Service based business vs product business

Donald Trump ’s plan to take his nascent media company public has had another setback, as federal prosecutors have issued subpoenas to board members of the firm that was to acquire it en route to an IPO. Digital World Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company (aka a blank-check firm), said in an SEC filing that the subpoenas are part of probes of the company by the Department of Justice and the SEC. The actions “could materially delay, materially impede, or prevent the consummation of the business combination,” the filing warned. The initial product of Trump’s ambitions in media and technology is social media platform Truth Social, which has been operating for the past few months but to little effect. It has not drawn users away from other social media platforms, as was its initial intent. Trump was banned by Twitter after his statements and behavior on January 6, 2021, after the assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. and … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Media Business Plans Muddied By New Twist In Federal Merger Probe

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. It’s a big weekend for UFC fans, with two belts on the line and a UFC legend stepping back in the octagon for UFC 276 . The main event sees Jared Cannonier going after Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title, while the co-main pits featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski against Max Holloway for the third time. Buy: UFC 276 PPV Live Stream at $74.99 Headliners Adesanya and Cannonier are already throwing shots at one another. On his YouTube channel, Adesanya predicted a devastating win, comparing the upcoming fight to Anderson Silva’s victory over Forrest Griffin in UFC 101: “This is going to be spectacular. Think UFC 101, Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin. Like, I’m just going to be in the zone. I don’t care – stay tuned.” Cannonier responded via Submission Radio, saying, “[Adesanya is] high in confidence, he’s been … [Read more...] about UFC 276 Live Stream: How to Watch Adesanya vs. Cannonier Online

EXCLUSIVE: Vault AI , an emerging, tech-oriented market research firm, has made a set of key exec hires. Heading the new roster is NRG veteran Ethan Titelman , who is joining the company as president of client solutions. Luke Schoknecht, who ran the Australia-based brand agency Raine & Makin before beginning a consulting engagement with Vault last year, has been named Chief Marketing Officer. AJ Giovannetti, a veteran of Paramount Pictures and NRG, is coming aboard as SVP of product strategy. Also new to the fold is Rich Calabrese, executive director of insights and strategy. Vault last December closed an $8 million Series A funding round. Investors in that round from investors included Israel-based PICO Venture Partners and Hearst Ventures, the investment arm of Hearst Corp. and an early backer of companies like Roku, Pandora and BuzzFeed. Other participants in the Series A included former Sony Pictures Entertainment Vice Chairman Yair Landau as well as existing … [Read more...] about Research Firm Vault AI Taps NRG Vet Ethan Titelman As President Of Client Solutions, Makes 3 Other Key Exec Hires

A top editor for The National Enquirer and other supermarket tabloids has been accused of sexually charged conduct — including discussing his sex life in the newsroom, forcing women to watch or listen to pornographic material, and referring to himself by the nickname “Dildo.” The Associated Press detailed the allegations against Dylan Howard , chief content officer of American Media Inc.’s Celebrity Group, based on interviews with a dozen former employees. The employees — most of whom signed nondisclosure agreements — came forward after the New Yorker and other news outlets published emails revealing that Howard had worked with movie producer Harvey Weinstein to undermine allegations of sexual misconduct by Weinstein, the AP reported. Howard had dispatched a reporter to uncover derogatory information about an actress who had accused Weinstein of rape, and then shared that information with Weinstein, according to the AP. Howard explained he was seeking the … [Read more...] about National Enquirer Editor Worked With Harvey Weinstein To Undermine Accusers: Report

UPDATES with comment from New York Times: One of Harvey Weinstein ’s attorneys says the media mogul is going to sue The New York Times over its report today of alleged sexual harassment claims against The Weinstein Company co-chairman. In a statement, attorney Charles Harder said that the Times story “is saturated with false and defamatory statements about Harvey Weinstein.” “It relies on mostly hearsay accounts and a faulty report, apparently stolen from an employee personnel file, which has been debunked by 9 different eyewitnesses,” the Harder Mirell & Abrams lawyer added. “We sent the Times the facts and evidence, but they ignored it and rushed to publish. We are preparing the lawsuit now. All proceeds will be donated to women’s organizations.” Nothing has been filed. But a New York Times spokesperson responded to Deadline’s request for comment. “We are confident in the accuracy of our reporting,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Mr. Weinstein was … [Read more...] about Harvey Weinstein To Sue New York Times Over Sexual Harassment Claims In Article

Robert Halmi ’s Great Point Studios has acquired Hudson Scenic, a Tony-nominated builder of set designs, custom fabrication and automation services for theater, film, TV and theme parks with credits ranging from Hamilton, Hadestown, Aladdin and The Lion King to the Times Square Ball. The shop is just a mile down the Hudson River from the new Lionsgate production campus in Yonkers, owned and managed by Great Point. Halmi said that given explosive demand for studio space and a massive backlog led by “all the streamers, who want shows faster, anything you can do to help speed that up” helps – in this case “building sets before they [productions] get here” with easy transport to the studio, versus construction directly on site, which can be time consuming. “And you will get the sets cheaper because we have a 100,000-square foot facility. We have the wood. We have the steel. And we can take it up to you the day before you need it,” he told Deadline. Halmi declined to … [Read more...] about Lionsgate Studios Yonkers Owner Great Point Buys Big Broadway Set Designer Hudson Scenic

Longtime friends and collaborators Antonio Banderas and Andrew Lloyd Webber are joining forces under the banner of new company Amigos Para Siempre (APS), aimed at producing theatre, musicals and live entertainment shows, including some of Webber’s best-loved works, for major Spanish-speaking markets. Under the initiative, Spanish-language rights to Webber’s shows will be ceded to the new company by the UK composer’s London-based company Really Useful Group. Shows earmarked for Spanish adaptations include The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Starlight Express, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cinderella, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and School of Rock. The name of the company, which translates as “friends forever”, derives from a song Webber composed for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, which was performed at the closing ceremony by Sarah Brightman and José Carreras. The pair announced the new initiative at a media event in the … [Read more...] about Antonio Banderas, Andrew Lloyd Webber To Bring Top Musicals And Theatre Shows To Spanish-Speaking World

W inona Ryder thinks reading me her diaries is a dreadful idea. I beg her in the name of science, medicine and anything else I can think of. We talk it over. And over. I tell her she would be giving a gift to the readers — something pure, unfiltered, straight from the mountain spring. She tells me that hauling out those spiral notebooks would be “the cheesiest, tackiest thing in the world.” Still, she mulls it over. For weeks, she says neither yes nor no. Instead, I get the message you occasionally get from those old Magic 8 Balls: Reply Hazy, Try Again . On New Year’s Day, Ryder calls from her place in New York, and this time the Magic 8 Ball says, incredibly, Signs Point To Yes . The 22-year-old actress lives in a gorgeous, stately apartment building in Manhattan — an ocean liner drifting through a gray and dingy neighborhood. Tonight, Ryder’s friend Kevin Haley and her boyfriend, Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, are downstairs cooking dinner. The actress is in her bedroom, … [Read more...] about Interview: Winona Ryder

W inona Ryder thinks reading me her diaries is a dreadful idea. I beg her in the name of science, medicine and anything else I can think of. We talk it over. And over. I tell her she would be giving a gift to the readers – something pure, unfiltered, straight from the mountain spring. She tells me that hauling out those spiral notebooks would be “the cheesiest, tackiest thing in the world.” Still, she mulls it over. For weeks, she says neither yes nor no. Instead, I get the message you occasionally get from those old Magic 8 Balls: REPLY HAZY, TRY AGAIN. On New Year’s Day, Ryder calls from her place in New York, and this time the Magic 8 Ball says, incredibly, SIGNS POINT TO YES. The 22-year-old actress lives in a gorgeous, stately apartment building in Manhattan – an ocean liner drifting through a gray and dingy neighborhood. Tonight, Ryder’s friend Kevin Haley and her boyfriend, Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, are downstairs cooking dinner. The actress is in her bedroom, sipping tea … [Read more...] about Winona Ryder Opens Her Diary

EXCLUSIVE : Game1 , the sports content studio set up by Basil Iwanyk and Greg Economou, has hired former 101 Studios and STX Entertainment exec Ben Bitonti as Chief Creative Officer and Head of Unscripted Programming. Bitonti, who has executive produced series such as HBO Max’s FBoy Island , will oversee development and packaging of the studio’s unscripted projects. He joins from Yellowstone producer 101 Studios, where he was EVP Non-Fiction Television and Alternate Programming and launched the David Glasser-run company’s unscripted division. Prior to that, he was SVP Development at STX Entertainment and worked at companies including Asylum, Entertainment One and NBCUniversal. He has worked both in documentary as well as entertainment formats. In addition to development and production, he has experience in distribution sales and third-party financing of unscripted projects. “Adding a supremely talented executive like Ben to the game1 team will truly help … [Read more...] about Sports Content Studio Game1 Hires Former 101 & STX Exec Ben Bitonti To Oversee Unscripted Programming