Zack Gutin

The OpEd piece by Bill Miller (President, American Gaming Association) asking for federal action against illegal online gambling operators in the Pittsburgh-Tribune is spot on (see link). It's time for "the Feds" (Department of Justice and FBI) to take comprehensive action to block / disable illegal gambling sites that US players are accessing. The Feds were super effective at dismantling the illegal online prescription drug business in the 1990's. They can do the same for illegal online gambling sites and apps and help our industry protect players in the United States of America. https://lnkd.in/gb8mm7gp

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Paramount's Q1 earnings performance highlights both opportunities and challenges within the dynamic #streaming landscape. Most notably making recent headlines, the potential merger with Skydance suggests a strategic repositioning, aiming to strengthen Paramount's portfolio with high-quality content that could enhance its competitive stance in a crowded market and enhance Paramount's capabilities in producing and offering blockbuster films and acclaimed TV series on Paramount+. This move is a strategic effort to amplify Paramount's content offerings in both traditional and streaming formats, potentially improving its market share and appeal to a diverse viewer base. The recent introduction of international ad-tier subscriptions broadens Paramount's market reach outside of the U.S., attracting cost-conscious consumers with more accessible price points and tapping into new ad revenue streams. Introducing ad-tiers will capture global markets, reaching new demographics and analyzing consumer engagement habits. By integrating ads, Paramount will build valuable partnerships with advertisers looking to reach international audiences while increasing its global footprint. A key emphasis on providing original content and #livesports such as The Masters Tournament and National Women’s Soccer League are drivers of subscriber growth and consumer engagement on streaming platforms. The company's ability to enhance its original programming and secure compelling live sports rights will be decisive in its efforts to compete with industry giants and attract a global audience, ultimately improving its bottom line. Additionally, Bob Bakish, Paramount CEO, is stepping down today, signaling a pivot in Paramount’s overall corporate strategy and governance. New leadership may bring a different perspective on addressing the challenges of digital transformation in the #entertainment industry as we move away from traditional #cable and legacy media. This change could catalyze a more aggressive push into streaming and technology, and an increase in direct-to-consumer services, areas where Paramount must evolve to remain competitive with streaming giants like Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video & Amazon Studios. #LITrendingTopics #Q1Earnings #Streamers #Content #CordCutting https://lnkd.in/gt6_nFWN

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For those of you with California loan out corporations, beware..this new announcement will likely flip the way we do business on Productions. Credit to Cast and Crew for sending this preliminary info out. #elp #Entertainmentlaw #productionlegal #businessaffairs #castandcrew #tifaniej #entertainmentlawyer #filmfinance

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Next round! Did you know that the music industry is proving to be a lucrative investment for funds? According to a recent article by Music Business Worldwide, the value of 1% in the Hipgnosis Songs Fund is worth a staggering $15.1 million. That's not bad at all! With Concord still bidding on the fund for $1.51 billion, it's clear that the value of music is not to be underestimated. #musicindustry #investmentopportunities #hipgnosissongsfund#musicacquisition#

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William Joshua Drown's Initiative for a Safer California William Joshua Drown, CEO of Dripsydrown Films and Entertainment, has proposed a bold initiative to enhance public safety in California. His plan aims to disqualify all violent offenders from receiving benefits or aid from state, local, or federal government organizations. Additionally, the initiative seeks to implement a zero-tolerance curfew for all violent offenders in California, restricting their movement from 3 PM to 9 AM. Creating Safe Zones Around Vulnerable Areas A key aspect of Drown's initiative is the conditional release of predators, which includes a strict regulation that prevents them from residing within 2000 feet of any school, church, playground, daycare, retirement home, apartment complex, bus stop, park, monument, or any other public or religious gathering place. This measure is designed to create safe zones around areas where vulnerable populations are present. Envisioning Los Angeles as a Haven for Angels The streets of Los Angeles are envisioned to become a place where angels can thrive, free from the fear of predators. Drown's initiative is aimed at 'effectively killing monsters' by establishing stringent measures that protect the innocent and deter potential offenders. A Call to Action for a Safer Community This initiative reflects William Joshua Drown's commitment to making California a safer place for all its residents. It is a call to action for the community to support measures that will ensure the safety and well-being of everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us. Join William Joshua Drown in his mission to transform California into a sanctuary where safety is a priority, and peace of mind is a given. Together, we can build a future where the streets are safe, and the community thrives.

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If you're concerned about local news - anywhere - this article about California and the more informed attempts to arrest the incredible decline - 68% of journalists in CA lost since 2004, as well as 25% of newspapers; with total print news circulation down more than 50% - is a good place to start. Clear and precise, taking into account the importance of local news, the need for revenue to support it and ways of doing so that don't pit journalists against the tech platforms that might provide the source of funding: https://lnkd.in/eHjVEviH

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Another big licensing deal in podcasting! In addition to selling the audio podcast inventory, Amazon will distribute video episodes and translate them for global distribution. These types of deals show how effective podcasting can be in proving IP. Once you have a hit, you need to figure out your 360-degree strategy for global audiences, live events, merchandise, etc. Q3 just started, and we'll still see a couple more of these before the end of the year, as predicted in the DWNLOAD Media Report. https://lnkd.in/efJVZXEE

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"🎰 Exciting opportunity alert! 🎲 Calling all Native casino marketers! 🌟 I am conducting a study on innovative marketing strategies within the Native casino industry and I want to hear from you. Your valuable insights could shape the future of Native casino marketing. If you're a Native casino marketing pro (Supervisor and or non-supervisor), I would love to have you participate in my study. Please drop me a message or tag a colleague who might be interested. Let's revolutionize Native casino marketing together! 💰🃏 #NativeCasinoMarketing #IndustryStudy #Innovation #LIVEMMA"

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We're about to be in the thick of festival season and are seeing a lot of the same patterns from previous years more pronounced than ever before. Here are a few key ways to navigate this season -- 1. The sales cycle is later, so look for alternative metrics than year-over-year sales growth. Look up the funnel, at traffic and engagement, to give you the confidence that people are still interested just waiting to buy. 2. Ticket prices are higher and people are expecting more for it. If you focus on the overall experience, not just the lineup, it will pay dividends. You can't always control the lineup, you can always control the experience. 3. Avoid the victory lap and, in fact, work harder in the final hours of the festival. The last moments of the festival are often the most remembered, so make it count (& make the moment shareable!) 4. Referrals are everything. Artists don't sell tickets, your friends do, so don't stop marketing after the sale. Make it painfully easy for friends to rally their crew to come with them. 5. Invest in a great content team and get granular with your shot list. You only have a few days to capture all of your marketing collateral for the following year so make it count. Often times quantity is more important than quality when it comes to content (but both are important). Try out a variety of mediums -- stills, long-form video, short-form video, etc -- and see what works best. Read more on the Audience Republic blog with my super fun chat with Rod Yates here --

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Range Media Partners just raised big $$ from Liberty Global, Wildcat Capital Management. It's an M&A warchest so they don’t fall behind their peers.  Let’s break it down… BACKGROUND ON RANGE • Mgmt and prod co founded in 2020 by Peter Micelli and other top agents from CAA / WME / UTA • Goal = extend beyond trad film / TV representation • Has expanded into music, sports, gaming, digital, music pub M&A + CAP MARKETS HISTORY • Merged with film / TV prod co Automatik in Jan 2023 • Bought upstart athlete mgmt co Stoked Management Group in Sep 2023 • Existing investors incl Steve Cohen’s Point72 Ventures and A+E Networks (also has prod deal) NEW INVESTMENT • Last week closed significant minority investment by John Malone’s Liberty Global, TPG founder’s Wildcat Capital, and family entertainment co Playground Productions • Former CAA film finance exec Rick Hess, and The Forest Road Company were also involved (either as investors or advisors, can’t tell exactly from press release) • Use of Funds: M&A, scale in US, int’l growth, add more talent rep and prod services What you need to know about this deal 👇... It's not surprising when you consider all the other fundraising and M&A amongst Range’s peers in talent representation.  The influx of capital and high dealmaking volume is driven by a belief that outsized returns will go to rep firms who are fastest to scale, in a winner-take-most market. Because scale makes it easier to sign more talent clients, work with the largest brand marketers, hire the best talent agents and managers, package up the largest Hollywood projects, and launch the most exciting new talent-led ventures. Particularly in a world where scaled access to audience (which talent and influencers bring in a post ATT world) is the top driver in capturing share of high-growth IM spend, which is est at $7B in 2024, up 15% YoY. So it’s a race to the top. And that race is being fueled by large M&A war chests from big investor backers… Companies to watch here are: - Crestview-backed Gersh (just bought A3’s digital team) - Coral Tree-backed Loaded (just bought GG Talent) - Providence-backed Wasserman (13 deals in 2 years) - TCG-backed Night (just bought LFM and Roost Podcast Network) - The big 3: CAA, UTA, Endeavor And after last week, I expect Range Media to ramp up its acquisition activity. Particularly in athlete and digital-native representation. Curious to see what they do next with the $$. Will definitely add them to our buyers list as we bring more deals to market. —- I’m the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open. #media #agency #creatoreconomy

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UTA just promoted 24 new partners. What's driving this? Promotions can be part of a retention strategy as competition for talent, and their reps, heats up. Particularly when new firms like Range Media Partners, which was the result top agent defections from the Big 3 Hollywood agencies in 2020, are growing fast and raising growth capital (see my analysis 👇). Some questions worth asking... - How is the agency's employee retention rate trending? - How does the % of promotions compare to prior years? - What agency depts are seeing more promotions? e.g. fast-growing areas like digital? - What are the benefits of being a partner? - What type of commitment is required from partners, if any? - How does all this compare to peer agencies? Many talent reps are thinking through decisions about staying VS leaving at bigger co's, starting their own firms, staying independent, and more. This is important info to track. For both those starting out their agency careers, and more seasoned agency execs thinking about their next career step. #media #agency #creatoreconomy

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Welcome to our new Podcast "Unveiling the Entertainment Industry" (June 1, 2024) where we dive into the multifaceted world of entertainment while shining a light on the often-overlooked struggles and mental health challenges within the industry. Join us as we navigate the glitz and glamour alongside the grit and vulnerability of those who bring our favorite movies, music, and TV shows to life. From sharing personal experiences to exploring the broader societal impact, we tackle topics ranging from the pressures of fame and artistic burnout to the stigma surrounding mental health in Hollywood and beyond. In each episode, we engage in candid conversations with industry professionals, artists, and experts, offering insights into their creative journeys and the battles they've faced along the way. Whether it's discussing the portrayal of mental health in film, the impact of social media on artist well-being, or strategies for self-care in an industry that never sleeps, we aim to foster empathy, understanding, and resilience. So, whether you're a fan, an aspiring artist, or simply someone who believes in the power of storytelling to heal and inspire, join us on our podcast as we navigate the intersection of entertainment and mental health with compassion, honesty, and hope. Subscribe to our channel, so you don't miss any episodes! To see the promo: https://lnkd.in/eHC8qeHZ See you there!!! 😊

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The visions and opportunities that God is not only bringing to me…but also showing me how to bring those to others. These are life changing moments. When you hear about this one…🥹🤯🙏🏾 As mentioned…at this point, you can’t afford not to work with me. But also…yesterday’s price…you know the rest. 🤣 Let’s go! #sync #levelup #synclicensing #musicbusiness #networking #musicmarketing #custommusic

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I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Net Influencer to discuss the creator economy's rapid growth, the expansion of 456 Growth (456 Growth Media and 456 Growth Talent); 25th Hour Social, and my predictions for the industry's future. Here are a few impactful insights from the interview that my partners Robert Bocchicchio, and Austin Cohen Esq., and the entire team at 456 Growth feel strongly about. Leveraging Data and Testing to Stay Ahead of Trends For us at 456 Growth, the key to staying ahead in the creator economy is a relentless focus on data, testing, and identifying new opportunities before they become industry norms. “You work for a big agency, and you have red tape that slows you down,” I said. “But overnight, snap your fingers—something could collapse. But also, an opportunity pops up.” 456 Growth’s agile, service-based approach involves “continuous testing, evaluation, and scaling” across its creator management and brand media divisions. According to our co-founder, some partners are eager to be on the cutting edge, while others prefer to see consistent results before adopting new strategies. “The brands that tested, even in a down economy, dominate because they didn’t lose their competitive advantage,” I explained. “The brands that tested early with things like whitelisting or Instagram Stories crushed it and built massive pyramids of creators driving 6 or 9-figure returns.” Moving from a “data-last” to a “data-first” perspective allows partnerships to be structured in a way that unlocks their full potential over the long term. With full visibility into both sides of the brand/creator relationship, 456 Growth can serve as an effective matchmaker. https://lnkd.in/e8Q6qej4 📊 #CreatorEconomy #DataDriven #InfluencerMarketing #456Growth #IndustryInsights #DigitalMarketing #Innovation #NetInfluencer #ContentCreation

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