Netflix chairman Reed Hastings joined the board of directors of Anthropic, an AI company whose backers include Amazon. “Anthropic is very optimistic about the AI benefits for humanity, but is also very aware of the economic, social and safety challenges,” Hastings said in a statement. “I’m joining Anthropic’s board because I believe in their approach to AI development, and to help humanity progress.”
Source: Netflix’s Reed Hastings Joins Board of AI Company Anthropic, a Rival to OpenAI
The United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) group is the driving force behind the campaign for the act. It has organized events and petitions urging the NYC council to pass this resolution, highlighting the urgent need for fair compensation in the streaming era. The act has also received support from other labor and music advocacy organizations, which reflects their broad concern over the economic precarity introduced with the advent of AI.
Source: NYC Council Set to Vote on Living Wage for Musicians Act
According to YouTube’s latest ‘Copyright Transparency Report’ the company had paid out $12bn of ad revenue to rightsholders as of December 2024 from content claimed and monetised through Content ID. That is up from more than $9bn at the end of 2023, suggesting Content ID payouts of $3bn last year. Bear in mind this isn’t all for music rightsholders: Content ID is also used by film studios, games companies and other media and entertainment rightsholders.
Source: YouTube’s Content ID payouts to rightsholders have passed $12bn
Intercept Music says it’s secured $50 million to invest in U.S. and Latin song rights under a ‘private partnership.’ “This is more than just a funding deal—it’s a commitment to restructuring music rights management,” Intercept CEO Tod Turner elaborated. “This partnership is a significant endorsement of our platform and strategy allowing us to combine capital with cutting-edge technology to unlock more value for artists, songwriters, and catalog owners.”
Source: Intercept Music Announces $50 Million Catalog Partnership
A coalition of entertainment unions, joined by the Motion Picture Association, urged President Trump on Monday to support tax deductions that benefit the entertainment industry. The unions organized a joint letter to Trump, which was also signed by two of Trump’s three “special ambassadors” to the industry, Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone.
Source: Unions and MPA Urge Trump to Back Hollywood Tax Deductions
President Trump’s initial proposal to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-produced films was met with bafflement and horror in Hollywood. But for lawmakers who represent film industry workers, it looked like an opportunity. “I would like to refocus the conversation around a national film tax credit,” said Rep. Laura Friedman, a Democrat from Burbank. “We know this works.”
Source: Could Trump’s Movie Tariff Add Momentum for Federal Filming Incentive?
The executives argued on the call that many films are still shot in the U.S, including in such production hotspots as Georgia, New Jersey, and New York that offer generous production incentives, according to three people with knowledge of the discussion. They hope that they can convince the president that the problem of runaway production mostly impacts the state of California, which does not offer the same level of subsidies as other states.
Source: Hollywood Studios Strategize on How to Handle Trump Tariff Threats at MPA Special Meeting
Despite all the glamour that makes Cannes such a singular experience, there’s palpable anxiety as the festival gets ready to kick off its 78th edition. Many executives fear that Trump’s tariffs will jeopardize their businesses. There’s widespread confusion about how the tariffs on foreign-made films would be administered. If they do go into effect, they threaten to unravel a network of foreign subsidies that studios and indies rely on to finance their movies.
Source: How Trump’s Tariffs Could Derail the Cannes Film Festival
With Hollywood reeling from the potential cataclysmic effects of Donald Trump‘s calls for 100 percent tariffs on non-U.S. produced movies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom sprung into action on Monday evening, proposing a team up with the White House on a $7.5 billion federal film tax credit scheme to provide relief to the entertainment industry.
A new report from Ernst & Young suggests that artificial intelligence could bring measurable financial benefits to the media and entertainment industry, predicting a 10% increase in revenue and a 15% decrease in operational costs for companies that adopt the technology strategically. With content demands growing across streaming, digital platforms, and global markets, the findings come at a moment when studios are seeking ways to scale output without scaling overhead.
Source: AI Adoption Projected to Boost Media Industry Revenue by 10% — AI In Hollywood