Hollywood on the Brink: Sex Scandals, Lies, Money & Fear

There’s certainly no love lost here for shamed film producer Harvey Weinstein or his ilk, and there’s zero excuses for his behavior towards women, colleagues, staff and talent.  The recent spate of scandals coming out of Hollywood involving the past sexual assaults and offenses of both high and low-profile executives and creative talent are odd only in the sense of their volume, timing and seemingly coordinated effort.  Yet *where* was the weight of such a coordinated national effort – which apparently involves the mainstream media, law enforcement and even government – in years or decades past?  Why now?  Is it because these violators have been behaving badly at an unprecedented rate and the knowing public can’t take it anymore?  Or could it be because there are subtler political and economic reasons involving Hollywood’s abominable economic performance as of late, which presumably needs punishing by the ruling corporate Elite Establishment?  An Establishment which could veritably be indirectly exploiting populist causes – namely, women’s and children’s rights – to send firm messages to an industry to ‘up its numbers’?
In this latest episode of Money and Fear, we’ll look at the public lambasting of the Harveys of the world against Hollywood’s recent and near-historical box office angst, as well as the further digital challenges to film studio business models in general.  Tune in, and as Public Enemy proclaimed, “Don’t Believe the Hype” …
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Show Notes
US box office suffers worst weekend in 16 years as Hollywood's bleak summer continues
Even superheroes may not be able to save Hollywood’s desperate summer
Time to Panic: Inside the Movie Business’ Summer of Hell
What Caused Hollywood's Summer From Hell? The blame for the industry’s horrendous last few months lies with a decades-long shift in the economics of making movies
Summer Box Office Officially Worst in Over a Decade
Hollywood Is About to Post Its Worst Summer Box Office in Recent Memory
This is Hollywood’s worst summer at the box office in more than a decade
Harvey Weinstein Leaves His Company With A Mixed Box Office Legacy
Summer Box Office Suffers Historic Decline in U.S.
A Fox & Disney Merger Could Mean Bad Things For Netflix
Top Exhibitor AMC Reports Q3 Weakness Amid Studio Merger Talk
As China cools on Hollywood, the movie business looks closer to home for money
21st Century Fox Has Held Merger Talks With Disney—Reports
Media Business Binge-Watches Mega-Merger Drama, Wondering What’s Next
FCC Ends Rule Requiring Broadcasters to Have a Local Studio
Jeff Sessions ducks questions about White House influence on AT&T-Time Warner merger
What Hollywood Can Teach Us About the Future of Work
Discretionary spending to be hit hardest as households cut their spending - There are concerns about just how hard discretionary spending will be hit if there is a dip in the property market
Consumer spending growth slows as rising inflation hits Americans' purchasing power
‘Wolf Warrior II’s’ Massive Success Forces Studios to Rethink China Approach
Texts
Adventures In the Screen Trade by William Goldman
The CIA In Hollywood:  How the Agency Shapes Film and Television by Tricia Jenkins
Spooked:  How the CIA Manipulates the Media and Hoodwinks Hollywood by Nicholas Schou
The Debt Trap:  How leverage affects private equity performance by Sebastien Canderle
Private Equity at Work:  When Wall Street Manages Main Street by Appelbaum and Batt
*For additional footnotes and links refer to the Newsbud article link above