TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Thursday 13 February 2025
Streaming overtakes TV; Hollywood commits to LA; NBCU exits cable; Paramount faces blackout; AI ruling favours creators; NZ media overhaul; Buffy reboot; Berlinale debut; Nickel Boys buzz; Mendes doc.
Today’s Highlights:
Streaming Surpasses Linear TV as Industry Shifts - The shift to streaming is accelerating, with the 2025 Academy Awards streaming on Hulu for the first time. Networks like ESPN, Fox, and CBS are moving live sports and events online as pay-TV bundles shrink. Media companies are restructuring their strategies to adapt.
Hollywood Studios and IATSE Commit to LA-Based Production - Major Hollywood studios and IATSE have reaffirmed their commitment to keeping film and TV production in Los Angeles. The move aims to counter growing concerns about runaway production and sustain local industry jobs.
NBCUniversal Exits Cable, Focuses on Streaming - NBCUniversal is divesting cable channels such as USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, and Syfy to prioritise its streaming platform, Peacock. Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global are also reassessing cable strategies as streaming dominates.
Paramount Faces YouTube TV Blackout Amid Dispute - Paramount Global warns that CBS, MTV, and Comedy Central may be removed from YouTube TV due to stalled negotiations. Co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins claim YouTube TV is enforcing unfair terms.
Court Ruling Favors Creators in AI Copyright Dispute - A U.S. court ruled against Ross Intelligence, determining that AI training on copyrighted material does not constitute fair use. This precedent could impact AI firms like OpenAI and Meta.
New Zealand Proposes Media Industry Overhaul - The New Zealand government has announced major media reforms, including policies to support local content, protect public-interest journalism, and regulate digital platforms.
Hulu’s Buffy Reboot Moves Forward in LA - Hulu’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is advancing with plans to film in Los Angeles while awaiting a formal pilot order. Meanwhile, networks are shifting back to veteran broadcast writers post-strike.
Berlin Film Festival to Premiere Bi Gan Protégé’s The Botanist - Jing Yi, mentored by Long Day’s Journey Into Night director Bi Gan, debuts The Botanist at Berlinale 2025. The film follows a Kazakh Xinjiang boy grappling with love and separation.
Plan B’s Nickel Boys Gains Oscar Buzz - Plan B Entertainment’s adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys, directed by RaMell Ross, is earning major Oscar buzz. The film’s radical visual storytelling explores the brutality of a 1960s reform school.
Sam Mendes to Direct Holocaust Documentary for BBC—Sam Mendes will direct What They Found, a BBC documentary featuring Holocaust survivor testimonies and historical footage. This will be his first venture into documentary filmmaking.
Plus: Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Renewals & Jobs with Netflix, A24, BBC, WBD, Telia, Prime & RTL.
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INSIGHTS
Synnøve Karlsen on ‘Miss Austen,’ Theatre Debut, and Genre-Hopping Career
From Clique to Miss Austen, Synnøve Karlsen reflects on her varied career, working alongside Keeley Hawes and embracing the unknown as an actor. In Miss Austen, Karlsen plays a young Cassandra Austen, navigating family secrets and literary legacies. She’s also preparing for her stage debut in The House Party, marking a long-awaited move to theatre after a successful run in television. Read More
The End of TV Is Here: Streaming Overtakes Linear Broadcast
With the 2025 Academy Awards streaming on Hulu for the first time, linear TV faces its final shift toward streaming. Sports and live events—long the traditional TV holdouts are also moving to digital platforms as networks like ESPN, Fox, and CBS expand their streaming reach. As the pay-TV bundle loses exclusive content, media giants are adapting with skinnier bundles and strategic partnerships to retain audiences. Read More
Short Film A Lien Explores the Harrowing U.S. Immigration Process
David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz’s short film A Lien follows a couple facing a tense Green Card interview that takes a dangerous turn when ICE intervenes. The 15-minute film, starring Victoria Ratermanis and William Martinez, is executive produced by Adam McKay and has earned an Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short Film, along with a Grand Prize Narrative Award from the Washington Film Festival. Read More
Hulu’s Buffy Reboot Set to Film in L.A.; Broadcast Writers See Resurgence
Hulu’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is moving forward, with plans to shoot in Los Angeles while awaiting a formal pilot order. Meanwhile, top TV executives highlight a shift back to veteran broadcast writers as the industry adjusts to post-strike contractions. Despite a decline in scripted originals, insiders see opportunities amid the evolving landscape. Read More
Court Ruling Favors Creators in AI Copyright Case
A U.S. court ruled against Ross Intelligence, stating that using copyrighted material to train AI isn’t fair use. Judge Stephanos Bibas determined that legal headnotes from Thomson Reuters were protected works, setting a precedent for cases against AI firms like OpenAI and Meta. The decision, citing the Supreme Court’s Warhol ruling, strengthens creators’ claims against AI companies using copyrighted content. Read More
New Zealand Government Proposes Major Media Industry Overhaul
The New Zealand government has announced plans to overhaul its media industry regulations. The proposal includes new policies to support local content production, safeguard public interest journalism, and address the evolving landscape of digital media. Read More
Documentary Under the Flags of the Sun Explores Alfredo Stroessner’s Dictatorship
The upcoming documentary Under the Flags of the Sun examines the 35-year rule of Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner. Featuring archival footage and interviews with historians and survivors, the film highlights the political repression and human rights abuses during his regime. The documentary is set to premiere at an upcoming film festival, with wider distribution plans to follow. Read More
Bi Gan Protégé Jing Yi Debuts ‘The Botanist’ at Berlinale
Chinese director Jing Yi’s debut feature, The Botanist, premieres at the 2025 Berlin Film Festival in the Generation Kplus section. Mentored by Long Day’s Journey Into Night filmmaker Bi Gan, the film follows Arsin, a Kazakh Xinjiang boy who forms a deep bond with Meiyu, a Han Chinese girl. When Meiyu moves to Shanghai, Arsin struggles with their separation. Magnify handles worldwide sales. Read More
NBCUniversal Sheds Cable Channels as Industry Shifts to Streaming
NBCUniversal is offloading USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Syfy, E!, Oxygen Media, and Golf Channel, shifting focus to Peacock. Once cable TV giants, these networks struggle as audiences migrate to streaming. Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global are also rethinking cable strategies, with MTV and Comedy Central at risk. The decline of linear TV, accelerated by streaming’s rise, signals a major industry transformation. Read More
Hollywood Studios and IATSE Pledge Commitment to Los Angeles Production
IATSE and major Hollywood studios have reaffirmed their commitment to keeping film and TV production in Los Angeles. Amid growing concerns about runaway production, the pledge aims to support local jobs and maintain the city's status as an entertainment hub. Read More
Plan B’s ‘Nickel Boys’ Earns Oscar Buzz with Bold Vision
Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner’s Plan B Entertainment backs RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys, a radical adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys. The film, nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, employs Ross’ “sentient perspective” approach, immersing viewers in the story of two Black boys at a corrupt 1960s reform school. The project follows Plan B’s legacy of risk-taking films like Moonlight and 12 Years a Slave. Read More
Is Superhero Fatigue Real? Industry Experts Weigh In
As box office performances for superhero films fluctuate, industry analysts discuss whether the genre is experiencing fatigue. While some believe audience interest is waning, others argue that strong storytelling and fresh takes could reinvigorate the market. Read More
Paramount Warns of Potential YouTube TV Blackout Amid Negotiations
Paramount Global warns subscribers that its channels, including CBS, MTV, and Comedy Central, may be dropped from YouTube TV as carriage negotiations stall. Co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins claim YouTube TV is pushing "one-sided terms." With 8 million subscribers, YouTube TV is a key distributor, but negotiations have been tense. Paramount recently secured a deal with Comcast but remains at odds with Google. Read More
Demi Moore on 'The Substance,' Her First Oscar Nomination & Hollywood’s Beauty Standards
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