Hollywood Breakdown

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China beckons. Will Hollywood heed the call? Oct 20, 2016

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The Chinese company Dalian Wanda Group wants filmmakers to come to their massive studio in China, and offering them a 40% production rebate to do so.

Negotiating Billy Bush's exit from NBC Oct 13, 2016

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After leaked footage with Donald Trump making lewd statements about women to former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush came to light, Bush's future at NBC now comes into question. He's hired a fierce litigator and his departure may not be as amicable as once thought.

Embroiled in controversy, 'The Birth of a Nation' opens Oct 06, 2016

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The Birth of a Nation made history with a record-breaking sale at Sundance. But acquitted rape charges from director and star Nate Parker's past have cast a cloud over the film.

Will there be wedding bells for CBS and Viacom? Sep 29, 2016

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National Amusements, mogul Sumner Redstone's holding company, published a letter it sent to both Viacom and CBS urging the companies to merge back together. It's been a decade since the two media companies first split apart into separate entities.

Upcoming debate expected to bring in huge ratings Sep 22, 2016

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As the first presidential debate approaches, networks are nervous about how best to prepare their moderators in a year where Donald Trump has been determined to make his perceived treatment by the media part of his campaigning process.

The high cost of ending the Roger Ailes era at Fox News Sep 08, 2016

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Earlier this week, news of Gretchen Carlson's $20 million settlement with Fox arrived the same day Greta Van Susteren announced she was leaving. Now that Ailes is gone, it's possible that even more on-air talent will follow.

The summer of "sequel-itis" and beginning of awards season Sep 01, 2016

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As Labor Day weekend approaches, the summer box office officially wraps up and attention moves to upcoming film festivals.

Following 'Ben-Hur' disaster, the pressure's on at Paramount Aug 25, 2016

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The very expensive remake of Ben-Hur grossed just $11.2 million its debut weekend. That puts Paramount CEO Brad Grey in a tough spot. He needs to turn the studio around following a string of flops.

Director Nate Parker mired in resurfaced rape claims Aug 18, 2016

Show notes

The Birth of a Nation, written, directed and starring Nate Parker, made Sundance history when it sold to Fox Searchlight for $17.5 million. Moving towards awards season, Parker is under scrutiny around the reemergence of an alleged rape that happened while he was in college. Both Parker and his co-writer were tried and eventually acquitted, but that hasn't made the situation go away, especially since it's recently come to light that the woman pressing charges died by suicide in 2012.

Peak TV hasn't peaked yet Aug 11, 2016

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As the Television Critics Association summer press tour wraps up, one thing is clear -- the amount of new TV coming down the pike isn't slowing any time soon. FX's John Landgraf coined the term "Peak TV" at last year's press tour. This year, he spoke again, saying that Peak TV is still happening, and that the bubble won't burst for at least a couple more years.

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