Judith Davis

Former BET CEO Debra Lee is turning the tables on network cuts and seeing the future of Black storytelling in the digital age. While it hurts to see Black-led programming under attack, Lee is calling out Issa Rae and Keke Palmer as the proof that independent creators are carving new lanes and finding massive audiences. Read the full story here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gRvze-_u #AFROTECH25

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From THR: #Hollywood conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday made it official, unveiling plans to separate the company, in a tax-free transaction, into two publicly traded companies, “enabling each to maximize its potential.” The Streaming & Studios company will consist of Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Entertainment Motion Picture Group, @DC Studios, HBO, and HBO Max, as well as their legendary #film and television libraries. The second business, Global Networks, will include such #entertainment, sports and news television brands around the world as CNN , TNT Sports in the U.S., and Discovery Inc , free-to-air channels across #Europe, and digital products such as the profitable Discovery+ streaming service and Bleacher Report (B/R). WBD top executives will discuss the planned separation during a Monday call with Wall Street analysts. “Three years ago, the very foundation of how, when, and where audiences engaged with content was undergoing fundamental change,” Zaslav highlighted in a staff memo ahead of the call, obtained by THR. He referenced the combination of Time Warner and Discovery in it. “As both organizations contemplated their futures, one truth became clear: to successfully adapt, transform, and lead in the entertainment industry of tomorrow we needed to come together — to draw on each other’s strengths,” Zaslav highlighted. “While the work since that merger has been challenging at times, ultimately, we have succeeded in strengthening each element of our business. By bringing together the Discovery and Turner networks, we have created a leader in live and unscripted television, with a truly global footprint operating at industry-leading margins. We’ve transformed our direct-to-consumer offering, as HBO Max is now one of the world’s few global and meaningfully profitable #streaming services. And by fusing creative brilliance with operational excellence, we have made strong progress in returning our film and television studios to industry leadership.”

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Analysis of new data collected from BB Media, a Fabric Data Company, highlights U.S. market penetration for streaming services, user and gender demographics, and content preferences and genre trends. You can check out their full blog post here: https://lnkd.in/e4qdPHx2 - #streamingmedia #AVOD #SVOD

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Amazon MGM Studios is going old school in a big way. At SXSW, the streaming giant announced plans to drop 12-14 films in theaters in 2026, ramping up to a potential 16 in 2027. Studio execs are calling it a commitment that's both "financial and philosophical"—pretty big plot twist after years of the streaming-first strategy that tech giants like Amazon championed during the streaming wars. What’s driving the theatrical pivot? Streaming + theaters = winning combo: Once viewed as rivals, theatrical and streaming are now recognized as complementary channels. Films like ‘Air,’ ‘The Beekeeper,’ and ‘Red One’ got a serious streaming boost after their theatrical runs. In-house distribution: Amazon’s building its own international distribution and marketing arm—meaning they'll handle global theatrical releases themselves rather than licensing to third-party distributors who take a cut of those theatrical dollars. Industry legitimacy: Amazon MGM just scored its membership card to the Motion Picture Association, joining the old-guard studios like Disney, Warner Bros., and Universal—a clear signal that they’re committed to theatrical exhibition and industry standards. Audience expansion: The studio's largely female leadership team is crafting a theatrical slate that isn't just for the "dudes" and "the Jacks"—Ryan and Reacher that is. Exhibitors rejoice: Theater owners are practically popping champagne on recent earnings calls over Amazon's renewed commitment to theatrical, though AMC's CEO Adam Aron is still expressing concerns about the industry trend toward shorter theatrical windows before films move to streaming. Looking ahead… After years of tech companies disrupting traditional distribution models, we're seeing a pendulum swing back toward theaters—with a tech-company twist, of course. We’ll see whether Amazon MGM's theatrical strategy lights a fire under other streamers to follow their lead. #thedailies

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How can local journalism make a difference? For San Francisco Chronicle editor Kate Galbraith, covering climate change means making complex issues relevant and actionable for local communities. See how journalists across Hearst are informing the public and driving meaningful impact. #LifeAtHearst #HearstCareers #JournalismJobs

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Amazon and Roku are blowing up the status quo with an identity graph spanning 80% of streaming - a seismic shift for connected TV advertisers, as Frances Callaghan, head of product commercialization at Roku, discusses in this interview with Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Special thanks to our friends at EX.CO for sponsoring this video series. Visit Beet.TV for this video (https://lnkd.in/e8Kz47MR) and much more!  #BeetCannes #CannesLions #CannesLions2025

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Seekho raises $28 million funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners Edutainment video platform Seekho announced on September 3 that it has secured $28 million in Series B funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners to build new interactive content formats and invest in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered learning experiences. Goodwater Capital and existing investors such as Lightspeed Venture Partners and Elevation Capital also participated in the funding round. This brings Seekho's total funding to about $40 million, which includes an $8 million round in December 2024. Founded in 2020 by Rohit Choudhary, Keertay Agarwal, and Yash Banwani, Seekho offers bite-sized regional learning content designed to provide consumers with practical knowledge that can help with their career development and personal growth. https://lnkd.in/gZF2kBRB

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