Tag: Manka Bros.

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It’s Time To Kill The Emmys

61st Annual Emmy Awards, ABC, Angela Bromstad, Anne Sweeney, Ari Emanuel, Ben Silverman, CBS, Chris O'Donnell, Dawn Ostroff, Deadline Hollywood, Don Mischer, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, Family Guy, Fox, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Les Moonves, LL Cool J, Manka Bros., NBC, NCIS: Los Angeles, Neil Patrick Harris, Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Sandy Grushow, Seth McFarlane, Sharon Waxman, Terry Semel, The CW, The Simpsons, thewrap.com

61st Annual Emmy Awards, ABC, Angela Bromstad, Anne Sweeney, Ari Emanuel, Ben Silverman, CBS, Chris O'Donnell, Dawn Ostroff, Deadline Hollywood, Don Mischer, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, Family Guy, Fox, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Les Moonves, LL Cool J, Manka Bros., NBC, NCIS: Los Angeles, Neil Patrick Harris, Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Sandy Grushow, Seth McFarlane, Sharon Waxman, Terry Semel, The CW, The Simpsons, thewrap.comFrankly, no one gives a shit anymore.  Last night’s show was painful.

A tour of the set?  Seriously?  Matthew Weiner, creator of Mad Men, is unable to give an acceptance speech for winning Best Drama because there was a five minute TOUR OF THE SET at the beginning of the show?   “Where we will all be spending the next three plus hours!”

The opening number from the Academy Awards winning for Best Musical Number?  Best Musical Number?

That painfully long Family Guy bit with the baby killing the dog (full disclosure – I’m a Simpson’s girl and think Family Guy sucks so I probably wouldn’t have liked even if it were short and funny).

There there was bit-after-painful-bit about the demise of television.  Television, the way it was in 1979 is dead – TELEVISION ISN’T DEAD!  What else are we supposed to do to pass the time on this miserable planet?  We like the internet, we like television, we like movies, we like going out to dinner, we like talking on the phone, we like working out, we like going to the park with our kids, we like going to Disneyland… just because we spend a few hours less watching TV doesn’t make it the end of the world!

I know there is a lot of insecurity in this town and a very strong need to give each other awards.  But would the programming change if there wasn’t Emmy Awards?  Are the actors from NCIS: Los Angeles relevant in any way?  Was an appearance by the Gossip Girls a way to reach out to 15 year olds?  As an experiment, Television Academy, why don’t you put next year’s awards on the Disney Channel and see how many young girls you get to watch… But that would never happen because the Emmys are much too prestigious for that.

I know the old white executives want it to be 1979 again when the television audience apparently actually cared if M*A*S*H would win or lose – but those days are gone.

It’s over.  Kill it already.  Every year it sucks and every year we watch.  Over half that crowd (i.e., the late night comedy show writers), wanted to be watching the Giants/Cowboys game on NBC.  Myself included.

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

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Jay Leno’s Big Night

Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Ben Silverman, Deadline Hollywood, Grace Kelly, Gregorian Calendar, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey Immelt, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., National Cream Filled Donut Day, NBC, NFL Monday Night Football, Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Sharon Waxman, Terry Semel, The Jay Leno Show, thewrap.com, Tony Disanto

Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Ben Silverman, Deadline Hollywood, Grace Kelly, Gregorian Calendar, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey Immelt, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., National Cream Filled Donut Day, NBC, NFL Monday Night Football, Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Sharon Waxman, Terry Semel, The Jay Leno Show, thewrap.com, Tony DisantoTonight is either beginning of the end of NBC or the beginning of a new television business model. 

I’m betting BIG on the former.

It will be interesting to follow The Jay Leno Show’s ratings for about a week and then the media will become bored reporting that Jay’s numbers were, once again, 5.3 with a 7 share (2.3 / 4 18-49).

But at least for tonight, it’s interesting.

All I can say is – Good Luck, Jay.  You’ll still be a rich and successful man even though you are now the face of dying network.

(In truth, broadcast networks are already dead… but I digress.)

My predictions on how the NBC promotions department will spin tomorrow’s ratings:

  • Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

  • Because of the low production costs, we don’t need home run ratings to make a big profit.

 

 

  • Obviously, we were hoping for a much bigger number, but we firmly believe that the audience will grow once kids have adjusted to returning to school.

 

 

 

  • There may have been some confusion by those people who haven’t adapted to the Gregorian calendar.

Once again, good luck Jay.  You’re in a no win situation.

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

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Nikki Finke’s New Business Strategy Will Fail

Ari Emanuel, Deadline Hollywood, deadline.com, Hollywood gossip, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Sharon Waxman, Terry Semel, The Wrap, TheWrap.com, Time Warner

Ari Emanuel, Deadline Hollywood, deadline.com, Hollywood gossip, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Sharon Waxman, Terry Semel, The Wrap, TheWrap.com, Time WarnerDear Nikki,

Your new business strategy will fail.  This morning, a new (unremarkable) web design was revealed along with a new address (Deadline.com) and it is a disappointment.  A disappointment to all us bomb throwers out there who are just trying to make a buck with salacious stories about other people’s lives.

I say it’s a disappointment because DHD is a straight-out-of-bed must read for nearly everyone in the business of media.  You should resist the urge to turn it into something more than it is.

I don’t understand why people in this industry find it difficult to be content with success.

Nikki, you had an amazing one woman operation (terrible graphics and all – but it worked) with great inside sources, timely scoops and the freedom to say whatever the fuck you wanted.

That’s all going to change now.

You are attempting to become a corporation – a media conglomerate, if you will.  You seem to fancy yourself one of those top media executives whose career you could bring down with one click of the “Publish” button.  I fear those days are ending.

I believed you when you said nothing would change after being bought by Mail.com Media Corporation (I would have put a link of that last sentence to the blog you wrote after being bought – but it appears to be gone!  See what I mean?).

Believe me, I’m not against buyouts.  Manka Bros. doesn’t pay me shit and we all need capital to run a successful business.  But now you’re opening offices (OK, hiring a couple bloggers in pajamas) in several other world cities under the “Deadline” brand.  Plus, you talk about technical people and designers.  Please.  Can you look at the numbers and tell me that your free cash flow margin isn’t decreasing?

Ari Emanuel, Deadline Hollywood, deadline.com, Hollywood gossip, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Sharon Waxman, Terry Semel, The Wrap, TheWrap.com, Time WarnerDo you seriously believe you’ll find other “Nikki Finke’s” in London, Hong Kong, Syndey, et al?   What the fuck scoops are you going to get in Mumbai?  There are plenty of great media muckrakers in that country.  They don’t need you.  There is only one Nikki Finke and paying other people to digg up fresh scandals in international territories isn’t going to work.

I’m going to miss the freshness, the immediacy and especially that feeling that we’re getting real inside dope.

But it’s not too late to change!  Stay small and profitable.  Don’t expand and be forced out of business in a year.  Or worse, in a year, don’t attempt to go back to your old self in a pathetic display of “Well, I tried!”

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

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Disney Buys Marvel!

Alan Fine, Ari Emanuel, Bob Iger, David Maisel, DC Comics, Deadline Hollywood, Disney, Isaac Perlmutter, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, John Turitzin, Kenneth P. West, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Marvel, Marvel Comics, Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Sharon Waxman, Simon Philips, Terry Semel, Walt Disney Company

Alan Fine, Ari Emanuel, Bob Iger, David Maisel, DC Comics, Deadline Hollywood, Disney, Isaac Perlmutter, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, John Turitzin, Kenneth P. West, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Marvel, Marvel Comics, Nikki Finke, OnMedea, Sharon Waxman, Simon Philips, Terry Semel, Walt Disney CompanyMy spidey senses nailed this one.  Friday I said it would happen – and now it is so!

My colleage Nikki Finke loves to say “TOLDJA” – but she didn’t get this one!

In a deal that shocked everyone in the industry except me, Disney today announced it will purchase Marvel Entertainment – the total value about $50/share or $4 billion for company.

Here’s the press release:

DISNEY TO ACQUIRE MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT

Worldwide leader in family entertainment agrees to acquire Marvel and its portfolio of over 5,000 characters

Acquisition highlights Disney’s strategic focus on quality branded content, technological innovation and international expansion to build long-term shareholder value

Burbank, CA and New York, NY, August 31, 2009 –Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.

Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.

“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.”

“We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation,” Iger said.

“Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses,” said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel’s Chief Executive Officer. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel’s properties.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.

Investor Conference Call:

An investor conference call will take place at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT today, August 31, 2009. To listen to the Webcast, turn your browser to http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/presentations.html or dial in domestically at 800-260-8140 or internationally at 617-614-3672. For both dial-in numbers, the participant pass code is 51214527.

The discussion will be available via replay on the Disney investors website through September 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT.

About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, interactive media and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company with revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recent fiscal year.

About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics).

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I think it’s a great deal for Disney.  Great for owners of IP in general.  It puts a premium on content creation and content ownership.  Bully for you, Bob Iger!  Electronic Arts is next and then you guys are all set.

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

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Angela Bromstad and Paul Telegdy Meet The Press

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey Immelt

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltAngela Bromstad, President of Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios and Paul Telegdy, EVP, Alternative Programming and Production, NBC and Universal Medea Studios spoke to reporters at the Television Critics Assocation summer press tour in Pasadena on Wednesday and I think we got a pretty good idea of where NBC is headed.

It’s going to be quite a challenge for the duo to top Ben Silverman’s amazing run as programming head (in which NBC solidified it’s position as the #4 network).  Now Ben is off to try to bring down Barry Diller’s media empire (maybe that wouldn’t be the end of the world).

The main take-away from Wednesday’s meeting with the press was Ms. Bromstad and Mr. Telegdy’s commitment to quality.  They…ahem… definitely seemed to be on the same page.

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltAmerican Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltAngela Bromstad:  “Our goal is to bring back high-quality, sophisticated dramas and comedy and a  brand of alternative that falls into that.“

Paul Telegdy:  “[Paula Abdul] is an exceptional piece of talent… as a viewer, I’d miss her on the show [American Idol].”  In regards to possibly pursuing her for a show on NBC… “I wouldn’t rule anything out.”

Paula Abdul (from 2007):  “I don’t understand how this man [some radio host] can call me a whining bitch.  I’ve never in my life been called a whining bitch and a loser.”

I think if NBC could somehow get Paula Abdul in her own show saying things like the above, it would be amazing and a perfect fit for the new commitment to quality.

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltHey, maybe they could even get that guy Screech from Saved By The Bell (the one that had to have a garage sale in Kansas to try to save his house).  That would really put NBC on the road to  recovery.

Another approach may be just to expand Jay Leno to three hours every night (sort of like Sabado Gigante on Univision).

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

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Dawn Ostroff Compares Picking TV Shows To “Sophie’s Choice”

[From The Hollywood Reporter:  “It was really a ‘Sophie’s Choice,’ Ostroff said of trying to choose projects for next season with only 10 hours to fill.]

Academy Awards, Barry Diller, Beer Summit, Ben Silverman, Dawn Ostroff, Gossip Girl, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, Melrose Place, Meryl Streep, NBC, One Tree Hill, OnMedea, President Obama, right wing pundits, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Sophie Zawistowski, Sophie's Choice, Supernatural, TCA, Television Critics Association, The CW, The Vampire Diaries, William StyronMs. Ostroff made this horrific comparison yesterday in Pasadena at the Television Critics Association Press Tour.

Seriously, Dawn?  There was no other phrase you could use.

“Sophie’s Choice” was a decision Holocaust survivor Sophie Zawistowski had to make on which of her children would live and which would die in a Nazi concentration camp.

Sure, it was a work of fiction by William Styron – but he has even said that it was based on a real story (fyi, Meryl Streep won the Academy Award for her portrayal in the movie).

The decision on which child a parent would choose to live and which to die is the same as which TV show on The CW makes the schedule and which doesn’t?

The Gossip Girl spin-off or The Vampire Diaries? 

Supernatural or One Tree Hill?

I know it was said on the fly and was meant to convey that it was a difficult choice – but come on.

Imagine what the Right Wing Pundits would say if President Obama, during the recent Beer Summit, said “It’s really a ‘Sophie’s Choice’ in deciding which beer to drink.”

Academy Awards, Barry Diller, Beer Summit, Ben Silverman, Dawn Ostroff, Gossip Girl, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, Melrose Place, Meryl Streep, NBC, One Tree Hill, OnMedea, President Obama, right wing pundits, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Sophie Zawistowski, Sophie's Choice, Supernatural, TCA, Television Critics Association, The CW, The Vampire Diaries, William StyronI started OnMedea with the intention of having a positive tone in regards to the world of media (with the exception of anything concerning Ben Silverman) – but that’s been really difficult based on what I’m discovering out there.

I certainly hope Ms. Ostroff made the right decision and the new “Melrose Place” lives up to her expectations.

For the record, Sophie chose the boy.

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

(I understand the slight irony that I write these things under the blog title OnMedea – a fictional woman who slaughtered her kids after finding out her man had an affair.)

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