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Media Beat: February 28, 2018

By David Farrell

Federal budget opens door to non-profit media models

As news outlets in the United States and Europe establish non-profit arms to help fund their journalism, the federal government says it will “explore new models” that would allow Canadian media companies to do the same – iPolitics covers the good and the bad in the budget proposal


Innovation stories

Local radio and television broadcasters continually develop and invest in new technologies that allow them to provide the news, entertainment and emergency information viewers and listeners rely on every day. Through innovation, local broadcasters keep communities safe, informed and entertained. With social media, over-the-air broadcasts, internet services, mobile applications and other emerging technologies, broadcast innovators are able to identify and create new opportunities to deliver these services to their communities – link in the headline to continue reading.

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Netflix & big tech vs legacy media

Netflix's "unsustainable" business model is approaching an “inflection point”, according to the global head of TV strategy at Videology.

He also warned that the political influence of the major tech titans over the global economy is a huge hurdle for the local TV industry to overcome

Speaking at last week's Future of TV conference, Rhys Mclachlan believes governments and businesses could easily be swayed by the vast sums of money tech giants throw at them as well “absurd” market valuations provides an unfair advantage to “loss-making” businesses like Netflix and Amazon to invest in content production.

“Netflix has to continue to put significant sums of revenue into the leaky bucket which is its programming commissioning strategy,” Mclachlan says – continue reading in AdNews

Podcasters Hall of Fame

– The Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame is looking for 2018 nominations. The criteria and details are on the entry form, and yes, you can nominate yourself. Or, better, someone else.

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Val Blavatnik
Courtesy WMG

Val Blavatnik

Business News

Val Blavatnik to Oversee Warner Music Canada in New Role at Warner Music Group

Blavatnik will oversee Warner Music Canada as managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at WMG. As part of a slew of executive announcements, Simon Robson will be leaving the company, while Alejandro Duque takes the top international role.

Val Blavatnik, the 28-year-old son of Warner Music Group majority owner and vice chairman Len Blavatnik, has been named managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at the Warner Music Group, the company announced Friday (Sept. 25). In his new role the younger Blavatnik, who has held several roles at the company in recent years, and has been a board member since 2023, expects to “unify and drive business and operational strategy across these markets while guiding the company’s investment strategy to support growth,” according to a press release.

The Blavatnik announcement is part of a flurry of new executive announcements that CEO Robert Kyncl made this morning. In addition, Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Elliot Grainge will take on ADA in the U.S. as its new chairman, while Alejandro Duque, who has held the dual roles of president of Warner Latin and president of ADA since last July, has been named president of Warner Music International, adding Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa under his oversight. (Duque will continue to oversee ADA outside the U.S.) Zach Friedman, currently COO at Atlantic Music Group, will add the title of vice chair of ADA U.S. to his resume.

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