Industry
Spotlight on Exhibition: The Cinema Foundation Launched To Diversify Movie Screening
The National Association of Theater Owners is launching a new non-profit, the Cinema Foundation, to help grow and diversify the film exhibition industry with research, education, and philanthropy. Participants include current theater association members as well as technology companies, food and beverage leaders, and other members of the creative community. The foundation brings together people of diverse backgrounds, all with the same passion for cinema, who want to continue its legacy with exhibitions. The organization is currently in its initial fundraising and hiring phase but is looking to grow the exhibition career with training programs and recruitment. In a statement made by Jackie Brenneman, a founding member, “The Cinema Foundation is designed to bring together key industry stakeholders from business, technology, and the creative community to be the leading voice in what that future will be.” Other members see this organization as a way to bring the thrill of moviegoing to communities around the globe. The Association currently represents more than 35,000 movie screens across all 50 states, and more than 32,000 additional screens worldwide.
Advertising
Networks vs. Nielsen: Delaying Data Until After the Upfronts?
In a recent letter written to the CEO of Nielsen on behalf of the Video Advertising Bureau, networks requested that the TV audience-monitoring company not release any additional data that could affect the value of advertising inventory at this year's upfront negotiations. Previous data released by the company has been contradictory, and VAB CEO Sean Cunningham called the Nielsen’s measurements “unusable” and especially problematic to networks, as the company does not release information on how they gather their data. At the end of 2021, Nielsen began to track smart television viewership data with a full switch to this enhanced data model slated for September 2022. But this recent letter from VAB is shaking up their plans. There is a desire for Nielsen to be more transparent with their measurements in order for networks to trust their services going forward. Cunningham said in a statement, “Taking the time to right the wrongs now is in the TV buy/sell marketplace’s best interests and gives Nielsen time to fulfill their promise of coming to market with a more accurate solution.” Nielsen has since responded to the letter saying they have received feedback from clients. They’ve made the decision to allow either data set for trading, giving buyers and sellers the ability to choose which metrics to present.
Streaming
Friday Night Live: Apple TV+ To Strike a Streaming Sports Deal
Major League Baseball is entering the streaming wars with the latest Apple TV+ deal. During the season, baseball fans will now be able to watch two games every Friday, which also includes pregame and postgame shows. The program is being called Friday Night Baseball and will be available in eight countries. Apple is actively looking to expand their reach, launching an additional live show called MLB Big Inning, which is a 24/7 livestream with baseball game replays, news, and more. Apple hope that this deal will attract more users to the service, with games available to everyone for a limited time. Peter Stern, Apple’s Vice President of Services, said “We’re proud to make Apple TV+ the home for great baseball moments throughout the season.” Apple and MLB have worked together on several previous projects to promote Apple technology, such as ARKit and Apple Pay, making this an easy allyship. A recent report by Forbes values this deal as $85 million annually over seven years.
Music
New Hiring Database To Increase Diversity in the Music Industry
Diverse Representation and Color of Change’s #ChangeMusic are teaming up to launch a database to increase the hiring of Black professionals in music. This new database will contain hundreds of résumés and profiles as a resource for hiring managers throughout the industry, contributing to music labels, agencies, firms, and streaming platforms. According to Jaia Thomas, Esq., founder and President of Diverse Representation, “This first-of-its-kind database is an invaluable tool for any company or platform within the music industry looking to hire Black talent.” This database will include professionals in a variety of roles—from marketing people to engineers—and will address companies expressed difficulty of finding qualified Black candidates for their positions. The database also serves as statement to the music industry that it is time for music labels to act and hire the Black talent that has been excluded for so long. Later this year, the Diverse Representation Music Database website will accept résumé submissions and hiring managers can also submit individual requests to see the full talent roster. The database will be refreshed every quarter to keep information up to date. This is the second collaboration between Diverse Representation and #ChangeMusic, as last year they launched a three-month mentorship program called the Black Music Executives Pipeline Program.
Festivals
Championing Ukrainian Cinema: European Festivals Pledge Solidarity
In response to the recent Russian Invasion of Ukraine, several European film festivals are taking action. Festivals like the Glasgow Film Festival and Stockholm International Film Festival are boycotting films that were funded by Russia. Other festivals, including Venice and Cannes, have taken a different approach, banning official delegations rather than Russian films and directors. In addition, each festival will be bolstering the Ukranian film community’s presence. Giorgio Gosetti, the General Delegate of Venice Days, said, “The most important thing we can do right now is help audiences learn more about the films that have come out of Ukraine in recent years, since there is so much false information going around.” The Venice Film Festival will hold a free screening of Ukrainian director Valentyn Vasnovych’sReflection. Swiss festival Visions du Réel will include four films produced in Ukraine during their April event. Last month’s Berlin Film Festival also highlighted two Ukranian films, and festival co-chiefs are actively looking for more opportunities to support the movie industry in Ukraine.
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