Strictly Business

The "Shark Tank" star pulls no punches on a wide variety of subjects pertaining to the tech world, from the importance of artificial intelligence in today's business world to his misadventures in the film industry, where he believes theaters will stand the test of time.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Endemol Shine North America CEO Cris Abrego explains why the company decided to integrate activity on Spanish-language programs with the rest of the core Los Angeles-based development team. Abrego details the growth of the company’s Mexico City-based Endemol Shine Boomdog operation and the lessons learned from working outside the U.S. He also weighs in on how changes in major Latin American TV markets are opening doors for all producers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Strictly Business hosts Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein as they make the rounds at the Consumer Electronics Show. Listen for insights on the convergence of digital media and entertainment, streaming wars, AI and what's next from Jeffrey Katzenberg, Meg Whitman, Mark Cuban, UTA's Brent Weinstein, Pluto TV's Tom Ryan and other movers and shakers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Lorre, one of the most successful writer-producers in the history of television, developed new writing muscles and found a fresh source of joy as he branched out into streaming series with Netflix’s “The Kominsky Method” and CBS’ single-camera comedy “Young Sheldon.” Here Lorre compares the creative process in streaming and broadcast TV. He also offers frank thoughts about the prolonged battle between the Writers Guild of America and Hollywood’s largest talent agencies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Construction is underway in Los Angeles on Hollywood Park, a nearly 300 acre complex that will be the site of the city's NFL teams, SoFi Stadium. But this isn't just another development project. Jason Gannon, managing director of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment District, oversees a $10 billion build poised at the cutting-edge of live entertainment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evan Shapiro, president of National Lampoon, discusses the effort to revive National Lampoon as a comedy content studio, starting with the Dec. 19 relaunch of "The National Lampoon Radio Hour" as a podcast. Shapiro details the plan to embrace National Lampoon’s storied legacy to generate a new breed of "twisted mainstream" comedy projects in various media. Shapiro also details the company’s recent struggles and how his partners at PalmStar Media aim to restore the lost luster of the company that inspired (and staffed) the original "Saturday Night Live." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WarnerMedia's CTO shares his perspective on what it takes to launch a massive streaming platform in a cluttered competitor environment. He discusses balancing the many brands under AT&T's umbrella as well as making space for human curation inside HBO Max, which launches next May. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abrams Artists Agency chairman Adam Bold discusses why his company signed the WGA code of conduct that allowed his employees to resume representing writers, his broader observations on the standoff, and why he decided to get into the talent agency business just over a year ago. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The megaphone of social media has brought dramatic changes to the business of public relations. Sean Cassidy, president of New York-based public relations and marketing firm DKC, discusses the new rules of engagement in image-making -- and image protecting -- for individuals and corporate brands. “This is not an industry for people who panic,” Cassidy says. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local broadcast TV stations are struggling to draw big audiences in daytime as fragmentation and an ever-growing number of programming options takes its toll. Frank Cicha, executive VP of programming for Fox Television Stations, discusses how one of the industry’s largest station groups adjusted its approach to program development in response to big shifts in the marketplace. Cicha also weighs in on the growth of the digital multicast network business and how life at Fox Corp. has changed since Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Akamai CEO Tom Leighton illuminates the complexities of working with media companies to transmit their content to consumers as quickly as possible. While Akamai may be seeing record Internet traffic now, he notes that the future of digital transmission has barely begun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Hallmark Channel parent Crown Media Family Networks, has the difficult job of navigating the independent cable TV group through unprecedented upheaval in the pay TV marketplace. He speaks candidly about the competitive disadvantage that Crown Media faces against larger competitors who have greater sway with distributors. The business climate has only gotten tougher following the latest burst of mega media M&A deals. “If we have a difficult time seeing a path forward in this linear environment than there’s something wrong with the system,” he says. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the upcoming new streaming service Peacock launches next year, NBCUniversal will find itself with an opportunity to rethink how advertising works freed of the constraints of the legacy linear TV world. The company's ad czar is joined by Accenture's Mike Chapman for a conversation about how innovation is changing NBCU's approach from its CFlight initiative to next year's Summer Olympics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a veteran of faded Internet giants like AOL and Yahoo, Erika Nardini knows all too well where the digital advertising business went wrong. And now that she's leading a brash content brand of her own, she's determined to steer Barstool away from the kind of bad practices she fears could rear their head again in the podcast space while also breaking new ground in other areas including merchandise and sports betting.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the new NBA season scheduled to tip off Oct. 22, basketball fans have no shortage of options for how they take in the action on the court. But there's an expanding range of viewing experiences beyond linear TV that are evolving in fascinating ways under the oversight of Jeff Marsilio, senior VP of new media for the league, from social media to virtual reality.   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abigail Disney and Adrienne Becker joined forces to launch content studio Level Forward in early 2018. The pair have vowed to run Level Forward as a socially conscious, artist friendly banner that strives to open doors for women and people of color through storytelling. The partners discuss the philosophy that underlies the business and the reason why they think the time is right for their approach. Abigail Disney, who is the granddaughter of Walt Disney Co. co-founder Roy O. Disney, also addresses her recent criticism of the Disney company and what she sees as unreasonably high compensation packages for CEO Bob Iger and others. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon Favreau has enjoyed a varied career as an actor, producer and writer of some of the most memorable films from the past few decades. But it's his work as a director that showcases his innovative side, particularly his usage of cutting-edge visual effects in films like 'The Lion King' and the upcoming Disney+ series 'The Mandalorian.' In this interview he discusses how he's pioneered new practices without disrupting traditional filmmaking jobs.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Debra Lee had a front row seat to the explosive growth of cable television during her 32 years at BET Networks. After making her mark as a leader and as one of only a few African-American female CEOs in media, she’s had some time to reflect on the changing content marketplace since her retirement in 2018. In recent months, Lee has joined the board of AT&T and become CEO of Leading Women Defined, an invitation-only conference series. In a wide-ranging conversation, Lee speaks candidly about how cable missed the threat posed by streaming and the importance of grooming and retaining executives from diverse backgrounds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the eve of the Toronto International Festival, Variety's Brent Lang sits down with Gunpowder & Sky co-founders Van Toffler and Floris Bauer to discuss the indie film landscape, the need to be flexible when it comes to distributing content, and why it's getting harder to convince young people to buy tickets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Morris is a respected veteran in Hollywood's legal circles for clients like Matthew McConaughey. But he has also carved out a nice side gig for himself in recent years as a critically acclaimed writer of fiction. And his new novel, "Gettysburg," offers a satirical take on a world he knows all too well: Hollywood.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.