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How to watch the Tennessee governor's forum, and who's attending
“This is the first time in eight years Tennessee voters will elect a new governor and it’s important the public hear from the major candidates.\
Nicki Minaj pledges to support Donald Trump again during Michigan Republican campaign rally
Nicki Minaj told President Donald Trump she would support him forever at a Michigan rally backing Mike Rogers and John James in the midterms.
ILLIT puts love under arrest with new EP 'Break Even'
ILLIT brings its new album to life with a performance of 'You're Under Arrest' at a media showcase in Seoul.
Fabarta Unveils Major Upgrade to Its AI for Science Platform, Named Among Inaugural "Hong Kong Top Talent Ecosystem Partners" Ahead of Hong Kong FinTech Week
PR Newswire | Powered by the upgraded RSI engine, the platform unifi
Younha ends C9 Entertainment contract over unpaid earnings
Youngha's exclusive contract with C9 Entertainment was terminated on Sept. 14. The singer has also filed a lawsuit to recover her unpaid earnings and intends to resolve the remaining issues through legal proceedings.
Derrick Harriott shaped and preserved our music
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange has said that, with the death of Derrick Clifton Harriott, Jamaica, sadly, has lost another of the icons who helped to shape the trajectory and reach of the country’s musical genres. Derrick Harriott was a producer, singer, and record distributor who contributed to the development of the ska, rocksteady and reggae genres. He died Saturday morning. He was 87 years old.
The Rise of Independent Voters Is Reshaping American Politics
In this Fulcrum Roundtable discussion, Jeremy Gruber of Open Primaries explains why voters are leaving the major parties, how closed primaries limit participation, and what reforms could expand representation for nearly half the country.
US has plans for major Iran strikes if Trump chooses
US forces in the Middle East are prepared to launch new, potentially major, military operations against Iran “within 96 hours of receiving” an order from President Donald Trump, according to two US officials.
LAFC clinch Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs spot
By MLSsoccer staffLAFC have qualified for the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs, clinching their spot following a 2-2 draw vs. arch-rivals LA Galaxy on Sunday.With two regular-season matches left, the Black ...
🎥 Drama galore as LAFC and Galaxy finish level
There were major fireworks in Los Angeles as the city's two bitter rivals, LAFC and LA Galaxy finished level in a crucial MLS showdown. The Galaxy had a two-goal lead in the second half and looked w...
Wizards rule out AJ Dybantsa for fourth-straight match
The NBA world will have to wait another night to see AJ Dybantsa's NBA debut.
Donald Trump praises Nicki Minaj’s ‘beautiful ass’ during rally speech: ‘It’s hard to miss’
Donald Trump made a lewd comment at the lectern while speaking at a Michigan rally about the anatomy of one of his strongest supporters, Nicki Minaj.
What’s going on with AJ Dybantsa’s ankle injury?
The Washington Wizards have started off playing well this season, and they’ve done so without the No. 1 overall pick. AJ Dybantsa hasn’t made his NBA debut yet as he deals with an ankle injury, and it looks like he’ll have to keep waiting after the latest update on his status, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. “AJ Dybantsa will remain […] The post What’s going on with AJ Dybantsa’s ankle injury? appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Xbox console users will receive 50 games from October 26 to 31.
From October 26th to 31st, the Xbox ecosystem and Xbox PC service will receive a major expansion of their catalog, including the release of 50 new games for...
After testing all major mobile browsers, this one finally earned my default spot
Looking beyond Chrome paid off with the best browser experience
WHO chief praises Korea's role in global health, vaccines and pandemic preparedness
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Korea's training hub and AI expertise can strengthen global health security and pandemic preparedness.
Kurt Warner Addresses Major Gaffe During Steelers Win vs. Saints
Kurt Warner knows Jaylen Warren’s name even better now. The former St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals quarterback, who offered […]
Rep. Carbajal Meets with Cottage Health’s Head Honchos in Santa Barbara as They Brace for ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts
Trump’s bill expected to leave close to 40,000 Central Coast residents without health coverage, another 37,000 with higher premiums, and a roughly $40 million initial impact on Cottage.
NZ’s hidden chronic health burden is even bigger than we thought
New research reveals a major gap in how chronic illness is measured, with implications for planning and funding healthcare in New Zealand.
Dodgers’ De Paula Faces Key Defensive Test
Josue De Paula impressed the Los Angeles Dodgers with his bat during his major-league debut. Can he do the same with his defense?
Windows 11 is apparently so bad that XBOX would rather cancel hardware than be forced to use the OS
A reported clash between Microsoft's XBOX and Windows teams suggests Windows 11's desktop may no longer be the foundation for Project Helix.
Senate rivals seek support from Alaska Native voters
The major candidates in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race are both casting themselves as strong voices on Alaska Native issues as they seek support from the key constituency ahead of the Nov. 3 election
California election officials frustrated, rattled by DOJ demand to sequester 'noncitizen' ballots
The administration has insisted that immigrants voting is a major problem nationwide, when in fact it is quite rare, as even its own investigations have shown.
A simple liquid can stop cavities without drilling, major study confirms
A simple liquid painted onto teeth in seconds can stop cavities without drilling, injections, or anesthesia, according to a major clinical trial involving young children. The inexpensive treatment could spare thousands of children painful dental procedures and surgery while paving the way for broader FDA-approved use.
Scientists overcome a hidden obstacle to more powerful quantum computers
Scientists have discovered a way to operate multiple silicon qubits simultaneously with remarkable accuracy, overcoming a major challenge in scaling up quantum computers. Their new technique maintained accuracy of approximately 99.9% even when all five qubits were running at once, opening the door to larger and more powerful quantum processors.
Scientists reveal the hidden danger of missing blood pressure medication
Missing blood pressure medication could mean losing much of its protection against heart attacks and strokes, according to an analysis of more than 91,000 people. Patients who consistently took their medication experienced an 11% reduction in major cardiovascular events, while those who missed too many doses saw little or no measurable benefit.
Just two drinks a day may be far riskier than you think
A major new study reveals that drinking just two alcoholic beverages a day is associated with a 1 in 25 lifetime risk of death from alcohol-related causes, challenging the idea that moderate drinking is harmless. Researchers also found no significant overall health benefits from alcohol, with risks rising as consumption increases.
Just two drinks a day may be far riskier than you think
A major new study reveals that drinking just two alcoholic beverages a day is associated with a 1 in 25 lifetime risk of death from alcohol-related causes, challenging the idea that moderate drinking is harmless. Researchers also found no significant overall health benefits from alcohol, with risks rising as consumption increases.
Real Madrid rocked by Thibaut Courtois INJURY BLOW just hours before El Clasico showdown with Barcelona
Real Madrid have suffered a major setback ahead of their crucial Clasico showdown against Barcelona after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was ruled out through illness. His late withdrawal forces the club to rely on deputy Andriy Lunin for the vital Liga fixture at Camp Nou.
Health Experts Reveal The 1 Thing They Wish Their Older Patients Would Do
Here are a few small ways to do yourself some major favors, from pros like cardiologists and nutritionists.
Marcos Leonardo Opens Up On A Difficult Start At Ajax
Following Ajax's win against Atalanta, Marcos Leonardo spoke about a difficult start at Ajax.
UCLA’s perfect start has one glaring flaw it must fix soon
Bob Chesney has made UCLA the second-half darlings of college football, but the Bruins must address their slow starts if they hope to reach the playoff.
Juventus is limiting one of their best players
Kerim Alajbegovic was expected to receive considerably more playing time following Kenan Yildiz’s injury, which is set to keep the attacker out of action until the end of 2026. However, things have ...
Untreated sewage contaminates San Juan River as floodwaters threaten public health
Untreated sewage has entered the flooded San Juan River, Navajo Nation officials said Saturday, warning that contamination could remain long after the water recedes.
Economic woes transform the Midwest into a massive midterms battleground
Democrats could be poised for a revival in the heartland, as furor over high costs and doubt about President Donald Trump’s willingness to change the nation’s trajectory threaten to loosen the GOP’s grip on working-class voters.
Bruins vs. Sharks Takeaways: Boston Rallies for 6-4 Win
Boston erupted for four goals in the third period to secure a comeback win over San Jose. David Pastrnak reached a major franchise milestone as the Bruins extended their point streak to eight games.
Evander hits Messi-esque levels of production for FC Cincinnati
By Jaime UribarriIs Evander the best player in Major League Soccer not named Lionel Messi?FC Cincinnati’s All-Star Brazilian playmaker has looked the part throughout his MLS career and further stren...
Jordan Mason is back, and the rest of the NFC should be worried
The Minnesota Vikings are getting a major offensive weapon back as running back Jordan Mason returns from injured reserve. With a crucial matchup against the Indianapolis Colts approaching, Mason's return could give Minnesota the boost it needs to keep its unbeaten streak alive.
Jacksonville Jaguars’ Major Offensive Issue After 4-2 Start Revealed
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 4-2 start has been overshadowed by a recurring offensive problem, as penalties continue to erase scoring opportunities and disrupt drives. Costly infractions have prevented the team from maximizing its production, raising concerns about discipline as Jacksonville looks to remain competitive in the AFC. The Jaguars have already had three touchdowns wiped off […] The post Jacksonville Jaguars’ Major Offensive Issue After 4-2 Start Revealed appeared first on Gridiron Heroi
Sullivan, Peltola seek support from Alaska Native voters ahead of crucial Senate race
The major candidates in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race are both casting themselves as strong voices on Alaska Native issues as they seek support from the key constituency ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Sullivan, Peltola seek support from Alaska Native voters ahead of crucial Senate race
The major candidates in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race are both casting themselves as strong voices on Alaska Native issues as they seek support from the key constituency ahead of the Nov. 3 election | WWJ Newsradio 950
Nashville SC aim beyond Supporters’ Shield: “Ready for more"
By Ben WrightMONTRÉAL - Even with the 2026 MLS Supporters' Shield freshly in tow, Nashville SC aren't satisfied. Far from it.In fact, Saturday's 2-0 win at CF Montréal that clinched the second troph...
Scientists Studied 865 Humpback Whales and Found They Grow Faster Than Expected
Despite decades of environmental change and population recovery, eastern Australian humpback whales appear to have maintained their historical adult size. Eastern Australian humpback whales grow at an extraordinary pace, reaching approximately 10.9 meters (35.8 feet) in length by age five. By six or seven years old, they have already attained about 90 percent of their
Barack Obama to rally for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan ahead of key US Senate race
The former Democratic president is showing major support in Detroit for the progressive Michigan candidate in final days before US midterm elections
Google gives Fitbit a major health upgrade with one catch
Some of its most advanced insights require a $9.99 subscription.
Netflix’s Leadership Shake Up…Explained
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Well, I had a simple article planned for this week. Called “Whoa, I Missed It!”, I’d take a gander at a few important-but-under-the-radar stories I didn’t cover while I wrote about all things “Skydance. (Formerly known as “the saga of Netflix trying to buy Warner Bros., but not Discovery, then Paramount-Skydance bought all of Warner Bros. Discovery”.) Alas, that article will have to wait. Netflix made news. Ironically, my “Whoa, I Missed It!” article would have mostly been about “content” strategy decisions, which is also what today’s article is about. But instead of the entire industry, this article will only cover Netflix’s decision to upend their film and TV content teams. Just that! So that’s the full topic of the day. I’m going to tackle the issue in the opposite direction of the way “stuff” flows: uphill. We’ll start at film, then move onto TV, and then onto the CEOs themselves, and the strategy questions that still remain. But we start with the numbers driving this. Let’s dive in. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Netflix Upends Their Corporate Hierarchy I’ve got a lot of thoughts, but we’ll start with the most common response to yesterday’s article. Let’s Talk Stock Price More than one person, responding to what I published two days ago, pointed out that, well, actually, the thing driving Netflix’s actions is this: In short, stock price! Even if Netflix isn’t obsessed with their own share price—they probably are, but, for the record, my strategic advice to every CEO is to absolutely ignore stock prices, which will, ironically, probably help the stock price long-term—most everyone thinks they are. By the way, I prefer market capitalization to stock prices, because it’s a more apples-to-apples way to compare companies: But there’s an even better way to look at it, and it kinda casts some doubt on the entire push here: price-to-earnings. I have a long list of articles that I wish I had written, and chief among them is an article titled, “Am I Still a Netflix ‘Bear’?” meaning someone who thinks Netflix’s stock is overvalued. As of last summer, Netflix had solved their biggest problem—which for me (circa 2019) was the lack of free cash flow—but their stock was CRAZY overvalued. That’s this chart here: Why did Netflix’s stock price increase to a price-to-earnings ratio of 50 last summer? What financial metric changed so quickly? Nothing. Given that, historically, mature entertainment companies average 10 to 20, with 16 being the average, that increase made little sense. Netflix’s stock swoon these last eight or so months wasn’t irrational; the stock price rise last year was. So if you want a really hot Netflix take, here it is: Netflix’s stock price has been going down because the financial industry recovered its senses, not because of any strategic mistake. Yes, that would imply that cleaning house may have been a mistake. That’s why the charts yesterday are so important, because they show that Netflix did have a strategic problem (a lack of hits) and that’s what they moved to address. (One could also argue the industry drastically overrated Netflix’s growth prospects, but that’s a financial industry problem, not a Netflix strategy problem per se. Some growth estimates are just crazy. *cough* AI *cough*) Now, the last time Netflix’s stock price crashed—circa 2022—it gave them an opening. I’d argue Netflix insiders knew they needed to expand post-COVID-19 crisis, adding advertising, cracking down on password sharing, and dabbling in sports. But if they had done that when their stock price was high, it would give folks a reason to second guess their strategy. (Arguably, last year, when Netflix pursued the Warner Bros. merger, it gave the industry a chance to review their business.) Instead, after the 2022 fall, they had the opening to make strategic changes. We may see Netflix pivot again following this latest slide. For example, the “binge versus weekly” conversation is alive and well again. Same for expanding into theaters even more. And adding both linear channels and streaming bundles. And maybe more either social, user-generated, vertical, or creator content. But the first shift came with who is making the content calls. A Message from Our Sponsor Last winter Pulp Fiction was on Netflix. For those same 90 days, it was also free, with ads, on Pluto TV and the Roku Channel. That is not a glitch, and it is not rare. The title has run on 20 different US streaming services since 2019, across 80 separate windows, and for more than 600 of those days it sat on a paid subscription service and a free ad-supported one at the same time. Almost nobody can see this, because when a title leaves a service, the record that it was ever there tends to leave with it. Reelgood keeps that record, dated to the day rather than the month: 4MM+ movie, show and episode titles across 300+ services globally, with timestamped arrivals, departures and moves across SVOD, AVOD, TVOD and vMVPD. Licensing teams price against every prior window. Rights teams check what a licensee actually delivered, and when. Pick a title you think you know: data.reelgood.com/title-availability Film - Dan Lin Want to know why I don’t opine on individual film or TV executives, especially new hires? Dan Lin. As I always caution, it’s really, really, really tough to predict which executives will succeed in new roles and which won’t. The successful head of co-production/finance partner, Rideback, Lin was considered for the head of DC Studios job before taking the job as the head of Netflix. By all accounts at the time, this was a smart hire. (That’s my read of the news coverage anyways.) But now that Netflix has fired Dan Lin, we got a slew of news stories about how he was doing a terrible job. In sports media, Bryan Curtis, new Substack writer/podcaster from The Ringer, calls this the “now you tell us” story, when you only hear the bad news after a star athlete leaves a sports team. In this case, now they tell us that Dan Lin was bad with talent after he got kicked out the door. So was Dan Lin a flop? It’s actually tough to say. While film moves faster than TV, even two years isn’t really enough time to evaluate a person’s output. The new head hasn’t really taken control. As Emily Horgan noted, it takes much longer than two years to produce animated films, so yeah, it’s definitely too early to judge in that domain. As for live-action films, I just published an article by Brandon Katz called “Netflix’s Summer of Bummer”, but I’d point out Netflix had a bad summer two years ago too. Arguably, their best summer came from KPop Demon Hunters last year and Happy Gilmore 2, the latter of which I saw credited to Lin. Then, the stories came out that Dan Lin clashed with talent, both Ben Affleck and Greta Gerwig, classic “now they tell us” factoids to explain his firing. This may have been true, but also should have been expected given that he was given the mandate to bring budgets back in check, especially after Rebel Moon. So if he made folks upset, well, that’s what he was hired to do! But also, he was described as “well-liked” at his hiring! In that case, I’m a bit sympathetic to Lin, since he may have been undercut by senior leadership, as often happens. Basically, a CEO hires a subordinate to be their “bad cop” and keep budgets in check, but then when talent complains, the CEO ends up undercutting them. That’s how I think you end up with a Narnia movie as expensive as any of the other flops, along with a film executive the town no longer likes. As a result, I think that Netflix is now executing a classic “hire the opposite” move by hiring Peter Rice. This phrase comes from my experience following football and basketball coaching decisions, where teams generally hire the opposite of who they just had. If you have an offense-minded head coach, hire the defensive guy. Or in college football, if you have a strong recruiter, then you pivot to an “X’s and Os” type of guy. Or in pro basketball, if you have a very analytically minded coach, you hire the player-friendly guy. I see that here. After dropping Scott Stuber—arguably a talent-friendly executive with lax budget control—Netflix hired the business guy to keep costs in check. Now Netflix is pivoting back to Peter Rice and presumably a more talent-friendly regime. (Disney, by the way, has done this twice: hiring business guys to succeed talent-friendly Bob Iger. It didn’t work out last time.) When it comes to Peter Rice…we’ll see! Maybe he works out, but maybe he doesn’t. I’d actually say the biggest problem is that Netflix still hasn’t solved its “IP Problem”, in that they don’t own much IP, so they just have a lower hit rate. The new executive won’t solve that. (Though buying Lionsgate would help.) Share “Content” - Bela Bajaria I almost published yesterday’s article after this column, but ended up flipping the order, because it told the story so well. So if you want the data for why Netflix is looking at TV to fix their problems, it’s in that article, this graph in particular: I know I just wrote that it’s often hard to judge executives, but Bajaria ran TV for six years and film for three and a half more. That’s more than enough to judge hit rates, and Netflix needs more hits. That’s the story. Since 2023, Netflix hasn’t had as many hit shows as it used to, and many of its previous power house TV shows have ended their runs (Stranger Things most of all). Also, many shows from 2020 to 2022 probably pre-dated Bajaria’s tenure. (That said, one thing may have been outside of Bajaria’s control, which I explain below.) Let’s lump some content strategy thoughts about Netflix and TV into one place: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Why I partially blame Squid Game for Netflix’s latest troubles… What is “the football trap”... Why it might not be the TV shows or films’ fault at all… What change I don’t think Netflix will make... How Bela Bajaria evolved Netflix’s TV strategy in smart ways… Whose departure likely submarined Bajaria’s final few years… One sneaky explanation for Netflix’s content struggles... And a whole lot more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.
Chelsea injury latest as Pedro and Martinez miss Spurs
Chelsea star Joao Pedro was left out of the matchday squad for Saturday’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge after sustaining an injury in training. The forward’s absence is a major...
50 Words or Less: Players Know Good Health Can’t Be Taken for Granted
Derrick Henry will be a major test for the Bengals’ run defense. Both the Ravens and Bengals want to avoid another loss in the division. The Trey Hendrickson-Orlando Brown Jr. matchup should be intriguing.
AI giants are one big mistake away from catastrophe. They could learn a lot from the nuclear industry.
AI companies know they are being held hostage by each other, and that they need to take action to self-regulate before they suffer major reputational and legal consequences. There is a blueprint on how they can do it.
The biggest political donors in Minnesota races this election season
Many of the ads now appearing on TV and social media are funded by a web of political committees and major donors whose connections are often difficult to trace.
ECU Notes: Pirate researcher brings science home to help Grifton fight flooding
Hiba El’Shaer, an East Carolina University graduate student majoring in geology with a focus on hydrogeology and hydrology, is applying community research to a real-world problem while serving her hometown
Boston 25 News
Road closures, blocked parking lots and construction equipment have made it difficult for customers to get around downtown and, business owners say, even harder to get people through their doors.
Connecting communities through healthcare resources at fall block party
An event aimed at connecting residents with health care resources available in rural areas like eastern North Carolina — along with a little fall fun.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Election countdown with Laura Gersony
With Election Day nearing, Arizona’s congressional races are drawing national attention. Arizona Republic reporter Laura Gersony joins Politics Unplugged to break down the high-stakes fights in AZ-01 and AZ-06, where the House majority could be on the line. The conversation examines whether Republican candidates can separate themselves from President Donald Trump as affordability concerns and negative ads dominate the closing days. The episode also looks at outside spending, Elon Musk-backed turnout efforts and the unexpectedly competitive race involving Rep. Eli Crane in northern Arizona. Plus, Dennis Welch and Colin Stanton discuss Arizona’s statewide races, polling, campaign cash and the Valley’s rough sports week.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Election countdown with Laura Gersony
With Election Day nearing, Arizona’s congressional races are drawing national attention. Arizona Republic reporter Laura Gersony joins Politics Unplugged to break down the high-stakes fights in AZ-01 and AZ-06, where the House majority could be on the line. The conversation examines whether Republican candidates can separate themselves from President Donald Trump as affordability concerns and negative ads dominate the closing days. The episode also looks at outside spending, Elon Musk-backed turnout efforts and the unexpectedly competitive race involving Rep. Eli Crane in northern Arizona. Plus, Dennis Welch and Colin Stanton discuss Arizona’s statewide races, polling, campaign cash and the Valley’s rough sports week.
MLB monitoring Dodgers owner Mark Walter amid federal probe
Major League Baseball is monitoring the investigation involving Dodgers owner Mark Walter. Walter caught the attention of federal authorities following a whistleblower complaint regarding alleged misrepresented loans made between the...
Baker Mayfield Cleared to Return as Buccaneers Prepare for Panthers
Tampa Bay Gets Its Starting Quarterback Back The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing to get a major boost on offense, as quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to return to the starting lineup Sunday against the Carolina Panthers after missing the team’s previous three games with a dislocated right thumb. Head coach Todd Bowles said Friday…
Report: Northwest Arkansas commercial real estate market remains tight
The Northwest Arkansas commercial real estate market remained tight in the office, industrial and retail sectors in the third quarter as major projects opened and new development broke ground across...
Former USAID Health Chief Says Aid Cuts Are Costing Children's Lives
At IDWeek 2026, Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, said USAID cuts are costing lives but that the field is "not back at square one."
Case that ‘fundamentally transforms’ business suits hits top NC court
The North Carolina Supreme Court will take a case stemming from a 2024 aircraft accident in Arkansas. Critics argued that a lower court’s decision “fundamentally transforms” rules about which businesses can be sued in this state.
Google Messages is working to finally clean up its messy settings menu
Between organizing options into groups and adding some useful illustrations, Google Messages is working on major changes to settings.
Rick Jackson will join Trump at Georgia rally amid slumping GOP turnout
The Republican nominee for governor had initially said he would skip the president's visit to Perry on Saturday, opting to campaign with Gov. Brian Kemp instead.
Marciano Vink Questions Oscar Gloukh After Ajax Beat Atalanta
Marciano Vink has criticised Ajax, and in particular Oscar Gloukh, for one aspect of the team's performance against Atalanta.
Panthers Rookie Could Play Major Role vs Buccaneers This Week
The Carolina Panthers may be relying on an unexpected player this week.
Business News: LVMH-Owned Zenith Is Restructuring In Major Reset As Brand Plans Job Cuts And Production Drop In Shift To High-End Market
Up to half of the employees at Le Locle manufacture could lose their jobs as the brand cuts models and production in restructuring after years of financial losses.
‘Wednesday’ star who filmed in Mass. says she’s stepping away from TV
After spending much of her life jumping from show to show, the actress says she’s ready for a change.
Free screening of 'Arrival' with expert panel to be held Nov. 4 at State Theatre
The Penn State Eberly College of Science and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics will host a free screening of the 2016 film "Arrival" at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the State Theatre in downtown State College as part of the college’s Science Matters Spotlight Sessions and Friedman Lectures in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
More Tar Heels say “Yes, and” to majors
Kate Blizzard (Romance languages and environmental science) is one of many students who dive deep into two academic disciplines.
‘Gentlemen’ season 3 casting shocker: Major star exits, 2 ‘Lord of the Rings’ stars join for reunion
‘The Gentlemen’ season 3 announcement reveals cast shakeup as Daniel Ings exits show, while Orlando Bloom and Elijah Wood will hold a a ‘Lord of the Rings’ reunion as stars join, without Meghan Markle.
Oklahoma small businesses using AI see major job growth, US Chamber research finds
New research shows small businesses are more likely to report job growth from AI than job losses.
Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.
There’s a Reason That Netflix’s Ad Business Has Underwhelmed
Somewhat lost in the company’s slew of firings and engagement warnings over the past few weeks was the fact that Netflix is scaling back its ad forecast for 2026 from $3 billion to $2.7 billion. That’s despite the fact that: CTV is growing by 14-15% this year This year saw a monster upfront Netflix is the biggest streamer out there this side of YouTube, and was the platform that for years brands were supposedly dying to be a part of In other words, that’s an alarming pull-back from Netflix. A Wall Street analyst I spoke with last week was blunt, calling Netflix’s ad business “disappointing.” To me, a red flag on the ad front is that Netflix has never revealed how many ad-supported subscribers it has. Because if I know anything about how big companies work, if they have a positive number that makes them look really good - they tend to share it. (How many subs does go90 have right now? We’re not saying just yet. How are ads going on ChatGPT? Oh, a billion run rate - I see). Yes, to date Netflix has shared some fuzzy ad numbers, such as the idea that the company’s ad tier ‘reaches’ 250 million users globally.’ Here’s why that figure gives me pause: a)they lead with global, and b) they don’t explain how they are calculated. (Are they based on average people in each room? Surveys of some kind?). Regardless, some insiders say that Netflix’s ad tier is scaling nicely - others not so much. Either way, one of Netflix’s biggest challenge on the ad front appears to have been its starting point. Remember, when Netflix launched ads in 2022, it had 73 million subs in the US and Canada. That’s 73 million people who were used to Netflix with zero ads. And when the ad product rolled out, the company clearly was going after new users - a limited pool of potential subscribers by default. That focus seems to have changed over time, as Netflix has tried to convert longtime subscribers to the ad tier. Historically Netflix subscribers are very sticky. But is the company’s low churn a problem? Not necessarily, according to Antenna data. Rather, Netflix’s consumer loyalty is a bit of a double-edged sword. “Netflix is the one streamer which actually has seen substantial “trade downs” but has much lower ‘win backs,’ said Antenna founder Jonathan Carson (win-backs being people who were on the ad-free plan, cancelled, then rejoined on the ad plan). “Netflix has lower churn and so has less opportunity to win back old subs with a lower cost plan option.” This all might explain why Netflix has been so slow to roll out all of these table stakes targeting options until just this week. It likely didn’t have enough users to carve up into various targets. etc. However, what really hit Netflix’s ad business was Amazon’s move a few years ago to turn on advertising for Prime Video by default. Suddenly the market was awash in premium inventory, and Netflix was playing catch-up on multiple fronts. Thus, the streaming giant appears to still be figuring out if if wants lead in ‘programmatic TV,’ or premium ‘upfront’ TV sales. “The CTV market now sorts into three businesses, and Netflix is not the leader of any of them,” wrote analyst Jack Myers. Ouch. So how does Netflix ratchet up its ads business? Get the next NFL package You’re gonna have to wait until 2030 unless one of the bigger media companies like Skydance opts out, but the easiest (not cheapest) way for Netflix to become a huge TV ads contender is to get one of the regular NFL packages, ideally Sunday afternoons. That way it can sell ads to its whole U.S. subs base overnight. Go FAST This one is risky, because to program a compelling FAST channel, you’d likely have to take some older Netflix exclusive shows and make them available for free to non-subscribers. But FASTs, for better or worse, are ad-inventory machines. Go full UGC I’m not sure I see this happening. There is something already off about Netflix carrying podcasts and shows for creators. The experience sticks out in what is such a produced, and generally non-communal environment. But Netflix could open up its platform by allowing creators to upload videos without having to be approved by the service. But that opens a whole other can of worms (policing brand safety, copyright infringement, overall quality). Make a huge RMN Deal I was going to suggest something crazy, such as ‘instead of buying Warner Brothers, Netflix should buy Target. But the company doesn’t want to be in the brick and mortar business. Yet for Netflix’s ad business to compete in an Amazon world, it needs to be able to connect ad exposures to shopping. What if, instead of letting Amazon target Netflix viewers with its DSP, Netflix inked a deal with Target, or even took control of Roundel, and created its version of the Amazon full-funnel for brands? Price us out. I hope they don’t do this, but Netflix’s price increases - while significant - haven’t been enough to push long-term customers out of the ad-free tier. But if they made those prices so prohibitive, it could push large swaths of consumers to trade down. Then again, that could also dent engagement - as binging becomes much less appealing once you bring ads into the equation. Or, they could just launch a bunch of hit shows and maybe everyone will quickly forget all this angst. More from Amazon unBoxed A few weeks ago, I recorded two podcasts live at Amazon’s unBoxed event in San Francisco. I was able to go really deep with several brand partners about how Amazon’s various data and ad products work - particularly the under appreciated Amazon Marketing Cloud. First, I talked with Laura Abadias Velilla, of the Amazon specialty agency Amerge, along with Amazon’s own Charlotte Maines, Vice President, Devices Content & Advertising, about how the two partners helped a very specific printer company Epson launch into a brand new category - high end projectors. It’s a great example of how brands connect audience data across platforms to make budget deployment decisions. Next, I chatted with Monks VP Head of Digital Investment for North America Tom Burchill about how the agency actually brought in data from Linkedin to help target B2B customers across various Amazon properties for the brand Quicken. Check it out: Check these out, or just listen:
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The One Chart That Explains Why Netflix Cleaned House
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Yeah, I’ll be honest: I went with a clickbait-y headline today. One chart? That explains everything? That’s as clickbait-y as it gets. But let’s be real. I’m analyzing a dataset that I’ve built over six years, and c’mon, I never write articles which feature just one chart! If you think this article—which includes a level of data detail unheard of in journalism twenty years ago—is clickbait, fine by me. Really, what I’m doing is using data to explain Netflix’s recent strategy changes, since the story of the month is the turbulence at Netflix. First, head of content Bela Bajaria was fired. Then head of film Dan Lin followed her to the unemployment ranks. (Along with, sadly, 1,000 other Netflix workers.) And then Netflix delivered a “sub-optimal” earnings report, which continued their year-long stock price slide. Then came a flood of articles explaining why all this is happening. (Mine’s coming shortly, rest assured.) I realized I had the perfect chart to explain Netflix’s woes. Specifically, Nielsen’s weekly top ten charts. Usually I focus on one or two weeks in my Streaming Ratings Reports, but sometimes it’s worth stepping back to look at the larger story. And hoo boy, what a story. This article is my annual (plus three months) follow-up to one of my most popular articles of last year. (And a topic I’ve been visualizing for the last half decade.) Subscribe Netflix’s Share of The Nielsen Charts Continues to Decline
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