Posts made in July, 2016

on Jul 29, 2016

By Doug Zanger Opened with a bang, and deep investment in 2014, Disney-owned short-form creative specialists Maker Studios confirmed to Deadline that they are, in fact, laying off staff. Initially, Disney made a $500m commitment to the effort and, if certain financial targets were hit, was going to add an additional $450m. However, the company fell short, with the final outlay at $698m. In a statement, the company said that: “Maker Studios’ business is constantly evolving and after careful thought, we have decided to make some strategic adjustments — reducing staff in some areas while still actively hiring in others — to best align Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jul 29, 2016

By Jessica Goodfellow Amazon is taking a large step up in its content spend in the second half of this year, announcing it will nearly triple its number of new Amazon Original shows in the latter half of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015 as it looks to steal eyes from Netflix. The internet giant announced its content plans on an earnings call yesterday (28 July) as it reported its fifth consecutive quarter of profit growth. Amazon has made no secret of its plans to extend its dominance of the online media space to original content, with a recent report by network Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jul 29, 2016

By Cameron Clarke Turner Prize nominee David Shrigley is among 10 noted artists who are lending their creative talents to the #LondonIsOpen campaign which launches today. Shrigley’s ‘Everyone Welcome’ poster will be exhibited across the tube network as part of London mayor Sadiq Khan’s campaign to promote the capital to visitors and investors despite the EU referendum outcome. Artwork from Tania Bruguera, Gillian Wearing and Mark Titchner will also be on display on the Underground from today (29 July) with more posters from Sol Calero, Alexandre da Cunha, Jeremy Deller, Hew Locke, Indra Khanna and Bedwyr Williams to be displayed in stations from September. Khan Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jul 29, 2016

By Tony Connelly Arsenal has taken steps to strengthen its digital capabilities by partnering with online video company Ooyala to stream an upcoming pre-season friendly through the club’s official app. The Premier League side will show this weekend’s game against Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas) on its own app as part of its efforts to grow a global fan base and open up more revenue streams through digital platforms. The fixture with the Mexican first division side will be accessible from every country, with the exception of the US. Rags Gupta, Ooyala’s general manager, said: “Sports clubs like Arsenal are now Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jul 29, 2016

By Tammy Smulders Few demographics are more discussed than millennials – young people born between 1980 and 2000. The typical millennial was born in the boom years, raised by doting parents who wanted the best for them, wanted to be cool and were financially secure. They came of age during the recession but maintained their sense of empowerment, inspired by young tech millionaires in the media and a freelance culture. Leisure time and pushing boundaries are proof of a life well lived. Well-travelled and connected digital natives, many millennials have distinctly global worldviews. Their careers are more like chessboards than paths. In less than four Read full story › Source: The Drum...