’s ads next to the content in Media Matters’ article. Only 2 users saw Apple’s ad next to the content, at least one of which was Media Matters.”
She continued, “Data wins over manipulation or allegations. Don’t be manipulated. Stand with X.”
If you know me, you know I'm committed to truth and fairness.
- 11/21/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
On Dec. 6, CEOs from some of the biggest social media platforms will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where they are set to face tough questions about what their platforms are doing to keep children safe from sexual exploitation and abuse.
Sens. Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham on Monday announced the bipartisan subpoenas of three executives who have reportedly been less than communicative with Congress about the issue of child sexual exploitation on their apps: Linda Yaccarino, head of X (formerly Twitter), Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and Discord‘s Jason Citron.
Sens. Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham on Monday announced the bipartisan subpoenas of three executives who have reportedly been less than communicative with Congress about the issue of child sexual exploitation on their apps: Linda Yaccarino, head of X (formerly Twitter), Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and Discord‘s Jason Citron.
- 11/20/2023
- by Miles Klee
- Rollingstone.com
Despite Elon Musk’s vow to file a “thermonuclear lawsuit” against Media Matters the “split second” that courts opened today, the X/Twitter owner’s legal action has yet to materialize.
Meanwhile, with a number of major advertisers on the sidelines over concerns about antisemitism on the platform, CEO Linda Yaccarino spoke out against “detractors and fabricated distractions.”
The top executive, who came to the tech company six months ago after lengthy stints running ad sales at NBCUniversal and Turner Broadcasting, is looking to repair the damage from Musk’s recent endorsement of an antisemitic post on X. Backlash to that move gained additional force thanks to a Media Matters report contending that multiple ad messages had appeared next to white supremacist and pro-Nazi content. As a result, Apple, Ibm and major media companies including Disney, Comcast, Paramount and Lionsgate have all paused advertising on X. Yaccarino and Musk have disputed the organization’s claims,...
Meanwhile, with a number of major advertisers on the sidelines over concerns about antisemitism on the platform, CEO Linda Yaccarino spoke out against “detractors and fabricated distractions.”
The top executive, who came to the tech company six months ago after lengthy stints running ad sales at NBCUniversal and Turner Broadcasting, is looking to repair the damage from Musk’s recent endorsement of an antisemitic post on X. Backlash to that move gained additional force thanks to a Media Matters report contending that multiple ad messages had appeared next to white supremacist and pro-Nazi content. As a result, Apple, Ibm and major media companies including Disney, Comcast, Paramount and Lionsgate have all paused advertising on X. Yaccarino and Musk have disputed the organization’s claims,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
X CEO Linda Yaccarino sent a note to employees Sunday evening, saying the report on antisemitic content on the social media platform is “misleading” and that the company is in the midst of battling “deceptive attacks.”
The statement comes after a report from nonprofit Media Matters for America released Thursday, which found that the platform was placing ads for major companies such as Apple, NBCUniversal and Ibm “next to content that touts Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.” In turn, many major advertisers, including Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, Apple and even Yaccarino’s former workplace, NBCUniversal, paused ads on the social media platform.
“While some advertisers may have temporarily paused investments because of a misleading and manipulated article, the data will tell the real story. Because for all of us who work at X, we’ve been extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination, as there...
The statement comes after a report from nonprofit Media Matters for America released Thursday, which found that the platform was placing ads for major companies such as Apple, NBCUniversal and Ibm “next to content that touts Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.” In turn, many major advertisers, including Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, Apple and even Yaccarino’s former workplace, NBCUniversal, paused ads on the social media platform.
“While some advertisers may have temporarily paused investments because of a misleading and manipulated article, the data will tell the real story. Because for all of us who work at X, we’ve been extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination, as there...
- 11/20/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
X’s Unique Un-Sales Strategy: CEO Linda Yaccarino Woos Advertisers; Owner Elon Musk Drives Them Away
If movie and TV studios get nervous about advertising, so should everyone else.
Advertisers loathe controversy, and often “pull” or “yank” their commercials from individual pieces of content that generate it. But the studios have stiffer spines. They don’t run garden-variety commercials, but rather trailers and sneak previews of much-anticipated TV programs, and their target consumer is typically young men, who often don’t feel the outrage of advocacy groups eager to spur boycotts of a cable-news channel, a scripted series with a controversial star; or a reality program that offends. Studios don’t often feel the need to stop running their ads, particularly when an opening weekend’s box office tally might be at stake. In 2018, when many advertisers suspended their support of comedian Samantha Bee’s “Full Frontal” on TBS following a joke she made about Ivanka Trump, then the daughter of the then-u.S. President, Comcast...
Advertisers loathe controversy, and often “pull” or “yank” their commercials from individual pieces of content that generate it. But the studios have stiffer spines. They don’t run garden-variety commercials, but rather trailers and sneak previews of much-anticipated TV programs, and their target consumer is typically young men, who often don’t feel the outrage of advocacy groups eager to spur boycotts of a cable-news channel, a scripted series with a controversial star; or a reality program that offends. Studios don’t often feel the need to stop running their ads, particularly when an opening weekend’s box office tally might be at stake. In 2018, when many advertisers suspended their support of comedian Samantha Bee’s “Full Frontal” on TBS following a joke she made about Ivanka Trump, then the daughter of the then-u.S. President, Comcast...
- 11/19/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Updated, 7:40 Pm: After a day that saw a dozen major advertisers put any spending on X/Twitter on hold over antisemitic amplification by Elon Musk, the man himself tweeted a seemingly not-so-subtile dig at those companies.
Promoting X/Twitter’s Premium service, the social media platform owner wrote, “Premium+ also has no ads in your timeline.” Musk then followed with what he may see as a selling point – true or not – for his ad-free service. “Many of the largest advertisers are the greatest oppressors of your right to free speech,” he wrote – as you can see below:
Premium+ also has no ads in your timeline.
Many of the largest advertisers are the greatest oppressors of your right to free speech. https://t.co/dVkTMaGV2b
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023
Updated, 6:09 P.M.: Looks like Sony Pictures has pulled the plug for now on any advertising on X/Twitter.
Promoting X/Twitter’s Premium service, the social media platform owner wrote, “Premium+ also has no ads in your timeline.” Musk then followed with what he may see as a selling point – true or not – for his ad-free service. “Many of the largest advertisers are the greatest oppressors of your right to free speech,” he wrote – as you can see below:
Premium+ also has no ads in your timeline.
Many of the largest advertisers are the greatest oppressors of your right to free speech. https://t.co/dVkTMaGV2b
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023
Updated, 6:09 P.M.: Looks like Sony Pictures has pulled the plug for now on any advertising on X/Twitter.
- 11/18/2023
- by Ted Johnson, Dominic Patten and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
In one of his usual sweeping declarations about a policy change to X, formerly Twitter, Elon Musk on Friday declared that the terms “decolonization” and “from the river to the sea” are euphemisms that “necessarily imply genocide,” the use of which on the platform could “result in suspension.”
Both phrases are commonly used by activists calling for a Free Palestine, meaning an end to occupation and freedom of Palestinians between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. But they are interpreted by Israel supporters, Jewish advocacy groups and many others as antisemitic,...
Both phrases are commonly used by activists calling for a Free Palestine, meaning an end to occupation and freedom of Palestinians between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. But they are interpreted by Israel supporters, Jewish advocacy groups and many others as antisemitic,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Miles Klee
- Rollingstone.com
NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, Lionsgate, Paramount, and Apple are all suspending ads from X (formerly Twitter) after owner Elon Musk made antisemitic comments on the platform.
Reps for NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, Paramount Global, and Lionsgate all confirmed to IndieWire the companies have suspended ads, but none have issued a statement specifically condemning Musk’s remarks. Sony Pictures is also not currently advertising on X, an individual with knowledge told IndieWire. Disney’s film “Wish” opens in theaters on November 22. Lionsgate this weekend is releasing the new “Hunger Games” prequel movie “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” It’s unclear how much advertising or how many ad dollars are being suspended.
The companies’ moves follow similar decisions by tech companies like Apple and Ibm to suspend ads on X, as Axios first reported. Media Matters in a report revealed that posts from Apple, Ibm, Oracle, Bravo (NBCUniversal), and...
Reps for NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, Paramount Global, and Lionsgate all confirmed to IndieWire the companies have suspended ads, but none have issued a statement specifically condemning Musk’s remarks. Sony Pictures is also not currently advertising on X, an individual with knowledge told IndieWire. Disney’s film “Wish” opens in theaters on November 22. Lionsgate this weekend is releasing the new “Hunger Games” prequel movie “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” It’s unclear how much advertising or how many ad dollars are being suspended.
The companies’ moves follow similar decisions by tech companies like Apple and Ibm to suspend ads on X, as Axios first reported. Media Matters in a report revealed that posts from Apple, Ibm, Oracle, Bravo (NBCUniversal), and...
- 11/17/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Disney is no longer advertising on X, formerly known as Twitter, after owner Elon Musk pushed an antisemitic conspiracy theory on the platform, per the New York Times.
Disney’s decision to suspend advertising with X follows a report by the watchdog group Media Matters, which found that ads for brands like Apple, Bravo, and Amazon had appeared on X next to white nationalist hashtags such as #Wlm (White Lives Matter) or #KeepEuropeWhite.
Following this reporting, X advertisers Apple, Lionsgate, Comcast/NBCUniversal, and Ibm decided to sever ties with the platform,...
Disney’s decision to suspend advertising with X follows a report by the watchdog group Media Matters, which found that ads for brands like Apple, Bravo, and Amazon had appeared on X next to white nationalist hashtags such as #Wlm (White Lives Matter) or #KeepEuropeWhite.
Following this reporting, X advertisers Apple, Lionsgate, Comcast/NBCUniversal, and Ibm decided to sever ties with the platform,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Ej Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery have joined a growing list of blue-chip advertisers who are pulling advertising and promotions from the social-media outlet X in the wake of a recent antisemitic remark posted by the venue’s owner, Elon Musk.
A Lionsgate spokesperson said Friday that the entertainment company “has suspended advertising on X because of Elon Musk’s recent antisemitic tweet.” The move comes as Lionsgate is marketing the release of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” the latest film in its “Hunger Games” franchise. Ibm earlier Friday said that it had “immediately suspended all advertising on X while we investigate this entirely unacceptable situation.”
Disney and Comcast NBCUniversal are both understood to have followed suit on Friday. A Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson said Friday that the company had “paused” its presence on X, though it was already believed to be minimal.
Musk on Wednesday indicated...
A Lionsgate spokesperson said Friday that the entertainment company “has suspended advertising on X because of Elon Musk’s recent antisemitic tweet.” The move comes as Lionsgate is marketing the release of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” the latest film in its “Hunger Games” franchise. Ibm earlier Friday said that it had “immediately suspended all advertising on X while we investigate this entirely unacceptable situation.”
Disney and Comcast NBCUniversal are both understood to have followed suit on Friday. A Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson said Friday that the company had “paused” its presence on X, though it was already believed to be minimal.
Musk on Wednesday indicated...
- 11/17/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount and Sony have joined other major X advertisers in choosing not to advertise on the social media platform. Earlier Friday, Lionsgate Entertainment Corp. announced it was pausing all of its advertising on the Elon Musk-owned X, effective immediately, citing Elon Musk’s “recent antisemitic tweets.” The decision comes just one day after Ibm suspended ads on the social media platform, with Apple also reportedly suspending X advertising Friday, according to Axios.
Musk has faced intense backlash for promoting and agreeing with a post on X (formerly Twitter), which glorified an antisemitic conspiracy theory. The White House condemned the post earlier Friday, calling it “unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of Antisemitism in American history at any time.”
“Lionsgate has suspended advertising on X because of Elon Musk’s recent antisemitic tweets,” a spokesperson for the company told TheWrap. Warner Bros.
Musk has faced intense backlash for promoting and agreeing with a post on X (formerly Twitter), which glorified an antisemitic conspiracy theory. The White House condemned the post earlier Friday, calling it “unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of Antisemitism in American history at any time.”
“Lionsgate has suspended advertising on X because of Elon Musk’s recent antisemitic tweets,” a spokesperson for the company told TheWrap. Warner Bros.
- 11/17/2023
- by Natalie Korach
- The Wrap
Major advertisers are pausing their ad campaigns on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, including Disney, which has Wish in the works on its release calendar for Nov. 22. Lionsgate also said that it would be pulling its ads from the platform, just as its Hunger Games prequel is hitting movie theaters.
Warner Bros. Discovery said Friday evening that it would be pausing its campaigns on the platform. Paramount and Sony Pictures also followed suit in halting spending.
Comcast NBCUniversal was the latest company to pause advertising on the site, which is particularly significant as X CEO Linda Yaccarino left the company to join X.
The move by Hollywood studios follows Ibm pulling ads from the platform, in light of a new report from nonprofit Media Matters for America released Thursday, which found that the platform was placing ads for companies such as “Apple, Bravo (NBCUniversal), Ibm, Oracle and Xfinity...
Warner Bros. Discovery said Friday evening that it would be pausing its campaigns on the platform. Paramount and Sony Pictures also followed suit in halting spending.
Comcast NBCUniversal was the latest company to pause advertising on the site, which is particularly significant as X CEO Linda Yaccarino left the company to join X.
The move by Hollywood studios follows Ibm pulling ads from the platform, in light of a new report from nonprofit Media Matters for America released Thursday, which found that the platform was placing ads for companies such as “Apple, Bravo (NBCUniversal), Ibm, Oracle and Xfinity...
- 11/17/2023
- by Caitlin Huston and Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The White House has condemned Elon Musk for promoting antisemitism after he agreed with a bigoted X post that accused Jewish communities of promoting “dialectical hatred against whites.”
“We condemn this abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate in the strongest terms, which runs against our core values as Americans,” said a statement from the White House in Washington, D.C., that was issued Friday and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
The comments followed the billionaire owner of X (formerly known as Twitter) saying in a repost on his social media platform on Wednesday, “you have said the actual truth” in response to the user’s post on X. The user also wrote, “I’m deeply disinterested in giving the tiniest shit now about western Jewish populations coming to the disturbing realization that those hordes of minorities that support flooding their country don’t exactly like them too much.”
Musk...
“We condemn this abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate in the strongest terms, which runs against our core values as Americans,” said a statement from the White House in Washington, D.C., that was issued Friday and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
The comments followed the billionaire owner of X (formerly known as Twitter) saying in a repost on his social media platform on Wednesday, “you have said the actual truth” in response to the user’s post on X. The user also wrote, “I’m deeply disinterested in giving the tiniest shit now about western Jewish populations coming to the disturbing realization that those hordes of minorities that support flooding their country don’t exactly like them too much.”
Musk...
- 11/17/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not even 24 hours transpired between Elon Musk endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X, formerly Twitter, and his appointed CEO of the company, Linda Yaccarino, declaring that the site has made “efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination.” Predictably, her tweet was met with a deluge of replies pointing out that the platform’s owner — her boss — has done as much as anyone to amplify white nationalist ideology online.
On Wednesday, Musk engaged in a thread that began with X user @Cwboca sharing a PSA from the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism,...
On Wednesday, Musk engaged in a thread that began with X user @Cwboca sharing a PSA from the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Miles Klee
- Rollingstone.com
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