CORPORATE Amazon/Acquisitions The chart below delineates Amazon’s biggest acquisitions, according to Thomson Reuters Deal Intelligence, as reported by The Wall Street Journal: Company Deal Value (Billions) Whole Foods MarKet $13.70 Zappos.com $1.20 Twitch Interactive $0.97 Kiva Systems $0.78 Souq.com $0.70 Quidsi $0.55 Elemental Technologies $0.30 Atlas Air Worldwide $0.28 Alexa Internet $0.26 Exchange.com $0.25 SoftBanK/Charter In early August, Charter Communications passed on the idea of acquiring Sprint, which is majority owned by SoftBanK, a Japanese telecommunications company. Last week, rumors began to circulate that SoftBank is exploring a complex taKeover of Charter. FAST FOOD Little Caesars/Portal Pizza chain Little Caesars introduce The Pizza Portal, a machine that lets Machine customers who order pies to skip the line, grab their pizza and go in more than a dozen locations in the Tucson (AZ) area. How it worKs: download an app to order and pay for food, receive a three digit or QR code and once in the store enter or scan the code to open a self-service hot box at the shop. GLOBAL Nuclear Warheads Estimated nuclear warhead inventories, as reported by The Wall Street Journal: Country Warheads Country Warheads Russia 7,000 Pakistan 140 U.S. 6,800 India 130 France 300 Israel 80 China 270 North Korea 10* U.K. 215 Pakistan 140 *Projection 1 of 6 MOVIES TicKet Sales According to Nielsen, North American box office ticKet sales are down 2.9% even with ticKet prices higher than the prior year – maKing up for some of the diminished theater attendance. MUSIC Sales/Albums Albums by consumption (year to date), according to Billboard: Rank Artist Album Units (Millions) 1 KendricK Lamar DAMN 1.77 2 Ed Sheeran ÷ 1.75 3 DraKe More Life 1.69 4 Bruno Mars 24K Magic 1.11 5 Migos Culture 1.00 6 The WeeKend Starboy 0.98 7 SoundtracK Moana 0.82 8 Future Future 0.76 9 The ChainsmoKers Memories...Do Not Open 0.76 10 Post Malone Stoney 0.71 PERSONALITIES Glen Campbell Singer and songwriter Glen Campbell, nicKnamed the “Rhinestone Cowboy”, has passed away. Favorites: Gentle on My Mind, Wichita Lineman, and Southern Nights. He was 81 years old. David Letterman David Letterman, one of the late night comedy Kings whose broadcast career spanned more than three decades and concluded in 2015 as he exited the CBS Late Show, has signed a deal with Netflix for a yet-to-be-named six-episode series slated to air in 2018. Haruo NaKajima Japanese actor Haruo NaKajima, who played the movie monster Godzilla in a dozen films (1954-1972) and whose booming steps in a 200-pound rubber suit sent the denizens of Tokyo running into cinematic history, has passed away. He was 88 years old. Hot Sauce According to marKet research firm IBISWorldHot, sauce sales are projected to hit $1.37 billion this year – up 4.5% from $1.31 billion in 2016. Hot brands in the hot sauce realm include Tabasco, Sriracha, Texas Pete (Southeast), FranK’s RedHot (Northeast), and Louisiana Hot Sauce (north of Chicago). Sleep New research from the University of Leeds found that people who sleep about six hours a night had a waist 1.2 inches larger than those who are getting nine hours of sleep a night. A correlation? Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen (67) will maKe his Broadway debut in October with Springsteen on Broadway, a solo production that The Boss promised will be “as personal and as intimate as possible.” WeeK of August 14, 2017 2 of 6 PERSONALITIES(cont’d) Bruce Springsteen Note: During his career, he has produced 18 studio albums, earned 20 (cont’d) Grammys and an Oscar, was inducted into the RocK & Roll Hall of Fame and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016). PUBLISHING Time Inc./Sports Time Inc. announced that it is forming a new division for its annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Illustrated Swimsuit issue whose mission is to develop licensing programs and brand extensions of the title as well as helping its models “enhance” their careers. The division will be called Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Enterprises (SISE). RETAIL Applebee’s/IHOP DineEquity, the parent company of Applebee’s and IHOP, plans to close upto 160 restaurants: 105 to 135 Applebee’s locations and 20 to 25 IHOP sites. CVS/MDs The Wall Street Journal reported that pharmacy chain CVS unveiled plans to expand a program in which it marshals pharmacists, hundreds of onsite medical clinics and its vast data networK to help people manage chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. Oprah/O, That’s Good Oprah Winfrey is branching out into food branded under her own name, refrigerated soups and side dishes in conjunction with Kraft Heinz, that fall under the brand of “O, That’s Good.” Patagotitan Mayorum Scientists have christened a vegetarian dinosaur Patagotitan Mayorum, which lived over 100 million years, was discovered in the Argentine region of Patagonia, and is the largest dinosaur ever discovered at 120+ feet long – as large as a Boeing 737-900. SPORTS BasKetball The National BasKetball Association is expected to approve player-resting rules in September designed to cut bacK on teams benching healthy players for regular season games. The new rules will go into effect by the start of the 2017-18 season. Also, there will reportedly be consequences for teams that do not adhere to them. Scheduling modifications include: ♦ The league will start a weeK earlier, creating more days to play an 82-game schedule ♦ Elimination of 4 games in 5 days and 18 games in 30 days ♦ Reduction of bacK-to-bacK – 14.9 a team, down from 16.3 last season ♦ Reduction of single game road trips by 17%. Players Day Major League Baseball unveiled a new promotion initiative called “Players WeeKend” (August 25-27), in which players will be allowed to replace last names with nicKnames on the bacKs of their jerseys. WeeK of August 14, 2017 3 of 6 VIDEO Amazon/The Amazon.com has signed a first look deal with the creator of The Walking Dead and Walking Dead his company SKybound Entertainment. CBS/Sports OTT CBS announced that it would launch a new streaming sports channel later this year. Details to follow. Discovery/TEN Discovery Communications and The Enthusiast NetworK (TEN) have formed a joint venture combining their automotive enthusiast video content called TEN: A Discovery Communications Company. The companies will pool video content from TEN brands liKe Motor Trend, Roadkill and Automobile with Velocity, Discovery’s cable networK targeting auto enthusiasts. Disney/Netflix Disney announced that it will terminate its licensing agreement, which was signed in 2012 but commenced in 2016, with subscription video service Netflix. Commencing late 2019, newly release Disney, Marvel and Pixar films will move to Disney’s entertainment-focused streaming service. Disney/Streaming Disney unveiled plans to launch two streaming video services: sports and Services entertainment. The services will be powered by BamTech, a technology company that handles direct-to-consumer video for baseball teams and HBO. One year ago, Disney paid $1 billion for a 33% staKe in the company and most recently accelerated an option to spend $1.58 billion for an additional 42%. The service will offer original fare, library product and the latest theatricals (animation and live action). Also, Disney announced the creation of a second streaming service, ESPN, which will arrive early next year and include baseball, hocKey, tennis and college sports – approximately 10,000 regional and national events in its first year. Users will be able to access the service through an enhanced version of ESPN’s current app, which includes news, highlights and scores. People who pay to receive ESPN the old- fashioned way, via MVPD subscription, will be able to access standard ESPN programming through the same app. FacebooK/Watch FacebooK launched a new section called Watch, which will bring regularly schedule appointment programming to the social networK. Last week, The Watch platform launched to a select group of FacebooK users. FacebooK hopes that the platform turns into a place where one can discover professionally produced shows friends are watching, follow favorite shows and creators so episodes are not missed. For original content produced exclusively for it by partners, Facebook will share 55% of ad break revenue, with the social networK Keeping 45%. Some of its programming partners include A&E, Condé Nast, Hearst, Bleacher Report and Refinery 29. FX/SVOD FX announced that it will launch FX+, a new premium commercial free video on demand service on Comcast’s X1 system on September 5 that will cost subscribers $5.99 a month. WeeK of August 14, 2017 4 of 6 VIDEO(cont’d) NBCU/Seeso NBCU announced that it will shut down its streaming video comedy subscription service Seeso, which launched in January 2016 and charged a $3.99 monthly fee. Netflix/Millarworld Netflix has acquired comic book publisher Millarworld, best Known for characters and stories such as “Kick-Ass”, “Kingsman”, “Jupiter’s Circle” and “Old Man Logan. Deal valued at between $50 million and $100 million. Tremor/Taptica Taptica acquired Tremor Video’s demand side platform for $50 million and will be rechristened Tremor Video DSP. Tremor Video will use the cash to focus on its programmatic sell-side platform business to enhance its connected TV and over the top TV business. Viacom/Commercial Viacom announced that it will reduce its commercial ad loads on MTV and BET Load Reduction select programming. WEATHER Hottest Year of A new study issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Record confirmed 2016 as the planet’s warmest year on record.