|
News
Media
Man News Blog
Media
Man Newsfeeds Blog
News
Media Blogger
World
News
Newswire:
News Business
News Entertainment
News Casino
News X
News
Sports
News Technology
News Media
News Pop
Culture News
X
News
Mr.
McMahon (Netflix)
Combat
Sports Week
September 11,2024
WWE
Speed
Naomi vs Blair Davenport
September
13, 2024
WWE SmackDown
Cody
Rhodes vs Solo Sikoa - Steel Cage Match - Undisputed
WWE Title
Climate
Pledge Arena Seattle, Washington
September
13, 2024
Bare
Knuckle Fighting Championship
BKFC
66 - Blass vs Reber
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel. Hollywood, Florida
September
14
UFC
UFC
Noche aka UFC 306
Sphere, Las Vegas
O'Malley
vs Dvalishvili
September
14
Premier
Boxing Champions
MGM T-Mobile Arena
News
Streaming
Entertainment via Grok; X TV Tipped To Eventually
Go Head To Head With YouTube, Netflix, But Will Take
Many Years To Get To That Point; Customers Waiting
To Churn/Switch. Changes Ahead For WBD, HBO, Binge,
Paramount And Many Others - Too Many To List! Media
Man Founder and Subscriber TV Veteran
Streaming
entertainment has transformed how we consume media,
offering a vast array of movies, TV shows, music,
and more directly to our devices. Here's a breakdown
of what's happening in this space as of my last update:
Major
Players:
Netflix:
Known for its original content like "Stranger
Things," "The Crown," and "Squid
Game." They've been pushing into gaming and have
been experimenting with ad-supported models.
Amazon
Prime Video: Comes with Amazon Prime membership. Notable
for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "The
Boys," and its integration with shopping and
other Amazon services.
Disney+:
A powerhouse for family entertainment, featuring Marvel,
Star Wars, Pixar, and classic Disney content. It's
also expanding its library with more adult-oriented
content under the Star banner in some regions.
HBO
Max: Offers premium content like "Game of Thrones,"
"Chernobyl," and a vast library of movies.
It's also known for its DC Universe shows.
Apple
TV+: While newer, it's making waves with high-quality
originals like "Ted Lasso," "The Morning
Show," and "See."
Peacock
(NBCUniversal): Provides a mix of free and premium
content, including "The Office," WWE, and
original series like "Punky Brewster."
Paramount+:
Combines CBS All Access with content from Paramount,
Nickelodeon, MTV, and more, featuring shows like "Star
Trek: Discovery" and "The Stand."
Trends
and Developments:
Original
Content: There's a massive push towards creating exclusive
content to attract subscribers. This includes movies,
series, documentaries, and even live sports.
Global
Expansion: Services are increasingly focusing on international
markets, either by offering local content or by making
their service available in more countries.
Bundling:
Companies are bundling their streaming services with
other products. For example, Disney has bundles with
Hulu and ESPN+.
Ad-Supported
Models: To combat rising costs, some platforms like
Netflix have introduced or are considering ad-supported
tiers.
Direct-to-Streaming
Releases: Movies are increasingly bypassing traditional
theatrical releases, going straight to streaming platforms,
especially noted during global health crises.
Quality
Over Quantity: While there's a lot of content, platforms
are also focusing on high-quality, award-winning productions
to stand out.
Interactive
Content: Some platforms are experimenting with interactive
movies or shows where viewers can choose the plot
direction.
Technological
Integration: Enhanced with technologies like 4K, HDR,
Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos for audio, providing
a cinematic experience at home.
Challenges:
Content
Saturation: With so many platforms, there's a risk
of content fatigue among viewers.
Churn:
Subscribers frequently switch between services based
on what's currently available, leading to high turnover.
Regulatory
Scrutiny: Issues like market dominance, content licensing,
and privacy are increasingly under regulatory lenses.
Piracy:
Despite advanced measures, piracy remains a challenge,
especially for content not easily accessible in certain
regions.
If
you're interested in a specific aspect of streaming
entertainment or want to know about recent developments
since my last update, feel free to ask! If there's
a particular service or type of content you're curious
about, I can dive deeper into those areas. (Grok)
News
Streaming
TV
Streaming
TV has revolutionized how we consume television content,
offering a vast array of shows, movies, and original
programming through internet-based platforms rather
than traditional cable or satellite TV. Here's a breakdown
of what you might be interested in regarding streaming
TV as of my last update:
Key
Players:
Netflix:
Known for its extensive library, original content
like "Stranger Things," "The Crown,"
and "Squid Game," and a global reach.
Amazon
Prime Video: Comes with an Amazon Prime subscription,
offering shows like "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,"
"The Boys," and movies, plus the integration
with shopping services.
Hulu:
Offers a mix of current TV episodes, a robust library
of older content, and originals like "The Handmaid's
Tale." It's also notable for its live TV option.
Disney+:
Focuses on family-friendly content, including Marvel,
Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic. Hits include
"The Mandalorian" and "WandaVision."
HBO
Max: Home to HBO's acclaimed series like "Game
of Thrones," "Chernobyl," plus a wide
range of Warner Bros. movies and new originals.
Apple
TV+: While newer, it's gaining traction with high-quality
originals like "Ted Lasso," "The Morning
Show," and "Foundation."
Peacock:
NBCUniversal's service, offering a mix of free and
premium content, including "The Office,"
"Parks and Recreation," and new originals.
Trends
and Features:
Ad-Supported
vs. Ad-Free: Many services now offer tiers where you
can choose between watching with ads for a lower price
or paying more for an ad-free experience.
Live
TV Streaming: Services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube
TV, and Sling TV allow streaming of live broadcast
channels, appealing to sports fans and those who still
want traditional TV experiences.
Bundling:
Some platforms offer bundles with internet service
providers or other streaming services to reduce costs.
Original
Content: There's a significant push towards exclusive,
original content to differentiate services, leading
to a golden age of TV with high-quality, diverse programming.
Global
Expansion: Services are increasingly focusing on global
markets, offering localized content or subtitles/dubbing
in multiple languages.
Technological
Considerations:
4K
and HDR: Many services now offer content in 4K resolution
and HDR, enhancing viewing quality.
Offline
Viewing: Most services allow downloading content for
offline viewing, which is great for travel or areas
with poor internet.
Smart
TVs and Devices: Streaming is not just for computers
or smartphones anymore; smart TVs, streaming sticks
(like Roku, Amazon Fire Stick), and gaming consoles
have made streaming accessible on almost any screen.
Challenges:
Content
Fragmentation: With content spread across multiple
services, there's a growing issue of "streaming
fatigue" where consumers feel overwhelmed by
the number of subscriptions needed.
Price
Increases: As content quality and exclusivity rise,
so do subscription costs, leading to discussions about
the cost-effectiveness of streaming vs. traditional
cable.
Piracy:
The fragmentation and cost have somewhat revived piracy
concerns as viewers look for ways to access content
without multiple subscriptions.
If
you're looking for recommendations or have specific
questions about streaming services or shows, feel
free to ask! If there's been a significant update
or new service since my last update, you might want
to check the latest reviews or news for the most current
information. (Grok)
Streaming
Media Industry Disruptions Continue
Additional
Mergers And Acquisitions Forecast
Live
Sport Major Draw As Per Netflix
Compelling
Storylines And Series Keeps Audience Coming Back For
More As Per WWE
Combat
Sports Storytelling And Talent Elevation As Per Dana
Whites Contenders Series
Free
Services With Ads Supported Has Taken Some Audience
As Per Tubi
YouTube
Cemented As Major Challenge To Netflix
Paramount's
Quality And Iconic Movies Keep Them Valuable Commodity,
Despite Bottom Line Loss
X
Corp's X Platform One To Watch For Major Industry
Disruption; WWE Speed Deal With WWE Just A Minor Preview
Of What's On The Cards
Combat
Sports Week At Media Man; Elon Musk's X And Grok Take
Publishers, Reporters, Fans Et Al Around The World
Of Sports In A TKO Second!: Media Man
October
1, 2024
News
Alex
Pereira's Arrival for UFC 307
Alex
Pereira, known as 'Poatan', is gearing up for a highly
anticipated UFC fight at UFC 307 against Khalil Rountree
Jr., scheduled for October 2024. The fight week has
begun with both fighters, including notable figures
like Jose Aldo, checking in for the event. There's
considerable excitement around this match, primarily
due to the knockout capabilities of both fighters.
Pereira has publicly stated his intention to 'break'
Rountree, intensifying the event's buildup. Discussions
and analyses have focused on Pereira's recent UFC
activities, potential retirement, and the high stakes
of the main event, suggesting it could be one of the
most thrilling UFC main events recently. Additionally,
Khalil Rountree hinted at employing a never-before-seen
move during the fight, adding an element of mystery
and anticipation. (Grok)
News
UFC
307 and DWCS Week 8
UFC
307 is generating significant buzz, particularly for
the main event where Alex Pereira has promised an
intense confrontation against Khalil Rountree, vowing
to 'break' him. This fight is not only a highlight
of the event but also showcases both fighters' formidable
striking power, with predictions leaning towards a
knockout rather than a decision. Alongside this main
event, the UFC community is abuzz with excitement
for other matchups, discussing fighters' skills and
predicting outcomes. Concurrently, the Dana White's
Contender Series (DWCS) Week 8 is taking place, spotlighting
emerging talents like Christien Savoie, who are competing
for the chance to earn UFC contracts. The DWCS not
only serves as a platform for new fighters but also
engages fans with live events and betting odds, adding
another layer of anticipation and discussion around
the UFC's upcoming events. (Grok)
News
UFC
307 Fight Week
UFC
307, scheduled for Saturday, features a highly anticipated
main event between Alex Pereira, known for his striking
prowess, and Khalil Rountree Jr., who has hinted at
a unique move he might employ during the fight. The
event has sparked considerable interest among fans
and analysts, with discussions focusing on the fighters'
capabilities and potential outcomes. Alongside the
main event, the Dana White Contender Series (DWCS)
Week 8 is also taking place, offering emerging fighters
a chance to secure UFC contracts. Notable fighters
like Jose Aldo, Kevin Holland, and Stephen Thompson
are also highlighted, adding to the excitement with
their upcoming matches. The event is set to be broadcast
live, with various analyses and predictions circulating
among enthusiasts. (Grok)
News
Torrez
Finney's Third DWCS Victory
Torrez
Finney achieved a significant milestone by becoming
the first fighter to win three times on Dana White's
Contender Series (DWCS). In his third appearance on
DWCS, which took place on October 1, 2024, Finney
secured a first-round TKO victory over Abdellah Er-Ramy.
This performance not only marked his third win on
the series but also showcased his dominant skills,
leading to widespread acclaim across social media
platforms, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter).
Following this victory, there was a consensus among
observers and fans that not offering Finney a UFC
contract would be an oversight, given his undefeated
record and his consistent performance under the DWCS
spotlight. This achievement cements his status as
a top prospect in the middleweight division, with
many expecting him to finally receive a UFC contract.
(Grok)
News
Khalil
Rountree's Mystery Move at UFC 307
Ahead
of UFC 307, Khalil Rountree Jr. has hinted at employing
a unique, never-before-seen technique in his upcoming
fight against Alex Pereira, the current light heavyweight
champion. Rountree, known for his striking prowess,
aims to dethrone Pereira with a knockout, seeking
to establish himself as a formidable force in the
UFC. The event has drawn significant attention, with
fans and analysts speculating on Rountree's strategy
and the potential outcome of this high-stakes match.
Meanwhile, new sparring footage of Pereira with Sean
Strickland has been released, showcasing Pereira's
skills and improvement in English. Other notable fighters
like Kevin Holland and Jose Aldo are also featured
in the event, but the main event between Pereira and
Rountree remains the focal point, with expectations
set high for an explosive encounter. (Grok)
News
Diyar
Nurgozhay's Head Kick KO
Diyar
Nurgozhay recently showcased his striking prowess
at Dana White's Contender Series, where he secured
a notable victory via a head kick knockout against
Bartosz Szewczyk during the light heavyweight bout
at DWCS 74. This event took place on October 1, 2024,
at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Nurgozhay, maintaining
his undefeated record, delivered the knockout in the
second round, further solidifying his reputation in
the MMA community. This performance not only electrified
the audience but also significantly boosted his potential
for earning a UFC contract, given the platform's purpose
of scouting new talent for the UFC roster. This victory
adds to Nurgozhay's highlight reel, known for his
finishing capabilities, as he continues his journey
with an eye on the UFC. (Grok)
News
New
WWENXT Logo Debuts on The CW
WWE
NXT has introduced a new logo as part of its transition
to The CW network, marking the beginning of a new
era for the wrestling brand. The rebranding, effective
from October 1, 2024, aims to evoke a more classic
aesthetic. The debut on The CW was highlighted by
various wrestling personalities and news outlets,
with many expressing enthusiasm for the new look and
the show's premiere. The debut episode featured significant
matches, including a championship bout and a street
fight, indicating a strong start to NXT's new chapter
on The CW. (Grok)
News
Roxanne
Perez Retains NXT Title with Cora Jade's Return
Roxanne
Perez successfully defended her NXT Women's Championship
against Giulia in a recent WWE NXT event, marked by
an unexpected twist when Cora Jade returned to assist
Perez in retaining her title. This intervention was
pivotal in Perez's victory, sparking varied reactions
among fans. While some expressed disappointment with
the match's conclusion and the manner of Giulia's
defeat, others were thrilled by Cora Jade's comeback,
anticipating new storylines. Despite the controversial
finish, the match received praise for its quality.
(Grok)
News
Mixed
Reactions to New NXT Titles
Based
on the information gathered from posts on X and general
web sentiment, the introduction of new NXT titles
has generated a mix of reactions among fans and observers:
Design
Critique: There's a noticeable divide over the aesthetic
of the new NXT titles. Some fans have expressed a
preference for the previous designs, particularly
the "rainbow titles" which were admired
for their vibrant yet balanced color scheme. The new
designs have been described by some as less appealing
initially, but there's an acknowledgment that acceptance
might grow over time. For instance, one user likened
the transition in perception from the old to the new
titles humorously, suggesting that while the initial
reaction might be negative, eventual adaptation is
expected.
Nostalgia
and Change: The change in title designs seems to reflect
broader changes within NXT, including its move to
The CW network. This shift has stirred mixed feelings,
with some fans feeling nostalgic about the "black
and gold" era of NXT, which these new titles
symbolically depart from. However, there's also excitement
about what this change could mean for NXT's future,
especially with the involvement of figures like Shawn
Michaels in crafting the new era.
Performance
and Presentation: Despite mixed feelings about the
titles' design, there's a consensus on the quality
of the matches and the presentation of NXT on The
CW. The debut of NXT on this new platform, highlighted
by significant matches like Ethan Page vs. Trick Williams
for the NXT Title, and the involvement of high-profile
figures or matchups, indicates that while the titles
themselves might be divisive, the content and direction
of NXT are still highly anticipated and discussed.
Fan
Engagement: The new titles have certainly engaged
the fanbase, sparking conversations not just about
design but about what these changes signify for NXT's
identity and its place within WWE's broader ecosystem.
This engagement ranges from criticism to cautious
optimism, with some fans seeing it as a necessary
evolution for NXT to stand out in the crowded landscape
of wrestling entertainment.
Cultural
and Identity Shifts: There's an underlying discussion
about what these titles represent for NXT's brand
identity. Some fans have humorously or critically
remarked on the choice of design, questioning if it
aligns with NXT's desire to carve out a unique identity
or if it's merely a shift for the sake of change.
This touches on broader themes of brand evolution
and fan acceptance of change in professional wrestling.
In
summary, while the new NXT titles have sparked a variety
of reactions from critique over their design to nostalgia
for previous eras, there's an underlying excitement
about the narrative and performance aspects of NXT's
new chapter. The conversation around these titles
encapsulates fans' emotional connection to NXT's history
and their hopes or concerns for its future under its
new presentation. (Grok)
News
Wes
Lee Wins Street Fight at WWENXT
During
a recent WWE NXT event, Wes Lee defeated Zachary Wentz
in a highly praised street fight. The match, described
as both brutal and entertaining, featured intense
action characteristic of street fights. Both wrestlers
received acclaim for their performance, with fans
and commentators noting the match as a highlight of
the evening's programming. The fight included dramatic
moments, such as Wentz missing a table dive, adding
to the spectacle. This victory for Wes Lee was celebrated,
with many expressing enthusiasm for the match's quality
and hoping for future encounters between the two.
(Grok)
News
WWE
Bad Blood
WWE
Bad Blood is making a comeback in 2024, marking the
fourth event under this name and the first since 2004.
Here's what you need to know:
Event
Date and Location: The event is scheduled for Saturday,
October 5, 2024, at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta,
Georgia. This date coincides with the 27th anniversary
of the first Bad Blood event.
Broadcast
Details: Bad Blood 2024 will be available via traditional
pay-per-view (PPV) worldwide and will also air on
WWE's streaming platforms, specifically Peacock in
the United States and WWE Network internationally.
Historical
Significance: The original Bad Blood in 1997 introduced
the Hell in a Cell match, which has been a staple
of the event, including in its previous iterations
in 2003 and 2004.
Matches
and Card: One of the main matches includes Liv Morgan
vs. Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship,
with a unique twist where Dominik Mysterio will be
suspended above the ring in a shark cage to prevent
interference.
There's
also speculation and reports about a Hell in a Cell
match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, though there
was some uncertainty about whether this would be the
main event or if a tag team match involving Roman
Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Solo Sikoa, and possibly Jacob
Fatu would close the show. However, recent discussions
and fan reactions suggest a strong possibility of
Punk vs. McIntyre main eventing due to the historical
significance of Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood.
Themes
and Anniversaries: The event is not only a nod to
its own history but also leverages the anniversary
of the first Hell in a Cell match. The involvement
of high-profile figures like CM Punk, Drew McIntyre,
and the intertwining storylines with Roman Reigns
and Cody Rhodes adds layers to the event's narrative.
Fan
and Industry Buzz: There's considerable excitement
around the return of Bad Blood, especially concerning
how WWE will utilize the Hell in a Cell structure
this time, given its history with the event. Fan posts
on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) show anticipation
for the matches, particularly the potential main events,
and how WWE might script the outcomes to impact ongoing
WWE storylines.
This
event represents not just a wrestling spectacle but
a significant moment in WWE's calendar, blending nostalgia
with current rivalries, making Bad Blood 2024 a must-watch
for WWE fans. (Grok)
News
Beterbiev
vs Bivol: Clash of the Undefeated
The
latest on Beterbiev vs. Bivol, titled "Clash
of the Undefeated," centers around their upcoming
fight scheduled for October 12, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia. Here's what's been circulating and reported:
Fight
Details: Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) will face
Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) in a unification bout
for the IBF, WBC, WBO, and WBA light heavyweight titles,
marking a significant event in boxing as both fighters
are undefeated.
Beterbiev's
Condition: After a knee injury forced a postponement
from an initially planned June fight, Beterbiev has
confirmed his 100% recovery and readiness for this
bout. His approach to training and recovery underscores
his intent to maintain his 100% knockout record.
Bivol's
Perspective: Dmitry Bivol has expressed that this
fight is not personal but a professional challenge
to become the undisputed champion. His strategy likely
involves his well-known boxing skills, with an emphasis
on counterpunching and movement, aiming to possibly
outbox or even, as speculated by some like Chris Algieri,
potentially knock down Beterbiev.
Public
and Expert Opinions: There's a mix of predictions
and excitement around this match. Some fans and analysts
believe Bivol's boxing IQ and defensive skills might
give him an edge, while others favor Beterbiev's relentless
pressure and knockout power. The discussion often
revolves around whether Bivol's style can withstand
or adapt to Beterbiev's aggressive tactics.
Undercard
and Event: The undercard features notable fights,
enhancing the event's appeal. Names like Chris Eubank
Jr., Fabio Wardley, and Jai Opetaia add to the night's
boxing spectacle.
General
Sentiment: The fight is widely anticipated as one
of the biggest in 2024, not just for the titles at
stake but for the clash of styles and the potential
for defining moments in both fighters' careers. The
narrative around this fight often highlights the rarity
of seeing two such high-caliber, undefeated champions
facing off, especially at light heavyweight.
This
event is not just a fight for belts but is seen as
a significant moment in boxing, where the outcome
could solidify one fighter's legacy or dramatically
alter perceptions of both in the sport. (Grok)
News
AEW
Dynamite 5-Year Anniversary Show
The
AEW Dynamite 5-Year Anniversary Show, set for October
2, 2024, at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh,
PA, is gearing up to be a landmark event for All Elite
Wrestling. Here's what's on the slate based on the
latest information:
Main
Event: A high-stakes, title-for-title match is scheduled
where Bryan Danielson will defend his AEW World Championship
against Kazuchika Okada, who is bringing his AEW Continental
Championship into the match. However, there's a twist:
Okada's championship will only be on the line for
the first 20 minutes of the match. If the match goes
beyond that, only Danielson's AEW World Championship
remains in contention.
Another
Title Defense: Will Ospreay will defend his AEW International
Championship against Ricochet. This match has been
highlighted as part of the anniversary celebration.
Other
Matches:
Hangman Adam Page is set to face Juice Robinson. Dr.
Britt Baker, D.M.D. will return for a match, although
the opponent hasn't been specified in the latest updates
provided, there was mention of her facing Serena Deeb
in some fan discussions or reports.
Special
Features: The episode is not just about the matches
but also about celebrating five years of AEW Dynamite.
Tony Khan, AEW's President, has teased a significant
announcement which could potentially set the tone
for the future of AEW. This adds an element of anticipation
beyond the in-ring action.
Broadcast
Details: The show will have a significant overrun,
courtesy of TBS Network, indicating more content than
the usual runtime, possibly to accommodate the extra
matches or the celebration elements.
This
anniversary episode is not just a showcase of wrestling
talent but also a milestone for AEW, marking its growth
and the journey it has had over the past five years.
The inclusion of champion vs. champion matches underscores
AEW's commitment to big matches on big nights, promising
fans a memorable event to commemorate this occasion.
(Grok)
News
Danielson
vs. Okada: Title-for-Title Match
On
the 5-year anniversary of AEW Dynamite, a significant
wrestling event is scheduled for October 2, 2024,
in Pittsburgh, PA, where Bryan Danielson, the AEW
World Champion, will face Kazuchika Okada, holder
of the AEW Continental Title. This match is unique
as it features a title-for-title stipulation with
a twist: the Continental Championship, which usually
has a 20-minute time limit, will only be at stake
for the first 20 minutes of the match. However, the
World Championship, with its 60-minute time limit,
will remain in contention for the entire duration.
This setup has sparked varied reactions among wrestling
fans, with some questioning the effectiveness of the
stipulation, while others are excited about the potential
of the match. The event is set to be a highlight of
AEW Dynamite's milestone celebration, pitting two
of wrestling's top talents against each other in what
promises to be a memorable clash. (Grok)
News
Conor
McGregor's Stroll on Emirates Pitch
Conor
McGregor was spotted walking around the Emirates Stadium
pitch following Arsenal's victory over PSG in the
Champions League. Videos and photos showed McGregor
enjoying himself, including interactions with Arsenal
player Declan Rice. This appearance led to various
reactions and discussions online, with many finding
amusement in McGregor's post-match activities. Meanwhile,
Arsenal secured a 2-0 win against PSG, with goals
from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. The match also marked
the debut of Mikel Merino for Arsenal, who joined
from Real Sociedad. Additionally, Thomas Partey was
highlighted for his exceptional performance during
the game. However, there were concerns about Jurrien
Timber, who felt a muscular issue during the match,
prompting Arsenal to manage his playing time carefully.
(Grok)
Combat
Sports News/Profile via Grok
Combat
sports encompass a wide range of athletic competitions
where the primary objective is to physically subdue
an opponent. Here's a brief overview of some popular
forms:
1.
Boxing
Origin:
Ancient Greece, but modern boxing is often associated
with 18th-19th century England.
Rules:
Competitors use only their fists, wearing gloves,
and aim to score points by landing punches on the
opponent's upper body or head. A fight can end by
knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), or points
decision.
2.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
Origin:
While various forms of mixed combat have existed historically,
modern MMA was popularized through events like the
UFC starting in the 1990s.
Rules:
Allows a mix of striking and grappling techniques
from various martial arts. Fighters can win by knockout,
submission (tap out), judges' decision, or disqualification.
3.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)
Origin:
Derived from judo in Brazil in the early 20th century,
made famous by the Gracie family.
Rules:
Emphasizes ground fighting and submission holds. Competitors
aim to force a submission through joint locks or chokeholds.
Points can also be scored for position control and
takedowns.
4.
Wrestling
Freestyle
and Greco-Roman: Common in the Olympics, Greco-Roman
restricts holds below the waist.
Professional
Wrestling (Pro Wrestling): More entertainment-focused,
with choreographed matches, high flying moves, and
storylines.
5.
Kickboxing
Origin:
A group of stand-up combat sports based on kicking
and punching. It evolved from Karate, Muay Thai, and
Western boxing.
Rules:
Similar to boxing but includes kicks. Variants include
allowing knee strikes and elbows (influenced by Muay
Thai).
6.
Muay Thai
Origin:
Thailand, known as the "Art of Eight Limbs"
because it uses punches, kicks, elbows, and knees.
Rules:
Similar to kickboxing but with a heavier emphasis
on clinching (a kind of standing grapple) and use
of all eight points of contact.
7.
Judo
Origin:
Japan, developed by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th century
as a physical, mental, and moral pedagogy.
Rules:
Based on throws (Nage-waza) and ground techniques
(Katame-waza). The objective is to either throw or
takedown an opponent to the ground, immobilize them,
or force a submission through joint locks or strangles.
8.
Karate
Origin:
Okinawa, Japan, with influences from Chinese martial
arts.
Styles:
Many styles with different focuses, but generally
emphasizes striking with punches, kicks, knee strikes,
and open-hand techniques like knife-hands.
9.
Taekwondo
Origin:
Korea, developed in the 1940s and 1950s.
Rules: Known for its high, fast, and spinning kicks.
Competitors
score points in Olympic Taekwondo for strikes to the
torso or head.
10.
Krav Maga
Origin:
Israel, designed as a self-defense system for the
Israel Defense Forces.
Rules:
Not typically a sport, but some organizations hold
competitions. Focuses on real-world scenarios, aiming
to neutralize threats quickly and efficiently.
Each
combat sport has its unique culture, training methods,
and competitive environments, reflecting diverse historical,
cultural, and practical contexts. If you're interested
in any particular sport, each has its own set of governing
bodies, leagues, and famous athletes or events that
could be explored further! (Grok)
Media
Man
News
Streaming
Movies Top 10 (North America)
August
27, 2024
1.
Furiosa (Max)
2.
The Union (Netflix)
3.
Jackpot (Prime Video)
4.
The Instigators (Apple TV+)
5.
Alien (Hulu)
6.
The Bikeriders (Peacock)
7.
Immaculate (Hulu)
8.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Hulu)
9.
Alien: Covenant (Hulu)
10.
Twister (Max)
News
Top
10 Streaming TV (North America)
August
27, 2024
1.
Bad Monkey (Apple TV+)
2.
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
3.
Industry (Max)
4.
The Bear (Hulu)
5.
From (Prime Video)
6.
Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+)
7.
Emily in Paris (Netflix)
8.
Time Bandits (Apple TV+)
9.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Netflix)
10.
Evil (Paramount+)
Media
Man
News
(Australia) via Roy Morgan
Shares
climb for fifth session; miners drop
August
16, 2024
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
The
Australian sharemarket posted another modest gain
on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.2 per
cent to close at 7,865.5 points. NRW Holdings rose
9.7 per cent to $3.50, Magellan Financial Group was
up 7.6 per cent at $10.44. However, a fall in the
iron ore price weighed on local producers of the steel
input, with Fortescue down 2.9 per cent at $16.82
and Rio Tinto retreating 3.6 per cent to end the session
at $108.40.
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
News
Apple
opens up tap-and-go but banks wary
Westpac
CEO Peter King has welcomed an announcement by Apple
that it will allow banks to offer payments directly
from their customers' iPhones without the use of its
Apple Pay platform. Apple's decision appears to have
been forced upon it by a European antitrust deal in
July, with Australia's banks having been involved
in an ongoing stoush with Apple in a bid to force
it to open up its devices to other financial services
operators. King said Apple's decision could result
in more competition and choice for consumers.
News
ASIC
'was warned about problems with ASX CHESS upgrade'
The
Australian Securities & Investments Commission
launched legal action against the ASX this week, alleging
it made "misleading and deceptive" statements
to investors about the status of the upgrade of the
CHESS clearing and settlement system. It has been
revealed that a technology vendor that was liaising
with the ASX in regard to the CHESS upgrade wrote
a letter to ASIC in 2021 outlining various concerns
it had about the upgrade, while former Sydney Futures
Exchange and ASX senior manager Phillip Galvin raised
concerns over the CHESS program with the then Reserve
Bank assistant governor Michele Bullock in 2021.
News
Qld
govt, Rio forge deal to keep smelter viable
Rio
Tinto wrote off the value of its stake in the Boyne
smelter aluminium smelter in 2023, citing high energy
costs. However, the resources group has committed
to operating Boyne at full capacity until the end
of 2040 after securing a deal with the Queensland
government that is believed to include subsidised
energy costs for the smelter. Premier Steven Miles
says the Rio Tinto deal will help protect Queensland
jobs; the Gladstone smelter directly employs more
than 1,000 people and boasts annual production capacity
of more than 500,000 tonnes of aluminium.
News
Virtual
power plant as big as coal power station
Origin
Energy has used the release of its annual results
on Thursday to advise that its virtual power plant
had grown to 1.385 gigawatts from 815 megawatts last
year, with 1.385 gigawatts equating to the size of
an average coal-fired power station. It comes a day
after AGL stated that its virtual power plant had
grown to 1.25GW from 1.1GW last year. Virtual power
plants are 'aggregations' of customer-owned energy
resources such as solar panels, home batteries and
electric vehicle chargers; they can be commandeered
by an energy retailer with the customer's permission
during grid 'squeezes' to avert blackouts and moderate
prices.
News
KPMG
partner income slides 9pc to $650,000
Consulting
firm KPMG has reported 2023-24 revenue of $2.2 billion,
down 3.6 per cent, while average partner income was
down nine per cent to $650,000; KPMG's average partner
income compares to average partner income of about
$814,000 at EY and between $430,000 and $516,000 at
Deloitte. Like its consulting firm rivals, KPMG has
been hit by the downturn in demand for advisory services
from the public sector, while private sector demand
is down as a result of companies cutting costs in
response to higher interest rates.
News
Judge
slams Victoria over class actions
NSW
Chief Justice Andrew Bell has told the Association
of Litigation Funders that 2020 legislation in Victoria
that introduced contingency fees had "skewed"
the market for class actions. He noted there had been
a blanket prohibition on contingency fees prior to
then, and that the new class action regime in Victoria
had overridden both solicitor conduct rules and the
Legal Profession Uniform Law (LUPL) of 2015. Bell
claims the recent increase in the number of class
actions being filed in Victoria was not because of
the quality of its judges but because of the opportunity
for solicitors "to take a slice of the outcome
of litigation".
News
Telstra
rejigs game plan
Telstra
is to ask the federal government to reconsider the
so-called universal service obligation, which requires
it to connect Australians through a copper network
at a time when the use of home phones is on the decline.
The network is still used for home phones and some
NBN connections, but Telstra is suggesting it could
be replaced in some areas with quicker satellite connections
or other technologies that make it easier to download
data. Telstra's call for the universal service obligation
to be changed came as it reported its latest annual
results, with its net profit for the 12 months to
June 30 down 13 per cent to $1.79 billion.
News
'Woefully
short': Dearth of cyber security specialists leaves
Australians vulnerable
A
report by security firm StickmanCyber claims Australia
has just 11,300 cyber security workers spread across
hundreds of thousands of businesses, with StickmanCyber
CEO Ajay Unni saying the number of cyber security
specialists is "woefully short" of what
is required to combat modern cyber security threats.
StickmanCyber's report also found that just 16 per
cent of cyber security workers in Australia are female,
while the majority of them are migrant workers; its
report comes at a time when Australia has experienced
a big increase in cyber attacks on companies in recent
times, with those on Optus and Medibank two of the
more notable ones.
News
IV
scandal: excuses are fluid
The
Therapeutic Goods Administration is claiming that
there is a global shortage of intravenous fluids such
as saline, but health authorities in other parts of
the world do not seem to be having the same problems
as Australia, where hospitals are experiencing a severe
shortage of IV fluid bags. People from within the
pharmaceutical industry contend the IV crisis is due
to the lack of a functional national procurement policy,
with state governments each having contracts for the
supply of saline fluid. For its part, the TGA states
that the federal government is working with state
and territory governments, and with private hospitals,
to minimise any impact on patient care.
News
Bookies
join call to ban gambling ads on jerseys
Bookmaking
firms Sportsbet, Pointsbet and Entain contend that
excluding wagering companies' logos on jerseys and
signs at stadiums from a clampdown on gambling advertising
on TV is "illogical". Sportsbet is the biggest
online bookmaker and the sector's largest advertiser,
and it is the first time it has publicly backed a
ban on wagering logos on jerseys and signs. Their
comments come as the federal government continues
to come under attack for its apparent reluctance to
implement a complete ban on gambling advertising,
as recommended by a bipartisan inquiry led by late
Labor MP Peta Murphy.
News
Casinos
to get cash reprieve in NSW after carded play delay
A
spokesperson for NSW Gaming Minister David Harris
has confirmed that The Star Sydney and Crown Barangaroo
casinos will be able to accept cash bets of up to
$5,000 for another 12 months, instead being limited
to $1,000 from Monday as was previously planned. The
spokesman also said that Harris had agreed to extend
The Star's deadline to roll out mandatory carded play
across its operations until 19 October, with the extension
of the deadline by a month coming as a result of a
request from new Star CEO Steve McCann.
News
United
States
Signed
up to Disney+? Disney says you can never sue the company,
even for wrongful death
An
American man is suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
over the death of his wife, with Jeffrey Piccolo claiming
she died as a result of an allergic reaction to food
served at an eatery in Walt Disney World Resort. Disney
is seeking to have the case thrown out because Piccolo
had previously signed up to a free trial of Disney+,
and that in doing so he had agreed never to sue it.
His lawyers have described Disney's argument as "absurd",
while they also argue while he may have agreed to
its term, he did not do so on behalf of his wife or
her estate.
News
Live
music industry on its knees and pleading for a government
lifeline on insurance costs
An
increasing number of Australian music festivals are
being cancelled or deferred, with many citing increased
insurance costs as one of the main reasons for their
action. Live music venues are also being hit by higher
insurance costs, with one Adelaide pub reporting an
increase in its public liability insurance from $10,000
to $40,000 as a result of it offering live music.
The National Cultural Policy Senate inquiry used its
interim report to recommend that the federal government
work with festival providers and the insurance sector
to reduce insurance premiums for festivals, as well
as investigating options to ensure "access to
insurance is available to small and medium operators".
News
Mining
And Resources
Pilbara
takes $560m punt on Brazil lithium project
Lithium
producer Pilbara Minerals will diversity its operations
beyond Western Australia with a takeover bid for Latin
Resources, which owns the Salinas project in Brazil.
Pilbara Minerals is offering 0.07 of its shares for
every share in Latin Resources, valuing the latter
at about $560m. Pilbara Minerals CEO Dale Henderson
has defended the takeover bid for Latin Resources,
amid doubts among some analysts about the merits of
the deal. Kaan Peker from RBC Capital Markets contends
that there may be few synergies given the distance
between WA and Brazil.
News
Indonesia
learns a lesson from cosying up to China
Chinese
investments have helped Indonesia to become the world's
dominant producer of nickel, which is a key mineral
in the production of electric vehicles. However, the
Chinese investment in its nickel sector makes it difficult
for Indonesia to access the tax credits available
under the US Inflation Reduction Act; tax credits
are not available to minerals produced by companies
with more than 25 per cent Chinese ownership, with
China viewed as a 'foreign entity of concern".
Another problem that Indonesia has in regard to accessing
the IRA tax credits is that it does not have a free
trade agreement with the US, which is a requirement
for its nickel to be IRA-compliant.
News
Inquiry
leaves door ajar for WA gas exports
A
Western Australian parliamentary inquiry has concluded
that the state's onshore gas producers should be permitted
to export their output, so long as the sector can
address a looming domestic shortage, with WA facing
a shortfall of up to 30 per cent of its total gas
demand in the next decade. Onshore gas producers have
argued that being able to export gas would make it
easier for them to access greater international investment,
and produce more domestic gas, while Wesfarmers and
other large gas consumers oppose overturning the current
ban on onshore producers exporting their gas.
News
Chinese
cuts drive iron ore price to 21-month low
The
price of iron ore has fallen to its lowest point since
November 2022, being at $95.25 a tonne, with the price
of iron ore having topped $US144 on 3 January. It
comes after the National Bureau of Statistics of China
revealed that steel production in July was 82.94 million
tonnes, down nine per cent on the previous month,
while production for the first seven months of 2024
was down 2.2 per cent on the same seven months in
2023; China Baowu Steel, the country's largest steel
maker, has warned the sector faces a crisis more severe
than the downturns of 2008 and 2015.
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
crypto.com
Currencies
Bitcoin
News Cryptocurrency
News Gold
News
Media
Man News Facebook
Google
News
Search
Engine Directory
MediaManNews.net
Media
and Marketing News
Big
Tech Media
Bitcoin
News
Wrestling
News Boxing
News MMA
News
 
 
Media
Services
PRNEWS.IO
EIN
Presswire
EIN
Presswire Deal via Media Man Group
Media
Release aka Press Release (Media Man Int0
Media
Directory
Fox
Business wins Media Man 'Business Website Of The Month'
and "News Media Website Of The Month' award
News
Articles On Pop Culture, Entertainment, Sports, Casino,
Wrestling...
News,
Politics, Art, Illustrations, Creative, Content and
more showcased via Media Man Facebook and social media;
Art and news do mix
LinkedIn
News wins Media Man News Agreggator Of The Month
award again;
LinkedIn
News Australia is runner-up
'Powerhouse':
WWE, UFC merge to create $21b sporting giant
Expert.
Experience. Authority. Trustworthiness
News
Niche
media, marketing and media campaigns the way to go,
says Media Man agency
WWE’s
Triple H: Roman Reigns-Cody Rhodes story not over,
By Mike Mooneyham
Cryptocurrency
News via Media Man and FxPro
FxPro
PxPro:
News
July
1, 2024
Buyers
failed to pick up on the crypto market
Market
picture
The
crypto market has been enjoying an influx of buyers
since Saturday, with a visible acceleration on Monday.
Over the past 24 hours, capitalisation has risen 3.6%
to $2.33 trillion. Last week’s drop in the crypto
sentiment index to 30 (fear zone) reversed the price
twice, showing that the market is dominated by a ‘buy
the dip’ pattern.
Bitcoin
is trading near $63.3K, adding 5% since Saturday morning
and reaffirming the importance of support at 61.8%
of the Jan-March rally. From another perspective,
Bitcoin is adding and bouncing off the lower boundary
of the downward channel. Likely, the price is now
moving towards the upper boundary at $67K. However,
cautious buyers may prefer to wait for confirmation
with the price rising above $72-73K - the pivot area
of the last four months - which would be confirmation
of the start of a new impulsive wave of growth.
Bitcoin
ended June down 8.5% to $61.9K. In terms of seasonality,
July is considered quite successful for BTC, adding
eight times (22.3% on average) out of the last 13
and declining on five occasions (-7.8% on average).
News
background
In
terms of on-chain analysis, quotes have crossed the
realised price level of short-term holders at $62,000,
which historically can act as support during corrections
in bull markets.
According
to Arkham data, German authorities sent another 595
BTC worth ~$36.6 million to crypto exchanges on 26
June. Authorities began actively moving the cryptocurrency
on 19 June, when some of it first hit the Kraken and
Bitstamp exchanges.
Bitwise
forecasts net inflows into spot ETH-ETFs in the US
of $15bn in the first 18 months. Bloomberg expects
trading in the new product to start on 2 July.
Solana
Foundation has launched tools that enable it to turn
any website or app into a gateway for cryptocurrency
payments and other blockchain transactions.
On
26 June, the Blast development team completed the
first phase of an airdrop, distributing 17 billion
BLAST tokens (17% of the total issuance). Blast is
an Ethereum-based layer 2 (L2) network that was launched
in November 2023 by Blur founder under the pseudonym
Pacman. In terms of blockchain value locked (TVL),
the Blast ecosystem is ranked sixth in the DeFi Llama
ranking with a value of $1.58bn.
Media Man Int
Business
News (Media Man Int) http://mediamanint.com/articles/business_news.html
Bitcoin
News (Media Man Int) http://mediamanint.com/bitcoin_news.html
Blockchain
News (Media Man Int) https://mediamanint.com/blockchain_news.html
Cryptocurrency
News (Media Man Int) http://mediamanint.com/cryptocurrency_news.html
Gold
Directory (Media Man Int) http://mediamanint.com/articles/gold_directory.html
Mining
Directory (Media Man Int) *in progress http://mediamanint.com/articles/mining_directory.html
Commodities
News (Media Man Int) *in progress http://mediamanint.com/commodities_news.html
Punk,
Danielson would give All Elite Wrestling big boost
- August 8th, 2021
How
UFC Got Social Media Right; WWE taking the fight online
via social media and people power
Pop
Culture/Streaming Entertainment
Top
10 Movies Streaming (United States)
1.
The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Hulu)
2.
Deadpool 2 (Disney+)
3.
Twister (Max)
4.
Deadpool (Disney+)
5.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Netflix)
6.
Tarot (Netflix)
7.
If (Paramount+)
8.
Wicked Little Letters (Netflix)
9.
Challengers (MGM+)
10.
Abigail (Peacock)
Others
The
Beekeeper (Prime Video)
Find
Me Falling (Netflix)
My
Spy: The Eternal City (Netflix)
*correct
at time of publication
Streaming
TV (United States)
Top
10 TV
1.
House of the Dragon (Max)
2.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Netflix)
3.
Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+)
4.
Batman: Caped Crusader (Prime Video)
5.
Time Bandits (Apple TV+)
6.
The Decameron (Netflix)
7.
The Bear (Hulu)
8.
The Boys (Prime Video)
9.
Mayor of Kingstown (Paramount+)
10.
Evil (Paramount+)
Streaming
Service
An
online provider of entertainment (music, movies, multi-episode
series, etc.) that delivers content over an Internet
connection to the subscriber's computer, TV or mobile
device.
Netflix,
Amazon Prime, Binge (Australia), Kayo Sports (Australia),
Hulu, HBO, Disney, ESPN Plus, Gaia, Passionflix, Spotify,
Discovery, Peacock, Paramount Plus, Triller TV, UFC
Fight Pass, WWE Network and Apple TV+ are examples
of paid streaming services.
Examples
of free services include Amazon ABC iView, Freedive,
Free TV, Hoopla, Kanopy, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Snagfilms,
Sony Crackle, SBS On Demand, Tubi TV, VUDU and Xumo.
Media
Man Int
Media
Man Int X
Elon
Musk’s X Files Antitrust Suit Against Global
Advertising Alliance
August
6, 2024
Elon
Musk’s social media platform X has launched a
significant antitrust lawsuit against the Global Alliance
for Responsible Media (GARM) and several of its member
companies, alleging an illegal ad boycott that targeted
the platform. The lawsuit, filed in Texas, is aimed
at GARM, its parent firm World Federation of Advertisers
(WFA), and members including CVS Health, Mars, Orsted
and Unilever.
In
an open letter to advertisers, X CEO Linda Yaccarino
highlighted the reasons behind the lawsuit, stating
that it was a direct response to GARM’s actions
which allegedly cost the company billions of dollars.
“This is not a decision we took lightly, but
it is a direct consequence of their actions,”
Yaccarino wrote. “The illegal behavior of these
organizations and their executives cost X billions
of dollars” per The New York Post.
The
lawsuit is seeking trebled compensatory damages and
injunctive relief, according to a complaint viewed
by The New York Post. GARM, led by Robert Rakowitz,
is an initiative of the WFA, which represents many
of the world’s largest companies and ad organizations,
including Disney and Coca-Cola. Its members control
90% of global marketing spending, nearly $1 trillion
per year.
Yaccarino
emphasized that the issue extends beyond financial
damages. “This case is about more than damages
— we have to fix a broken ecosystem that allows
this illegal activity to occur,” she added.
According
to The New York Post, the suit argues that the boycott
undermined the marketplace of ideas by financially
harming certain viewpoints over others. (Credit: PYMNTS)
Full
article and coverage via PYMNTS
https://pymnts.com/cpi-posts/elon-musks-x-files-antitrust-suit-against-global-advertising-alliance/
PYMNTS
is a former Media Man 'Business News Outlet Of The
Month' award winner and finalist
News
Elon
Musk takes GARM, several companies to court over alleged
advertising boycott of X outlined in bombshell report
August
7, 2024
Tech
billionaire Elon Musk has taken several companies
and an advertising alliance to court over allegations
of a "boycott" of X.
Elon
Musk has waged “war” against advertisers
as his social media platform X filed an antitrust
lawsuit against a global ad alliance and several major
companies, accusing them of illegally boycotting the
site.
X
filed a suit in a federal court in Texas against the
World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), the Global
Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and its members
CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever.
The
suit comes after a report from the US House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee found GARM and its members “directly
organised boycotts” and employed other indirect
tactics to target disfavoured “platforms, content
creators” and news organisations to demonetise
them.
It
alleges that GARM’s boycott led advertisers to
pull money from X under the guise of “brand safety”
concerns.
X’s
CEO Linda Yaccarino argued this tactic hindered users
on the social media platform from accessing a wide
breadth of ideas by funding alternative viewpoints.
“The
consequence - perhaps the intent - of this boycott
was to seek to deprive X’s users, be they sports
fans, gamers, journalists, activists, parents or political
and corporate leaders, of the Global Town Square,”
she wrote.
“To
put it simply, people are hurt when the marketplace
of ideas is undermined and some viewpoints are not
funded over others as part of an illegal boycott.”
Mr
Musk shared his colleague’s statement to the
platform and boldly declared: “We tried peace
for 2 years, now it is war.”
He
later encouraged “any company who has been systematically
boycotted” to file a suit.
Following
his post, video sharing platform Rumble joined Mr
Musk’s lawsuit, claiming it has also been impacted
towards GARM’s alleged skew away from right wing
voices and ideologies.
The
platform announced its move on X where it accused
GARM of being “a conspiracy to perpetrate an
advertiser boycott of Rumble and others, and that's
illegal”.
Since
Musk took over the social media platform in October
2022, X has suffered a serious dive in ad dollars
with the platform taking in US$2.5 billion in 2023,
according to Bloomberg.
This
was down from the US$1bn it was bringing in every
quarter of 2022.
Musk
triggered controversy again in November 2023 when
he endorsed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that
Jewish communities push “hatred against whites”.
The
X owner responded: “You have said the actual
truth,” sparking an advertiser exodus that was
reported to have lost the company as much as $75m,
per The New York Times.
He
made headlines again in the same month after blasting
advertisers boycotting the social media platform,
boldly declaring: “Go f**k yourself”.
“If
somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising,
blackmail me with money, go f**k yourself. Go f**k
yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is,” he said.
(Sky News Australia)
Full
article and coverage via Sky News Australia
https://www.skynews.com.au/business/media/elon-musk-takes-garm-several-companies-to-court-over-alleged-advertising-boycott-of-x-outlined-in-bombshell-report/news-story/7bac6243aada770042d14ca84afc23e7
Technology
News (Media Man Int) https://mediamanint.com/news3.html
Advertising
News (Media Man Int) https://mediamanint.com/advertising_news.html
Media
News (Media Man Int) https://mediamanint.com/news2.html
Yahoo
Finance wins Media Man 'Business News Outlet Of
The Month' award
PYMNTS
wins Media Man 'Businees News Outlet Of The Month'
award
Market,
Commodities and Financial News Snapshot via Media
Man
August
7, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6520 USD (up $0.0024 USD)
Iron
Ore Sep Spot Price (SGX): $102.85 USD (down $0.70
USD)
Oil
Price (WTI): $72.96 USD (down $1.02 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,389.45 USD (down $19.96 USD)
Copper
Price (CME): $4.0095 USD (up $0.0085 USD)
Bitcoin:
$56,485.71 USD (up 3.10% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 38,997.66 at 5.02pm NY time (up 294.39 points
on yesterday's close)
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
Paramount+
to become an Official Partner of Formula 1 in a new
multi-year deal
Sports
Streaming Operators, News and Promotions: Brands,
Breaking News
Super
Bowl LVII Will Be "Monumental" Day in History...Here's
What Bettors Are Backing (Gambling911)
Super
Bowl - American Football - WWE sports entertainment
connection
AI
News
Elon
Musk: News Google
News Search
News Property
News Casino
News
Super
Bowl LVII Will Be "Monumental" Day in History...Here's
What Bettors Are Backing (Gambling911)
Sports
News Update
X's
Grok Helps Keep Online Publishers, Newsrooms Up To
Speed; Media Man
August
2, 2024
News
U.F.C.
Abu Dhabi Fight Card
The
UFC event in Abu Dhabi on August 3rd, 2024, is generating
significant discussion among fans and analysts. The
main event features Umar Nurmagomedov against Cory
Sandhagen, with Nurmagomedov being favored by many.
The card includes other notable fighters like Deiveson
Figueiredo, Marlon Vera, and Shara. Predictions and
betting odds are being shared across social media,
and Khabib Nurmagomedov is expected to be in Umar's
corner. The event is free to watch on ABC Network,
further enhancing its accessibility and viewership.
Tony Ferguson has expressed his desire to continue
fighting in the UFC, while other fighters like Figueiredo
and Vera are also generating interest among fans.
The event promises to be an exciting showcase of talent
and competition in the world of mixed martial arts.
(Grok)
News
UFC
Abu Dhabi Event
The
upcoming UFC event in Abu Dhabi on August 2, 2024,
is generating significant buzz, featuring a main event
between undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov and Cory Sandhagen.
The event is free to watch on ABC Network and includes
notable fighters such as Deiveson Figueiredo and Marlon
Vera. The card also features Tony Ferguson, who has
expressed his desire to continue fighting in the UFC.
The event is anticipated to be a major one, with Khabib
Nurmagomedov expected to be in Umar's corner. Betting
predictions and discussions are prevalent across social
media platforms, with various analysts and fans sharing
their insights and picks for the fights.
News
Survivor
Series: WarGames in Vancouver
WWE
has announced that Survivor Series 2024 will be held
in Vancouver, Canada, marking the first WWE pay-per-view
event in the city since 1998. The event, featuring
the WarGames match format, is scheduled for November
30 at Rogers Arena. This decision has sparked excitement
among wrestling fans and local residents, with many
expressing enthusiasm about attending the event in
Vancouver. (Grok)
News
SummerSlam
Predictions and Anticipation
WWE
SummerSlam 2024 is generating significant anticipation
among fans, with many expressing excitement and making
predictions about the outcomes of various matches.
Key discussions revolve around potential returns of
prominent wrestlers such as Roman Reigns and The Rock,
as well as the outcomes of matches like Cody Rhodes
vs. Solo Sikoa and Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley. The
event is set to feature a variety of matches that
fans are eagerly awaiting, including those involving
LA Knight, Logan Paul, and Gunther. The overall sentiment
is one of excitement and speculation, with fans looking
forward to a thrilling event. (Grok)
News
Rampage
Debuts for MxM & Private Party on AEW
All
Elite Wrestling (AEW) is gearing up for an exciting
lineup of events, including the highly anticipated
All In event scheduled for August 25, 2024. The event
is generating significant buzz among fans and is anticipated
to surpass the success of the previous year's event.
The card for All In features high-stakes matches such
as Bryan Danielson putting his career on the line
against Swerve, MJF facing Will Ospreay, and a tag
team grudge match involving Darby Allin, FTR, and
ROH Champion Sussex Co. Chicken against formidable
opponents. AEW is also promoting other shows like
AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage, which feature matches
like Hangman Page vs. Darby Allin and MxM Collection's
debut against Private Party, respectively. The promotion
is leveraging various platforms and media to engage
with fans and build anticipation for these events.
(Grok)
News
Crawford
vs Madrimov: Pre-Fight Press Conference
Terence
Crawford and Israil Madrimov are set to face off in
a highly anticipated boxing match on August 3rd, as
part of the Riyadh Season Card. The event, which will
be available on PPV, has generated significant buzz
among boxing fans and media. The undercard for the
event is also noted for its quality, featuring a heavyweight
bout between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Jarrell Miller, as
well as other notable fights. The event is expected
to be a major draw, with fans eagerly anticipating
the outcome of the main event between Crawford and
Madrimov. (Grok)
News
TNA
Wrestling: Rascalz vs. Bailey, Seven & KUSHIDA
TNA
Wrestling's iMPACT episode on August 1, 2024, featured
a lineup of exciting matches and events. The show
included a TNA World Title match between Nic Nemeth
and Mustafa Ali, as well as the wedding of PCO and
Steph De Lander. Other matches included The Rascalz
in action against Mike Bailey, Trent Seven, and KUSHIDA
in a six-man tag team match, Frankie Kazarian vs.
Ryan Nemeth, and Jody Threat vs. Masha Slamovich.
The event was broadcasted on various platforms including
TNA+, AXS TV, DAZN, and YouTube, catering to a wide
audience. Fans and wrestling enthusiasts expressed
their anticipation and excitement for the event across
social media platforms. (Grok)
ROH
Ring
of Honor (ROH) is a professional wrestling promotion
recently acquired by Tony Khan, CEO of All Elite Wrestling
(AEW), Chief Football Strategy Officer of the Jacksonville
Jaguars, and GM/Sporting Director of Fulham F.C. ROH
has been holding events and television tapings, with
notable developments including Sammy Guevara's return
to help Dustin Rhodes against the Dark Order at the
July 28th tapings. The promotion has been building
new stars and continues to feature high-profile matches
and events. (Grok)
News
WWE
2K24 Online Stability Hotfix
WWE
2K24 released Patch 1.14 to address online stability
issues, which was automatically applied upon game
loading. The update aimed to fix problems with the
Pat McAfee Show Pack DLC for PS5 users, which was
resolved, allowing the pack to be downloaded. However,
the patch also caused issues with mods on PC, and
some users reported problems with Titantrons in create
an entrance and the unavailability of DLC for PlayStation
5 users. Despite these issues, WWE 2K24 encouraged
players to participate in a giveaway for SummerSlam
and provided a locker code for 7500 VC. (Grok)
Max
Verstappen's Potential Mercedes Move
Speculation
is rife about Max Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes,
fueled by recent high-profile departures from Red
Bull Racing. Despite the rumors, some fans express
skepticism about the likelihood of such a move. The
discussion also touches on the stability of other
drivers' positions within their teams, with some questioning
the rationale behind certain team decisions. Additionally,
there is discussion about the performance comparison
between Verstappen and his teammate, Perez, at Red
Bull Racing. (Grok)
News
Wheatley's
Move from Red Bull to Audi F1
Jonathan
Wheatley, the long-serving sporting director at Red
Bull Racing, is set to leave the team at the end of
the 2024 season to become the new team principal of
the Audi Formula 1 project. This move has been confirmed
by Red Bull and widely reported across various Formula
1 news outlets. Audi has not officially commented
on Wheatley's appointment, and there are indications
that they were not expecting the announcement. Wheatley's
departure marks a significant change in leadership
for Red Bull and a notable acquisition for Audi as
it prepares to enter Formula 1. The transition is
expected to take place after the 2024 season, with
Wheatley remaining in his current role until then.
(Grok)
News
WWE
NXT Great American Bash Week One
The
WWE NXT Great American Bash kicked off with a series
of exciting matches and events, including a WWE Women's
Tag Team Championship match where Alba Fyre &
Isla Dawn defended their titles against Jakara Jackson
& Lash Legend. Other highlights included a NXT
Women’s Championship match between Roxanne Perez
and Thea Hail, a live concert by Joe Hendry, and a
NXT Heritage Cup match between Tony D'Angelo and Tavion
Heights. Fans and commentators expressed excitement
and anticipation for the event, with many rooting
for their favorite wrestlers and speculating on potential
outcomes. (Grok)
News
NXT
Women's Championship: Roxanne Perez Retains
Roxanne
Perez successfully defended her NXT Women's Championship
against Thea Hail in a highly acclaimed match at NXT
GAB. The match was praised for its intensity and the
young ages of the competitors, with both being under
23 years old. The event also featured other notable
matches, including Joe Hendry expressing frustration
with Gallus and a confirmed match between Joe Hendry
and Joe Coffey for the following week. The overall
event was well-received, highlighting the talent and
potential of the NXT roster. (Grok)
News
Bowlin
Graham's Pocono Win Secures Playoff Spot
Graham
Bowlin secured a spot in the 2024 eNASCAR Coca-Cola
iRacing Series playoffs with a win at Pocono Raceway.
Despite missing out on the playoffs, drivers from
Spire Motorsports expressed pride in their team's
efforts. Nick Ottinger also secured a playoff spot,
marking the seventh consecutive season Team Conti
has fielded at least one car in the post-season. The
playoff lineup includes Steven Wilson, Parker White,
Nick Ottinger, Graham Bowlin, Vicente Salas, Bobby
Zalenski, Tucker Minter, Garrett Lowe, Dylan Duval,
and Daniel Faulkingham. (Grok)
News
CM
Punk's Top 5 Wrestlers of All Time
During
an interview on ESPN's First Take, CM Punk named his
top-5 wrestlers of all time, which included Harley
Race, Terry Funk, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Eddie Guerrero,
and initially Ricky Steamboat, but he later switched
to Roddy Piper. This selection sparked discussions
among fans and commentators, with some expressing
surprise at the absence of Bret Hart from the list.
Punk also highlighted Stone Cold Steve Austin as the
biggest superstar in the industry. The interview took
place ahead of SummerSlam 2024, which is set to occur
in a few days, generating anticipation among wrestling
fans. (Grok)
News
Cedric
Alexander's NXT Victory
Cedric
Alexander emerged victorious in a match against Brooks
Jensen on the WWE NXT show. The win was unexpected
by some fans and commentators, and it was celebrated
by many on social media. The event also featured other
matches and announcements, including a promo by Pete
Dunne about his upcoming match with Trick Williams.
(Grok)
News
UFC
Abu Dhabi Event
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is set to host
a highly anticipated event in Abu Dhabi this Saturday,
featuring a stacked card of fights. Notable fighters
on the card include Tony Ferguson, Cory Sandhagen,
and Mackenzie Dern. The event is free and open to
the public, with a live broadcast on various platforms.
Fans and analysts are discussing the matchups and
sharing their predictions and betting tips for the
fights. Cory Sandhagen is a key focus of the event,
with many fans and analysts predicting a strong performance
from him in his fight against Umar Nurmagomedov. (Grok)
News
AEW
Returns and Criticisms
The
recent episode of AEW's Dynamite received mixed reactions
from fans and critics, sparking discussions on various
aspects of the show. Topics included the return of
a star after a five-month absence, the company's approach
to pushing certain talents, and comparisons between
AEW and WWE. Some fans expressed disappointment in
the show's content and booking decisions, while others
praised specific moments and storylines. The discourse
highlighted a range of opinions and critiques regarding
AEW's current direction and its relationship with
its audience and competitors. (Grok)
News
AEW
Collision Viewership Drop Amid Summer Events
AEW
Collision viewership experienced a significant drop,
averaging 383,000 viewers with a 0.12 P18-49 rating,
marking a 19% decrease from the previous week. This
decline was attributed to tough competition from the
Olympics. Meanwhile, WWE's SummerSlam is generating
anticipation, with fans expressing mixed feelings
about the event and the potential outcomes for their
favorite wrestlers. (Grok)
News
Grok
Search: TNA Wrestling
Total
Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) is an American professional
wrestling promotion founded in 2002 by Jeff Jarrett
and Jerry Jarrett. It is currently owned by Anthem
Sports & Entertainment and is based in Nashville,
Tennessee. TNA was initially known as NWA: Total Nonstop
Action until 2004 when it rebranded to its current
name.
TNA
has been known for its innovative matches and storylines,
and it has featured many notable wrestlers such as
Kurt Angle, Sting, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Jeff
Hardy. The promotion has also been praised for its
women's division, known as the Knockouts Division,
which features some of the top female wrestlers in
the world.
TNA
has faced a number of challenges over the years, including
changes in ownership and a decline in viewership.
However, the promotion has continued to produce entertaining
and innovative content, and it remains a significant
player in the world of professional wrestling. (Grok)
News
Umar
vs Sandhagen for Title Shot
Umar
Nurmagomedov is set to face Cory Sandhagen at UFC
Abu Dhabi, with the winner potentially earning a title
shot against the victor of the Sean O'Malley vs Merab
Dvalishvili bout. The event also features Tony Ferguson,
who is looking to make a comeback. The fight card
is generating significant interest and betting activity
among fans and analysts. Additionally, there are discussions
about potential matchups for Shakur Stevenson, including
a verbal agreement for a fight with William Zepeda,
although no official agreement has been reached yet.
The event is also notable for Khabib Nurmagomedov's
involvement in Umar's corner. (Grok)
News
Ruiz
vs Miller: Boxing Showdown in Riyadh
On
August 3, 2024, a significant boxing event is set
to take place featuring several high-profile matches.
The main event includes a face-off between Andy Ruiz
and Jarrell Miller, which has garnered significant
attention and anticipation. Other notable fights on
the card include a matchup between Isaac Pitbull and
Jose Valenzuela, which is expected to be a highlight
of the evening. Additionally, the event features the
return of Andy Cruz against Antonio Moran, adding
to the excitement. The event is part of the Riyadh
Season and will be broadcasted on ESPN Plus PPV. (Grok)
News
Russell
Disqualified, Hamilton Wins Belgian GP
Lewis
Hamilton was declared the winner of the Belgian Grand
Prix after his teammate George Russell was disqualified
for having an underweight car. Russell initially crossed
the line first but was stripped of his win due to
the technical violation. Hamilton's victory marked
his second win in three races, sparking discussions
among fans and commentators about the nature of his
win and Russell's performance. The disqualification
also led to Oscar Piastri being promoted to second
place, and Charles Leclerc finishing third for Ferrari.
(Grok)
News
F1
Drivers Pole Positions and Race Outcomes Debate
In
recent Formula 1 races, Charles Leclerc has been praised
for his ability to secure pole positions and maintain
leads in a slower car, contrasting with Lando Norris's
performance in a faster car. Max Verstappen has consistently
performed well, often starting from lower positions
and finishing higher, despite debates about the relative
performance of his car. The current season is highly
competitive, with several drivers from different teams
closely competing in points, highlighting the tight
competition in Formula 1. (Grok)
News
US
Women's Rugby Wins First Olympic Medal
The
United States women's rugby sevens team won their
first Olympic medal, a bronze, in a dramatic match
against Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The
victory was sealed by a last-minute try and conversion
by Alex Sedrick. Meanwhile, Simone Biles led the United
States to a dominant victory in the women's gymnastics
team final, securing her fifth career Olympic gold
medal and becoming the most decorated U.S. Olympic
gymnast in history with a total of 8 medals. (Grok)
Media
Man Int
Sports
News (Media Man Int)
https://www.mediamanint.com/articles2.html
Pop
Culture News (Media Man Int)
https://www.mediamanint.com/pop_culture.html
Wrestling
News (Media Man Int)
https://www.mediamanint.com/wrestling_news.html
X
News (Media Man Int)
https://www.mediamanint.com/x_news.html
Trending
News (Media Man Int)
https://www.mediamanint.com/trending_news.html
#ProWrestling
#Wrestling #MMA #Boxing #Motorsport #F1 #Formula1
#PopCulture #CombatSports #PPV #LiveSport #LiveSports
#MainEvent #MainEvents #sportsnews #sportsmedia #sportstourism
#sportsbusiness #sportsbiz #YouTube #YT #Video #broadcast
#Highlights #trend #trends #AINews #newswire #newsfeed
#buzz #media #Grok #XSports #XCombat #XNews #GrokSports
#GrokNews
(Image:
A.I)
News
Media
Showbiz
News from Hollywood; Screenwriters reach tentative
deal with studios to end strike
The
show must go on - eventually, anyway! With or without
a dash of AI et al.
The
Writers Guild of America, which represents thousands
of Hollywood writers, advised Sunday PM that it has
reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with
the major entertainment studios, paving the way to
end the 146-day strike that has brought television
and film production to a standstill. That's right
- 146 days! That's some kind of record.
"The
WGA and [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television
Produces] have reached a tentative agreement,"
according to an online WGA statement that discloses
that more details will follow after the contract language
has been finalized...ink had dried, you know the drum.
Though
the AMPTP trade alliance of major film and television
producers has yet to comment on the development, WGA
described the contract to members in a letter as "exceptional."
It contains "meaningful gains and protections
for writers in every sector of the membership,"
it said.
The
roughly 11,000 writers were demanding "economic
fairness," streaming-service residuals and regulation
on the use of AI (artificial intelligence) - take
that, you bots!
"What
we have won in this contract ... is due to the willingness
of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate
its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the
pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days. It is the
leverage generated by your strike, in concert with
the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that
finally brought the companies back to the table to
make a deal," it said.
The
language of the contract was being finalized, it said,
with guild members to vote on whether to accept it
in the coming days.
Union
members are being advised that "no one is to
return to work" unless specifically authorized
by the guild.
"We
are still on strike until then," it said, though
it was suspending picketing.
The
Hollywood writers went on strike early May after negotiations
with the studios and streaming services fell through,
following six weeks of talks, which brought a halt
to television productions.
Many
insiders as well as regular consumers of streaming
media shows and other had noticed a dive in overall
quality.
In
mid-July, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation
of Television and Radio Artists joined the movement,
shutting down any active studio productions.
The
deal announced late Sunday does not mean the resumption
of Hollywood productions, as SAG-AFTRA members remain
on the picket lines, and WAG is encouraging its members
to join in the actors' fight.
SAG-AFTRA
issued a statement congratulating WGA on the deal
it said it would review.
"We
remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical contract and
continue to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and
the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair
deal that our members deserve and demand," it
said.
The
agreement was reached following a recent breach in
a stalemate in negotiations, which began about mid-August.
The
two sides were quiet until Sept. 14, when they said
they had agreed to return to the negotiating table,
and they have been hashing out a deal since Wednesday.
"After
a nearly five-month long strike, I am grateful that
the Writers Guild of American and the Alliance of
Motion Picture and Television Producers have reached
a fair agreement and I'm hopeful that the same can
happen soon with the Screen Actors Guild," Los
Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.
"Now,
we must focus on getting the entertainment industry,
and all the small businesses that depend on it, back
on their feet and stronger than every before."
The
strike, which has waylaid productions for months,
has hurt the bottom line of studios, with Warner Bros.
Discovery telling the Securities and Exchange Commission
earlier this month in a filing that the strikes have
"negatively impacted" the company by a cost
of up to $500 million. Some folks in and around the
biz are pleased that that likes of a somewhat "woke
and broken" Disney had lost so much money.
Under
the watercooler Media heard, "More about fairness,
distribution of funds, and a fair days pay for a fair
days work. We showed the world and this script kind
of wrote itself"!
If
99pc of start-ups fail, how do AirTree and Blackbird
make money?
Starting
an ambitious technology company is undeniably hard,
but fresh data suggests failure rates aren’t
as high as parts of the industry say.
On
a darkened screen, a line of text lays out the stakes
for The New Hustle, a 2017 documentary series: “Over
92 per cent of start-ups fail. What separates those
who don’t?”
Six
years later, the production company behind that feature,
Founder Films, was back with a new documentary series
called Founder on the same topic. This time, the odds
seemed to be stacked even higher against start-up
founders. “Ninety-nine per cent of start-ups
fail,” the on-screen text from the documentary
reads.
Apparently,
those six years were a grim time for start-ups, whose
founders were portrayed as valorous figures surmounting
almost impossible odds. Yet between 2017 and early
2022, start-up funding soared in Australia, giving
even questionable firms war chests of cash to sustain
their dreams for years.
Statistics
requested by The Australian Financial Review from
the country’s biggest tech venture investors
suggest many more start-up companies are staying afloat
than the most heightened founder mythology suggests.
The
disparate figures reflect an industry that does not
have a uniform definition of failure even as commentators
contend that failure is discussed too harshly, or
too much, or not enough. And they show how failure
rates are deployed to either showcase investment performance
or valorise founders.
Startmate,
the long-running accelerator, has reported that 63
per cent of the more than 230 companies it has a stake
in are still active. AirTree Ventures, the large Sydney-based
fund that was founded in 2014, said its failure rate
– defined using the fairly common rule of investments
where it has got back less than it invested –
is lower than 20 per cent. Company closures in its
portfolio are even lower, at less than 3 per cent.
Blackbird
Ventures, meanwhile provided data from its first fund,
raised in 2013, where 25 per cent of the companies
have closed down, compared with the same number of
exits and 10 that are still operating. Square Peg,
the third major Australian venture fund, did not make
any data available.
Better
than regular businesses
Those
start-up failure rates compare fairly favourably to
the economy as a whole. For the past four years, failure
rates for all Australian businesses with staff have
hovered around 8 per cent, according to data from
the Bureau of Statistics.
But
unlike small-business investors who want to preserve
capital and grow slowly, venture capitalists bet on
a host of companies hoping a small percentage will
become enormously valuable in the knowledge many will
fail.
That
has led some start-up industry figures such as Finder
founder Fred Schebesta to argue some high-profile
failures should be celebrated to avoid discouraging
founders.
James
Alexander, a partner at early-stage investor Galileo
Ventures, said he did not support the idea of “celebrating”
failure, though he acknowledged that founding a business,
whether small business or start-up, was very hard.
“Do
I think failure is positive? No, I don’t,”
Mr Alexander said. “I don’t think [failures]
are positive, but I don’t think they’re
anywhere near as bad as people make them out to be.”
Mr
Alexander’s portfolio has four failures, defined
as firms shut down or sold that returned less than
invested capital, out of 18 bets. But he said that
if one of those surviving companies became a super
valuable firm akin to Google, “No one’s
going to mind if we lose money on five, 25 or 30 per
cent of the investments or even more.”
Founder
Films, owned by the founder of $2.7 billion start-up
SafetyCulture Luke Annear, declined to comment on
its figures, but a spokesman pointed to a 2012 Wall
Street Journal article reporting Harvard research
that 95 per cent of start-ups fail to hit projected
figures. The 92 per cent failure rate number is also
all over the internet, with the figure derived from
a 2011 report by an organisation called Startup Genome
that no longer appears online.
Mr
Alexander said that high failure rate figures were
a reflection of the way venture firms sought out exceptional
results.
“When
people throw out these things like ‘90per cent
of businesses fail’, I think usually they mean
90 per cent of businesses never become big,”
Mr Alexander said.
Murray
Hurps, who runs the industry survey project Startup
Muster, did not provide data on failure rates because
the varying definitions make it hard to collect. But
he said that average failure levels were not as useful
as understanding the proposition of investing or building
an individual firm.
“There
are many kinds of lower risk, technology-enabled entrepreneurial
pursuits that entrepreneurs should be considering,
and more today than there ever were before,”
Mr Hurps said.
What
Lachlan Murdoch told fundies in Sydney two weeks ago
- September 23, 2023
Lachlan
Murdoch’s been in and around Australian business
circles for most of his working life, but had little
to do with the country’s big investors. Until
a few weeks ago.
A
couple of weeks ago, Lachlan Murdoch, 52, broke cover
with Australia’s investor ranks.
Not
one to normally front Australia’s fund managers
on roadshows, Murdoch was the headline attraction
at a small and private dinner held only a few kilometres
from his home in Sydney’s inner-east.
The
small crowd were all fund managers – big name
stock pickers from the larger institutional equities
shops in Sydney – most of who had little to do
with Murdoch or his father Rupert over the years,
and some of who had never met him despite him being
in and out of Australian business circles his whole
working life.
Murdoch
spoke off the cuff. There were no notes or powerpoint
slides, no script and no minders, just an update on
the family’s two businesses News Corporation
and Fox Corporation, and where he wanted to take them.
Perhaps
playing to the small crowd, he repeatedly stressed
he was 100 per cent focused on creating shareholder
value, according to those at the dinner. It was a
friendly crowd; money is the name of the game in funds
management, and fund managers tend to bow down to
billionaires. He was valued at $3.35 billion on this
year’s AFR Rich List.
He
was clearly proud some of the investments he had overseen
– high growth and conviction bets like News Corp’s
$13 billion stake in REA Group, student loans business
Credible and streaming business Tubi Corporation for
example – and gave the impression of a hands-on
and pretty passionate senior executive.
He
travels back to US head office every second week from
his home in Sydney, where his children go to school.
When he’s in Sydney, he tends to work New York
hours. That’s the sort of stuff that top Sydney
money managers are glad they do not have to worry
about.
There
were no hints about what was to come and fund managers
left the dinner not knowing that only a few weeks
later, Murdoch would finally get the keys to his father
Rupert’s News Corporation.
He
was announced as News Corp’s executive chairman
on Thursday night, the same role he holds at sister
company Fox Corporation, while his 92-year-old father
would step off the board and become chairman emeritus
of both companies.
Changing
of the guard
Lachlan
Murdoch’s succession may end a tumultuous 12
months for the family’s two companies. This time
last year, the Murdochs were planning to reunite their
News Corp and Fox businesses, calling it the next
logical step of the strategy that led the media billionaires
to sell entertainment giant 21st Century Fox to Disney
in 2017 for $US52 billion.
It
was about bringing together live sport and news, two
things that consumers want immediately and are arguably
less discretionary than TV entertainment and movies
– but the deal was off a few months later called
“not optimal for shareholders of News Corp and
Fox at this time”.
In
reality, it also faced considerable backlash from
investors including Sydney-based Airlie Funds Management,
who didn’t want to see News Corp combined with
Fox. News Corp owns the company’s stake in REA
and Move in the United States, Foxtel in Australia,
Dow Jones and HarperCollins, among other businesses,
and trades at a significant discount to its asset
backing.
Soon
after, it also abandoned talks to sell its US digital
real estate business Move for about $US3 billion ($4.4
billion).
Murdoch’s
comments from the dinner were ringing through those
fund managers’ heads on Friday, as they tried
to work out what it meant for the future of the family’s
media empire.
It
was a timely introduction to a man who’s well
known in media circles – there are plenty of
former News Corp executives who’ll give their
two cents worth and recount fronting him when they
hadn’t made budget or wanted money for something
– but less in local markets.
Those
close to him say he’s been fronting investors
in the US for a while, just not Australia. Fox Corp
isn’t listed in Australia, while News’ ASX-listing
is small.
One
thing that stuck in the Australian fund managers’
heads were Murdoch’s remarks about M&A.
He
said large media sector deals were hard to get past
the antitrust regulator in the United States –
which is similar to deals in every concentrated sector
(banking, energy, tollroads) in Australia.
So,
investors are thinking there is unlikely to be any
giant strategic pivot in the near to medium term,
at least, although are fully aware that deals (big
and small) have been a big part of the family business
under Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan has been at the table
for plenty of them.
“Evolution
not revolution” is how his backers were putting
it on Friday, pointing out that he’s done a long
apprenticeship under his father at News Corp and has
been Fox executive chairman since 2105 (it was 21st
Century Fox before a $US50 billion sale of its film
production business to Disney) . It is still all about
news, sport and digital, and looking forwards not
backwards.
Closing
the gap in value
The
ASX-listed shares were up 1.9 per cent to $32.25 in
Friday afternoon trade.
Murdoch
junior’s most notable was paying about $10 million
for a 44 per cent stake in realestate.com.au (later
REA Group), following a direct approach from Sydney
real estate agent and company director John McGrath,
while others for the company include Credible, where
loans are up three-times since News Corp’s acquisition,
Tubi, which has tripled subscribers.
Of
course, it has not been all winners. He’s still
remembered for One.Tel, a telecommunications company
that collapsed in 2001, and Channel Ten owner Ten
Network Holdings, which went into administration in
2017. News Corp’s betting play is also in trouble.
One
of his loudest supporters in Australian markets is
Sydney stockbroker Angus Aitken, who is known for
backing family-led businesses and was quick to tell
clients that News Corp was in good hands.
“Lachlan
Murdoch has the same entrepreneurial genes as his
Dad and has zero to prove, he already has proved himself
in spades,” he said in a 1400 word note to fund
managers that hit inboxes as the sun rose over Sydney
Harbour.
“Anyone
who has heard Lachlan talk about these businesses
knows he knows these businesses inside out and knows
how to allocate capital and back people within these
firms with that capital for the long term.”
He
said Rupert Murdoch had turned a three-paper tiddler
into $US100 billion of assets, if you add the market
capitalisations of News and Fox (about $US30 billion)
and some of the big asset sales (c$US70 billion).
“It is hard to think of anyone who will replicate
that in life.”
Lachlan
Murdoch will likely struggle to create anywhere near
that much value, but he also doesn’t have to.
Investors will be happy enough if he can close the
discount between New Corp’s share price and asset
value – which funds like Melbourne’s L1
Capital have talked about for years. That discount
was so glaring that stockbroker UBS for a while was
putting out a regulator News Corp note, pointing out
the difference between the sum of its parts and share
price.
The
bigger news on Friday was the end of the Rupert Murdoch-era,
after a career stretching seven decades. Lachlan’s
ascension to the top of both companies was telegraphed
by his father in the past few years. Second son James
moved to the fringes of the family business after
the Fox/Disney deal in 2019.
'Take
it over’: Perth lands WWE’s first Aussie
event in six years - September 23
One
of the world’s biggest sporting organisations
is coming back to Australia for the first time since
taking over the MCG in 2018.
The
WWE will return to Australian shores for the first
time since 2018 in February after the Elimination
Chamber event was announced for Perth’s Optus
Stadium.
After
months of speculation, the sports entertainment behemoth
announced that the 60,000 seat stadium would host
the live event on Saturday February 24.
Stream
Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. Join
now and start streaming instantly >
The
last time the WWE came down under was in 2018 when
the Super-Show Down took over the MCG with Ronda Rousey
stunning a packed house before Triple H pinned The
Undertaker.
In
the meantime, Aussie Rhea Ripley has become one of
the sports’ biggest names and is expected to
star as the WWE comes back to Australia, while Grayson
Walker is also a near certainty to fight.
While
the schedule has not yet been released, it will culminate
in at least one six-man cage match with some of the
promotion’s biggest names set to visit just one
month out from WrestleMania 40.
Wrestlers
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods joined WA Premier Roger
Cook for the announcement.
“These
are set to be the hottest tickets in town and fans
can pre-register and secure their spot from today,”
Cook said.
“We
expect the premium live event at Optus Stadium will
be a sellout with thousands of east coast and international
fans flocking to Perth, Western Australia to witness
this exclusive show.”
The
show is expected to reach an audience of one billion
people worldwide and Kingston, who is one of the members
of The New Day alongside Woods and Big E, said the
Elimination Chamber could “totally change the
trajectory of whatever is going on in the WWE landscape”.
“Two
combatants enter and there are four pods with the
other combatants within them,” Woods added.
“As
time passes, one of those pods will open until all
of their combatants are inside of the ring.
“And
then the match officially begins and you lose by pinfall
or submission until there is one combatant standing
and they are the winner.
“And
the reason that this is so intense is because you
are waiting for people to get into this match.”
The
wrestlers involved are expected to have community
activations and meet-and-greets with fans, and Kingston
said they “really come into a town and take it
over”.
The
WWE has recently merged with the UFC, which had a
massive show earlier this year in Perth when Alexander
Volkanovski lost a controversial bout to Islam Makhachev
for the lightweight title.
Expend4bles
A
new generation of stars join the world's top action
stars for an adrenaline-fueled adventure in Expend4bles.
Reuniting as the team of elite mercenaries, Jason
Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Sylvester
Stallone are joined for the first time by Curtis "50
Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais,
Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. Armed with
every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills
to use them, The Expendables are the world's last
line of defense and the team that gets called when
all other options are off the table. But new team
members with new styles and tactics are going to give
"new blood" a whole new meaning.—Lionsgate
The
Unbreakable Bunch
An
Alien Force Came To Conquer - They Had No Idea This
Bunch Was In Town.
Producers
Ray “Glacier” Lloyd and Steve Luther Wilson,
aka “Big Sexy” Luther Biggs, trained at
the Power Plant and broke into the business about
the same time. A decade ago, the two started talking
about a movie.
“We
had this idea,” says Lloyd, “What if a bunch
of pro wrestlers had to step out of their wrestling
world and into a fantasy world where they have to
battle aliens?”
“We’re
both big fans of The Magnificent Seven, The Wild Bunch,
The Dirty Dozen, and The Professionals. They were
all ensemble casts, and most of them were somewhat
diverse. We thought, ‘What if we could make a
movie like that and celebrate the wrestling business?’”
Most
wrestling movies either focus on the dark side, or
they go for the campy humor,” says Lloyd. “They
make movies like The Wrestler, which was very good
and yes, that is how some guys turn out. Or they make
fun of wrestling and wrestling fans. We wanted to
celebrate what’s great about being a wrestling
fan and what’s fun about the business without
making fun of it. We didn’t think that anyone
else was going to make a movie like that, and even
if they did, they probably wouldn’t get it right.”
“The
story changed a lot from that first draft, but we
tried to stay true to the essence of the characters
and what they stood for,” explains Lloyd.
Ernest
“The Cat” Miller
Stan
Hansen
Tonga
Uli’uli Fifita, aka Haku, aka Meng
Larry
Zbyszko
Diamond
Dallas Page
David
“Gangrel” Heath.
“An
ensemble cast like this has never been done in a wrestling
film.” says Lloyd. “We also worked with
some great actors we cast in the non-wrestling roles.
Nicholas Logan did a tremendous job in our movie,
and he’s had some great roles before and after
The Unbreakable Bunch. I’m excited to see where
his career goes.”
“These
are men like us who have their life together,”
says Lloyd. “They have good jobs, a nice home.
You also see how these guys come together to put on
a show. It’s a team effort, whether it’s
for one night or a tour. Then they all go their separate
ways. That’s something we’ve never seen
in a movie about wrestling, and we wanted to portray
that.”
“Wrestling
is at its best when everyone can enjoy it,” says
Lloyd. “A lot of the fans I meet at shows and
convention are grown ups who were kids when I was
first on TV. Now they’re bringing their kids
because they want the next generation to enjoy wrestling
like they did. There’s definitely some action,
but we kept it to a PG or PG-13 level. We really want
families to enjoy this picture, even if they don’t
watch wrestling.”
“We
want this movie to be something that wrestlers and
wrestling fans will be proud to recommend to people,”
says Lloyd. “At the end of the day, it’s
about camaraderie, loyalty, friendship. It’s
about the noble side of professional wrestling.”
WWE
Hall of Famer Larry Zbyszko via aQ&A on AdFreeShows.com.
In addition to taking fan questions, he also talked
about the movie, “The Unbreakable Bunch”
that Ernest Miller, himself, and several other wrestlers
are in:
"Ray
Lloyd, Luther Biggs, had been working their butts
off for some years to get this movie going. They wrote
it, and then they had to get financed. At the end
of 2009, we filmed it and it really came out great.
I mean, it's a movie about wrestlers saving a town
from aliens, but it's not a wrestling movie. It's
kind of a science fiction action movie with emotion
and you'll find yourself laughing when you don't expect
to. I mean, it was really well done. It's a family
friendly movie. Nothing dirty, nothing raunchy. I
mean, if you're not a wrestling fan, you're gonna
love it too because it's not about wrestling. But
it was really well done. I've been dying to see it.
As soon as we finished it, like at the end of 2019
right before Christmas, a couple of months later this
stupid COVID hit and slowed it down a little bit with
the editing, but there was the guy alone editing in
the booth. So it's finally all done with the editing
and the sound and the music and the special effects,
and I hear it's going to come out October 13th. I
can't wait to see it."
Zbyszko
talking about two movies he should have been in:
"I
should have been in two big movies. I'll tell you
a story quickly. Alright, 1976 or something I was
wrestling in California a little bit. I was wrestling
a man and I got a message to talk to some producer
in the audience. So after the match, I went to talk
to this guy. He said, 'Hey, I'm making my first movie.
It's a low budget movie, but I'd like to have you
in it because I like the way you look and move.' So
I said, 'Okay.' So I went down to his office which
turned out to be a crap hole and got a script and
read it and I'm going, oh my God. Three weeks in the
desert shooting this movie for hardly any money for
the guy's independent little movie. It's eating babies
and stuff. I said, 'Oh God.' So I nicely told the
guy I couldn't do it. I was busy. It turned out the
guy's name was West Craven and it was his first movie,
'The Hills Have Eyes.' It became a classic and I'm
supposed to be it."
"Then
some years ago in like the mid 80s or something. I
got a message at the NWA office to call Jerry Reed.
I'm thinking Jerry Reed? The only Jerry Reed I know
is the country western singer, unless it's Jerry Reed
the IRS guide. So I call this number and it's Jerry
Reed the singer. He says, 'Son, you're my favorite
guy.' We talked and he wanted me to be in the last
Smokey and the Bandit movie they were going to make
because Jackie Gleason just died and they wanted me
to play the part of a young a**hole sheriff after
the bandit in the last movie. But right when they
were going to do the last movie, that's when Burt
Reynolds went off the deep end taking all the Halcyon
pills and getting divorced from Loni and getting wiped
out, so they never made the movie. So I was supposed
to be in the Hills Have Eyes and the last Smokey and
the Bandit never happened, but The Unbreakable Bunch,
I'm in like the whole movie and I can't wait to see
the thing."
AEW
WrestleDream - October 1, 2023
Broadcast
into Australia via FITE
Bryan
Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Hangman
Page vs. Swerve Strickland
AEW
Tag Team Champions FTR defend against Aussie Open
ROH
Tag Team Champions Adam Cole & MJF defend against
The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)
NJPW
Strong & ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston defends
both titles against ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata
TNT
Champion Christian Cage defends against Darby Allin
in a two out of three falls match
TBS
Champion Kris Statlander defends against Julia Hart
Will
Ospreay, Konosuke Takeshita, and Sammy Guevara vs.
Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, and Chris Jericho
Additional
matches have been added to next Sunday's AEW WrestleDream
card.
Don
Callis on Saturday’s Collision revealed that
Will Ospreay will team with Konosuke Takeshita and
his newest family member Sammy Guevara against Kenny
Omega, Chris Jericho, and Kota Ibushi. This stems
from events that took place on Friday’s Ramapge,
where Omega made the save for Jericho after Guevara
and Takeshita jumped Jericho.
In
addition, Christian Cage will defend the TNT title
in a two out of three falls match against Darby Allin.
On Saturday’s Collision, Allin had a three-way
title match won between himself, Cage, and Luchasaurus
when Cage posted Allin, allowing himself to pin Luchasaurus.
In a backstage interview, Tony Schiavone told Cage
he would be defending the title at WrestleDream.
Eddie
Kingston in a promo revealed that he will be putting
up both the ROH and New Japan Strong titles against
Katsuyori Shibata at WrestleDream, saying that he
wanted a match that would honor Antonio Inoki.
WWE
PPVs
Saturday,
Oct. 7
WWE
Fastlane
Indianapolis
WWE
Crown Jewel 2023
November 4, 2023
Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia
Saturday,
Nov. 25
WWE
Survivor Series
Chicago
WWE
Survivor Series 2023
November 25, 2023
Rosemont,
Illinois (Chicago) - Allstate Arena
Lachlan
Murdoch inherits a daunting to-do list. Observers
are divided over how he will cope -23rd September
2023
First
among equals is how media mogul Rupert Murdoch once
described his eldest son Lachlan, when asked about
the succession plan at his global media empire. Now
with Rupert’s retirement this week from the boards
of Fox Corporation and News Corporation, Lachlan’s
position at the top of the family-controlled empire
is cemented.
However,
52-year-old Lachlan inherits a daunting task. He takes
control of the global newspaper and television businesses
as both face major challenges. He becomes head of
one of the most influential American media companies
as the US goes into perhaps its most important presidential
election in recent history. And, his every step will
be measured against his father’s legacy.
Former
News Corporation executive John Cowley has no doubt
that Lachlan is up to the task. “He was trained
by the best. His father would have rubbed off on him,
but he’s also his own man. He will do a good
job,” Cowley said.
Lachlan’s
first real job in the Murdoch empire was working for
Cowley. It was three decades ago, when at the age
of 22, he joined Queensland Newspapers as its general
manager. Fresh from having studied philosophy at Princeton
University, the young Murdoch would walk the newsroom
floor with his shirt sleeves rolled up – exposing
a tribal tattoo on his left arm – discussing
stories with journalists, much as his father had once
done.
Over
seven decades, Rupert Murdoch, 92, built a global
media empire from a single Australian newspaper. As
his business expanded so did his influence and he
became one of the world’s most powerful, polarising
and right-wing businessmen, owning outlets such as
Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, The Times, and
The Australian.
R?upert
pitted ?Lachlan from an early age against two of his
siblings, older sister Elisabeth and younger brother
James, to take over the family empire. ?
Lachlan,
Elisabeth and James would come and go from the family
business, vying for their father’s affection
and at times falling out with him. But it would be
Lachlan who would return to the fold and stay.?
The
Murdoch family governs News Corporation and Fox Corporation
through a family trust. Rupert has six children from
three wives. The family trust owns almost 40 per cent
of the voting shares in both companies.
Each
of Murdoch’s children know how difficult it is
being the progeny of a successful parent. Put simply,
if the adult children of successful parents make good,
it’s because of what their parents left them.
If they don’t, people ask what’s wrong with
them.?
This
is what Lachlan is up against, even in his middle
age.
Billionaire
James Packer can sympathise, as he spent most of the
first half of his life being compared against his
father – the late media tycoon Kerry Packer.
James
multiplied the wealth he inherited from his father.
But then his publicly listed Crown casino business
became embroiled in a Chinese money-laundering scandal.
It was fined, and he sold it, and since then, has
focused on private investments.
“Lachlan
will do very well. He’s following in a legend’s
footsteps, one of the biggest, being Rupert, and that’s
never easy,” says Packer, who has been friends
with Lachlan for more than three decades. “But
I think Lachlan’s ready, and he’s the right
man for the job.”
Not
everyone agrees.
Rod
Tiffen is an emeritus professor at the University
of Sydney, who has published books on the news media,
including about Rupert Murdoch. He’s critical
of Lachlan’s rise to the top of News Corporation
and Fox Corporation.
“The
idea that a position like that should go by heredity
belongs more in the age of Jane Austen than of the
contemporary corporate world,” Tiffen says. “It
might be okay for the corner store to pass from father
to son, but a global corporation should be based on
some sort of merit, and not just having the same surname.”
Lachlan
becomes chair of News Corporation, which owns newspaper
and real estate assets, and also the chair and chief
executive of Fox Corporation, which owns Fox News
and Fox broadcasting.
In
2019, Fox sold its $US71.3 billion film and television
business to Walt Disney, predicting the streaming
war that is now playing out, and which has cost companies
such as Disney, Netflix and Amazon billions. It was
a clever move hailed as Rupert’s crowning achievement.
However,
it has left Fox much smaller than many of its peers,
with a focus on news and sport. The broadcast and
cable TV outlets in the US are declining, and Fox
is also competing against bigger players such as Amazon,
Netflix, Comcast, Disney and Warner Brothers in securing
sporting rights.
The
embattled news arm was also sued after broadcasting
conspiracy theories and claims of vote rigging promoted
by Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Earlier this
year, Fox settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion
Voting systems for $US787.5 million ($1.2 billion).
It is now facing another lawsuit from a voting machine
manufacturer, Smartmatic, which is likely to be at
the top of Lachlan’s to-do list to resolve.
?Another
problem for Lachlan is that Donald Trump is shaping
up as the most likely Republican candidate for the
2024 election, if he’s able to overcome the legal
cases that he is facing.
However,
it would be hard for Fox News to back him given Rupert
has publicly criticised Trump and disowned him.? And
yet, much of the Fox News audience are Trump supporters.
Fox News will risk alienating its audience more if
Trump becomes the Republican candidate, and it doesn’t
back him.
News
Corporation has real estate assets such as REA Group
and owns newspapers such as The Times, The Australian
and the Wall Street Journal. The print assets are
declining while the digital side of those newspapers
has been growing, particularly the Dow Jones group
in the US.
Matt
Williams is head of Australian equities at Airlie
Funds Management. It owns 2 per cent of the voting
shares in News Corporation, which he argues remains
undervalued. “Over the last ten years management
have done a very good job with the Dow Jones business
in re-aligning the business from being reliant on
advertising to much more now a subscription-based
business.”
He
says Lachlan has been a good steward of News Corporation,
and expects the strategy of that group to remain unchanged.
However,
Tiffen expects there will be pressure to shut print
newspapers when Rupert dies. “Everyone rightly
goes on about what a terrific global media empire
Rupert Murdoch has built. On the other hand, if you
were writing his obituary now, you would say that
he’s lost more money on newspapers than anyone
else in history. And chances are that won’t continue
after he dies.”
Tiffen
expects that Lachlan will not make any significant
changes to either Fox Corporation or News Corporation’s
strategy while his father remains alive. “It’s
much more likely that any changes will have to be
after Rupert’s death, and then it’s quite
unpredictable.”
The
unpredictability is over whether Lachlan’s siblings
who have voting rights in the trust – Prudence,
Elisabeth and James – will be happy with his
leadership of Fox Corporation and News Corporation,
and the right-wing agendas they have pursued.
“In
the short term, while Rupert’s alive, the other
three children are going to be respectful,” says
Tiffen. “But after he dies, then Lachlan’s
relations with his other siblings will be much more
difficult to predict.”
(SMH)
Rear
Window - September 14, 1999
Kostya,
TAB go down fighting
It
had more celebrities than a Saturday night in Atlantic
City. In one corner, "Break Even" Bill Mordey;
in the other, Russian-born dynamo Kostya Tszyu and
a gaggle of heavy-hitters including Packer confidant
Theo Onisforou and Jeff Fenech.
Mordey
won round one when NSW Supreme Court Justice Russell
Bainton last year ordered Tszyu to pay $7.3 million
to Mordey's Fightvision Pty Ltd for breach of contract,
in the process describing the Russian-born boxer as
a "spoiled brat".
Yesterday,
round two ended with a TKO to Break Even, who managed
to deliver a haymaker to TAB boss Warren Wilson. Having
bought Sky Channel from Packer's Publishing &
Broadcasting and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp last year,
TAB will now have to partially foot a $7.3 million
damages bill after three appeal judges found Sky Channel
had induced Tszyu to breach his contract with Mordey.
Sky
Channel will have to pay the costs of Fightvision's
original claim against Sky Channel and its appeal
in a result Wilson said was disappointing. TAB is
considering whether it has any further legal avenues.
The
stoush began when Tsyzu appealed against last year's
decision, claiming the damages awarded against him
were excessive. That prompted Mordey's counterpunch,
appealing against the cases he lost to the other five
defendants: Fenech, Sky Channel, Onisforou, Tszyu's
new promoter, Vlad Warton, and Tszyu's company, Tszyu
Enterprises.
The
NSW Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed Tszyu's appeal.
Mordey had a victory against Sky Channel, Warton and
Tszyu Enterprises, but struck out against Onisforou
and Fenech. Warton and Tszyu Enterprises will be back
for a third round after the court ordered a new trial
in relation to Mordey's claims.
Mordey
and Fightvision had sought compensation from Tszyu
for lost promotion revenue after the fighter breached
his contract in early 1995 by agreeing to give Optus
Vision or Sky Channel exclusive rights to broadcast
his bouts.
In
his judgement, Justice Bainton found Tszyu entered
into a binding three-year contract with Mordey's Classic
Promotions in 1992 and that contract contained an
option of renewal for two years. The company wound
up in 1993 and Fightvision took over its promotions.
Justice
Bainton found that the renewal option in Tszyu's contract
had been effectively exercised in January 1995, and
that the boxer had broken that contract almost immediately.
Fightvision
was entitled to recover from Tszyu profits it would
have made from promoting his fights from January 1995
to January 1997 in total $7.3 million.
Room
with a view? Er, I'll settle for the ground floor,
thanks all the same
While
travelling always presents its challenges, Rear Window's
Tasmanian tourism operative appears to have struck
an unusual problem while cycling through the Apple
Isle.
During
a bracing journey down the Midland Highway from Launceston
to Hobart, our peleton wanabee sought refuge at a
cosy bed and breakfast in the hamlet of Campbell Town,
where the civic motto is: "Reaching out across
the land, over the sea, through the air, towards the
stars, Campbell Town is reaching out to you."
Noting
the prominent "Vacancy" sign, our operative
entered, only to be told by the landlady: "Sorry,
we have no vacancies."
But
what about the sign? "We haven't got around to
making a `No Vacancy' sign yet. Getting the floors
fixed comes a long way ahead of a `No Vacancy' sign
in our priorities."
We'd
advise getting a room on the ground floor.
Rupert
shows UK interest but his ratings keep falling
Not
content with wading into the murky world of Chinese-Tibetan
relations, Rupert Murdoch has turned his hand to matters
economic.
Murdoch
has attacked the Bank of England in the wake of last
week's surprise decision to lift British interest
rates, expressing dismay that the central bank should
be worried about the United Kingdom's 1.5 per cent
economic growth when "the US economy is charging
along at 4 per cent with no sign of inflation".
In
an interview with London's Sunday Business newspaper,
Murdoch also attacked UK Chancellor of the Exchequer
Gordon Brown, claiming Brown was "wrong"
to give the BoE the power to determine interest rate
policy one of the central tenets of central bank indepence
worldwide.
"We
elect governments to govern, not to give up power
to faceless bankers," Murdoch reportedly said,
highlighting his growing schism with the government
of Tony Blair, who only a few years ago attended News
Corp's Hayman Island executive love-fest.
Just
last week, Murdoch was kowtowing to the Chinese Government,
claiming he had heard cynics say the Dalai Lama was
"a very political old monk shuffling around in
Gucci shoes" and questioning whether Tibet a
"terrible old, autocratic society out of the
Middle Ages" had any culture before China invaded.
It
is all reminiscent of Murdoch's comments at News Corp's
1995 annual general meeting in Adelaide, where he
blasted the Australian economy as "a disgrace"
as he offered an opinion on all manner of non-media
topics.
By
1997, a chastised Murdoch said son Lachlan had told
him he was "not allowed" to talk about Australian
politics. "I'm now under very strong instructions
from my son to keep my mouth shut because I can go
back to America and he has to live with what I have
said," the elder Murdoch said.
The
Sun King might be better off worrying about the performance
of his News Corp empire, which recently suffered a
hefty drop in profitability and has kicked off the
latest United States television season in unspectacular
fashion.
Ratings
for News Corp's core Fox group are down an average
6 per cent, with not even the 10th series of its old
standby, Beverly Hills 90210, improving the situation.
Guess
who's late for dinner?
Here's
hoping the 2000 Olympics are better organised than
Rear Window, which battled the gremlins in yesterday's
paper only to have an item about tomorrow night's
glamour Australian Olympic Committee 1999 Countdown
Dinner run about two weeks too late. Times have changed
since the AOC first sought a plug for the function:
the dinner is now sold out, with 1,000 people each
paying $1,000 to raise a more than $700,000 for the
Australian team. A number of team members will be
there on the night, with dual gold medallist Kieren
Perkins one of the 100 past and present Olympians
who will each sit at the tables snapped up by companies
including Telstra, CUB and Westfield. Major Olympic
sponsor Westpac is holding its own function.
(AFR)
News
High
Stakes: The ‘life-or-death’ battle over
a company name
Two
stars of Australia’s new economy – the similarly
named share trading platform Stake and online cryptocurrency
casino juggernaut stake.com – are locked in a
life-or-death court battle over naming rights amid
growing concerns the gambling outfit has major plans
for its home country.
Stake
the share platform launched legal action in the Federal
Court in August seeking to enforce its trademarks
and stop stake.com, a multibillion-dollar enterprise,
from using that name for its business in Australia.
The
fast-growing Sydney-based share trading platform,
the third-largest broker in the country, alleges that
the casino group stake.com has been breaking Australian
consumer law and has misled consumers through the
use of its brand in Australia and its marketing, including
its sponsorship of the Alfa Romeo team and the sale
of apparel.
Stake
the share trading platform, which owns the URL stake.com.au,
alleges stake.com’s use of the name in Australia
has potentially led to consumers believing the two
brands are related when they are not.
The
share trading platform Stake, founded in 2017 by entrepreneurs
Dan Silver and Matt Leibowitz, alleges there is a
threat that more consumers could be misled if stake.com
is allowed to continue with its plans to grow its
business significantly in Australia under the brand
name Stake.
The
casino group, led by Melbourne-based twenty-somethings
billionaires Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, is expected
to seek to have the matter summarily dismissed.
A
spokesperson for stake.com said: “We are aware
of a frivolous claim lodged in the Federal Court by
Stakeshop, which in part claims that our global Formula
One team sponsorship impinges on their ability to
sell trucker hats.”
“We
are proud of the global stake.com brand. As a group,
we abide by the laws of the countries in which we
operate, and do not offer our stake.com platform to
Australian customers. We believe the claim has no
legal merit and will vigorously defend our rights.”
The
court case has shed new light on stake.com’s
expansion plans for Australia, where it remains blocked
to Australian users.
Court
documents reveal the casino group has sought to buy
the stake.com.au website from the sharemarket trading
platform business. According to the court documents,
the casino group has also registered several Australian
website domains for its Australian expansion and applied
to register a slew of trademarks including Stake Australia,
Stake Bet and Stake Casino.
The
Federal Court action comes after years of simmering
tensions between the two groups over the use of stake.com’s
name in Australia.
Stake.com
was established in 2017 but flew under the radar in
Australia until late 2021, when this masthead revealed
the local origins of the business that had grown to
be one of world’s largest online casinos, processing
hundreds of billions of bets on sports, virtual table
games and online slot machines.
In
early 2022, stake.com signed hip-hop megastar Drake
as its lead ambassador. Later in 2022 it signed a
multi-year deal to become lead jersey sponsor for
English Premier League team Everton FC as well as
its sponsorship of Alfa Romeo’s F1 team.
The
significant increase in stake.com’s marketing
and media presence was noticed at the share trading
platform group that built its user base during the
COVID-inspired boom in Gen Y and Gen Z investors,
thanks in part to its ultra-low cost brokerage fee
model, savvy marketing and the broadening into other
financial services including a superannuation product.
A
spokesman for Stake the share trading platform said
that since the group was founded in Australia it had
built a client base of more than 500,000 and more
than $2.5 billion in assets under management.
“Over
the past six years, we have established a trusted
and culturally relevant Australian brand that reflects
our dedication to meeting customer needs. It permeates
all parts of our business, spanning products, content,
internal culture, customer interactions and much more,
making it our most valuable asset. We are committed
to protecting the Stake brand and the high level of
consumer trust associated with it,” the spokesman
said.
“We
are concerned by the threatened use of the Stake brand
in Australia by stake.com in relation to gambling,
casino and sports betting services, due to the potential
for customer confusion and damage to our brand and
reputation.”
Stake.com
is not available in Australia but according to court
documents, the group is already making arrangements
for a major expansion in this country and is seeking
a sports betting licence.
In
October 2022, stake.com casino executive Brais Pena
Sanchez contacted Stake share trading founder Silver
on LinkedIn and arranged a video conference meeting
where the pair discussed Stake the share platform
selling its Australian URL, stake.com.au, to the Curacao-registered,
Australian-operated casino group.
During
those discussions, Sanchez – the casino group’s
chief strategy officer – informed Silver that
stake.com planned to launch in Australia under the
name Stakebet, or similar, according to court documents.
A deal never ensued and the website remains owned
by the share trading platform.
Tensions
flared again in early 2023 after stake.com the casino
was announced as the new team sponsor for Formula
1 team Alfa Romeo, sparking a flurry of legal letters
between the two groups ahead of the Melbourne race.
According
to the court documents, the casino group’s lawyers
assured the share trading Stake that it would not
use its logo in conjunction with the Melbourne Grand
Prix and did not intend to display the name on any
vehicles or uniforms or as part of the Alfa Romeo
team name.
However,
the share trading Stake alleges that during the four
days of the Grand Prix, Stake casino logos appeared
on banners for official team merchandise, the team
display and on signs at the event and in the race
program.
In
May, Stake.com was applying to register a large number
of new trademarks for goods and services. This included
Stake Australia, Stake Bookie, Stake Betting, Stake
Gaming, Stake Esports, Stake Casino, Stake Sportsbook,
Stake Bet, Stake Punt, Stake Sports, Stake Pokes and
Stake Slots.
The
casino group has also registered a series of Australian
website names under the “.au” domain including
stakebet.au; stakecasino.au, stakesports.au and playstake.au.
The
case continues.
Crown
to launch digital self-exclusion scheme for casinos
- July 2023
People
with gambling problems will be able to ban themselves
from Crown casinos over the internet instead of having
to do so in person, as part of a wider overhaul of
the group’s approach to harm minimisation.
Crown
Resorts’ new safer gambling program also includes
the establishment of a dedicated gambling policy team,
which will monitor customer playing behaviour and
create interventions to better prevent gambling harm
from occurring.
Crown
boss Ciaran Carruthers joined the business last year
following an overhaul of Crown’s management,
after a series of bruising inquiries into the company.
Carruthers, who has led other global casino groups
including Wynn Macau, said the new leadership of Crown
was committed to making gambling safer, even if it
meant less turnover in its casinos.
“I
have been in this business for 34 years and I can
tell you – no one does this,” Carruthers
said.
“It
is critically important to me that when I look at
the long-term viability of this business that people
see our resorts as entertainment to enjoy safely.”
Under
the changes, customers will be able to block themselves
from entering a Crown casino through a new digital
self-exclusion portal. Those who wanted to ban themselves
from Crown venues were previously required to visit,
in person, a designated responsible gambling centre
run by the group.
The
group has also moved to cashless gaming at Crown Melbourne
and Crown Sydney – a condition of its temporary
gaming licences in NSW and Victoria– as well
as introducing $10 maximum bet limits on poker machines
at Crown Perth. The technological overhaul required
to facilitate the changes has so far cost the business
$13 million.
Carruthers
pointed to changes Crown has already made which go
beyond government regulation, such as encouraging
customers to take breaks every three hours, as an
indicator of its commitment to shifting problem gambling
patterns.
The
group said it wanted to establish advisory panels
to work with state regulators and community groups
to improve gambling harm education and share its research.
Carruthers
conceded some aspects of its new approach to harm
minimisation, called Crown PlaySafe, would not be
welcomed by heavy gamblers. But he argued the changes
would make the casinos more appealing to the general
public.
Crown’s
new head of gambling policy research, Dr Jamie Wiebe,
said the most critical shift in the groups gambling
policy was a move away from harm minimisation to prevention.
“We
want to prevent a problem from ever happening,”
she said.
The
new program was unveiled just weeks after the Federal
Court determined Crown will pay one of the biggest
penalties in Australian corporate history to the financial
crimes watchdog, after past anti-money laundering
and counter-terrorism failings in its Perth and Melbourne
casinos.
The
$450 million fine is about five per cent of Crown’s
last listed market capitalisation before it was taken
private by Blackstone Capital for $8.9 billion in
May last year.
In
2019, an investigation by this masthead and 60 Minutes
revealed Crown had been infiltrated by international
criminal syndicates and money launderers.
Crown
was forced to overhaul its board, management and procedures
to satisfy the regulators, who approved a conditional
licence for Crown to operate its Barangaroo casino
in June 2022. The conditional licence is valid until
the end of this year.
Carruthers
said the integrated hospitality offerings at Crown
meant the casino could afford to embrace the shift.
“I
want people to enjoy the experience of our casinos
whether they’re coming for dining, casino or
retail. I’m fairly agnostic across which one
of those experience or how many of those experiences
you want to enjoy,” he said.
Reclusive
Sydney gambling mogul emerges as kingmaker in South
Africa -
September 2023
Reclusive
online gambling mogul Martin Moshal is playing an
increasingly influential role in a push to oust the
South African government.
Mr
Moshal, who lives on the exclusive Sydney Harbour
row of Camp Cove alongside shopping centre billionaire
Steven Lowy, is not on many rich lists but has made
a fortune from online casino technology.
Herman
Mashaba is the leader of ActionSA, one of a handful
of opposition parties Mr Moshal has backed in the
lead up to the 2024 South African national election.
Mr Mashaba, known for taking a tough line on immigration
and endorsing hard labour for prisoners, is hoping
the gambling tycoon will continue his support.
“I
wish he won’t give up on us and help us democratically
remove the [incumbent African National Congress] and
bring about a peaceful transition... please help ActionSA,”
Mr Mashaba said in an interview with The Australian
Financial Review.
“I
have been lucky to have known Martin long before I
went into politics,” he added. “I approached
him and he was willing to back me up because he knows
me as a capitalist... Martin was one of the first
to come to the party.”
President
Cyril Ramaphosa’s social democratic African National
Congress party is set to come under pressure next
year amid South Africa’s dire economic troubles.
A senior party official has warned the country could
become a failed state.
Mr
Moshal is the largest individual political donor in
South Africa in the last two years. He has given 46.5
million rand ($3.8 million), according to electoral
records analysed by My Vote Counts, a non-profit advocating
for more transparency in politics.
“Given
the amounts donated it has become clear to us he now
has a large stake in our politics,” said Robyn
Pasensie, a researcher at the organisation.
The
size of Mr Moshal’s wealth is unknown. He is
extremely private and only admitted to his ownership
of online gambling giant Betway after UK journalists
traced his ownership back to offshore trusts. Mr Moshal
did not respond to a request for comment.
Aside
from ActionSA, Mr Moshal has donated to the Democratic
Alliance (DA), Build One South Africa and said he
also intends to support the Inkatha Freedom Party.
Mr Moshal is ActionSA’s biggest backer. The Australian
Financial Review is not suggesting Mr Moshal supports
the party’s policies.
“I’m
not saying these parties are all perfect, but we shouldn’t
let perfect be the enemy of good... They are all far
better than the government we have today,” Mr
Moshal told The Jewish Report earlier this year.
“Pirkei
Avot was my late dad – John Moshal’s –
favourite part of the Talmud within which Rabbi Tarfon
is quoted as saying, ‘It’s not up to you
to finish the task, but you aren’t free to avoid
it’.”
Mr
Moshal said he believed South Africa needed a new
government and was on its way to becoming a failed
state.
“[This
is a] government that’s corrupt, cannot provide
basic security and opportunity to its citizens...
we need the change of government and leadership that
these parties can provide.”
ActionSA
is known for advocating for life sentences and hard
labour for serious offenders and also wants to repeal
the ANC’s Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment
(B-BBEE) policy, a form of affirmative action introduced
post-apartheid.
“Martin
knows my views on racial policies and how dangerous
they are,” said Mr Mashaba, who started off in
business and was the founder of African hair care
brand, Black Like Me.
ActionSA
has also been vocal on immigration, views labelled
as “xenophobic” by some critics and politicians.
“We
recognise that South Africa was built... on the back
of migrants,” said Mr Mashaba. “But they
must come here legally... you break our laws, we will
send you back to your country, the country where you
came from.”
One
of South Africa’s main economic problems is mismanagement
and corruption inside the country’s electricity
utility Eskom. The utility has been forced to implement
rolling blackouts, which have further stymied economic
growth.
“If
Eskom cannot run on a commercial basis then it must
die a natural death,” Mr Mashaba said, adding
changes were needed to give other companies the opportunity
to compete.
Mr
Moshal’s Entrée Capital is one of Israel’s
most active funds in the Israeli VC space. He is the
beneficiary of a trust which is the largest individual
shareholder in Super Group, which became the parent
of Betway and online casino brand Spin after a 2022
listing. The group reported net gaming revenue of
€1.3 billion ($2.1 billion) in 2022.
“Moshal
is one of the least visible betting entrepreneurs
in the world,” Guardian reporter Rob Davis wrote
in his book Jackpot: How Gambling Conquered Britain.
“Moshal
made much of his fortune from his home in Durban where
he patented a series of technological solutions for
the online gambling world and developed them via his
company Microgaming. The company has since become
one of the industry’s leading software players”
A
philanthropist, he sits on the capital management
advisory committee of Sydney’s Moriah College,
alongside Steven Lowy and former Babcock & Brown
chief executive Phil Green. He is also a life trustee
of the Moriah Foundation and previously donated to
Israel’s SpaceIL project attempting to land spacecraft
on the moon.
SkyCity
puts aside $45m for potential AUSTRAC penalty - August
2023
SkyCity
Entertainment set aside $45 million for a penalty
if it is convicted of breaches of anti-money laundering
and counterterrorism laws.
The
financial crimes watchdog, AUSTRAC, lodged proceedings
against SkyCity in December over alleged serious and
systemic non-compliance with the laws at its Adelaide
casino.
SkyCity
said on Monday it was difficult to determine the size
and timing of the penalty, given the proceedings are
in the early stages. But it decided to lodge a $45
million provision on the basis that each breach attracts
a maximum civil penalty of between $18 million and
$22.2 million.
“Estimating
the potential exposure to penalties with any degree
of accuracy at this stage of that ongoing process
remains challenging, particularly given the outcome
is highly dependent on a range of factors which are
not yet known,” a statement said.
AUSTRAC
has alleged “serious noncompliance” with
anti-money laundering laws against SkyCity, claiming
the company allowed 59 suspicious patrons to churn
more than $4 billion in dirty cash through its Adelaide
casino. The independent review is on hold because
of the Federal Court action.
The
company cut full-year earnings expectations at an
investor day in May, with a slowdown in revenue from
the international business and rising legal and compliance
costs related to a crackdown on money laundering weighing
on its bottom line. Analysts have provisioned about
$50 million for the AUSTRAC fine, but there is no
guarantee that will be enough.
In
late May, SkyCity announced it would hire an independent
expert to review its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism
programs. It is still waiting for South Australia’s
investigation into whether it should hold a casino
licence to recommence.
“Judgements
in civil penalty proceedings bought by AUSTRAC to
date demonstrate that the Court’s determination
of the appropriate penalty ... is very specific to
the fact in each case and that the Court will have
regard to a broad range of factors,” SkyCity
said.
SkyCity’s
provision announcement coincided with a $45.6 million
write-down of the Adelaide casino licence, which was
attributed to the value and timing of future discounted
cash flows.
The
company said the impairment and provision were non-cash
and would not affect earnings for fiscal year 2023.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation
remain in line with guidance of $NZ300 million ($276.6
million) to $NZ310 million.
SkyCity’s
provision comes a month after the federal court agreed
on rival casino operator Crown’s $450 million
fine for breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism
laws. The fine is being paid over a two-year period
without interest.
Shares
closed on Friday at $2.09.
Hotel
room rates plummet for F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend
- September 2023
Hotel
room rates for Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend have fallen
by nearly 60 percent in some cases since they were
first posted last fall. But an industry expert says
that does not necessarily mean interest in the event
is failing to meet expectation.
When
select Las Vegas resorts in November 2022 opened their
booking schedules for race weekend, listed prices
were as high as they have been seen in the city’s
history. While still at higher than normal rates,
a major decrease has occurred.
When
a drop in booking pace occurs, it automatically triggers
revenue management systems to suggest the lowering
of room rates, according to Dr. Mehmet Erdem, professor
of hotel operations and technology at UNLV’s
William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.
Pennsylvania
online casinos cross $5 billion in lifetime revenue
- September 2023
Business
is booming in Pennsylvania. The Keystone State is
the clear market leader when it comes to online casino
revenue within the US. After August’s total of
$171.9 million, Pennsylvania surpassed the $5 billion
threshold for lifetime revenue.
Pennsylvania
online casinos are constantly upgrading and adding
new content, and customers are responding. It doesn’t
appear the market will be slowing down anytime soon,
either.
Pennsylvania
has set the US online casino revenue record four times
over the last 11 months, and almost did so again.
August’s revenue total of $171.9 million came
second to March’s figure of $181.5 million. It
was the second-best month of all time for any state
with legal online casinos.
Atlantic City: Five-year turnaround of Ocean Casino
Resort among city’s greatest successes - September
2023
In
the winter of 2019, if any New Jersey sportsbook had
tried to offer odds on the Atlantic City casino hotel
then known as Ocean Resort Casino making it through
another summer, no gambler in their right mind would
have taken the bet.
Fast
forward to the end of summer 2023, and the property
now called Ocean Casino Resort is one of the city’s
best performers. In fact, an argument can be made
that Ocean’s rise to the upper echelon of the
Atlantic City casino market is the most remarkable
turnaround of any gambling parlor in history.
From
its failed origins as Revel Casino Hotel to its seemingly
doomed trajectory in February 2019, the $2.4 billion
casino at the north end of the AC Boardwalk felt almost
cursed (if you believe in that kind of stuff). But,
apparently, the gambling gods decided Ocean was deserving
of a better fate.
Once
shunned by casino operators, responsible gaming campaign
turns 25
At
a time when problem gambling matters were rarely mentioned
in gaming company boardrooms, Harrah’s Entertainment
decided the issue needed to be raised on casino floors.
But
it wasn’t just rival corporate executives that
looked askance at the idea of employees learning how
to spot signs that a customer might have a gambling
problem.
“Our
own lawyers tried to block it,” recalled Jan
Jones Blackhurst, who was then a Harrah’s senior
vice president. With the support of company CEO Phil
Satre, she led Harrah’s launch of the casino
industry’s first responsible gaming initiative
in the mid-1990s.
“We
had employees that wanted to be educated on the subject.
They wanted to be able to help,” said Jones Blackhurst,
who completed two terms as Las Vegas mayor before
joining Harrah’s. “Maybe because I came
out of politics. You have a responsibility to your
communities, your customers and your employees. We
believed it was the right thing to do.”
Sportsbooks
ratchet up targeted advertising at start of NFL season
Shortly
after the NFL forged authorized gaming partnerships
with a host of leading sportsbooks in the 2021 offseason,
operators began flooding the airwaves with a series
of humorous spots that featured celebrities hawking
their products.
Caesars
Sportsbook spent lavishly on an ad package starring
the Manning Brothers and actor J.B. Smoove as the
eponymous emperor. During Super Bowl LVII last February,
Kevin Hart expressed his displeasure for “taking
the under” in a DraftKings spot while standing
mere feet from WWE wrestler The Undertaker. Another
commercial from FanDuel featured a live field goal
attempt by former New England Patriots tight end Rob
Gronkowski, one that drifted wide left of the upright
at the last second.
Former
lieutenant governor calls for Nevada Gaming Commission
cyber briefing after MGM and Caesars hacks - September
2023
In
light of cyberattacks on MGM Resorts International
and Caesars Entertainment, former Nevada Lt. Gov.
Brian Krolicki, now a Nevada Gaming Commission member,
called for a briefing on the hacking incident to shed
more light on what happened and how it can be prevented
in the future.
The
suggestion comes the same day the Massachusetts Gaming
Commission met in executive session “to consider
information related to an MGM cybersecurity issue.”
It held a similar closed meeting on Monday.
After
it returned to the public session on Thursday, the
Commission entered into an executive session regarding
security at MGM Springfield, according to the Commission
agenda.
Krolicki
made his comments at the end of Thursday’s five-hour
meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Since it
was made during the public comment session, the commission
could not take up the matter, but it’s likely
the issue will return to the Commission and the Nevada
Gaming Control Board at some point.
In
the latest cyberattack that started being felt Sept.
10 and went into this week, hackers knocked slot machines
out of commission and created havoc with ATMs and
computer systems. MGM, which is reported by a Wall
Street analyst to have lost between $4.2 million and
$8.4 million a day with the hack, said its systems
were operating normally across their properties nationwide
as of Wednesday. Caesars reported it was hacked in
late August and had customer information stolen but
paid a $15 million ransom that avoided any shutdowns.
In
December, the Commission approved cybersecurity regulations
for the state’s gaming industry to protect operators’
information systems from attacks that could shutter
casinos and compromise customer data. The rules went
into effect Jan. 1. That approval came right after
BetMGM reported that its customers’ personal
information – including Social Security numbers
– was obtained in an unauthorized manner and
included information on their transactions.
In
the regulations, casinos were required to do a risk
assessment of their systems by the end of 2023 and
take any necessary steps on an ongoing basis to ward
off an attack. If any breach was successful that compromised
player data, credit card information and other records,
including that of employees, properties would be required
to report it to gaming regulators within 72 hours.
“It
would be important and enlightening given the recent
events of the past week regarding cyber security and
ransomware in particular at MGM and our friends at
Caesars and look at how it impacts our world and regulatory
responsibilities,” Krolicki said, later adding,
“I think at some point in time when there’s
the energy and understanding of what just happened
if we could get some kind of briefing of what transpired
that’s appropriate for public record and perhaps
policies going forward of how do we avoid these things
and if they do happen whether the reporting schemes
on whether it was immediately reported to the Gaming
Control Board. There are a lot of questions and a
lot of publicity. It’s a global story, and I
just think it would behoove all of us to get a good
handle on what just happened.”
The
Nevada Gaming Control Board released a statement on
Sept. 13 saying Gov. Joe Lombardo and the board “are
monitoring the cybersecurity incident with MGM Resorts
and are in communication with company executives.
Additionally, the Nevada Gaming Control Board remains
in communication with other law enforcement agencies.”
Casino
consultant Brendan Bussmann, managing partner of B
Global, which tracks gaming boards and commissions,
said the Massachusetts hearing won’t be the last
and expects states across the country to hold similar
sessions wanting to hear from MGM executives.
“Nevada
is the second regulator that I know has raised their
hand on this after Massachusetts,” Bussmann said.
“It should be about what happened and how it
happened, which should be considered confidential
information. This is going to be a question that every
regulator for both commercial gaming and tribal gaming
is going to be concerned about. Since we’re still
trying to figure out what happened, then we can see
what tools we need as an industry to beef up our efforts
on cyber-related events.”
While
everyone is focused today on MGM and Caesars, this
is not the first cyber attack, Bussmann said.
“This
can go back to the Las Vegas Sands attacks in 2014
from the Iranians and any other data breaches that
happened between then and now,” Bussmann said.
“I would expect every state at a minimum has
MGM and Caesars in it to at least say what happened
and what can we do regulatory to help this and what
can we do with testing and what can we do IT and host
of things.”
Bussmann
said the regulators can’t be reactionary but
instead should get evidence on how it happened and
use the best resources outside of the casino industry,
such as security firms, to do it right.
“There’s
no one better suited to regulate Nevada on this issue
than the Gaming Control Board in working with law
enforcement partners across the country,” Bussmann
said.
News
Word
Life
A.
Authority, Agent, Algorithm, Awake, Ads and Alphabet
B.
Balls, Balance and Blogs
C.
Creative and Content
D.
Digital and Disrupt
E.
Expert, Entertainment and Exposure
F. Fix
G.
Go, Grappling, Genuine, Gems, Gold and Gonzo
H.
Hits and Hashtags
I.
Instinct and Instagram
J.
Jewels and Journalism
K.
Karate and Keywords
L.
Lift and LinkedIn
M.
Money, Moneytize and MMA
N.
Numbers and News
O.
Open and Online News
P.
Passion, Promotions, Platforms and Pop Culture
Q.
Questions
R. Revenue and Results
S.
Suplex, Space X and Social Media
T.
Trust, Twitter, Tesla and Trends
U.
Universe, Unique and UFC
V.
Vortex
W.
Wrestling,
W.
Words, Webcode and World
X.
X-Journo and X.
Y.
YouTube and YouTube Shorts
Z.
Zoom
Elon
Musk loses $30 billion in one day amid Wall Street’s
tech wipeout - 21st July 2023
Elon
Musk’s fortune slumped $US20.3 billion ($29.5
billion) after Tesla warned it may have to keep cutting
the prices of its electric vehicles, sending shares
tumbling.
The
drop in net worth to $US234.4 billion is the seventh-largest
decline ever among those in the Bloomberg Billionaires
Index, and further narrows the wealth gap between
Musk and Bernard Arnault, the world’s two richest
people. Musk’s fortune still exceeds that of
Arnault, chairman of luxury goods maker LVMH, by about
$US33 billion.
Musk
wasn’t the only US technology billionaire having
a tough day. Amazon.com’ s Jeff Bezos, Oracle
Corp.’s Larry Ellison, former Microsoft CEO Steve
Ballmer, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Alphabet
co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin shed a collective
$US20.8 billion in net worth as the tech-heavy Nasdaq
100 fell 2.3 per cent.
Shares
of Tesla slid 9.7 per cent to $US262.90 in New York,
the most since April 20, after the company warned
of more hits to its already-shrinking profitability.
Months of markdowns have taken a toll on automotive
gross margin, which fell to a four-year low in the
second quarter. Musk, the company’s CEO, said
Tesla will have to keep lowering prices if interest
rates continue to rise.
In
addition to potentially having to budge further on
pricing, Tesla is pouring money into new models, including
the behind-schedule Cybertruck, plus Dojo, the in-house
supercomputer Musk plans to spend at least $US1 billion
on by the end of next year. While Tesla remains on
track to produce around 1.8 million vehicles in 2023,
output will dip this quarter due to factory upgrades.
“It
does make sense to sacrifice margins in favour of
making more vehicles, because we think in the not-too-distant
future they will have a dramatic valuation increase,”
Musk said, referring to his belief Tesla will eventually
offer autonomous-driving capability that will make
already-sold cars worth more.
Adding
to Tesla’s challenges is its growing inventory
of cars. The company said it now has 16 days’
worth of supply globally, up from 15 days last quarter
and just four days a year ago. Inventory continued
to build despite steep discounts on Tesla’s best-selling
models, and perks including free charging that the
carmaker offered consumers.
Musk,
52, derives his wealth primarily from his stake in
the EV manufacturer, as well as his holdings in Space
Exploration Technologies and Twitter. His wealth had
increased about $US118 billion this year through Wednesday,
as shares of Tesla climbed 136 per cent.
Arnault,
74, has seen his net worth rise by $US39 billion this
year to $US201.2 billion. Shares of Paris-based LVMH
have gained 26 per cent in 2023.
FIFA
deletes Matildas fans’ World Cup videos from
social media
Fans
who shared footage taken inside World Cup stadiums
have had their videos wiped from social media after
complaints from football’s organising body FIFA.
Strict
rules buried in the 13 pages of fine print that accompany
match tickets specify that people not broadcast “live
or near live” material from the grounds on their
personal social media accounts, to protect broadcaster’s
rights.
But
the fine print gives FIFA discretion to decide what
constitutes a “near live” broadcast, so
that fans who uploaded mobile phone footage of crowds
celebrating several hours after the Matildas’
one-nil win over Ireland at Stadium Australia on Thursday
had footage deleted.
This
masthead also is not allowed to use any images legally
from these videos.
“I
took some footage throughout the game, including the
penalty, which was at the far end of the ground,”
said Dan, who requested that his surname not be published.
“Then I sort of looped around and got some of
the amazing crowd reactions.
“Later,
around midnight, I uploaded it on Instagram. In the
early hours of the morning I opened Instagram and
there was a copyright notice and the video had been
deleted.”
Dan
later received an email from Instagram saying he could
contact the complainant, Fédération
Internationale de Football Association, to resolve
the issue. He reposted his video, which at the time
of writing is still live.
FIFA
did not comment directly on Dan’s case but said
some people posting social media videos would have
them removed because the organisation was conducting
a large operation against digital piracy.
Some
innocuous social media posts may be swept up by algorithms
searching for pirate broadcasters, especially those
that feature snippets of on-field action, it said.
“Digital
rights are quite restricted so as to protect broadcast
rights,” a spokesman said.
FIFA
said it broadly encouraged people to post images from
matches on social media. While some videos have been
deleted, most are still up, including one posted by
environment minister Tanya Plibersek, who captured
the same goal as Dan from a different angle and posted
it to her Instagram page.
“It
does seem like overreach to target people who are
just sharing content of a major sporting event,”
said Isabella Alexander, a law professor at the University
of Technology Sydney.
“I
think it’s common for live sporting events to
be very strictly controlled because of the value of
the broadcast rights - and because there’s no
copyright on the actual sporting event itself the
way they can enforce it is via the fine print on the
tickets,” she said.
“It’s
probably not common for tickets to have quite the
range of provisions like this, but since nobody ever
reads them, how would we know?”
Other
social media platforms have seen World Cup content
removed this week. Journalist Hamish McNeilly from
the Stuff website had a tweet that contained a short
video from the match between New Zealand and Norway
deleted on Thursday night, and posted a take down
notice he received from FIFA shortly afterwards.
FIFA’s
control of imagery can seem extreme. During the 2018
men’s world cup, football’s governing body
ordered Twitter to take down a short video of seven-year-old
England fan Alex Conn dancing in his living room because
a TV showing a match could be glimpsed in the background.
“It
just seems a bit pathetic,” Alex’s mother
Kathryn told NBC at the time. “The fact that
the TV is on in the background is largely incidental.
He’s just enjoying himself and enjoying the game.”
FIFA
struck controversy earlier this month when a directive
to cover up plaques of seven Australian athletes at
Allianz Stadium met outrage from some in the sporting
community.
The
move, part of FIFA’s “clean site” policy
to remove all non-World Cup branding from venues,
was reversed last week.
‘What,
so betting markets can be changed?’ Robinson
backs Matildas over Kerr injury
Three-time
NRL premiership winning coach Trent Robinson has emerged
as an unlikely ally for Matildas counterpart Tony
Gustavsson after he attracted criticism for keeping
Sam Kerr’s World Cup injury a secret.
Kerr’s
shock withdrawal from Australia’s tournament-opening
win over Ireland due to a calf injury was kept under
wraps by the Matildas right up until final teams were
named 90 minutes before kick-off on Thursday night.
Kerr
and Gustavsson spoke at a pre-game press conference
as though the world’s best player was not in
any doubt despite knowing she had suffered the injury
earlier in the day and wouldn’t play.
In
his post-match press conference, Gustavsson appealed
for understanding as to the tactical advantage gained
by not flagging Kerr’s injury, and told host
broadcaster Channel 7 in a separate interview that
“we weren’t honest in the press conference
[because] we didn’t have all the information
either”.
Robinson
was at the centre of a similar narrative around Cooper
Cronk leading into the Roosters’ 2018 grand final
triumph, when the star half was in doubt with a serious
shoulder injury and Robinson ducked and weaved around
the question of whether the star halfback would play
until 30 minutes before kick-off. Cronk played the
match despite having suffered what was revealed to
be a badly broken shoulder blade.
“What,
are you saying we should tell everyone so the betting
markets can be changed?” Robinson responded when
asked about keeping team secrets under intense scrutiny.
“There
was a bit written about it [in 2018], but it’s
not going to change people turning up. The objective
of a coach is to win a game – other people might
have a difference of opinion – but our job is
to create intrigue and guessing in the opposition.
“Showing
your cards days and weeks before a game is giving
a bit of a tip sheet to the opposition. People wouldn’t
have turned up if they found out? People wouldn’t
have watched?
“The
coach’s job for Australia is to win the game,
and if that was a tactical advantage so Australia
could win the game then I think we’re happy with
that as Australians rather than having the knowledge
hours before that Sam wasn’t playing.”
Gustavsson
declined to answer a pre-game question about the fitness
of his players and was similarly coy after Australia’s
win when pressed on Kerr’s availability for the
rest of the tournament.
Questions
about how Kerr was injured and the nature of her calf
issue were dead-batted, confirming only that the Chelsea
superstar will miss next Thursday’s clash against
Nigeria, with a match against Canada following four
days later.
There
is then a week’s break until Australia’s
prospective round of 16 fixture on August 7.
“She’s
going to be out for two games, and then we’ll
reassess afterwards,” Gustavsson said. “That
tells you a little bit about what grade it is, but
we don’t want to go into more details on that
at this point.”
Nike
versus Puma: The ambush marketing campaign dividing
the Matildas
Football
Australia has blocked players from the pioneering
1975 Australian women’s team from referring to
themselves as former Matildas as part of an ambush
marketing campaign by a rival apparel brand that has
bitterly divided the national team’s alumni network.
A
long-running debate over who should be regarded as
the ‘first Matildas’ – and thus the
true matriarchs of the sport in Australia – has
erupted in the build-up to the FIFA Women’s World
Cup, implicating current players and, according to
one source who did not wish to be named due to the
sensitive nature of the situation, has even ruined
friendships between ex-teammates.
It
relates to the team that wore green and gold at the
1975 Asian Cup Ladies Football Tournament in Hong
Kong, whose groundbreaking role in Australian women’s
football was given overdue formal recognition by FA
for the first time in May 2022, after almost half
a century in the shadows.
But
because FA’s historical committee unanimously
ruled they were a club team – with the majority
of the 16 players drawn from all-conquering Sydney
side St George Budapest, including coach Joe O’Connor,
and the rest from NSW rivals – the federation
stopped short of classifying them as full-blown Matildas
due to the absence of a competitive national selection
process.
The
team had gained permission from Sir Arthur George,
the chair of the FIFA-affiliated Australian Soccer
Federation, to wear the national colours and coat
of arms – although the ASF had no involvement
at the time with the women’s game, which was
run by the Australian Women’s Soccer Association,
which formed a year earlier.
The
1975ers were offered unnumbered caps by FA, inclusion
in the federation’s official records, recognition
as the first women’s team to represent Australia
in an internationally sanctioned tournament, and entry
into the Matildas Alumni club, which holds various
functions and events for ex-players.
But
they thumbed their nose at FA’s offer, and 10
of them have since linked up with Puma – a direct
competitor to the Matildas’ apparel sponsors
Nike – which has launched a reported six-figure
advertising campaign spotlighting the 1975 players
with billboards, social media advertising and various
other pieces of content telling their remarkable story.
The
1975ers are shown shedding tears as they read out
a letter of recognition from Puma’s Oceania general
manager Pancho Gutstein in one video. In another,
current Matildas Charli Grant and Aivi Luik, as well
as AFL stars Toby Greene and Scott Pendlebury –
who all have individual endorsement deals with Puma
– announce the names of the players who will
take part in a ‘walking football’ rematch
against New Zealand, their rivals at that tournament
in Hong Kong, to be held on Cockatoo Island in Sydney
this weekend.
The
players, who have been dubbed the ‘OGs’
by Puma, were reunited for the first time since 1975,
supplied with branded tracksuits and shoes, and have
also been provided tickets for Thursday night’s
clash between Australia and Ireland. They will watch
it with their New Zealand counterparts – despite
the Football Ferns hosting Norway in the tournament’s
opener in Auckland on the same day.
FA
says it planned to produce similar video content highlighting
the players’ contributions had they taken up
the offer made to them last year. Gutstein confirmed
that when Puma’s campaign launched, an FA executive
made contact and warned them about not breaching the
federation’s IP, including use of the term ‘Matildas’,
the trademark for which is owned by FA.
Last
month, FA submitted another trademark request for
‘Tillies’, a shortened version of the team’s
nickname commonly used by fans.
FA
said it did not “hold a view” on the Puma
campaign as it didn’t infringe on any trademarks
or their partnership with Nike, which was also contacted
for comment.
FA’s
board will review the 1975ers’ claims again after
the World Cup, with the players believed to be undeterred
in their pursuit of further recognition – despite
FA’s historians and some ex-Matildas, while recognising
the significance of their achievements, believing
they are overreaching by demanding numbered caps.
“With
regard to the debate, that’s really not our call
at all,” said Gutstein. “We just think that
they have an amazing story. It’s a wonderful
year to celebrate and share that story.” Puma
sponsors only two of the 32 teams at the World Cup,
while Adidas has a longstanding deal with FIFA.
Unnumbered
caps were also recently offered to – and accepted
by – the 1978 Australian team, which FA says
was the first senior women’s side selected through
a national process, but since they competed against
club teams at an invitational tournament in Taiwan
that year, and not against other nations, those matches
are also not seen as full ‘A’ internationals.
Of
the 16 players from the 1975 team, two have since
passed away, as has coach O’Connor, and only
three went on to earn numbered caps by playing in
full ‘A’ international matches. Inaugural
Matildas captain Julie Dolan was one of them, and
featured in the 1979 clash against New Zealand that
FA recognises as the Matildas’ first ‘A’
international, as well as the 1978 team.
Dolan
is not involved with the Puma campaign. She declined
to comment; sources close to Dolan claim her family
was verbally abused the last time she weighed in on
the topic. Dolan is the holder of Matildas cap No.1,
a status which has led to prominent roles in FA and
FIFA activities at World Cup events, and one she would
theoretically lose if the caps were to be reshuffled
to accommodate the 1975ers – as some of her ex-teammates
seem to insist should happen.
In
a public Facebook post, former FA director Heather
Reid alleges the Puma campaign’s narrative “smacks
of deception”, sparking a slanging match in the
comments where 1975 player Trixie Tagg accuses her
of trying to “rewrite our history” and describing
the team’s treatment as that of “illegitimate
cousins”. Others questioned what they said was
an exclusionary approach.
Tagg
said in an article on The Roar in 2020 that simply
being acknowledged by FA – as they were last
year – would “mean the world to us”,
and that the players would never expect cap numbers
to be changed.
In
another post on a private Matildas Alumni group, seen
by this masthead, one ex-player wrote: “Given
the choice between honesty and kindness, most of us
have chosen kindness. But after the Puma campaign
... it’s time for honesty.
“A
team that isn’t nationally selected doesn’t
pass the test to be classified as a national team
– regardless of what colours they were allowed
to wear. We all played many games in green & gold
that weren’t classified as A international caps,
for a whole range of reasons. A team where nobody
else has an opportunity to be chosen simply isn’t
a national team.
“Whoever
is giving them false expectations is not doing them,
or football, any favours. It’s sad to see this
divide our game.”
McGregor 'will not be intimidated' over sexual assault
allegation from Miami Heat NBA finals game - June
2023
Thee
NBA and the Miami Heat are investigating an allegation
former UFC champion Conor McGregor sexually assaulted
a woman inside an arena bathroom after Game 4 of the
NBA Finals.
The
woman’s attorney, Ariel Mitchell, said her client
has provided Miami police with the clothing she was
wearing on the night and a report had been filed.
McGregor’s
attorney said the fighter denied any wrongdoing. “McGregor
will not be intimidated,” said lawyer Barbara
Llanes.
In
letters sent to the NBA, the Heat and McGregor’s
representatives, Mitchell detailed her client’s
allegations and said the client would discuss “reasonable
settlement offers” before June 12 or else proceed
with litigation.
“We
are aware of the allegations and are conducting a
full investigation,” read a statement from the
Heat. “Pending the outcome of the investigation,
we will withhold further comment.”
The
NBA had a similar statement, saying it was working
with the Heat to gather information.
The
alleged incident happened on the same night McGregor
knocked out the Heat mascot in a midgame bit that
went wrong.
Burnie,
more specifically the man who occupies Burnie’s
costume, briefly sought medical attention Friday night
after taking two punches from McGregor during a third-quarter
stoppage of Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Heat
and the Denver Nuggets.
The
employee, who was not identified, received pain medication
and was recovering, the team said.
McGregor
was there as a promotional gimmick for a pain-relief
spray and was booed by many in the Miami crowd even
before the bit started.
The
flame mascot was wearing oversized boxing gloves and
a robe akin to what a fighter would wear entering
the ring for a bout.
McGregor
hit Burnie with a left hook, knocking him down, then
punched the mascot again after he hit the floor.
McGregor
then tried to “spray” the mascot with the
pain-relief product, while several members of the
Heat’s in-game promotional team dragged Burnie
off the court.
McGregor
hasn’t fought since injuring his left leg in
a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.
His last win came in January 2020.
Roman Reigns agrees to put his Tribal Chiefdom on
the line against Jey Uso! - July 21, 2023
On
a frenetic Friday Night SmackDown, the stakes between
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and
Jey Uso got magnified as Reigns agreed to put his
Tribal Chiefdom on the line as well as his title against
Jey at SummerSlam! Plus, “Dirty” Dominik
Mysterio won his first NXT North American Title defense
against Butch, Rey Mysterio advanced in the U.S. Title
Invitational Tournament, Charlotte Flair overcame
IYO SKY so much more!
Combat
Sports News - Nate Diaz explains how Jake Paul trash
talking Conor McGregor and Dee Devlin helped influence
him into accepting the fight - 21st July 2023
Diaz
(21-13 MMA) will be making his boxing debut against
‘The Problem Child‘ who has a 6-1 record
in the ring, 4 of those wins via knockout.
Nate
Diaz opened up about why he agreed to take the fight
with Paul when speaking on the ‘Raw Talk’
podcast:
“This
guy (Paul) actually thinks he’ll beat up everyone’s
ass and he’s louder than all you fools who are
really beating people’s ass. So, now I have to
step the f**k out the box real quick and whup this
motherf**ker’s ass so everyone knows who’s
the real ass-whupper. You understand what I’m
saying?”
Continuing
the 38 year old shared:
“This
fool was poppin’ off on everybody. Like, ‘Oh,
we’re real fighters.’ Well prove it, motherf**ker.
Go beat his ass for talking sh*t. He was going after
everybody. On that big of a stage where he’s
making everybody believe that, like you’re letting
this guy talk sh*t to the whole roster? And ain’t
no one saying sh*t? Louder than the roster? The UFC’s
big, but the roster?”
Addressing
what Jake Paul was saying about Conor McGregor, Nate
Diaz continued:
“And
then he was talking sh*t to Conor, talking sh*t to
Conor and dissing his wife and sh*t? Some real disrespectful
stuff that he shouldn’t have been saying. And
nobody’s saying sh*t. I’m the one who said
‘Shut the f*ck up, b**ch. I’ll whup your
ass. Have some respect.’ You’re gonna disrespect
somebody’s wife and stuff like that who would
actually whup your ass? To get a fight like that,
that suppresses the fight fight game.”
Concluding,
Nate Diaz said (h/t MMAMania):
“Like,
that’s a real fight and you should shut the f*ck
up, and no one’s saying anything because everyone’s
acting like the whole roster, the UFC, everyone’s
acting like ‘He can’t really.’ But
he should shut the f*ck up. And no one’s speaking
up, saying ‘Shut the f*ck up.’ So …
shut the f*ck up.”
With
the fight just 2 weeks away, it’s anyone’s
guess as to who will be the victor after 10 rounds
in the boxing ring.
UFC RAISES MORE THAN $130,500 FOR THE UFC FOUNDATION
DURING INTERNATIONAL FIGHT WEEK
July
22, 2023
During
the 11th Annual International Fight Week, UFC raised
a total of $130,790 with net proceeds benefitting
the UFC Foundation.
To
commemorate International Fight Week, UFC raised funds
across three charitable campaigns surrounding the
week-long celebration, including VIP sweepstakes with
digital charity platform 15 Seconds of Fame, the 2023
UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and a week-long
50/50 raffle.
To
coincide with IFW, UFC launched a statewide online
and in-venue 50/50 raffle. Fans were able to participate
in the raffle by purchasing tickets during the UFC
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at T-Mobile Arena,
at the Las Vegas Convention Center during UFC X, at
ceremonial weigh-ins, and during UFC 290: VOLKANOVSKI
vs. RODRIGUEZ at T-Mobile Arena. The raffle generated
a total jackpot of $78,240, with 50% ($39,120) benefitting
the UFC Foundation.
The
winner of the remaining 50% of the jackpot, Jonathan
Weber of Poinsettia, Ariz., who was making his second
consecutive International Fight Week trip, will receive
$39,120 after purchasing his 50/50 raffle ticket during
UFC 290.
“We
always contribute to the 50/50 raffle at every UFC
event we attend,” said Weber. “We love watching
the jackpot grow and build for the foundation. We
have attended many UFC events and every time we go
we buy raffle tickets! We’re going to take our
winnings and pay some bills and create funds for our
nine and four-year old daughters' savings accounts!”
Other
funds raised during the week included $17,000 from
a VIP sweepstakes for two tickets to sit in Dana White’s
section during UFC 290 and $35,550 in ticket sales
proceeds from the UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
UFC’s
CSR activations during International Fight Week also
included athletes visiting patients currently undergoing
treatment at the Cure 4 The Kids Foundation and hosting
a two-day youth freestyle wrestling clinic in partnership
with Wrestle Like a Girl at UFC X.
The
UFC Foundation works in tandem with UFC’s corporate
social responsibility program, #UFCInTheCommunity,
to strategically collaborate with partners, sponsors,
and athletes to develop additional charitable programs
and funding sources to help bolster and inspire the
local community.
Since
2017, UFC has organized 29 50/50 raffles throughout
North America that have grossed more than $1.55 million,
with net proceeds benefitting local charitable organizations
in the communities that have hosted UFC events throughout
the United States and Canada.
UFC’s
next 50/50 raffle will take place from Friday, September
15 – Saturday, September 16 at T-Mobile Arena
as part of NOCHE UFC: GRASSO vs. SHEVCHENKO 2. For
more information, please visit UFCFOUNDATION.
(UFC)
WWE® ANNOUNCES 27 ADDITIONAL DATES TO 2023 FALL
LIVE EVENT TOURING SCHEDULE
STAMFORD,
Conn., July 7, 2023 – WWE® (NYSE: WWE) today
announced 27 additional live events as part of the
company’s 2023 touring schedule. Tickets go on
sale next Friday, July 14.
The
schedule includes:
-
Saturday, Sept. 9: WWE Saturday Night’s Main
Event – Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.
-
Sunday, Sept. 10: WWE Sunday Stunner – John Paul
Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.
Friday,
Sept. 15: SmackDown® – Ball Arena in Denver,
Colo.
Saturday,
Sept. 16: WWE Supershow – Toyota Center in Kennewick,
Wash.
Sunday,
Sept. 17: WWE Supershow – Extra Mile Arena in
Boise, Idaho
Monday,
Sept. 18: Raw® – Delta Center in Salt Lake
City, Utah
Friday,
Sept. 22: SmackDown® – Desert Diamond Arena
in Glendale, Ariz.
Saturday,
Sept. 23: WWE Supershow – Acrisure Arena in Greater
Palm Springs, Calif.
Sunday,
Sept. 24: WWE Supershow – Save Mart Center in
Fresno, Calif.
Monday,
Sept. 25: Raw® – Toyota Arena in Ontario,
Calif.
Friday,
Sept. 29: SmackDown® – Golden 1 Center in
Sacramento, Calif.
Saturday,
Sept. 30: WWE Supershow – Chase Center in San
Francisco, Calif.
Sunday,
Oct. 1: WWE Supershow – Tahoe Blue Event Center
in Lake Tahoe, Nev.
Monday,
Oct. 2: Raw® – SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
Friday,
Oct. 6: SmackDown® – Enterprise Center in
St. Louis, Mo.
Saturday,
Oct. 7: WWE Fastlane – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
in Indianapolis, Ind.
Monday,
Oct. 9: Raw® – CHI Health Center in Omaha,
Neb.
Friday,
Oct 13: SmackDown® – BOK Center in Tulsa,
Okla.
Saturday,
Oct. 14: WWE Supershow – T-Mobile Center in Kansas
City, Mo.
Sunday,
Oct. 15: WWE Supershow – Great Southern Bank
Arena in Springfield, Mo.
Monday,
Oct. 16: Raw® – Paycom Center in Oklahoma
City, Okla.
Friday,
Oct. 20: SmackDown® – AT&T Center in
San Antonio, Texas
Saturday,
Oct. 21: WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event –
Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas
Sunday,
Oct. 22: WWE Sunday Stunner – Sames Auto Arena
in Laredo, Texas
Monday,
Oct. 23: Raw® – American Airlines Center
in Dallas, Texas
Friday,
Oct. 27: SmackDown® – Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee,
Wis.
Monday,
Oct. 30: Raw® – Bon Secours Wellness Arena
in Greenville, S.C.
About
WWE
WWE,
a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated
media organization and recognized leader in global
entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio
of businesses that create and deliver original content
52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed
to family-friendly entertainment on its television
programming, premium live events, digital media and
publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming
can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide
in 25 languages through world-class distribution partners
including NBCUniversal, FOX, BT Sport, Sony India
and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes
all premium live events, scheduled programming and
a massive video-on-demand library and is currently
available in more than 180 countries. In the United
States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock,
is the exclusive home to WWE Network.
Additional
information on WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
Aussie
Open win Tag Team titles at ROH Death Before Dishonor
The
duo won the titles in a four-way match.
Aussie
Open are the new ROH Tag Team Champions.
Mark
Davis and Kyle Fletcher won the titles at Friday’s
Death Before Dishonor event, defeating former champions
Penta El 0 M and Rey Fenix, Best Friends, and The
Kingdom in a four-way match. The finish had Davis
and Fletcher hitting Coriolis on Trent Beretta to
win the titles for the first time.
Lucha
Bros. had held the titles for 113 days, winning them
back at Supercard of Honor on March 31 in a Reach
for the Sky ladder match. The titles had been vacated
due to the death of Jay Briscoe back in January.
Aussie
Open had to vacate the IWGP and NJPW Strong Tag Team
titles after Davis suffered a knee injury that required
surgery. This was the first time since May that Aussie
Open had teamed up, and the first time since they
had signed with AEW.
The
rest of the card saw champions retain their titles.
The double main event had Claudio Castagnoli successfully
retain the ROH World title against PAC, and Athena
retain the ROH Women's title against Willow Nightingale.
Wrestling
and sports announcing legend Jim Ross on AEW - July
2023
"Ian
(Riccaboni) really distinguished himself in Calgary,
I thought. I thought he and Nigel McGuinness had a
hell of a night. I don't trust anybody any more than
Ian Riccaboni to get the stuff in. We've got a great
anchor with Excalibur and another great anchor with
Ian Riccaboni and you just got to try it and see what
kind of chemistry there is between teams. The team
of Taz and Tony Schiavone and Excalibur is excellent.
They really are excellent and they're getting their
timing together. They're not talking over each other.
They're trying, I think, not to use so many fu**ing
pronouns. Then Nigel and Ian had a hell of a night,
and that's leaving out Kevin Kelly in this debate.
He'll be back as I understand it to do Collision,
but I don't know how all that's gonna work out. I
don't have any idea. But anyway, you just got to see
if they got chemistry. The skill set it takes to have
the patience to talk in sound bites and not make your
dialogue about you. That's what we're waiting to see
how that was all going to transfer.” - Jim Ross
AEW's
Matt Hardy On The Pros & Cons Of Social Media
- July 2023
Matt
Hardy has remained a top star for several decades.
However, his career was rejuvenated in a big way with
the emergence of his break-out "Broken"
character in TNA. The new persona wound up going viral
on social media, thanks to wrestling fans. As a result
of leveraging social media to his benefit, Hardy has
a pretty solid grasp on the pros and cons of its usage,
which he shared during a recent appearance on "Busted
Open Radio."
"I
have said this for a long time. Social media is the
best thing ever to happen and social media is the
worst thing to ever happen," Hardy explained.
"When you are on social media, it gives guys
that are hungry and driven a great platform to promote
themselves, to promote their business, to promote
their projects — whatever it may be. But it also
allows people to come on social media without accountability
and without responsibility. And they can insult people
and troll people."
Hardy
recently encountered some toxicity at the hands of
Jim Cornette and his fans on social media, but Hardy
does his best to not let it affect him.. "Just
because there are a group of people that may follow
someone who is an antiquated relic in terms of his
opinions — if they came at me and insult me that
doesn't bother me at all," said Hardy. "Matter
of fact, it is kind of like a badge of honor because
I am picking up attention in some capacity".
Hardy has realized the best response is not to waste
energy arguing or trying to change opinions.
Hardy
also recognizes social media isn't going anywhere,
and he pushed that to thrive in society you needed
to embrace technology and adapt to societal changes.
"Social media is a magical thing. It is a monster.
It is so powerful," said Hardy. "I just
hope people try hard to be very responsible and use
it for good."
ONE
Championship To Host Four U.S. Events In 2024
ONE
Championship, the world’s largest martial arts
organization, today announced that the promotion will
host four events in the United States in 2024.
Coming
off a successful U.S. debut in May at 1stBank Center
in Colorado with ONE Fight Night 10, ONE will look
to carry its momentum into 2024 with a recurring cadence
of ONE Fight Night events in America, which will air
live on Prime Video in the U.S. and Canada. Cities,
venues, and ticketing information will be announced
at a later date.
Chatri
Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship,
stated: “I am thrilled to announce that ONE Championship
is coming back to the U.S. with four massive events
in 2024. When we made our historic U.S. debut with
ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video, I was blown away
by the support we received from our fans in the U.S.
ONE is home to the greatest martial artists in the
world, and I’m excited to once again showcase
our World Champions on American soil. To our fans
that haven’t seen a live ONE event, I promise
you an experience unlike anything you’ve ever
seen.”
ONE
Fight Night 10 featured Demetrious “Mighty Mouse”
Johnson defending the ONE Flyweight World Title, the
return of “Super” Sage Northcutt, the U.S.
debuts of Thai superstars Rodtang Jitmuangnon and
Stamp Fairtex, and more. Milestones for the event
included:
Tickets:
Sold out 1stBank Center in Colorado
Viewership:
Most watched event to date for ONE on Prime Video
Search:
A new peak on Google Trends for “ONE Championship”
in the U.S.
Social:
#ONEFightNight10 trended #1 on Twitter in the U.S.
and Canada for Sports
Prime
Video Partnership: Merch on Demand QR codes for ONE
apparel, in-stadium Twitch Watch Parties featuring
ONE athletes, live coverage throughout fight week
Stage
Front VIP, the exclusive U.S. VIP experience partner
of ONE, will continue to provide fans with unrivaled
access through immersive VIP experiences that include
premier seating, premium hospitality offerings, athlete
meet-and-greets, event collectibles, after-party access,
and more.
Streaming
quotas decision would ease Hollywood strike headache:
studio boss - July 16, 2023
Australia’s
film and television sector will avoid major disruption
as a result of union strikes in Hollywood, although
the Albanese government is being urged to finalise
its decision over proposed local content quotas to
ease uncertainty in the industry.
Former
chief executive of Nine Entertainment Hugh Marks –
who last year founded Australian studio Dreamchaser
alongside former Endemol Shine boss Carl Fennessy
– said the writer and actor strike had added
a layer of complexity to the Australian industry.
After
announcing in January it would implement local content
requirements for international streaming services,
the government is yet to set a number for the quota.
A spokesperson for Tony Burke, minister for the arts
and for workplace and employment relations, reaffirmed
a decision would be made this side of the new year,
ahead of its implementation in July 2024.
Marks
said the local offices of the likes of Netflix, Disney
and Apple will be affected by the strikes, with Australian
content pitches increasingly being angled towards
a global audience.
The
strikes have coincided with a period where streamers
have shifted gears from “a gold rush of global
domination”, Marks says, to being forced to figure
out how to monetise their vast audiences.
Several,
including Netflix, Disney+ and Binge locally, have
turned to advertising as a contributing solution.
A clear direction from the government, he says, would
ease the headache over decision-making on domestic
content.
“The
one thing that would really be beneficial now would
be the release of the new proposed laws about quotas
in this market because that would certainly give everyone
some focus as to at least what’s got to be done
domestically,” Marks says.
“I’m
certainly encouraging the government to act sooner
rather than later to remove that unnecessary lack
of certainty from the local market.”
In
a positive for the local industry, a statement on
Friday from Screen Producers Australia (SPA) noted
the strike does not apply to non-scripted productions,
including documentaries, light entertainment and reality
shows – the latter of which is widely noted to
be a beneficiary of the writers’ strike in 2007.
SPA
said it anticipated a limited number of non-Australian
productions will be affected by the strikes locally.
The body said all scripted local productions produced
and controlled by Australian production companies
that have engaged Australian and Imported SAG members
will continue unaffected, provided they engage all
cast under Australian Industry Contracts in accordance
with the Global Rule One Agreement between SAG-AFTRA
and the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA).
While
it has been suggested prolonged strikes in the US
could see an additional influx of Australian-produced
content, Marks believes it is too early in the process
to think that might be the outcome.
The
country’s biggest streaming services are required
under legislation introduced by the Morrison government
to report their spending on Australian content to
the authority. The big five – Netflix, Stan,
Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Paramount+ –
reported that in 2021-22 they collectively spent $668.5
million on “Australian” and “Australian-related”
content.
Last
month, NBC Universal walked away from its $180 million
sci-fi series, Metropolis, which had pre-production
under way at Docklands Studios in Melbourne. After
the actors union voted to strike last week, the Sam
Neill/Annette Bening drama Apples Never Fall, halted
on Friday. Production was already under way in Queensland,
budgeted at an estimated $79 million.
NBC
Universal signed a content deal with Foxtel in November,
with an extended deal with Warner Bros. Discovery,
owner of the highly regarded network HBO, in February.
Foxtel’s
streaming service Binge has relied heavily on content
from HBO for its sustained growth since launching
in 2020, with popular shows such as White Lotus, Succession,
and The Last of Us. Binge was responsible for 11.9
per cent of all new Streaming Video on Demand subscriptions
in the first quarter of this year, according to data
from Kantar, with 18 per cent of all of its new user
acquisitions driven by The Last of Us, its blockbuster
nine-part series that debuted in January.
Local
players including Foxtel and Stan (owned by Nine)
were approached for comment on the impact of their
programming schedules.
One
of the streamer’s largest subscription drivers
in 2022, House of the Dragon, will continue filming
in the UK, due to the show being largely comprised
of British actors with contracts governed by the local
union, Equity.
Paramount,
which owns Network Ten and streaming service Paramount+,
is understood to not be affected by the strikes. While
it benefits from a constant stream of content from
Paramount Studios, the local arm of the company has
focused its efforts on Australian-produced content,
which includes shows such as The Last King of the
Cross, Five Bedrooms, and the recently green-lit series
NCIS: Sydney, being produced locally by Endemol Shine.
Screen
Producers Australia wants a 20 per cent levy on the
streamers’ Australian revenue, while the streamers
insist they are spending plenty already, with local
TV networks in agreement.
In
May, a submission by industry body Free TV, which
represents Nine, Seven West Media and Network Ten,
said it opposed the introduction of quotas for local
productions, arguing the screen production industry
in Australia is already booming.
Free
TV doubled down this week, calling for a balanced
approach to the introduction of streaming quotas.
In response to comments by Bryan Brown AM in an address
to the National Press Club, Bridget Fair, CEO of Free
TV Australia said the group invests $1.5 billion every
year in Australian content.
“But
if the Government is going to impose content quotas
on streaming services, it needs to carefully consider
the impact this will have on the Australian public
who rely on free services from our local broadcasters,”
she said.
Australian
tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes splits from wife
- 22nd July 2023
An
Australian tech billionaire worth $19 billion has
reportedly split from his wife after 13 years of marriage.
Australian
tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes has reportedly
split from his wife after 13 years of marriage.
Sources
close to the family of Mr Cannon-Brookes, who is Australia’s
sixth-richest person and the co-founder of Atlassian,
have confirmed he is separating from his wife, Annie,
according to Nine newspapers.
The
couple married in 2010.
Their
separation comes just a week after the high-profile
split of Australia’s richest couple, Twiggy and
Nicola Forrest.
The
Forrests, who had been married for 31 years, said
they were living apart but insisted the separation
will not impact their mining and philanthropy empire.
Mr
Cannon-Brookes made his estimated $19 billion fortune
alongside fellow Aussie billionaire Scott Farquhar,
with whom he co-founded software firm Atlassian in
2002.
The
company is widely considered a great Australian success
story, its share price having quintupled since it
was listed on the US stock exchange in 2015.
Atlassian
has, however, suffered a tough 12 months amid broader
turmoil in the tech sector. In March, the company
laid off 500 workers just a few months after a dramatic
hiring blitz.
In
a self-described “no bulls**t” note to staff,
Mr Cannon-Brookes and Mr Farquhar said it was a “very
hard day in our 20 year history” and they were
“deeply sorry” to make the job cuts.
“To
be clear, this decision is not a reflection of Atlassian’s
own financial performance, as we will be reinvesting
in roles that better support our priorities,”
they wrote.
The
Cannon-Brookes family owns an impressive property
portfolio, including the 1.1-hectare Fairwater estate,
previously the home of the late Lady Mary Fairfax,
which they acquired in 2018 for a reported $100 million.
It was believed to be the priciest property sale in
Australian history.
In
June, the couple forked out $14.25 million to buy
a home in Newport, on Sydney’s northern beaches,
neighbouring the $24.5 million estate they purchased
in 2020.
The
five-bedroom home is set on a 3000-square-metre block
of land and features a 1000-square-metre netted bathing
area.
Cannon-Brookes,
who was previously a fashion designer, was born in
the US.
It’s
believed he and Annie met at a Qantas lounge during
a trip between Sydney and San Francisco.
Endeavour calls on states to work together on gambling
reform
Endeavour
Group boss Steve Donohue has urged state and territory
governments to work more closely together when considering
policies to fight problem gambling, as the hotels’
operator promises to get a jump on implementing gaming
reforms unveiled in Victoria this week.
Donohue
said on Thursday that Endeavour, one of the largest
operators of poker machines in the country, has written
to state governments calling for a “more co-ordinated
and collaborative approach” and to make sure
that knowledge is shared across all states on proposals
such as cashless gaming and facial recognition technology.
He
said there was room for the states to share more insights
with each other about the impact and efficacy of different
policy measures.
“What
we are saying is we think there is an opportunity
for deeper collaboration and more co-ordination in
relation to various approaches, suggestions and ideas,”
he said.
“We
can learn from the experiences that each state and
territory is having.”
A
spokesperson for New South Wales Gaming and Racing
Minister David Harris said the state was committed
to working with all stakeholders to deliver evidence-based
gambling reform.
“We
will be paying very close attention to the activities
of other jurisdictions, such as the Victorian government
and the evidence they unearth through the work of
their implementation working group,” they said.
“Just
this week the minister met with the ACT minister for
gaming to continue collaboration and discussion on
gambling reform across jurisdictions.”
Endeavour
told shareholders on Thursday that the company would
move swiftly to implement changes after the Victorian
government unveiled proposed reforms to gaming machine
regulations on Sunday.
The
state’s plan for reducing gambling harm includes
slower spin times for games, mandatory closing periods
for gaming room floors, mandatory pre-commitment limits
and a load-up limit of $100, which will cap how much
an individual can put in a machine at a time.
Endeavour
confirmed it would adjust the hours of gaming machine
areas at its ALH Hotels in Victoria, so they close
between 4am and 10am by August 31; 10 months ahead
of the government’s proposed timeline.
This
would bring Victoria’s rules in line with operating-hours
regulations in NSW and South Australia.
The
company also confirmed it supported the $100 load-up
limit and would bring this into operation for Victorian
machines “as soon as is practicable”.
Shares
in the business closed 9.9 per cent weaker on Monday
as investors and analysts considered what impact the
reforms would have on the group’s earnings.
Goldman
Sachs analysts said on Monday that the exact impact
would be difficult to estimate, but said it could
lower earnings by 0.5 per cent to 1.8 per cent during
the 2024 financial year.
E&P
Financial analyst Philip Kimber said policies such
as the $100 load-up limit were likely to have a smaller
impact on Endeavour’s financials than the Victorian
government’s policy on pre-commitment limits.
“There
is no change to our view that the Victorian government
proposal with the potential to have the most material
impact on electronic gaming machine spend in Endeavour’s
Victorian pubs is mandatory pre-commitment limits
[via carded play],” he said in a note to clients
on Thursday.
Endeavour
shares opened stronger but did not maintain momentum
during Thursday’s session as the broader market
stayed flat. The stock was up 0.3 per cent to $5.91
in late afternoon trade, but still down by 5.6 per
cent over the past five days.
Media Man commentary for David Rowe Illustrations
as per The Australian Financial Review
Pen
Dan Thon Games For Four. Great art.
No
Pentathlon. No nothing. Gang of four. Gonzo and satire
+. Commentary open to interpretation, as per pro wrestling
legend John Cena's Instagram. Beauty of otherwise
in the eye of the beholder. Alternative commentary:
Sports biz blessing in disuise and doddged a bullet
from the range.
Media Man commentary for Mike Mooneyham feature on
'The Bloodline' and wrestling factions news in the
WWE
Exactly.
But, hopefully it becomes the "new normal"
for the WWE version of pro wrestling. The Judgement
Day faction also looks very promising to me with Dirty
Dom as a heat seeking "killer heel" element,
while going after all of the belts. Tony D gets seen
on today's WWE SmackDown backstage and he's got "mob"
and family business history with Escobar, so LWO also
gets a shot in the arm. So much better than 3 to 5
years ago. The Triple H era with apparent assistance
by Shawn Michaels and a few others who listened to
fans of pro wrestling. Paul Heyman fingerprints over
the "crime scenes" for the past 56 months
or so. And WWE business is at historic levels. Feel
welcome to quote me.
Media
Man commentary for recent scribes in Search Engine
Journal - 2023
SEJ's
Kristi on the latest on the Hollywood writers strike
connection with AI, human writers and the like..To
paraphrase the world's leading tech entrepreneur/innovator,
Elon Musk, "Once you summon the beast (of AI)
there's no turning back". For me, founding and
overseeing a modest size independent media and online
publishing firm.Insew both opportunity and threats
with AI. More threats at this stage of the game..
Circa 1980 pro wrestling legend, "The American
Dream" Dusty Rhodes cut a promo which was decades
ahead of its time and included the verse, "A
computer took my job Daddy"..and "that's
hard times". Well, we may not be quiet at that
point but social is inching closer. We are somewhat
reluctantly starting to embrace some A.I elements.
Twitter Spaces broadcast raised interesting points
on AI in business and life over the past week. The
part about "summoning the demon" is still
giving me mild nightmares. AI can certainly save publishers
and the like a considerable amount of money? How?
By reducing if not elimination of human writers, web-coders
and so on. Ying and yang. AI wins and a human loses.
But, humans are still in control right?! This is getting
me even more fired up for the potential match: Musk
vs Zuck! Man vs Machine!
Media
Man commentary for Search Engine Journal: Supercharge
your Alt text SEO strategy
SEJ
- Alt Text AI.. motivated to work on an AI project
to help get the best parts of the subject and have
AI write one of these AI articles for us. Open AI,
xAI, Bard and/or other! AI tender wars could be a
potential growing trend. Save time and save money
by not having to pay a human to do a job an AI robot
machine can do! "Never pay a human to do a machines
job". (Agent Smith -;The Matrix). In AI and SEJ
we trust. Man over machine or Machine vs Human? Can
they both co-exist in the AI SEO space or will a battle
be looming or more a Darwinism for the AI writer and
scribe. An AI writer will work for nothing and around
the clock 365 right? Little wonder the article was
done or largely done by AI. A growing trend, or a
one-off? All the news that's fit to print on SEO.
AI SEO all the way to the bank.
Netflix
reveals jaw-dropping result after password sharing
crackdown
The
streaming giant has unveiled the results of its controversial
password-sharing crackdown – and they’re
quite staggering.
Netflix
has revealed that subscriptions to their streaming
service climbed by nearly six million in the wake
of its crackdown on password sharing.
The
streaming giant finished the recently ended quarter
with a total of 238 million subscribers and a profit
of $US1.5 billion ($1.77 billion), according to an
earnings release.
The
pick-up in subscribers came as a potentially crippling
writers and actors strike hits the US entertainment
industry, but with analysts saying Netflix is better
positioned than its rivals to weather the storm.
“We
are constantly at the table negotiating with everyone
across the industry,” Netflix co-chief executive
Ted Sarandos said during an earnings presentation.
“We
need to get to this strike to a conclusion so that
we can all move forward.”
Revenue
came in lower than expectations with Netflix posting
$US8.2 billion ($12 billion) in sales over the April
to June period, pushing the company’s shares
down more than eight per cent in after hours trading
on Wall Street.
Netflix
in May expanded its crackdown on users sharing passwords
with people beyond their immediate family as it seeks
to shore up revenue after a rough patch last year.
Earlier
this year the company complained that more than 100
million households were sharing accounts at the service.
“Let’s
face it, the crackdown on passwords is working,”
Navellier and Associates chief investment officer
Louis Navellier said of Netflix.
“I
was ecstatic with the results; I think they hit the
ball out of the park with subscriber growth.”
In its earning statement, the company said that the
policy would expand to all its markets worldwide.
To
convert non-paying users, Netflix has introduced “borrower”
or “shared” accounts, in which subscribers
can add extra viewers for a higher price or transfer
viewing profiles to new accounts.
Netflix
launched an ad-subsidised offering around the same
time as the crackdown, and on Wednesday eliminated
its lowest priced ad-free plan that cost $10 a month
in the US.
“The
decision to cut its basic tier is an effort to bolster
advertising by elevating the price difference between
its advertising and non-advertising tiers,” said
Insider Intelligence principal analyst Ross Benes.
“Building
an ads business from scratch isn’t easy and we
have lots of hard work ahead, but we’re confident
that over time we can develop advertising into a multi-billion
dollar incremental revenue stream,” Netflix said
in the letter to shareholders.
Benes
estimates that Netflix will generate $US770 million
($1.13 billion) in advertising revenue in the US this
year, and more than US$1 billion by 2024.
“Netflix’s
increased focus on password sharing will occur alongside
heightened pressure to expand ad revenue,” Benes
said.
“As
the service’s subscriber base plateaus in more
countries, Netflix will focus on moving price-sensitive
freeloaders to its cheaper ad-supported plan.”
Actors
on strike
The
earnings report came as Netflix and other film and
television makers see productions halted by an actors
and writers strike in the United States.
“The
share price is down a bit after market; there is worry
they will run out of content because of the Hollywood
strike,” Navellier told AFP.
Screen
Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) members joined writers who
have been on strike for weeks, triggering the first
industry-wide walkout for 63 years and effectively
shutting down Hollywood.
“Our
experts say that Netflix is best positioned to weather
the strike compared to competitors, but it could start
to feel pressure if its content pipeline gets increasingly
strained,” said Third Bridge analyst Jamie Lumley.
Sarandos
said on an earnings call in April that the company
has a “pretty robust slate of releases”
and a large base of upcoming films and shows from
around the world to help it endure a strike.
The
company touted the success of fresh Murder Mystery
and Extraction films, as well as series such as Bridgerton,
The Witcher and Never Have I Ever.
“This
year we’ll have more returning seasons than any
other streamer,” Netflix told shareholders, sharing
a list that included The Crown and Virgin River.
Netflix
scraps huge comeback movie for beloved 80s franchise
- July 2023
Netflix
has scrapped a huge comeback movie for a beloved 80s
series, despite already spending more than $44m developing
it.
Netflix
has scrapped a huge comeback movie for a beloved 80s
series.
Despite
spending more than $44m on the project, it seems the
upcoming film has officially been given the axe by
the streaming giant.
The
Masters of the Universe – based on the He-Man
and other Mattel toys – has been in the works
at Netflix since 2019.
The
streaming giant already released an animated series,
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in 2021, and
two other shows were also in development.
However
according to Variety, despite the extortionate amount
of money spent on development costs, the project has
been axed.
The
news reportedly comes after “budget concerns”
were raised.
The
project previously had a tough time trying to find
its way to the big screen as it went through both
Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures.
Many
writers have been involved in the project since 2007,
as well as acclaimed directors Jon M. Chu and McG.
Huge
names were attached to the film including The Lost
City directors Adam and Aaron Nee and lead actor Kyle
Allen, 28, who is best known for roles in West Side
Story and American Horror Story.
Significant
pre-production procedures took place even though producers
worked to get the budget down.
Netflix
reportedly rejected a $180 million budget as it never
officially gave the project the green light.
Although
the film is no longer at Netflix, Mattel is reportedly
looking for a new home for the film.
CEO
of the company Ynon Kreiz recently told The New Yorker:
“It’s hundreds of pages of characters and
sorcerers and vehicles and weaponry – you name
it.
“And
then you flip through the pages, and here’s a
movie, and here’s a movie, and here’s a
TV show. . . . it’s endless!”
The
film is based off a toy line franchise of the same
name, which was also a hit cartoon series that aired
from 1983 to 1985 and consisted of 65 episodes.
The
series was so successful that it spawned a spin-off
series, She-Ra: Princess of Power, following the adventures
of He-Man’s sister, Princess Adora.
A
live action movie version was released in 1987 which
starred the likes of Dolph Lundgren, Courteney Cox
and Frank Langella.
‘They
Live’, starring Roddy Piper, returning To U.S
theaters For 35th Anniversary
John
Carpenter’s classic They Live, starring WWE star
Roddy Piper, Keith David, and Meg Foster, came out
in 1988. The film is based on “Eight O’Clock
in the Morning” by Ray Nelson. As AMC Theatres
summarized, They Live centers around “aliens
who are gaining control of the earth by masquerading
as humans and the one man determined to stop them.”
This special anniversary event will feature an exclusive
intro from director John Carpenter.” To commemorate
the movie’s thirty-fifth anniversary, it is returning
to theaters on September 3 and 6 through Fathom Events.
The special edition will include an exclusive intro
from Carpenter.
Meta
and other social media giants blocking news in Canada
- July 2023
Some
Instagram users in Canada are finding their access
to news accounts restricted as Meta and other social
media companies prepare for the country’s Online
News Act to come into effect. Meta, the company that
owns Instagram and Facebook, says it underwent testing
in June to limit some users and publishers from viewing
or sharing news content in Canada. It says tests impact
up to five per cent of Canadian users. Many have questions
about the federal government’s Online News Act,
why it’s being opposed by social media companies
and how the friction between the two will impact Canadian
users. Here are some of your questions, answered.
What
is the Online News Act?
The
Online News Act, or Bill C-18, is a piece of Canadian
legislation that requires tech companies like Google
and Meta to compensate news outlets for sharing links
to their pages. The law received royal assent on June
22 and is slated to take effect “no later than
180 days” after that date.
What
are the concerns for social media companies?
Critics,
including Meta and Google, say Bill C-18 is unfair,
unworkable and amounts to a tax on links, with no
recognition of the traffic or “free marketing”
the tech companies provide to news publishers. Along
with blocking access to some users, Meta has begun
an ad campaign on its Facebook and Instagram platforms,
criticizing the law and explaining its decision to
remove news links.
“The
Online News Act is based on the incorrect premise
that social media companies benefit unfairly from
news content shared on our platforms, but the reverse
is true,” said Lisa Laventure, spokesperson for
Meta, in a statement Monday. “News outlets voluntarily
share content on social media to expand their audiences
and help their bottom line. Unfortunately, the only
way we can reasonably comply with this legislation
is to end news availability for people in Canada in
the coming weeks.”
Is
this what the bill’s proponents wanted?
No.
Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez called Meta’s
move “disappointing” and said Canadians
will not be intimidated by these tactics. Meanwhile,
Paul Deegan, the head of News Media Canada, called
Meta’s move a “kick in the shins” to
Canadians at a time when the value and need for credible
information has never been greater.
“Meta’s
decision to ‘unfriend’ Canada by denying
access to trusted sources of news for some of their
users, as wildfires burn and when public safety is
at stake, is irresponsible and tone deaf,” Deegan
told CBC News in an email. “This hard-nose lobbying
tactic is more evidence of the power imbalance that
exists between dominant platforms and publishers.”
Will
this happen to all of us soon?
In
order to comply with the law, both Google and Meta
have stated they would remove news links in Canada
before the law comes into effect by the end of the
year. Rodriguez has said Google and Meta do not have
obligations under the law because the regulatory process
is just beginning.
“We’re
deeply convinced that Google’s and Facebook’s
concerns can be resolved through the regulatory process.
If Facebook truly believes that news has no value,
they can say so at the negotiating table,” Rodriguez
said in a statement on Monday. “Threats to pull
news instead of complying with the laws in our country
only highlight the power that platforms hold over
news organizations, both big and small.” Google
has said it will work with the government throughout
the regulatory process, while Meta believes the process
isn’t equipped to make changes to parts of the
legislation with which it disagrees.
What
is CBC doing about this?
Legacy
media and broadcasters have praised the bill, which
promises to “enhance fairness” in the digital
news marketplace and help bring in more money for
shrinking newsrooms. Tech giants including Meta and
Google have been blamed in the past for disrupting
and dominating the advertising industry, eclipsing
smaller, traditional players. CBC/Radio-Canada’s
corporate position is that the Online News Act will
help level the playing field and contribute to a healthy
news ecosystem in Canada “at a time when 80 per
cent of digital ad revenue goes to Facebook and Google,”
said spokesperson Leon Mar. In an editor’s blog,
CBC News editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon has suggested
audiences follow the broadcaster on TikTok and other
apps, such as Gem and CBC Listen.
Has
there been pushback?
Meta,
which is based in Menlo Park, Calif., has taken similar
steps in the past. In 2021, it briefly blocked news
from its platform in Australia after the country passed
legislation that would compel tech companies to pay
publishers for using their news stories. It later
struck deals with Australian publishers. Gregory Taylor,
a communications, media and film professor at the
University of Calgary, pointed to Australia as an
example for why Canadian news publishers should hold
strong on their position.
“Facebook
is really trying to assert itself, but in the end
they can’t afford to lose a lot of these markets,”
Taylor previously told CBC North. “I believe
that we are at the leading edge of getting these companies
to contribute to our democracy by bringing in this
kind of funding model.”
What
is the answer to combat this?
Alfred
Hermida, a journalism professor at the University
of British Columbia, believes C-18 is a “flawed
piece of legislation” that doesn’t address
greater issues in the news industry, such as the concentration
of private media ownership.
“It
doesn’t take into account the record profits
of media conglomerates like Bell and Rogers,”
he previously told CBC News. “And it doesn’t
really do anything to support for more than 140 journalism
startups that have been created in Canada since the
year 2000.” In the near term, private messaging
and chat groups may also be alternatives as Meta’s
Facebook Messenger does not appear to be affected
by the company’s plans to block news links.
In
conclusion, the implementation of Canada’s Online
News Act has led to restrictions on news accounts
for some Instagram users in the country. Meta and
other social media companies have undergone testing
to limit the viewing and sharing of news content in
Canada. The Online News Act requires tech companies
to compensate news outlets for sharing links to their
pages. Social media companies like Meta and Google
oppose the law, stating that it is unfair and amounts
to a tax on links. Meta’s decision to block news
links has been criticized by proponents of the bill,
who argue that it is irresponsible and highlights
the power imbalance between platforms and publishers.
Both Google and Meta have announced plans to remove
news links in Canada before the law comes into effect.
CBC/Radio-Canada supports the Online News Act, believing
it will enhance fairness in the digital news marketplace.
There has been pushback from social media companies,
with Meta previously blocking news in Australia but
later striking deals with publishers. The answer to
combat this issue is still being debated, with some
arguing that the legislation does not address larger
issues in the news industry. In the meantime, private
messaging and chat groups may serve as alternatives
for accessing news content.
Top
5 Movies about writers on Netflix
Movies
are a great part of our lives. They make us happy
and sad, inspire us to embark on journeys to unknown
lands, and become our escape when everything seems
to go down. You can find a movie about literally anything
and use it as a tool to get out of a crisis.
This
is especially relevant for academic writers and their
blocks. The writing industry knows no boundaries,
starting with novel writers who spend years on their
books and finishing with professional essay writers
who can finish a difficult assignment in 8 hours.
SmartWritingService is a great sample of such websites.
Both
get writer’s blocks from time to time. Just like
batteries, they need to be recharged to continue their
work. Sometimes it’s the feeling of the worthlessness
of what they do, while other times, it’s just
general exhaustion.
If
you’re in a similar situation, let us help you
recharge with the 5 best movies about writers!
TOP
5 MOVIES ABOUT WRITERS
These
will enchant you with interesting stories and help
get your mind off the struggle. Get some popcorn,
a blanket for extra coziness, and let’s begin.
STRANGER
THAN FICTION
This
is an extraordinary story that comes alive thanks
to an amazing cast. Here you can see legends such
as Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. Another treat
is Will Ferrel in an unusual role for him. We all
know the actor for his humor and sarcasm, but in this
movie, he’s a completely different, serious,
character.
With
this movie, you will experience all the stages of
the writing process, a unique interpretation of it,
and the way to make your characters open from new
sides on screen. It’s unique, creative, and very
engaging. The movie will leave an impression you won’t
be able to shake off for several days. And you won’t
have to!
MIDNIGHT
IN PARIS
If
you’re more into romantic stories, this movie
is a great choice for your rewind time. This is Woody
Allen at his best! The movie shows a story, filled
with romance and comedy, about a promising writer
on a journey to the most loving and loved city of
the world, Paris, with his fiancee.
The
author, played by the talented Owen Wilson, is filled
with fears, a lot of writers have, no matter the genre,
experience, or era. The movie takes a fantastic twist
when the writer meets a lot of authors he was inspired
by before their famous breakthroughs. Their stories
help him overcome every doubt and fear, coming out
a completely new person and giving himself a chance.
The
story is enhanced by the beauty of the French capital,
which is just magical.
SWIMMING
POOL
This
movie is more of a thriller, for those who like to
be on the edge of their seats, thinking of nothing
more but the plot. It’s about deadlines (the
most powerful thriller for a writer anyway) and inspiration
in unexpected places. The main character, played by
Charlotte Rampling, is nearing her deadline that comes
as quickly as an express train. She has a new novel
to present to her publisher, and it should become
as good as her previous successful book, maybe even
better.
She
goes to the countryside in France and meets a teen
played by Ludivine Sagnier. As teenagers can be, she’s
quite rebellious, but the writer, unexpectedly, finds
inspiration and motivation in their interaction that
drives her to make the book much better. The story
is filled with mystery, as well.
WILDE
The
name of the movie says everything. Oscar Wilde is
one of the most unique and famous writers in the world.
This story highlights certain parts of his personal
life, where a lot of writers can find similarities
or explanations to some of their questions.
The
author appreciated beauty in everything, was quite
witty and painfully honest in his works. This movie
can help you gain a new understanding of the world
of writing, personal crisis, and more. Besides, you’ll
find out a lot of new information about the writer,
which is always interesting.
SHAKESPEARE
IN LOVE
For
everyone who loves pretty things, this is an incredibly
beautiful movie. It stars Gwyneth Paltrow and is a
special film in her life. The actress won an Academy
Award for it! This is a drama-comedy about a writer
that everyone around the world knows.
We
learn about Shakespeare in school, and some continue
to do it due to their major or sheer interest in this
extraordinary person and a talented writer. The movie
is highly entertaining and beautiful, shot in a traditional
British manner. If you’re struggling with writer’s
block, this film is a must-watch!
Pop
Culture Podcast Wars; Media Man Monthly awards
4
Way Tie: Logan Paul's Impaulsive, WWE's Out Of Character,
Joe Rogan and Russell Brand
TMZ
wins Media Man 'Pop Culture News Outlet Of The Month'
WWE
wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month'
Runner-ups: All Elite Wrestling, Game Changer Wrestling
and National Wrestling Alliance
Search
Engine Journal wins Media Man 'Search News Outlet
Of The Month'; Runner-up: Search Engine Land
News
News.com.au
holds number one news traffic ranking in April for
fourth consecutive month - May 22, 2023
News.com.au
has retained the number one news website traffic ranking
for the fourth month in a row, reaching 12.71 million
Australians in April.
The
latest Ipsos Iris report showed the news website has
resolidified its market-leading stance, although there
was a three per cent dip month-on-month in unique
audience. Average time on site per person, sitting
at 29 minutes and 55 seconds, also slipped modestly
compared to March.
Oliver
Murray, news.com.au editor, pointed out April was
a month when many should’ve switched off to enjoy
Easter and the school holidays.
“It’s
testament to our team that we kept serving up news
they needed to read,” he said.
That
content offering drew in the largest and most engaged
audience in the news category, he pointed out –
six in 10 online Australians.
“We
saw a 17 per cent month-on-month increase in our sports
audience to become the number one sports brand, driven
by our NRL and AFL coverage,” Murray said.
“Australians
also turned to us for travel news, reaching an audience
of 2.541 million and leading the travel news category.”
The
gap between news.com.au and rival ABC News, sitting
in second spot, is sizeable. The national broadcaster’s
web offering attracted the eyeballs of 11.14 million
Aussies.
Rounding
out the top five was nine.com.au with 10.73 million
unique viewers, 7news.com.au on 10.06 million, and
Daily Mail Australia on 8.35 million.
The
Ipsos Iris report found 20.2 million people used a
news website or app in April, with engagement increasing
by 1.2% to almost six hours per person, per month.
Major
news events ranging from the death of comedian Barry
Humphries to the arrest of former US President Donald
Trump and the federal budget helped fuel the increase,
it said.
The
report called out travel-related browsing in the month,
given Easter and the school holidays, with 16.9 million
Aussies aged 14 and above visiting a travel website
or app in April.
Those
in the 55-plus age bracket spent the most time browsing
– 33% more than those under 55 – while women
were more likely to use travel sites and apps than
men. People aged 25 to 39 are the largest cohort engaging
with travel content online.
(News.com.au)
News
Sydney
Morning Herald is the country’s best-read masthead
May 22, 2023
The
Sydney Morning Herald has retained its position
as Australia’s top masthead, with more readers
across all platforms than any other over the 12 months
to March this year.
Total
News figures from the industry’s official data
provider, Roy Morgan, showed 7.7 million people, or
about one in three Australians, read the masthead.
It puts the Herald ahead of its traditional NSW rival,
the News Corp-owned Daily Telegraph, which has 3.98
million readers.
The
Herald’s sister paper, The Age, cemented its
place as the most-read Victorian masthead with 5.2
million readers, and the outlets’ Good Weekend
magazine was the premier Saturday insert. It had an
average print readership of 754,000 people, up 4 per
cent for the quarter.
Print
was a particular bright spot for this masthead, with
the Monday to Friday newspaper recording 17 per cent
growth year over year and quarterly growth of 4 per
cent, taking its average readership per edition to
417,000. It marks the sixth consecutive quarter of
growth for the physical newspaper, while the Sun Herald’s
Sunday print edition was steady, up 1 per cent, to
a readership of 423,000. In the last four weeks, an
average of almost 1.9 million people read the printed
paper.
The
Herald and Age’s Good Food and Traveller titles
had audiences of 1.49 million and 1.56 million, respectively,
each month. Sunday Life had an average issue print
readership of 419,000, and Domain defied a softening
real estate market, seeing annual growth of 7 per
cent and quarterly growth of 5 per cent, to record
an average issue print readership of 537,000.
“I
am proud of our team for achieving such a strong result,
particularly given the challenging environment all
publishers are finding themselves in right now,”
Herald editor Bevan Shields said.
“The
Herald continues to set the benchmark for quality
journalism in Australia and I want to thank our subscribers
and readers for their continued support for what we
do.”
Roy
Morgan’s data covers all news brands and digital
news websites and tracks audiences on Apple News and
Google News.
(The
Sydney Morning Herald)
News
Financial
Review most-read business masthead. By Sam Buckingham-Jones
- May 22, 2023
The
Australian Financial Review is the country’s
most-read premium business masthead, reaching a print
and digital audience of 3.5 million people, figures
released by Roy Morgan show.
More
than 1.1 million people read the print edition of
the Financial Review over the past four weeks, and
the masthead reported its third consecutive quarter
of growth and a year-on-year increase of 6 per cent.
The Australian suffered an annual drop of 17 per cent
in print readership for the same period.
The
Financial Review’s combined print and digital
audience fell slightly from last quarter, from 3.6
million to 3.5 million, but the decline was smaller
than rivals.
The
AFR Weekend print edition readership grew 59 per cent,
on the Roy Morgan figures, and 11 per cent in the
last quarter. The weekend and weekday print editions
have recorded their highest quarterly result since
2018.
The
Australian Financial Review Magazine recorded a print
readership of 481,000, after quarter-on-quarter growth
of 12 per cent and annual growth of 14 per cent. This
is AFR Magazine’s highest quarterly result since
2018.
“After
the hit from COVID-19, it’s encouraging to see
readers return to the newspaper edition of the nation’s
premium business, finance and political publication,”
said the masthead’s editor-in-chief, Michael
Stutchbury.
“That’s
an endorsement of the newsroom’s journalism,
including our breaking and ongoing pursuit of the
PwC tax scandal.
“At
the same time, the Financial Review continues to hold
the most digitally focused readership of any newspaper
brand as we increase our share of that national market.”
Nine’s
total publishing assets – including the Financial
Review, nine.com.au, The Sydney Morning Herald, The
Age, WA Today, Domain Digital and more, reach a de-duplicated
audience of 16.6 million Australians across print
and digital.
ThinkNewsBrands,
a group representing news publishers, says 16.5 million
Australians read news each week and 20.6 million or
96 per cent of Australians read news each month.
The
Total News readership figures are produced each quarter
by Roy Morgan for ThinkNewsBrands.
(The
Australian Financial Review)
Pop
Culture, Streaming, Wrestling, MMA, Combat Sports,
Movies, Sports Business...
Netflix
finally reveals how much it makes from Australians
- 1st June 2023
Netflix
made more than $1 billion from Australians last year,
a figure the company reported for the first time after
deciding no longer to funnel revenues through a Netherlands-based
subsidiary.
Accounts
lodged by the streaming giant show Netflix Australia
made $1.06 billion in 2022, up from $30.7 million
the year before.
The
increase in reported revenue came after the company’s
local subsidiary changed how it bills. It now describes
itself as a “distributor of access” to Netflix
Service as opposed to a provider of services for its
parent company.
It
was previously estimated that Netflix made between
$790 million and $1.4 billion from Australians, but
customers were billed by Netflix International BV.
But from January 1 last year, customers were billed
by Netflix Australia, meaning subscription revenue
was recognised and taxed locally.
The
accounts, filed with the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission, show Netflix Australia paid
$966 million to the Netflix Group in distribution
fees and other costs, meaning it made just $22.7 million
from total revenues of $1.06 billion.
After
paying $6.9 million in income tax, it reported $15.8
million profit for the year.
“As
Netflix continues to grow and invest in Australia,
we want our corporate structure to reflect our business
activities here,” a spokesman for Netflix said
last year when The Australian Financial Review reported
the structural change.
In
2021, Netflix Australia reported $30.7 million in
revenue, $2.4 million in profit pre-tax, and $1.5
million in profit after its $868,000 income tax bill.
Netflix
does not disclose subscriber numbers for Australia,
but the revenue figures included in its latest accounts
implies the service has around five million customers
locally, if its standard plan, $16.99 per month, is
used as a guide. It has four monthly price tiers including
a new, cheaper one that now adds some advertising.
According
to the Australian Communications and Media Authority,
streaming services made a combined $2.49 billion in
Australia in 2021.
The
disclosure of Netflix’s true Australian revenue
comes as the federal government considers introducing
quotas that would force streaming companies to spend
a certain amount making shows locally.
Some
suggestions have been forcing them to spend between
10 and 20 per cent of local revenue on Australian
shows, meaning Netflix would be required to spend,
depending on the rate, between $100 million to $200
million.
ACMA
estimates streaming providers spend $335.1 million
on Australian content in the 12 months to the end
of June last year, up from $178.9 million the year
before.
Netflix
has been contacted for comment.
News
Mistakes
and miscalculations: How the Murdochs and Fox got
it so wrong - 30th May 2023
In
August 2021, the Fox Corp. board of directors gathered
in Los Angeles. Among the topics on the agenda: Dominion
Voting Systems’ $US1.6 billion ($2.5 billion)
defamation lawsuit against its cable news network,
Fox News.
The
suit posed a threat to the company’s finances
and reputation. But Fox’s chief legal officer,
Viet Dinh, reassured the board: Even if the company
lost at trial, it would ultimately prevail. The First
Amendment was on Fox’s side, he explained, even
if proving so could require going to the Supreme Court.
That
determination informed a series of missteps and miscalculations
over the next 20 months, according to a New York Times
review of court and business records, and interviews
with roughly a dozen people directly involved in or
briefed on the company’s decision-making.
The
case resulted in one of the biggest legal and business
debacles in the history of Rupert Murdoch’s media
empire: an avalanche of embarrassing disclosures from
internal messages released in court filings; the largest
known settlement in a defamation suit, $US787.5 million;
two shareholder lawsuits; and the benching of Fox’s
top prime-time star, Tucker Carlson.
And
for all of that, Fox still faces a lawsuit seeking
even more in damages, $US2.7 billion, filed by another
subject of the stolen election theory, voting software
company Smartmatic.
Caught
flat-footed
Repeatedly,
Fox executives overlooked warning signs about the
damage they and their network would sustain, the Times
found. They also failed to recognise how far their
cable news networks, Fox News and Fox Business, had
strayed into defamatory territory by promoting President
Donald Trump’s election conspiracy theories —
the central issue in the case. (Fox maintains it did
not defame Dominion.)
When
pretrial rulings went against the company, Fox did
not pursue a settlement in any real way. Executives
were then caught flat-footed as Dominion’s court
filings included internal Fox messages that made clear
how the company chased a Trump-loving audience that
preferred his election lies to the truth.
It
was only in February that Murdoch and his son with
whom he runs the company, Lachlan Murdoch, began seriously
considering settling. Yet they made no major attempt
to do so until the eve of the trial in April, after
still more damaging public disclosures.
At
the centre of the action was Dinh and his overly rosy
scenario.
Dinh,
a high-level Justice Department official under President
George W. Bush, declined several requests for comment,
and the company declined to respond to questions about
his performance or his legal decisions. “Discussions
of specific legal strategy are privileged and confidential,”
a company representative said in a statement.
The
second half of 2020 brought Fox News to a crisis point.
The Fox audience had come to expect favourable news
about Trump. But Fox could not provide that on election
night, when its decision desk team was first to declare
that Trump had lost the critical state of Arizona.
In
the days after, Trump’s fans switched off in
droves.
The
Fox host who was the first to find a way to draw the
audience back was Maria Bartiromo. Five days after
the election, she invited a guest, Trump-aligned lawyer
Sidney Powell, to share details about the false accusations
that Dominion, an elections technology company, had
switched votes from Trump to Joe Biden.
Soon,
wild claims about Dominion appeared elsewhere on Fox,
including references to the election company’s
supposed (but imagined) ties to the Smartmatic election
software company; Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan
dictator who died in 2013; George Soros, the billionaire
investor and Democratic donor; and China.
‘Fox
News did its job, and this is what the First Amendment
protects. I’m not at all concerned about such
lawsuits, real or imagined.’
Fox’s
chief legal officer Viet Dinh
On
November 12, a Dominion spokesperson complained to
Fox News Media chief executive Suzanne Scott and Fox
News Media executive editor Jay Wallace, begging them
to make it stop. “We really weren’t thinking
about building a litigation record as much as we were
trying to stop the bleeding,” said Thomas A.
Clare, one of Dominion’s lawyers.
As
Fox noted in its court papers, its hosts did begin
including company denials. But as they continued to
give oxygen to the false allegations, Dominion sent
a letter to Fox News general counsel Lily Fu Claffee,
demanding that Fox cease and correct the record. “Dominion
is prepared to do what is necessary to protect its
reputation and the safety of its employees,”
the letter warned.
Fox,
however, did not respond to the Dominion letter or
comply with its requests — now a key issue in
a shareholder suit filed in April, which maintains
that doing so would have “materially mitigated”
Fox’s legal exposure.
Three
months after the election, another voting technology
company tied to the Dominion conspiracy, Smartmatic,
filed its own defamation suit against Fox, seeking
$US2.7 billion in damages. Dominion told reporters
that it was preparing to file one, too.
Dinh
was publicly dismissive.
“The
newsworthy nature of the contested presidential election
deserved full and fair coverage from all journalists.
Fox News did its job, and this is what the First Amendment
protects,” Dinh said at the time. “I’m
not at all concerned about such lawsuits, real or
imagined.”
The
Fox legal team based much of the defence on a doctrine
known as the neutral reportage privilege. It holds
that news organisations cannot be held financially
liable for damages when reporting on false allegations
made by major public figures as long as they don’t
embrace or endorse them.
An
early warning came in late 2021. The judge in the
case, Eric M. Davis, rejected Fox’s attempt to
use the neutral reportage defence to get the suit
thrown out, determining that it was not recognised
under New York law, which he was applying to the case.
Even if it was recognised, Fox would have to show
it reported on the allegations “accurately and
dispassionately”, and Dominion had made a strong
argument that Fox’s reporting was neither, the
judge wrote in a ruling.
That
ruling meant that Dominion could have access to Fox’s
internal communications in discovery.
That
was a natural time to settle. But Fox stuck with its
defence and its plan.
Treasure
trove
At
nearly every step, the court overruled Fox’s
attempts to limit Dominion’s access to private
communications exchanged among hosts, producers and
executives. The biggest blow came mid-last year, after
a ruling stating that Dominion could review messages
from the personal phones of Fox employees, including
both Murdochs.
The
result was a treasure trove of evidence for Dominion:
text messages and emails that revealed the doubts
that Rupert Murdoch had about the coverage airing
on his network, and assertions by many inside Fox,
including Carlson, that fraud could not have made
a material difference in the election.
The
messages led to even more damaging revelations during
depositions. After Dominion’s lawyers confronted
Rupert Murdoch with his own messages showing he knew
Trump’s stolen election claims were false, he
admitted that some Fox hosts appeared to have endorsed
stolen election claims.
During
Carlson’s deposition last year, Dominion’s
lawyers asked about his use of a crude word to describe
women — including a ranking Fox executive. They
also mentioned a text in which he discussed watching
a group of men, who he said were Trump supporters,
attack “an Antifa kid”. He lamented in the
text, “It’s not how white men fight,”
and shared a momentary wish that the group would kill
the person. He then said he regretted that instinct.
There
is no indication that Carlson’s texts tripped
alarms at the top of Fox at that point.
The
alarms rang in February, when reams of other internal
Fox communications became public. The public’s
reaction was so negative that some people at the company
believed that a jury could award Dominion more than
$US1 billion. Yet the company made no serious bid
to settle.
All
along, the Fox board had been taking a wait-and-see
approach.
But
the judge’s pretrial decisions began to change
the board’s thinking. Also, in those final days
before the trial, Fox was hit with new lawsuits. One,
from former Fox producer Abby Grossberg, accused Carlson
of promoting a hostile work environment. Another,
filed by a shareholder, accused the Murdochs and several
directors of failing to stop the practices that made
Fox vulnerable to legal claims.
The
weekend before the trial was to begin, the board asked
Fox to see the internal Fox communications that were
not yet public but that could still come out in the
courtroom.
The
board learned for the first time of the Carlson text
that referred to “how white men fight”.
Dinh did not know about the message until that weekend,
according to two people familiar with the matter.
By
the time the board learned of the message, the Murdochs
had already determined that a trial loss could be
far more damaging than they were initially told to
expect. A substantial jury award could weigh on the
company’s stock for years as the appeals process
played out.
“The
distraction to our company, the distraction to our
growth plans — our management — would have
been extraordinarily costly, which is why we decided
to settle,” Lachlan Murdoch said at an investment
conference this month.
The
text also helped lead to the Murdochs’ decision
to abruptly pull Carlson off the air. Their view had
hardened that their top-rated star wasn’t worth
all the downsides he brought with him.
Still
pending is the Smartmatic suit. In April, Fox agreed
to hand over additional internal documents relating
to several executives, including the Murdochs and
Dinh. In a statement reminiscent of Dinh’s early
view of the Dominion case, the network said that Fox
was protected by the First Amendment.
“We
will be ready to defend this case surrounding extremely
newsworthy events when it goes to trial, likely in
2025,” the statement said.
News
Lachlan
Murdoch explains $1.2b settlement, says Fox News won’t
change ‘successful strategy’ - 10th May
2023
Fox
News paid $US787 million ($1.16 billion) to settle
a recent lawsuit on its reporting after the 2020 election
to avoid a divisive trial and lengthy appeals process,
its parent company’s chief executive said.
Lachlan
Murdoch, executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corp.,
also noted that a Delaware judge “severely limited”
Fox’s defences against Dominion Voting Systems,
which said the network defamed it by airing bogus
charges of election fraud that it knew was untrue.
Fox
Corp announced that it had lost $US50 million the
previous three months, which it attributed to the
lawsuit settlement. Murdoch, who answered questions
from financial analysts, was speaking in public for
the first time since the case ended and Fox fired
its most popular anchor, Tucker Carlson. Carlson has
just announced he is launching a new show on Twitter.
Murdoch
said viewers, and investors, should expect no change
in direction from Fox News.
“We
made the business decision to resolve this dispute
and avoid the acrimony of a divisive trial and multi-year
appeal process, a decision clearly in the best interests
of the company and its shareholders,” he said.
Fox
still believes it was properly exercising its First
Amendment rights to report on newsworthy fraud allegations
made by former President Donald Trump, even though
that defence was shot down in a pre-trial court ruling
in the Dominion case, Murdoch said.
That’s
important, since Murdoch said Fox intends to use the
same defence against a similar lawsuit by another
elections technology company, Smartmatic. That case
is not expected to go to trial until at least 2025,
he said.
Despite
being asked directly about Carlson’s exit, Murdoch
didn’t mention the former prime-time host’s
name and referred to his reign obliquely. Fox has
not explained why it cut ties with Carlson.
“There’s
no change in programming strategy at Fox News,”
he said. “It’s obviously a successful strategy.
As always, we are adjusting our programming and our
lineup and that’s what we continue to do.”
Although
hurt by the Carlson exit, Fox News remains the leading
cable news network.
Fox
has lost viewers following Carlson’s firing.
Last week’s substitute host, Lawrence Jones,
reached between 1.28 million and 1.7 million last
week in a time slot where Carlson usually drew around
3 million, the Nielsen company said.
Yet
Fox has gained more than 40 new advertisers in that
hour, the network said, confirming a report in Variety.
Advertisers like Gillette, Scott’s Miracle Gro
and Secret deodorant that had considered Carlson’s
show a toxic environment have signed on.
(AP)
News
Jesse
Armstrong on the roots of Succession: ‘Would
it have landed the same way without the mad bum-rush
of Trump’s presidency?’ - 27th May 2023
It
has been the TV drama of our time – a brutal,
hilarious unpicking of how power works. As the series
comes to an end, its creator looks back at its origin
and the unholy trinity of men who helped inspire Logan
Roy
My
first vivid memory of the project that would develop
into Succession was trying to get out of it. It was
about 2008 and I was on location for the filming of
Peep Show, the UK sitcom my longtime writing partner
Sam Bain and I wrote together. Between that show and
my work on The Thick of It and In the Loop, and a
bunch of other things, I was feeling overcommitted.
That particular day we were pretending a very normal
field in Hertfordshire was a safari park. I sloped
off from set and, hiding from imaginary lions, tried
to elegantly step away from the project.
I
failed. And in the following months as I wrote, slowly,
I became certain the script was a dud. It was stodgy
and odd. The original idea, a faux-documentary laying
out Rupert Murdoch’s business secrets, with them
delivered straight to camera, evolved as I worked
into a sort of TV play, set at the media owner’s
80th birthday party. Channel 4 were supportive, but
it was an odd form, this docudrama/TV-play, and difficult
to make happen. Around 2011, after a read-through
in London where John Hurt played Rupert, the project
essentially died.
My
US agent was the first person I recall suggesting
a totally different approach. A fictional family,
a multi-series US show. For five years or so, I dismissed
the idea, certain that a portrayal of a fictional
family would never have the power of a real one. Four
works changed my mind: HBO’s excellent Robert
Durst documentary, The Jinx; Sumner Redstone’s
grimly business-focused autobiography, A Passion to
Win; James B Stewart’s propulsive DisneyWar;
and Tom Bower’s fascinating Robert Maxwell biography
Maxwell: The Final Verdict. These turned the idea
of doing a media-family drama without a singular real-life
model from a terrible betrayal of reality into a tantalising
chance to harvest all the best stories. Here was an
opportunity to explore all the most fascinating family
dynamics within a propitiously balanced fictional
hybrid media conglomerate. I took a long, deep dive
into rich-family and media-business research.
I
talked about this, as-yet-unwritten, idea in half-ironised
terms as ‘Festen-meets-Dallas’
When
Sam and I decided to bring things to a close on Peep
Show, I flew out to pitch this media show around LA.
I had a clear idea of where I wanted to develop it,
but my agent persuaded me appetites would be whetted
if we had a number of potential homes. So I spent
three days doing a round of pitch meetings where I
talked about this as-yet-unwritten idea in half-ironised
terms as “Festen-meets-Dallas”. No stars,
Dogme 95 camerawork. Scared of driving on the five-lane
highways, I bumped around town in the back of a Honda
Civic while a nice young man from my US agent’s
mailroom ferried me between rooms stocked with identical
tiny bottles of water and executives of vastly varying
degrees of interest.
Eventually,
I got to HBO, the place I most wanted the show to
land, home to The Sopranos and Six Feet Under. I knew
they might be receptive. Frank Rich – once known
as the “Butcher of Broadway” for his theatre
criticism, but now an in-house consigliere –
had championed my work there to the boss, Richard
Plepler, and I’d previously developed a show
with them. So, out the back of a French-style bistro
on a three-cappuccino high, I pitched it to their
head of drama and comedy, Casey Bloys.
Sometimes
a pitch stretches thin and threadbare, the fabric
renting as you go, the other party peeping grimly
through the holes. Other times, the air thickens,
and you can feel the atmosphere in the room turn oxygen-rich
as the enthusiasm you are trying to project transforms
into an enthusiasm you are actually feeling.
By
the time I left LA, HBO had made an offer and Adam
McKay, fresh from The Big Short, had said he would
be interested in directing. I’d written another
Succession forerunner, a script about the US political
strategist Lee Atwater, for Adam and his producing
partner Kevin Messick. It had been one of the few
LA experiences I’d had where the excitement expressed
at the start of the project sustained through the
writing and attempts to get it made.
This
was 2016 and, once back in the UK, I wrote the pilot
through the spring and summer in a one-room flat I
rented on Brixton Hill, south London, walking across
Brockwell Park each morning, listening to podcasts
and reading news about the Brexit referendum. Scotland
had recently voted by a narrow majority to stay inside
the UK and the abiding sense right before the Brexit
vote was, yeah, change looms, it glistens, menacingly,
promisingly, but it doesn’t happen. Not really.
Really, everything stays the same.
But
then it did happen. And across the Atlantic, the Trump
campaign was igniting – even if initially his
candidacy felt like a slightly amusing, slightly too-vivid
flash in the pan. Into early autumn, in fact, all
serious people were still explaining to one another
that Trump couldn’t happen. Although I suppose,
looking back, there was a notable lack of detail in
terms of the mechanism by which he would be stopped.
I
think a lot of the better films and TV shows I’ve
been involved with have at their heart a quite simple
impulse around which the more subtle layers are spun.
In the Loop’s spark was anger at the Iraq war.
Chris Morris’s Four Lions I think was driven
by his gut feeling that something was very wrong with
the way we understood jihadi terrorism in the UK.
Peep Show was about oddball male friendship, perhaps
even “masculinity”.
I
guess the simple things at the heart of Succession
ended up being Brexit and Trump. The way the UK press
had primed the EU debate for decades. The way the
US media’s conservative outriders prepared the
way for Trump, hovered at the brink of support and
then dived in. The British press of Rothermere, Maxwell,
Murdoch and the Barclay brothers, and the US news
environment of Fox and Breitbart.
The
Sun doesn’t run the UK, nor does Fox entirely
set the media agenda in the US, but it was hard not
to feel, at the time the show was coming together,
the particular impact of one man, of one family, on
the lives of so many. Rightwing populism was on the
march across the globe. But in the fine margins of
the Brexit vote and Trump’s eventual electoral
college victory, one couldn’t help but think
about the influence of the years of anti-EU stories
and comment in the UK press, the years of Fox dancing
with its audience, sometimes leading, sometimes following,
as the wine got stronger, the music madder. It was
politically alarming and creatively appealing: to
imagine the mixture of business imperatives and political
instinct that exist within a media operation; to consider
what happens when something as important as the flow
of information in a democracy hits the reductive brutality
of the profit calculation inside such a company. How
those elements might rebound emotionally and psychologically
inside a family as it considered the question of corporate
succession.
For
Logan Roy, Murdoch, Redstone and Maxwell were my holy
trinity of models. But Conrad Black, Brian L Roberts
of Comcast, Robert Mercer of Breitbart, Julian Sinclair
Smith of Sinclair, Tiny Rowland, Rothermere, Beaverbrook
and Hearst all fed in. The three central models were
wildly different, of course: the self-made refugee
Maxwell and the already-rich Murdoch, a scion of Australian
journalistic royalty, both so different from the tough
Boston lawyer Redstone who started with a couple of
his father’s drive-in cinemas.
But
they were connected by a strong interest in a few
things: a refusal to think about mortality (Redstone
and Murdoch both used to make the same joke about
their succession plan: not dying); desire for control;
manic deal-making energy; love of gossip and power-connection;
a certain ruthlessness about hirings and firings.
And most of all, an instinct for forward motion, with
a notable lack of introspection.
Perhaps
the best part of Redstone’s autobiography for
a casual reader is the opening, where he recounts
clinging by one hand to a hotel balcony through a
fire. Despite suffering third-degree burns over half
his body, years of rehabilitation, excruciatingly
painful skin grafts, he says this event, after which
he made all his biggest business plays, had no impact
whatsoever on the trajectory of his life.
Whether
due to all this grist, or the aligning of the political
planets (in)auspiciously, the pilot came unnervingly
easily. Getting names in a script to feel real can
be hard for me – they’re a tell-tale sign
of whether I’m living inside it. Kendall, Shiv,
Roman, Connor. They all felt right straight off the
bat. Their inspirations, I suppose, were the children
of these magnates: three of the Maxwell kids, the
ones closest to the business (the boys, Ian and Kevin)
and to their father (Ghislaine). Brent and Shari Redstone,
with whom Sumner played a tough and complicated game
of bait-and-switch over CBS-Paramount succession.
And the Murdoch children, Prudence, Lachlan, James,
Elisabeth, Chloe and Grace.
But
getting those names for the Roy children made them
feel like their own individuals to me. It allowed
me to pour in just what I wanted from the real world,
fill each with all the faults they might have inherited,
while giving me room to add some extra, just for them.
Greg
and Tom came fast, too. Tom from two roots. One was
thinking about the sort of lunks I’ve occasionally
seen powerful women choose as partners. Plausible,
manly men with big watches and a soothing affable
manner. That mixed with the deadly courtier, a more
18th-century figure, minutely attuned to shifts in
power and influence, an invisible deadly gas that
occurs in certain confined places and rises to kill
anyone unwise enough not to take precautions. A hanger-on
sustained by some Fitzgeraldian illusions about the
world, a sense that perhaps the rich really are different
from us and a romantic ambition to make it in New
York City.
Greg,
I guess, was a distant relative of the sort of political
adviser I had myself briefly been. Gormless, clueless,
out of place and gauche. But not without an eye for
a deal. And, I hope, a little more wheedling and insinuating
than I ever was.
The
scenes flowed. I put all research aside and followed
my nose and wrote pretty much exactly what I wanted
The
charge between these two semi-outsiders struck me
from the start as toxic and comic. Tom, the interloper,
is like an organism that has found a precarious but
rewarding perch above some deep oceanic vent and adapted
itself to conditions perfectly. He is not pleased
at all to see a similar creature scuttling along hoping
to share the same cramped evolutionary niche. That
first half-bullying, half-provocative exchange they
share in the outfield at a softball game in the pilot
landed them right in the middle of a stew they’ve
been cooking in ever since.
The
scenes flowed. I had eaten a very large amount of
research, but once I was writing I put it all aside
and followed my nose and wrote pretty much exactly
what I wanted. It felt funny but odd and broken-ended,
fragmentary, abrupt, oblique and slightly brutal.
When I emailed it off, I had the familiar feeling
that Adam, Frank and HBO might email back to say not
only was it not good, it wasn’t even actually,
technically, a script. But their response was frighteningly
positive. Almost as though the script was finished,
after what was, I thought, a quick first draft. I
think every other episode of Succession has gone to
at least 30 drafts – usually 50. The pilot barely
hit 15.
We
had our read-through in New York on US election day
2016. Before we started, I made the sort of joke lots
of people made that day, assuming the polls were right
and Hillary Clinton was going to squeeze it. That
night we gathered in Adam McKay’s apartment to
watch the results roll in. Much later, I walked a
long walk back from Soho to where I was staying near
the United Nations looking at the electoral college
numbers projected on to the Empire State Building.
We
started filming the next day.
I
still wonder whether Succession would have landed
in the same way without the mad bum-rush of news and
sensation Trump’s chaotic presidency provided.
Trump wasn’t the firebombing of German civilians,
and nor is Succession Slaughterhouse-Five, but I do
sometimes think about Vonnegut saying no one in the
world profited from the firebombing of Dresden, except
himself.
This
is an edited extract from Succession: The Complete
Scripts – Seasons One, Two and Three (Faber &
Faber), out now at £20 each. To support the
Guardian and Observer, order your copies for £17.60
each from guardianbookshop.com.
The
final episode of Succession airs in the UK on Sky
Atlantic/Now on Monday. Jesse Armstrong donated the
fee for this article to the Writers Guild of America
strike assistance fund.
News
LIV
Golf announces new pay-per-view option - 26th May
2023
"The
hope for LIV is to grow off the success first seen
on YouTube in 2022, where the league attracted tournament
audiences of several hundred-thousand views in the
U.S. and abroad."
Going
forward, LIV Golf Series events will be available
via a pay-per-view option on YouTube.
The
new deal was detailed by James Colgan of Golf.com.
“Less
than six months after signing a media rights agreement
with the CW, LIV announced Friday that it has created
a new, pay-per-view broadcast option to run on YouTube,”
Colgan reported. “The PPV broadcast will cost
$3 per tournament day, LIV said in a release announcing
the decision, and will run in addition to the league’s
agreement with the CW.”
Colgan
also detailed that “A LIV source indicated that
the CW is aware of the decision to introduce a pay-per-view
model, and that the decision does not violate any
of the league’s preexisting broadcast agreements.”
“The
hope for LIV is to grow off the success first seen
on YouTube in 2022, where the league attracted tournament
audiences of several hundred-thousand views in the
U.S. and abroad. The league already has its own direct-to-consumer
subscription platform, LIV Golf Plus, which the PPV
channel will run counter to. LIV broadcasts will continue
to be streamed for free on the CW app.”
This
announcement comes less than two weeks after a rather
embarrassing moment for the tour. One week before
LIV’s Brooks Koepka triumphed at the PGA Championship,
the Saudi-backed golf series was in Tulsa.
On
one hand, it was a perfect showcase event for LIV.
Two of its most high-profile players, Dustin Johnson
and Cam Smith, went to a three-way playoff (along
with Branden Grace). But most of the people watching
did not get to see Johnson’s eventual triumph.
The
CW, the league’s primary broadcast partner, went
away from coverage in the vast majority of its markets,
showing “regularly scheduled programming.”
Jim Nantz was quick to make a joke at LIV’s expense
on the matter at the PGA Championship. The CW also
announced a change, saying that all events will be
shown to their conclusions going forward.
[Golf.com]
News
WWE
Night Of Champions Reportedly Earned Highest Viewership
Of Any Saudi Arabia Show - 31st May 2023
According
to a report from Fightful Select, Saturday's Night
of Champions PLE scored WWE the highest viewership
out of any of the company's Saudi Arabia events since
the partnership between the two began in 2013. The
report states that Night of Champions brought in an
18% increase in viewership compared to last year's
Crown Jewel event, and the company is reportedly quite
happy with its holiday weekend results.
Night
of Champions was headlined by Kevin Owens and Sami
Zayn successfully defending the Undisputed WWE Tag
Team Championship against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa
of The Bloodline, with a major angle taking place
on the show that saw The Usos turn on Reigns after
more than a year of build-up and tension.This marks
the second time a tag team match has served as the
main event of a major WWE show in recent months. Additional
matches on the show included Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles
to decide the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion,
a singles match between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus,
and a Backlash rematch pitting Brock Lesnar against
Cody Rhodes, among others.
To
date, WWE has held nine PPVs and PLEs in Saudi Arabia,
along with three house shows. Back in 2019, WWE announced
that they had "expanded their partnership"
with Saudi Arabia, and that they would be hosting
two major events per year in the Middle Eastern nation
through at least 2027. Though it hasn't been announced
yet, WWE will likely return to Saudi Arabia for another
Crown Jewel event later this year.
News
Pat
McAfee Comments On Empty Seats At AEW Double Or Nothing
- 31st May 2023
All
Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing pay-per-view took
place this past weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las
Vegas, Nevada. During the event, Wrestlenomics' Brandon
Thurston tweeted images of empty seats inside the
venue. Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez also posted
a photo from his ringside position, which showed many
unoccupied places behind Orange Cassidy after he retained
the AEW International Championship in a Blackjack
Battle Royal. Former "WWE SmackDown" commentator
Pat McAfee has weighed in with his thoughts.
"Anytime
you get a shot away from hard cam, you know what I
mean, you can really see a lot of things," McAfee
said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "AEW
found out this weekend or whatever at one of their
events, it's like three quarters of an arena completely
empty. They don't want that photo out anywhere."
Ahead
of the pay-per-view going live on Sunday night, WrestleTix
revealed 10,229 tickets had been distributed for an
11,641 setup inside the T-Mobile Arena, leaving 1,412
tickets available. An Anarchy in the Arena match headlined
the show, with Blackpool Combat Club's Bryan Danielson,
Jon Moxley, reigning ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli,
and Wheeler Yuta picking up the win in that bout against
The Elite's Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson,
and "Hangman" Adam Page.
AEW's
next major standalone show, All In, which will take
place on August 27 at Wembley Stadium in London, England,
has currently sold over 65,000 tickets and has a gate
of over $8 million. No matches have been announced
for AEW's first event across the pond as of this writing.
Ticket sales for All In have slowed following an initial
surge.
News
WWE-UFC
merged company to be called ‘TKO Group Holdings’
- 16th May 2023
A
name has emerged for the group.
Coming
out of WrestleMania, it was announced by Endeavor
that an agreement had been reached with WWE and the
company would be merging with UFC to form a new sports
and entertainment company.
The
deal has not been formally finalized but a name for
the merged group has been revealed. CNBC’s Alex
Sherman and Mike Calia published a story and an Endeavor
spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the new
group is going to be called ‘TKO Group Holdings’.
It
will trade under the New York Stock Exchange as ‘TKO’.
The
merger between WWE and UFC is being valued at $20
billion. Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel will be the CEO
of TKO Group and Vince McMahon is going to serve as
Executive Chairman.
News
Nick
Khan Says WWE In Talks With International Cities For
2024 PLEs
It
sounds as though WWE will continue expanding its PLEs
into international markets next year. Speaking at
the JP Morgan Global Technology, Media & Communications
Conference, WWE CEO Nick Khan stated that the company
was discussing the potential for additional overseas
shows in 2024.
"We're
in conversations now with a lot of international cities
about doing 2024 shows there," Khan said. "Also,
part of the intent is to match those up with our media
rights, even if they're not up to over-deliver for
incumbent partners who can then invite their partners
in the international city to the event, and host them.
It's good for our overall business." Khan's comments
came as part of a conversation about countries offering
subsidies to WWE for bringing shows there, as the
company brings a great deal of revenue to the city
for major events. Khan cited recent events in Puerto
Rico as well as the Dallas, Texas area as examples.
Previous
rumors pointed toward Australia as a potential location
for a future international WWE PLE. However, it's
unknown if negotiations with the country have progressed
in the months since.
WWE
has steadily ramped up its major international shows
over the last five years, with the company holding
several yearly events in Saudi Arabia, as well as
last year's Clash at the Castle and the upcoming Money
in the Bank both being held in the United Kingdom.
It seems fans around the world should stay on the
lookout for upcoming announcements regarding WWE's
international schedule in 2024.
News
“We
Let People Go”: Months After $21.4 Billion UFC-WWE
Deal, Endeavor CEO Recalls “Horrible” Time
for Organization - 2nd June 2023
The
year 2020 brought unprecedented challenges for individuals
and organizations alike, and the UFC was no exception.
The promotional frontman Dana White has reflected
on those uncertain times and shared the struggles
the organization faced in keeping things going. Despite
the pandemic, White was determined to keep the show
running and provide entertainment for fight fans worldwide.
While the rest of the world was shut down, the UFC
managed to organize consistent events, albeit on a
smaller scale. However, this arduous journey was not
without its fair share of hardships.
Ari
Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, the parent company of
the UFC and William Morris Endeavor talent agency,
revealed the significant challenges they encountered
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though Endeavor
recently secured a massive $21.4 billion deal to acquire
the WWE, during the COVID-19 days, the company found
itself at rock bottom struggling to stay afloat.
When
Covid-19 posed a threat to the UFC
In
an interview on the “Freakonomics Radio”
podcast, Emanuel shared how the pandemic affected
the company financially. During the interview, podcast
host Stephen Dubner asked Emanuel, “Did you think
COVID might kill Endeavor?”. Reflecting on this,
the 62-year-old CEO replied, “It was bad,”
He continued, “I’d never had to fire that
many people.”
Emanuel
mentioned that the continuation of UFC fights during
the pandemic played a crucial role in saving the company,
accounting for approximately 70% of their revenue
that year. Further talking about the struggles to
keep the organization alive during the pandemic, the
Endeavor CEO stated, “We had our ESPN deal. We
then started making deals for writers. So we stored
all the cash. We didn’t let anything out. We
let people go, which was horrible, or furloughed them.”
Through
the storm, Endeavor’s leadership team, led by
Emanuel, proved to be the lighthouse that guided them
to safer shores. The UFC’s resilience and the
implementation of innovative strategies, such as the
‘Fight Island’ events, not only salvaged
the company but also became a beacon of hope for other
professional sports leagues.
News
“Very,
Very Easy for Jon Jones”: Ex-UFC Star Ruthlessly
Shuts Down Tyson Fury Days After Boxer’s Callout
of UFC Champ in Ugly Public Feud - 1st June 2023
The
claim made by Joe Rogan that Tyson Fury would stand
no chance against Jon Jones has sparked an intense
and never-ending debate. Recently, another prominent
figure from the UFC, the world of mixed martial arts,
has jumped into this heated discussion. However, ‘The
Gypsy King’ himself strongly opposed the take
of the UFC commentator and didn’t hold back in
expressing his views. In fact, he went as far as bashing
Rogan and proudly proclaimed himself to be ‘the
baddest man on the planet’.
As
the back and forth continued between Fury and Rogan,
UFC president Dana White has stepped in, proposing
a potential fight between Fury and Jones. However,
the WBC heavyweight champion firmly refused to step
into the octagon, dismissing the idea altogether.
This decision faced an immediate backlash from fans
who had eagerly anticipated the materialization of
this debate inside the fighting arena.
Despite
the disappointment felt by fans, it becomes evident
that the 34-year-old boxer has no intention of venturing
into the octagon. On the contrary, a former UFC welterweight
challenger believes that Fury would fare well in the
realm of mixed martial arts. However, he warns that
there may be unforeseen challenges along the way.
Tyson
Fury will have a Jon Jones threat in MMA
During
a recent interview, the former UFC fighter Dan Hardy
shared his reflections on the latest happenings in
the combat sports world, ranging from boxing to MMA.
However, it was the Tyson Fury-Jon Jones debate that
took center stage.
The
41-year-old Hardy began by heaping praise on ‘The
Gypsy King’ for his potential in MMA, stating,
“Tyson Fury doesn’t come from a boxing background.
He comes from a fighting man background. Tyson Fury
sees himself as a fighter first that boxes, and I
think he looks at mixed martial arts and sees lots
of ways he can capitalize on the changing of the rules.”
Continuing
his analysis, Hardy mentioned Fury’s collaboration
with Tom Aspinall and how he has showcased proficient
elbows and knees in the videos shared with him. ‘The
Outlaw’ confidently stated, “I feel like
Tyson Fury would be really good if he crossed over
to mixed martial arts. Of course, there’d be
a lot for him to learn. The main issue would be, he’d
be very, very easy for Jon Jones to take down. And
I think that’s something that Tyson has not experienced
and has not and has not really quite comprehended.”
Meanwhile,
Jon Jones recently made a strong statement in his
heavyweight debut, securing a first-round victory
against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 after returning from
a three-year-long hiatus.
This
certainly explains Dan Hardy’s warning to Tyson
Fury. How do you think ‘The Gypsy King’
would fare in MMA?
News
Dwayne
Johnson to Return as Luke Hobbs in New ‘Fast
and Furious’ Standalone Film - 7th June 2023
Dwayne
Johnson is returning to the “Fast and Furious”
universe with a new standalone film, reprising his
franchise role as Luke Hobbs.
Universal
Pictures announced the project on Thursday. Longtime
“Fast and Furious” collaborator Chris Morgan
wrote the untitled film’s script. Plot details
were not available, though individuals familiar with
the deal said the new movie will bridge between the
events of the just-released “Fast X” and
the upcoming “Fast X: Part II,” which is
expected in 2025. Johnson just appeared as Hobbs,
a diplomatic security service agent, in a credits
scene for “Fast X.”
Johnson
will produce the film with Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia
for their Seven Bucks Productions, along with Vin
Diesel and Samantha Vincent via their One Race Films.
Additional producers include Chris Morgan for his
Chris Morgan Productions, Jeff Kirschenbaum for Roth/Kirschenbaum
Films and Neal Moritz for Original Film.
Screenwriter
Morgan wrote and produced “Fast and Furious Presents:
Hobbs & Shaw” and “The Fate of the Furious.”
He’s also scripted and executive produced the
fifth, sixth and seventh entries in the franchise.
Directed by Louis Leterrier, “Fast X” opened
at No. 1 around the world in May with $320 million
and became the second-biggest global opening of 2023.
Johnson
announced Hobbs’ return with a video posted to
social media with the caption: “Your reactions
around the world to Hobbs’ return in ‘Fast
X’ have blown us away. The next ‘Fast &
Furious’ film you’ll see the legendary lawman
in will be the Hobbs movie that will serve as a fresh,
new chapter & set up for ‘Fast X: Part II.'”
“Last
summer Vin Diesel and I put all the past behind us,”
Johnson added. “We’ll lead with brotherhood
and resolve – and always take care of the franchise,
characters & fans that we love. I’ve built
my career on an ‘audience first’ mentality
and that will always serve as my north star.”
Johnson
is repped by WME, lawyers Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown
& Passman, Inc. and The Lede Company.
Seven
Bucks has co-produced films like Disney’s “Jungle
Cruise” and the DC Studios entires “Black
Adam” and “DC League of Super-Pets.”
Original series include NBC’s “Young Rock”
and “The Titan Games.” Johnson will next
produce and star in “Red One” at Amazon
Studios and Disney’s live-action “Moana.”
News
13
States Comment On Possibility Of Allowing Gambling
On WWE Matches
In
March 2023, CNBC reported that WWE was working toward
legalizing gambling on wrestling matches, enlisting
the services of accounting firm Ernst & Young,
with Michigan, Colorado, and Indiana mentioned as
the initial targets. As of now, betting on WWE matches
is only available at offshore sportsbooks like BetOnline.ag,
based out of Antigua, and Bovada, based out of Latvia.
Betting on matches in America would open up new streams
of revenue for WWE and add some mainstream legitimacy
to the sports entertainment powerhouse.
Since
that report broke, however, it's been nothing bad
news for WWE in the gambling department. Dave Meltzer
has reported that WWE's efforts aren't going well
— Colorado denied talking to WWE and said that
"By statute, wagers on events with fixed or predicted
outcomes ... are strictly prohibited in Colorado."
Indiana told Casino.org that it had "no interest
in approving wagering on scripted events," and
Michigan also denied any recent talks with WWE, while
New Hampshire Lottery Commission executive director
Charlie McIntyre deemed it "very unlikely"
betting on WWE gets approved in New Hampshire.
In
light of this, Wrestling Inc. reached out to multiple
states about the possibility of legalized betting
on WWE matches. Each gambling commission was asked
1) how likely WWE would be to succeed if they pitched
gambling on matches to them, and 2) if there were
any regulations, laws, or statutes that barred betting
on something with predetermined outcomes. 13 states
-– Arizona, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio,
Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington -– responded.
While their responses varied slightly, overall, they
paint a picture of increasingly fewer opportunities,
and increasingly more obstacles, for legal gambling
on WWE matches to get approved.
At
least three states say they wouldn't allow gambling
on WWE as a matter of policy, even if there are no
explicit laws against it.
Kerry
Hemphill, Manager of Sports Betting Product at the
Oregon Lottery, made it clear that gambling on WWE
wouldn't be allowed as a matter of policy in the Beaver
State: "Although there is no law or statute that
forbids it, Oregon Lottery sports betting policy is
to not accept wagers on scripted events with predicted
outcomes."
Seth
Elkin, Assistant Director of Communications for Public
Affairs for Maryland Lottery and Gaming, also told
us his state had made a determination on the matter.
"Maryland's sports wagering law and regulations
prohibit forms of wagering that are contrary to public
policy or unfair to bettors," he said. "We've
determined that it is unfair to bettors, and therefore
not in the public's interest, to accept wagers on
sports entertainment events that have predetermined
outcomes, like professional wrestling."
Meanwhile,
a representative from the South Dakota Department
of Revenue simply said, "WWE wrestling matches
would not be eligible for sports wagering in South
Dakota."
Iowa
and Ohio say no to betting on predetermined events
Two
more states said that predetermined events weren't
permitted, but made a point to highlight policy and
procedure. Brian J. Ohorilko, Administrator of the
Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, also shot down
gambling on wrestling for the time being.
"Predetermined
events are not permitted in the State of Iowa,"
he told Wrestling Inc. "Iowa law defines and
permits professional sporting events and sports-related
events; however, fixed or predetermined outcomes are
not explicitly permitted. As such, and for other integrity
concerns, the commission has not permitted predetermined
events in any of the approved wagering markets."
Ohorilko
also brought up the process that would be required
for any kind of legalization: "From a practical
standpoint, any request would need to come with a
legal opinion as to how this would be permitted under
Iowa law," he said. "It would need to go
through legal review with consultation from the AG
office. If legal review passes, the commission would
still need to review policy and integrity concerns
with respect to the activity having predetermined
outcomes. Approval would be needed before this type
of wagering activity could take place."
Ohio
tells a similar story. Jessica Franks, Director of
Communications for the Ohio Casino Control Commission,
pointed us towards Rule 3775-11-01 of the Ohio Administrative
Code — the process for adding to Ohio's catalog
of wagers and events. She said the Commission's review
of such requests includes, but is not limited to,
the following criteria:
The
quality of the governing body's documented integrity
program.
The
general availability of information related to the
governing body.
The
professional or skill level status of athletes.
The
history of integrity related to events sanctioned
by the governing body.
This
already puts the WWE in shaky territory, but it's
seemingly locked out for good with the following consideration:
"Please note that the Commission will not approve
requests for wagers/events involving 'Events which
are pre-recorded or in which the outcome has been
otherwise previously determined.'"
Arizona
and Connecticut have laws against betting on fixed
outcomes
At
least two states have laws in place that would ban
gambling on WWE matches.
Max
Hartgraves, Public Information Officer at the Arizona
Department of Gaming, provided a straightforward statement:
"Arizona statute prohibits gambling on fixed
events."
Meanwhile,
when asked how likely WWE would be to garner approval
for gambling on matches, Kaitlyn Krasselt, Communications
Director at Connecticut Department of Consumer Protections,
said "I cannot speculate on that." That
said, she did inform Wrestling Inc. about state regulations
on gambling: "Connecticut law only allows wagering
on sporting or athletic events. WWE is sports entertainment.
The 'matches' are predetermined by the company and
are scripted. There is no regulation body for professional
wrestling, and WWE is one of several companies that
offers this type of entertainment. With a predetermined
outcome, this would not be considered a sport. It
is considered entertainment. Wagering on the Oscars,
for example, is also not permitted in Connecticut."
That
last part is significant, since CNBC's report mentioned
that WWE executives were using Oscar betting as an
example for regulators.
Maine
and Montana agree with most of their colleagues
Two
states specifically cited the statements from Colorado,
Indiana, Michigan, and New Hampshire in their responses.
After hearing that four other states had expressed
skepticism over betting on WWE, Maine Gambling Control
Unit Executive Director Milton Champion said, "On
the surface, without looking into the matter, I would
concur with my colleagues. Operators will submit with
their application events that they want to take wagers
on, and I shall approve them."
Daniel
Iverson, Content Manager for the Montana Lottery,
said something similar. "Montana does not intend
to add WWE markets, for the same reasons our counterparts
cited," he advised, before directing any questions
on state law to the Montana Department of Justice
Gambling Control Division.
New
Jersey and Massachusetts punted, for now
Two
states we contacted declined to comment on the matter,
not wanting to address issues that haven't come before
them yet. Thomas Mills, Communications Division Chief
of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said, "I
appreciate your question, but am unable to speculate
on a hypothetical action the Commission may or may
not take."
Dan
Prochilo, Public Information Officer at the New Jersey
Attorney General's Office, responded that "The
Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) cannot comment
on any hypothetical discussion with an operator or
league about future sports betting opportunities."
He added that "In New Jersey, an entity seeking
permission for a contest to be authorized for wagering
on a sports event is required to submit its proposal
to DGE for evaluation and approval pursuant to state
law and regulations."
Prochilo
also provided the state's legal definition of a "sports
event" for the purposes of gambling. Notably,
it includes the phrase "A 'sports event' shall
include any live competition or talent contest, including
awards competitions[.]"
New
Jersey and Massachusetts are two of the only states
that allow betting on the Oscars, with New Jersey
okaying it in 2019 (the first state to do so) and
Massachusetts greenlighting it in 2023. It's unknown
if WWE will approach either state or how each state
would respond, but at bare minimum, WWE's argument
to treat wrestling like the Oscars for betting purposes
might carry some weight.
Washington
and New Mexico illustrate the challenges of Tribal
gaming
Washington
is unique among the states who responded to us, in
that sports wagering is only available on Tribal lands
yet still regulated by the state. Sports wagering
was legalized, subject to terms of Tribal/State Compacts,
on Tribal lands in 2020. All wagering, even online
betting, must take place on Tribal lands, and each
casino decides bets within certain limitations. The
Angel of the Winds Casino and Resort and the ilani
Casino Resort, for example, don't 100% overlap on
sports offered for betting.
But
WWE, or any wrestling, won't be joining those offering
under current rules and regulations. Dan Wegenast,
Agent In Charge for the Tribal Gaming Unit of the
Washington State Gambling Commission, pointed Wrestling
Inc. towards the Tribal/State Compacts for sports
wagering. He also stated that "Washington State
law and the Tribal/State Compacts for sports wagering
... prohibit wagers on events with known outcomes."
To
further illustrate the complications of garnering
approval for gaming on Tribal lands, a representative
from the New Mexican Gaming Control Board told Wrestling
Inc. that sports betting is illegal in their state,
but legal with some Tribes. That said, New Mexico
does not regulate Tribal gaming, meaning that approval
would likely have to be worked out with each Tribe
individually.
There
are other obstacles, too
It's
worth noting that gambling laws are constantly changing.
Many states without gambling –- such as North
Carolina -– have spent years hammering out legislation
that would approve gambling off Tribal lands. Additionally,
for states with legalized gambling, internal policies
are not inherently laws, and can be subject to change
under the right circumstances.
That
said, even if WWE manages to get gambling on matches
approved anywhere, that's only one part of the battle:
They still need casinos and/or sportsbooks to be willing
to accept wagers at all, and there's resistance in
this field, as well, as demonstrated in subsequent
coverage from CNBC. FanDuel deems it unlikely that
they'd ever accept bets on WWE, noting that the Academy
Awards –- which held once per year -– are
vastly different than dealing with WWE's weekly programming.
Additionally, when BetCEO Adam Greenblatt was asked
if he had any interesting in accepting bets on WWE,
he responded "NFW."
Between
the overwhelming majority opinions of the 13 states
who responded to Wrestling Inc., the states that have
already responded, and the reluctance of sportsbooks
to include anything that looks less than credible,
WWE faces an increasingly uphill battle if they want
to make betting on wrestling matches legal anywhere
in the United States.
News
Super
Bowl - American Football - WWE sports entertainment
connection
Sky
News Australia via ABC
News war continues on a decade plus in
Twitter
vs many other fact
checker war and debate continues; Biden major
casuality
Wrestling
News niche has reached saturation point
Media and marketing news gets an impressive lift Sydney
Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial
Review; News Limited's The Australian publishing impactful
and insightful media and marketing news behind firewall
Succession
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Year'
The
Murdochs: Empire Of Influence vs Succession
Murdoch
Family - News Corp covered in-depth by The Sydney
Morning Herald
Big
Tech Media
Ambush
Marketing showcase
David
Rowe
wins Media Man Illustrator Of The Month award
John
Shakespeare wins Media Man 'Illustrator / Artist Of
The Month' award
Media
Man 'Artists Of The Month'
Mark
Zuckerberg's fortune sheds $71B as Meta Platforms'
stock struggles
News,
Politics, Art, Illustrations, Creative, Content and
more showcased via Media Man Facebook and social media;
Art and news do mix
Alan
Jones wins Media Man 'Broadcast Journalist Of The
Month' award
Rebel
News wins Media Man 'News Outlet Of the Month' and
'News Outlet Of The Year' award
Russell
Brand (Under The Skin) podcast may be one of the next
to jump ship to another platform following Joe Rogan
success with Spotify deal speculates Media Man agency;
Web Is Jericho (Chris Jericho) on hot streak
SMH:
Media and Marketing news: The Sydney Morning Herald
and The Age media and marketing news snapshot
Silicon
Valley Directory
Fact
Checking and Big Tech Connection
Wrestling
News
Snoop
Dogg biopic is in development with Universal Pictures
'John
Wick: Chapter 4' introduces new foes, family for Keanu
Reeves
The
Murdochs: Empire Of Influence vs Succession
New
Netflix Ads Tier Comes With An Unpredictable Price
Musk
seeks to reassure advertisers on Twitter after chaos
The
Twilight Zone wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of
The Month' award
Wrestling
- MMA Connection: Kurt Angle on Ken Shamrock
Wrestling:
Jeff Jarrett Signs With All Elite Wrestling
Bird
sets nonstop distance record with 8,435-mile flight
US
Government May Liquidate Around $4.4B In Bitcoin When
The Time Is Right - November 9, 2022
Bitcoin
(Wikipedia) Cyrptocurrency
(Wikipedia)
Bitcoin
(Google Finance) FOX
Business: Cryptocurrency MarketWatch:
Markets
Fortune:
Crypto
Over
the last couple of years, the U.S. government has
become one of the largest whales of Bitcoin (CRYPTO:
BTC/USD), with over 214,046 bitcoins at minimum.
The
Department of Justice (DOJ) seized around 50,676.17
bitcoins (roughly $1 billion at today’s prices)
in November 2021 from a Bitcoin trader named James
Zhong, who defrauded darknet marketplace Silk Road.
The
seizure is notable—it’s the third largest
in cryptocurrency history by Crypto Briefing’s
count—especially considering the amount of Bitcoin
the U.S. government already has under control.
In
addition to the 50,676 bitcoins seized from Zhong,
the U.S. government has acquired at least 163,370
bitcoins over the last two years, totaling 214,046
bitcoins, or about $4.43 billion, minimum.
According
to BitInfoCharts, only one bitcoin wallet, Binance’s
cold storage wallet, contains 252,597 bitcoins, mostly
belonging to Binance customers, not the exchange itself.
The
U.S. government generally liquidates its Bitcoin holdings
through the U.S. Marshalls Service through public
auctions. Most likely, the seized bitcoins by the
DOJ will be similarly offered to the public.
In
November 2021, DOJ auctioned off $56 million worth
of cryptocurrencies seized from a BitConnect promoter
at the height of the bull market.
It
is yet to be seen if DOJ will wait for bitcoin prices
to bounce back before liquidating. So far, it has
restrained itself from liquidating the proceeds from
the Individual X and Razzlekhan confiscations.
The
agency seized 69,370 bitcoins (worth $1.4 billion)
from Individual X in 2020 and 94,000 bitcoins from
Razzlekhan (worth $1.9 billion).
Crypto.com
Exchange Suspends Withdrawals on Solana Blockchain
as Crypto Prices Crash – Another Exchange in
Trouble? - 10th November 2022
In
an email to users on Wednesday, the platform reportedly
said that they are suspending deposits and withdrawals
of USDC and USDT on the Solana Blockchain, effective
immediately.
The
note did not mention the exact reason for the move.
However, it said stablecoin withdrawals and deposits
in other blockchains like Ethereum and Cronos would
resume normally.
In
a Thursday tweet, Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said
the recent developments around FTX and Alameda Research,
which are two of the biggest backers of Solana, led
to the decision.
"FTX
was an important bridge/venue for SOL-based stablecoins,
we do not want any additional risk to our users coming
from this area, hence disabling it,"
"FTX
was an important bridge/venue for SOL-based stablecoins,
we do not want any additional risk to our users coming
from this area, hence disabling it,"
"This
is a critical moment for the entire industry. Transparency
is more important than ever, and safety and security
of users and funds remains the priority. It requires
full and collective commitment,"
Kris
| Crypto.com
However,
some users suggested that sharing proof of reserves
alone would not be enough. It is also important that
crypto platforms do not trade with users' funds and
be transparent with where the yield comes from.
Pauline
Hanson's One Nation 'Please Explain' YouTube
Media
Man News Facebook 
Media
Man Business Facebook Channel goes live
Network
websites available for media, advertising and publicity
campaigns via Media Man website network: Australia-wide
and global opportunity
Promotion
Of The Month: All
Elite Wrestling
Movie
Of the Month: The
Matrix Resurrections
Streamer
Of The Month: FITE
TV
Pop
Culture Brand Of The Month: 007
Podcast
Of The Month: Valuetainment
- Patrick
Bet-David
Podcast Of The Month Runner-up: Russell
Brand followed by Chris
Jericho
Sports
Betting Company Of the Month: bet365
Fashion
Label Of the Month: Bondi
Party Co. akd Bondi Party Pants
Artist
Of The Month: Natalie
Rose followed by Hilton
Alves
Wrestler
Of The Month: Sammy
Guevara Runner Ups: Ricky
Starks and
Tony
D'Angelo followed by Killer
Kross and MJF
Promoters
Of The Month: Tony
Khan, followed by Vince
McMahon and Dana
White. Special mention: Josh
Barnett (GCW BloodSport)
News
Tony
Khan: I Plan To Make More Big Signings, The Forbidden
Door Will Open Again Soon
The
Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition | Official Trailer
Vince
McMahon already has two big matches planned for ‘biggest
WWE WrestleMania ever’ in 2023
Joe
Rogan Responds to Viral Clip Showing Him Use N-Word,
Calls It “Regretful and Shameful
Bigger
than Netflix: Video game content is the new king
Kelly
Slater vs Seth Moniz FINAL - FULL HEAT REPLAY Billabong
Pro Pipeline
Sami
Zayn crashes Johnny Knoxville’s “Jackass
Forever” Red Carpet Premiere
WWE
hits paydirt in Las Vegas! SummerSlam, NXT TakeOver
36, Money In The Bank
The
State of Gaming in 2022
Microsoft
buys Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard in multibillion-dollar
deal
Google
Domains product and service offerings assist Media
Man Group further expand website portfolio
Blackstone
offers $6 billion to buy Australian casino operator
Crown Resorts
DraftKings
becomes official gaming partner of WWE
Crown
Set to Be Reinstated as Sydney Casino Operator This
Year
Advertising
Directory: Placements On Pop Culture, News Media,
Gaming, Bitcoin websites
SERPS
Directory: SEO results more important than Facebook
buzz and hype says Media Man Group agency
UFC
and DraftKings Reach Groundbreaking Deal - 4th March
2021
Bally’s
Corporation Becomes An Authorized Sports Betting Operator
Of The NBA
Search
engines and FAANG's, that's primarily Google and Facebook
find revenues dropping in these times says Media Man
agency; wires
Google
says ‘no easy process’ to formulate media
code despite millions in ad revenue
‘It’s
a reality:’ Google threatens to stop search in
Australia due to media code
Why
are tech giants opposing a 'news media bargaining
code'?
Social
Media expansion continues for Media Man Group; Facebook
pages for Magazine, Technology, Bloggers, Europe,
Drinks, Boxing, Asia Pacific, Streaming and more
Crown
Sydney opens without casino
Casino
Articles via Media Man Int, Media Man Australia, Casino
News Media and Global Gaming
Brodie
Lee honored via "Being The Elite" episode
Blog
Network Expands
If
this is a pandemic, words have lost their meaning: Alan Jones -
13th July
2020 
COVID
COVERUP: Uncovering the truth is the ‘last thing’ WHO wants to do American
and Australian b2b agency deal enjoying strong success in global downturn period 
The
Rock On Looking Forward To Creating Something Special With The XFL, Full Sale
Press Release - 3rd August 2020 
Chris
Jericho To Release His Fifth Book This Fall - July 2020 Pro
Wrestling news aka Sports Entertainment via Media Man website network and associates Media
panic stirring up 'baseless fear' and 'influencing political decisions - 9th July
2020 Media
Watch: LOCKDOWN HELL! - Daniel Andrews grilled over Melbourne’s coronavirus
outbreak. Plus, Pauline Hanson gets dumped by Today 
Music
themed Facebook launched by Media Man Group; Inspired by Rolling Stone, MTV and
Chris Jericho's 'Web Is Jericho' 
Rolling
Stone Australia launches online platform; Aussie pop culture consumers rejoice 
American
and Australian b2b agency deal enjoying strong success in global downturn period
Beach
Culture, Surf Culture and Pop Culture greats to put on your A List says Media
Man agency 
NRL
under massive scrutiny by The Sydney Morning Herald, Nine, FOX Sports etc regarding
coronavirus outbreak Pro
Wrestling news aka Sports Entertainment via Media Man website network and associates Hulk
Hogan: God ‘Shut Down’ Athletes, Musicians, Actors, Money – ‘Everything
We Worship’ 
U.S.
sports officials including wrestling tzar Vince McMahon, scheduled for conference
call with Donald Trump; Will Australia and other countries follow similar tact
with Prime Ministers? - 4th April 2020 Coronavirus
puts politics, health, well-being, financial matters and everything else on Australia's
and the world's radar; #1 global news story for months 
UFC
249 forced to cancel event by corporate and political pressure Nine's
Wide World Of Sports impresses with recent NRL, AFL coverage says Media Man agency Jesse
Ventura will "test the waters" for presidential run - April 2020 
Chris
Hemsworth says he's 'fascinated' by wrestling as he prepares to play Hulk Hogan Business
warns of $400b virus economic hit Wrestling
legend Chris Jericho continues to entertain, educate fans with Saturday Night
Live; Wrestling and pop culture fans request every Saturday! Sports
Illustrated vs ESPN VS Yahoo! Sports, TMZ Sports and the rest of the world for
WWE, pro wrestling, MMA, NFL, XFL, boxing and other sports headlines despite global
coronavirus situation Peter
FitzSimons, Roy Masters, Phil Gould, Tom Decent, Sam Phillips, Malcolm Knox and
the team at The Sydney Morning Herald providing world class, informed and regular
sports news updates Australian
media and sports agent commentary on News Corp Australia suspending 60 print newspapers:
Heavy hearts as the printing presses stop running In
light of these fires What makes Australia great Is helping out others Because
a mate helps a mate The
Salvation Army is asking all Australians to dig deep in support of those affected
by devastating bushfires around Australia - 2020 The
Sydney Morning Herald: Dedicated Bushfires and Environment sections highlights
urgency and #righttoknow Titus
O’Neil teams up with The Florida Aquarium for Australian bushfire rescue
efforts James
Murdoch shows News Corp climate criticism goes to top of family tree News
Corp Australia Executive Chairman, Michael Miller, covers Press Freedom; Media
Man agency follows up with their thoughts on the matter - 29th October 2019 
AdForum
adds controversial Australian media, sports, advertising and creative entrepreneur
Greg Tingle of Media Man agency 
Advertising
Agencies enjoying the upcoming WWE - All Elite Wrestling "war"; Impact
Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling and even Australian based pro wrestling companies
such as Battle Championship Wrestling, PWA, IWA, AWF, may benefit with buzz, media,
attendance and even sponsorships A
message of hope, strength, gratitude, thanks and appreciation of our sporting
world brotherhood and sisterhood in this world's turbulent times; Hope, motivation
and the white light can still be found in this crazy world SMH,
The Age cover Right To Know 
Save
the Bay Coalition (Save Yarra Bay Coalition); People Power real community consultation;
Greg Tingle eco / nature photoart noticed by residents. Joins media and fundraising
campaign - December 2019 Wrestling
war moves to videogaming, eSports arena! Enter NWA themed RetroMania to tackle
WWE 2K20; AEW hot on the trail with Omega's Japanese based gaming connections
says Media Man agency 'The
Rock' and Ariel Helwani tag team in tremendous interview / discussion on Ariel
Helwani’s MMA Show; ESPN taking MMA and pro wrestling connection to next
level says Media Man agency 
'Australia
must stop selling coal': Branson calls for climate 'revolution' Virgin
Founder, Sir Richard Branson Proposes Strategy to Tackle Climate Change 
Virgin
website 'Entrepreneur' writings, content inspiring and motivating millions; Media,
business, technology for social good - Media Man agency
Potential
Careers For Australian Students Standing Up For The Environment Interviews
with amazing and inspirational Australians 
Media,
Advertising, B2B and Agency News Around The Web Streaming
Facebook Channel Launched By Media Man Group Media
& Marketing section of The Sydney Morning Herald / The Age continues to impress 
SMH:
Media and Marketing news 
AFR
ramps up coverage on FAANG's; Big tech 
American
Culture, News, Events et al covered by new Media Man USA Facebook Channel 
American
brands, advertising agencies, creative agencies, marketers collaborating and working
with Media Man Agency - Media Man Int and Media Man Australia to grow brand, business
in Australia, Asia Pacific Mark
Bouris on why everyone in business needs a tough mentor Brock
Lesnar comes to Raw to extinguish Seth Rollins’ fire - 28th March 2019 Website
Reviews: Randwick City Council Beach Pollution website tested and usability study
completed; Website reviewer and usability expert gun for hire Sports,
Combat Sports, Surf Culture, Professional Wrestling, Pop Culture gets further
boost via Media Man Facebook Channel Expansion AEW
Owner Shahid Khan Tops Vince McMahon On Latest Forbes Richest Billionaires List
- 5th March 2019 Elon
Musk and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson bromance via Twitter; Musk gets some cool factor
- March 2019 Boxing,
Wrestling and Martial Arts for social good - Media Man Int, Media Man Australia
and Australian Sports Entertainment 
Climate
Strike Action supported by Australian news media companies, agencies Terry
Funk best professional wrestler of all time says Media Man agency; Closely followed
by Harley Race, Kurt Angle, Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat, A.J. Styles, Chris Jericho,
Chris Beniot, Eddie Guerrero, 'Cowboy' Bob Orton, Ken Shamrock, Bret 'Hitman'
Hart, Dolph Ziggler Kings
Cross Now project launches in association with Piccalo Bar Cafe; Social media
channels go live; Special events planned Famous
Associate Producer Explains Who Inspired The Characters Of Hulk Hogan And Billy
Graham Sydney,
Australia based promotions, advertising, online advertising and media via Media
Man Group Sports
Bars: Australia Wide and American Sports Bar Directory In Progress: Media Man
Int and Media Man Australia Australian
sports media rights wars; FOX Sports and Telstra tag team up to face Optus, SBS,
Red Bull TV; YouTube Red and Facebook Live looking for sports action and revenues Building
Business and Communities; Double Bay & Districts Chamber of Commerce puts
on impressive panel and networking event at Easts Rugby Club, Bellevue Hill Bruno
Sammartino, pro wrestling original legend dead at 82 Bitcoin
gaming, trading and casinos: Media, publicity and advertising opportunities via
Media Man Int, Media Man Australia and Australian Sports Entertainment 
Bitcoin
News Media Facebook launched and open for business via Media Man Int and Media
Man Australia Sports
news media war intensified; Sports Illustrated vs ESPN vs TMZ Sports vs Rolling
Stone et al Daily
Telegraph, News.com.au, Southern Courier sports, extreme sports, surfing, pro
wrestling, sports entertainment coverage in words and multimedia continues to
impress Major
Online and Traditional Advertising, Publicity and Brand Sponsorships available
via Media Man group; Media Man Int and Media Man Australia Eastern
Suburbs Media, Maroubra Business Media, Bondi Beach Directory, Northern Beaches
Media and Coastal News Media have your business and brand covered; Media Man network
coastal and social media expansion Paul
Dainty wins Media Man 'Promoter Of The Month', followed by WWE's Vince McMahon Nick
Fordham wins Media Man 'Promoter Of The Month' - May 2018 News
media companies and niche media firms ramping up involvement in Daily Fantasy
Sports Betting The
Star Entertainment Group unveils three fantasy-themed rooms WWE
in Melbourne: Wrestling superstars John Cena, Ronda Rousey, Triple H to take over
MCG in epic showdown event 
E3
Expo in Los Angeles sees WWE promote The New Day (WWE) vs Kenny Omega (New Japan
Pro Wrestling) Street Fighter V match YouTube
Live at E3 2018 Monday: Ninja, PlayStation & Ubisoft Press Conferences (Official
Livestream) WWE's
'SmackDown Live' to leap from USA Network to Fox Sports; International expansion
and mainstream respect and recognition continues to climb WWE
Champions AJ Styles and Carmella check out the Melbourne Cricket Ground WWE
boosts social media presence; Adds additional Facebook channels Casino
and casino news friendly wars alive and well in gambling mecca's, Las Vegas, Atlantic
City and Macau; Battle for news, patronage and world class acts spread to Australia's
Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast says media agency Casino
listings: online and offline listings via Media Man American
and Australian casinos, hotels and resorts enjoy online exposure and campaigns
via Media Man network Lesnar
‘obviously wants’ a UFC return - April 2018 Social
and Community Entrepreneurs Of The Month: Dwayne 'The Rock; Johnson, James Packer
and Richard Branson: 3 Way Tie - April 2018 Advertising
and media rights, plus ticket sales, make the world go round for WWE, UFC, Bellator,
Boxing, Australian cricket under pressure for men and women competitors Bitcoin
bust like 2000 tech crash but on steroids: Morgan Stanley - 20th March 2018 Hotel
sector seen as red hot for growth - 17th March 2018 A
Facebook for every season; Google getting googled by business and government Google
Games developing a Google Casino product; Facebook developing Facebook Casino,
following Facebook gaming business developments Niche
media, marketing and media campaigns the way to go says Media Man agency News,
advertising, media and promotions; Australia-wide and global developments James
Packer's Crown Resorts puts CrownBet in play - 24th November 2017 Tabcorp's
rivals may have hope yet in new betting environment - 19th November 2017 Canberra
MMA fighter Ben Edwards halfway to UFC with win over Jeremy Joiner -
18th
November 2017 Movie
trailer promotions; Good, bad or indifferent for mover goers, critics and the
business of film making Media
agency sees big growth potential and future in niche sectors; Local business,
Blockchain, bitcoin, movie promotion, video games, sports and art Meet
up and share your business ideas, by Marie Hogg - 12th September 2017 Google
eyeing up Australian and international property sector; Bitcoins as down payment Gerry
Harvey (Harvey Norman) vs Amazon vs JB HI-FI; Go Aussie says Media Man agency;
ABC's Gruen pours fuel on the fire Search
engine war just about over; Google vs Bing vs Yahoo! vs Web Wombat vs Altavista;
Who or what was that? Personal
technology on Media Man agency radar; Business ramping up across Sydney's eastern
suburbs says Media Man agency Sponsored
content advertising and promotion campaigns vs organic - natural search results;
A media and new media overview Maroubra
Seal photo published by Randwick Council social media; Media Man reports local
photographer feeding frenzy Maroubra
Seal photo published by Randwick Council social media; Media Man reports local
photographer feeding frenzy Newspapers
vs Online Newspapers vs websites vs social media, YouTube et al Online
betting wars: CrownBet vs TAB vs William Hill vs Ladbrokes vs Ned's vs Sports
Bet and others... Australia wide and global betting battle on the way
Putting
a new spin on an old sales pitch 
WWE's
television push on Australian network TV via Nine's GO!, working says Media Man
agency Wrestling
fans and general public calling for movies and world class documentaries on pro
wrestling legends: Gorgeous George, Andre The Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Rowdy Roddy
Piper, by Greg Tingle - September 2017 Online
newspapers; News apps way of the future, says Media Man agency - September 2017 Local
newspaper story back on track for Maroubra Business Media; Community people power
thank you, by Greg Tingle - September 2017 Bitcoin
Sydney: The ultimate Bitcoin business networking meetup; Bitcoiners unite: Novice
to experts to Talk And Trade Bitcoin: Metropolitan Hotel, Sydney, Australia; Bitcoin
ATM Launch Party Domain
vs RealEstate.com.au vs PurpleBricks vs Local Agent Finder media, marketing, advertising
and online battle continues Vince
McMahon biopic, Pandemonium; Hollywood star Bradley Cooper approached with offer
Newspaper
online showcase via Media Man Int and Media Man Australia 
The
Sydney Morning Herald The Age The
Canberra Times 
Illustrations
by David Rowe (The Australian Financial Review) 
Cartoons
By John Shakespeare 
Business
Spotlight: Media Man questions Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull Interview
- Question to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at Putting Your Business On The
Map Google Australia event at North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club - 22nd April 2016 
Social,
Community and Philanthropic sector update from Greg Tingle
- 31st May 2016 
Advertising,
Promotions, Publicity: Special rates for Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction, Coogee,
Maroubra Beach and Maroubra Junction; Sydney, Australia History
Of The Aussie Millions Poker Championship Promotions partycasino
Wins Media Man Online Casino Of The Month Award How
to play at New Casinos News Bond,
James Bond: Craig confirms 007 return 
Talk
up your chances - Schmooze or lose - It's who you know that counts
Strong
local content 
Hollywood
approach a blockbuster for businesses - 23rd May 2017 Betting
agency Paddy Power giving odds on Hulk Hogan and CM Punk WWE pro wrestling return!
- May 2017 James
Packer in $1.35bn Melco Crown Entertainment sellout - 9th May 2017
James
Packer sells out of RatPac: Vale the most powerful Australian in Hollywood - 19th
April 2017 Maroubra
to host Carve Pro surf event - 11th January 2016 Betting
ban on UFC over integrity issues - 3rd January 2016 Mr.
McMahon & Stephanie McMahon address the WWE roster: Raw, January 11, 2016 The
top 16 films to watch in 2016 - 9th January 2016 WWE
Network unleashes Breaking Ground on Oct. 26 WWE
Network 2015 Fall Preview Netflix
grows to 69 million members - 15th October 2015 Community
Television in Australia is awesome; Joy Hruby and crew - Stay tuned -
15th
October 2015 Josh
Gad Writing ‘Gorgeous George’ Biopic Movie for WWE Studios NetEnt
games go live with bwin.party in New Jersey - 14th October 2015 Leonardo
DiCaprio to be in Delhi in October to profile for a documentary film - 14th October
2015 Sydney’s
eastern beaches VS The Red Centre – Alice Springs; A media entrepreneur’s
perspective and experiences, By Greg Tingle Advertising,
Promotions, Publicity: Special rates for Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction, Coogee,
Maroubra Beach and Maroubra Junction; Sydney, Australia Tom
Hardy 'up for playing' James Bond Beckham.
David Beckham. Could he be the new Bond? Cartoons
by Alan Moir Franco
to teach high-school film classes Beyonce
sings for female empowerment - 7th September 2015 Four
leadership lessons from Virgin Group's Sir Richard Branson Big
Brother is watching and reading your emails - 8th September 2015 New
'safe' screens a selling point Dwayne
'The Rock' Johnson saves puppy - 8th September 2015 EB
Expo 2015 announces more playable games - 28th August 2015 WWE
Network: Edge & Christian perform "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's theme song:
Stone Cold Podcast WWE
SummerSlam 2015 highlights (multimedia) Quickflix
suspends shares; May benefit competitors says Media Man Greg
Tingle Promotions website relaunched, Media Man Int and Media Man Australia ramps
up - July 2015 Remembering
'Rowdy' Roddy Piper (from The Oregonian archives) - 31st July 2015 400k
Strong On Facebook! - 29th July 2015 Sydney’s
eastern beaches VS The Red Centre – Alice Springs; A media entrepreneur’s
perspective and experiences, By Greg Tingle Advertising,
Promotions, Publicity: Special rates for Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction, Coogee,
Maroubra Beach and Maroubra Junction; Sydney, Australia Tom
Hardy 'up for playing' James Bond Four
leadership lessons from Virgin Group's Sir Richard Branson Big
Brother is watching and reading your emails - 8th September 2015 New
'safe' screens a selling point Dwayne
'The Rock' Johnson saves puppy - 8th September 2015 Howard
says don't wind back gun control - 8th September 2015 EB
Expo 2015 announces more playable games - 28th August 2015 ASX:
news for today: 18th August 2015 Firms
avoided $31b tax in Aust in a year - 16th August 2015 Disney,
Universal square off in battle of the theme parks Coca-Cola
selects WPP agency team for global campaign Netflix,
Stan and Presto come to Telstra Fairfax
CEO Says Netflix Isn't Only Option - 28th July 2015 John
Cena suffers broken nose on Raw Hulk
Hogan Dropped From 'WWE 2K16' - 26th July 2015 Goodes
given extended leave - 29th July 2015 Hugh
Jackman asks what Wolverine fans want - 28th July 2015 Goulding
Sparks Bond Theme Speculation AGE
2015 offering more to exhibitors, visitors: organiser - 17th July 2015 Beach
Breaks Carnival and NSW State Titles hit Maroubra Casino
babes popular for promotion of entertainment, gaming and casino themed websites 20th
Century Fox and Stan Lee in full force at Comic-Con - July 2015 Suicide
Squad - Comic-Con First Look [HD] Fantastic
Four has 'relatable' superheroes - 14th July 2015 Packer’s
CrownBet raises stakes in online betting ‘land grab’ - 13th July 2015 Gambling
group GVC offers to buy larger rival Bwin for £908m - 9th July 2015 World
DC Lego tour to premiere in Sydney - 10th July 2015 Karl
Lagerfeld Brought Chanel Couture to the Casino for Fall 2015 - 7th July 2015 MGM
targeting Atlanta - 3rd July 2015 News Rupert
Murdoch confirms plan to hand over 21st Century Fox reins to James - 17th June
2015 Brock
Lesnar is revealed as Seth Rollins' next challenger: Raw, June 15, 2015 Kirk
Kerkorian, billionaire investor in film studios and casinos, dies at 98 - 17th
June 2015 Bwin:
Recovers from Friday's major share sale- 15th June 2015 A
fiscal growth fuelled by casinos - 14th June 2015 Jurassic
World smashes global record - 15th June 2015 Marvel
Brings Rob Steffens Back As CFO - 15th June 2015 Heard
It In The Alice, By Greg Tingle - 22nd May 2015 Echo
to bulk up Star casino ahead of Crown threat Cairns
casino looks towards improvements Junket
firm Iao Kun announces 2014 annual dividend The
Star casino in line for $100m overhaul Coke
cans rattle in earnest as big names prepare for a cold one Disney
Store is Largest in the World and First in China Top
10 WWE SmackDown moments: May 21, 2015 Crown
to raise $400 million - 17th March 2015 Morning
news headlines - March 18th March 2015 Gold
falls to four-month low - 18th March 2015 Roman
Reigns interrupts Paul Heyman: Raw, March 16, 2015 Larry
Zbyszko to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2015 - 16th March 2015 Activist
Tracker Tilmouth remembered - 12th March 2015 Australian
Mining And Exploration Sector Embracing Living Statues And Bodypainting For Special
Events And VIP Functions
| 
