Jessica Reif, Managing Director of Bank of America Merrill Lynch joins Cheddar to discuss the changing media landscape in America, specifically the Disney / Fox 21st Century deal set to close soon.
According to Reif, this deal will reshape the entire media landscape. She talks about the Murdoch family and their willingness to sell. She says the deal will make other companies think about what they want to be, and how they will compete in the modern era.
Disney isn't interested in Fox's news or sports programming, and that may be because of regulatory issues. Reif says when it comes to sports, the best reach is still, by far, broadcast. She expects sports to stay on traditional TV for a long, long time.
Reif also talks about the amount of money the FANG stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google) are spending on video content, and how they will compete with the traditional outlets.
U.S. sports betting is booming as NFL and college football fuel massive activity. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt breaks down trends, growth, and what’s next.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
With a merger this big, creators, studios, and theaters all face uncertain futures. Here’s what experts are worried about and what good could come from it.
With disengagement rising and hybrid work shifting, 'Everybody Matters' author Bob Chapman explains why treating people well could define the future of work.
We sat down with Ali Furman, U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader at consulting firm PwC to ask what trends she garnered from the initial data this year.
Seth Schachner breaks down Zootopia 2’s record-smashing debut, holiday box office trends, early 2026 Oscar contenders, and what’s next for Netflix and WBD.
