U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge has given preliminary approval for $8 million in debtor-in-possession funding for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE), owner of Redbox Entertainment. The loan aims to pay the company's 1,000 employees and avoid immediate harm to…

Tubi, owned by Fox, has become the fifth largest streaming company in the U.S. by minutes watched, surpassing major competitors like Max and Paramount+. This growth is fueled by the rising trend in free ad-supported streaming, with Tubi seeing its…

Discovery and AT&T’s 2022 merger of Warner Bros. for $43 billion faced a shareholder lawsuit over fairness. A $125 million settlement has now been reached. AT&T holds 71% ownership of Warner Bros. Discovery, with Discovery owning 29%, and Discovery's leadership…

Paramount and Skydance have announced a merger, with Skydance acquiring the Redstone family's majority control of Paramount for $1.75 billion. This deal, pending regulatory approval and a 45-day window for other bids, will give Skydance control over CBS, Paramount+, BET,…

VIDAA-powered smart TVs, primarily manufactured by Hisense, reached a record 2.34 billion hours of content watched in June 2024, nearly double the hours from June 2023. CEO Guy Edri highlighted that about half of the streaming occurred through native apps…

Redbox technicians faced a sudden work stoppage in June due to severe financial troubles. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, which acquired Redbox in 2022, filed for bankruptcy with nearly $1 billion in debt. Issues include unpaid payroll, lapsed health…

TikTok has launched its app on whaleOS 3-powered TVs, allowing users to watch short-form videos on their living room screens. This development, announced by whaleOS 3, expands TikTok's reach beyond mobile devices, offering personalized feeds and random video selections on…

Future of TV Briefing recaps the top stories from the first six months of 2024. Significant developments include Amazon Prime Video's launch of an ad-supported tier, ongoing Paramount merger talks, and the introduction of OpenAI’s Sora AI tool. The industry…

Skydance Media, led by David Ellison, has reached a preliminary $1.75 billion agreement with National Amusements to acquire a majority stake in Paramount Global. The deal, pending a special committee's approval, includes a 45-day window for counter offers and doesn't…

EverPass Media, a joint venture by the NFL and RedBird Capital, acquired UPshow, allowing its customers to stream NFL Sunday Ticket starting in the 2024 season. This move enhances EverPass's content library and out-of-home viewing experience. The acquisition follows Sunday…