Jordyn Palos

Sony Music has pulled its entire catalog from Boomplay, one of Africa's leading music streaming platforms with over 98 million monthly active users. This includes content from The Orchard and AWAL. Reports suggest growing concerns from other rights holders over late royalty payments. Boomplay, owned by Transsnet Music, has licensing deals with Warner Music, Universal Music, and Merlin, but its relationship with rights holders appears strained. The platform, launched in 2015, and is reportedly seeking new funding during these challenges. https://lnkd.in/g5ySVK78 #SonyMusic #Boomplay #musicstreaming

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Championing Equity in Music: A Spotlight on Willie "PROPHET” Stiggers, CEO of Black Music Action Coalition As the music industry continues to evolve, leaders who advocate for equity and inclusivity are more important than ever. Prophet Stiggers, the visionary CEO of the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), is at the forefront of this vital movement. In a recent interview with Rolling Out, Prophet shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities in the music industry, and how BMAC is spearheading initiatives to ensure that all voices are heard and valued. His dedication to creating a more just and equitable industry is truly inspiring. From advocating for artists' rights to pushing for systemic changes, Prophet's leadership is paving the way for a brighter, more inclusive future in music. As he aptly puts it, "We must continue to push forward and demand equity for all." Read the full interview to learn more about Prophet Stiggers’ impactful journey and BMAC’s mission: https://lnkd.in/eeECiEpY #MusicIndustry #EquityInMusic #Leadership #BMAC #Inclusion #Diversity #ProphetStiggers #BlackMusicActionCoalition #RollingOut #BusinessExchange

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In 2011, both Warner Music Group (WMG) and Universal Music Group (UMG) began transformative journeys under new leadership. Len Blavatnik took ownership of WMG, while Sir Lucian Grainge took the helm at UMG. Each pursued distinct strategies that reshaped their financial trajectories. Under Blavatnik, WMG focused on boosting its presence in digital streaming, making targeted acquisitions like Parlophone, and expanding its catalog business. These efforts drove an 8.33% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2011 to 2023, reaching $6 billion in revenue. Partnerships with streaming platforms and investments in emerging markets were key growth drivers. Meanwhile, Grainge’s UMG maintained industry leadership with a diversified revenue model, strengthening streaming revenue, acquiring major catalogs like Bob Dylan’s, and expanding globally. This approach led to a steady 6.17% CAGR, reaching $11.9 billion in revenue by 2023. **CAGR and Revenue Growth: Why They Matter** CAGR reflects a company’s ability to grow steadily over time, providing a clearer view of financial health. WMG’s higher 8.33% CAGR illustrates how a smaller company can rapidly expand through strategic moves, while UMG’s 6.17% CAGR reflects the steady growth of a larger market leader. Revenue growth and CAGR also impact stock prices, which influence budgets and workforce decisions. Higher growth can drive up stock prices, leading to more capital for investing in talent and new ventures. Lower growth, conversely, may limit financial flexibility. The comparison highlights how Blavatnik’s and Grainge’s leadership since 2011 yielded different paths to growth. WMG’s agility drove faster expansion, while UMG leveraged scale and diversification to maintain its industry dominance, navigating the rise of streaming and the decline of physical formats. For more on UMG + WMG, subscribe to my free newsletter, The Bag www.newbagdrops.com

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Choosing the right location for your film can significantly boost your budget. Rebates can make a huge difference in your production budget. Explore your options and maximize your funding. Interested in more details? DM me for a comprehensive guide on leveraging these rebates for your next project! P.S. Have you used film tax rebates before? Share your insights below!

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Sharing an amazing resource (thank you for the share Jason Haikara) Everything there is to know about #Filmdistribution!!! Christie Marchese and Emily Best have joined forces to launch an invaluable free open-source online guide, #TheDistributionPlaybook to help filmmakers increase their knowledge of the ever-evolving worlds of marketing and distribution. Per Christie, “Filmmakers must be an active player in distribution strategy no matter how it’s released.” (This also pertains to television and streaming). 🎬 Read this Indiewire article about the launch of "The Distribution Playbook." https://bit.ly/4eG2le2 🎬 Check out the Playbook’s website and watch an incredibly informative video hosted by Emily: https://bit.ly/3L5R21k - I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about the subjects, but I learned a lot in 30 minutes! The Playbook will be updated quarterly, so if you want to contribute, check out the site!

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The radio business is a thrilling rollercoaster, a mad dash of art, technology, and raw human spirit. It’s about seizing the essence of life, broadcasting stories that hit like a gut punch, and creating moments that linger long after the music fades. Rush’s “Spirit of the Radio” isn’t just a song; it’s our anthem. It screams authenticity, connection, and an unyielding pursuit of excellence. To the talent—embrace the chaos. Channel the “Spirit of the Radio” in everything you do. Be the friendly voice that guides our audience through their daily grind, forging bonds that transcend airwaves. Innovate fearlessly, push the envelope until it tears, and shatter the status quo. Your innovative spirit is what sets us apart and keeps us moving forward. Deliver authentic voices, real stories, and raw connections with burning intensity, and our listeners will follow us to the ends of the earth. In this wild world, the spirit of the radio is our guiding light. It sets us apart, propels us forward, and connects us to our audience’s soul. So, let’s be unapologetically authentic, lead with our hearts as much as our heads, and never lose sight of the madness that fuels our greatness. The airwaves are our canvas—let’s paint them with innovation and raw, unfiltered passion, always remembering that authenticity and innovation are our guiding stars. 

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AFC24 PART 2 — HIGHLIGHT REEL: 📌 Our “Speed Pitching” panel, co-led by industry giant and my dear friend Douglas Vanmeeren — and me — was packed with hopefuls pitching their dreams to top producers and buyers. 📌 The Omni-Channel Panel with industry giant — and my Warner Bro — Griffin Gmelich from Roundtable Entertainment and the legendary Shari Belafonte brought out some of the best insights on the future of cross-platform storytelling. 📌 My personal favorite: The Sales & Distribution Panel featuring Matthew Helderman (BondIt Media Capital & Buffalo8), Alex Nohe (Blood Sweat Honey), and Steven Beer (Lewis Brisbois), offered game-changing advice and real life anecdotes to filmmakers navigating today’s unpredictable landscape. And let’s not forget the Money Market Panels—widely hailed as the most consistent of the convention. Despite the logistical and programming challenges, attendees kept stopping me to rave about the value and — industry connections— they gained. #AFC24 #SpeedPitching #FilmIndustryInsights #CrossPlatformStorytelling #OmniChannelPanel #SalesAndDistribution #FilmFinance #RoundtableEntertainment #BondItMedia #Buffalo8 #HollywoodPanels #PitchToProducers #FilmmakerTips #MediaMoguls #ContentCreators #MoneyMarketPanels #FilmConvention #IndustryLeaders #FilmBusiness #FilmmakersNetworking #StorytellingFuture

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During my time in the entertainment industry, I pursued an MFA in Film at UCLA, believing it would grant me the credibility I needed to teach and advance my career. However, I soon realized that the degree was essentially useless. Despite my qualifications and education, I was still viewed through the lens of the same stereotypes I had hoped to overcome. It highlighted the systemic issues in the industry—elitism, racism, and exclusion—especially toward Hispanics like me. My time at UCLA felt like an exercise in futility. I was treated unfairly, my opinions were disregarded, and I was prevented from taking courses I had a right to pursue. The institution, like the industry it prepares students for, wasn’t interested in fostering an inclusive environment for minorities. The industry’s claims of progress are empty, and DEI programs only serve to distract from the deeper issues of systemic exclusion. These programs don’t lead to jobs or real opportunities; they’re just talk. Despite decades of experience as a screenwriter, I continue to be shut out of opportunities. Even landing an interview is a struggle. The elites who defend the system benefit from it, while hardworking Hispanics like me are left behind. President-elect Trump recognized this disparity, which is why he resonated with many. The people who defend this broken system are the ones who created it, and they have no intention of changing it. Despite my qualifications, I’m still judged by my background, and the industry continues to be set up to maintain the status quo. Until that changes, I’ll remain caught in a cycle of exclusion.

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My Journey: The Pursuit of Credibility and Reality I thought UCLA would be a crucial stepping stone in my pursuit of credibility as a Latina screenwriter. With years of hard work and some excellent credits in the industry, I believed an MFA in Film, TV, and Digital Media would validate my experience and allow me to teach in a university setting what I knew firsthand as an accredited professional writer. Enrolling was fueled by hope; I envisioned a collaborative, nurturing environment filled with colleagues who had industry experience like mine. Instead, I found myself in a program marked by favoritism, mediocrity, and a lack of resources. Professors, wrapped in their own sense of entitlement, spent more time tooting their own horns than mentoring aspiring filmmakers. The result? My work went unsupported and unnoticed, leaving me feeling alienated in a space where I thought I would find community. Graduating with my MFA brought a wave of profound disappointment. I emerged without the professional confidence I once had and—worse still—unemployed. The degree that was supposed to open doors felt like an expensive piece of paper that did little to advance my career. After years of struggling with the fallout from this experience, I reached out to the Department of Education to share how UCLA’s failure to deliver on its promises had detrimental effects on my career. Ultimately, my loans were discharged due to "university misconduct." However, this small victory left me grappling with lingering questions: Where did this leave me, and how would I move forward? Through this process, I realized my journey wasn’t about seeking validation from an institution; it was about reclaiming my narrative. While UCLA failed to provide the credibility I sought, I refused to let it define my worth. I’m carving my own path, driven by the stories only I can tell. My journey continues—authentic, unapologetic, and on my terms—as I remain dedicated to teaching in a university setting, eager to share the lessons I’ve learned along the way and empower future storytellers with the knowledge I gained through years of hard work and experience in the industry.

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California Production Coalition: Fighting to Keep Hollywood Filming in California. https://lnkd.in/g-BtDZgq Entertainment Partners is excited to be part of the California Production Coalition to ensure California remains THE place to film! California has phenomenal resources and over 100 years of experience in productions. Excited to see this coalition being launched today! It's very important to note, Productions in California bring high-paying jobs and economic activity to every part of our state. And I'm proud to be part of the fight to protect that. Are you ready to join the fight for film, TV, and streaming production in California?   Along with nearly early three dozen film, television, and streaming production businesses and associations have formed the California Production Coalition to advocate for policies that strengthen California’s film industry. It’s a pleasure to be working alongside other businesses to improve conditions for filming in our home state. The group, including members like the Motion Picture Association (MPA), Television City Studios, and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, aims to address declining production activity, which has been slow to recover after the pandemic and last year’s strikes.   Representing prop houses, equipment leasing firms, payroll companies and other service providers, the coalition is focused on expanding California’s film tax credit program. Their first priority: supporting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to increase the annual program from $330M to $750M. This expansion could boost local jobs and revenue, building on the $961.5M in tax revenue and over 110,000 jobs supported by the credit between 2015 and 2020, per the LAEDC.   The coalition, which began organizing last summer, aims to educate policymakers and the public on the benefits of keeping productions in-state. They also advocate for reducing red tape to make California more competitive with rivals like Georgia, New Mexico, Canada, the UK and Australia.   With production volumes down 17% globally and reality TV shoots in Los Angeles declining by 56%, coalition members warn of the economic ripple effects on businesses that rely on a thriving production ecosystem.   The coalition’s mission: ensure that Hollywood’s legacy and economic contributions remain rooted in California, while creating a stronger, more competitive future for the state’s film and TV industry.   https://lnkd.in/gxXi4BuQ https://lnkd.in/gxXi4BuQ Entertainment Partners #CaliforniaProductionCoalition #CaliforniaFilmIndustry #TaxCredits #Hollywood #jobs

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“We aren’t just making an acquisition; this is an investment into the global independent music ecosystem and a commitment to nurture current and future creators and entrepreneurs with world-class support, services, and capabilities they require at any phase of their careers.” As both a musician and someone who ran an independent label—now working on the #musicpublishing side—I’ve seen firsthand how mid-to-small creators, who make up a huge percentage of the music industry, get deprioritized in systems like this. When shareholder returns are the ultimate focus (as they are for public companies like #UMPG), true support for independent #songwriters often takes a backseat. I’m not even talking about customer service. On the administrative side, maintaining and protecting top-grossing #compositions will always come first. Meanwhile, the #songs of a songwriter juggling a day job, pouring everything into their dream of becoming a full-time musician, risk getting lost in the shuffle. The worst part? They’d never even know. #IndependentMusic deserves more than “scaled solutions.” It deserves systems that prioritize creators at every level, not just the most profitable ones. Scaling only helps if transparency and accountability scale with it. Call me a negative, but I don’t see how this move will truly help the independent community, despite what the press release claims. I do hope I'm wrong though for the sake of all the creatives out there.

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Mission: Impossible—Troika Force Logline: In a world where media giants wrestle for dominance, Paramount Global entrusts its fate to ‘THE TROIKA’— 3 visionary leaders tasked with a high-stakes mission to rescue the studio from the brink. Through strategic cuts, covert partnerships, and bold innovations, they race against time to save PARA from collapse. Will they succeed in this epic quest, or will their efforts be the final act in a storied legacy? Originally seen as a temporary fix, ‘THE TROIKA’ is now set to steer the ship through some stormy seas and possibly redefine Paramount’s future. With PARA’S $14 billion debt & lagging stock, ‘THE TROIKA’ are tasked with making tough decisions, including significant layoffs & asset sales. Their goal? Transforming Paramount into a leaner, more agile company. Despite the unconventional setup and skepticism from some analysts, the team has a unified vision & close working relationship, always a good omen — if sustained. Cough. However, their success could end up paving the way for JUST 1 of them to take the helm — solo — eventually. #ParamountGlobal #Leadership #MediaIndustry #BusinessTransformation #filmindustry #entertainment #media #business #news

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The News: It's one of those days where there are plenty of interesting things to discuss, but no clear lead article... (1) California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed California's sweeping AI bill, claiming it wasn't good enough. It does rather feel like he's been got at. (2) However, Gavin Newsom has also passed a bill protecting Entertainment Loan-Out Companies, with the support of Unions and much to the relief of countless freelance personnel across the Film & TV Industry. (3) Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vincquerra is stepping down, to be replaced by Ravi Ahuja, formerly President and COO of the company. (4) Lionsgate is offering voluntary buyout on contracts to employees as the studio restructures. (5) DirecTV is set to acquire rival Dish, assuming that there's no regulatory hoopla. #California #FilmandTV #FilmIndustry #Filmmaking #Filmproduction #TVProduction #IATSE #SAGAFTRA #SonyPictures #CEO #Lionsgate #Layoffs #DirectTV #Dish #EntertainmentIndustry https://lnkd.in/eB2V78U6

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