Showbiz Sandbox

Though the summer movie season isn’t quite over, its never too early to start debating which of this year’s crop of releases will have studio heads clamoring for a sequel. It’s safe to say neither “John Carter” or “Battleship” will get the sequel treatment. But what about hits such as “Men In Black”, “Ice Age”, “Madacascar” and “Ted”? The Hollywood Reporter has the lowdown on what studio heads are thinking, and it’s always fun trying to second guess them. Speaking of summer blockbusters, the Olympics continues to pull in huge viewership for broadcasters around the world. In the United Kingdom, the host nation for this year’s games, the BBC has gone interactive with its broadcasts by allowing viewers to program special channels with coverage of any event they want to see. Meanwhile, a number of large North American cable providers held their second quarter earnings calls last week. Despite a declining subscription base and increased content costs, profits at the companies are up and their executives couldn’t be happier. We’ll tell you why. We also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including Snoop Dogg’s reggae transformation, rumors that Nick Jonas will join “American Idol” and a new poll dethrones “Citizen Kane” and crowns a new winner as the greatest film of all time. You Really Should Read...Fifty Personal Favorites http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2012/07/you-really-should-readfifty-personal.html (http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2012/07/you-really-should-readfifty-personal.html) 'Dark Knight Rises' Seizes No. 1 Spot Overseas for Third Straight Round http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-dark-knight-total-recall-ice-age-continental-drift-358465 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-dark-knight-total-recall-ice-age-continental-drift-358465) Movie Ticket Prices Reach All-Time High in Q2 of 2012 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/movie-ticket-prices-high-all-358247 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/movie-ticket-prices-high-all-358247) Summer's Studio Smackdown: From 'Men in Black 3' to 'Prometheus,' Which Franchises Will Get Another Chapter http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/summer-movie-franchise-avengers-snow-white-magic-mike-356583 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/summer-movie-franchise-avengers-snow-white-magic-mike-356583) US Sports Fans Using Proxy Servers to Watch Olympics on BBC http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/368766/20120731/viewers-using-proxy-watch-olympics-bbc.htm (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/368766/20120731/viewers-using-proxy-watch-olympics-bbc.htm) BBC’s Super-Served Olympics Shows How Narrowcast Can Go Large http://paidcontent.org/2012/08/06/bbcs-multi-stream-tv-olympics-shows-how-narrowcast-can-go-large/ (http://paidcontent.org/2012/08/06/bbcs-multi-stream-tv-olympics-shows-how-narrowcast-can-go-large/) Amazon brings Instant Video app to iPad. Android next? http://gigaom.com/mobile/amazon-brings-instant-video-app-to-ipad-android-next/ (http://gigaom.com/mobile/amazon-brings-instant-video-app-to-ipad-android-next/) Hulu Plus Lands Its Own Channel On Apple TV http://gigaom.com/apple/hulu-plus-lands-its-own-channel-on-apple-tv/ (http://gigaom.com/apple/hulu-plus-lands-its-own-channel-on-apple-tv/) Netflix Could Have Stormed Europe Years Ago http://gigaom.com/europe/former-lovefilm-boss-netflix-could-have-stormed-europe-years-ago/ (http://gigaom.com/europe/former-lovefilm-boss-netflix-could-have-stormed-europe-years-ago/) Lollapalooza Headed To Israel In 2013 http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/08/lollapalooza-going-to-israel-in-2013.html (http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/08/lollapalooza-going-to-israel-in-2013.html) 1979 Who Tickets Still Good In Providence http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/1979-who-tickets-still-good-in-providence/ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/1979-who-tickets-still-good-in-providence/)

The 2012 Summer Olympics got off to an auspicious start last week with coverage of the opening ceremonies earning record ratings. With broadcasters presenting events live on multiple channels, as well as streaming online, it’s never been easier to keep up with the games. We review how broadcasters are covering the Summer Olympics, not to mention explain why there always seem to be empty seats at sold-out events. Meanwhile, the aftershock of the “Dark Knight Rises” theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado continue to ripple through Hollywood. Box office grosses were down significantly over the past weekend, though it is hard to know if moviegoers are staying away out of fear, or if something else is deterring them from theatres ... like coverage of the Olympics. Maybe cinema patrons are simply staying home to watch Netflix. Despite turning a profit and increasing their subscriber base, the company’s stock price declined. This didn’t stop Netflix from announcing they would soon be launching their movie rental service in Western Europe. We also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including a third “Hobbit” movie, what caused Warner Bros. to sue Amazon users and why the FCC fined Comcast. 'Dark Knight Rises' Commands No. 1 Slot Overseas http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-dark-knight-rises-ice-age-continental-drift-amazing-spider-man-355695 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-dark-knight-rises-ice-age-continental-drift-amazing-spider-man-355695) More Moviegoers Return to Multiplex, But Snub 'The Watch,' 'Step Up 4' http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-report-olympics-dark-knight-rises-watch-step-up-revolution-355685 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-report-olympics-dark-knight-rises-watch-step-up-revolution-355685) Warner Bros. Moving 'Gangster Squad' To Jan. 11 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-gangster-squad-january-11-reshoot-theater-354623 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-gangster-squad-january-11-reshoot-theater-354623) Harvey Weinstein Calls for Filmmaker Summit on Violence in Movies After Colorado Shooting http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harvey-weinstein-colorado-shooting-dark-knight-rises-354978 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harvey-weinstein-colorado-shooting-dark-knight-rises-354978) NBC Nets Highest Rated Summer Olympics Opener In History http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/london-2012-opening-ceremony-nbc-ratings-355609 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/london-2012-opening-ceremony-nbc-ratings-355609) London 2012: NBC On Record Ratings Pace http://www.adweek.com/news/television/london-2012-nbc-record-ratings-pace-142297 (http://www.adweek.com/news/television/london-2012-nbc-record-ratings-pace-142297) London 2012 Olympics 'empty seats' row: Q&A http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9439247/London-2012-Olympics-empty-seats-row-QandA.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9439247/London-2012-Olympics-empty-seats-row-QandA.html) 'Modern Family' Cast Reaches Deal To End Salary Standoff http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/modern-family-cast-deal-salary-355527 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/modern-family-cast-deal-salary-355527) 'Modern Family' Kid Actors Now Seeking Salary Raises http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/modern-family-kid-actors-seeking-salary-raises-355614 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/modern-family-kid-actors-seeking-salary-raises-355614) Spotify Releases U.S. Figures, Sees More Than 13 Billion Streams http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/07/spotify-releases-us-figures-sees-more-than-13-billion-streams-.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/07/spotify-releases-us-figures-sees-more-than-13-billion-streams-.html) Matisyahu Creates Unique Fan Experience Utilizing Spotify's New 'Artist Apps' http://www.hypebot.

The ripple effect caused by a deranged gunman last week at a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” spread far beyond the scene of the crime in Aurora, Colorado. Warner Bros. had to instantly pivot from celebrating the studios biggest opening of t...

Last weekend self-professed geeks made their annual pilgrimage to San Diego for Comic-Con. There’s no better person to speak with about the world’s largest pop-culture convention than Los Angeles Times writer Geoff Boucher (https://twitter.com/LATherocomplex/). His Hero Complex blog has become a must-read for those attending “the Con” and he fills us in on all the big news coming out of this year’s show. Boucher also had a professional and somewhat personal relationship with producer Richard Zanuck who unexpectedly passed away last week at the age of 77. The executive behind such films as “The Sound of Music” and the producer of movies like “Driving Miss Daisy”, Boucher provides a unique perspective on what Zanuck was really like. Meanwhile in the world of television, the war over carriage fees has heated up once again. This time Viacom has pulled its 26 networks from DirecTV and AMC has yanked its programming from Dish. We also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including Bruce Springsteen’s curfew, the exodus of judges from “American Idol” and why you should see the “The Dark Knight Rises” in Imax. Hero Complex Comic-Con Coverage http://herocomplex.latimes.com/tag/comic-con/ (http://herocomplex.latimes.com/tag/comic-con/) The Imax Difference, Blockbuster Size http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/movies/how-the-dark-knight-rises-makes-use-of-imax.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/movies/how-the-dark-knight-rises-makes-use-of-imax.html) How Do I Know If My IMAX Theatre Is Real 70mm IMAX or LieMAX (Digital IMAX)? http://www.slashfilm.com/qa-imax-theatre-real-imax-liemax/ (http://www.slashfilm.com/qa-imax-theatre-real-imax-liemax/) Richard Zanuck, Producer of Blockbusters, Dies at 77 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/business/media/richard-zanuck-producer-of-blockbusters-dies-at-77.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/business/media/richard-zanuck-producer-of-blockbusters-dies-at-77.html) Richard D. Zanuck: Six Movies That Changed The World http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-dick-zanuck-six-movies-that-changed-the-world-20120713,0,707744.story (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-dick-zanuck-six-movies-that-changed-the-world-20120713,0,707744.story) ‘Dark Shadows’: Tim Burton and Richard D. Zanuck Form A Family http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/05/10/dark-shadows-tim-burton-and-richard-d-zanuck-form-a-family/ (http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/05/10/dark-shadows-tim-burton-and-richard-d-zanuck-form-a-family/) Charlie Sheen's 'Anger Management' Suffers Another Sharp Ratings Drop http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charlie-sheen-anger-management-ratings-drop-349073 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charlie-sheen-anger-management-ratings-drop-349073) Warner Bros.' Barry Meyer Rejects Contract Extension http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-barry-meyer-jeff-bewkes-347277 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-barry-meyer-jeff-bewkes-347277) Univision Tops English-Language Rivals in Demo http://www.adweek.com/news/television/univision-tops-english-language-rivals-demo-141794 (http://www.adweek.com/news/television/univision-tops-english-language-rivals-demo-141794) Is Kickstarter the #2 Graphic Novel Publisher? http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/52925-is-kickstarter-the-2-graphic-novel-publisher-.html (http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/52925-is-kickstarter-the-2-graphic-novel-publisher-.html) Plug Pulled On Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney In London http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-bruce-springsteen-paul-mccartney-hyde-park-20120716,0,5376352.story (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-bruce-springsteen-paul-mccartney-hyde-park-20120716,0,5376352.story) Steven Tyler Leaves 'American Idol' http://www.hollywoodreporter.

Fearing that it would restrict freedom of speech, basic civil rights and an open Internet, the European Parliament voted down the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) last week. The move effectively kills the international anti-piracy legislation that the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) have lobbied so hard for. We explain what ACTA’s defeat means for Hollywood and what anti-piracy measures you may be hearing about next. It’s hard to believe piracy is affecting the entertainment industry. Music sales, which have been in a slow decline over the past decade, are actually up this year thanks to digital sales. Movie box office is also up with studios such as Disney having already earned $1 billion in North America alone. Billion was also a number subscription movie service Netflix has been using a lot lately. Their customers watched more than a billion hours of content in June. That’s not only a new record for the company, but it would make them more popular than any U.S. cable network. We also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including Hollywood’s highest-paid actor, Charlie Sheen’s slipping ratings and why we won’t be seeing “Raging Bull 2” anytime soon. Foreign Box Office: 'Spider-Man' Third Best Launch of 2012; 'Ice Age 4' Melts To No. 2 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-amazing-spider-man-ted-seth-macfarlane-ice-age-continental-drift-346371 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-amazing-spider-man-ted-seth-macfarlane-ice-age-continental-drift-346371) 'The Amazing Spider-Man' Weaves Biggest India Opening For A Hollywood Release http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amazing-spider-man-india-opening-record-344522 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amazing-spider-man-india-opening-record-344522) Disney Passing $1B Domestic Box Office http://www.deadline.com/2012/07/disney-passing-1b-domestic-box-office/ (http://www.deadline.com/2012/07/disney-passing-1b-domestic-box-office/) Ernest Borgnine Dies At 95; Won Oscar For 'Marty,' Showed Comic Side In Sitcom http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-ernest-borgnine-20120709,0,4672694.story (http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-ernest-borgnine-20120709,0,4672694.story) Netflix Just Became Cable’s Biggest TV Network http://gigaom.com/video/netflix-june-one-billion-hours/ (http://gigaom.com/video/netflix-june-one-billion-hours/) What’s The Deal With Jerry Seinfeld’s ‘Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee’? http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/05/whats-the-deal-with-jerry-seinfelds-comedians-in-cars-getting-coffee/ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/05/whats-the-deal-with-jerry-seinfelds-comedians-in-cars-getting-coffee/) SoundScan Mid-Year Report Shows Album Sales Down 3.2%, Digital Sales Up 13.8% http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/07/soundscan-mid-year-report-shows-cd-album-sales-down-32-digital-sales-up-138.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/07/soundscan-mid-year-report-shows-cd-album-sales-down-32-digital-sales-up-138.html) Linkin Park Squeaks By Maroon 5, Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200 http://www.billboard.com/news/linkin-park-squeaks-by-maroon-5-hits-no-1007496162.story#/news/linkin-park-squeaks-by-maroon-5-hits-no-1007496162.story (http://www.billboard.com/news/linkin-park-squeaks-by-maroon-5-hits-no-1007496162.story#/news/linkin-park-squeaks-by-maroon-5-hits-no-1007496162.story) 'Anger Management' Loses 40 Percent of Viewers in Second Week http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/anger-management-ratings-charlie-sheen-90-episode-renewal-346049 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/anger-management-ratings-charlie-sheen-90-episode-renewal-346049) Tom Cruise Tops Annual List of Highest-Paid Actors http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tom-cruise-salary-katie-holmes-divorce-scientology-345587

Last week, in-between sending Twitter posts about the break-up of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, News Crop. chairman Rupert Murdoch announced he would be splitting one of the world’s biggest media conglomerates into two different companies; one for the p...

If anyone is going to struggle with managing their digital music collection it's Bob Boilen, the creator and host of NPR's All Songs Considered, and a talented musician in his own right. Boilen created quite a stir a few weeks back when he announced he had just deleted all his music. Rather than keep tens-of-thousands of songs on his hard drive, Boilen has decided to move all his music to the cloud. He joins us for an in-depth conversation about the pros and cons of how we'll all be listening to music in the future. The 66th Annual Tony Awards were held over the weekend to honor this year's best Broadway production and "Once", based on the hit indie film, was the big winner this year taking home eight awards including Best Musical. Even host Neil Patrick Harris couldn't liven up a lackluster show where the highlight was meant to be a number from a ten-year-old musical performed live from a Caribbean cruise ship. When tickets went on sale recently for Justin Bieber's upcoming tour they sold out all 48 shows in less than 60 minutes. Two concerts at Madison Square Garden sold out in 30 seconds. Yet, what might seem technically impossible at first becomes more understandable upon learning just how few tickets went on sale to the public. We also cover the week's top entertainment headlines including a new way to measure book sales, Elvis will perform again as a hologram and the creation of a dance music giant. 'Madagascar 3' Dominates Competition Overseas, Opens to More Than $77 Million http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-madagascar-3-prometheus-mib3-335600 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-madagascar-3-prometheus-mib3-335600) ‘Once’ Basks in Glow of 8 Tony Awards http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/theater/theaterspecial/musical-once-receives-8-tony-awards.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/theater/theaterspecial/musical-once-receives-8-tony-awards.html) Bob Boilen: I Just Deleted All My Music http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2012/05/28/153862651/i-just-deleted-all-my-music-pt-1 (http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2012/05/28/153862651/i-just-deleted-all-my-music-pt-1) A Concert Mogul Is Betting On Electronic Dance Music http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/business/media/mogul-to-increase-bets-on-electronic-dance-music.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/business/media/mogul-to-increase-bets-on-electronic-dance-music.html) Second Night of Electric Daisy Carnival Thwarted By High Winds http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/06/second-night-of-electric-daisy-carnival-thwarted-by-high-winds.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/06/second-night-of-electric-daisy-carnival-thwarted-by-high-winds.html) GM's Idle Threat http://www.adweek.com/news/television/idle-threat-140940 (http://www.adweek.com/news/television/idle-threat-140940) Glenn Beck Inks New Five-Year, $100 Million Radio Deal http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/glenn-beck-radio-deal-million-335650 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/glenn-beck-radio-deal-million-335650) R.I.P. Zune http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/r-i-p-zune/ (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/r-i-p-zune/) Upon Further (DVR) Review, ‘Modern Family’ Challenges ‘Idol’ http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/upon-further-dvr-review-modern-family-challenges-idol/ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/upon-further-dvr-review-modern-family-challenges-idol/) Hosts Put The Brakes on NPR's 'Car Talk' http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/09/entertainment/la-et-0609-car-talk-20120609 (http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/09/entertainment/la-et-0609-car-talk-20120609) Forget the CDN Players, Netflix Is Caching Its Own Video http://gigaom.com/video/forget-the-cdn-players-netflix-is-caching-its-own-video/ (http://gigaom.com/video/forget-the-cdn-players-netflix-is-caching-its-own-video/) Elvis Lives On, At Least Digitally http://www.latimes.

Last week legendary filmmaker George Lucas announced he would be stepping down as the head of Lucasfilm and hired veteran producer Kathleen Kennedy to head up the company that bears his name. With Lucas retiring what will happen to his blockbuster franchises such as "Indian Jones"? Will we finally get a restored version of the original "Star Wars" trilogy on Blu-Ray? Rather than retire after his long, successful run heading up Warner Bros., Alan Horn will step in as chairman of Walt Disney Studios. Many industry insiders wonder if the executive who oversaw the "Harry Potter" series will have a creative role in what is perceived to largely be a babysitting position. The Tony Awards will be held this weekend and we give you the lowdown on who has the best shot at taking home Broadway's top honor. We also cover the week's top entertainment headlines, including a new king of late night television, Oprah's new book club and why Hollywood and Silicon Valley should work together to stop piracy. Napster Founders Unveil A Video Chat Service http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/napster-founders-unveil-a-video-chat-service/ (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/napster-founders-unveil-a-video-chat-service/) Foreign Box Office: 'Men in Black 3' Stays No. 1 Overseas With Over $275 Million http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-men-black-mib3-snow-white-huntsman-ridley-scott-prometheus-332448 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-men-black-mib3-snow-white-huntsman-ridley-scott-prometheus-332448) Michael's Kicker or No Kicker Twitter Feed https://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/kickernokicker1 (https://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/kickernokicker1) Movie Veteran Alan Horn Named New Disney Studios Head http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-alan-horn-named-disney-studio-head,0,4797926.story (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-alan-horn-named-disney-studio-head,0,4797926.story) Disney CEO Wants Studio To Address “Inconsistent” Results In Live-Action Films http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/disney-ceo-wants-studio-to-address-inconsistent-results-in-live-action-films/ (http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/disney-ceo-wants-studio-to-address-inconsistent-results-in-live-action-films/) Alan Horn: Can Disney's New Boss Reinvent The Studio? http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2012/06/alan-horn-will-disneys-new-boss-put-the-studio-back-into-the-movie-biz.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2012/06/alan-horn-will-disneys-new-boss-put-the-studio-back-into-the-movie-biz.html) Kathleen Kennedy To Succeed George Lucas Atop Lucasfilm http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-lucasfilm-20120601,0,358763.story (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-lucasfilm-20120601,0,358763.story) A Broadway Move For Hands On A Hardbody http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/29/a-broadway-move-for-hands-on-a-hardbody/ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/29/a-broadway-move-for-hands-on-a-hardbody/) Scarlett Johansson and Chris Pine in Talks to Star in Broadway Revival of ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/scarlett-johansson-and-chris-pine-in-talks-to-star-in-broadway-revival-of-cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof/ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/scarlett-johansson-and-chris-pine-in-talks-to-star-in-broadway-revival-of-cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof/) More Than Attention Must Be Paid: ‘Salesman’ Sets Record Ticket Price http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/more-than-attention-must-be-paid-salesman-set-record-ticket-price/ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/more-than-attention-must-be-paid-salesman-set-record-ticket-price/) Mike Tyson Broadway Play Will Be a Spike Lee Joint http://www.tmz.com/2012/06/04/mike-tyson-spike-lee-broadway/ (http://www.tmz.com/2012/06/04/mike-tyson-spike-lee-broadway/)

This year's Cannes Film Festival concluded with "Amour", a film by Austrian director Michael Haneke, winning the Palme d'Or. The movie about an elderly couple in Paris features two renown French actors and was a hit with festival audiences. Anne Thompson (http://www.twitter.com/#!/akstanwyck) from Indiewire's Thompson on Hollywood (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/) blog says the jury rewarded many of the noteworthy films at this year's festival, though entries with stars like Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman were rather disappointing. Speaking of winners, last week Phillip Phillips was crowned the winner of this season's "American Idol". The big loser however may be the singing competition show itself, since it is no longer the most watched television show in the nation, a title it held for a historic seven years. That honor is now held by Sunday Night Football. Apple rather convincingly shredded the antitrust suit tbe Justice Department filed against them and top publishers over the price fixing of e-books. Apple's response points out a number of innacuracies in the suit and manages to bolster their own case, while notably not helping the publishers with their defense. We also cover the week's top entertainment headlines including the Dish Network's ad-skipping technology, the retirement of action-star Jackie Chan and why the release date for "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" was pushed into next year. Foreign Box Office: 'Men In Black 3' Handily Unseats 'The Avengers' From No. 1 Spot Overseas http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-men-in-black-3-mib3-will-smith-tommy-lee-jones-avengers-329982 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/foreign-box-office-men-in-black-3-mib3-will-smith-tommy-lee-jones-avengers-329982) Cannes 2012: A Guide to All The Films http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes-2012-a-guide-to-all-the-films (http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes-2012-a-guide-to-all-the-films) Amour By Michael Haneke Wins Palme D'Or At Cannes http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/movies/amour-by-michael-haneke-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/movies/amour-by-michael-haneke-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes.html) Kanye Screens Cruel Summer for Cannes, Kim, and an Approving Jay-Z http://www.vulture.com/2012/05/kanye-west-cruel-summer-cannes-2012.html (http://www.vulture.com/2012/05/kanye-west-cruel-summer-cannes-2012.html) 'American Idol' Champion Phillip Phillips Had 8 Surgeries During Season 11 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/american-idol-winner-.... (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/american-idol-winner-phillip-phillips-329353) 'Sunday Night Football' Topples 'American Idol' Ratings Dominance http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sunday-night-football-american-idol-ratings-329258 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sunday-night-football-american-idol-ratings-329258) Ghost Town: The Vanishing 10 p.m. Broadcast Drama http://www.adweek.com/news/television/ghost-town-vanishing-10-pm-broadcast-drama-140772 (http://www.adweek.com/news/television/ghost-town-vanishing-10-pm-broadcast-drama-140772) CNN's Primetime Ratings Sink To 20-Year Low http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cnn-primetime-ratings-20-year-low-piers-morgan-327771 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cnn-primetime-ratings-20-year-low-piers-morgan-327771) Jackie Chan Goes Out Fighting http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSQC_T2zpKyuuS3kgIHCrn.... (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSQC_T2zpKyuuS3kgIHCrnLWTc6g?docId=82c48cf76281497c80293a5e308d01a7) Fifty Shades Trilogy Tops 10 Million Sold http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/52072-fifty-shades-trilogy-tops-10-million-sold.html (http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/52072-fifty-shades-trilogy-tops-10-million-sold.html) Paramount Bumps "G.I.: Joe Retaliation"

Uncharacteristic inclement weather drenched the first half of this year's Cannes Film Festival, though the rain could not dampen the spirits of attendees or distributors looking to acquire hot titles. Are the selections at this year's festival going to be future award contenders as they were last year with "The Artist" and "Tree of Life"? We'll let you know. Of course, Cannes has never been short on movie stars. This year's festival has featured appearances from Bruce Willis, Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Brad Pitt, to name just a few. However some journalists are finding that getting access to such talent can be costly, especially if you have to pay thousands of euro for interviews. We'll explain. One film that didn't make it into the festival is "Battleship". The $200 million action film finally opened in North America over the weekend to poor reviews and tepid box office receipts. Like Disney was forced to do with "John Carter", Universal will likely take a write down on the movie. We also cover the week's top entertainment headlines including this year's entries to the National Recording Registry, ABC's plans to expand "Good Morning America" to the afternoon and the creator of "Community" gets fired from his own show. 'Battleship' Fallout: Lessons From a Box Office Sinking http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/battleship-universal-box-office-taylor-kitsch-327972 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/battleship-universal-box-office-taylor-kitsch-327972) Cannes 2012 Critic's Notebook: Festival Slowly Improves During Week http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-todd-mccarthys-analysis-327102 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-todd-mccarthys-analysis-327102) Jim Parsons Prepares For His Lead Role In Harvey http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/27/theater/jim-parsons-prepares-for-his-lead-role-in-harvey.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/27/theater/jim-parsons-prepares-for-his-lead-role-in-harvey.html) Why Firing Dan Harmon From 'Community' Was Stupid and Very NBC http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bastard-machine/why-firing-dan-harmon-community-327002 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bastard-machine/why-firing-dan-harmon-community-327002) Waterstones To Sell Amazon's Kindle Book Reader http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18141399 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18141399) Josh Elliott, Lara Spencer to Anchor 'Good Afternoon America' http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/josh-elliott-lara-spencer-good-afternoon-america-gma-327288 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/josh-elliott-lara-spencer-good-afternoon-america-gma-327288) Broadway Musical ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ To Close http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/broadway-musical-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-to-close/ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/broadway-musical-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-to-close/) Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' Joins National Recording Registry http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/national-recording-registry-donna-summer-327878 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/national-recording-registry-donna-summer-327878) National Recording Registry Entries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Recording_Registry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Recording_Registry) Celebrity Á La Carte: Buying A Piece of Brad Pitt in Cannes http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/03/celebrity-a-la-carte-buying-a-piece-of-brad-pitt-in-cannes/ (http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/03/celebrity-a-la-carte-buying-a-piece-of-brad-pitt-in-cannes/) Is An Interview With Brad Pitt Worth $3200 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/is-an-interview-with-brad-pitt-worth-3200/article2427985 (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/is-an-interview-with-brad-pitt-worth-3200/article2427985)

It's the time of year when North American television networks put on big presentations to introduce their fall lineups to major advertisers; a process referred to in the industry as "the upfronts". It's also the time when TV audiences find out which of...

Movie theater owners were abuzz after seeing the first extended footage of "The Hobbit" a few weeks ago at CinemaCon. Most however didn't have anything positive to say about Peter Jackson's highly anticipated prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" franchis...

Last week Doug Freeman (http://about.me/dmfreeman), a music critic for the Austin Chronicle, wrote an opinion piece in response to a Hypebot interview in which Sean Adams, the founder of Drowned In Sound, suggested music blogs are no longer influential. Freeman joins us to explain that if blogs were simply gateways to new music discovery, then the streaming playlister is the new music blogger. New influencers and kingmakers will emerge in a shifting editorial landscape. We also take you to the first weekend of this year's Coachella Music Festival where more than 150 acts strutted their stuff to an more than 100,000 attendees. Headliners such as Radiohead and The Black Keys proved to be big hits, but Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg stole the show by performing with a picture perfect hologram of the late Tupac Shakur. "The Hunger Games" continues to feast on the North American box office, but the number one movie in the world this past weekend was "Titanic 3D" thanks to a record breaking opening in China. We also cover the week's top entertainment headlines including Mel Gibson's public fight with a screenwriter, an extended run for "Game of Thrones" and an anti-trust lawsuit against major publishing houses. 'Battleship' Boldly Opens More Than a Month Early Overseas http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/battleship-box-office-taylor-kitsch-peter-berg-311075 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/battleship-box-office-taylor-kitsch-peter-berg-311075) Box Office Report: 'Titanic 3D' Launches to Record Numbers in China http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/titanic-3d-china-box-office-james-cameron-311017 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/titanic-3d-china-box-office-james-cameron-311017) 'Titanic' in 3-D Has Even Higher Chinese Debut Than Originally Projected http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/china-titanic-3d-box-office-opening.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/china-titanic-3d-box-office-opening.html) 'Hunger Games': Gary Ross Will Not Direct Sequel 'Catching Fire' http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/hunger-games-gary-ross-catching-fire-310294 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/hunger-games-gary-ross-catching-fire-310294) ‘GMA’ Appears to Nudge ‘Today’ From Top Spot After 16 Years http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/today-and-gma-wonder-who-won-last-week/ (http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/today-and-gma-wonder-who-won-last-week/) Coachella 2012 Is A Snapshot of Pop Music In Wonderful Disarray http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/16/entertainment/la-et-coachella-notebook-20120416 (http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/16/entertainment/la-et-coachella-notebook-20120416) Drowned In Sound Founder Sean Adams On The Decline Of MP3 Blogging http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/legendary-music-blogger-sean-adams-on-slow-death-of-mp3-blogging.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/legendary-music-blogger-sean-adams-on-slow-death-of-mp3-blogging.html) Opinion: The End of Music Blogging and the New Editorial Voice of Streaming http://evolver.fm/2012/04/09/opinion-the-end-of-music-blogging-and-the-new-editorial-voice-of-streaming/ (http://evolver.fm/2012/04/09/opinion-the-end-of-music-blogging-and-the-new-editorial-voice-of-streaming/) Spotify Adds Free Music Play Button For Web Sites, Blogs & Tumblr http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/spotify-adds-free-music-play-button-for-web-sites-blogs-tumblr.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/spotify-adds-free-music-play-button-for-web-sites-blogs-tumblr.html) Jeff Tweedy & Wilco Experiment With Dynamic Concert Ticket Prices http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/jeff-tweedy-wilco-experiment-with-dynamic-concert-ticket-prices.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/jeff-tweedy-wilco-experiment-with-dynamic-concert-ticket-prices.html) Court Documents Reveal Live Nation Paid $2.

Whether trying to figure out how many users the streaming music actually has or why audiences have abandoned television shows in the ten o'clock hour, it turns out keeping track of media metrics often requires fuzzy logic. In one instance the ratings for CNBC in the 18 to 49-year-old demographic plummeted when three people included in Nielsen's measurement sampling turned 50. Meanwhile, Billboard's new formula for ranking singles caused Justin Bieber to narrowly miss hitting the number one spot. There have been no problems counting money at movie theater and Broadway box offices. "Hunger Games" has helped movie grosses continue their record setting pace for the year and over on the Great White Way, three musicals pulled in over $2 million during Easter break. Of course, we also cover the top entertainment headlines from the past week, including Ryan Seacrest's Olympic efforts, Vince Vaughn's bad timing and YouTube's confusing relationship with Viacom. 'Wrath of the Titans' Holds at No. 1; 'American Pie: Reunion' Sets Franchise Record With $19.3 Million http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wrath-titans-titanic-hunger-games-american-pie-reunion-foreign-box-office-309430 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wrath-titans-titanic-hunger-games-american-pie-reunion-foreign-box-office-309430) Facebook Stats Show 17.5 Million Using Spotify http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/facebook-175-million-people-use-spotify.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/facebook-175-million-people-use-spotify.html) Pandora Listeners Grow 59% http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/pandora-users.html) Broadway Grosses: Three Shows Cross $2 Million Mark Over Holiday Week http://www.broadway.com/buzz/161113/broadway-grosses-three-shows-cross-2-million-mark-over-holiday-week/ (http://www.broadway.com/buzz/161113/broadway-grosses-three-shows-cross-2-million-mark-over-holiday-week/) Broadcast's Graveyard Shift - It's 10 p.m. http://www.adweek.com/news/television/broadcasts-graveyard-shift-139328 (http://www.adweek.com/news/television/broadcasts-graveyard-shift-139328) 'Hunger Games' Director Gary Ross In Tough Negotiation For Sequel http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hunger-games-gary-ross-catching-fire-twilight-307622 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hunger-games-gary-ross-catching-fire-twilight-307622) Letterman, Ferguson Extend Runs On CBS http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/letterman-ferguson-extend-runs-on-cbs (http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/letterman-ferguson-extend-runs-on-cbs) Who's Got Digital Circulation http://www.adweek.com/news/press/whos-got-digital-circulation-139339 (http://www.adweek.com/news/press/whos-got-digital-circulation-139339) Bad Timing For A Comedy Called Neighborhood Watch http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/movies/bad-timing-for-a-comedy-called-neighborhood-watch.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/movies/bad-timing-for-a-comedy-called-neighborhood-watch.html) Madonna's 'MDNA' Is No. 1: Guy Oseary, Jimmy Iovine On The Art Of The Album Roll-Out http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/madonna-mdna-guy-oseary-jimmy-iovine-308040 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/madonna-mdna-guy-oseary-jimmy-iovine-308040) Justin Bieber's 'Boyfriend' Debuts At No. 2 On Hot 100 http://www.billboard.com/#/news/justin-bieber-s-boyfriend-debuts-at-no-2-1006664552.story (http://www.billboard.com/#/news/justin-bieber-s-boyfriend-debuts-at-no-2-1006664552.story) Jack White Pioneers New Music Distribution Channel: Balloon Launched Flexi Discs http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/jack-white-pioneers-new-music-distribution-channel-balloon-launched-flexi-discs-video.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/04/jack-white-pioneers-new-music-distribution-channel-balloon-launched-flexi-discs-video.html) Keith Olbermann Sues Current TV

Hollywood studios spent this past week waging a bidding war for a book derived from fan fiction stories on "Twilight" websites. Universal Pictures wound up paying an estimated $5 million for E.L. James' "Fifty Shades of Grey", an erotic novel that has become a best selling phenomenon despite only being published as an e-book. Producers now must figure out how to handle the graphic sexual content found in titles the media has dubbed "mommy porn". Last week also marked the merger of SAG and AFTRA, the unions representing actors. Members of both groups overwhelmingly voted to join forces to create the largest bargaining group in Hollywood. Only time will tell if presenting a united front will give the thespians more power to negotiate better contracts. Meanwhile, the popular music streaming service Spotify has decided to allow unlimited free listening indefinitely. While this is good news for music fans, how will Spotify, which has yet to turn a profit, pay increased licensing fees to all the record labels? Of course, we also cover the week's top entertainment stories, including Kevin Smith's plans to transform "Clerks" into a Broadway play, bad news for children's cable networks and a raise for the cast of "Modern Family". 'Bully’ Will Get Re-Cut To Land A PG-13, Sources Say http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2012/03/bully-g-13-new-cut-rating-mpaa-harvey-weinstein.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2012/03/bully-g-13-new-cut-rating-mpaa-harvey-weinstein.html) Controversial 'Bully' Gets A Surprising Partner: Microsoft http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/03/controversial-bully-gets-a-surprising-partner-microsoft.htm (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/03/controversial-bully-gets-a-surprising-partner-microsoft.htm)l Universal Pictures And Focus Features Win ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ http://www.deadline.com/2012/03/universal-pictures-and-focus-features-win-50-shades-of-grey/ (http://www.deadline.com/2012/03/universal-pictures-and-focus-features-win-50-shades-of-grey/) 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Film Adaptation Faces Challenge From 'Control-Freak' Author http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fifty-shades-of-grey-film-el-james-universal-focus-305889 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fifty-shades-of-grey-film-el-james-universal-focus-305889) Spotify Extends Free Listening In U.S. http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/03/spotify-extends-free-listen.... (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/03/spotify-extends-free-listening-in-us.html) Songkick Adds 100,000 New Users With Spotify App In Just 4 Months http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/03/songkick-adds-100000-new-users-from-spotify-app-in-just-4-months.html (http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/03/songkick-adds-100000-new-users-from-spotify-app-in-just-4-months.html) How Pottermore Cast An Ebook Spell Over Amazon http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2012/mar/28/pottermore-ebook-amazon-harry-potter (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2012/mar/28/pottermore-ebook-amazon-harry-potter) Warner Bros Will Begin To Sell ‘ER’ Format Rights Overseas http://www.deadline.com/2012/03/warner-bros-will-begin-to-sell-er-format-rights-overseas/ (http://www.deadline.com/2012/03/warner-bros-will-begin-to-sell-er-format-rights-overseas/) Judge Dismisses $105M Blogger Suit Against Huffington Post http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-arianna-huffington-huffington-postmt1thewrap36686-20120330,0,7510547.story (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-arianna-huffington-huffington-postmt1thewrap36686-20120330,0,7510547.story) Disney Channel Knocks Nick From Top Ratings Perch http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/nickelodeon-ratings-disney-tops-kids-rival-key-category-first-time-36612 (http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/nickelodeon-ratings-disney-tops-kids-rival-key-category-first-time-36612) Kevin Smith Has Plans To Take 'Clerks' To Broadway