Blogs Archives - Media Play News

Reinventing a Studio

Thomas K. Arnold — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:00:11 +0000

Hollywood loves reinvention stories, but few executives have executed one as thoroughly — or as pragmatically — as Chris McGurk. Having spent decades running legacy studios including Universal Pictures, MGM and Overture Films, McGurk now finds himself on the other side of the equation: building a modern entertainment company, with technology not as an accessory, … Continue reading "Reinventing a Studio"

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Entertainment in a Brand World

Stephanie Prange — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:59:40 +0000

For a century, the relationship between brands and entertainment was simply transactional. We called it “the commercial break.” Brands paid for the privilege of interrupting our stories, hoping that a short intrusion would earn enough loyalty to move a product off the shelf. That era is dead. In a world of infinite choice and zero … Continue reading "Entertainment in a Brand World"

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Super Bowl LX, 2026 Winter Olympics, and the New Battleground for Live Sports

Stephanie Prange — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 21:02:44 +0000

Live sports have been steadily moving to streaming, but Feb. 8 may mark a decisive shift. On that day, NBC and Peacock will broadcast both Super Bowl LX and the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. For an industry that has long debated whether streaming can support the biggest live sporting events at scale, this month … Continue reading "Super Bowl LX, 2026 Winter Olympics, and the New Battleground for Live Sports"

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May the Revenue Wars Begin

Thomas K. Arnold — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:58:37 +0000

This year’s CES was easily my busiest in two decades. Not since the launch of Blu-ray Disc — and the flurry of studio announcements that surrounded CES 2006 — have I attended so many meetings, presentations, breakfasts, press conferences and off-floor briefings packed into such a short span of days. CES 2026 wasn’t just busy; … Continue reading "May the Revenue Wars Begin"

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CES 2026 Pushes Media and Entertainment Beyond the AI Hype Cycle From Promises to Proof

Stephanie Prange — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:22:26 +0000

CES has long been a signal for where technology and media are headed. CES 2026, however, marked a clear turning point for the media and entertainment industry. This year was not about bold promises or speculative roadmaps. It was about delivery. For many media executives, the most meaningful conversations did not take place on the … Continue reading "CES 2026 Pushes Media and Entertainment Beyond the AI Hype Cycle From Promises to Proof"

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A Fading Studio System

Stephanie Prange — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:43:03 +0000

When Disney bought Fox a few years ago, we lost one of the venerable studios among the group that founded the studio system at the beginning of the last century. Now, Warner Bros. is on the verge of being bought by Netflix or Paramount Skydance, depending on what the shareholders decide and how the regulatory … Continue reading "A Fading Studio System"

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Netflix May Buy the IP, But Who Owns the Digital Shelf?

Stephanie Prange — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:43:44 +0000

Recent headlines about Warner Bros. Discovery, from the accepted deal with Netflix to a hostile bid by Paramount, have focused on libraries, IP valuation, and the future of individual services. But here’s the question almost no one is asking: if Netflix controls the IP, does that automatically translate to more visibility for Warner Bros. titles … Continue reading "Netflix May Buy the IP, But Who Owns the Digital Shelf?"

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AI’s Second Act

Thomas K. Arnold — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:00:38 +0000

Last year, when we published our inaugural roundup of the 20 most transformative uses of artificial intelligence in digital entertainment, it felt like we were stepping onto a fast-moving walkway. AI was intriguing, untested, and — at least in our business — still in the early “promise and potential” stage. Twelve months later, that walkway … Continue reading "AI’s Second Act"

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Streaming Grows Up

Thomas K. Arnold — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:00:04 +0000

Welcome to the fourth edition of The 40 Most Important People in Streaming — our annual roll call of the executives who aren’t just making noise, but also moving the business. If last year was about momentum, this year is about maturity. Streaming finally started accepting, and dealing with, the hard realities of the business: … Continue reading "Streaming Grows Up"

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How Streamers Can Win Thanksgiving Week: What CTV Promotions Reveal About the Next Big Battle for Attention

Stephanie Prange — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:10:54 +0000

Every November, the entertainment industry hits its version of the Super Bowl. Thanksgiving week is no longer just a retail battleground. It’s one of the most valuable media windows of the year, where live sports, blockbuster streaming premieres, and Black Friday subscription deals converge on the biggest screen in the home: television. According to Samsung … Continue reading "How Streamers Can Win Thanksgiving Week: What CTV Promotions Reveal About the Next Big Battle for Attention"

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