Netflix and Spotify are collaborating to launch the Netflix Hub on Spotify, offering Netflix fans “the full audio-streaming experience,” said the companies Tuesday: Within two weeks of Squid Game’s mid-September debut on Netflix, Spotify listeners “had created more than 22,500 unique themed playlists.”
Wanting to “surprise and delight” Netflix subscribers “by pushing the boundaries of visual effects” was the streaming platform’s rationale for its plans to acquire Scanline VFX, “one of the most creative and innovative VFX studios,” blogged Vice President-Studio Operations Amy Reinhard Monday. The transaction is expected to close in Q1. “Scanline is known for its complex, photorealistic effects and expertise in virtual production,” said Reinhard. Netflix will invest in Scanline’s “pipeline, infrastructure and workforce,” she said.
The FCC scheduled a virtual forum on improving accessibility in online video programming for Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. EST, said a public notice Friday. It will “explore the state of closed captioning availability for online video programming” and discuss possible accessibility enhancements, prospective voluntary efforts, and FCC authority to adopt new rules. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will speak, along with panels of consumer groups and executives from Amazon, Netflix and Comcast's NBCUniversal.
Crackle Plus will use Gracenote metadata and content identifiers to make Crackle, Popcornflix and Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming service titles more searchable and discoverable by viewers across streaming, MVPD, connected TV and digital search platforms, said the companies Thursday. The collaboration also calls for Crackle Plus to work with Nielsen's Gracenote on distribution of free ad-supported streaming channels starting with the upcoming Crackle and Popcornflix launches, it said.
Apple Music is now available on LG smart TVs with webOS 4.0 and later, it said Wednesday.
SoundHound will go public after its merger agreement with special purpose acquisition company Archimedes is complete in Q1, said the voice AI platform Tuesday. SoundHound shares will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOUN after the transaction closes, it said. Voice AI adoption “is rapidly expanding, with the market opportunity expected to reach $160 billion by 2026,” it said. SoundHound’s technology "powers the voice experience" in millions of products, said the company. Vizio’s first voice remote was based on SoundHound’s AI natural language platform (see 2106020050).
Dish Network and Sinclair signed a multiyear carriage agreement that keeps Sinclair's 144 local stations on Dish's lineup in 86 markets, and its Tennis Channel on Dish and Dish's Sling TV, said Dish Monday.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau sent randomly selected MVPDs the third batch of equal employment opportunity audit letters for 2021 Friday, said a public notice Friday. Each year, about 5% of stations and MVPDs are selected for EEO audits.
ViacomCBS and Gray Television signed a multiyear agreement renewing Gray's 47 CBS network affiliations, the station group said Tuesday. Gray said the agreement has its CBS affiliates continue to be locally available to subscribers on Paramount+ and distributed across virtual MVPD platforms.
Signs are strong that releasing feature films through “an exclusive theatrical window remains the best approach to maximize profitability for content producers,” said National CineMedia CEO Tom Lesinski on a Q3 investor call Monday. NCM bills itself as the largest cinema advertising network in the U.S. Amid the “significant” revenue lost to streaming piracy, “it has become increasingly clear that studios are leaving money on the table with their day-to-day streaming strategies,” said the former Warner Home Entertainment executive. “These realities may underlie recent announcements by all major studios that they will maintain or reconsider an exclusive cinema release window for most, if not all, their films in 2022.” Lesinski also sees signs that “some of the new non-studio streaming services will start to consider theatric release for some of their productions,” he said. “With audiences returning to the cinema, the strong 2022 film slate and continued TV ratings challenges, we are very well-positioned to make NCM a larger part of the marketing plans of national brands and local and regional businesses.”