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.

Quick take: What the Apple event’s creator focus means for lean-in entertainment

Cover image for Quick take: What the Apple event’s creator focus means for lean-in entertainment
Hanna Kahlert
The October 18th Apple event –for all its usual showmanship – did not have anything hugely innovative to unveil. New colours of the Apple HomePod, a new tier of AirPods, and the return of MagSafe charging, distinctive input ports, and actual keys instead of a touchpad on the upgraded MacBook Pros were the main highlights (aside from the new M1 chip, which was unveiled at the last event and has since merely been upgraded and put into more devices).
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Adele’s success will be best measured in cultural impact – not sales

Cover image for Adele’s success will be best measured in cultural impact – not sales
Mark Mulligan
Adele is something of an anomaly in the modern music business, a throwback to how things used to be. These days even the biggest artists struggle to get mainstream attention for their new releases in a flooded market that is defined by more releases than ever before, and the ‘always on’ artist who is continually releasing new music and talking to their audience.
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The key winners and losers of the Covid-bounce effect in games

Cover image for The key winners and losers of the Covid-bounce effect in games
Karol Severin
As we have covered before, games engagement began to experience effects of the Covid-bounce . As usual, however, there are winners and losers within the wider micro-dynamics. The following graph demonstrates how 20 key games franchises fared in the US between Q2 2020 and Q2 2021, in terms of consumer penetration growth: Roblox and Rockstar are the biggest winners Roblox grew 49% in penetration year on year.
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The social reckoning is nigh: The Haugen testimony and Facebook blackout hint at imminent regulatory changes

Cover image for The social reckoning is nigh: The Haugen testimony and Facebook blackout hint at imminent regulatory changes
Hanna Kahlert
The race between social media (and broader tech) innovation and governmental regulation has been a bit of a hare and the tortoise situation for the past decade-plus. However, the digital-first transition as a result of; COVID-19 lockdowns; several election and voting processes being impacted by social media misinformation; and viral vaccine scepticism currently threatening our return to ‘ normal ’ is finally pushing regulation to catch-up.
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What YouTube TV’s stand-off with NBCU reveals about phase 2 of D2C disruption

Cover image for What YouTube TV’s stand-off with NBCU reveals about phase 2 of D2C disruption
Tim Mulligan
YouTube TV’s stand-off with NBCU is approaching decision-making time, as tomorrow, September 30th, is the cut-off point for the streaming platform to meet the distribution terms of NBCU. If no agreement is reached, then YouTube TV subscribers will lose access to a wide range of NBCU channels, from regional sports networks to NBC, SyFy, USA, and Bravo, among others.
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Why digital fandom has outgrown the Emmys

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Tim Mulligan
With the progressive move back into in real life (IRL) following mass global Covid vaccinations, hyped-up in-person award ceremonies have returned to business as usual in 2021. This Sunday the Emmys was aired on CBS, the broadcast arm of media major ViacomCBS – which is in itself busy playing catch up with the D2C disruptors class of 2019/20, with its recently launched Paramount+ streaming subscription service.
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