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WarnerMedia Prepping Streaming Service Featuring HBO & Other Entertainment Brands

AT&T's WarnerMedia division is prepping a new direct-to-consumer streaming service that will feature its portfolio of entertainment brands, including HBO.

WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey announced the new product onstage at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on Wednesday morning (Oct. 10), noting that it is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2019.

"You're going to see a stronger HBO as this offering comes to market," he said, adding, "I believe this platform that we'll put in place will see other strong brands around it that a customer can identify with."

Stankey confirmed that HBO will continue to be sold as a standalone product but that the rest of the service will not be available a la carte. Further, he said that CNN will not be part of the service, clarifying that some documentary programming could be available but that the live news programming would not be offered as part of a subscription. Though Stankey didn't drill into specifics on other content that will be available, it is expected that the service will offer the movies from the Warner Bros. library and television programming fro across the Turner networks. 

A WarnerMedia streaming service will put the company, recently acquired by AT&T, square into the race for streaming audiences alongside Disney, which is currently prepping a family-friendly subscription video service that it plans to bundle with other streaming products ESPN+ and Hulu. 

In a statement issued at the time of the announcement, Stankey called the new service "another benefit of the AT&T/Time Warner merger, and we are committed to launching a compelling and competitive product that will serve as a complement to our existing businesses and help us to expand our reach by offering a new choice for entertainment with the WarnerMedia collection of films, television series, libraries, documentaries and animation loved by consumers around the world." 

Details about pricing and the name of the service were not disclosed and are expected to be announced at a later date.

This article originally appeared in The Hollywood Reporter.

Source: https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/8479384/warnermedia-prepping-streaming-service-featuring-hbo-other-entertainment-brands

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Legion Boss on Why He's Ending the Show — and Introducing Professor X

Legion‘s story is drawing to a close this year… but not before a much-anticipated family reunion.

The upcoming third season of FX’s mind-bending mutant drama will be its last, the network confirmed this week, and creator Noah Hawley says that was his plan all along. “I think endings are what give stories meaning,” he told reporters at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “I always thought about this as a complete story with a beginning, middle and end, and it felt like a three-act story, and so this just felt like the natural place to end it.”

When Legion was renewed for Season 3 back in June, though, it wasn’t announced as the final season — a decision that Hawley chalks up to “maybe wishful thinking on the network’s part.” But he tells TVLine that “for me, it was always that… I feel like the most powerful version of the story is the most concise version of the story.”

So where will we find conflicted mutant David Haller when the final season debuts in June? Last we saw David, he was using his formidable powers to escape prosecution and leave Syd and his Summerland friends behind — and in a Season 3 sneak peek screened for reporters, David is now the Zen-ed out guru of a hippy-dippy commune. “He has gone to a place to get what he needs, which is positive affirmation coming at him,” Hawley hints. “But he does it by feeding off the positive energy of his acolytes, and he gets all this positive energy by implanting that positivity in their minds. So he’s in this feedback loop. He’s no healthier, actually, psychologically, than he was before. He’s just insulated… and that insulation doesn’t last for very long.”

At the commune, David meets fellow mutant Switch, played by new cast addition Lauren Tsai. “She has this ability to travel in time, so she finds her way to David,” Hawley teases, adding that it just so happens that David “has a plan that he needs a time traveler for, and that’s basically our jumping-off point” for Season 3.

Also debuting in Season 3: David’s famous father Charles Xavier, aka X-Men leader Professor X, to be played by Game of Thrones alum Harry Lloyd. (Mr. Robot‘s Stephanie Corneliussen will play David’s mother Gabrielle.) We’ve only seen a glimpse of Professor X’s wheelchair so far on Legion, so his arrival should help David piece together his own origin story. “David is an adopted boy who needs to know who he really is, so we’re definitely going to tell that story,” Hawley confirms. “We’ll meet them in the third hour this year.”

Setting aside all the plot twists, though, we can always count on Legion to deliver a dazzling array of trippy visuals, like last season’s epic dance battle. Hawley says “there will be no more dance battles” in the final season, “but that is not to say there will be no more battles that aren’t about fighting. That’s all I will say.”

Source: https://tvline.com/2019/02/05/legion-fx-final-season-3-professor-x/

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Correcting myself

Sometimes I get things really wrong. As I did in my last post, when I quoted a tweet about Kendrick Lamar winning the Pulitzer Prize:

Just help me come to grips with the fact that someone can be a good enough musician to win a Pulitzer Prize, but not qualified to gain entry into the undergraduate music ed program at my school.

I more or less took for granted that this tweeter was attacking the award, saying that Lamar has no musical knowledge. I replied to that, as you can see in the post, saying that there were many kinds of musical knowledge, and that people with standard classical music training don’t know what Lamar knows.

The correction

So then the tweeter wrote a comment on my blog, correcting me. He’s Adam Kruse, Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Where (as the school’s website says) he “teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in music education primarily in areas of popular music and music technology.”

Meaning that far from not knowing — or, as I wondered, even knowing about — the musical knowledge Lamar might have, he teaches precisely that knowledge. Since I’d talked about the digital technology used in popular music.

In his words

Here’s what Adam wrote (I’m making a blog post out of his comment, with his permission):

Hello, Greg. My apologies, but you have misinterpreted my message. My problem is with my school and degree program’s admission policies and practices. I am actually well aware that our current settings serve as a barrier to Hip-Hop musicians (and many others, likely the Indian classical musician as well) and I am working every day to change that. In no way am I saying Kendrick doesn’t have musical chops. His chops far exceed those of most (if not all) of my current students. I am thrilled with Kendrick’s award. Almost all of my professional life has been dedicated to better understanding Hip-Hop musical learning; helping music teachers to meaningfully engage with Hip-Hop culture; and working to improve equity, inclusion, and relevance of school music spaces. I don’t disagree with the premise of your blog post, but I do want to point out that my point was basically the exact opposite of how you have interpreted it. My apologies.

To which I replied:

My apologies back to you! And wow — I’m so happy to have been wrong. I tried to write in a way that didn’t absolutely suggest you held views that you’re making clear that you don’t. But I’m sure what I wrote came across as if I thought you didn’t understand the points I went on to make.

Thanks so much for coming here to correct me, and for doing it so gently. Big mistake on my part, and, again — I’m so happy to have been wrong.

He then very graciously said:

I guess it’s a lesson to write with more clarity in social media spaces. I can totally see how one could read my comment in the way you did. Honest mistakes all around. At the end of the day, I’m with you 100%!

So he’s a mensch, and I was hasty. I love when this happens. Two people who start out with a misunderstanding end up with warm communication. All Adam’s doing. I’m grateful to him. And happy to set the record straight.

Related

Source: http://www.artsjournal.com/sandow/2018/05/correcting-myself.html

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Finally, the perfect magic trick for the immature inner child in me (Video)

We can see you're using Adblocker. Block everybody else, but we thought we were friends. Please click Yes below to whitelist us, so we can keep doing our best to show you half-naked ladies and funny Internet memes. It's what any friend would do.

No, thank you

Source: https://thechive.com/2019/07/03/finally-the-perfect-magic-trick-for-the-immature-inner-child-in-me-video/

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Sag-Aftra Hires Rebecca Greenberg as Executive Director of Music Department

SAG-AFTRA announced Thursday (Dec. 6) that Rebecca Greenberg has joined the union as executive director of the music department, where she will oversee activities in the music industry. This will include negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements with the major and independent record labels, artist and performer relations, and collaboration with the organizing and government affairs departments. She will report jointly to Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez.

"We're pleased to announce Rebecca Greenberg will join SAG-AFTRA as our executive director, music. Her unique experience, insight and relationships, and her longstanding commitment to artists' rights, make her uniquely positioned to advance the union's music industry initiatives," said Crabtree-Ireland in a statement.

Added Rodriguez: "Rebecca is familiar with the changes in the music industry, has a passion for artist relations and is well positioned to lead our Music Department. Her reputation in the music industry precedes her. We're excited to have her join the team."

"I am thrilled to join SAG-AFTRA and am looking forward to working with my team to continue protecting and advocating for our sound recording artists," said Greenberg in a statement. "The music industry is constantly evolving and our artists are showcased everywhere -- from radio to digital platforms -- so it's imperative to work with our members and allies to ensure that our artists' rights are protected and that they are fairly compensated for their work."

Greenberg's prior experience includes leadership positions in music advocacy, working for leading live and recorded music organizations and championing the rights of creators. That has included working for Irving Azoff at The Madison Square Garden Company/The Forum, Azoff Music Management and Global Music Rights. She was also previously head of government relations for Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster.

In 2004, Don Henley and Azoff hired Greenberg as national director of the Recording Artists' Coalition nonprofit started by Henley and Sheryl Crow that lobbied for musicians' rights. Before that, from 2001-2004, she worked for the Screen Actors Guild after working on Capitol Hill as well as for the Clinton administration.

Source: https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8489063/sag-aftra-rebecca-greenberg-executive-director-of-music

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Biden Defends Past Work on Civil Rights After Harris Attack

CHICAGO (AP) — Joe Biden defended his civil rights record on Friday, pledging to be a “president who stands against racism, the forces of intolerance.”

The former vice president and Democratic White House hopeful was in Chicago a day after his 2020 rival California Sen. Kamala Harris delivered a blistering attack at their first presidential debate in Miami. She blasted him for recently highlighting his work with segregationist senators and his past opposition to busing.

“I heard, and I listened to, and I respect Sen. Harris,” Biden said in an address to the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a multicultural organization promoting social justice. “But we all know that 30 seconds to 60 seconds on a campaign debate exchange can’t do justice to a lifetime commitment to civil rights.”

Biden said he never opposed the busing of students to desegregated schools in the 1970s, arguing it was a state’s rights issue. Instead, Biden said Friday that he has for decades understood that it was up to the federal government to impose measures designed to prevent racism on states that were often unwilling.

Friday’s address may help Biden shore up his support with African Americans, a key demographic that helped him build an early lead in Democratic primary polls. The crowd applauded parts of his defense of his record.

Source: https://www.snopes.com/ap/2019/06/28/biden-defends-past-work-on-civil-rights-after-harris-attack/

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Watch Supreme Court Hearings: Brett Kavanaugh and Accuser Testify to Senate Judiciary Committee

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding its hearing on one of the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford will both testify publicly about the assault she says happened in 1982 when they were in high school. It's an incredibly important hearing, and CBS News is devoting gavel-t0-gavel coverage of the hearing on the CBS network and the CBSN streaming news service.

CBS This Morning will broadcast live from Capitol Hill with Norah O'Donnell, Gayle King and John Dickerson Thursday morning. CBS News' special coverage of the hearings will start at 10 a.m. ET with O'Donnell, King, Dickerson and CBS Evening News' Jeff Glor and will be simulcast on CBSN throughout the day. CBSN will provide additional coverage with Vladimir Duthiers and Anne Marie Green starting at 9 a.m. ET and with Tanya Rivero following the end of the hearings and into the evening. CBSN is also streaming on YouTube.

The New York Times will also have live video and updates from the hearings starting at 10 a.m. ET. If you are a Times subscriber, you can follow along here.

Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual assault by three women, but only Blasey Ford will be testifying on Thursday. Each of the allegations date back to the early '80s. Kavanaugh has denied all of the allegations and still has the support of President Trump and most Republican senators, though some have said they're waiting until after the hearing to decide how to vote.

(Full disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS.)

Source: https://www.tvguide.com/news/watch-supreme-court-hearings-brett-kavanaugh-senate-judiciary-committee/?rss=breakingnews

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ixigo campaign targets gimmicky travel cash-back scheme

MUMBAI: Leading travel marketplace ixigo has launched new brand campaign, with the slogan #FullPaisaVasool across media.

The campaign empathizes with travelers who receive a lot of cash-back money in their travel app wallets but then feel short-changed when they are not allowed to use most of it on their next transactions.

On ixigo, travellers booking flights cannot only earn ‘ixigo money’ on flight bookings but also spend 100 per cent of their ixigo money balance on their next booking.

Travelers have become disillusioned with gimmicky offers being run by many travel apps. Though a lot of cash-back money is promised, once credited, it cannot be used in totality on subsequent transactions. It also comes with several conditions attached to it. While many people now consider it as the new normal, ixigo’s campaign metaphorically highlights real life situations where the same behavior would be totally unacceptable!

The central theme of the ads is Indian weddings. One situation for instance shows a newly married couple receiving a loaded shagun envelope, only to have most of the cash taken away from them immediately after the on stage photo-shoot. The situations used, then ask viewers the pressing question “Bura Laga?” to reflect upon how people feel when they can only use a small amount of the money from their travel app wallets.

ixigo CEO and co-founder Aloke Bajpai adds, “Gimmicky travel cashback programs should not exist because they hurt the credibility of the entire industry. At ixigo, we believe in transparency as one of our core values, so it was natural for us to be disrupting how loyalty and cash-back works in our industry! We want every traveler to get 100 per cent value for their money by being able to use all the cash-back that they earn on their next flight booking, irrespective of which travel seller they choose to book the ticket from, on our app.”

Launched in 2007, ixigo is India’s leading travel marketplace, with a user base of over 100 million travellers. ixigo allows you to compare and book from 120+ travel suppliers and OTAs across flights, hotels, trains, cabs and destinations. The company’s investors include Sequoia Capital India, Fosun RZ Capital, SAIF Partners, MakeMyTrip and Micromax.

Source: http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/media-and-advertising/ad-campaigns/ixigo-campaign-targets-gimmicky-travel-cash-back-scheme-180928

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Robert Ashcroft to step down as CEO of PRS for Music in 2019

Robert Ashcroft will step down as Chief Executive of British collection society PRS for Music on the tenth anniversary of his appointment, at the end of December 2019.

PRS for Music has launched three industry joint ventures under Ashcroft’s leadership: ICE, Network of Music Partners (NMP) and PPL PRS Ltd.

Ashcroft  has also played a major role in the adaptation of European copyright law to the internet era.

His 2010 ‘hubs strategy paper’ was central to the 2014 European Collective Rights Management Directive, while it was his argument about the ‘transfer of value’ that convinced the European Commission that user-upload platforms and other social media should be made liable for copyright.

“Working for PRS has been by far the most compelling and worthwhile thing I have ever done.”

Robert Ashcroft

Robert Ashcroft, Chief Executive, PRS for Music, said: “Working for PRS has been by far the most compelling and worthwhile thing I have ever done.

“It has been a privilege to work on behalf of our members and I would like to thank them, our board, and above all my colleagues, for their support over the years.”

“Robert has given the organisation a decade of stability and growth, making it the considerable success it is today.”

Nigel Elderton, PRS Chairman

Nigel Elderton, PRS Chairman, added: “Robert has given the organisation a decade of stability and growth, making it the considerable success it is today.

“He should be rightly proud of his legacy and the health in which he leaves PRS for Music.

“On behalf of all our members, staff and industry partners I would like to thank Robert for his service and the positive impact he has had. We wish him every success in the future.”Music Business Worldwide

Source: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/robert-ashcroft-to-step-down-as-ceo-of-prs-for-music-in-2019/

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Emmys 2018: The Handmaid's Tale, Game of Thrones, Tiffany Haddish, Black Mirror Among Early Winners

At last, the Emmys have arrived! No, we’re not talking about the 2018 Primetime Emmys broadcast — you’ll have to wait until next Monday, Sept. 17 (8/7c, NBC) for those — but rather, the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which are being handed out Saturday and Sunday evening at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Night 1 of the creative arts event includes honors for Guest Actor and Actress (in comedy and drama), as well as Outstanding Television Movie and Children’s Program. Scroll down for a complete list of winners…

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Tiffany Haddish, Saturday Night Live (NBC)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Katt Williams, Atlanta (FX)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Us (NBC)

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE USS Callister: Black Mirror (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S PROGRAM The Magical Wand Chase: A Sesame Street Special (HBO)

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE Alex Borstein, Family Guy (Fox)

OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM ANIMATED PROGRAM Robot Chicken (Adult Swim)

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION (JURIED) Adventure Time (Cartoon Network) Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie (Nickelodeon) The Number On Great-Grandpa’s Arm (HBO) The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular (Disney Channel) The Simpsons (Fox) Steven Universe (Cartoon Network)

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES The Crown (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES Will & Grace (NBC)

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES (HALF-HOUR) Atlanta (FX)

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES (ONE HOUR) The Crown (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE Genius: Picasso (NatGeo)

OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

OUTSTANDING MULTI-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Will & Grace (NBC)

OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE USS Callister: Black Mirror (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE DESIGN Counterpart (Starz)

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC Godless (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE) Game of Thrones (HBO)

OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE) March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step (Hulu)

OUTSTANDING MUSIC SUPERVISION The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (ONE HOUR) Stranger Things (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (HALF-HOUR) AND ANIMATION Atlanta (FX)

OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL USS Callister: Black Mirror (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (ONE HOUR) Game of Thrones (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (HALF-HOUR) AND ANIMATION Barry (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE Genius: Picasso (NatGeo)

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS Game of Thrones (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE The Alienist (TNT)

OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR A DRAMA SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE Game of Thrones (HBO)

OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR A COMEDY SERIES OR VARIETY PROGRAM GLOW (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING PERIOD COSTUMES The Crown (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING FANTASY/SCI-FI COSTUMES Game of Thrones (HBO)

OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY COSTUMES The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

OUTSTANDING MAKEUP FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES (NON-PROSTHETIC) Westworld (HBO)

OUTSTANDING PROSTHETIC MAKEUP FOR A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL Game of Thrones (HBO)

OUTSTANDING MAKEUP FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE (NON-PROSTHETIC) The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES Westworld (HBO)

OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PERIOD OR FANTASY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE) Game of Thrones (HBO)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE CONTEMPORARY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE) The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PROGRAM (HALF-HOUR OR LESS) GLOW (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES James Corden’s Next James Corden (CBS on Snapchat)

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES James Corden, James Corden’s Next James Corden (CBS on Snapchat)

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES Christina Pickles, Break a Hip (Vimeo)

OUTSTANDING CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA WITHIN A SCRIPTED PROGRAM Westworld (HBO)

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL INTERACTIVE PROGRAM NASA JPL: Cassini’s Grand Finale (YouTube)

OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL The Talk: P&G – My Black Is Beautiful (CBS)

The Creative Arts Emmys will be broadcast Saturday, Sept. 15, at 8/7c, on FXX.

Source: https://tvline.com/2018/09/08/emmys-2018-creative-arts-winners-list-night-1/

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ABC's 2019 "Oscars(R)" Grows by 3.1 Million Viewers and by 13% in Adults 18-49

Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019 - Based on Nielsen L+SD Fast National Ratings

ABC's 2019 'Oscars(R)' Grows by 3.1 Million Viewers and by 13% in Adults 18-49

ABC's 2019 Academy Awards(R) Draws 29.6 Million Viewers to Stand as TV's Most-Watched Entertainment Telecast in 2 Years

ABC's Academy Awards Dominates Sunday's Social Conversations

"The Oscars" (8:00-11:13 p.m.)

ABC's 2019 telecast of "The Oscars" attracted an average audience of 29.6 million Total Viewers and a 7.7 rating in Adults 18-49, based on Nielsen's Live + Same Day "Fast National" ratings.

· ABC's 2019 "Oscars" telecast stands as TV's most-watched entertainment telecast in 2 years and top-rated with young adults in over 1 year - since ABC's 2017 "Oscars" telecast on 2/26/17 and since NBC's "This Is Us" coming out of the Super Bowl on 2/4/18, respectively.

· Year to year, "The Oscars" audience surged by 3.1 million viewers (29.6 million vs. 26.5 million) and jumped 13% in Adults 18-49 (7.7 rating vs. 6.8 rating).

· Television's biggest awards show, ABC's "The Oscars" stood well above other key award shows this year, towering over the 2019 "GRAMMY(R) Awards" by 9.7 million viewers and by 38% in Adults 18-49 (19.9 million and 5.6/22 on 2/10/19), and the 2019 "Golden Globe(R) Awards" by 11.0 million viewers and by 48% in Adults 18-49 (18.6 million and 5.2/20 on 1/6/19).

Social Activity (Nielsen Social)

The Academy Awards dominated Sunday night's social conversation with 17.7 million total social interactions (Twitter: 76%, Instagram: 20% and Facebook: 4%). Social activity was up 7% from 2018 across comparable metrics (Total Twitter, Facebook Owned and Instagram Owned) and 21% on Twitter.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day, Fast National Program Ratings for 2/24/19 unless stated otherwise. Nielsen Social Content Ratings: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram total interactions based total linear interactions for 2/24/19.

Source: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2019/02/25/abcs-2019-oscars-grows-by-31-million-viewers-and-by-13-percent-in-adults-18-49-625514/20190225abc01/

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Barack Obama Unveils 2018 Year-End Playlist: Carters, H.E.R., Ashley McBryde, J. Cole, Prince, Kurt Vile & More

Former president Barack Obama published his annual rundown of favorite songs on Friday (Dec. 28), an eclectic list of rock, pop, soul, R&B, hip-hop and Latin that features everyone from The Carters to Brandi Carlile, Khalid & Normani, Chance the Rapper, Courtney Barnett, J. Cole, Cardi B, Ashley McBryde, Jay Rock, Lord Huron, Kurt Vile and Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara.

"As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists," Obama wrote. "It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors, artists, and storytellers – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Swipe through to see my best of 2018 list – I hope you enjoy reading, watching, and listening."

In addition to such popular tracks as Cardi's "I Like It," Bridges' "Bad Bad News," Janelle Monae's "Make Me Feel" and Prince's "Mary Don't You Weep," Obama offered up tunes by Hozier, Jupiter & Okwess and Tom Misch, with an honorary mention for late jazz singer Nancy Wilson's The Great American Songbook.

As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors, artists, and storytellers – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Swipe through to see my best of 2018 list – I hope you enjoy reading, watching, and listening.

A post shared by Barack Obama (@barackobama) on Dec 28, 2018 at 6:31am PST

Source: https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/8491694/barack-obama-unveils-2018-year-end-playlist-carters-her-ashley-mcbryde-j-cole

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Kanye West Donates $73,540 to Amara Enyia's Chicago Mayoral Campaign

Just six days after Chance the Rapper delivered an endorsement for Amara Enyia's mayoral campaign in Chicago, Kanye West is offering his own support in the race with a considerable donation.

On Monday (Oct. 22), West contributed $73,540 to the Friends of Amara Enyia political action committee, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. The long shot candidate is reportedly using the sizable donation specifically to cover campaign debt owed to the state of Illinois, according to the Chicago Sun Times. 

"The $73,540 debt to the Illinois State Board of Elections has been paid in full," Enyia's campaign said in an emailed statement to the Sun Times. "The Amara Enyia campaign thanks Chicago native, Kanye West, for his generous action. Amara’s campaign is energizing people around the city with bold ideas and solutions that move Chicago forward. We are excited to engage people of all walks of life as we focus our efforts on getting on the ballot."

The debt relates to Enyia's brief mayoral bit in 2015 that she dropped after signatures from a petition were challenged. But Enyia never ended up closing out her campaign account, according to the Chicago Tribune, and fines began to pile up since she refused to file campaign finance reports to the state. In order for Enyia to successfully have her name on the ballot this time around, she had to pay the accumulated fines by December, which have been taken care of thanks to West. 

Public records show West's last political contributions in the state were from February 2011 when he donated $5,000 to ActBlue Illinois -- which supports all democratic candidates running for state office -- and $5,000 toward Rhymefest's campaign for Chicago's 20th ward alderman.

Source: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8481269/kanye-west-amara-enyia-chicago-mayor-donation

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Watch Last Man Standing Online: Season 7 Episode 10

Did Mike manage to make everything right?

On Last Man Standing Season 7 Episode 10, he offered to take Boyd on a fishing trip, but Ryan stepped in with some reservations because it conflicted with plans he made with his son. 

However, Boyd wanted all three to go on the trip, but Mike and Ryan also had to find a way to get along because they felt far apart. 

Meanwhile, Mandy and Kyle played detectives when they learned a stunning secret. 

Use the video above to watch Last Man Standing online right here via TV Fanatic. 

Catch up on all your favorite shows and reviews and join in the conversations with other fanatics who love TV as much as you.

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.

Source: https://www.tvfanatic.com/2019/01/watch-last-man-standing-online-season-7-episode-10/

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Children's behavioral health provider Ascent to close all Arkansas facilities

Ascent Children's Health Services, which provides behavioral health and early childhood development services at ten sites across Arkansas, will close all facilities in the state by the end of November. The state Department of Human Services announced the news in a press release Tuesday morning.

On September 19, Ascent said it would close three of its facilities — in Arkadelphia, North Little Rock and West Memphis — by October 17. Today, it announced plans to close its remaining seven sites as well.

Facilities in Batesville, Benton and Blytheville will cease operations on November 1. Those in Jonesboro, Mountain Home, Paragould and Trumann will close on Nov. 30.

No word yet on how many patients will be affected. DHS said it will be sending beneficiaries a list of other providers in their area that accept Medicaid. The agency said families looking for assistance should call the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) Medicaid Beneficiary Service Center at 1-833-402-0672 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Last week, a group of mental health providers held a rally at the state Capitol to protest what they say are unsustainable cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates for behavioral health. The protestors said other changes being made at DHS — such as more stringent licensure requirements for certain classes of mental health professionals — also threatened to drive some providers out of business. However, it's not yet clear whether Ascent's closure is tied to those rate cuts or something else.

Ascent received unwanted attention last year when a child died after being left in a van at the West Memphis facility. (Criminal charges were filed against workers at the site and the agency was placed under review by the state's Office of Medicaid Inspector General.)

Here's the full release from DHS:

Ascent Children’s Health Services has notified the Department of Human Services (DHS) that it plans to close its remaining seven facilities in Batesville, Benton, and Blytheville on Nov. 1, 2018 and its facilities in Jonesboro, Mountain Home, Paragould, and Trumann on Nov. 30, 2018. (see attached letter)

In September, Ascent notified DHS that it would close three other facilities – Arkadelphia, North Little Rock, and West Memphis – effective Oct. 17, 2018.

All 10 of these locations provide Medicaid-funded services through the Early Intervention Day Treatment (EIDT) program and the Outpatient Behavioral Health program. The closure will not change or disrupt a child’s eligibility to remain in the EIDT program, even if the child was grandfathered in when EIDT launched earlier this year.

To ensure that Medicaid beneficiaries can continue to access services, DHS will be sending beneficiaries a list of licensed Medicaid providers from which they can choose. DHS will be working closely with Ascent to ensure the transition for beneficiaries to a new provider is as smooth as possible. The DHS Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance will work to identify existing Arkansas providers that may be willing to begin providing services in counties that are considered underserved.

Beneficiaries may ask for assistance by calling the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) Medicaid Beneficiary Service Center at 1-833-402-0672. The hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If the beneficiary is a member of a PASSE, he or she should contact his or her care coordinator for assistance.

For families who were receiving child care services at one of these three facilities, you may qualify for child care assistance. Go to www.access.arkansas.gov, answer the voter registration question, and then click on the light blue log-in/apply button for child care assistance. Families also can find a complete list of EIDT and OBH providers on our website.

Source: https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2018/10/02/childrens-mental-health-provider-ascent-to-close-all-arkansas-facilities

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Henry Cavill No Longer Playing Superman In The DC Extended Universe

Warner Brothers’ DCEU, or the DC Extended Universe, has had its share of problems. One of its major issues is that most of the films that have been released could never match the critical or commercial success of Marvel Studios releases.

The other is having an actor commit to playing their respective superheroes. In the latest shocking development, Henry Cavill will no longer play Superman. The move could give way to change how WB moves forward with its DC films. More on the story below.

THR says Cavill exited the role after talks between WB and Cavill’s WME reps for a Shazam! cameo fell through. As a result, Superman appearances in other films are no longer an option.

The studio will now shift its focus to Supergirl, Superman’s cousin. Additionally, WB says they weren’t planning on releasing another Superman film for years to come. A source tells THR, “Superman is like James Bond, and after a certain run you have to look at new actors.”

This latest shocking development mirrors Ben Affleck’s commitment to his role as Batman. There had been rumors that the actor also wanted out of playing the Dark Knight. These rumors ultimately had an effect on the development of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which has been said to be looking for a much younger actor. Also, Affleck has had personal issues he’s been dealing with.

However, neither WB nor Cavill’s reps have confirmed Cavill’s exit.

Cavill first played Superman in 2013 in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, where the hero committed a taboo by breaking character and killing General Zod. The film was a tepid hit and was met with mixed reviews. The actor reprised his role in both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Both were poorly received while the latter was the lowest grossing DCU film. None of that was Cavill’s fault, of course, as he tried to work with the stories he was given. Just looking at a clean-shaven Henry Cavill, it’s hard not to picture him with those red and blues with an S shield on his chest.

Still, given some of his more recent films, Cavill makes for a better spy than he does superhero. The actor has already taken a trip down that world twice, once in Guy Ritchie’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and the other in Mission: Impossible – Fallout. The latter caused quite a frenzied scandal when he couldn’t shave off his mustache for Justice League because he needed it in Fallout.

It’s unclear how much of Cavill’s exit will affect President of DC-based films Walter Hamada‘s plans for the DCU.

Another factor in all of this could be the fact that Cavill recently signed on to play Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s series adaptation of The Witcher, though another source says his deal with Netflix came after things fell apart with Warner Brothers.

[Source: THR]

Source: https://www.geeksofdoom.com/2018/09/12/henry-cavill-done-playing-superman

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Malin Genie details debut album, Anthropomorphic Sympathy

The LP is out on his self-titled label in September.

Malin Genie will release his debut album, Anthropomorphic Sympathy, on September 6th.

When working on the 14-track LP, which touches on new age, ambient, house and minimal, the Amsterdam artist chose to "isolate myself socially, having no interactions other than with a selection of instruments." The record will come out via Malin Genie Music, the label he set up in 2018.

Genie forms part of the house trio Mandar alongside S. A. M. and Lazare Hoche.

Listen to "Empathy Master."

Tracklist 01. You 02. Sopine 03. Dimlove 04. -*- 05. Empathy 06. For Edmond Bellamy 07. Interlude 08. Anthropomorphic Sympathy 09. Singularity 10. November Subitizing 11. Juniper 12. Lived II Time 13. Allopoiesis 14. Korwar

Malin Genie Music will release Anthropomorphic Sympathy on September 6th, 2019.

Source: https://www.residentadvisor.net/news/44045