Disney is facing legal trouble from their shareholders because it turns out capitulating to fascists is bad for business

Therese Odell

8 months ago

Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News

Amazon has settled a lawsuit brought against them by the FTC alleging they tricked users into enrolling in automatically renewing memberships and impeded their ability to cancel their subscriptions. They settled for $2.5 billion.

HOLD UP: Alien: Earth hasn’t been renewed already? I keep track of that kind of thing, and am just now realizing that there’s no guarantee that one of the best shows of the year will be returning. Y’ALL BETTER RENEW IT, FX.

Hey! Want to ruin your life? Apply here!

MSNBC’s new version of itself, MSNOW, will partner with Sky News for international coverage.

Priscilla Presley out here telling us what we already knew.

John Mulaney will play Chicago’s Wrigley Field on his “Mister Whatever” tour next summer.

After missing last week, South Park was back last night and came for Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and this month’s villain, Brendan Carr, head of the FCC.

View on Threads

A whole bunch of people watched Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue on Tuesday night, exactly, I’m sure, what the administration intended when they picked this dumb fight.

And now Vice President Eyeliner is trying to claim that Brendan Carr was just making a little “joke.”

How long will Sinclair’s and Nexstar’s boycott of Jimmy Kimmel Live! last? It’s unclear, but from the sound of it, at this point, they have a lot more to lose than Disney and ABC.

… if Disney secured no new affiliate deals in those markets, it could still reach the entire U.S. with its content via its streaming services and cable networks. It would be a disruptive action for Disney and ABC to take, upending the way the broadcast TV biz has worked since its inception, and not its preferred option. But traditional TV has been slowly shrinking for years. And Disney could drive more revenue to its streaming services (Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited), which could potentially have 100% of ABC programming, helping to offset the “already modest impact” of any loss of linear television, the analyst adds.

In stark contrast, Dolgin says, Nexstar and Sinclair’s sales “are almost completely dependent on broadcast-affiliated linear television programming, so maintaining affiliation is existential.” In 2024, ABC affiliates accounted for 27% of Sinclair’s total advertising revenue. Nexstar doesn’t disclose revenue by network affiliation, but 19% of its “Big Four” affiliations (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC) are with ABC.

Disney’s CEO Bob Iger is getting an earful this week. He is hearing from employees who want him to do better at defending journalists and the company itself from government attacks; and from shareholders who are threatening legal action, who say, “There is a credible basis to suspect that the Board and executives may have breached their fiduciary duties of loyalty, care, and good faith by placing improper political or affiliate considerations above the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.” You know, since this little stunt cost the company some $4 billion in market value last week. Good. I hope this gives other CEOs a bit of pause before they cater to this dumb fascist President in the future.

The White House keeps attacking The View and Joy Behar in particular. Keep it up, guys! It worked so well last time!

And while we’re on the topic, first of all, to all of those on the Right who hate The View, I hate to break it to you, but it’s not going anywhere, quit making up weird fantasies that it’s been cancelled or Whoppi and Joy have been fired. And secondly, despite the White House claiming “low ratings,” The View “saw the largest year-over-year gains across daytime broadcast in the demos.”

Meanwhile, someone needs to tell Fox News that the “domestic terrorism” call is coming from inside the house.

A New Jersey PBS station is closing because of these Republican losers.

Feel better, William Shatner!

In Development

Down by the River is being adapted into a series at AMC.
Cover-Up, a documentary about Seymour Hersh, has been acquired by Netflix.
Take a Banana for the Ride has been ordered at Netflix.
Terry McMillan Presents: Preach, Pray, Love has been greenlit at Lifetime.
Roku Presents: The Laguna Beach Reunion has been ordered at Roku.
Surf’s Up: The Series is in development.

Casting News

Jay Ellis has been cast in Not Suitable for Work at Hulu.
Millie Bobby Brown will star in Perfect as Kerri Strug. It’s likely to land at Netflix.
Elisha Cuthbert has joined Every Year After on Prime Video.
David Ajala is joining Law & Order on NBC.
Jimmi Simpson is joining The Walking Dead: Dead City on AMC.
Kristoffer Polaha has joined American Hostage on MGM+.
June Squibb will host Killer Grannies on Oxygen.
Tyra Banks will guest star on Bel-Air on Peacock.
Ashley Jones is returning to The Bold and the Beautiful on CBS.

Mark Your Calendars

Tracker returns on CBS on October 19.

Sheriff Country debuts on CBS on October 17.

Nobody Wants This returns on Netflix on October 23.

Loot returns on Apple TV+ on October 15.

A House of Dynamite will premiere on Netflix on October 24.

Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost will debut on Apple TV+ on October 24.

Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia will debut on Netflix on October 22.

Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars premieres on Netflix on October 1o.

V/H/S/Halloween will premiere on Shudder on October 3.

Obituary will return on Hulu soon.

In Your Dreams premieres on Netflix on November 14.

Inside Furioza will debut on Netflix on October 15.

Eli Manning Presents: The Undercovers returns today on Prime Video.
The Hunt will premiere on Apple TV+ on December 3.

R.I.P.

Bob Broder, Chuck Lorre Productions chief and talent agent

Diane Martel, Video music director who directed “Genie in a Bottle,” “Blurred Lines,” and many others

Laura Offer, British TV showrunner

Guy Crossman, British TV editor

Ben Scripps, Jeopardy! two-day champion

Henry Jaglom, Filmmaker

WATCH THIS

Hell’s Kitchen: “Battle of the States” — 50 competitors from every state will be whittled down to a top 20 in the season premiere. 7 p.m., Fox

Law & Order: Brady’s team investigates the death of an exonerated murder suspect. Season premiere. 7 p.m., NBC

Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?: Will this be Jimmy Kimmel’s last appearance on ABC? I’m writing this on the weekend, so this might not age well, who can say? Season finale. 7 p.m., ABC

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The squad investigates a suspect for rape and tries to keep a key witness safe in the season premiere. 8 p.m., NBC

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test: Your celebrity recruits will train in Morocco and endure a simulation of urban warfare. Season premiere. 8 p.m., Fox

The Amazing Race: 13 Big Brother contestants compete this season. Season premiere. 8:30 p.m., CBS

Wayward: Toni Collette stars as the head of a school for local teens that might not be what it appears to be. Series premiere. Netflix

House of Guinness: The story of the Guinness family — as in the beer — but make it Succession. Series premiere. Netflix

English Teacher: Three-episode season two premiere. FX

Cocaine Quarterback: Signal-Caller for the Cartel: This docuseries follows the story of Owen Hanson, member of the National Championship-winning USC football team who became a cocaine kingpin for a dangerous cartel. Series premiere. Hulu