Paramount Global and Skydance merge

Media experts expect to see a technological overhaul at Paramount Global, following its merger with Skydance Media, which is expected to be completed in 2025. Key elements of this transformation may include advancements in gaming, software and AI-driven personalization, as well as a revamp of Paramount+, complete with new advertising offerings. And while David Ellison will serve as CEO, it's his father, Oracle cofounder and chairman Larry Ellison who may be pulling the strings, as an FCC filing indicates that he's secured a controlling stake in the new venture. My analysis for The Drum: #media #entertainment #streaming #ctv #paramount #skydance #manda #merger #acquisition #digitalmedia #advertising #digitalstreaming #digitalvideo #paramountplus #tech #technews #finance

The recent announcement about the Skydance/Paramount merger was about as exciting as a financial auditor’s report. Since New Paramount must appease investors, I can understand why. In all the corporate messaging, though, I didn’t hear much about how New Paramount will inspire subscribers. That said, incoming New Paramount boss David Ellison knows how to create crowd-pleasing entertainment. He could emerge as a New Hollywood mogul. He has a lot of work to do. The newly formed management team (which counts more CEOs than I can track for one company) spoke to investors on July 8 about the many ways that New Paramount will become a New Hollywood powerhouse while shedding the Old Hollywood costs and business practices that have cost Paramount a fortune. In doing so, the team adopted a tech bro swagger and tossed jargon like darts at equity analysts. There was much discussion about making New Paramount a technology/media company that will “optimize ad-tech to improve buyside transparency and audience reach/measurement,” which means monetizing audiences more effectively with advertising. They bragged about “the ultimate bundle that’s coming,” their desire to improve Paramount+’s algorithm, and their mandate to “unify cloud providers for all distribution services.” In other words, they’re going to make their multiple streaming services (including Paramount+ and Pluto) efficient and profitable through advertising. Those improvements also hinge on offering entertainment that will keep audiences engaged. But New Paramount is first going to focus on cutting costs before building a brand with compelling, fresh entertainment that will make the Paramount+ streaming service more competitive. And I get that. Right now, New Paramount needs to right the ship. But here’s what I think the company needs to do next in anticipation of the deal closing in 2025: Skydance CEO David Ellison, who will be calling the shots, must articulate a compelling longer-term entertainment strategy that will attract and keep subscribers, which is crucial to build an ad-tech business. Netflix and Disney+ created entertainment first. The ad tiers came later. Ellison is well qualified to pull it off. He’s much more than Larry Ellison’s son. He’s an experienced film producer. Skydance’s films include successes such as “Top Gun: Maverick,” the “Star Trek” movies, “True Grit,” and “World War Z.” And Ellison is no figurehead. He has developed a reputation for being a hands-on producer who understands creatives and audiences. A number of creatives, including Tyler Perry, John Krasinski, James Cameron, and Mark Wahlberg, have voiced their support for the merger. David Ellison is the winner in this deal. He can make subscribers the winners, too, if he puts them first. #NewParamount #DavidEllison #Paramount #ParamountPlus #Streaming #LITrendingTopics #TheInsider #Entertainment #Skydance

Check out this article in The Drum that quoted me re: the proposed merger of Skydance with Paramount. While I'm very happy to see long time M&E giant Paramount finding a way to address their cash shortfall, it's hard to think that more media consolidation is the long term solution. While the industry is grappling with the emergence of Generative AI and the potential threat it is being perceived to create for human content producers and creatives, the consolidating industry is failing to deliver what the next generation audience wants. At the same time, Social Media continues to make a major push into the video delivery space. And I think the lift is easier for Social Media to get in to video than for content owners and distributors to provide interactive social experiences. It's just a matter of time before one side get's it right. Hopefully the long term result will be more media choices, which to me is the main thing currently lacking in the existing traditional Media & Entertainment landscape. I mean this both in terms of differentiated content, as we see with auteurs in the film industry deriding the push to ever more Marvel sequels, and the more interactive eSports like type of delivery experiences the younger audience is seeking on platforms like Twitch and TikTok. https://lnkd.in/gbnBpc3P

Disney and Fubo's merger is only the latest of many disruptions reshaping the entertainment sector. Learn more on what is happening in the space and find out how brands can be a driving force in shaping the future of entertainment from dentsu's Global Head of Entertainment, Cathy Boxall, in the latest #entertainmentdisrupted.

The entertainment landscape is rapidly changing. Check out the latest insights from dentsu's Global Head of Entertainment, Cathy Boxall in the #entertainmentdisrupted series for LBBonline - Little Black Book

Unbundled but united: What Disney-RIL merger means for IPL advertising. While both companies have assured the CCI that IPL 2025 ad slots will be sold separately for TV and digital, experts predict the JV will gain stronger negotiating power for better deals. ✍Aditi Gupta Disney Star Viacom18 Media Private Limited #pitch #IPL2025 #DisneyRelianceMerger #IPLAdvertising #SportsMedia #DigitalVsTV

Disney Q3 Earnings Preview: Disney+ Subscribers, Price Hikes In Focus, Could Box Office Success Rally Shares? https://ift.tt/Ci6A8Op Disney stock could trade higher after Q3 results Wednesday with box office success and Disney+ streaming likely key topics to watch. Latest Ratings for DIS Date Firm Action From To Mar 2022 MoffettNathanson Maintains Neutral Feb 2022 Citigroup Maintains Buy Feb 2022 JP Morgan Maintains Overweight View More Analyst Ratings for DIS View the Latest Analyst Ratings read more via Benzinga - Stock Market Quotes, Business News, Financial News, Trading Ideas, and Stock Research by Professionals https://ift.tt/O5YnhqG August 06, 2024 at 05:26PM

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management, Inc. Make $26 Billion Bid to Take Paramount Private Amidst Merger Talks with Skydance - Joint bid by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management to take Paramount private with an all-cash buyout offer of $26 billion - Bid includes assumption of debt and could be negotiated, representing a premium over Paramount Global's current $22 billion enterprise value - Offer comes amidst Paramount Global board's evaluation of a merger deal with Skydance Media to keep Paramount public, backed by RedBird Capital Partners and KKR - Paramount Global's board's special committee is evaluating the best and final offer from Skydance Media, preferred by controlling shareholder Shari Redstone - Paramount Global's shares surged 13% on news of the bid from Apollo and Sony Entertainment, closing at $13.86 per share - Uncertainty remains on how Paramount's board will proceed with the Sony-Apollo proposal, given previous rejections from the private-equity firm - Potential combination of Sony Pictures with Paramount Pictures could lead to mass layoffs and reduce major Hollywood studios from five to four - Sony Corp., lacking a broad-scale direct-to-consumer streaming play, is the largest studio operator in the industry without one - Robert Bakish was replaced as CEO of Paramount Global earlier this week by a triumvirate of senior executives - Sony had considered a joint bid with Apollo for Paramount Global, with Sony as the majority owner of the combined company - In the proposed bid with Apollo, Sony Pictures Entertainment would merge into a joint venture with Paramount Global, with both parties contributing cash to finance the deal - Uncertainty remains regarding the fate of the 28 local TV stations CBS owns due to FCC rules barring foreign entities from majority ownership control of broadcast TV stations - In the Skydance scenario, Redstone would sell her stake in National Amusements to Skydance, which would merge with Paramount Global in an all-stock deal valued at roughly $5 billion - Redstone would receive up to $2 billion from the Skydance-NAI transaction, and Skydance would pay a premium for Paramount Global shares and $3 billion to help pay down debt

The media industry closes 2024 amid transformative deals and structural changes, including Paramount’s sale to Skydance, Comcast’s SpinCo launch, and Warner Bros Discovery’s restructuring, all aimed at adapting to linear TV’s decline. Streaming faces rising costs and consumer dissatisfaction, driving consolidation efforts like Disney’s bundling of platforms and calls for mergers among services like Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. Anticipation of deregulation in 2025 fuels optimism for increased M&A activity, as private equity and broadcasters prepare to reshape the landscape through strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eHWW3eJA #mergerandacquisitions #media #deals #sale

While Michael Sugar is redefining entertainment with branded storytelling that audiences choose to watch, it’s also time to rethink impact in the digital content space. Not through ads (let’s be honest, we all skip them), but through authentic storytelling that inspires, engages, and builds genuine connections with audiences where they already are. For brands and individuals AND NON PROFITS! looking to drive action, storytelling must be the top priority.