Universal Studios Hollywood will offer exclusive access to guaranteed seating to “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” through a distribution of Priority Seating Passes to theme park guests. The tickets, available in limited quantities on a first-come first-served basis are distributed free at Universal Studios Hollywood in the Silver Screen Store, located adjacent to the world-famous “Studio Tour” attraction. Other than at the “Tonight Show” box office, where general seating tickets are available, Universal Studios Hollywood is the only location where tickets may be obtained to the number one rated late night talk show. Tickets are available each Friday for… Read more »
Vivendi Universal and General Electric Co. have agreed to merge the French company’s Hollywood studio and other U.S. entertainment assets with GE’s television network NBC, creating a media giant with an estimated value of $43 billion. The terms of the deal announced Wednesday were largely unchanged from a preliminary agreement reached a month ago, when the two companies entered exclusive talks about a merger and sketched out broad outlines for a combined company to be called NBC Universal. The new company will include the NBC television network and its cable channels CNBC, MSNBC and Bravo and Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo. From… Read more »
What Steven Spielberg thought could be the downfall of the movie industry could be it’s saving grace. Streaming services have long been shut out of the Hollywood clique that is the Academy Awards—along with female directors & people of color—due to some Academy board members’ old school standards. But in a press release today, NBC Universal has announced that ‘Trolls World Tour’ will be available on-demand on it’s scheduled release date as theaters nationwide cautiously close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The studio will also be making both ‘The Hunt’ and ‘The Invisible Man’ available on-demand as early as Friday… Read more »
Dreamworks is sharing their appreciation for veterans with their latest movie.
Vivendi’s Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music label, on Thursday said it will test the sale of songs from artists such as Amy Winehouse, 50 Cent and the Black Eyed Peas, without customary copy-protection technology. The company said in a statement it will allow the sale of thousands of its albums and tracks available in MP3-form without copy-protection software, known as digital rights management, over a trial period. Universal’s test-run marks a departure from the music industry’s common practice, with most major recording studios insisting that music sellers use DRM technology to curb online piracy. “The experiment will run… Read more »
In a pairing that would alter the architecture of the music business, Apple Computer Inc. is in talks with Vivendi Universal to buy Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record company, for as much as $6 billion, sources said. Such a seemingly unlikely combination would instantly make technology guru Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and chief executive, the most powerful player in the record industry. Universal, which reaps about $6 billion in sales annually from artists such as 50 Cent, Shania Twain, U2 and Luciano Pavarotti, would be controlled by a maverick who revolutionized the computer market and coined the mantra… Read more »
Universal Music Enterprises (UME) and Disc Marketing, Inc. have entered into a multi-year agreement to create compelling music “premiums” for many of the world’s major consumer brands, it was announced today by Bruce Resnikoff, President, Universal Music Enterprises. Under this agreement, UME, through its Special Markets division, will become the principal supplier of music content for music premiums developed by Disc Marketing for its wide range of corporate clients. UME will also provide manufacturing services for Disc Marketing. The agreement additionally calls for Disc Marketing to become the exclusive supplier of enhanced content for UME’s premium CD music packages. Utilizing… Read more »
Vivendi Universal Net USA, Vivendi Universal’s U.S.-based Internet/technology company, today announced that MP3.com president Derrick R. Oien has been upped to the post of President of Vivendi Universal Net USA Music Group. Appointed by CEO Robin D. Richards, Oien is responsible for overseeing all initiatives of VUNet USA’s popular music properties including MP3.com, RollingStone.com, GetMusic.com and EMusic.com. The appointment follows the creation last fall of VUNet USA and underscores the company’s mission to create more efficient business strategies through the consolidation of top entertainment and education properties under one cohesive management team. Oien’s role within the organization includes extensive involvement… Read more »
Vivendi Universal (NYSE: V; Paris Bourse: EX FP) announced today it has extended for five more years the contracts of Ron Meyer, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios, and Stacey Snider, Chairman, Universal Pictures. In making the announcement, Jean-Marie Messier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vivendi Universal, said, “I am thrilled to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of these two outstanding leaders. As the head of Universal Studios Group’s businesses, Ron has brought the studio to new heights. With the recent creation of Vivendi Universal Entertainment (VUE), Ron, under the leadership of Barry Diller, will now expand his responsibilities… Read more »
The tension is palpable at Universal Studios as USA Networks CEO Barry Diller considers merging his media empire with the studio’s Vivendi Universal parent. “All we know for sure is that Barry Diller is going to be a helluva lot richer a week from now,” said one senior studio executive who was about to attend the Universal Christmas Party. Vivendi Universal, seeking an elusive U.S. distribution outlet for its array of television and film assets, said on Tuesday it was in talks to buy the entertainment assets of USA, which is about 40%-owned by the French company. Whatever Diller does,… Read more »
