Summary
Highlights
Paramount is expected to finalize its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery and Discovery as early as next week, July 16th. This deal will give Paramount ownership of over 50 cable TV networks, including CNN, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and various Discovery channels, making it one of the largest owners of cable television networks. The EU's approval is still pending, and there are potential lawsuits from New York and California, as well as an investigation by Oregon into the DOJ's approval process.
MV Tunes, a joint venture that includes Warner Brothers Discovery content like Looney Tunes, will celebrate Bugs Bunny's 86th birthday on July 26th. The celebration includes a 24-hour programming block dedicated to Bugs Bunny, featuring classic episodes and a documentary.
The Weather Channel has introduced a retro 1990s look for its app, available as a permanent option in settings for registered users. This includes the classic 'weather on the eights' music, which can be turned off. Additionally, their website offers a free retro 'weather on the eights' feed that uses 1990s visuals and voiceovers with current weather data.
36 years ago on this day, the TV show Mr. Belvedere aired its final episode. The show ran from 1985 to 1990 and was a popular fill-in. The speaker notes difficulty finding the show on streaming services, though DVDs are available on Amazon.
Nielsen's recent top 10 most-watched programs indicate that live events, particularly news and sports, continue to dominate viewership. Eight of the top ten programs were World Cup events. CBS's 60 Minutes was the highest-ranking non-World Cup program with 5 million viewers, while the World Cup US match had 21 million viewers.
A survey of over 1,200 people revealed that only 34.1% still use Blu-rays and DVDs, with most preferring streaming. Blu-ray sales have dropped over 90% in the last 20 years, despite a minor recent uptick. Major retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target have significantly reduced or eliminated their physical media sections. Disney's recent layoffs of staff managing Blu-ray and DVD production raise concerns about the future of physical media releases.