Read our latest daily deep dives, hot takes, and exciting updates about the entertainment world. Check out the latest insight from your favourite analyst, or search by coverage areas - music, entertainment and fandom, creator economy and social.

Will the recession change Big Tech’s view on entertainment?

Cover image for Will the recession change Big Tech’s view on entertainment?
Mark Mulligan
tech majors
recession
tech layoffs
Music start up Utopia just announced a round of layoffs , fitting into a much bigger dynamic that may reshape the entertainment landscape. There are many reasons why the coming global recession will be unique, but the one that is most relevant to the digital entertainment sector is that it is going to be the first one since modern consumer tech has been truly mainstream.
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Why the launch of Artists’ Equity and the return of Bob Iger are both driven by fandom

Cover image for Why the launch of Artists’ Equity and the return of Bob Iger are both driven by fandom
Tim Mulligan
Artists’ Equity
Ben Affleck
Matt Damon
On Sunday, the New York Times broke the story that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are launching a new production company called Artists’ Equity. The production venture is backed by RedBird Capital Partners (who have committed $100 million to fund the venture) and aims to expand profit participation alongside a “talent-friendly” environment for creatives.
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How Apple’s commission is reconfiguring Spotify’s audiobook strategy

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Annie Langston
Spotify
Apple
Audiobooks
Spotify’s audiobook rollout has hit a major roadblock. Spotify debuted its service in September as a la carte , where users purchased audiobooks individually. In order to avoid Apple’s 30% commission on in-app purchases for apps listed in its App Store, users were directed to purchase audiobooks online, after which the audiobook would appear in the app.
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Lean-through listening: how does context impact consumption?

Cover image for Lean-through listening: how does context impact consumption?
Hanna Kahlert
Media and Marketing
Cultural trends
Streaming has changed music listening dramatically, turning what was once a thoughtful, attention-intensive activity to a primarily ambient background media format. Or has it? Elevator jazz is far older than YouTube’s ‘lo-fi playlist to chill / elevator to’, and the invention of headphones and cassette players spurred the 80’s trope of angst-ridden teens escaping into their favourite mixtape long before the iPod.
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Can Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover trigger a revolution for creator pay?

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Ben Woods
Twitter
Social media
Creator economy
Amid Twitter’s subscription turmoil, Elon Musk unveiled plans for a land grab on his social media rivals. The likes of YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch moved into his sights as he recently declared that he is preparing new financial incentives for creators to encourage the biggest influencers to take up residence on his newly acquired social media app.
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How to recycle games IP: God of War: Ragnarök

Cover image for How to recycle games IP: God of War: Ragnarök
Samuel Griffin
God of War
Games ip
Santa Monica Studio
Familiar enough, but not too familiar Recycling games IP is commercially beneficial to games companies, be it from the cost, risk, or predictability perspective. Despite, or perhaps because of, the constant outpouring of new content, audiences find comfort in the familiar – making revamps, sequels, and spin-offs safe bets for production companies in video and games alike.
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Is Mastodon the beginning of the social platform revolution?

Cover image for Is Mastodon the beginning of the social platform revolution?
Hanna Kahlert
Social media
social platform
mastodon
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter last week has raised serious questions about the future of the app, and about the future of social platforms overall . As the likes of TikTok move social into the category of content, and new, use-specific social platforms begin to take off, it seems that not only is now the time for social platform disruption – it is already happening.
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