YouTube Moves to Block Netflix’s Creator Strategy - YouTube is reportedly offering multimillion-dollar exclusivity and financing deals to top creators as competition intensifies with Netflix for premium digital talent.
Prime Video Commits US$2 Billion to Latin American Content - Amazon plans to invest more than US$2 billion in local content and sports rights across Latin America through 2030, signalling a major expansion in the region.
Netflix and AMC Studios Form First Co-Production Partnership - Netflix has entered its first major co-production arrangement with AMC Studios, beginning with the spy drama Bannerman.
Disney Ramps Up Efforts to Win Gen Alpha - Disney is expanding franchises, creator partnerships and youth-focused content strategies to compete more aggressively with YouTube for younger audiences.
Charter Completes US$34.5 Billion Cox Merger - The merger creates the largest US internet and video provider by subscriber base and reshapes the American media and telecommunications landscape.
Nielsen Overhauls Audience Measurement for the Streaming Era - New wearable-based technology and upgraded viewing metrics aim to improve streaming audience measurement and co-viewing accuracy.
Lithuania Repositions Itself as a Contemporary Production Hub - Lithuania is promoting its modern locations, skilled crews and tax incentives to attract more international productions beyond period dramas.
Amazon’s YA “Secret Sauce”: Mercedes Ron Builds an 11-Project Adaptation Empire Inside Prime Video - Following the success of the Culpables franchise, Mercedes Ron now anchors an 11-title adaptation slate helping drive Prime Video’s global young adult strategy.
Argentina’s Plim Plim Surpasses 78.5 Billion YouTube Views - The preschool brand’s extraordinary global reach highlights the growing power of digital-first children’s entertainment.
Nordic Producers Warn the Film and TV Business Model Is Becoming Unsustainable - Producers across the Nordic region say rising costs, industry consolidation and competition from digital platforms are placing unprecedented pressure on the sector.
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Kevin Walker and Jack Auen’s docufiction feature Chronovisor, a Rotterdam and New Directors/New Films selection, explores Vatican conspiracy lore through a scholar who unravels claims about an occult device that can display the past. Shot on 16mm and steeped in archival research, the film follows academic Béatrice (Anne‑Laure Sellier) into hidden libraries and unsettling revelations as her obsession deepens. Distributed by Grasshopper Film, Chronovisor opens Sept. 4 at Film at Lincoln Center before expanding nationally. Read More
Slovenian producer Danijel Hočevar is among the busiest at Sarajevo Film Festival. Through Vertigo Films, run with Katja Lenarčič and Zala Opara, he has six titles at the festival and two CineLink projects. Three are majority Slovenian: Urša Menart’s Everything That’s Wrong With You world premieres in competition, Metod Pevec’s When I Get Out in documentary competition, and Miha Hočevar’s Icelandic co-production Hidden People in Open Air Premieres. Read More
Lithuanian location manager Jonas Špokas says the country is working to expand its reputation beyond Soviet-era and East Berlin period productions by showcasing its growing range of contemporary urban locations. While scouting for Sky and Left Bank Pictures’ upcoming The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, Špokas highlighted Vilnius’ modern business districts, luxury interiors and Scandinavian-style architecture as strong doubles for Sweden. Lithuania’s 30% production incentive, experienced crews and established studio infrastructure continue to attract international productions, while recent projects such as the BBC spy thriller Honey demonstrate the country’s strength in both historical and modern settings. According to Špokas, the next challenge is convincing producers that Lithuania can offer not only period authenticity but also compelling contemporary European locations. Read More
Aspiring filmmakers once had to pitch, wait and seek permission. Now creatives are bypassing that route, taking ideas straight to audiences via YouTube and social platforms. Coming-of-age series Higher Learning, which follows young women navigating friendship, ambition, and identity, exemplifies the shift. Creators can build proof of concept and audiences before approaching traditional industry, experimenting with tone and format in ways commissioning models rarely allow. Read More
AnimEigo and MediaOCD have released a new episode of The Anime Business featuring veteran producer Toshifumi Yoshida, whose 30‑plus‑year career spans English‑language versions of Ranma ½, Inuyasha, Gurren Lagann and Pokémon. Yoshida recounts entering the U.S. anime industry in the 1990s, his pivotal years at VIZ Media, his later work at Bandai, and his current role at The Pokémon Company International. Hosted by Justin Sevakis, the series spotlights key figures who shaped North American anime and manga. Read More
For Jonathan de Jong, documentary begins with people. After Human Forever, his dementia feature now screened in over 30 countries, he’s preparing A Girl Like Rose, filmed across five and a half years with Rose and her mother. Rejecting narratives centred on loss, he spent over 150 days shooting Human Forever, plus time away from the camera, an investment he believes lets vulnerable moments emerge naturally. Read More
Spiritum Entertainment founder Guillermo Pino joined Spanish producer Víctor López and Santiago Siri on Urbana Play’s “Todo Pasa” to discuss Plim Plim‘s global growth, AI’s integration into animation, and new IP Bumpy the Bear. The Argentine preschool property has surpassed 78.5 billion historical YouTube views, draws roughly two billion monthly, and counts over 47 million subscribers. The full interview is on Urbana Play’s YouTube channel. Read More
Christophe Goldberger, GoldBee’s managing director, says the Spanish distributor’s tie-up with Amuse Animation began around financing a premium longform strategy. It pairs series drawn from Amuse’s digital brands, Super Truck, with over 10 billion global views, and AnimaCars, above 2.5 billion, with originals like Red – Tales of Friendship. Development draws on audience data from more than 250 localised channels across 27 languages. Read More
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Dan Salerno’s latest analysis spotlights TLC’s 399 new hours of programming in 2025, up from 394 in 2024, underscoring the network’s continued scale within WBD’s legacy portfolio. He breaks down TLC’s shift toward series‑driven commissioning, the enduring strength of the 90 Day franchise, and opportunities for producers in both the US and UK. Salerno notes rising viewer interest in character‑driven formats and “extraordinary people and cultures,” reinforcing TLC’s accessibility for qualified producers. Read More
In a tough theatrical market, producers behind the Nordics’ biggest documentary hits credit local stories and word of mouth. Elisabeth Kleppe of Bergen’s Aldeles AS drew 111,000 Norwegian admissions for Seasiders (Havfolket), an archive film on coastal communities released by Norsk Film Distribution in January. Kleppe says targeting home audiences beats chasing international sales, given fierce competition and Norway’s solid funding system. Read More
Film and TV producers face mounting stress, unemployment and financial risk. Producers told Nordisk Film & TV Fond that the streaming boom, pandemic and competition from YouTube and TikTok have worsened conditions, with commissioners demanding more for less. Emil Wiklund, CEO of Sweden’s Unlimited Stories, calls it a perfect storm, citing bankruptcies and mergers. Yet many still describe it as the best job in the world. Read More
Veterinarian Katja Hawliczek has worked with animals on film sets for nearly 30 years, most recently on ZDF series Sheep, about sheep who believe they rule the world until one learns the truth. Asked whether sheep or star actors are harder to direct, she says it depends on requirements; there are no bad actors, only difficult situations. The workload, long shooting days and physical demands proved toughest. Read More
As Outer Banks concludes, Netflix star Madelyn Cline is making a major move into films with Judd Apatow’s The Comeback King alongside Glen Powell and Day Drinker with Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz. Cline, who became a breakout sensation during the pandemic, is now aiming to prove she can translate streaming fame into movie stardom. Directors and collaborators praise her dramatic range, with Day Drinker positioning her at the emotional centre of the high-profile thriller. Read More
Pepa Ljubojacki’s intimate documentary If Pigeons Turned to Gold is the Czech Republic’s international feature submission for the 2027 Oscars, the Czech Film and Television Academy announced Wednesday. The director spent five years following her brother and two cousins as addiction eroded their relationships, homes and sense of safety. Using DIY aesthetics, she blends diary footage, stylised memories, live photos and graphic collages without sentimentality. Read More
Pakistani streamer Begin is expanding its subscription business by combining premium international sports, local entertainment and flexible payment options tailored to underserved audiences. CEO Jonathan Mark Tatti says the platform is using telecom partnerships, mobile-wallet payments and bundled offers to reach consumers in a market with low credit card usage. Recent moves include securing Serie A rights and a Samsung TV partnership, while local productions such as Pakistan Idol help drive engagement and long-term subscriber retention. Read More
No modern media property captures New York’s chaotic joy better than SubwayTakes. Kareem Rahma’s man-on-the-train interviews celebrate the city’s eclectic characters and public transit while giving a platform to the 21st century’s definitive art form: the hot take. With guests ranging from Jennifer Lopez and Ethan Hawke to Rahma’s not-yet-famous friends, the show proves strong opinions, and the will to defend them, are universal. Read More
Disney Kids & Family is escalating its fight for Gen Alpha as YouTube and social video increasingly dominate young viewers’ attention. Led by Ayo Davis and overseen by Debra OConnell, the division is minting new stars, rebooting legacy IP and expanding franchises, including a surprise Kingdom Hearts anime adaptation. DKF now programs from preschool to tweens, leaning on Imagineering, live events, and creator‑driven talent while developing “edgier” takes on classics like Tinker Bell to keep kids within Disney’s ecosystem. Read More
YouTube is offering multi‑million‑dollar deals to top creators in exchange for uploading videos exclusively to YouTube for a set window, aiming to blunt Netflix’s pursuit of digital talent. The platform is discussing direct financing for select programs and the allocation of portions of major brand deals to creators. While no agreements are finalised, YouTube is close to securing several partners as CEO Neal Mohan works to keep its biggest stars from dual‑releasing on Netflix. Read More
Nielsen is rolling out new upgrades to its audience‑measurement system on Aug. 31, leaning more heavily on PPM wearables that panellists use at home to capture audio signatures from TV and streaming content. The move aims to improve co‑viewing accuracy as streaming fragments traditional measurement. Nielsen is also updating its DASH‑based device‑sharing estimates, expanding surveys to better represent Spanish‑speaking households, and refining machine‑learning tools that assess household demographics for fall‑season reporting. Read More
As young filmmakers like Curry Barker (Obsession) and Kane Parsons (Backrooms) rise from YouTube to major box‑office success, film‑school leaders argue their programs now offer something different: structured craft training, industry access and space to fail safely. While technical lessons are widely available online, deans say conservatory‑style MFAs still accelerate careers in fields like cinematography, editing and production design. Despite rising costs, applications remain strong as schools adapt to an internet‑native generation. Read More
Prime Video’s YA boom is being powered by Mercedes Ron, whose Culpables franchise delivered the streamer’s biggest non‑English launch and now fuels an 11‑title adaptation slate under her new first‑look deal with Amazon MGM Studios. Ron, dubbed Prime’s “secret sauce,” oversees scripts, casting and a growing House of Ron while struggling to find time to write new novels. Her global success is pushing Amazon toward bigger YA budgets, English‑language remakes and Hollywood‑level production ambitions. Read More
TikTok could be building direct payments into its app, citing code hidden in the current US iPhone version pointing to a “tap to accept” feature within DMs. A TikTok spokesperson said no such feature is currently being tested, suggesting it is in early-stage development. TikTok Pay, which would power the service, is presently available only in Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. Read More
The strategic deal that could reshape how premium television gets financed and produced
Why industry observers are watching a major regional content investment with unusual interest
The executive appointments that signal bigger shifts happening behind the scenes
Which upcoming projects are generating the strongest buyer and distributor buzz
The market trends emerging from this week’s development, dealmaking and commissioning activity
Where new growth opportunities are appearing across production, streaming and distribution
Plus: our analysis of what today’s headlines mean for the business tomorrow
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