From Hollywood strikes to the ascent of AI to sinking stock prices, 2023 was a topsy-turvy year for media and entertainment.
Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein, hosts of PvNew podcast “Strictly Business,” discuss the highs and lows of the past year on the latest episode.
Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst of PvNew Intelligence Platform data division, pointed to the spread of easy-to-use generative AI tools as the biggest unknown that is casting a cloud over the industry. “This is something that is still just in the very early stages of transforming so many processes, particularly in production — and even of course beyond this industry,” Wallenstein observed.
The hosts also discuss the twists and turns of the streaming wars in a year when traditional Hollywood faced steep cuts. Netflix earned the right to do a “victory lap,” the hosts agreed, for solidifying its global lead in streaming subscribers.
“It was the year of pullback that everybody knew was coming but nobody was quite ready to articulate it until [Warner Bros. Discovery CEO] David Zaslav and [Disney chief] Bob Iger had to under the weight of sinking earnings,” said Littleton, who is PvNew‘s co-editor in chief. “And they had to articulate it in terms of budget cuts and staff cuts and things that really affected human beings in Hollywood.”
The “2023 Rewind” edition also features highlights from episodes from the past 12 months, including in-depth sessions with Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz, HBO and Max chief content officer Casey Bloys, Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers, Disney gaming chief Sean Shoptaw, Nigerian producer Mo Abudu, South Korean producer Nah Yung Suk and more.
“Strictly Business” is PvNew’s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. (Please click here to subscribe to our free newsletter.) New episodes debut every Wednesday and can be downloaded at Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Play, SoundCloud and more.
(Pictured: Casey Bloys, Mo Abudu, Ynon Kreiz and Erika Ayers)
