Global TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Tuesday 15 July 2025
AI disrupts Hollywood, microdramas surge, BBC eyes outsourcing, creator economy grows, game shows thrive, HBO shifts strategy, and Sundance plans final Park City festival.
Today’s Highlights:
AI’s Growing Impact on Hollywood – The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and the anticipated GPT-5 are reshaping entertainment production and creativity, raising questions about efficiency, originality, and industry disruption.
Microdramas Disrupt Traditional Media Models – Platforms like ReelShort and AR Asia are rapidly scaling short-form vertical dramas, bypassing union structures and redefining how creators engage audiences and monetise content.
Creator Economy Sparks Job Growth Amid Studio Cuts – As traditional studios shrink, social media creators and digital studios like Dhar Mann are fuelling employment growth, becoming a surprising pillar of the industry.
BBC Considers Major Outsourcing Plan – The BBC may outsource digital and finance teams, sparking fears of job losses and external control over core platforms such as iPlayer and News Online.
HBO vs HBO Max Strategic Split – HBO stays prestige-focused with character-driven dramas, while HBO Max leans into budget procedural content like The Pitt, highlighting diverging paths in Warner Bros. strategy.
Sundance Plans a Farewell Festival Before 2027 Move – The Sundance Film Festival will leave Park City after 2026, marking a major change in its identity and impact on the independent film scene.
Game Shows Dominate Free-to-Air TV in Australia – Formats such as The Floor and The 1% Club continue to draw large audiences and deliver cost-effective content amid broader declines in drama and comedy investment.
Netflix Co-Founder Reed Hastings Turns Producer – Hastings makes his producing debut with 52nd State, an indie crime-thriller directed by former Netflix exec Todd Yellin, signalling new ventures post-Netflix.
Robot Chicken’s 20th Anniversary Special Reflects Industry Shifts – Seth Green’s new special responds to corporate changes at Warner Bros. Discovery, blending nostalgia with commentary on evolving studio priorities.
Insight Productions Joins Blue Ant Media – CEO John Brunton oversees the reverse takeover by Blue Ant, integrating hit shows like The Amazing Race Canada and marking a shift in Canadian media consolidation.
Plus: Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Opportunities & Jobs with Blue Ant, Channel 4, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Netflix & AMC in Toronto, Leeds, Manchester, London, LA, NYC & Amsterdam.
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INSIGHTS
Game Shows Are the Quiet Powerhouses of Aussie Free-to-Air TV
Despite shrinking audiences and tighter budgets, game shows are thriving on Australian free-to-air networks. Formats like The Floor, The 1% Club, and Tipping Point are pulling in millions, outperforming news programs and proving cost-effective to produce. With local adaptations, charismatic hosts, and viewer-friendly formats, game shows remain a reliable ratings weapon, even as drama and comedy investments wane. Their appeal? Familiarity, flexibility, and fun. Read More
Australian Docs Selected for Antenna's Rough Cut Lab
Four Australian documentaries, Los Puesteros, Sentient, We are Jeni, and Finding Carlos, will take part in Antenna Documentary Film Festival’s 6th Rough Cut Lab. The selected teams will receive expert guidance on storytelling, editing, and distribution in a two-day online workshop (July 18 & 21), supported by the City of Sydney and Screen NSW, with mentors including Caitlin Mae Burke, Elizabeth Lo, and Tony Krawitz. Read More
Ad-Tier Strategies Diverge Across Streaming Platforms
As U.S. ad-tier subscriptions surpass 225 million in early 2025, new data from Ampere highlights major differences in how streamers serve ads. Studio-led platforms mimic traditional TV ad patterns, while tech-led services like Netflix and Prime Video take a fresh approach. Free platforms such as Pluto and Tubi follow yet another model, showing how company background continues to shape the evolving advertising landscape in streaming. Read More
AR Asia Expands Micro-Drama Reach and Launches Major Co-Production Slate
Hong Kong’s AR Asia Productions is scaling its vertical video strategy across Southeast Asia, with micro-dramas now streaming on Vidio (Indonesia) and TrueVision Now (Thailand), and four drama apps secured through telco deals. Alongside two new long-form series, AR is leading a Taiwanese-backed film slate with partners in Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia. The company has released 150 micro-dramas this year and now boasts a 1,000-title content library. Read More
ITV Dives Into Shark Craze with New Celebrity Reality Series
As SharkFest and Shark Week draw viewers, ITV launches Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, a new reality series from Plimsoll Productions. Premiering today, it sends stars like Sir Lenny Henry and Helen George to the Bahamas to swim with hammerheads, bull sharks, and tiger sharks. Blending natural history and entertainment, the show marks a unique collaboration across Plimsoll’s factual teams. Read More
Stellan Skarsgård Took Pay Cut on Sentimental Value to Ensure Good Lunches
Stellan Skarsgård became an executive producer and accepted a lower salary for Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, Cannes Grand Prix winner, to guarantee quality lunches for the crew. Reflecting on past experiences in Norway, he said at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, “I’ll never film in this country again, unless we get a good lunch.” Skarsgård received the Crystal Globe for his contribution to world cinema. Read More
Insight Productions Joins Blue Ant as CEO John Brunton Looks Ahead
Insight Productions CEO John Brunton reflects on the company’s upcoming move under Blue Ant Media, part of a reverse takeover of Boat Rocker. The deal reunites Brunton with longtime friend and Blue Ant CEO Michael MacMillan and brings hit shows like The Amazing Race Canada and Top Chef Canada into Blue Ant’s portfolio. Brunton remains optimistic despite CBC’s recent funding uncertainty. Read More
Chuck Lorre Heads to Tennessee After Spotting Comedy Star in Leanne Morgan
Chuck Lorre discovered Leanne Morgan through her hit 2023 Netflix special, I’m Every Woman, and was instantly drawn to her authentic voice. “I went, ‘Oh my God. This is an original voice,’” said Lorre. Rather than have Morgan visit him, the sitcom legend travelled to Knoxville to meet her and her family, calling them “wonderful people.” Read More
‘Robot Chicken’ Marks 20 Years with Self-Discovery Special
Adult Swim and HBO Max celebrate Robot Chicken’s 20th anniversary with a new “Self-Discovery Special,” teasing a more introspective take on the beloved stop-motion comedy. Co-creator Seth Green told TheWrap the idea stemmed from industry shifts after Discovery acquired Warner Bros., reshaping priorities across subsidiaries like Adult Swim. “There was a shift… and this special reflects that evolution,” Green said. Read More
AI’s Rise in Hollywood: A Double-Edged Script
With the debut of the ChatGPT browser and the looming arrival of GPT-5, AI's rapid evolution is reshaping entertainment. From visualising data to coaching workouts and trading stocks, its reach grows daily. While some fear Hollywood’s creative soul may be at risk, others see potential. What’s clear: AI will change everything, and the industry, true to form, will chase efficiency until it meets resistance. Read More
Why AI Can’t Replace the Human Pulse in Sport or Storytelling
Wimbledon’s full switch to Hawk-Eye has removed the tension, emotion, and fallibility that made live matches electric. Similarly, while AI-generated visuals may be cost-effective and seamless, they lack human unpredictability—hesitation, error, and nuance—that give drama its soul. True connection lies in imperfection. If we smooth out every crack, we risk losing what makes stories and sport unforgettable. Read More
Creator Economy Emerges as Hollywood’s Unexpected Lifeline
As legacy studios face layoffs and shrinking opportunities, YouTube and social media creators are fueling a hiring boom in Southern California. Studios like Dhar Mann and Pave are expanding, with YouTube’s ecosystem supporting over 490,000 jobs nationwide in 2024. With creators building real businesses and audiences shifting to digital platforms, the creator economy is becoming a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak Hollywood job market. Read More
Microdramas Are Reshaping Hollywood—Fast
Vertical content is upending Hollywood’s labour and business models. As microdramas scale outside union oversight, creators are earning steady income and bypassing traditional gatekeepers. With platforms like ReelShort generating billions and young talent building careers through direct audience engagement, unions and studios face a reckoning. The question isn’t whether microdramas matter; it’s whether legacy systems can adapt before they’re left behind. Read More
HBO vs. HBO Max: What They’re Buying and Why It Matters
HBO is sticking to prestige, character-driven dramas, while HBO Max is leaning into cost-effective procedurals like The Pitt, which drew 10M viewers per episode. Max Originals now favour fixed-location, closed-end storytelling with modest budgets and weekly releases. With fewer original dramas and a tighter comedy mandate, HBO Max is chasing volume and efficiency, while HBO remains focused on premium storytelling. Read More
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