Strictly Business
Episodes
How CBSN Steers Clear of the Polarized News Climate
07 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While 24-hour news networks like Fox News Channel go heavy on opinion, CBSN EVP/GM Christy Tanner discusses how her operation takes a different tack t...
How Walden Media Keeps Mid-Budget Films Alive in a Mega-Movie Era
31 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
New to theaters in August, "Dora and the Lost City of Gold" is just the kind of family-friendly movie you'd expect to see from Walden Media. But while...
Jon Steinberg: Why Digital Media has Become Akin to the ‘Drug Discovery Business’
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Steinberg, founder and CEO of digital business news startup Cheddar, discusses the company’s recent sale to cable operator Altice USA for $200 m...
Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch Spots An Opening in the Global Streaming Market
17 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Streaming content is about as competitive as a business gets these days, but don't tell that to Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch. He's aggressively moving to ...
Anatomy of a Reboot: How MTV Found New Gold in 'The Hills'
10 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jacqueline Parkes, chief marketing office and executive vp of digital studios for Viacom's MTV VHI CMT and Logo Group, breaks down the marketing campa...
How Scopely Turns Hollywood IP Into Videogame Gold
03 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Star Trek, The Walking Dead and Wheel of Fortune are more than just iconic TV brands; they’re the intellectual property powering mobile games on cou...
Can a Studio Make Movies for VR?
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
STX Entertainment is best known for movies like "The Upside" and "Ugly Dolls," but it also has a division dedicated to creating virtual-reality movies...
Disney's Dana Walden on tackling TV's 'existential crisis'
19 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dana Walden was already one of the industry’s most powerful television executives when she was co-head of Fox television Group prior to Disney’s a...
Cannes Lions Preview with MediaLink's Michael Kassan
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Cannes Lions festival will get underway next week at a time when media industry turbulence is at its peak, according to MediaLink CEO Michael Kass...
Mass Appeal CEO on building a hip-hop brand and content factory
05 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mass Appeal CEO Peter Bittenbender discusses the relaunch of the one-time hip-hop fanzine as a content business active in music, digital, film and TV....
Fixing Hollywood's Supply Chain with Data and Deals
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Producer Jeff Valdez discusses his detailed study examining the root causes of the dearth of U.S.-born Latinx creative talent working in film and TV. ...
Listen: Spielberg's Amblin Chief on Making 'Movies in the Middle'
22 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amblin Partners co-CEO Jeff Small oversees a bustling production powerhouse alongside Steven Spielberg that manages to make movies like the new sequel...
Listen: 'Catch-22' Producer's Plan to Go Big on Limited TV Series
15 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Between HBO's "True Detective" and Hulu's upcoming "Catch-22," producer Richard Brown has proved his mastery of the limited-series TV format. Now he's...
"The Audience is the Boss of Me": How Refinery29 has evolved amid the digital downturn
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy Emmerich, chief content officer and president North America for Refinery29, details the digital lifestyle brand's focus on organic audience growth...
The Future of Facebook With the App's New Lead Exec, Fidji Simo
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There's been no shortage of turbulence at Facebook given the myriad issues the company faces, from data privacy and misinformation to election integri...
"How Gabrielle Union Bet On Herself - And Changed Her Brand"
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Prolific actress and emerging producer Gabrielle Union has been on a hot streak with projects like the sleeper hit "Breaking In," a female reboot of t...
Sarah Barnett: ‘Killing’ It at AMC Networks
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The executive who oversees AMC, BBC America, SundanceTV and IFC discussed the tangible and intangible benefits that come from fielding a sleeper hit l...
'Game of Thrones' Marketing No Mean Feat for Final Season
10 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Enjoy an inside look at the promotional game plan behind the final season of TV's biggest hit from Chris Spadaccini, executive VP and head of marketin...
Imax CEO Richard Gelfond Bets on the Biggest Screen
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As the film industry gathers this week for the annual CinemaCon conference in Las Vegas, the longtime Imax leader discusses the new demand for exhibit...
Univision's Jessica Rodriguez on Shaking Up a Traditional TV Brand
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Under new leadership, Univision is taking big strides toward bringing a new look and feel to its primetime schedule for the growing U.S. Hispanic audi...
National Geographic Leader Sees Growth Ahead Under Disney Ownership
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
National Geographic Partners chairman Gary Knell outlines his vision of the growth opportunities ahead for the gold-plated brand as it and other 21st ...
Steve Mosko on Transitioning From Studio Life to Startup Mentality at Village Roadshow
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Mosko, the former head of Sony Pictures Television and newly appointed CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, talks about his mission to b...
How John Penotti Could Get 'Crazy Rich' Beyond Asia
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
He may be best known for producing the 2018 hit "Crazy Rich Asians," but that film was actually something of an aberration for John Penotti. He's busy...
The 'R' Word: What Would a Recession Mean for Media Business?
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With many economists predicting a recession could hit the U.S. economy in the coming months, the media business could be in for rough ride. But as S&a...
Red Bull Practically Invented Branded Entertainment. What's Next?
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While known best for its line of energy drinks, Red Bull has been a pioneering force in branded entertainment. But in a rapidly changing media world, ...
A Radical, Community-Based Approach to Independent Production
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Radical Media is an independent company that is a stalwart of the New York film and TV production scene. Radical chairman-CEO Jon Kamen discusses how ...
Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens: Building a Startup with Scale
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The producers and partners behind Propagate discuss their plan to compete in the global TV market against much larger rivals. After an investment from...
TV Has Been Good to Steve Harvey. Just Not Good Enough.
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Though Steve Harvey may be one of the most omnipresent stars on TV across his many shows ("Family Feud," "Little Big Shots," "Showtime at the Apollo,"...
How to Make a Deal at Sundance
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As the indie film world converges on Park City, Utah, buyers and sellers are getting ready to wrangle at the Sundance Film Festival. In this conversat...
CEO Bob Bakish Shares His Game Plan for Keeping Viacom Vital
15 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Though the media world is rapidly consolidating all around Viacom, CEO Bob Bakish believes his company can thrive without a "transformational deal" su...
NBCUniversal's Quest to Shake Up Audience Measurement
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
NBCUniversal has long been the media world's most vocal proponent for reforming just about everything involved in tracking consumption of its TV shows...
How Ellen DeGeneres Translates Her TV Brand to Digital
01 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
She may be best known for her daytime TV show, but Ellen DeGeneres also has a sprawling digital presence across social, video and gaming apps. Ellen D...
How Sarah Bernhardt and Eleonora Duse Invented Celebrity Culture
18 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The new biography “Playing to the Gods: Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse and the Rivalry That Changed Acting Forever” details how the legendary acto...
Jeffrey Katzenberg, Meg Whitman Share Their Plan to Shake Up Mobile Media
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
One's a legend in entertainment, the other in technology. But together Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman plan to bring the best of both worlds to the...
How to Survive Digital Media with Kin Community's Michael Wayne
04 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Wayne is no newbie to the digital content biz, having put his company through numerous pivots over the past decade. Today Kin Community has we...
In the Ring With UFC’s Lawrence Epstein
27 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The chief operating officer of UFC talks about a big year ahead for the MMA leader, starting with the kickoff of its broad TV pact with ESPN. He offer...
Pocket.watch Disrupts Kiddie Toy Biz This Holiday Season
20 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Multibillion-dollar franchises like "SpongeBob SquarePants" used to require traditional media like TV or film as launch pad. But Chris Williams, CEO o...
David Zaslav: Why Brands and IP Matter More Than Channels
13 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The president-CEO of Discovery Inc. offers a candid assessment of the state of traditional TV in a wide-ranging interview. He talks M&A prospects ...
E!'s Adam Stotsky on Taking Over the People's Choice Awards
06 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After 44 years on CBS, the People's Choice Awards will move over on Nov. 11 to E!, where the network's president, Adam Stotsky, has led a re-imaginati...
How the World's Largest Magazine Company Approaches Video Content
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With its acquisition of Time Inc. earlier this year, Meredith Corp. is home to more iconic magazine titles than ever, from People to Better Homes &...
Why the TV boom makes life harder, not easier, for independent producers
23 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Assembly Entertainment CEO Christina Wayne discusses the dealmaking challenges that producers face even at a time of incredible demand for TV content....
How Joe Biden Helps ATTN: Aim to Be the 'HBO of Mid-Form'
02 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
While the nation waits to hear whether former Vice President Joe Biden will join the 2020 presidential race, he's not quietly sitting on the sidelines...
Indie Evolution: Producer Gigi Pritzker on Staying Nimble and Embracing Risk
25 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Gigi Pritzker, CEO of MWM, details the evolution of her company, formerly OddLot Entertainment, from an indie film production banner to an IP-centric ...
Viacom's Kelly Day: Buying AwesomenessTV 'Bargain of a Lifetime'
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The digital studio's president gets candid about the acquisitions she's made in her first year on the job, as well as Viacom's efforts to attract youn...
John Landgraf on the Future of Television
11 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The FX Networks CEO discusses the strategic rationale behind the union of Disney and 21st Century Fox and the industry’s embrace of direct-to-consum...
How Far Funny Or Die Has Come From Its Viral-Video Days
04 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It was hysterical short videos like "The Landlord" that made the Funny Or Die brand an overnight household name when it began 11 years ago. But its bu...
Studio71's Reza Izad Gets Real About Digital Video's Challenges
28 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Izad is candid about navigating an ecosystem that has been reeling from one challenge to the next, from the brand safety issues that left marketers sk...
Navigating Hollywood’s New World Order for Writers
21 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Lowell Peterson, executive director of the Writers Guild of America East, discusses the guild’s growth during a dynamic period for the entertainment...
David Nevins: How Streaming Has Changed the Premium TV Game for Showtime
14 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Showtime’s president and CEO talks about new economics of direct-to-consumer streaming and how the transformation of the premium TV business has cha...
Timur Bekmambetov: Crafting New Filmmaking Tools via Screenlife
07 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Russian director behind "Night Watch,” “Wanted” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is eagerly promoting a new filmmaking software for w...
The New Book 'The Business of Television'
31 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ken Basin gives an inside look at how Hollywood dealmaking is changing in the peak-TV era, from the exorbitant salary increases top talent has been ge...
Josh Sapan: Small is Beautiful for AMC Networks
24 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan discusses the company’s transition from a collection of cable channels — AMC, SundanceTV, IFC, WeTV, and BBC America —...
Stephen Curry's Right-Hand Man in Hollywood
17 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How does a basketball legend team up with Sony to translate his brand into TV and film content? He turns to Jeron Smith, a veteran of Nike and the Oba...
New York Television Festival
10 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The New York Television Festival was ahead of the curve in recognizing the need for independent producers and TV fans to have a forum for celebrating ...
Pluto TV's Tom Ryan on the Power of Free OTT
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The crowded competitive set of streaming services hasn't kept Pluto TV from growing its audience quickly. CEO Tom Ryan explains how his game plan has ...
Inside Dawn Ostroff's Last Days at Conde Nast Entertainment
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dawn Ostroff reflects on seven years of working to bring the magazine giant's marquee brands into the digital age. Learn more about your ad-choices a...
Byron Allen: A Born Entrepreneur Fights for ‘Economic Inclusion’
19 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios, founded in 1993 in Allen’s living room, has grown rapidly during the past decade, expanding into cable progra...
Ep11 - Tyra Banks: How she became a boss in Hollywood and built her brand on her own terms.
12 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Supermodel-turned-entrepreneur Tyra Banks discusses her path from modeling in the early 1990s to becoming one of the new breed of media mavens who are...
Ep10 - Raze Wants to Be the Next Univision
05 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Spanish-language TV giants Univision and Telemundo aren't meeting the programming needs of young Latino audiences, says Raze CEO Emiliano Calemzuk, wh...
Ep8 - Colin Callender: Turning the world into his Playground
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Producer Colin Callender is known for his excellent taste and strong relationship with stars, but he's also been an innovator in the financing and dis...
Ep7 - Group Nine's Ben Lerer on Breeding New Media Brands
15 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The founder of Group Nine, a portfolio of digital brands including Thrillist, NowThis and Seeker, reflects on his company's first year with the backin...
Ep6 - HBO CEO Richard Plepler on Winning the Streaming Wars
08 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
HBO's top executive gets candid about what it takes to hold his own against fast-growing streaming services like Netflix and Amazon as he navigates on...
Ep5 - Michael Strahan and Constance Schwartz: Building SMAC Entertainment from the ground up.
01 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Strahan and Constance Schwartz are business partners in the production and management company SMAC Entertainment. Michael is all over TV these...
Ep4 - CNBC's David Faber on Covering Media and Moguls
24 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The veteran business reporter who broke the news of Disney's courtship of 21st Century Fox talks about the state of media M&A, the growing threat ...
Ep3 - The Heroine Behind Marvel's Marketing Super Powers
17 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A key piece of the massive marketing machinery behind Marvel blockbusters like "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Black Panther" are the partnerships struc...
Ep2 - ICM Partners’ Esther Newberg: How the Book Biz Intersects with Hollywood
10 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The longtime book publishing agent discusses the state of the book business, the increasing importance of film and TV licensing, the mysteries of work...
Ep1 - Kevin Hart Interview: The Making of a Mogul
03 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Actor-comedian Kevin Hart looks beyond his movie career in an interview that explores his ambitions to follow in the footsteps of Jay Z and Ellen DeGe...