SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " industry " 3,170 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
The new "science golden age" looks suspiciously like a grift
This edition of PN is made possible by paid subscribers. Become one ⬇️ 🚀 Subscribe to PN 🚀 The Trump regime is trying to usher in a “Golden Age in Science” where scientific research is run like a Trump family business, artificial intelligence is all that matters, profit is everything, and expertise is for chumps. Or at least that’s the vision emerging from a new 123-page “Report to the President” from Michael Kratsios, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In a normal administration, you could probably skip over learning about a science policy document — but this is no normal administration, and this is no normal science policy document. Instead, it’s Trump’s attempt to end the actual golden age of science that was kicked off in 1945 with the publication of '“The Endless Frontier” by Vannevar Bush. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/harmeet-dhillon-portland) [ Harmeet Dhillon demonstrates danger of posting through it ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/harmeet-dhillon-portland) Liz Dye · Jul 29 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/harmeet-dhillon-portland) Bush, at President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s request, laid out a vision of federal support for science that centered on funding universities to do basic research, saying that as long as those institutions were “vigorous and healthy and their scientists are free to pursue the truth wherever it may lead, there will be a flow of new scientific knowledge to those who can apply it to practical problems in Government, in industry, or elsewhere.” Kratsios’s report is supposed to be the successor to Bush’s, and even apes the format, but this isn’t really a document about science policy. It’s one about ending science research as we know it in favor of shoveling cash at big tech companies. While it might be temping to wave this away as an aspirational policy document, Trump has already begun to shift billions in research funds to AI projects and has taken a hatchet to science funding across the board. He’s teed up the shift Kratsios proposes here, and since neither Congress nor the Supreme Court seem inclined to stop him from doing whatever he wants with taxpayer money, it isn’t doomering or hyperbole to say we are staring down the barrel of a world where the only “science” the government intends to support is for-profit tech and defense advancements. Science for dummies Part of how you can tell this isn’t a document about science is that you are immediately faced with an absolute wall of business-speak of the worst sort. Did you know we must “tightly couple our science and technology enterprises to ensure that groundbreaking ideas invented in the United States are rapidly prototyped, tested, manufactured, and scaled domestically”? You do now! That tone isn’t surprising, because Kratsios has no background in science or research. He has a bachelor’s in political science and spent most of his career working for Peter Thiel at Thiel Capital. After a stint in the first Trump administration as Chief Technology Officer, where he also did not do any science, Kratsios was tasked in 2020 with overseeing the Pentagon’s research budget for a brief time, a position that, as the Wall Street Journal put it, “carries a great deal of power in terms of dictating investment allocations.” He spent the Biden years at Scale AI as “head of strategy,” which you will also note is neither a science nor a research job. But Scale AI has contracts with the Department of Defense and, as the Washington Post wrote in 2023, “has been aggressively pitching itself as the company that will help the US military in its existential battle with China.” And now you have the necessary background for our new golden age, which is going to be a golden age of taking money away from scientists and universities and giving it to companies like Scale AI. A note from Aaron: Working with brilliant contributors like Lisa takes resources. If you aren’t already a paid subscriber, please become one to support our work. 👇 Subscribe In a genuinely galling move, Katsios spends a lot of time slamming universities because of “administrative burdens on researchers” and the “well-documented inefficiencies” in academia, the message being that those damn universities waste the time of amazing researchers with paperwork. Except it’s the administration that is attempting to impose inefficient, unnecessary burdens on those researchers with a proposed Office of Management and Budget rule that would require senior political appointees to approve every science grant and ensure it aligns with Trump’s personal priorities. Researchers would also have to seek prior government approval to attend conferences or publicize their research. And political appointees could terminate any grant at any time if they feel like it. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/omb-rule-science-funding) [ The murder of expertise ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/omb-rule-science-funding) Lisa Needham · Jun 11 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/omb-rule-science-funding) But when it comes to AI, we’re going to “restore permissionless innovation.” The report proposes to give lucky ducky innovators a pile of cash up front for grants lasting five years or longer, saying “awards should be fully-funded in year one, with all resources earmarked upfront, to minimize administrative burdens and reduce pressure for researchers to generate intermediate results to secure continued funding.” Yeah, wouldn’t want to have to make the Very Special Tech Bros show results or get money parceled out year by year like the plebes at universities. The report also proposes that we should have “fast grants” with “simplified applications requiring just a few pages of writing” because that is definitely how science works, just writing a bit off the dome and getting some cash. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-ai-action-plan-altman-llms) [ Tech elites are turning AI into ChatGPTrump ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-ai-action-plan-altman-llms) Paul Waldman · July 29, 2025 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-ai-action-plan-altman-llms) Oh, and we should have prizes and challenges, where multiple teams compete. The proposed prizes include incentives like “advance procurement commitments,” which means the federal government agrees to buy whatever is being developed. There’s also “regulatory fast-tracking,” making sure all those great AI thingies don’t have to wait too long to be unleashed on a market. These aren’t incentives to do science. These are incentives to develop things with tax dollars that you can then sell to the government for more tax dollars. In the suggestion that might be the most unhinged, the most very opposite of how both government and research work, our new age will include “golden tickets.” That’s where an individual reviewer in an agency — yes, just one person — can “recommend unconventional proposals that may not pass consensus-driven review panels” because somehow this will “surface valuable ideas too divisive for committees and attract higher quality reviewers by empowering them to exercise independent scientific judgment.” Yes, that’s saying that a random person in an agency should be able to shovel money at some idea even if it can’t pass a review panel, and that the opportunity to do so will attract better employees because apparently all the best minds in science are chomping at the bit to be allowed to unilaterally fund AI research based on their personal vibes. But that isn’t at all how actual science works, and actual scientists aren’t unhappy about review panels. They work collaboratively, not siloed in some secret race to create the next AI chatbot. A 2020 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research examined whether peer review panels succeed in helping agencies predict which research ideas will best advance science. Peer review was better at finding “diamond in the rough” applicants than a single government program official. How about that. Trump always wants a taste It’s painfully clear that what Katsios is trying to do here is turn the whole of government science research and funding into the sort of “move fast and break things” paradigm that is the hallmark of big tech. That method works to line the pockets of tech executives, but it isn’t science. There’s a reason the government funds different kinds of research than private tech companies do. What Katsios either fails to understand or deliberately ignores is that the federal government is the main funder of basic research precisely because it can take a long time for it to bear fruit and is not intended to be profitable as such. “Basic” here does not mean rudimentary or simple, but rather research that is designed to advance scientific knowledge instead of achieving a specific outcome or product. Big tech companies don’t widely fund that sort of research, because it doesn’t make them money. Industry dollars account for only about 20 percent of basic research funding, while the government contributes around 60 percent. Big tech companies and startups do, however, rely on and benefit from that basic research. A 2019 study found that 35 percent of all patents obtained by venture-backed startups from 1976 to 2016 cited federally supported research. Basic research funded by the NIH contributed to every single drug the FDA approved from 2010 to 2016. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-saudi-nuclear-deal) [ The Saudi nuclear farce and governance by whim and meme ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-saudi-nuclear-deal) Noah Berlatsky · Jul 27 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-saudi-nuclear-deal) Unlike inventing the next ChatGPT, actual science is slow and iterative. Government funding of research that, on its face, would not appear to lead to any big new invention is actually what underpins those big new inventions. If the government hadn’t funded research into desert lizard venom, we wouldn’t know about semaglutide, and we wouldn’t have Ozempic. If research scientists hadn’t studied how bees optimize nectar foraging within a colony, we wouldn’t have the algorithm that assigns internet traffic across computer servers. The report assiduously ignores that a symbiotic, profitable relationship between the federal government, universities, and private companies already exists. Each federal research dollar generates about $1.50 to $3.00 in long-term economic benefits. The $36 billion the government awarded in NIH research funding in fiscal year 2025 generated $94 billion in new economic activity. Trump’s proposed new golden age is intended to strip those billions from universities, resulting in the dismantling of departments and the shuttering of labs. But Katsios has a plan for that: Universities should just become trade schools to churn out no-show STEM degrees! “Require universities and community colleges to embed practical technical training and externships into STEM curricula. Let hands-on experience and industry credentials count toward degrees.” It’s quite the feat to, on the one hand, strip schools of funding for scientific research while simultaneously demanding to control what is taught and, oh, also, colleges need to give degrees to employees at big tech companies just for being employees at big tech companies. The new golden age would also exacerbate the brain drain Trump’s policies have already caused. Nature found that in the first quarter of 2025, US scientists submitted 32 percent more job applications abroad than in 2024. A March 2025 poll by Nature of roughly 1,600 scientists found that over 1,200 said they were considering leaving the country. Europe is investing $565 million to make it a “magnet for researchers” and provide funding for scientists who relocate. The new golden age is also about embedding Trump’s xenophobia into the fabric of American science. The report complains of an “over-reliance on foreign students” that “creates a security challenge our institutions are ill-equipped to address” and that a “reliance on foreign talent sidelines American students.” This is, to put it mildly, nonsense. International students pay far higher tuition and often receive no financial aid. Their tuition dollars are what make it possible for American students to get financial aid. In the 2023-2024 school year alone, international students contributed $43.8 billion to the US economy and supported over 378,000 jobs. Those 1.1 million international students accounted for only six percent of the total number of students in higher education that year, but were such an economic engine that for every three international students, one job was created or supported. It’s impossible not to wonder whether part of Trump’s loathing for universities and their leading role in scientific research is that there is no way for him to corrupt the process and make money off it in the same way he can by giving millions and billions to Silicon Valley types who, in turn, give him millions in cash. There’s no way for his children to invest in universities that the government then gives no-bid contracts to, fattening the family’s bottom line, which is pretty much the Trump sons’ current venture capital practice. Trump and Katsios’s view of science is narrow, cramped, and wrong. We’re not in a crisis, we’re not a failed state. We’ve been a science superpower for decades, and the only thing that threatens that is Donald Trump. Tech bros are already living high off the hog in this administration. They don’t need any more of our tax dollars. Hopefully this new golden age never comes to pass. Thanks for reading Public Notice. This post is public so feel free to share it. Share We’ll be back with more tomorrow. If you appreciate today’s PN, please do your part to keep us free by signing up for a paid subscription. 🚀 Subscribe to PN 🚀 Thanks for reading, and for your support.
TripGain Releases 'State of Business Travel in India 2026' Report, Revealing Persistent Gaps Between Digital Adoption and Operational Reality
Conventional wisdom suggests corporate travel technology is primarily about reducing costs and automating bookings. However, a new industry study from TripGain suggests something far more significant is happening.
Cannabis industry says it still faces major challenges, such as access to banks
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Stock Faces Debt Strain Despite Narrower Quarterly Loss
Caesars Entertainment stock barely flinched after earnings, slipping only 0.6% to about US$29.77, yet the headline numbers still ask investors to be patient. The casino operator posted another quarterly loss, with basic earnings per share of US$0.30 in the red and net income excluding extra items also in loss territory. That keeps the focus on a slower burn story. The real question now is whether Caesars can turn a low price-to-sales multiple and a multi-year profitability goal into something...
NSF testing new Ph.D. model giving trainees academic and industry experience
Young life scientists have been increasingly abandoning academia, a seismic shift that has fueled calls for rethinking graduate education. On Wednesday,
The Nintendo 64 is turning 30 years old, here are some of its most impactful games of all time
From "Goldeneye 007" to "Ocarina of Time," the N64 turns 30 this summer. These five games defined 3D gaming and still shape the industry today.
Game AI Expert on Where AI Actually Belongs in Game Development
Luke Dicken has been researching AI technology for gaming for decades, and he joined us to share his perspective on the history of AI in games, modern generative AI, game development, production pipelines, player personalization, and why the industry's biggest opportunity doesn't lie in replacing human talent.
Erica McLain on bridging the gap between science and design
Before she even considered entering the design industry, Erica McLain’s professional path contained enough experience for a few lifetimes. Her résumé tells ...
Meet the New Dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Business
Building bridges to student success, industry impact and enduring alumni engagement. Strengthening joint programs and collaborative research across campus. Leveling up as a campus partner in innovation and commercialization. Michigan Technological University's newest academic leader, College of Business Dean Sri Beldona, shares his priorities and a vision for the future.
She Wanted to Teach Kids History. Her Idea Became a $700 Million Business
Pleasant Rowland started American Girl with an educational mission, not a toy-industry playbook. Decades later, the company remains one of the most successful toy brands ever created.
She Wanted to Teach Kids History. Her Idea Became a $700 Million Business
Pleasant Rowland started American Girl with an educational mission, not a toy-industry playbook. Decades later, the company remains one of the most successful toy brands ever created.
The Science Behind the AI Panic Is Shakier Than You Think
A column by Sascha Lobo Is AI making us dumb? So asked DER SPIEGEL on its cover a while ago. After a few weeks of recovery and a therapeutic intervention with the help of my AI, I feel able to respond. That’s a bit unfair, of course; the article itself is more nuanced than the loud cover, the image of a schoolkid with dull prompt questions, or the subtitle: “AI is conquering the schools, and educators fear a disaster.” The short answer to “Is AI making us dumb?” is: no. The long answer is more interesting, and even carries a preliminary glimmer of the spectacular. Unfortunately, it requires a detour into the sphere of artificial intelligence, into the mogul-field terrain of technology assessment, the attention economy, and the destructive virus of cultural pessimism. Along with narrowing the scope to AI’s effects on education and work rather than on intelligence. Because the honest version of the question would be: Does AI help us learn and work, or not? Generative AI, which set off the still-ongoing hype with ChatGPT, has only existed in relevant distribution since late 2022, early 2023. For a technology-driven transformation of people and society, that is extremely short. For that reason alone, research is still in its infancy. And technology assessment is not a fast discipline anyway. Prominent voices from Elizabeth Eisenstein to RAND to Tom Wheeler say we still cannot conclusively judge the consequences of the printing press. Its invention is a mere 580 years back, and some scholars would rather not circulate assessments that might have to be retracted in two or three hundred years. We’re Going Through Growing Pains A phenomenon that already caused upheaval in social media research makes serious assessment of AI’s consequences even harder: the “moving target” problem of LLM-ology, as the linguist Sean Trott called it in 2025. AI develops so quickly and so unpredictably that researchers often end up studying snapshots of the past. There are concepts, from morphological analysis to anticipatory governance, for keeping research, planning, and regulation halfway meaningful anyway. But even with those, universally valid statements are rare. DER SPIEGEL - The German View is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe We should therefore treat findings about the interplay between humans and AI as far more procedural and situational. Unfortunately, this challenge comes at the worst possible time. We are going through growing pains: AI’s everyday impact has grown very large very fast, and with it the longing for guidance. Annoyingly, the body of solid knowledge has not exploded along with it. Experts cannot be moved to broad consensus on even banal statements about AI. Sascha Lobo, born in 1975, is an author and strategy consultant focusing on the internet and digital technologies. Together with Jule Lobo, he explores the debates of the day in the podcast “Feel the News – Was Deutschland bewegt” (”What Moves Germany”). Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says software developers are dying out. Bill Gates considers coders one of only three professions that will survive the AI tsunami. Top tech economists find virtually irrefutable arguments both for and against an AI bubble. The same naturally applies to the structurally youth-hostile debate over whether AI is good or bad for young people. The gap between the demand for insight and the supply of solid knowledge creates an orientation vacuum. This vacuum of AI cluelessness is filled, as the attention economy described by Georg Franck in 1998 would have it, with half-knowledge (funnily enough, often AI-generated), marketing, and self-marketing. After all, infinite money is at stake, along with academia’s best current shot at global fame. But this iridescent froth of interpretation operates more by the algorithmic principles of the digital public sphere than by seriously earned insight. That is why dramatized, fear-feeding claims about AI are so promising. It tempts parts of academia into distorted drivel, and parts of the media then sensationalize the published drivel once more. Was the Research Aimed at a Desired Result? How badly this can influence academia and public perception is demonstrated by one of the most-discussed studies on AI’s effects: “Your Brain on ChatGPT.” The MIT study by Nataliya Kosmyna also gets plenty of space in the SPIEGEL cover story. What was measured and interpreted: lower brain activity in people who write with AI assistance, compared to people who only google or write without any tools. As is common with preprints, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and it contains substantial weaknesses that experts have sharply criticized. The first round had 54 participants in three groups, the second only 18, who reportedly also came from MIT’s own orbit. There was no preregistration (committing in advance to what you want to find out with which data). In their analysis, Stanković et al. even discovered an opposite effect that the study does not further explain. Some measurement data has not (yet) been published. And the EEG analysis method used is considered too imprecise to support such far-reaching conclusions. The biggest criticism, though, is the suspicion of an activism-driven study. In an interview with Time, lead author Kosmyna said she published the study immediately, rather than after full peer review, because she feared politicians might otherwise decide to put ChatGPT in kindergartens. She considers that absolutely harmful. It is legitimate to hold such a view. It just seems unscientific to approach a study with it, and then to design the setup so that the chance of a fitting desired result remains as high as possible. Ideologies Collide It is not easy to separate genuine AI insights from studies that trivialize and weaken well-founded AI criticism. The same goes for the opposing, AI-enthusiastic narratives, because the pro-AI side works against it with billions in resources. Ideologies collide, fed by egos, PR strategies, moral posturing, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Doomsday marketing makes the search even harder: AI companies can profit from warnings about the dangers of AI, whether through the notoriety of apocalypse narratives or because, in some target groups, danger translates into power. Some seemingly negative findings are therefore quite welcome in the AI industry. If you try to get at the findings presumably less influenced by interest groups, the picture in education seems relatively clear: AI can improve educational outcomes when the right AI is used the right way, namely pedagogically. Simply dumping an AI chatbot into a classroom, by contrast, accomplishes little. Huge surprise. But something else is also obvious: whether they are allowed to or not, kids use AI for school, which is why the controlled integration of AI tools into education is, in the medium term, entirely without alternative. In the world of work, the landscape of findings is more complex and requires more differentiation. A series of serious studies points to an AI effect that suits neither the alarmists, regulation fetishists, and AI opponents, nor the trillion-dollar corporations with their armada of paid scientists, PR professionals, and ecosystems: working with AI helps the inexperienced (at least for now) considerably more than it helps the pros, in certain fields of work, and provided they know how to use it correctly. Missing Domain Knowledge Among the experienced, the professionals, and the high flyers, by contrast, despite frequent time savings, partially negative effects and new problems are emerging. Take the jagged frontier problem: AI solves task A brilliantly and fails completely at task B, even though both look similar even to professionals. Or the verification-cost problem, in which AI’s greater productivity gets eaten up by the enormous effort of checking its output. Or the illusion of competence, because AI makes new domains seem easily penetrable, until you painfully discover that deep domain knowledge is missing. Taken as a whole, the effects of working with AI do lean positive. But the promise that AI works as a turbocharger for everyone and boosts practically everything simply refuses to materialize. The AI magic the world has been feeling since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 has so far barely shown up in most companies’ numbers. The consulting firm McKinsey has coined a term for this, the “gen AI paradox,” and believes that work processes and corporate structures would have to be rebuilt quite fundamentally to realize AI’s benefits at scale. Reuters just reported that only 3.3 percent of Microsoft’s customers have subscribed to the AI package Copilot. That may be down to the product; in other areas we continue to see soaring successes and new AI triumphs. But after the first quarter of 2026, disillusionment is the word for all too many AI projects at traditional companies: because the promised revolution of AI agents has so far failed to arrive or been postponed, and because of the leveling effect that many of the studies cited here suggest. Against Inequality The societal effects, on the other hand, appear rather encouraging. Many previous technologies operated on the Matthew principle, named for the Gospel verse about giving to those who already have: they tended to reward the more competent and more privileged. AI, however, seems more often to have an equalizing effect once a threshold of access and education is crossed. Some anecdotal insights point in this direction, for example, how an unemployed man in Leipzig successfully defended himself in court in 2025 against fraud accusations from Germany’s federal employment agency — without a lawyer, armed only with ChatGPT. The AI made mistakes and cited invented court rulings, but in the end the man walked away unpunished. And a key capability of artificial intelligence is its capacity to learn: set up correctly and fed with data, it can keep getting better. It is a question of time, or more precisely of AI innovations and training data, until even free AI chatbots write better legal briefs than law graduates with perfect exam scores. Whether that will make anyone dumb is something the world’s press will surely inform us of in due time. Subscribe Leave a comment
Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Back In Focus As Jefferies Sees An Inflection Point In Valuation
Flutter Entertainment (NYSE:FLUT) is back in focus after Jefferies suggested the company may be nearing an inflection point as concerns about prediction markets eroding online sports betting demand start to ease. See our latest analysis for Flutter Entertainment. Recent trading reflects that shift in sentiment, with Flutter Entertainment’s share price at US$109.06 and a 1 day share price return of 3.04%, adding to a 7 day share price return of 8.03%. Despite this short term momentum, the...
Health100™ Earns Industry Accreditation for Consumer Data Privacy and Security
Health100™, a CVS Health company, earned CARIN Accreditation from DirectTrust, recognizing its commitment to secure, transparent access to personal health information.
ServiceNow cuts jobs amid global restructuring and AI focus
Amid industry pressure, ServiceNow, overseen by CEO Bill McDermott, reduces workforce while focusing on AI investment and operational efficiency.
AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) After Record IMAX Demand Is Fair Value Still Lower
AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) is back in focus after reporting record IMAX revenue tied to strong demand for THE ODYSSEY. The surge in premium-format attendance comes alongside fresh second quarter 2026 earnings figures. See our latest analysis for AMC Entertainment Holdings. The recent excitement around THE ODYSSEY and AMC Entertainment Holdings' Q2 2026 earnings has coincided with a sharp shift in sentiment, with the share price at $2.51 and a 90 day share price return of 53.05%, but a 1...
Sports betting industry spending on US midterm elections surpasses $72 million
The industry has become the third-largest corporate donor in the U.S. midterms behind crypto and technology.
Shigeru Miyamoto Sums Up Everything Wrong With The Industry In One Sentence
And explains why Nintendo continues to succeed while its biggest competitors keep flailing
$48M Amplify Hancock Innovation Center set to open
The facility is designed to bring together career and technical education, higher education, workforce training, and industry collaboration under one roof.
Replay Sports Cards Returns to Chicago for the National Sports Collectors Convention with a Full Week of Giving Back
Replay Sports Cards ("Replay"), America's first national franchise dedicated exclusively to the hobby, is spending the days leading up to the 2026 National Sports Collectors Convention (July 29-Aug. 2) at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, giving back to the Chicagoland community that will host the industry's biggest show. Between hosting trivia night before a Chicago White Sox game, donating cards to patients and families at La Rabida Children's Hospital, and placing donation
Meet the 2026 Haslam Sports Group Business Fellowship Class
Four recent college graduates will work closely alongside business industry professionals with the Browns for a yearlong fellowship
Meet the 2026 Haslam Sports Group Business Fellowship Class
Four recent college graduates will work closely alongside business industry professionals with the Browns for a yearlong fellowship
Milliman Acquires Blue Water MSR Valuation, Hedging Business
Milliman has acquired Blue Water’s mortgage servicing rights valuation and hedging services from Apex Analytics Corp., extending a wave of mortgage industry investment beyond servicing portfolios themselves to the technology and expertise used to manage their value.The transaction adds Blue Water’s MSR hedging platform, customer base, trading professionals, and quantitative analytics team to Milliman’s mortgage solutions practice. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Sports betting industry spending on US midterm elections surpasses $72 million
DraftKings, FanDuel and other online sports betting companies have ramped up election spending on the U.S. midterms to at least $72 million so far, the latest campaign election data shows, as prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket bring fresh scrutiny — and competition — to online betting.
Amy Adams Didn’t Expect This Career Twist From Her Daughter
Amy Adams revealed that her daughter, Aviana, may have an interest in the entertainment industry. The actress, however, refused to commit, saying, “I think we’ll see what she’s up for.” Aviana shares ...
Texas investigates major tampon, cosmetics manufacturers for alleged deceptive health claims
The Texas Attorney General's office has launched sweeping, industry-wide investigations into major manufacturers of feminine care and cosmetic products over concerns that companies may be misleading consumers about the presence of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
Texas investigates major tampon, cosmetics manufacturers for alleged deceptive health claims
The Texas Attorney General's office has launched sweeping, industry-wide investigations into major manufacturers of feminine care and cosmetic products over concerns that companies may be misleading consumers about the presence of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
CAE hopes Canada’s new GCAP status brings industry business
Official announcements were circumspect about any active role for Ottawa in the sixth-gen fighter program, but that could change.
Healthcare Triangle Creates "Purpose Health" to Monetize AI Demand and Accelerate Shareholder Returns
Healthcare Triangle, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCTI), a healthcare and life sciences technology company enabling digital transformation through cloud, data, artificial intelligence, and security solutions, today announced that proven industry executive Sumit Ganguli has been appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Purpose Health, Inc., HCTI's wholly owned, AI-led healthcare technology services subsidiary.
Swiss life science task force with wide-reaching measures to combat MFN policy
A proposal for government price surcharges shows just how far Switzerland is considering going to shield itself from MFN. It shifts the burden, but could preserve the country’s appeal to industry.
Alabama already stacking blue-chip commits in 2028 cycle
The third season of the Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa is almost underway and conversations about Alabama football remain as heated as ever. After signing a pair of top-six recruiting classes in each of his first two cycles, DeBoer and his staff are far from the top of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings in […]
The Future of the Toy Industry Isn’t Toys. It’s Magic.
Sales of a three-decade-old card game called Magic: The Gathering have been booming. “It is a mega franchise,” Hasbro’s CEO says.
The Future of the Toy Industry Isn’t Toys. It’s Magic.
Sales of a three-decade-old card game called Magic: The Gathering have been booming. “It is a mega franchise,” Hasbro’s CEO says.
Live Nation Entertainment (LYV) And The Valuation Debate Around Its Global Expansion Story
Event backdrop and what is worrying investors Live Nation Entertainment (LYV), owner of Ticketmaster and the EDC music festival, is under scrutiny as slower sales growth, rising capital intensity and pressure on operating margins raise fresh questions about the stock’s risk and reward tradeoff. See our latest analysis for Live Nation Entertainment. Live Nation Entertainment’s share price has climbed over the past year, with a year to date share price return of 21.97% and a 1 year total...
The video game industry is running out of extra lives
Gaming is shifting into a new frontier — and staring down a cost crisis.
Big Tech’s Money Men Don’t Care About the Backlash
Meet the two political brawlers unleashing the AI industry’s massive cash on the midterms.
Gambling becomes America’s favorite pastime as Americans spend more on sports bets than movies, arts, museums, and music combined
Americans wagered $166 billion on sports last year, more than Hollywood, the music industry, books, and museums combined.
Final Fantasy 7 Director Kept 'Open World Fatigue' in Mind as New Remake Chapter Promises 'Bigger' World Than Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi has acknowledged the "open world fatigue" affecting the industry but says Square Enix was "very careful" to make sure fans would have "all the guidance they need" in the new remake chapter – even if it's bigger than the last.
Emails show how Virginia regulators downplayed data center health concerns
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality stepped into a fight over powering AI facilities with natural gas turbines. It could shape the industry’s future.
Understanding The Fraught Politics Of Powering AI
Growing anxiety over electricity bills, on the rise in part because of the AI-driven infrastructure buildout, has quickly become a liability for industry and politicians alike
Roku Is Increasing Prices Across Its Hardware Range
Roku’s streaming devices got a price hike, and it’s reportedly because of industry-wide memory shortages.
Fort Wayne Kroger store manager recognized among top women in grocery business
A Fort Wayne Kroger leader is one of about 100 female store managers to be recognized by an industry publication among Top Women in Grocery.
Valladares joins bipartisan coalition aiming to protect entertainment industry jobs
News release State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Acton, joined 38 of her legislative colleagues in sending a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, urging them to protect […]
Kalshi demands Netflix take down trailer for ‘misleading’ prediction market documentary
The prediction market Kalshi threatened legal action against Netflix on Friday, claiming a trailer for its upcoming documentary about the industry contains defamatory and “fabricated” content, according to a letter obtained by CNN.
Diane Raver Named One of NJBIZ's 2026 Leading Women in Business
As New Jersey's film and television industry experiences unprecedented growth, one of the leaders helping shape its future has earned statewide recognition. Diane Raver, executive director of the New Jersey Film Academy at Brookdale Community
Executive Turntable: Sphere & Fender Name New Chief Communications Officers
This week's Executive Turntable column includes Chris Palmer's elevation at Triple Tiger Records, Timo Hoffman joining Frontiers Label Group and more music industry promotions and hires.
'The game in Nashville has changed:' Why this Realtor is catering to sports and entertainment buyers
"In any industry, the game in Nashville has changed," according to affiliate broker Kortney Wilson. That's why Wilson launched, under The Kortney Wilson Group, her new sports and entertainment division group — a specialized advisory service catering to athletes, entertainers, executives and public figures.
How U.S. Audiences Feel About Gen AI in Entertainment Content
A central question facing all media industries has been what role generative AI should have in content creation. Yet business decisions about AI use aren’t insulated from public opinion. As generative AI begins to enter aspects of content creation, media industry leaders, producers and creatives increasingly need to understand how audiences will respond to its […]
ABI quarterly survey: Employers to invest in their businesses
Many employers expect sales to expand and plan to make capital expenditures. Many are also optimistic about the future and plan to hire more employees. Those were some of the findings of the recent Iowa Association of Business and Industry’s (ABI) third quarter 2026 Quarterly Business Survey. Despite differing views on the broader economy, respondents continue to […]
Industry and D.C. Are Racing Ahead on Psychedelics. They Should Let Science Lead.
President Trump and pharmaceutical companies are betting big on psychedelics. But hype isn't the same as scientific proof, and urgency must be coupled with caution.
Emails show how Virginia regulators downplayed data center health concerns
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality stepped into a fight over powering AI facilities with natural gas turbines. It could shape the industry’s
White House offers its science blueprint: More AI, less life sciences
The Trump administration released its blueprint for U.S. science, calling for shifting hundreds of billions of research dollars from universities to industry.
Lights, Camera, Confidence: Exploring the Representation of Cutaneous Conditions in the Entertainment Industry and Its Impact on Children's Self-esteem
By Richard Moraga, BS, and Peter A. Lio, MD Stigmatization Of Skin Conditions In The Entertainment Industry Representation And Societal Impact of Specific Skin Conditions Missed Opportunities Longitudinal Psychological and Social Effects of Entertainment Influence Changing Perceptions of Skin in Recent Years The Role of Dermatology Call to Action The way that physical appearance […]
US health panel recommends easing restrictions on controversial peptides
Vote from advisory group – whose members include people linked to peptides industry – likely to embolden RFK Jr
Paramount merger lawsuit could spell trouble for California’s entertainment industry
If Paramount ultimately concludes that California’s regulatory climate is too hostile to remain here, Bonta will have no one to blame but himself.
The Latest Policy Issue: Sports Prediction Markets
House Agriculture Committee examines regulatory gaps in sports prediction markets. Learn how federal oversight is evolving for this booming industry.
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry decks the halls for Christmas in July
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry celebrates Christmas in July
Trump’s Science Adviser Wants to Overhaul “Increasingly Calcified” U.S. Science Enterprise While Science Funding Lags
A report released this week directs the U.S. government to spark a “new golden age” of science by ushering funds toward artificial intelligence, fostering closer relationships with private industry, and dismantling and rebuilding the federal science funding process.
Firms Gain Advantage by Treating Hiring as a Business Decision
Businesses need both in-house and outside counsel who understand how employment decisions affect competitive advantage and help them build their talent strategy, says Stinson’s Dawn Valdivia.
German industry group says AfD is 'no pro-business party'
Germany's leading industry association has sharply criticized the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying the party's policies would create uncertainty for businesses and discourage investment...
As cost of youth sports grows, Congress eyes regulation of private equity
WASHINGTON – Federal lawmakers are weighing restrictions on private equity in youth sports as families face rising costs, mandatory travel expenses and added fees. Industry supporters argue private investment expands facilities and access.
World Cup betting in U.S. equivalent of '10 Super Bowls'
Sportsbooks and technology providers across the United States sports betting industry report that this year's World Cup produced record handle for a soccer tournament across the board and even rivaled other major prolonged sporting events.
AMC Entertainment CEO says one long-running entertainment debate is finally over
For six years, the entertainment industry has been locked in a debate that touched everything from studio strategy to real estate valuations to the future of a 106-year-old American institution. The question was simple and existential: did streaming permanently replace movie theaters? July 20, AMC ...
An Aggie CEO comes full circle to help shape the future of AI and business
Sean Kelly ’05, a CEO in the AI and energy industry, returns to his alma mater to share expertise and insights with Mays Business School students.
Canadian Entertainment Biz Veterans Team To Launch Paper Route Studios
Four Canadian TV industry veterans have pooled resources to launch a production house, Paper Route Studios.
Samsung Says Smart Glasses Privacy Concerns Need Industrywide Fix
Samsung Electronics Co. showcased the smart glasses it developed in partnership with Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, offering new details around battery life and durability ahead of a release this fall.
The greenest goodbye: Human composting and the science of becoming soil
In 2020, Recompose was the first U.S. company to develop the technology needed for the commercial composting of human bodies, disrupting a funeral industry that had been largely unchanged for decades. Now 14 states have legalized the climate-friendly practice and more than a dozen others are considering it. Additional startups have launched to offer a greener goodbye and all are looking to scale.
Inside the "We Buy Houses" Business
Have you ever gotten a text asking if you'd sell your house? Or maybe someone called out of the blue wanting to buy a property you didn't even know was connected to your name. In this episode of Entrepreneurial Shades of Gray, Dani and Chelsey sit down with Rhen Bartlett, CEO of Heartland Buys, to answer the questions so many homeowners have. How do these companies find you? Why do they target certain properties? And when does selling directly to a home buyer actually make sense? From inherited homes and rental properties to fixer-uppers and probate, Rhen pulls back the curtain on an industry most people know very little about. He also shares red flags to watch for and practical advice to help homeowners make informed decisions when they're approached about selling.
Foxconn Ramps Up Hiring as iPhone 18 Pro Enters Mass Production
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models have entered mass production and are now in a production ramp-up phase, according to China Securities News. In a new report citing industry chain sources (via MyDrivers), Apple's main assembly partner Foxconn is said to have entered its peak recruitment period to prepare for large-scale production and stocking ahead of the fall launch. Hourly wages, base pay, and rehire bonuses have all been raised to attract workers amid the ramp-up.
Biotech experts want FDA drug reviews based on science, not politics
Biotech experts and industry executives are calling plans by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — hit by job cuts last year — to hire thousands of employees and update clinical-trial standards encouraging, but want assurance that politics will not interfere in the agency's drug-review process.
Biotech experts want FDA drug reviews based on science, not politics
Biotech experts and industry executives are calling plans by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — hit by job cuts last year — to hire thousands of employees and update clinical-trial standards encouraging, but want assurance that politics will not interfere in the agency's drug-review process.
Biotech experts want FDA drug reviews based on science, not politics
July 22 (Reuters) - Biotech experts and industry executives are calling plans by the U. Food and Drug Administration — hit by job cuts last year — to hire thousands of employees and update clinical-trial standards encouraging, but want assurance that politics will not interfere in the agency's drug-review process.
Eclipse Business Capital Provides $55MM ABL Credit Facility to Food & Beverage Industry
Eclipse Business Capital (EBC) provided a $55 million asset-based lending credit facility to a premier frozen food supplier.
Private investment in youth sports draws state, federal scrutiny
U.S. Rep. Chris DeLuzio co-sponsored a bill to limit private investment in the $40 billion youth sports industry.
Panera founder and Cava chairman Ron Shaich bets $100 million on Level99, bringing his restaurant industry playbook to entertainment
Act III Holdings doubles its stake in Level99 after the Disney Springs opening, betting restaurant-industry category discipline can build a dominant player in entertainment.
RIBER: FIRST-HALF 2026 BUSINESS ACTIVITY Business growth, resilient order book and continued rollout of ROSIE
FIRST-HALF 2026 BUSINESS ACTIVITYBusiness growth, resilient order book and continued rollout of ROSIE Bezons, July 22, 2026 – 8:00 am – RIBER, the global leader in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) equipment for the semiconductor industry, reported 19% revenue growth for the first half of 2026, supported by strong momentum in services and accessories. Against a commercial backdrop marked by tighter export licensing conditions for Asia, the Company is continuing to roll out its ROSIE strategic roadmap
Dark money group emerges to bankroll pro-Stevens ads in Senate race
The group A Stronger Michigan is mostly funded by Center Forward, a nonprofit organization that has ties to major corporations and industry groups.
Is PENN Entertainment (PENN) Undervalued After Its Alberta Online Gaming Launch?
PENN Entertainment (PENN) is in focus after launching theScore Bet Sportsbook & Casino in Alberta, along with standalone theScore Casino and Hollywood Casino apps, extending its Canadian online gaming reach across the province. See our latest analysis for PENN Entertainment. The Alberta launch lands while PENN Entertainment’s share price sits at $21.23, with a 7 day share price return of 5.2% and a 90 day share price return of 43.7%. This contrasts with a 1 year total shareholder return of...
Whiskey industry warns against new tariffs on Canada
The White House defends the new tariffs as leveling the playing field for U.S.-produced spirits, cars and dairy products
Roundup: LNG exports / Prairieville market / GLP-1 rivalry
Predicted to double: U.S. LNG exports are expected to nearly double by 2031, becoming the country’s second-largest net export industry and contributing an estimated $1.4 trillion to the economy. The growth is driven by abundant shale gas supplies, major Gulf Coast investments and rising global demand, with LNG exports projected to support hundreds of thousands […]
Hailup Is Building the Digital Future of the Caribbean Entertainment Industry
ATLANTA, Georgia , July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hailup Influencers Inc., founded by Byron Aris, is transforming how Caribbean influencers, artists, and creative professionals connect with fans and generate income worldwide. Designed exclusively for Caribbean talent, Hailup enables creators to monetize their brands through personalized video messages, premium fan experiences, live streaming, and exclusive digital content while strengthening authentic connections with audiences across the Car
‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ to close amid industry concern over Broadway economics
“Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” the ballroom-inspired reinvention of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s megamusical, will end its Broadway run at the Broadhurst Theatre on Aug.
Pixar reportedly loses 150 jobs in new round of Disney layoffs
Pixar absorbed a large share of Disney’s latest studio layoffs, according to industry reports, even as “Toy Story 5” approaches another major box-office milestone.
Exclusive: Twin sisters built GlossGenius into the latest female-founded unicorn. Now they’re debuting AI for small businesses far beyond beauty
GlossGenius just raised $44 million at a $1.15 billion valuation as it rebrands as Genius AI, moving beyond the beauty industry.
Axing UK science department risks slower policymaking, say tech leaders
Industry figures welcome Kanishka Narayan’s promotion as AI minister but warn shake-up could push sector down agenda
Clint Reilly, influential SF political strategist and San Francisco Examiner owner, dies at 79
For decades, Clint Reilly was one of the most influential figures operating behind the scenes of Bay Area politics, managing campaigns for Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, advising candidates and helping professionalize a political consulting industry that would grow into a year-round enterprise. He died Sunday at 79.
Steam Deck sales tanked after Valve increased the price, latest estimates suggest decline of more than 75%
A new report suggests that Steam Deck sales have dropped significantly following Valve's price increase due to industry shortages.
California’s Business Tax Credit Cap Needs More Targeted Changes
California’s scramble to rework its business tax credit cap shows that the state is directionally correct to resist subsidy bidding wars but wrong to rewrite the economics of credits already issued after companies have already relied on them, writes Andrew Leahey.
Why has Labour briefed against Ed Miliband – is it his success and popularity?
Tories, Reform, fossil fuel industry and some in his party lined up against net zero agenda as energy secretary
Students learn about potential jobs through the Sports Business Classroom
Students got to attend the Sports Business Classroom to learn about other jobs in the sports industry
Experts agree at landmark event that simulation should be built into health system
On 15 June 2026, over 80 representatives from simulation societies, ministries of health, hospitals, universities, international organizations, professional associations and industry partners met at the WHO Academy in Lyon for a joint event of WHO and the Society for Simulation in Europe (SESAM). Together they tackled a pressing question: how can simulation move from isolated initiatives to systematic integration within health systems? The consensus was clear: simulation is no longer a niche educational tool. Beyond training, it strengthens health systems by improving quality of care, patient safety, workforce preparedness, team performance and organizational resilience.Participants agreed the evidence for simulation’s value no longer needs to be demonstrated, but that implementation remains fragmented and too often dependent on individual local champions. Bridging that gap, they said, means both generating further evidence and raising awareness among decision-makers.Discussions pointed to a shared path forward. To achieve scale and lasting impact, simulation must be embedded in national policies, workforce development plans, education systems and financing mechanisms. No institution can do this alone; stronger collaboration between governments, health institutions, academia, professional societies, international organizations and industry partners will be essential.“At the WHO Academy, we see simulation not simply as a training methodology but as a strategic tool for capacity-building, workforce readiness and stronger health systems,” said Dr Bart Janssens, Unit Head, Health Learning and Capacity Building. “This event is not only about discussion; it is about moving from ideas to action.”As health systems worldwide face workforce shortages, growing complexity of care and rapidly evolving competency needs, participants concluded that the question is no longer “Why simulation?” but rather how to scale it, how to sustain it, and how to ensure it becomes an integral part of stronger health systems.Looking aheadThe event marked the beginning of a collaborative effort rather than the end of a conversation. Over the coming weeks, WHO and SESAM will consolidate the discussions, recommendations and priorities that emerged, with a joint WHO–SESAM report to be published soon.
UFC Freedom 250 Fails to Knock Out The Ratings
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) If UFC fans wanted one image to say, “Hey, Paramount+ is crushing it with their UFC rights deal,” I could provide that image. Here it is: (Reminder: this is my creation of the Nielsen Top 30, since Nielsen doesn’t combine the lists or include sports. I take all three lists and combine them. Some streaming TV shows probably have higher ratings than many of the films on this list.) Look at that! UFC Freedom 250 is number one! It topped the Nielsen “Top 30” list for shows and films that made the top ten the week of 15-June. So if you’re a UFC fan or supporter of Paramount+, that’s the good news for you this week. This program topped the ratings charts for one week. Everything else is bad news, or at least a huge caveat to that story, which I’ll explain today in the first part of this week’s Streaming Ratings Report—for the weeks of 8-June and 15-June—which is a double issue since I’ve been writing on a bunch of topics recently. UFC Freedom 250 is one of the biggest streaming events of the year, and super relevant to Paramount+’s strategy, so it merited its own article. Let’s dive in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of June 8th to June 21st 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Check Out My Interview on UFC 250 at MMA Draw After you read this article, if you want even more thoughts on UFC and Paramount-Skydance/Paramount+, I did a written interview with MMA Draw. They asked me to answer some questions about UFC Freedom 250, and I was happy to chat with them. Find it here: [ The MMA Draw Newsletter Did Paramount really overpay for the UFC? What the data tells us so far If you know the history of American television, you also know that combat sports is often a leading indicator of the future… Read more a day ago · 10 likes · 1 comment · Nate Wilcox and Zach Arnold ](https://www.themmadraw.com/p/did-paramount-really-overpay-for?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) I never thought I’d need a combat sports newsletter in my life, but the good folks at MMA Draw publish an excellent one on UFC, MMA, pro wrestling, boxing and more, analyzing both the sports themselves and the politics, economics and antitrust issues that impact them. Check the article and their newsletter out! Paramount+ Has Its Best Sporting Event of All Time…But Was It Worth It? Before we look at the UFC Freedom 250 data in particular, let’s talk about what we can’t say. Namely, let’s start with the lack of comparisons. First off, I’d love to put a chart out comparing this fight to past UFC fights on Paramount+…but we don’t have the data. This is the first time we’ve gotten Nielsen data about a Paramount+ UFC fight. As far as I can tell, Paramount provided data for the first fight, but it was a proprietary datecdote (saying it had “an average minute audience” of 5 million “views”) and then, for two fights, we got the linear viewership numbers when they aired on CBS, but no streaming data. Everything else was crickets. We also can’t compare this fight to other fights/combat sports on streaming, in particular the MMA and boxing, because Netflix also didn’t use Nielsen to track those events, opting for TVision and VideoAmp, respectively. (This isn’t Paramount’s fault, but does still suck.) We also can’t compare to UFC’s fights that used to be on ESPN+, since we don’t have any data for that, plus Disney+ didn’t have marquee fights. The comparisons would not be apples-to-apples. Can we compare to past Pay-Per-View fights? Absolutely not. The comparisons would absolutely NOT be apples-to-apples. That didn’t stop Paramount+, though, who bragged that their UFC events have reached drastically more people than past PPV fights. Duh. Sorry, but I gotta make this point again. A basic tenet of economics is that the cheaper something becomes, the more people consume or buy it. That’s Econ 101. (Sometimes pundits call things “Econ 101” that are actually like Econ 210 or even PhD-level economics, but no, this is really like first or second class basic economics.) Yet I still see one analytics firm consistently say that more people watch films on streaming than PVOD proves streaming which means that the streaming window is more valuable than the PVOD window. No, it’s not! Same thing here. Pay-Per-View events back in the day could be really, really, really expensive! So whole groups of people pitched in to buy them. That increased the perceived value of, say, the Mike Tyson fight. Or a UFC numbered event. So yes, the fact that Paramount+ makes numbered UFC fights essentially “free” if you’re already a Paramount+ member means consumption will go up. Obviously. Same for Netflix and their boxing matches. They’re talking about fights that used to cost consumers, in some cases, $50 in 1996…which is over $100 in today’s dollars. Over 1.6 million people paid that to watch the Tyson-Holyfield fight! Again, streaming is essentially “free”. Or $10 to $20, depending on what streamer we’re talking about and what tier you’re on. No wonder more people are “watching”. (Plus, Nielsen’s out-of-home viewing also helps these numbers.) UFC Freedom 250 Did Well…But I Have A Lot of Worries So what can we compare the fights to? Well, the good news is Nielsen put out that the fight averaged 7.0 million viewers for UFC Freedom 250, which is a solid number for a fight. We also know the length, at roughly 4 and a half hours. (I saw different run times, but this seems to be the consensus considering it started at 8 pm, had a delay and then finished after midnight on the East Coast. If you assume a shorter run time, then yes, the total hours viewed would go down.) That means I have the two numbers needed to add this to my Nielsen database. And then…I can compare this viewership to the NFL: And, uh, not great. But also within striking distance, mainly because the runtime for this event was so long. I’d also add that this event had viewership equal to a regular season NFL game on streaming, but if anything, it was more comparable to an NFL playoff or Super Bowl-esque event. And you can compare viewership to the top football games on broadcast, cable and streaming, and it’s not impressive at all: We can also compare it to other sports that week, including the NBA Finals and start of the World Cup: Again, not great. The NBA generated roughly four times as many average viewers each game for its NBA Finals. The World Cup has similarly big numbers. Also, that’s just a tiny fraction of the 25 most watched sporting events each week. The NBA, NHL and FIFA World Cup had many, many more games racking up hours. We could also compare this to other streaming programs to get an idea of “is this a good investment?” and here is how it ranks compared to other top Paramount+ programs: The worry here? Well, unlike scripted programming, which has rewatchability, older fights/sporting events have very little library value. Very, very few people are rewatching these fights, especially years from now. Paramount has also released datecdotes bragging about their subscriber numbers. Earlier this year, they claimed that the first UFC fight on Paramount+ brought in 1 million subscribers. Then, in their quarterly earnings report, they only ended up with 700K subs. Not great! They claimed they dropped lower-value international subscribers, but that’s why I tend to discount subscriber additions when they’re leaked to the press.1 I expect we may see a bump again for UFC Freedom 250, but I’d caution using subscriber growth so soon after these events to judge the success, since new subs with high churn (see Peacock) aren’t great either. Also, analysts often want to attribute all subscriber growth to their favorite/pet show, and that just doesn’t make sense. The biggest caveat for UFC Freedom 250 and Paramount’s very first UFC marquee event is that these could be high watermarks for the sport. UFC Freedom 250 had an incredible amount of earned media coverage compared to most UFC fights. I mean, it had wall-to-wall national news coverage in the lead up to the event. (The first fight also had a lot of promotion from Paramount since it was first.) Other fights could reach this bar—say the Conor McGregor return to the Octagon—but they’ll be fewer and far between. Was This Deal Worth It? All to ask: is this Paramount deal worth it? In this case, I think the UFC Freedom 250 numbers are more distracting than helpful. This fight did well and compares well to other top sporting events. But we know that the first marquee event was at least a third smaller, if Paramount’s own data is to be believed. And it’s likely the other fights are much, much, much smaller. And then you get to the paycheck that Paramount-Skydance paid. FIFA’s World Cup cost about the same for Fox, but clearly generated multiples more total viewership. (Though it’s only every four years.) The NBA is much more expensive, but until the playoffs, they likely didn’t pay for itself. Even still, Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video likely overpaid. So, in that context, the NBA may be an overpay that makes the UFC look not so bad. But two overpays don’t make an underpay, to paraphrase the old cliché about wrongs and rights. And looking at UFC Freedom 250 as the likely ceiling of MMA on Paramount+, Paramount-Skydance likely paid too much. Share 1 I would love regular reports on subscriber additions by programs, but as is, it’s mostly leaked or rumored in haphazard ways.
NY Attorney Letitia James praises federal judge’s ruling to pause entertainment industry merger
A FEDERAL JUDGE’S restraining order on Monday halts an $81 million Paramount/Warner Brothers Discovery merger.
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air – and industry helped keep it that way
How lawmakers weakened community air monitoring as industry pushed back against greater scrutiny
AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron on record Q2 results: People love to go to movie theaters
AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the company's quarterly earnings results, state of the movie industry, weekend box office, impact of AI, and more.
Watch CNBC's full interview with AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron
AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the company's quarterly earnings results, state of the movie industry, weekend box office, impact of AI, and more.
Bristol Myers Squibb Building Life Science Industry’s Most Advanced AI Factory on NVIDIA Vera Rubin
The pharmaceutical company has demonstrated how AI can transform how drugs discovery and is now scaling AI across R&D to accelerate the discovery of next-generation medicines.