By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The Walt Disney Company has extended CEO Bob Iger’s contract by two years, to the end of 2026. The 72-year-old Iger originally said he would only come back to the role for a maximum of two years. However, Iger has said there are issues to deal with at Disney that will take longer to address. “I think what I’m saying is it’s time,” … [Read more...] about Feature: Iger Promises Major Change as Disney Contract Extended
Hulu
Disney is Restructuring and Laying Off Staff: Six Takeaways From the Earnings Call
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Disney is the world's largest studio and the largest entertainment licensor, so what happens at Disney affects everyone in the licensing industry. News the Magic Kingdom has announced 7,000 layoffs and a major restructuring of the entire company is cause for concern ... but there's good news in the latest earnings call as … [Read more...] about Disney is Restructuring and Laying Off Staff: Six Takeaways From the Earnings Call
#1 TikTok Star Charli D’Amelio and Family Get Hulu Series
Charli D'Amelio must have one of the fastest arcs to stardom of all time, rocketing to 100 million followers as the top TikTok user, and now getting a series on Hulu with her sister Dixie (also a TikTok star of note), and their parents Heidi and Marc. “The D’Amelio Show” will air on Hulu in 2021 as an eight-episode docuseries that follows “the first family of TikTok” as they … [Read more...] about #1 TikTok Star Charli D’Amelio and Family Get Hulu Series
Holly Hobbie Series Lands on Disney Channel in Latin America
Nov. 5, 2020 Latin American sales specialist Spiral International has secured a pan-regional deal with Disney Channel Latin America for the live action series, Holly Hobbie. The new music-driven series is produced by Aircraft Pictures and Holly Hobbie brand owner Cloudco Entertainment in association with Wexworks Media and includes two seasons of 10 episodes each. First … [Read more...] about Holly Hobbie Series Lands on Disney Channel in Latin America
Streaming & New Media Updates
Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com NBCUniversal is launching a new in-house streaming service in early 2020. Similar to Hulu's service, there will be a mix of ad-supported and free tiers—and the ad-supported tier will be available free to all 52 million subscribers of Comcast and European broadcaster Sky. However, unlike Disney's new service launching this year … [Read more...] about Streaming & New Media Updates
TV Talk: Series With Licensing Potential
Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com The average consumer has 4.5 different sources (up from 3.7 in 2014) to choose from when they’re ready to watch a TV show, including linear TV, DVR, VOD, Netflix, and Hulu, according to Hub Entertainment Research. Among younger viewers aged 18-34, the number of platforms is even higher at 5.1 average platforms. Only 39% of viewers … [Read more...] about TV Talk: Series With Licensing Potential
Emerging Content
As we enter into the new year, here are the latest new brands with licensing potential as well as ways to exploit them. Hasbro is planning a new animated TV series for 2019 based on its Micronauts line of collectables. The mini superhero brand will see a live-action movie in 2020 following the TV series, which is aimed at 6–11 year-olds. Hulu teams up with executive producer … [Read more...] about Emerging Content
Who’s News — 11/6/2017
Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Email Jen at jen@plainlanguagemedia.com and we'll announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. Paramount Pictures' LeeAnne Stables will step down as President Worldwide Marketing Partnerships & Licensing at the end of the year to focus on … [Read more...] about Who’s News — 11/6/2017
New Media: Streaming, TV & Movies
Entertainment properties distributed primarily through streaming services aren't the biggest source for consumer products licensing—linear TV programs reign, for many reasons. But licensees are getting wise to the potential behind streaming. For one, technology can offer new ways to market and sell goods à la traditional TV shopping, albiet in less obstructive ways. For … [Read more...] about New Media: Streaming, TV & Movies
Mergers & Acquisitions
Private equity company KKR is considering a bid for eOne after the company rejected a takeover bid from ITV. The Sunday Times named other potential suitors as ProSieben and Vivendi, as well as the potential for ITV to increase its offer. Walmart will buy Jet.com and its Hayneedle home furnishings subsidiary by yearend for approximately $3 billion in cash. Spin Master acquires … [Read more...] about Mergers & Acquisitions