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subsequentibis · 25 days

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rubbernecking drama rather than participating bc i dont even really watch it anymore but ppl saying "eat the rich" about the watcher guys is so funny. none of you know what that phrase means or who the rich are

#ignore me #the pivot to streaming service over yt channel is generally a Bad Idea but some of yall are being dumb or creepily parasocial about it #this is not a break up you have not been betrayed by your best friend. a media company just made a shitty business decision.#you can be mad but be mad in perspective. jesus h.#they aren't your friends they just make their paychecks by pretending they are lmfao

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thoughtportal · 10 months

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I should not know who David Zaslav is. I didn’t know who any of the big media CEOs were back when I was a happy little child, and I shouldn’t have to know who any of them are now. I should be able to fire up HBO Max, see that it’s still called HBO Max, treat myself to two horrible, horrible hours of a “Batgirl” movie, and then read a satisfyingly catty review of it in GQ.

Alas, I’m not that lucky. Because Zaslav is the man in charge of frankencorp Warner Bros. Discovery and, in an impressively short period of time, has managed to f—k up nearly everything within its considerable portfolio. Freelance writer Jason Bailey attempted to note all of those f—k-ups for posterity just this week, when he wrote an article for GQ excoriating Zaslav for his pathetic stewardship of WBD. It noted all of Zaslav’s lowlights, which I will repeat here for reasons that will soon become evident.

Zaslav wrote off that “Batgirl” movie rather than formally release it. He did NOT write off and bury “The Flash,” even though its titular star was an allegedly choke-happy asshole and the movie itself was something that even McG wouldn’t have put his name on (it tanked). He hired a clearly in-over-his-head Chris Licht to oversee CNN, only for Licht to destroy morale within that company even faster than Zaslav could have on his own (Licht has since been fired). And it’s not like CNN was my favorite news source in the universe prior to this. You have to really try to make CNN more inane than it already was. Zaslav did.

FILE: Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav visits “Mornings With Maria” at Fox Business Network studios on April 10, 2019, in New York City. Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

All of these changes were not only unwelcome but also NOTICEABLE. Same as if Dan Snyder owned your favorite NFL team. That’s why Zaslav got booed by students at Boston University while trying to give a commencement speech. It’s why striking Writers Guild of America writers, myself included, have made him the face of studio bosses who want to reduce TV and film writing jobs to gig work. It’s why Zaslav’s crimes against both art and basic consumer preferences need to be put on the record. It’s why Bailey wrote what he wrote, and why he was right to do so: posterity, so that we all know who’s to blame for this f—kery and why they deserve to be remanded to a space prison.

This was a damning blog post but also still just a blog post. All damning stuff but all easily ignored if you’re a captain of industry. Lord knows such men have capably ignored similar attempts to own them online.

FILE: David Zaslav attends the 2022 Time 100 Gala on June 8, 2022, in New York City.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME

Knowing this, GQ could have, should have, stood by its reporter, especially given that he was a freelancer just trying to earn a living. Maybe if former Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson was still in charge of the place, it would have. That GQ was both thorough and undaunted. But Variety just reported that current Editor-in-Chief Will Welch is attached as a producer on an upcoming Warner Brothers film that’s based on a GQ story and that he was one of the editors Zaslav’s stooges complained to. So it’s not hard to connect the dots as to why his GQ would abandon its journalistic principles just to please Zaslav. (Multiple sources within GQ told SFGATE they weren't even aware of the controversy until it became public; Bailey politely declined to talk to me for this piece.)

As someone who adored working at GQ, I cannot begin to tell you how much all of this disappoints me. I worked for Nelson. I also worked for the people who annihilated Deadspin and just published their first post written by a bot instead of an actual person. I know the difference between these two leadership styles, and it is stark. You can see it right in the product, and you can see it everywhere in Zaslav’s leadership. Not only is this man a terrible CEO, but he’s also an imperious coward who’s more than willing to swat down anyone who dares question his authority. Our worst kind of rich person.

Maybe Zaslav was able to get Welch to back down from public criticism, but my bosses here at SFGATE won’t be similarly cowed. So, for the permanent record, let me state all of this again flatly: David Zaslav is an eel who sucks at his job. He’s destroying HBO. He’s destroyed what bare credibility the DC Universe had left with moviegoers. He’s forced GQ to willingly debase itself. He’s destroyed TCM. And while he couldn’t get Licht to destroy CNN, he’ll find some other pair of docksiders to finish the job.

It’s a fact that, in an age of mass consolidation, no one person could possibly run all of a billion-dollar entertainment conglomerate effectively. But David Zaslav has distinguished himself not only by being unable to run ANY part of one but also by being such a brazen coward about that fact. I shouldn’t know who this man is. But here he is, and now he should deal, in full, with what he’s wrought. He’s a parasite: a terrible CEO, an enemy to artists, and a lousy, horrible graduation speaker to boot. I hope he’s strapped to a chair and forced to watch “The Flash” on repeat for the rest of his pathetic little existence. And no, I’m not deleting this.

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tariah23 · 3 months

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I knew there was gonna be someone jumping on that CR post and going on about how “I’ve done the math and have concluded that $100 isn’t even that bad for an annual service fee-“

#the fact is #even if it’s annual that is still a lot of money to waste on a streaming platform #you have to take into account that you are not going to even be using the service all that much anyway as well #like unless you’re one of those people who can find the time to binge anime multiple times a week for a whole year and don’t mind then #whatver (even though you could just as easily pirate the shit. anime is one of the most accessible media forms in the world)#I accidentally got $40 bucks taken out of my account for pixiv because I forgot to cancel my free trial on time #and I needed that $40 man #the thought of spending $100’s of bucks on something that you could easily find on Google for free within seconds is #ridiculous to me personally #rambling #you can’t ‘well actually’ this kind of shit #outside of purchasing physical DVDs and so on #I remember the time when piracy was pretty much one of the only ways to watch anime back in the day #it’s just…. we’ve gotten to a point where there are people who don’t think it’s that big of a deal and that is what’s so upsetting to me #you shouldn’t be okay with any of this #these companies are getting over on people who don’t know any better or care enough

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t-jfh · 8 months

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Anchuli Felicia King is a Thai-Australian playwright and multidisciplinary artist. (ABC Arts: Teresa Tan)

Playwright Anchuli Felicia King had to leave Australian theatre in order to conquer it.

By Dee Jefferson

ABC Arts - 31 October 2019

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David Koutsouridis is an award-winning Australian comedy writer based in Los Angeles. (Supplied)

Aussie writer on Hollywood picket lines says strike is pivotal for global entertainment industry.

By Mawunyo Gbogbo

ABC News - 7 June 2023

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Our local industry is being shaped and shaken up by the international streamers, including Netflix who produced the reboot of Heartbreak High. (Netflix)

As the US actors' and writers' strike continues, how does the Australian screen industry measure up?

By Hannah Reich for Stop Everything!

ABC Arts - 19 September 2023

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jaylor · 2 years

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im not gonna lie, and this isn’t directed at taylor but the music world in general, i kinda hope billboard and other music charts start thinking about making a rule where the original songs are only what’s counted as sales or streams on the charts. or maybe like one remix will count max.

im tired of big artists being able to stay on top just cause they know their dedicated fans will keep buying or listening to each new remix. it’d be really interesting to see what the history of the music charts actually looked like if we didn’t have all this fuckery

#and yeah obviously there's way more issues of fucking with the charts outside of remixes #like in before social media and streaming services companies could pay for a top spot and the general public wouldnt be able to tell

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twilightown · 2 years

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anyways I just spent two hours punching all my digital codes from my Blu-Rays into Vudu and now I have 64 digital "purchases" there

#I deeply enjoy physical media #I collect VHS tapes #DVDs and Vinyls and Blu-Rays #I just don't trust these companies who have digital copies to hold it for forever #I especially don't trust streaming services #they take stuff on and off consistently and constantly #'Oh it's just on Netflix or D+ or whatever'#yea sure but how long??#I'd rather just pay [not full price] and HAVE it #know what I mean?#I need to turn more in tomorrow hm

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themoonlily · 2 years

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the amount of ROP gifs and art and whatnot in the LOTR tags is already unbearable and it's only going to get worse.

#i would actually pay money for an algorithm that removed all mentions of ROP from my social medias #I'm so glad my beloved Eorlingas have nothing to do with this mess #although what they have done with Galadriel.........#yikes forever #petition to Tolkien Estate not to sell any more rights to any streaming services #please just give this stuff to companies with independent film or show makers

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hashtagloveloses · 10 months

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so SAG-AFTRA finally released some official guidance for fans, viewers, creators/influencers, critics, and more during the strike. here's what you need to know:

if you see a publication/news source/journalist talking about a piece of struck work, that's ok. they're allowed to do that.

2. they're asking regular viewers and fans to DONATE TO STRIKE FUNDS, SHOW UP TO PICKETS IF YOU CAN, and please do NOT boycott streaming services or movies in theaters.

3. influencers, content creators, cosplayers, and anything in between is still a bit of a grey area, but they're asking people to use their best judgement. "organically" means UNPAID promo (like an invite to a premiere without being paid, being sent a publicity box, letting the company's social media post a photo of you in cosplay, etc).

obviously this doesn't answer every question, and isn't hard and fast rules for fanworks, but it can at least inform how you personally choose to move forward when posting online and moving publically. i hope this helps!

#sag strike #wga strike #hollywood strike #writers strike #sag aftra strike #original post

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ladyshinga · 10 months

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“lol you realize Barbie is only a marketing movie, right? it’s just SELLING STUFF, you know that right? capitalism? lol?”

You’re too late.

Like, you’re not wrong, but you are wildly late on this one.

No one is under the impression that this movie isn’t marketing a toy line.

But that toy line? Has been on this earth longer than you’ve been. Barbie is old. Barbie is everywhere. We’ve all seen a commercial if not owned at least one Barbie doll in our lifetimes (or a knock-off you get emotionally attached to even if the weird mean girl down the street keeps making fun of it) (fuck you Christie that doll was a hero)

Advertising is everywhere. I can’t turn the TV on without ads, even on streaming services that used to brag how ad-free they were. I can’t browse social media without ads. I can’t see a movie or a show without products being “subtly” shown off.

We’re haunted by ads at every goddamn turn, we can’t even talk to an old friend from high school without them trying to sell us something.

If you think you’re making some radical grand statement by pointing out that Barbie is a toy line made by a big company that wants to sell more things... bud. We know that.

We know.

Greta Gerwig seems like she had a lot of fun with this movie, the actors had a lot of fun, the set design is fun.

No one is looking forward to Barbie because we think it’s some kind of beautiful radical anti-capitalist message just WAITING to break the world of its delusions of consumerism. God, could you imagine?

We’re looking forward to a bunch of actors dressed in pink having a lot of fun. We know the movie will make people want Barbie stuff, maybe they’ll go out and buy it, maybe they’re too broke because the world is expensive right now and we’ve got bills. But if “this movie will advertise things to you” was a dealbreaker we’d never see anything.

Because Barbie isn’t unique in this. A LOT of modern movies just want you to buy things, or admire/join the American military, etc etc. Money runs things here. Even capitalism stans know it runs everything (though they’re generally okay with it). Ads are our lives even when we use ad blockers and do our best to ignore the ones we see.

We’re seeing Barbie because it looks silly and fun, not because we’re putting it up on a pedestal expecting it to change the world. And we’re kidding and being silly when we DO act like that. Because goddammit, IT’S BARBIE. We’re acting like we acted when we played with dolls as kids, we’re PLAYING, we’re having fun. When I was a kid I absolutely pretended my Barbies could save the world and were magical and powerful. Didn’t mean she actually was.

These are toys. And we like to play. That doesn’t erase the capitalist motivations of Mattel, but it doesn’t have to mean we “support” their evils. We want to play, we want to enjoy play, even when we’re trapped in a capitalist hellscape where like 80% of our day to day fun is sold to us

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tuttertime · 1 year

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i understand it’s weird when a lot of your listening habits aren’t included in a yearly wrap or whatever. but isn’t it nice not to have every aspect of yourself and interests track, recorded and marketed back to you sometimes. isn’t that part nice

#don't get me wrong i do have fun with that stuff but like...#this is part of what i like about physical media vs streaming services. not every piece of information about what i like should be #a piece of data for some company

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wilwheaton · 5 months

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In less than a week, Sony has given us two timely reminders of the tenuousness of digital “ownership” — and both reminders involve things on PlayStation. Last week, Sony said that, because of content licensing “arrangements,” users wouldn’t be able to watch Discovery content they’ve purchased and that the content would be removed from their libraries as of December 31st, 2023. The resulting list of shows that will suddenly disappear because of corporate agreements is very long. Shows disappearing from streaming services is commonplace, but in this case, people are losing access to shows they bought to watch on demand whenever they wanted. Then, on Monday, many users were unexpectedly banned from their PlayStation Network accounts, meaning that not only were they blocked from playing multiplayer games or using cloud streaming but they were also locked out of games they purchased digitally from Sony’s PlayStation marketplace. Affected users who may have spent years building a robust digital library were suddenly left without access to content they had bought through no fault of their own. It appears that Sony has since restored account access to people who were accidentally banned, but the company hasn’t explained what happened or said how it might prevent similar unexpected bans in the future. (Sony hasn’t replied to our multiple requests for comment.)

PlayStation keeps reminding us why digital ownership sucks

I got locked out of my PlayStation account yesterday, with no explanation or warning. I only play single player offline, so it didn’t affect me like it did so many others, but holy shit Sony has made the best case, EVER, for buying real, physical, media ... or just fucking stealing it from some dodgy website, because when you do things the “right” way, you can lose it all, with no refund or recourse, because not a single executive at Sony gives a fuck about you and me.

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t-jfh · 6 months

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Dual strikes by writers and actors brought Hollywood to a standstill this year.

(Photo: Mark Abramson for The New York Times)

Striking Actors and Hollywood Studios Agree to a Deal

The agreement all but ends one of the longest labor crises in the history of the entertainment industry. Union members still have to approve the deal.

By Brooks Barnes, John Koblin and Nicole Sperling

The New York Times - November 8, 2023

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/08/business/media/actors-strike-deal.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

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avaisdramatic · 25 days

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Putting this comment on here because I feel like I’m actually going insane…

It seems like nobody in the comments even watched the video, complaining about how paying for content is difficult in this economy, like, that's why they are doing this! They cannot continue to make the content they want for free based on ads and sponsors alone. If you have paid attention to the "Making Watcher"s of recent years, their company is not, and has not been profitable. They are so dependent on advertisers for funding that it is becoming a restriction to the content they want to make (y'a know, like Buzzfeed was), so they had to find a solution. I don't know why you all seem to think you are entitled to free content, I understand not everyone can afford it but Watcher doesn't owe you content personally. Frankly, I doubt they wanted to put their content behind a paywall, but if it's that or not make content at all, of course they are going to try to find a solution. So no, they aren't "turning into Buzzfeed” because the massive problem with Buzzfeed was its restrictions on creative freedom and exploitation of its workers. If Watcher wants to produce fulfilling content that gives their editors, designers, producers, etc full creative freedom and a livable wage, this is the best option. If you want them to pay their workers the bare minimum and tailor their content to advertiser interests just so you can watch it for free, that's fine. Just don't pretend that they are some evil media mega-corporation and you are the anti-capitalist shining hero for saying it. You don't have to like it, and you don't have to continue to support them, but don't try to shame and demonize them for making an already difficult decision.

Many of you DO have an understanding of the difficult position our current economic system puts people in because you have experienced it, but you are so unable to extend that understanding beyond your own point of view. Look past yourself for a moment and think critically, and maybe you will understand their perspective. Much love for all of the talented people within Watcher who are doing their best.

And just to add, their format going forward is almost IDENTICAL to CollegeHumor-Dropout's streaming service format (even down to the free premieres and advocating for sharing accounts with friends), which most people praise to high heaven as "the only ethical streaming service." As a huge fan of both companies the stark difference in response here is actually astounding...

#watcher #watcher entertainment #watcher tv #shane madej #ryan bergara #steven lim #ghost files #mystery files #puppet history #survival mode #too many spirits #dropout #I don’t know how to explain that 6 dollars a month is like getting cheap coffee twice a month these are not 18th century France level taxes

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the-learning-hub · 1 year

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The Next Billion Dollar Unicorn Company: AI Assisted Streaming Platform

The idea of a billion dollar company is a thrilling one and the fact that an AI Assisted Streaming Platform could be the next one is an incredibly exciting concept. As technology develops and automation become more common, AI Assisted Streaming Platforms are becoming increasingly popular as a way to monetize video content. This new and innovative technology could be the next big thing in the…

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#ai #automation #Billion #Company #content #Future #media #network #Platform #Services #Solutions #streaming #technology #Unicorn #video

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dduane · 2 months

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Every person [surveyed] said they worry about losing access to films – a not irrational fear. Cillian Murphy just won the Oscar for best actor for Oppenheimer, but the movie that made him a star, 2002’s critically lauded and commercially successful 28 Days Later, is virtually impossible to stream. It’s also out of print on disc, with used copies fetching $60 or $70 on eBay. It’s partly for this reason that the actor Timothy Simons, best known as Jonah on Veep, prefers physical films. There’s a notion that, “you know, ‘Everything’s available on streaming,’” he told me. “Well, it kind of isn’t. And the thing that is available on streaming could just not be tomorrow, if two companies you don’t care about get in a fight about licensing.”

#physical media #*save it while you can*

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drunkkenobi · 25 days

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Hi bb, ty for the prompt to write my thoughts!

So I can't get on tumblr at work anymore unless I go outside to get good signal on my phone so I have only been privy to what's going on here today from friends on discord. So maybe I'm missing some nuance or the what my mutuals think and I apologize in advance for that but I'm going to speak plainly.

This is the only way Watcher is going to survive.

The view counts have been steady through Mystery Files season 2 but they aren't, like, astronomical. A video with a million views nets a channel between $10,000 - $30,000. Guys. That's nothing for Watcher. They have to pay each of their 25+ employees a salary with insurance and benefits and for everything else their channel requires. Steven said in the video today that a season of Ghost Files costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. I don't think everyone is hearing that part and understanding how much money that is, especially compared to many other YouTubers they watch. I'm not an expert on other YouTubers but I look at the Sims people I watch. They are successful with views in the hundred k range because they are a company of one. Themselves and maybe paying a freelancer to help edit their videos. For one person, the stakes are lower and the potential for profit is higher! Especially for gamers that are filming in their homes. YouTubers like this, making niche content on the cheap, are who is going to make it in YouTube now.

Watcher is none of those things. They have, from day one, wanted to make high quality unscripted content. All of their shows are shows. They aren't just "Ryan and Shane do [thing]" or "Steven eats [whatever]". They are shows, like ones you see on cable TV or any streamer. And shows are not cheap. Unscripted is cheaper, sure, than scripted. But that doesn't mean cheap. Especially not with the sheer production value we've seen on all their shows, in particular Ghost Files (hundreds of thousands of dollars). That is how much something like Ghost Adventures costs, which is on Travel Channel, an actual TV network that puts up all those costs.

So. That's why Watcher has to pivot to survive.

I think it's a great idea, personally. And yes, I am in a position where I can financially afford it no problem, which I know is a privilege! I am very lucky in that regard. And I understand that many people are upset they won't see the boys as easily on YouTube anymore. That is valid! But they have openly said they are totally fine with password sharing and I think that's a great way to cut down on costs for some folks. Also right now there's a great deal on the yearly sub for early subscribers. $40 for a year is cheaper than any streaming service and it doesn't go to anyone other than Watcher.

I understand that people feel hurt and blindsided, but I think Watcher is also feeling this too. They have been so excited about this and being able to make whatever they want without having to worry about sponsors and now they're mostly seeing anger directed their way. Especially at Steven. Steven is not rich. You know who's rich? David Zaslav, a man who is single-handedly ruining Warner Brothers and making himself a billionaire while he's at it. THAT is the kind of person we should be directing our anger at streaming prices and quality of the media landscape at. Not one small business that is just trying to survive so they can continue paying their employees.

And one more thing. I've seen folks saying they'd rather watch more ads than pay and while I get that, that's not going to help Watcher make what they want. YouTube famously demonetizes videos with swears which is why I can't watch a video with DRAG QUEENS without every other line being bleeped and Watcher has been so good about not bleeping their content because they know we would hate it. And YouTube does this because of advertisers. Advertisers only want to appeal to the most broad of audiences so that means not supporting anything slightly left of center. Having to deal with ads sucks from the creator perspective and does not help them in the long run.

Anyway, this is all a bit rambling, but these are my thoughts on WatcherTV. I'm extremely excited to subscribe and make them make more Weird Wonderful World. I hope to see you all there.

#watcher #steven lim #ryan bergara #shane madej

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