CBS Archives » FilmTake

The Never-Ending Story: Lionsgate’s Financial Maneuvers and the Fate of Starz

June 28, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

The much-delayed spinoff of Starz was initially sold to investors as a way to unlock value by selling all or most of Starz but has now morphed into a way to separate and sell Lionsgate. The details remain murky after nearly two years of delays.

Lionsgate Considers Separation

October 11, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Lionsgate is said to be in talks to split its film and television production business from its recently acquired premium-channel Starz into separate companies.

Will Amazon Buy ViacomCBS?

August 21, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

There is growing speculation that Amazon will acquire ViacomCBS after the post-merger dust settles.

Merger In Name Only

August 15, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

CBS and Viacom have reunited as one company after two failed attempts since 2016. The new company will be named ViacomCBS.

Cord Cutting Continues

July 28, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

During the second quarter, DirecTV’s traditional satellite service lost 778,000 subscribers and its streaming service DirecTV Now lost 168,000 accounts.

Third Time’s A Charm

June 24, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

For the third time in less than four years, CBS Corp. is yet again planning to merge with Viacom.

The Starz Farce

May 27, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

The timing of the anonymous leak that CBS was prepared to pay Lionsgate $5 billion for Starz, raises serious questions about possible market manipulation.

Back From The Brink

March 14, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

After years of internal divisions, family squabbles, lawsuits, and sexual harassment investigations, Viacom and CBS are starting to resemble real companies again.

Subscription Video Trends and Challenges [Part Three]

October 4, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

As the streaming market fragments into dozens of streaming options will Netflix become the Friendster or Facebook of media viewing?

TIFF Take Three: Trouble in the UK, Sight Unseen Films…

September 12, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

CBS Films did not acquire I, Tonya after all – Neon and 30WEST will distribute in the U.S. UK’s Icon Film Distribution runs out of money, again!

Distribution

Paramount Pictures: How Not to Run a Studio

February 19, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

In an unsurprising decision that many industry followers have expected, Paramount Pictures’ CEO Brad Grey is leaving the studio after 12 years.

Mobile Streaming Market Heats Up

November 21, 2016 FilmTake Comments Off

When AT&T acquired DirecTV for $48.5 billion, they had big plans for mobile streaming. The FCC thinks DirecTV Now service “may obstruct competition and…”

Who’s Thriving and Who’s Struggling: Annual Streaming Scorecard Part Four

Streaming

April 17, 2024 Comments Off

Paramount Global and Comcast have engaged in discussions to explore collaborating, including potentially merging their respective streaming services – Paramount+ and Peacock. However, it’s becoming clear that Paramount Global and its disastrous leadership team want

Unveiling Netflix’s New Content Strategy: Opening Doors to External Licensing

Streaming

April 12, 2024 Comments Off

Netflix has shifted its focus from prioritizing the production of original content to third-party content licensing once more. As an exclusive platform, Netflix’s management currently opposes licensing content externally, but the writing is on the

Distribution

Cracking the Code: Inside the Intricate World of Content Licensing Deals and Slate Programming

April 9, 2024 Comments Off

As streaming platforms vie to capture marketshare in a view-from-home environment, the recent deal between A24 and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) brings A24’s eclectic catalog exclusively to HBO and Max after their theatrical runs illustrating

Who’s Thriving and Who’s Struggling: Annual Streaming Scorecard Part Four

Streaming

April 17, 2024 Comments Off

Unveiling Netflix’s New Content Strategy: Opening Doors to External Licensing

Streaming

April 12, 2024 Comments Off

Who’s Thriving and Who’s Struggling: Annual Streaming Scorecard Part Three

Streaming

March 14, 2024 Comments Off

Before unprecedented disruptions during 2020-21, streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon invested heavily in original films, but their investments have since fallen sharply. Likewise, the head of motion pictures departed after Netflix failed to deliver meaningful film releases.

Not All Streaming Services Will Survive the Year in Their Current Form

Streaming

February 25, 2024 Comments Off

Mounting losses at Paramount and NBCUniversal, particularly, have put into doubt the survival of Paramount+ and Peacock in their current iteration. Paramount’s situation reflects the broader challenges of balancing growth, content spending, and subscriber retention with profitability.

The Future of Streaming Will End in Tiers

Streaming

February 21, 2024 Comments Off

Breaking News: Freevee Will Shutdown After Amazon Adamantly Denies Claims. Recently, on Prime Video, ads started popping up on scripted series and films. Over 167 million existing Amazon Prime members in the U.S. are now required to pay an additional $3 per month to enjoy the same service they signed up for to avoid ads.