AI tool enhances wildlife image analysis for climate change insightsIn a bold move to bolster its semiconductor industry, Minnesota has awarded SkyWater Technology $19 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Bloomington. This significant financial boost is part of a broader $127 million project that promises to create 70 new jobs and enhance the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. State Support for National Growth Minnesota’s contribution comes from the Minnesota Forward Fund, specifically designed to foster economic growth and innovation within the state. The fund supports ventures poised for significant impact, aligning with federal programs like the CHIPS Act. The $19 million aid to SkyWater marks the fund’s third strategic investment. An Asset for Future Technologies SkyWater Technology views the expansion as a critical step in enhancing the U.S.’s domestic production capabilities. Their efforts focus on high-demand sectors like aerospace, defense, and quantum computing. By ramping up production capacity by 30%, the company aims to solidify itself as a key player in the national technology landscape. Strong Partnerships Propel Success Governor Tim Walz emphasizes Minnesota’s leadership in manufacturing innovation, attributing this success to strategic collaborations. These partnerships, spanning state and federal agencies, bolster Minnesota’s position as a hub for domestic manufacturing. Minnesota continues to support high-tech business expansions that drive economic growth, keeping the state and the nation at the forefront of semiconductor technology development. Exciting times are on the horizon for Minnesota’s thriving tech sector. Minnesota’s Tech Surge: SkyWater’s Expansion to Boost U.S. Semiconductor Dominance Innovative Expansion in Semiconductor Manufacturing Minnesota is making significant strides in the semiconductor industry by awarding SkyWater Technology a substantial $19 million grant. This strategic investment is a critical part of a more extensive $127 million initiative aimed at expanding SkyWater’s manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Minnesota, which is set to create 70 new jobs and reinforce the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. SkyWater’s expansion aligns with national objectives to boost domestic production in pivotal sectors. Industry Driving Growth Through the Minnesota Forward Fund The Minnesota Forward Fund, established to drive sustainable economic growth and innovation within the state, is a key contributor to this project. By focusing on ventures with the potential to make significant impacts, this fund aligns its support with federal programs like the CHIPS Act. SkyWater’s $19 million grant represents the third strategic investment from this fund, emphasizing Minnesota’s commitment to being a leader in tech innovation. Focusing on High-Demand Sectors SkyWater Technology’s expansion is especially crucial because it enhances the U.S.’s domestic production capacity in high-demand sectors like aerospace, defense, and quantum computing. With a targeted 30% increase in production capacity, SkyWater is actively positioning itself as a vital player in the national technology arena. This move not only strengthens their market position but also increases the resilience of the U.S.’s semiconductor supply chain by reducing reliance on international suppliers. Strategic Collaborations Fuelling Success Governor Tim Walz underlines the role of strategic partnerships in seizing leadership positions in manufacturing innovation. By leveraging collaborations across state and federal agencies, Minnesota is positioning itself as a primary hub for domestic manufacturing. These partnerships are essential for fostering an environment conducive to high-tech business expansions, ensuring that both the state and the nation remain at the forefront of semiconductor technology development. Trends and Predictions in the Tech Industry The expansion of SkyWater Technology is part of a broader trend of increasing investment in semiconductor manufacturing within the United States. The pandemic and recent geopolitical tensions have highlighted the need for a robust domestic supply chain, encouraging investments in this sector. As technology continues to evolve rapidly, the demand for semiconductors in emerging fields such as quantum computing and advanced defense systems is expected to rise, solidifying the importance of such expansions. For more information on Minnesota’s technological advancements and economic strategies, visit the state’s official website at mn.gov .
AP News Summary at 6:21 p.m. EST
Over the last several years, the entertainment industry has been rocked by a succession of body blows. It came out of a global pandemic only to be hit with dual strikes (WGA and SAG-AFTRA) that caused historically long labor stoppages, which were followed by a work slowdown brought on by a deflation of the streaming bubble, exacerbated by the threat of strikes by below-the-line unions. Through it all, the honorees on Variety ’s 2024 Dealmakers report continued to work on behalf of their clients. On the whole, the deals weren’t as plentiful or as rich, but, necessity being the mother of invention, often more innovative. They approach the coming new year with a mix of optimism and uncertainty, as they navigate the threat and the promise of artificial intelligence — perhaps the most disruptive of technological innovations to date — while cautiously anticipating the incoming administration in Washington, D.C., which is seen as more friendly to corporate mergers and acquisitions, but hostile to Hollywood, in spite of its leader’s past ties to show business. CEO, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) In October, five years to the week after Khan launched professional wrestling promotion AEW as a direct competitor to Vince McMahon’s long-dominant WWE, he closed a multi-year media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, worth a reported $185 million a year, that calls for AEW’s shows and events to be broadcast on TBS and TNT and stream on Max. The company is now valued at more than $2 billion, making it the third-most-valuable combat sports company in the world. Ain’t bragging if it’s true: “Our new arrangement signifies that AEW will make history as the first professional wrestling promotion to simulcast events weekly on top cable channels and a top streaming platform,” says Khan. Chris Spicer Marissa Román Griffith Alissa Miller Vanessa Roman Partners Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld The Akin team closed more than $3.5 billion in deals in the past year, spanning media, entertainment and sports. Recently, it repped CAT5, an action film label backed by Fifth Season, in its initial project, “Levon’s Trade” (Black Bear Pictures), written by Sylvester Stallone, and advised HarbourView Equity Partners on its investment in Mucho Mas Media, producers of the films “Rosario” and “The Long Game.” Be open-minded : “AI will obviously have an impact on all facets of the media and entertainment industry, but how much and to what extent is still TBD,” says the group in a joint statement. “Our advice for anyone in the industry, be it legal, financial, creative, etc., is to learn how to use the technology to be more efficient and better at your job as opposed to be scared of it. Embrace the change and look for ways to use it to your advantage.” Partners Alter Kendrick & Baron Alter and Baron closed almost $1 billion worth of music publishing and master recording catalog acquisitions and sales in the past year, representing Primary Wave Music Publishing (Neil Sedaka), BMG Rights Management (Peter Frampton), Reservoir Media Management (Louis Prima), Iconic Artists Group (Rod Stewart) and Influence Media Partners (Enrique Iglesias). Spotlight shining brighter on NIL deals: “There are a number of buyers that are — if not getting exclusive rights in that area, because it’s hard to value, particularly if those kinds of rights haven’t been historically exploited — at least getting the opportunity to bring things to the table,” says Alter. “Some sellers are looking for partners to help them make the biopic they’ve always wanted to make or the Broadway jukebox musical they’ve always wanted to do.” Pat Shah Global head of content acquisition, strategy & partnerships Rhonda Adams Medina Head of business affairs Kristin Lang Senior director of content acquisition Audible If there was doubt that Audible isn’t just about audiobooks and podcasts anymore, it was put to rest when Shah’s team cut a deal for the company’s first musical, “Dead Outlaw,” which premiered Off-Broadway and won a Drama Desk Award. They also negotiated pacts with MGM Studios to develop TV adaptations of original Audible audio titles and Imagine Entertainment to produce a fictional audio series exploring unsolved murders through the lens of church confessions, as well as traditional audiobook deals, including the acquisitions of multi-language audio rights to Andy Weir’s next novel and Matt Dinniman’s “Dungeon Crawler Carl” series. Hear the possibilities: “Audio is a distinct and differentiated way to expand the canvas of what’s possible storytelling-wise, [and] the creative community is eager to explore how to connect with audiences both new and existing through this format,” says Shah. Robyn Polashuk Partner; co-chair, entertainment and media industry group Adrian Perry Partner; co-chair, entertainment and media industry group and music industry group David Lefebvre Mike Hill Special counsel Covington & Burling Calling Covington & Burling’s Perry, Polashuk, Lefebvre and Hill a dream team could be an understatement, given the multi-billion-dollar impact of the deals they structure. They represented the Walt Disney Co. in the media licensing aspects of its agreement to merge Disney Star India’s $8.5 billion with Reliance’s Viacom 18, and advised Paramount Global on network distribution matters involved on its proposed $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. On the sports side, Hill advised the NBA on an 11-year, $76 billion media rights agreement with the Walt Disney Co. (ABC/ESPN), NBCUniversal and Amazon. Better dealmaking through science: “This year is marked by the acceleration of training, deployment and adoption of AI technologies, which has opened up a new content licensing and monetization market for media and other clients,” says Polashuk. Partners Davis Wright Tremaine The Davis Wright Tremaine quartet had a busy year, handling everything from talent deals to litigation. Miller advised on above-the-line contracts, tax incentives and production services on Seasons 2 and 3 of Amazon MGM Studios’ “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power.” Zee handled more than 60 development deals for ITV Studios America’s partnerships with Tomorrow Studios and Bedrock Entertainment. Wei tackled unique production legal issues, including the vetting of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’s” offer to give Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas $1 million a year and a new RV in exchange for his resignation from the Supreme Court. Palacios advised on numerous documentaries for studios including Imagine Entertainment and Netflix and is lead defense counsel for the Cinemart in a defamation suit arising from its docuseries “Bug Out.” Pre-strike greenlights turned to red: “Talent hoped they would immediately go into production, but so many months had passed during the strike period that the studios started to take a second look at those projects, and in some cases scrapped them and started over,” says Miller. Partners Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang These Del Shaw Moonves legal eagles span the entertainment spectrum from film, TV and docs to the legit stage. In the past year, Bobb cut deals for talent ranging from director Malcolm D. Lee (Blumhouse/Universal thriller “Help”) to actor David Oyelowo (starring role in National Theatre production of Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus”). A major player in the unscripted space, Cohan grew his sports-related business, cutting deals for Box to Box Films, Vox Media Studios, Pro Shop and the NFL, while repping stars like French chef and chocolatier Amaury Guichon and journalists Soledad O’Brien and Antonia Hylton. Lezcano negotiated Sterlin Harjo’s overall pact with FX, which spawned the pilot “The Sensitive Kind,” starring Ethan Hawke, and producer Gareth Neame’s deal for a third “Downton Abbey” film and his new multi-year deal to continue as chairman of Carnival Television. In addition to regularly handling deals for top entertainment execs, Tillers set Quinta Brunson to write, produce and star in the Universal comedy feature “Par for the Course” (with founding partner Nina Shaw), and Becky Hartman Edwards’ showrunner deal for Netflix’s “One Tree Hill” reboot. Relaxing talent holding deals: “The overall compensation package is not as lucrative as it used to be, nor are they ordering as many episodes as they did traditionally, so they have to be a little bit more lenient,” says Bobb. Founding partner Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang A longstanding leader in the entertainment law community, Shaw had another year of big deals, including pacts for Lupita Nyong’o to join the all-star cast in Christopher Nolan’s next movie, Quinta Brunson to co-write, produce and star in the Universal feature comedy “Par for the Course” (with partner Lily Tillers), Ayo Edebiri to co-star in Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt,” Victoria Mahoney to direct the Amazon MGM rom-com “Clean Air” and Jurnee Smollett to star in the Apple TV+ series “Firebug.” No profit participation for you!: “We always had really tough definitions of payouts, but a lot of people still got paid,” Shaw says. “Now, more and more, we see this concept that people don’t actually deserve to participate in the upside.” Partner; global co-chair, media, sport & entertainment DLA Piper Ara had a busy year repping Caryn Mandabach Prods. in its sale to Banijay U.K., animation studio Titmouse (“Big Mouth”) in an eight-figure renewal of its first-look pact with Netflix and Korean streaming service Coupang Play in its deal with Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres to face off in a pair of preseason games in Seoul in March 2024. Laying fresh revenue pipelines: “While new dealmaking opportunities in music have emerged from the securitization of royalty income streams, financiers are increasingly exploring broader sector opportunities,” he says. “This includes consolidating legacy assets and ensuring steady cash flows in an industry that is constantly evolving.” Partner; chair of national advertising team DLA Piper Mulcahy has been at the center of many of the biggest transactions at the intersection of sports and entertainment. Most notably, he repped Amazon Prime Video in its 11-year, $21 billion global media rights deal with the National Basketball Assn. for an exclusive package of NBA and WNBA games, running through the 2035-2036 season. The deal, which closed in July, marks the league’s first streaming-only media rights agreement. Package it up: “Live sports is rapidly migrating to digital media channels and is getting more expensive to acquire and exploit. So in an effort to build the scale needed to cover those costs, we’re seeing competitors team up to bundle their products and services and go to market together,” says Mulcahy. Stacy Marcus Katherine Imp Michael Isselin Partners David Markman Partner; co-chair, entertainment transactions practice DLA Piper This DLA Piper team has been a key player in matters that have widespread impact on the industry, most notably negotiations for SAG-AFTRA’s commercials contract, where Marcus serves as chief negotiator for the Joint Policy Committee representing the advertising industry, assisted by Isselin as legal counsel. Imp’s responsibilities include serving as lead outside counsel for iHeartMedia’s podcast slate with Shondaland and repping Lego Group in the negotiation of content production and distribution arrangements with studios including Disney and Netflix, while Markman handles all aspects of Jeanie Buss and David McLane’s all-female wrestling promotion Women of Wrestling, including the negotiation of its multi-year distribution deal with Paramount/CBS Studios. See AI from both sides now: “AI is an umbrella and there are many really great uses for it that can improve creativity and efficiencies,” says Marcus, whether the users are brands, film and TV producers, creators or performers, as long as they have proper protections. Robert J. Sherman Partner; co-chair, entertainment finance practice Richard Petretti Claire Hall Partners DLA Piper Sherman and Hall are at the glowing center of the red-hot music catalog marketplace. In March, the duo secured approximately $500 million in financing for client HarbourView Equity Partners, backed by its music royalty catalog, which includes titles by artists including Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, Wiz Khalifa and Brad Paisley. They also repped leading independent music company Concord in its issuance of $850 million in asset-backed notes, which will be used for additional music acquisitions. Meanwhile, Petretti served as administrative agent on JPMorgan’s amendment of its $675 million term loan and revolving credit facility (expandable to $875 million) for Arnon Milchan’s Regency/Monarchy Entertainment group of companies. Business is good: “We see a maturing of the market for music securitizations and believe that music acquisition platforms sponsored by institutional investors and other sophisticated capital providers will continue to access and grow this subsector of the esoteric ABS [asset-backed securities] market,” says Sherman. General counsel and head of business legal affairs Fifth Season Arias assisted in securing a $225 million strategic investment from Toho, Japan’s largest film studio, which empowered Fifth Season to continue expanding its premium content slate. He’s provided ongoing oversight of business and legal practices for Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series “Severance” and Max’s “Tokyo Vice,” and on the film side overseen the thriller “She Rides Shotgun,” starring Taron Egerton, and the comedies “Friendship,” starring Tim Robinson, and “Nonnas,” starring Vince Vaughn. Election impact on dealmaking: “We could see an easing of regulation on M&A in the media business, which could lead to more consolidation, while possibly boosting companies that have faced challenges being competitive, which is very good for the industry,” Arias says. Partner; founding chair, entertainment & sports law department Fox Rothschild Miller repped husband and wife clients Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance in numerous matters, including pacts for her to return for “Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning” and for him to take over the role of Zeus in Season 2 of the Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” as well as a first-look deal for the couple’s production company with 20th Television. He also closed deals for Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (starring roles in A24 rom-com “Eternity” and Michel Gondry’s Universal musical “Golden”) and comedian/host Taylor Tomlinson (Netflix special “Have It All”). One door opens and ...: “I see a paradigm shift breaking up the monopolies, creating more ways to make money and an opportunity for those nimble enough to find a new model and create their niche and build their audience,” Miller says. Partners Fox Rothschild Katz and Vaquerano have been working with HarbourView Equity Partners since its founding in 2021, handling all stages of negotiations — from due diligence to post-closing — on more than a billion dollars-worth of deals. This year, they were instrumental in securing $500 million in financing for HarbourView, backed by its music royalties catalog, which includes titles by artists such as Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, Wiz Khalifa, Brad Paisley and James Fauntleroy. The bicoastal duo (Katz is in New York; Vaquerano in Los Angeles) also recently represented Merch Collective in its $25 million-plus majority interest sale to Sony Music Entertainment. Thinking globally: “There is heightened interest in deals relating to rights originating outside of the United States,” says Katz. “We need to be sure we are helping our clients to appropriately analyze the risk vs. reward tradeoff from exploring unfamiliar jurisdictions.” Partner; chair of entertainment & sports law department Fox Rothschild Simon is a force in the nonfiction space, closing deals for clients such as Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Hulu’s Diane von Furstenberg doc “Woman in Charge”), Alex Stapleton’s House of Nonfiction Prods. (Netflix docuseries about Sean “Diddy” Combs, produced with 50 Cent), longtime AMC Network exec Josh Sapan (overall deal with IFC Films), the Obamas’ Higher Ground Prods. and Bloomberg Media. Streaming for the future: The continued championing of new talent is something that Simon feels is vitally important to the marketplace. “I would like to see the emergence of a strong, consolidated and commercially viable SVOD platform for the smart and bold independent voices of our time and those to come,” he says. J. Eugene (Gene) Salomon Jr. Managing partner Donald S. Passman Ethan Schiffres Daniel S. Passman Partners Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman The Gang, Tyre quartet has a roster of superstar music, film and television clients ranging from Taylor Swift and Stevie Wonder to Timothée Chalamet, Zac Efron and Heidi Klum. In the past year, they amplified their reputation as headliners in the music arena, cutting deals for Green Day’s “Saviors” album and subsequent stadium tour, P!nk’s $693.8 million-grossing Summer Carnival World Tour and the sale of Randy Newman’s recorded music and publishing rights to Litmus Music. On the film and TV side, they brokered Emma Corrin’s appearance in the Marvel blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine” and Ridley Scott’s producer and director deal for the upcoming Bee Gees biopic “You Should Be Dancing.” More cross-cultural opportunities: “You’ve got artists from different parts of the world making an impact,” says Salomon. “It used to be that Anglo-American repertoire dominated what was popular everywhere. That’s becoming less of the case and you’re seeing much more diversity.” Kevin Masuda Partner; co-chair, media, entertainment and technology practice group Benyamin (Ben) Ross Partner and co-chair, media, entertainment and technology practice group Steve Tsoneff Sarah Graham Partners Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher The Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher quartet advised Iconic Artists Group, co-founded by longtime Eagles manager Irving Azoff, in its strategic investment from HPS Investment Partners, giving Iconic access to $1 billion to further build out its portfolio. It also repped RedBird Capital Partners in its investment in Charles Barkley’s Round Mound Media and its acquisition of indie TV production and distribution company All3Media, and advised on the launch of Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop Dogg, an alcoholic beverage company founded by Dr. Dre, Snoop, Jimmy Iovine and Main Street Advisors. Who says deal flow is slow?: “Private equity involvement in M&A in the entertainment industry has accelerated, with a particular focus on catalogs, production companies, content libraries and talent-driven businesses like talent agencies, management firms and talent-founded consumer brands,” said the team in a statement. Partners Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger The Greenberg Glusker team worked collaboratively to cut a wealth of headline-grabbing deals, such as Tom Cruise’s strategic partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and a subsequent pact to make an Alejandro G. Iñárritu film for the studio, both of which were handled by Galsor and Muir. The quartet’s clients also include actors Tom Hanks, Chris Hemsworth, Vin Diesel and Alice Braga, filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo, James Cameron and David Fincher, authors J.K. Rowling and Jocko Willink, Silent House Prods., costume designer Colleen Atwood, Ubisoft Entertainment, Riot Games, the estates of J.R.R. Tolkien and Ray Bradbury, and Togethxr, (founded by female athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bird). Fair compensation for streaming success: “Nobody has the right formula, and I think the formulas that people are discussing are not going to be the ones that are going to be adopted long-term, because they just don’t work,” says Galsor. Founder & CEO HarbourView Equity Partners Launched in 2021, Soares’ HarbourView Equity Partners has established itself as one of the hottest investment firms in the entertainment, sports and media markets, with roughly $1.5 billion in assets currently under its management. Recently, Soares invested in two media production companies focused on inclusive storytelling, Charles D. King’s Macro (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Mudbound”) and Mucho Mas Media (“The Long Game, “Rosario”). Growth creates opportunities: “I’ve been consistently focused on high-quality IP, while bringing a big focus on ROI and using data as currency in terms of who is watching and how often, which will help to empower all creative voices,” she says. Partner Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole Johnson has secured over $1 billion in production commitments for Tyler Perry Studios, including Netflix deals that closed in 2024 — a multi-year, first-look series pact and an agreement to produce multiple faith-based films — adding to a deal he made with the streamer in October 2023, calling for eight films over four years. He also handled Perry’s BET series producing agreement and the launch of two free ad-supported streaming channels featuring all of Perry’s BET output. Johnson’s non-Perry work included a joint-venture agreement between Andy and Barbara Muschietti and Skydance to create horror division Nocturna. Gaming the deflating production bubble: “Platforms are being more discerning in what they are investing in, so we need to work harder to show the value proposition to secure long-term, multi-part deals,” he says. Partner Kirkland & Ellis Traxler was at the center of two of the year’s biggest music catalog deals, repping Blackstone in its $1.6 billion purchase of Hipgnosis Songs Fund in April and Universal Music Group in its acquisition of a 25.8% stake in Chord Music Partners for a reported $240 million in February. Music catalog market comeback: “Most every client I’m in contact with about acquisitions feels that as interest rates hopefully continue to come down and economic conditions improve in different countries, opportunities will re-emerge to acquire catalogs,” he says. “There are still plenty of interesting catalogs at all sizes and all levels to attract different kinds of music companies. We need to work harder to show the value proposition to secure long-term, multi-part deals.” Partners Latham & Watkins As partners in Latham & Watkin’s entertainment, sports and media group, Bruington specializes in debt financing transactions and West handles music catalog acquisitions and represents talent in IP joint ventures and brand sponsorship deals, while Johnson and Ranger are transactional generalists. In the past year, they helped Blumhouse acquire Atomic Monster and buy out ITV’s equity interests in Blumhouse Television; advised Skydance Media in its merger with Paramount; negotiated KKR’s sale of Chord Music Partners; and represented Brittney Griner in an exclusive life rights and producing agreement with ESPN and ABC. Turbulent times stir up opportunities: “The big way it’s played out is that private capital has become a lot more nimble in the entertainment [space],” says Ranger. “There are new and more investors, and they’re increasingly open to deploying capital across a variety of investment strategies, rather than traditional equity, traditional debt deals.” CEO Legendary Entertainment Grode led Legendary’s buyback of Beijing-based Wanda Group’s remaining equity interest in the studio in October, putting its ownership solely in the hands of its management and private equity investment firm Apollo Global Asset Management. Grode says it gives them the freedom to pursue M&A opportunities “without the augmented regulatory risk that comes from having a foreign owner in our business.” Legendary was able to do it with cash on hand, thanks to back-to-back blockbusters “Dune: Part Two” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which grossed a combined $1.2 billion worldwide. AI can localize social media posts: “It’s proving to be very efficient in getting adjustments out the door quickly and at a good price point,” he says. James Feldman Managing partner Stephen Clark Melissa Rogal Jonathan Shikora Partners Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora & Clark Feldman cut feature deals for, among others, brothers Benny Safdie (write/direct “The Smashing Machine”) and Josh Safdie (co-write/direct “Marty Supreme”). Feldman and Rogal set Viola Davis for the HBO series “Waller,” while Rogal and Shikora negotiated a multi-script development deal at Amazon for “Poker Face” showrunners Lilla and Nora Zuckerman. Clark serviced clients including Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman (Will Ferrell golf comedy series for Netflix) and “Shōgun” creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo. Why streamers are now providing viewer data: According to Feldman, it’s not just about WGA and SAG-AFTRA contract demands. “It’s also largely driven by the fact that all the streamers are trying to sell ads now, and these advertisers have a lot more leverage than the writers did to demand the equivalent of ratings,” he says. Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Chatham repped Dr. Phil (McGraw) in the April launch of his television network Merit Street Media, which is available to more than 80 million homes via partnerships with a mix of broadcast, cable, satellite and FAST channel platforms. Other clients include Logan Paul, Gabriel Macht, Demi Moore and Gabrielle Reece. Products placed just-so: “Now we’re negotiating deals where content, commerce and community blur together,” he says. “Our clients are building robust first-party data operations through their content, then leveraging that to launch everything from spirits, sports drinks, condiments and lifestyle brands. The content is essentially a marketing catalyst for their broader business empire.” Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Meller led the Manatt team that advised Chord Music Partners on its sale, in which KKR’s majority stake was bought by a consortium consisting of Universal Music Group and Dundee Partners for $240 million, resulting in a valuation of $1.85 billion after the deal closed in February. Building out business: “The music industry continues to trend toward artists and songwriters owning and exploiting their own copyrights and relying less on companies and gatekeepers,” he says. “Artists can set their own destiny. We help songwriter clients self-administer and get the most value from their works. Building brands outside of the traditional entertainment industry is also a critical element to an artist’s long-term financial success.” Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Over the past year, Custer handled 23 multi-million-dollar music catalog deals, 21 of which were on the buyer side. Among those were 13 for Reservoir Media Management (including publishing assets of Tupac Shakur producer Big D Evans) and six for Seeker Music (including royalties for B.o.B.). On the seller side, he closed major deals for Pat Benatar and Jay Gruska. He also serves as general counsel for artists including Neil Young and the Pixies. These are the good ol’ days: It’s been a rocky road for the music industry since Custer launched his career in 1997, but he’s happy where it is today. “Now with the ascendency of streaming, touring and music asset sales transactions, there is never a dull day,” he says. Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Stapleton advised Pophouse Entertainment on its $300 million acquisition of the catalog, brand name and IP of rock band Kiss and its purchase of a majority share of Cyndi Lauper’s publishing and recording revenue. He also serves as counsel for Jack White’s Third Man Records, recording artists Em Beihold and La Lom, and Emmy-winning director-producer Jeff Zimbalist (“Skywalkers: A Love Story”). Wolf at the door, thy name is AI: “Performers and songwriters have been fighting for well over a decade to get their fair share of streaming revenues,” he says. “Now, with AI technologies boosting the occurrence of streaming fraud and flooding DSPs with authorless music, artists are facing a new threat to their hard-won share of the streaming ecosystem.” Navid Mahmoodzadegan Co-founder & co-president Carlos Jimenez Global head of media, sports & entertainment Moelis & Co. Mahmoodzadegan and Jimenez were at the center of Hollywood’s biggest deal of the year, advising Skydance Media on its $8 billion merger with Paramount, which closed in July. “There are lot of transactions that are roller coaster rides,” says Jimenez. “This one was probably the steepest.” Prospects for the “New Paramount”: “It’s a business that, in totality, obviously has some of its challenges ahead of it,” says Jimenez. “But I’m very bullish about [Skydance’s] David Ellison and the RedBird [Capital Partners] team that they’ve assembled. If anybody’s going to turn the Titanic, I think they will.” Partners Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light Before Dead & Company grossed more than $130 million with their 30-day residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas this past summer, Greenspan and Arnst negotiated all-encompassing agreements involving the innovative venue, including ones that secured various rights and clearances for merch and visual IP incorporated into the concert. Greenspan also repped Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis in Universal’s option of the movie rights to his autobiography “Scar Tissue” and chef and TV personality Giada De Laurentiis in her spokesperson pact with Oceania Vista cruise ships. Old school still rules: “There was a moment a few years ago that everybody was chasing TikTok artists and it was almost like TikTok replaced the A&R department,” says Greenspan. If you want to build a long and sustained career, “get out on the road, play your songs, deal with people individually, let them know who you are.” Chairman, global advertising & partnerships NBCUniversal Marshall oversaw the team that secured a record $1.25 billion in advertising revenue for NBC’s Summer 2024 Olympics and Paralympics coverage. Seventy percent of the advertisers were Olympics first-timers, contributing $500 million to the final tally, thanks in part to Marshall’s efforts the help smaller marketers break into the once-exclusive television arena via programmatic ad buys. Trend spotter: “In measuring the impact of advertising, we are evolving from proxies to a certified measurement ecosystem proving the true impact of a client’s media objectives,” he says. “As the feedback loop has strengthened, it is indisputable that the most impactful advertising campaigns are in premium video that is running across linear and streaming.” Amy Siegel Partner; co-chair of the entertainment, sports and media group Matthew Syrkin Partner; co-chair of the media tech group Lindsay Conner Silvia Vannini Partners O’Melveny & Meyers In response to lingering challenges from 2023’s strikes, this O’Melveny & Meyers quartet got creative to help clients adapt and thrive. With Siegel in the lead, the team repped Fifth Season in the sale of a 25% stake to Japanese studio Toho for $225 million and advised HighPoint Media Advisors in connection with Shamrock Content Strategy’s acquisition of a media portfolio of more than 550 feature films, 2,000 hours of TV programming and 450 songs. With Cooper running point, they handled several transactions for ITV, including the sell-back of the 45% stake in Blumhouse Television it bought from Blumhouse in 2017 and its co-production agreement with Amazon MGM Studios for the television series “The Better Sister.” AI drawing industry deeper into uncharted territory: “It’s changing how content is created and how Hollywood does business, creating both opportunities and potential liabilities for our clients,” says Siegel “We are closely following the legal landscape around AI as it continues to evolve.” Partner, entertainment & media group Reed Smith Love’s focus on the intersection of music, digital media and emerging technologies makes him a trusted representative for emerging and established musical artists, songwriters, music companies and institutional investors. Whether acting as outside counsel to investment collective PleasrDAO, representing South Korea’s YG Entertainment, nu metal band Korn and jazz legend Thelonious Monk’s estate in transactional music matters or serving as Concord Music Group’s lead music attorney on its $468.8 million acquisition of Round Hill Music Fund, Love knows his success depends on his clients’ success. Doing good works: “We’ve worked on well over $1 billion in music catalog transactions this year, but helping Kesha to establish Kesha Records and seeing her thrive as a fully independent artist is my proudest moment,” says Love. Partner; co-chair, entertainment & media industry group Reed Smith Sessa spent a large part of the past year handling major music acquisition deals for clients including Concord, Sony, Lyric, Kobalt, Hipgnosis, Litmus, Shamrock, Seeker, Pophouse and Flexpoint. Other highlights include advising the Smashing Pumpkins on a stadium tour with Green Day and Bon Jovi on various issues (including his Hulu docuseries “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story”) and assisting Kesha in launching her new record label. Another record year for music catalog sales predicted: “Simply stated, music rights are a bankable asset class for the financial industry,” he says. “The model works so you will continue to see more buyers enter the space.” Leif Cervantes de Reinstein Shaun Clark Aerin Snow Partners Joseph Ireland Associate Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton Cervantes de Reinstein and Snow closed high-profile deals for clients including Lionsgate ($375 million acquisition of indie content platform eOne from Hasbro), while serving as outside corporate counsel handling equity financing transactions and joint ventures for 101 Studios (home to Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman,” “Tulsa King” and the “Yellowstone” franchise), including a strategic deal with Paramount Global for multiple series from A-list executive producers including Antoine Fuqua and George Clooney. Clark and Ireland were equally busy, repping Creative Wealth Media Lending in its acquisition of Bron Studios and Sony Pictures in its purchase of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Other clients include studios Legendary Pictures and Fremantle and iconic brands such as Peloton, Mazda, QVC and the Hershey Co. Optimistic about the coming year: “[We] expect that we will continue to see strategic collaborations between companies in different industries, [including] tech companies working with content providers, brands collaborating with celebrities, sports leagues collaborating with entertainers, and networks attempting to find new ways to generate revenue,” says Clark. “The M&A marketplace also looks more bullish.” Robert A. Darwell Senior partner; head of global media Ramela Ohanian Partner Nicolas Urdinola Senior associate Tiago Aquino Associate Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton The multilingual team led by Darwell has been busy handling the development, production and rights agreements on a slew of international projects for companies including Meta, Paramount, TelevisaUnivision, Gaumont, Globo and, most significantly, Amazon MGM Studios. As the outside counsel for the latter, they recently worked on deals for the Spanish feature “La Virgen Roja,” the Mexican series “Cada Minuto Cuenta,” the Colombian film “Pimpinero,” starring Medellín-born rock star Juanes, and an eight-part limited series adaptation of Chilean-American author Isabel Allende’s novel “House of Spirits,” which is Amazon’s highest-budget Latin American production to date. For Meta, they assisted its in-house legal team in negotiating the talent agreements for a series of AI chatbots embodying public figures such as Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner and Naomi Osaka. Look for more experiential entertainment: “It’s bringing new ways for audiences to connect with one another and, on the business side, there’s ancillary revenue streams for both studios and talent,” says Ohanian. Partner; co-leader, global entertainment, sports and media practice Sidley Austin If Dwayne Johnson were Thompson’s only client, he’d still be a very busy man. In the past year, the attorney handled the launch of the massively muscled multi-hyphenate’s Papatui line of personal care products, the merger of the XFL (which Johnson bought out of bankruptcy in 2020 with ex-wife Dany Garcia and other investors) with the USFL to create the United Football League in partnership with ESPN and Fox, and a deal for him to join the board of WWE parent company TKO Group Holdings, re-enter the ring and take full ownership of his nom de wrestling “The Rock.” Placing more bets on original IP: “While that might not be the wisest move from a pure economics standpoint, with a more diverse landscape of bold new content, it will increase competition for people’s eyes and ears,” says Thompson, who also repped “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper in her new $125 million deal with SiriusXM. Managing Partner Singh, Singh & Trauben A onetime in-house lawyer for Universal Music, Singh occasionally moonlights as a producer, most recently with the 2024 Peacock docuseries “Reggaeton: The Sound that Conquered the World,” which he exec produced with client Daddy Yankee. But his day job is cutting deals for the likes of Missy Elliott (“Out of This World” tour), Latin music star Ozuna (publishing catalog sale to Kobalt/KMR Holdings), Flow La Movie (catalog sale to Cinq Music), FloyyMenor (deal with UnitedMasters) and Grupo Firme (new distribution agreement with Virgin and publishing deal with Universal). The power of music catalog sales: “This trend has reshaped how legacy artists, songwriters and producers approach their long-term financial strategies,” he says. David Eisman Partner; head of media and entertainment group Glen Mastroberte Partner, media and entertainment group Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom M&A specialists in the entertainment sector, Eisman and Mastroberte kept busy working on transactions spanning film, television, music, gaming and sports as the industry recovered from last year’s strikes. They’ve helped indie music labels like Drake’s OVO Sound and DJ Khaled’s We the Best Music strike major deals, and represented Parkwood Ventures in Beyoncé’s joint venture with Moët Hennessy and the development, marketing and launch of her SirDavis whisky brand. Proudest moment in 2024: For Eisman, it was handling UTA’s acquisition of top European soccer agency Roof. “That was the largest deal that UTA has ever done in its history,” he says. Rick Offsay Partner; global co-chair, entertainment, sports & media practice Justin Hamill Partner; global co-chair, mergers & acquisitions and private equity practice Latham & Watkins Hamill and Offsay tackle complex strategic transactions, like advising Skydance Media in a merger with Paramount and an investor group in a $8 billion-plus investment in Paramount Global and the acquisition of National Amusements. Separately, Offsay advised Carlyle in providing an $800 million asset-backed credit facility to Park County (“South Park”), while Hamill advised Endeavor in a $25 billion take-private acquisition of the company by Silver Lake. Staying ahead of the curve: “Comcast’s recent spin out of its cable networks, and Warner Brothers — [which has gone] through a number of transactions, including with Discovery — now needs to figure something else out,” says Offsay. “All of these legacy media companies are trying to figure out the next thing.” Exec VP, global head of corporate Sony Pictures Entertainment Anguelova played a key role in securing Sony Pictures Entertainment’s acquisition of the dine-in theater chain Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, marking the first time a major studio has re-entered the theatrical exhibition business since the 1948 Paramount Consent Decrees were lifted in 2020. The studio plans to harness Alamo’s four million loyalty club members to “eventize” its IP, including content from anime-centric subscription VOD streamer Crunchyroll. Managing the downturn: “Certainly, our offer structures are adapting and becoming more nuanced to be reflective of the new realities of the market, and to align with both seller and buyer interests,” says Anguelova. “The market is showing resilience for premium companies despite current challenges, as evidenced by recent high-profile transactions like the All3Media sale to RedBird.” Greg Akselrud Partner; chair of internet, digital media and entertainment practice Cathleen Green Senior counsel Stubbs Alderton & Markiles Influential Network could’ve used a big white shoe law firm to handle its $500 million acquisition by Publicis Groupe. Ex-Disney exec Ben Sherwood and former Hearst chief content officer Joanna Coles could’ve done the same when they took the editorial reins at the Daily Beast in a deal that gave the duo close to a 50% equity interest in the publication. Instead, they called on mid-size Sherman Oaks-based Stubbs Alderton & Markiles. According to Akselrud, it’s because not only are they well-versed in the issues, they also have the ability to see the blind spots in a deal and “think around the corner.” Can’t sell a new product on stars power alone: “You need to have a celebrity with a relatively decent following to launch the brand, but then you really must have marketing dollars to facilitate the growth,” says Akselrud. Global head of music business development TikTok Obermann played a key role in bringing Universal Music Group catalog back to TikTok in May 2024 with a new licensing agreement featuring enhanced AI protections. He’s also provided promotional and creative support for the platform’s partnerships with artists including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter and Post Malone. No need to panic about AI: “A year and a half ago, the feeling in the music industry was the sky might be falling because AI is coming at us in a fast and furious way, and we don’t know if we have the right guardrails,” he says. “We had ‘Fake Drake’ [in April 2023] and a couple of other cultural moments with AI in music, but it’s gone pretty quiet, if you think about it.” President, platform distribution The Walt Disney Company Disney’s roster of networks (including ABC, Disney-branded channels, ESPN, FX and National Geographic) had been dark on DirecTV for nearly two weeks in September before Connolly, serving as chief negotiator, hammered out an agreement. The multi-billion-dollar deal he facilitated covered carriage of the Mouse House’s linear channel portfolio, as well the option for consumers to subscribe to its streaming services (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+) via select DirecTV packages or on an a la carte basis. The upside to bad times: According to Connolly, the production downturn “has created greater demand for content in the marketplace and more opportunities for us to strategically license our best-in-class, non-branded library content to third parties.” Adam Glick Exec VP, business operations, Warner Bros. Television Matt Matzkin Exec VP, operations, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television and Warner Bros. Animation Shanon Muir Senior VP, legal, Warner Bros. Television Group — Animation Warner Bros. Television Group Collectively, this Warner Bros. trio handled the dealmaking for just under 90 series for a multitude of platforms. Glick cut straight-to-series deals for an untitled HBO comedy from Bill Lawrence starring Steve Carell and the John Wells’ medical drama “The Pitt.” On the unscripted side, Matzkin launched the Food Network’s “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking,” Max’s “Fast Friends” and the syndicated “True Crime News” and secured renewals for “Extra” and “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” Muir negotiated three new Cartoon Network series orders for “Foster’s Funtime for Imaginary Friends,” “Adventure Time Side Quests” and an untitled “Regular Show” project. Dealing digital supplements: “We have a number of podcasts that we produce on our own, and we’re also collaborating with other podcasts that are not produced by us, and trying to get our talent on to them,” says Matkzin. Partner Weintraub Tobin Gordon negotiated several headline deals for “Call Her Daddy” host and executive producer Alex Cooper, including a new multi-year $125 million pact with SiriusXM that will bring Cooper’s Unwell Network family of podcasts to the platform beginning in 2025. Other clients include actors Diane Lane and Zosia Mamet, podcasters Guy Raz and Caleb Pressley, novelist/screenwriter Maria Semple, dancer/singer/social media personality Niana Guerrero and actress/writer/comedian Jenny Lorenzo. Added visuals mean bigger bucks: “Video podcasts continue to gain popularity, and video has therefore become a key element, not only in driving audience engagement, but also providing great opportunity for promotion via clips on social media,” he says. Ariel Emanuel CEO, TKO Nick Khan President, WWE Mark Shapiro President & chief operating officer, TKO Andrew Schleimer Chief financial officer, TKO WWE Last year, Endeavor merged Ultimate Fighting Championship with World Wrestling Entertainment under the TKO Group Holdings banner. In January 2024, TKO’s leadership quadrumvirate closed a $5.2 billion, 10-year deal to make Netflix the exclusive home of WWE’s flagship show “Raw” in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Latin America and other territories beginning in January 2025. As part of the pact, Netflix will be the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. from that date forward, giving roughly 80% of international territories immediate access to 100% its content, with the rest of the globe filling out their WWE lineups as outstanding deals expire. Added value with Netflix: “While the money is extraordinarily important, the downstream impact and ancillary benefits to being with the distributor and just south of 300 million homes globally was something that got us very excited,” says Schleimer. Co-founder & managing partner Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich Goodell & Gellman Yorn kept his 29-year-old firm at the front of the entertainment law pack in 2024, cutting deals for clients including Scarlett Johansson (starring role in “Jurassic World Rebirth”), Ellen DeGeneres ($20 million pact for Netflix comedy special), Zoe Saldaña (Golden Globe-nominated role in “Emilia Pérez”), Jonah Hill (write, produce and act in Apple TV+ movie “Outcome”) and Matthew McConaughey (Apple TV+ series “Brother From Another Mother”). Belt and suspenders treatment for AI: “We try to make sure that we add extra protection on top of what SAG has achieved with respect to studio deals for film and television,” he says. “We try for a zero-use policy across the board but are always open to see if AI can be beneficial for all concerned.” Partner Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich Goodell & Gellman Barnes has been in the Snoop Dogg business for more than a quarter of a century, and business was very good this year, with the attorney closing deals for the rapper’s high-profile role in NBC’s Summer Olympics coverage and his judge gig on the network’s singing competition show “The Voice.” He did that while simultaneously helping set up his premium spirits company Still G.I.N., launched in partnership with Dr. Dre. Buckle up for Trump 2.0: “There may be an initial chilling effect on diverse hiring and productions,” he says. “And with such a vast ideological divide within the entertainment industry and beyond, some may be denied employment or access to capital based on their views.” Partner Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich Goodell & Gellman Endlich recently negotiated comedian Bert Kreischer’s deal for two upcoming Netflix stand-up specials, and director/producer pacts for Taika Waititi’s Sony feature adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel “Klara and the Sun,” starring Amy Adams, and Jaume Collet-Serra’s Netflix thriller “Carry On,” starring Taron Egerton. He also set D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai to star in A24’s “Warfare.” World domination has its benefits: “Given the global reach of the major streaming platforms, there’s greater opportunity to work with international clients and make innovative deals with foreign production companies that have partnered with the streamers to produce programs for both a U.S. and worldwide audience,” he says. Partner Ziffren Brittenham As the co-executor and manager of Michael Jackson’s estate, Branca engineered a 50% sale of the late superstar’s music publishing and record masters to Sony Music worth a reported $600 million, while retaining control for the estate, which to date has yielded $2 billion from productions including the Tony-winning “MJ: The Musical.” Disruption on endless rotation: “When you trace the effect of technology in the industry, whether it went from piano rolls to wax discs to albums, and 45s to free download to streaming, it keeps changing the industry,” Branca says. “The most important thing that content owners are doing is trying to protect their IP rights from being basically taken for free while somebody else creates a new asset.”
Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration
On Thursday night in Singapore, in the fifth hour of the fourteenth game of a world championship chess match that had ground on , Gukesh Dommaraju noticed something surprising and started to cry. His opponent, the defending champ, Chinese grandmaster Ding Liren, had put his bishop on the wrong square and Gukesh saw with sudden clarity that he was — the youngest ever, at 18. Gukesh’s win is a milestone in the history of an ancient game experiencing an extraordinary resurgence. A generational handover, his victory also represents the long-heralded arrival of India, the birthplace of the game, as a chess superpower. And it comes at a time of exploding interest in the sport; not since in the cool Reykjavik summer of 1972 has chess been so trendy. “The Queen’s Gambit” . The pandemic, with its vast expanse of time to pass, created a boom. Since 2020, sales of instructional chess books have skyrocketed. tripled its membership to about 150 million players. Online chess streamers, believe it or not, built social media channels with millions of followers keen to watch them play and analyze games, earning small fortunes along the way. This attention has transformed elite chess: more tournaments, more money, more fans. Every day in Singapore, as Gukesh left the glass box in which the matches were played, he was mobbed by supporters chanting his name: “Gooooo-kesh! Goo-kesh! Gooooo-kesh! Goo-kesh!” Bearded and impossibly poised, seeming twice his age, he signed every autograph and stood for every selfie, a far cry from the remote and often-tempestuous grandmasters of the old guard. Students at Gukesh Dommaraju’s school in Chennai celebrate his victory. For Ding, whose fatal bishop blunder was described by one chess master as the worst move in the history of world championship chess, the match was an exercise in heartbreak. China’s first world champion, the 32-year-old Ding is beloved in the chess world for his kindness and eccentricity. Eye contact is not his forte. In interviews, he often loses his train of thought and stares searchingly into the camera; when he feels the conversation is over, he will wander away without a word. But despite this affection, few observers were surprised by the outcome. Since winning the title in Kazakhstan nearly two years ago, Ding had struggled with his health, both physical and mental, and lost his form. Fitness is crucial in chess; in a classical game, which can often last five or six hours, grandmasters burn as many calories as marathon runners. Mental health, meanwhile, is a little-discussed challenge that some say has reached crisis levels. Lotis Key, the mother of top-20 grandmaster Wesley So, said last year: “Perhaps the mental loneliness, continual, obsessive self-flagellation, the longing for unattainable perfection, the agony and ecstasy of its pursuit ... is simply the form their joy takes.” Gukesh, for his part, employed the help of a South African mental coach who had helped lead the Indian cricket team to claim the World Cup in 2011. Gukesh’s win was a blow not only to Ding but arguably to an entire generation of older players for whom time is running out. Every elite grandmaster dreams of becoming world champion, of carving their name in chess history and feeling the weight of the champion’s wreath on their shoulders. For a decade, Magnus Carlsen, , made that dream seem impossible for his opponents. Players who had been the best in their city, in their province, in their country, on their continent, among the best in history, could not move the immovable champion and were forced to reconcile themselves to lesser ambitions. So when Carlsen announced in 2022 that he would not defend his title for a sixth time, he created an opportunity many top Millennial grandmasters thought they would never see: a chance to sit on his throne. For two years, amid this new hope, Carlsen’s contemporaries fought in Azerbaijan and the Isle of Man, in India and Canada, finally to fulfil their greatest dream. It was, it seemed, their time. Yet none, in the end, would prevail. Not Fabiano Caruana, the American grandmaster who was described in the New Yorker at the age of 10 over pawn structure. Not Hikaru Nakamura, once thought a likely world champion, who put competitive chess on the back burner to become only to return to the highest levels of the sport “for the content” (motto: “I literally don’t care”). Not , the Armenian-born grandmaster who as a child studied openings by candlelight amid his chess-obsessed country’s frequent blackouts, the expectations of a nation on his shoulders. China’s chess grandmaster Ding Liren competes against Gukesh Dommaraju in game 14 of the 2024 FIDE World Championship. Instead, it was a kid from the next generation, from the next great chess nation, from the game’s future: Gukesh, the prodigy not yet born when most of these players became grandmasters, who, according to received wisdom, could continue to improve for another 20 years, while the older generation begin to decline, their dream ever receding. Asked how he would celebrate, Gukesh told a story. He had taken a walk with one of his trainers on a rest day during the match. They came upon some bungee jumpers. His trainer said that if Gukesh won the match, he’d jump. Gukesh, who is afraid of heights, said he’d do it too. His short life had been focused on a singular goal: becoming world champion. Now that he had achieved it, other goals had come into view: a more precise performance in the next match; Carlsen-like long-term dominance. But first, he said, he was going to jump off a bridge.How to protect your communications through encryption
CCSD news: Flags, treasure and world travel
African Union chairperson candidates advocate for permanent UN Security Council seatsTwo travelers from Arizona speak to Fox News Digital about the four letters "SSSS" that may be printed on your airline boarding pass. American Airlines has announced it's expanding their new technology to end a process known as "gate lice," which is when passengers cut lines in hopes of boarding a flight early. The system audibly flags when a passenger attempts to board the plane before their designated assignment is called and will automatically reject the ticket. American Airlines first piloted the technology last month at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico, Tucson International Airport in Arizona and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It will now expand to more than 100 airports ahead of the holiday season. AMERICAN AIRLINES CRACKS DOWN AGAINST 'GATE LICE' AS AIRPORT PASSENGERS SKIP LINES AMID BOARDING PROCESS Julie Rath, American’s senior vice president of airport operations, reservations and service recovery, said in a press release the ability for customers to board with their assigned group is important to them. American Airlines continues to roll out a technology that will alert staff if a passenger is attempting to board the plane prior to their designated time. (iStock) "The initial positive response from customers and team members has exceeded our expectations, so we are thrilled to leverage this technology to deliver for them ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday ," said Rath. Travelers boarding with a companion who has an earlier boarding group may still do so. The agent will override the alert accepting the boarding pass, according to the press release. For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle American Airlines first tested the technology at three airports and has announced on Nov. 20 that it will soon be rolled out to more than 100 airports. (iStock) The technology, "provides team members with more insight into the number of customers in each boarding group" and "displays anticipated arrival time for incoming flight connections," according to American's site. Some of the airports listed in the expansion program are Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia. The term "gate lice" has gained traction on social media in recent years. Though it's not known who invented the phrase, several travel blogs and Reddit forums discuss "gate lice" at length. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER In October, a representative from American told Fox News Digital via email, "The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease." Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are among the 100 airports to roll out the program this holiday season. (iStock) The representative added, it "helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into boarding progress for our team," Jacqueline Whitmore, a former flight attendant and etiquette expert based in Mount Dora, Florida , told Fox News Digital via email that she supports American Airlines' latest tactic. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to American Airlines for additional comment.For travelers, Puerto Rico is a floating island of desirability
Shopping for home internet just got a little easier. In April, the US Federal Communications Commission launched an initiative to simplify internet shopping . Internet providers are now required to display labels with the key ingredients of their plans -- borrowing the nutrition label format from food products. Initially, the rule applied only to providers with more than 100K subscribers, but since Oct. 10, all ISPs have been required to use the labels. "People have been pushing for this for years because companies were making it so hard to tell what exactly you're getting," Justin Brookman, director of technology policy for Consumer Reports, told CNET. "You sign up for something at $50 a month, and then after taxes and fees, it's $100, and then that balloons to $200. That was a huge problem. And that's why the cable companies largely resisted this for 10 years." Locating local internet providers Internet providers are notorious for their complicated pricing structures. Between autopay discounts, introductory pricing and hidden fees , you often don't know what your bill will actually look like until it's too late. I write about the internet for a living, and even I have to call providers directly to find out basic information like upload speeds and price increases. That's the kind of obfuscation the FCC is looking to clear up. "The fundamental idea is that competitive markets work better when consumers have appropriate information," Blair Levin, a former FCC chief of staff and a telecom industry analyst at New Street Research, told CNET. "Requiring ISPs to provide this kind of minimum level of information to consumers really is kind of a no-brainer." Locating local internet providers The new Trump-appointed chair of the FCC, Brendan Carr, is expected to roll back many of the FCC's initiatives from the past four years, but broadband labels aren't one of them -- Carr voted for the labels in 2022, arguing that they'd promote transparency and help consumers make informed choices. A sample of the FCC's broadband consumer labels for home internet and mobile broadband plans. What you'll see on the broadband labels You'll see the broadband labels wherever you shop for internet. You may have to enter your address to see them, but all providers are now required to display them on their websites. "The broadband labels are required to appear at the point of sale," Alejandro Roark, bureau chief of the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, told CNET. "And it can't be buried. It can't be one of those things where the price is available, but you have to click multiple links, or click on this tiny icon that may be hard to miss. We're very explicit in our rules that they have to be present." At the top of the label is the monthly price, along with any increases you can expect. This is one of the most frustrating aspects of being an internet customer: Your bill might double after a year or two, and you won't know until it happens. You can sometimes find out what your price increase will be by combing through the fine print, but many ISPs simply say it will return to the "then-prevailing rate" after the promotional pricing expires. The broadband label looks to take the surprise out of that process by requiring that providers clearly state how long the introductory pricing lasts and what it will jump to when it ends. This is where you’ll see all the fees associated with the internet plan. The bulk of that will be equipment fees , which can be broken down into different prices for renting a modem and a router. If applicable, you may also see things like installation and early termination fees here, too. But these can be misleading, as well. Spectrum, for example, shows a $30 to $65 installation fee on all its labels, but when you go to check out, installation is listed as free. This section was almost exactly the same for every ISP I looked at. You'll be directed to a link that has more information on the discounts you can get if you add things like cellphone or TV service to your internet plan. There are three factors listed here: typical download speed, typical upload speed, and latency. Roark told me that the internet providers are responsible for reporting this information themselves, and the FCC isn't reviewing it for accuracy. The speed information I saw varies from provider to provider and, in some cases, raises more questions than answers. Spectrum lists its Internet 100 plan as "up to 100Mbps," for example, but its label says typical download speeds are "100Mbps or higher." AT&T Fiber, on the other hand, lists typical download speeds of 398Mbps and upload speeds of 381.7Mbps for its 300Mbps plan. AT&T told CNET that these numbers are gleaned from an internal tool. Data caps are a thing of the past with most internet plans, but the providers that do still have them are required to list exactly what they are, along with any fees you'll get hit with for going over. You'll get charged based on how much extra data you use -- typically $10 or $15 for each 50GB of data that you go over. The remaining sections are primarily reserved for legal disclaimers. You can click links to learn more about the ISP’s network management and privacy policies (if that's your idea of a good time). There's also a spot for customer support, which included a phone number on every label I saw. This is more important than you might think -- ISPs often make their contact information surprisingly difficult to track down. How will the broadband labels be enforced? Internet providers aren't required to send the labels to the FCC for approval before displaying them on their sites. The agency is largely relying on third-party advocacy groups and consumers themselves to ensure that the information displayed on the broadband labels is accurate. "Similarly to a lot of the agency's enforcement actions, we really rely on the consumer complaint process," Roark said. "Now that the rules are officially in effect, we will be monitoring and ensuring that there is a broad nationwide consumer awareness campaign so the consumers know about this requirement and what to expect in the labels." An FCC spokesperson also told CNET that the Commission's Enforcement Bureau will monitor public reporting, consumer complaints, notices from partner agencies and use "other investigative tools" to monitor compliance with the law. If you notice that a provider isn't displaying labels or has inaccurate information about its plans, you can file a complaint with the FCC Consumer Complaint Center . The bottom line The broadband consumer labels are a much-needed step toward taking some of the confusion out of internet shopping. And with smaller providers now required to display the labels, consumers should have an easier time comparing all of the options available at their home. "I would hope that the FCC revisits this every two, every four years, has industry comment, has consumers comment -- and gradually improves this," Levin told CNET. "That should be an achievable thing. That should be one of the principal jobs at the FCC."Anchored in Excellence: Miros’ 2024 Milestones Making Waves
While it is said that “all is fair in love and war,” that is not true in politics when our Constitution is at stake. My fellow Republicans must be careful not to give credibility to our Democrat neighbors who falsely accused President-elect Trump of becoming a dictator! We Americans voted for our next President, and we also voted for our choices to go to Congress: in the House of Representatives and the Senate. One of the U.S. Senate’s greatest responsibilities is “advise and consent.” And the fact that President-elect Trump was voted a “mandate,” by the overwhelming decision of Americans does not suggest that he becomes a dictator. For members of the Senate believing that “a mandate” suggests removing their responsibility to the American people and abandoning their duties as the body of government that must “advise and consent” will only add fuel to the fire of giving credibility to the false accusation that Trump assumed the power of a dictator! I suggest that members of the U.S. Senate not become confused with Trump’s victorious win; their “advise and then consent” role in the Senate was a show of confidence by their constituents. As a separate body of government, that is to whom they must answer. Eugenio M. Albano Harrisburg Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is ‘one of one’ and Chargers’ next big testNEW ORLEANS (AP) — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96
Dengue Infections Soar Globally While Prevention And Treatment Options FadeSurveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigrationCore Molding Technologies CEO sells $228,766 in stock
Photo credit: REBELDOGS HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- REBELDOGS , a new project based in Los Angeles, is developing the first Hollywood film where meme coins and cinema work hand in hand. The movie, featuring animated dogs voiced by popular influencers who each represent a cryptocurrency, is designed to make digital finance fun and approachable while helping real-world causes like dog shelters. Recognized with the prestigious 2024 Global Recognition Award, REBELDOGS is breaking new ground by combining Hollywood storytelling with cryptocurrency technology. The project is funded by the project owner through a separate company licensed to launch the REBELDOGS coins, marking them as the first digital movie merchandise. The project builds upon the remarkable success of earlier meme coins in the crypto space. Most notably, Dogecoin, launched in 2013 and supported by Elon Musk, reached a staggering $12 billion market cap based solely on a Shiba dog meme. REBELDOGS aims to take this proven concept further by being the first to blend the viral power of meme coins with mainstream entertainment, effectively writing a new chapter in both crypto and cinema history. "We're blending two global phenomena—cinema and cryptocurrency—into something entirely new, " explains Dirk Oerlemans, the founder of REBELDOGS. "Our goal is to make these technologies accessible while building a meaningful community that contributes to real-world causes." The film, which is planned for release in 2025, is already getting noticed. This creative approach lets audiences enjoy the movie while engaging with the meme coins tied to each dog character. Proceeds from these coins will support dog shelters worldwide. Building a Vibrant Online Community REBELDOGS has grown a strong online community through platforms like Telegram and Twitter. Its Telegram group now has over 15,000 followers, showing how quickly interest in the project spreads. Fans use these spaces to talk about the project, get updates, and participate in activities like script-writing contests where their ideas might make it into the film. “Our Telegram community is the backbone of this initiative, ” says Oerlemans. “It’s inspiring to see people rallying around both the crypto aspect and the real-world mission of supporting shelters. It’s a perfect example of digital communities making tangible impacts.” The team is also adding interactive tools, such as a chatbot that lets users "talk" to their favorite movie characters. These ideas are designed to keep fans engaged and excited as the movie comes together, and the meme coins are launched. Supporting Dog Shelters Worldwide One of REBELDOGS's most special parts is its commitment to helping dog shelters. A percentage of the money made from the meme coins will go to shelters worldwide. This funding will help cover the cost of food, medical care, and adoption services for rescued dogs. The inspiration for this mission comes from Oerlemans’ personal story. He adopted his dog Rebel from a shelter, and the experience sparked the idea for this project. “ Rebel’s story inspired this entire project,” he says. “ Every coin and every character in the movie represents a chance to improve the lives of shelter dogs around the globe.” The first coin, $REBELDOGE, will launch by the end of 2024, and more coins will be introduced monthly as the movie premiere approaches. This setup keeps the community engaged while ensuring steady support for shelters. Combining Crypto and Culture for a Bigger Impact After the movie is released, the company plans to build a space where fans of film, sports, music, and crypto can connect. This platform will allow users to turn their favorite icons into meme coins, creating more opportunities for ongoing engagement. "We’re rewriting how films are marketed," e xplains Oerlemans. "By tying our project to meme coins, we’re not only telling a story but also building a community that continues to thrive long after the movie premieres." Meme coins are all about being silly and cute—the driving force everybody understands. The movie is fully funded upfront by the founder, and a separate company is licensed for the launch of the REBELDOGS coins, making them the first digital movie merchandise. Oerlemans believes the project has a bigger purpose than just creating a movie. “ The crypto super cycle is coming, so by integrating education into entertainment, we want to prepare people for that future in a way that’s both fun and impactful by supporting dog shelters.” Exploring the Future of Cinema and Crypto By blending blockchain, cinema, and charity, REBELDOGS is creating something fresh and meaningful. The project aims to bridge technology and culture while making a real difference for animals in need. As the release date approaches, REBELDOGS is already bringing together a global audience of movie lovers, crypto fans, and animal advocates. Whether it leads to a new way of doing business in the entertainment industry or stands as a one-of-a-kind idea, REBELDOGS is a project to watch. Contact Information: Name:Dirk Oerlemans Company: Haege Groep bv Website: www.rebeldogsmovie.com Email: info@westfieldmanagement.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/68ffa58b-d64e-49bc-b438-c9b07aa10a5fMan City give up three-goal lead in 3-3 draw with Feyenoord