For years, Sen. Amy Klobuchar has sought to reform the concert industry. On Thursday, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s alleged monopoly on the U.S. touring industry, claiming that the businesses have been feeding on ticket buyers since merging in 2010. (Live Nation issued a lengthy statement denying charges that it is a monopoly, claiming the lawsuit “attempts to portray Live Nation and Ticketmaster as the cause of fan frustration with the live entertainment industry.”.)
In Jan. 2023, Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota,...
In Jan. 2023, Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota,...
- 5/23/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
The Department of Justice is calling for concert and ticketing giant Live Nation to be broken up, a remarkable claim in an antitrust lawsuit the department filed in New York Thursday morning. The DOJ is joined by 29 states as well as the District of Columbia.
“We are not here today because Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s conduct is inconvenient, or frustrating. We are here because as we allege that conduct is anti-competitive, and illegal,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said during a press conference Thursday morning. “We allege that Live Nation has illegally...
“We are not here today because Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s conduct is inconvenient, or frustrating. We are here because as we allege that conduct is anti-competitive, and illegal,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said during a press conference Thursday morning. “We allege that Live Nation has illegally...
- 5/23/2024
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel appears in an undated handout photograph.
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new rule that would require political advertisements aired on radio and television to disclose whether artificial intelligence tools were used in the production of those spots.
The rule, floated by FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday, would apply to all licensed broadcast TV and radio stations, along with cable networks and legacy pay TV platforms like cable and satellite.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I hope they swiftly act on this issue.”
The proposal is meant...
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new rule that would require political advertisements aired on radio and television to disclose whether artificial intelligence tools were used in the production of those spots.
The rule, floated by FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday, would apply to all licensed broadcast TV and radio stations, along with cable networks and legacy pay TV platforms like cable and satellite.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I hope they swiftly act on this issue.”
The proposal is meant...
- 5/22/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled a proposal today that would require disclosure of AI generated material in TV and radio political ads.
Her circulation of the proposal to her colleagues is the first step to launching a proceeding, which would include a public comment period.
Public comment will be sought on whether political ads should be required to feature on-air disclosure of AI content, as well as written disclosure would be required in broadcasters’ political files. The proposal also seeks to apply the rules to candidate and issue advertisements.
The public also will be asked for input and comment on the specific definition of AI-generated content.
The use of AI generated content has quickly become an issue in the 2024 campaign. A super Pac supporting Ron DeSantis featured an AI-generated Trump voice in one of its spots.
The focus of the proposal is on broadcasters and “entities that engage in origination programming,...
Her circulation of the proposal to her colleagues is the first step to launching a proceeding, which would include a public comment period.
Public comment will be sought on whether political ads should be required to feature on-air disclosure of AI content, as well as written disclosure would be required in broadcasters’ political files. The proposal also seeks to apply the rules to candidate and issue advertisements.
The public also will be asked for input and comment on the specific definition of AI-generated content.
The use of AI generated content has quickly become an issue in the 2024 campaign. A super Pac supporting Ron DeSantis featured an AI-generated Trump voice in one of its spots.
The focus of the proposal is on broadcasters and “entities that engage in origination programming,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Live Nation President and CFO Joe Berchtold provided an update on the Department of Justice’s investigation into the company’s business practices, amid rumblings of a potential lawsuit.
Speaking at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications conference Tuesday, Berchtold said the company continues to be in discussions with senior leadership at the DOJ, which they believe is the last part of the process before any action may be taken. This comes after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department was preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against the company.
“These are always serious discussions. We wouldn’t get to this point if they didn’t have concerns, but the good news is we’re still talking and they’ve said they have an open mind. So without getting into the real details of the conversation, I think it’s fair to say I continue to...
Speaking at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications conference Tuesday, Berchtold said the company continues to be in discussions with senior leadership at the DOJ, which they believe is the last part of the process before any action may be taken. This comes after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department was preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against the company.
“These are always serious discussions. We wouldn’t get to this point if they didn’t have concerns, but the good news is we’re still talking and they’ve said they have an open mind. So without getting into the real details of the conversation, I think it’s fair to say I continue to...
- 5/21/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Editor’s note: The following interview contains spoilers for the season finale of “The Girls on the Bus.”]
In the Season 1 finale of Max’s “Girls on the Bus,” Sadie (Melissa Benoist) has a tense conversation with Governor Walker (Hettienne Park) that had been building all season. And that’s hardly all.
Walker is a pretty obvious stand-in for Hillary Clinton in the show’s version of a Democratic presidential primary. In Episode 10, written by co-creator Amy Chozick, Walker has just learned that, despite being the most experienced and likely best person for the job, she was going to fall short of getting the necessary delegates to clench the nomination for president. Political journo Sadie comes to speak to Gov. Walker while she’s drowning her sorrows on a campaign bus, and apologizes for how her coverage of her has hurt her over the years — but also lay out her own frustrations about the enigma that is the governor.
The series is based...
In the Season 1 finale of Max’s “Girls on the Bus,” Sadie (Melissa Benoist) has a tense conversation with Governor Walker (Hettienne Park) that had been building all season. And that’s hardly all.
Walker is a pretty obvious stand-in for Hillary Clinton in the show’s version of a Democratic presidential primary. In Episode 10, written by co-creator Amy Chozick, Walker has just learned that, despite being the most experienced and likely best person for the job, she was going to fall short of getting the necessary delegates to clench the nomination for president. Political journo Sadie comes to speak to Gov. Walker while she’s drowning her sorrows on a campaign bus, and apologizes for how her coverage of her has hurt her over the years — but also lay out her own frustrations about the enigma that is the governor.
The series is based...
- 5/9/2024
- by Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
SAG-AFTRA’s Duncan Crabtree-Ireland urged lawmakers to move forward with an AI bill which seeks to provide historic protection against generative artificial intelligence.
“AI technology, left unregulated, poses an existential threat not only to SAG-AFTRA’s members, but to civil discourse, student health & welfare, democracy and national security,” he said during his testimony to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property about the No Fakes Act (read it here).
In addition to requiring informed consent for digital replicas, the bipartisan No Fakes Act — or the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act — offers historic federal IP protections against the misappropriation of voice and likeness performance in sound recordings and audiovisual works.
Artificial intelligence was a cornerstone of SAG-AFTRA’s negotiations with the Hollywood studios last year and one of the sticking points that prompted the actors union to go on strike for 148 days. As a result,...
“AI technology, left unregulated, poses an existential threat not only to SAG-AFTRA’s members, but to civil discourse, student health & welfare, democracy and national security,” he said during his testimony to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property about the No Fakes Act (read it here).
In addition to requiring informed consent for digital replicas, the bipartisan No Fakes Act — or the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act — offers historic federal IP protections against the misappropriation of voice and likeness performance in sound recordings and audiovisual works.
Artificial intelligence was a cornerstone of SAG-AFTRA’s negotiations with the Hollywood studios last year and one of the sticking points that prompted the actors union to go on strike for 148 days. As a result,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
FKA twigs has proactively taken AI into her own hands to develop a deepfake version of herself to handle fan interactions while she focuses on music, Rolling Stone reports.
“In the past year, I have developed my own deepfake version of myself that is not only trained in my personality but also can use my exact tone of voice to speak many languages,” FKA twigs shared in written testimony ahead of her appearance before Senate on Tuesday (April 30th).
Praising the technology as a “highly valuable” tool “when under the control of the artist,” the British musician continued, “I will be engaging my AI twigs later this year to extend my reach and handle my online social media interactions, whilst I continue to focus on my art from the comfort and solace of my studio.”
FKA twigs will be giving testimony about “AI twigs” during a hearing before the Senate...
“In the past year, I have developed my own deepfake version of myself that is not only trained in my personality but also can use my exact tone of voice to speak many languages,” FKA twigs shared in written testimony ahead of her appearance before Senate on Tuesday (April 30th).
Praising the technology as a “highly valuable” tool “when under the control of the artist,” the British musician continued, “I will be engaging my AI twigs later this year to extend my reach and handle my online social media interactions, whilst I continue to focus on my art from the comfort and solace of my studio.”
FKA twigs will be giving testimony about “AI twigs” during a hearing before the Senate...
- 4/30/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
As part of this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association weekend, Deadline gathered the creator and cast of Netflix’s The Diplomat for an event hosted by the Irish ambassador to the United States, Geraldine Byrne Nason.
Stars Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell, creator Debora Cahn and Nason sat down for a panel with Deadline’s Ted Johnson, before guests who included Samantha Power, Anthony Fauci and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn).
When asked about the real-life similarities of her life to the show, the Irish Ambassador quipped, “Some things I haven’t seen were the kind of skinny dipping.”
“Don’t limit yourself. It may still come to pass,” Russell responded.
There are many other similarities, Nason said.
“There is very little that we would ever say is fair in love or war, or politics or diplomacy,” she said. “But I think what we as diplomats, our trade, is to...
Stars Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell, creator Debora Cahn and Nason sat down for a panel with Deadline’s Ted Johnson, before guests who included Samantha Power, Anthony Fauci and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn).
When asked about the real-life similarities of her life to the show, the Irish Ambassador quipped, “Some things I haven’t seen were the kind of skinny dipping.”
“Don’t limit yourself. It may still come to pass,” Russell responded.
There are many other similarities, Nason said.
“There is very little that we would ever say is fair in love or war, or politics or diplomacy,” she said. “But I think what we as diplomats, our trade, is to...
- 4/29/2024
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
The chants and shouts of pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted the entry to the Washington Hilton for this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, but once inside, attendees were greeted with what has become the usual scene: Celebrities on the red carpet, a crush for the security line and glitterati packed into a cavernous ballroom.
“I want to thank my wife for enduring lots of jokes and for agreeing to individually meet everyone in this room right after the ceremony,” the evening’s featured entertainer, Colin Jost, quipped about Scarlett Johansson, who posed for photos with a non-stop stream of attendees. She continued to do so later in the evening, at the Comcast-nbcu after party at the French ambassador’s residence.
Joe Biden laughs at Colin Jost as he entertains at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
The protests outside — now ubiquitous at any public event, much less one that mixes politics,...
“I want to thank my wife for enduring lots of jokes and for agreeing to individually meet everyone in this room right after the ceremony,” the evening’s featured entertainer, Colin Jost, quipped about Scarlett Johansson, who posed for photos with a non-stop stream of attendees. She continued to do so later in the evening, at the Comcast-nbcu after party at the French ambassador’s residence.
Joe Biden laughs at Colin Jost as he entertains at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
The protests outside — now ubiquitous at any public event, much less one that mixes politics,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
More than 250 artists, including Billie Eilish, Green Day, Sia and Cyndi Lauper, signed a letter Thursday urging the Senate Commerce Committee to support a bill that would reform the ticketing system for live events.
The Fans First Act, which was initially introduced in December by Sens. John Cornyn, Amy Klobuchar, Marsha Blackburn, Peter Welch, Roger Wicker and Ben Ray Lujan, aims to address flaws in the current live event ticketing system. The bill hopes to increase transparency in ticket sales, protect consumers from fake or overpriced tickets, and hold those who engage in illegal ticket sale practices accountable.
“As artists and members of the music community, we rely on touring for our livelihood, and we value music fans above all else,” the letter said in part. “We are joining together to say that the current system is broken: predatory resellers and secondary platforms engage in deceptive ticketing practices to inflate...
The Fans First Act, which was initially introduced in December by Sens. John Cornyn, Amy Klobuchar, Marsha Blackburn, Peter Welch, Roger Wicker and Ben Ray Lujan, aims to address flaws in the current live event ticketing system. The bill hopes to increase transparency in ticket sales, protect consumers from fake or overpriced tickets, and hold those who engage in illegal ticket sale practices accountable.
“As artists and members of the music community, we rely on touring for our livelihood, and we value music fans above all else,” the letter said in part. “We are joining together to say that the current system is broken: predatory resellers and secondary platforms engage in deceptive ticketing practices to inflate...
- 4/25/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Anyone who has tried to secure tickets to a concert in recent years knows that the system is broken. Luckily, many top acts know it is broken, too, and want something done about it.
Over 250 artists, including Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews, Lorde, Sia, Train, Graham Nash, Green Day, Cyndi Lauper, Fall Out Boy, Chappell Roan, Becky G, Béla Fleck, Jason Mraz, Yes, Mgmt, Blue Öyster Cult and many others have lent their names to bills currently put before congress, the Fans First Act and The Ticket Act, which basically pokes holes in the current ticketing system that frequently drives up prices and creates an unfair secondary market. The bills by members of both parties, like Republican Texas senator John Cornyn and Democratic Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar.
Currently, for any in-demand ticket, bots and bad actors are gobbling up inventory, then flipping them for high prices. Safeguards are in place—like...
Over 250 artists, including Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews, Lorde, Sia, Train, Graham Nash, Green Day, Cyndi Lauper, Fall Out Boy, Chappell Roan, Becky G, Béla Fleck, Jason Mraz, Yes, Mgmt, Blue Öyster Cult and many others have lent their names to bills currently put before congress, the Fans First Act and The Ticket Act, which basically pokes holes in the current ticketing system that frequently drives up prices and creates an unfair secondary market. The bills by members of both parties, like Republican Texas senator John Cornyn and Democratic Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar.
Currently, for any in-demand ticket, bots and bad actors are gobbling up inventory, then flipping them for high prices. Safeguards are in place—like...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Billie Eilish, Lorde, Green Day, and Fall Out Boy are among the hundreds of artists to sign an open letter asking Congress to pass the Fans First Act, a bill that takes aim at “deceptive” and “predatory” ticket resellers.
The letter, organized by the Fix the Tix Coalition, was also signed by a range of artists across all genres, from Becky G, Chappell Roan, and Darlene Love to Graham Nash, Goose, Pixies, and Finneas.
Addressed to Sens. Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz — both members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce,...
The letter, organized by the Fix the Tix Coalition, was also signed by a range of artists across all genres, from Becky G, Chappell Roan, and Darlene Love to Graham Nash, Goose, Pixies, and Finneas.
Addressed to Sens. Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz — both members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Update: A tradition of each White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is for media outlets to invite a guest list that includes politicians, government officials and celebrities.
Networks are starting to reveal who will be coming to the annual event, which we’ll continue to update.
Politico: RNC chair Mike Whatley, RNC co-chair Lara Trump, UK Ambassador Karen Pierce, Domestic Policy Adviser Neera Tanden, DNC executive director Sam Cornale, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-mi), Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Mn), Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-pa), Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-fl), Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Northern Ireland Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III, Ola Director Shuwanza Goff, Saloni Sharma, senior adviser to the chief of staff, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the honorable Francois-Philippe Champagne of Canada, and Stephen Benjamin, senior adviser to the president and director of public engagement.
ABC News: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew McCarthy, Hiro Sanada, Molly Ringwald, Rosario Dawson, Quavo,...
Networks are starting to reveal who will be coming to the annual event, which we’ll continue to update.
Politico: RNC chair Mike Whatley, RNC co-chair Lara Trump, UK Ambassador Karen Pierce, Domestic Policy Adviser Neera Tanden, DNC executive director Sam Cornale, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-mi), Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Mn), Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-pa), Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-fl), Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Northern Ireland Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III, Ola Director Shuwanza Goff, Saloni Sharma, senior adviser to the chief of staff, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the honorable Francois-Philippe Champagne of Canada, and Stephen Benjamin, senior adviser to the president and director of public engagement.
ABC News: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew McCarthy, Hiro Sanada, Molly Ringwald, Rosario Dawson, Quavo,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
New York — Activists and donors, young and old, packed into a luxury co-op on the Upper West Side last Wednesday to celebrate the one-year birthday of Climate Defiance, a disruptive climate action group that is quite good at making powerful politicians, government officials, and corporate executives uncomfortable — with the goal of trying to end our reliance on fossil fuels.
Climate Defiance Executive Director Michael Greenberg put this power on full display at the event, as he gave supporters an excruciatingly hard sell, for what felt like an eternity, asking them...
Climate Defiance Executive Director Michael Greenberg put this power on full display at the event, as he gave supporters an excruciatingly hard sell, for what felt like an eternity, asking them...
- 4/14/2024
- by Andrew Perez
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Big Beach, the production company behind Starz’s Vida and Facebook’s Sorry For Your Loss, has landed television rights to Alexandra Tanner’s debut novel Worry.
Worry follows two siblings-turned-roommates, one a 28-year-old media employee, navigating an absurd world on the verge of calamity. The book has been described as a “Seinfeldian” novel of existentialism and sisterhood.
Lesley Arfin, co-creator of Netflix comedy series Love, which starred Gillian Jacobs, has signed on to write the pilot episode alongside Tanner.
Worry was released last week by Scribner and was described by the New York Times as a “fabulous comic novel of young adult angst.”
Set in 2019, it follows 28-year-old Jules Gold — anxious, artistically frustrated, and internet-obsessed — who has been living alone in the apartment she once shared with the man she thought she’d marry when her younger sister Poppy comes to crash. Indefinitely. Poppy, a year and a...
Worry follows two siblings-turned-roommates, one a 28-year-old media employee, navigating an absurd world on the verge of calamity. The book has been described as a “Seinfeldian” novel of existentialism and sisterhood.
Lesley Arfin, co-creator of Netflix comedy series Love, which starred Gillian Jacobs, has signed on to write the pilot episode alongside Tanner.
Worry was released last week by Scribner and was described by the New York Times as a “fabulous comic novel of young adult angst.”
Set in 2019, it follows 28-year-old Jules Gold — anxious, artistically frustrated, and internet-obsessed — who has been living alone in the apartment she once shared with the man she thought she’d marry when her younger sister Poppy comes to crash. Indefinitely. Poppy, a year and a...
- 4/1/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Minnesota comedian Tou Ger Xiong, 50, has been found dead after a kidnapping in Medellín, Colombia.
According to his roommate in Colombia, he was kidnapped and was held for a $2,000 ransom. He was later found dead in a wooded area.
Xiong was in Colombia meeting a woman he was chatting with online. However, it is unknown if the woman is linked to the murder.
According to family members, Xiong has been in contact with the woman prior to the trip, and made multiple trips to Colombia, never feeling unsafe and had several friends.
Born in Laos, Xiong immigrated to the United States when he was young. A resident of the Twin Cities, he helped found Hmong Minnesota Day at the Minnesota State Fair.
On Saturday, hundreds of mourners attended a memorial service for Xiong in Minneapolis. “He was someone who was just this bright, incredible light,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) said at the service.
According to his roommate in Colombia, he was kidnapped and was held for a $2,000 ransom. He was later found dead in a wooded area.
Xiong was in Colombia meeting a woman he was chatting with online. However, it is unknown if the woman is linked to the murder.
According to family members, Xiong has been in contact with the woman prior to the trip, and made multiple trips to Colombia, never feeling unsafe and had several friends.
Born in Laos, Xiong immigrated to the United States when he was young. A resident of the Twin Cities, he helped found Hmong Minnesota Day at the Minnesota State Fair.
On Saturday, hundreds of mourners attended a memorial service for Xiong in Minneapolis. “He was someone who was just this bright, incredible light,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) said at the service.
- 12/25/2023
- by Zach Ament
- Uinterview
Even as the issue of protecting performers from the misuse of artificial intelligence continues to vex the labor negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, a second front has just opened.
On Oct. 12, four U.S. Senators presented a bipartisan “discussion draft” of legislation intended to protect actors, singers and others from having AI programs generate their likenesses and voices without their informed written consent. The “Nurture Originals, Foster Art and Keep Entertainment Safe” (No Fakes) Act would allow people, companies and platforms to be sued for producing or hosting so-called “digital replicas.”
The No Fakes Act is being sponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-tn), Chris Coons (D-de), Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) and Thom Tillis (R-nc). It represents the federal government’s first attempt to prevent the misappropriation of voice and likeness performances in audiovisual works and sound recordings. The rights created under this prospective legislation...
On Oct. 12, four U.S. Senators presented a bipartisan “discussion draft” of legislation intended to protect actors, singers and others from having AI programs generate their likenesses and voices without their informed written consent. The “Nurture Originals, Foster Art and Keep Entertainment Safe” (No Fakes) Act would allow people, companies and platforms to be sued for producing or hosting so-called “digital replicas.”
The No Fakes Act is being sponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-tn), Chris Coons (D-de), Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) and Thom Tillis (R-nc). It represents the federal government’s first attempt to prevent the misappropriation of voice and likeness performances in audiovisual works and sound recordings. The rights created under this prospective legislation...
- 10/26/2023
- by Douglas Mirell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This is Day 92 of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
At the first actors to picket after Wednesday night’s breakdown of their talks with the studios and streamers, SAG-AFTRA members in New York City said that they were disappointed by the setback but “holding strong” to their demands.
Striking actors who gathered Thursday outside Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery offices also cheered the announcement of bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate to protect them from artificial intelligence.
Writers joining them on the picket line after ratifying their own contract this week urged the actors to stay strong.
“It’s tactics,” The Wire creator David Simon told Deadline, speaking of the studios’ decision to suspend the talks and criticize SAG-AFTRA for demanding a share of studio profits. “They say you can’t have something and you’ll never get something, and ‘DGA settled for this and you don’t understand our industry.
At the first actors to picket after Wednesday night’s breakdown of their talks with the studios and streamers, SAG-AFTRA members in New York City said that they were disappointed by the setback but “holding strong” to their demands.
Striking actors who gathered Thursday outside Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery offices also cheered the announcement of bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate to protect them from artificial intelligence.
Writers joining them on the picket line after ratifying their own contract this week urged the actors to stay strong.
“It’s tactics,” The Wire creator David Simon told Deadline, speaking of the studios’ decision to suspend the talks and criticize SAG-AFTRA for demanding a share of studio profits. “They say you can’t have something and you’ll never get something, and ‘DGA settled for this and you don’t understand our industry.
- 10/12/2023
- by Sean Piccoli
- Deadline Film + TV
A newly proposed bipartisan senate bill seeks to bring greater legal protection to actors and recording artists by discouraging the use of AI-generated deepfakes without their permission.
If passed, the “Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act — or No Fakes Act — would hold those who produce AI deepfakes liable in civil claims if the original artist were to pursue legal action over the unauthorized use of their likeness.
The bill was sponsored by senators Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Amy Klobuchar and Thom Tillis.
AI has been a hot-button topic across the music,...
If passed, the “Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act — or No Fakes Act — would hold those who produce AI deepfakes liable in civil claims if the original artist were to pursue legal action over the unauthorized use of their likeness.
The bill was sponsored by senators Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Amy Klobuchar and Thom Tillis.
AI has been a hot-button topic across the music,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Senate Legislation Would Outlaw Unauthorized AI-Generated Likenesses; SAG-AFTRA Lauds “No Fakes Act”
Four U.S. senators today announced a discussion draft bill aimed at protecting actors, singers and others from having their voice and likeness generated by artificial intelligence. The bipartisan Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act, or No Fakes Act (read it here), would hold people, companies and platforms liable for producing or hosting such digital replicas.
SAG-AFTRA applauded the announcement today, with President Fran Drescher saying: “A performer’s voice and their appearance are all part of their unique essence, and it’s not ok when those are used without their permission. Consent is key.”
The No Fakes Act would prevent a person from producing or distributing an unauthorized AI-generated replica of an individual to perform in an audiovisual or sound recording without the consent of the individual being replicated. The person creating or sharing the unauthorized replication would be liable for the damages caused by the AI-generated fake.
SAG-AFTRA applauded the announcement today, with President Fran Drescher saying: “A performer’s voice and their appearance are all part of their unique essence, and it’s not ok when those are used without their permission. Consent is key.”
The No Fakes Act would prevent a person from producing or distributing an unauthorized AI-generated replica of an individual to perform in an audiovisual or sound recording without the consent of the individual being replicated. The person creating or sharing the unauthorized replication would be liable for the damages caused by the AI-generated fake.
- 10/12/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a new rule that would ban “junk fees” across a number of industries, including hidden charges for online concert tickets.
The proposed rule would require businesses to disclose all mandatory fees on price listings and allow the FTC to “seek monetary penalties” from companies that don’t comply.
In addition to concert ticket fees, these undisclosed charges impact paying utility bills, renting an apartment, and booking hotels. According to the FTC’s press release, these “hidden and bogus fees” can cost consumers “tens of billions of dollars per year in unexpected costs.”
Back in June, Live Nation and Ticketmaster announced they would be implementing an all-in pricing model in response to complaints of surprise fees while purchasing tickets.
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, shared a statement about the ban:
“From buying...
The proposed rule would require businesses to disclose all mandatory fees on price listings and allow the FTC to “seek monetary penalties” from companies that don’t comply.
In addition to concert ticket fees, these undisclosed charges impact paying utility bills, renting an apartment, and booking hotels. According to the FTC’s press release, these “hidden and bogus fees” can cost consumers “tens of billions of dollars per year in unexpected costs.”
Back in June, Live Nation and Ticketmaster announced they would be implementing an all-in pricing model in response to complaints of surprise fees while purchasing tickets.
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, shared a statement about the ban:
“From buying...
- 10/11/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a new rule that would ban companies from hiding fees until the end of a purchase — a move that could bring more transparency to the buying process across several industries, including the concert business.
For years, music fans have taken issue with ticketing companies, like Ticketmaster and StubHub, for initially listing tickets at one price only to reveal the actual price, including fees just before checkout, hiding costs that sometimes amount to hundreds of dollars. This so-called “drip-pricing” — which is also common when booking...
For years, music fans have taken issue with ticketing companies, like Ticketmaster and StubHub, for initially listing tickets at one price only to reveal the actual price, including fees just before checkout, hiding costs that sometimes amount to hundreds of dollars. This so-called “drip-pricing” — which is also common when booking...
- 10/11/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
California’s Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history and three-time mayor of San Francisco, died Thursday at the age of 90. An icon of Democratic politics who was planning to step down at the end of her term amid a series of health issues, she is being remembered by the many colleagues she had over her decadeslong career in public service.
A tearful Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-n.Y.) led the Senate in a moment of silence on Friday and addressed the chamber, where flowers had...
A tearful Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-n.Y.) led the Senate in a moment of silence on Friday and addressed the chamber, where flowers had...
- 9/29/2023
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is facing a rapidly growing number of calls from his Democratic colleagues to resign from office following a damning indictment on charges of corruption and bribery.
On Wednesday, Menendez pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment in Manhattan court.
The indictment, which was made public on Friday, was initially met with widespread silence from Senate Democrats, save for Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, who on Saturday called for Menendez’s resignation. “Senator Menendez should resign,” he wrote. “He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence,...
On Wednesday, Menendez pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment in Manhattan court.
The indictment, which was made public on Friday, was initially met with widespread silence from Senate Democrats, save for Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, who on Saturday called for Menendez’s resignation. “Senator Menendez should resign,” he wrote. “He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence,...
- 9/27/2023
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
When buying concert tickets, fans of A-list artists like Swifties, the BTS Army, the Beyhive, and others really can't catch a break. Fans have fought tooth and nail to land tickets to the hottest tours of 2023, from Swift's The Eras Tour and Beyonce's "Renaissance" Tour to Drake's It's All a Blur tour. And despite the headline-making, disastrous Ticketmaster presale of Swift's Eras Tour in November 2022 that ended in a literal congressional hearing, fans are still frustrated by the system.
While fans are always willing to pay a premium to see their favorite artist live, exploitative business practices like inflating costs based on demand and slapping nonsensical service fees on top of the ticket cost have sent prices soaring to an unreasonable high for even nosebleed seats.
Ticketmaster has been at the forefront of ticket sales controversy as the platform continues to dominate the industry. Since the return of live music post-lockdown,...
While fans are always willing to pay a premium to see their favorite artist live, exploitative business practices like inflating costs based on demand and slapping nonsensical service fees on top of the ticket cost have sent prices soaring to an unreasonable high for even nosebleed seats.
Ticketmaster has been at the forefront of ticket sales controversy as the platform continues to dominate the industry. Since the return of live music post-lockdown,...
- 9/16/2023
- by Athena Sobhan
- Popsugar.com
Live Nation president and CFO Joe Berchtold provided an update on the Department of Justice’s investigation into the company and its affiliated ticketing service, Ticketmaster, saying that he believes the DOJ is investigating certain business practices at the company, rather than the merged company itself.
“Our fundamental business model is not really being questioned,” Berchtold said Tuesday, adding that this is his opinion based on what he’s heard.
Speaking at Goldman Sach’s Communacopia and Technology Conference, Berchtold said he believes the DOJ is looking into certain components that make up the business, such as exclusivity on venues, all-in pricing and selling tickets on the secondary market. This came amid media reports that the DOJ is conducting an antitrust investigation into whether Live Nation, with its acquisition of Ticketmaster, had a monopoly over the industry.
The investigation came on the heels of technical issues and long wait times...
“Our fundamental business model is not really being questioned,” Berchtold said Tuesday, adding that this is his opinion based on what he’s heard.
Speaking at Goldman Sach’s Communacopia and Technology Conference, Berchtold said he believes the DOJ is looking into certain components that make up the business, such as exclusivity on venues, all-in pricing and selling tickets on the secondary market. This came amid media reports that the DOJ is conducting an antitrust investigation into whether Live Nation, with its acquisition of Ticketmaster, had a monopoly over the industry.
The investigation came on the heels of technical issues and long wait times...
- 9/6/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Scalpers are gouging buyers for the Toronto International Film Festival tickets — with screening prices rising by the minute, according to a review of online prices Tuesday.
On Monday, some of the premiere films were sold out on Ticketmaster, with scalpers demanding 10 times face value for some tickets — a bargain compared to the latest prices.
By Tuesday, tickets for The Boy and the Heron had topped $527 — more than a $200 increase. Meanwhile, tickets for “Dumb Money” were going for nearly $900.
Writer and filmmaker Siddhant Adlakha put a spotlight on the gouging, calling it “genuinely insane.”
“Ticketmaster is a scourge and using it as an official ticketing platform for a film festival is incredibly bizarre. It’s genuinely insane that people are allowed to buy and re-sell TIFF tickets pretty much the day they go on sale. The new Miyazaki (film) is going for over $300 US.” Adlakha wrote.
He was referring to Hayao Miyazaki...
On Monday, some of the premiere films were sold out on Ticketmaster, with scalpers demanding 10 times face value for some tickets — a bargain compared to the latest prices.
By Tuesday, tickets for The Boy and the Heron had topped $527 — more than a $200 increase. Meanwhile, tickets for “Dumb Money” were going for nearly $900.
Writer and filmmaker Siddhant Adlakha put a spotlight on the gouging, calling it “genuinely insane.”
“Ticketmaster is a scourge and using it as an official ticketing platform for a film festival is incredibly bizarre. It’s genuinely insane that people are allowed to buy and re-sell TIFF tickets pretty much the day they go on sale. The new Miyazaki (film) is going for over $300 US.” Adlakha wrote.
He was referring to Hayao Miyazaki...
- 8/29/2023
- by Tina Daunt
- The Wrap
Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster may face an antitrust lawsuit from the Department of Justice as early as this fall, Politico reports.
According to three people familiar with the matter, the lawsuit would claim that Ticketmaster is abusing its power in the entertainment industry by squashing other ticketing competition. Based on past comments from antitrust head Jonathan Kanter, if the lawsuit is successful, Live Nation and Ticketmaster may be forced to separate lines of business.
Kanter has made clear his preference to litigate antitrust violators rather than settle, and would also rather impart structural remedies — like breaking up the entertainment giants — rather than behavioral fixes, like asking the companies to promise not to engage in certain behaviors.
In a statement to Politico, Live Nation executive VP for corporate and regulatory affairs Dan Wall said, “We’re in regular contact with the DOJ and they haven’t told us they...
According to three people familiar with the matter, the lawsuit would claim that Ticketmaster is abusing its power in the entertainment industry by squashing other ticketing competition. Based on past comments from antitrust head Jonathan Kanter, if the lawsuit is successful, Live Nation and Ticketmaster may be forced to separate lines of business.
Kanter has made clear his preference to litigate antitrust violators rather than settle, and would also rather impart structural remedies — like breaking up the entertainment giants — rather than behavioral fixes, like asking the companies to promise not to engage in certain behaviors.
In a statement to Politico, Live Nation executive VP for corporate and regulatory affairs Dan Wall said, “We’re in regular contact with the DOJ and they haven’t told us they...
- 7/29/2023
- by Carys Anderson
- Consequence - Music
Molly Gordon and Ben Platt in Theater Camp.Photo: Searchlight Pictures
We’ve got one week before Barbenheimer arrives to suck up all the oxygen in the room and all the spare theaters at the multiplex. So, in this calm before the pop-culture storm, let’s talk about a smaller...
We’ve got one week before Barbenheimer arrives to suck up all the oxygen in the room and all the spare theaters at the multiplex. So, in this calm before the pop-culture storm, let’s talk about a smaller...
- 7/14/2023
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Nothing goes better with the new Taylor Swift album than a little bit of snitching. At least, that’s what the FBI Washington Field wants you to think, based on a recent tweet the organization put out.
Taking timely cues from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the FBI shared an image Monday that appears to riff on Miss Swift’s latest release, boasting a faux tracklist in shades of purple reminiscent of the album art. But these so-called “tracks” have some interesting titles: “Terrorism (FBI’s Version),” “Cybercrime (FBI’s Version),” and “Weapons of Mass Destruction (FBI’s Version),” to name a few.
“Justice is better than revenge. You may not be Superman, but you can help the #FBI protect the country,” the caption baited, telling readers to “speak now” if they have information about a crime before closing with the organization’s contact information.
This is just the latest...
Taking timely cues from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the FBI shared an image Monday that appears to riff on Miss Swift’s latest release, boasting a faux tracklist in shades of purple reminiscent of the album art. But these so-called “tracks” have some interesting titles: “Terrorism (FBI’s Version),” “Cybercrime (FBI’s Version),” and “Weapons of Mass Destruction (FBI’s Version),” to name a few.
“Justice is better than revenge. You may not be Superman, but you can help the #FBI protect the country,” the caption baited, telling readers to “speak now” if they have information about a crime before closing with the organization’s contact information.
This is just the latest...
- 7/11/2023
- by Cervanté Pope
- Consequence - Music
Lawmakers in Brasil have proposed a new bill that would increase penalties for ticket scalping. Nicknamed the “Taylor Swift Law,” the proposal comes after the pop star recently announced that she’d be bringing “The Eras Tour” to the country, which led to reports of violent scalpers in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro once tickets went on sale.
Scalping is already recognized as a crime in Brasil, but Congresswoman Simone Marquetto wants to reinforce the existing penalties. As translated from Portuguese by The Brazilian Report, the bill suggests increasing the maximum jail sentence for scalping from one year to four years, and sets fines of up to 100 times the price scalpers were asking for tickets. That means for Swift’s concerts, fines could reach the equivalent of $125,500.
“The exploitation of the Brasilian population by so-called ‘scalpers’ at any paid events expected to see a big public influx is public and notorious,...
Scalping is already recognized as a crime in Brasil, but Congresswoman Simone Marquetto wants to reinforce the existing penalties. As translated from Portuguese by The Brazilian Report, the bill suggests increasing the maximum jail sentence for scalping from one year to four years, and sets fines of up to 100 times the price scalpers were asking for tickets. That means for Swift’s concerts, fines could reach the equivalent of $125,500.
“The exploitation of the Brasilian population by so-called ‘scalpers’ at any paid events expected to see a big public influx is public and notorious,...
- 6/21/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
The Senate Judiciary Committee revived the prospects for a long-proposed bill that would bolster print and broadcast news outlets in their negotiations with tech giants.
The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday in a 14-7 vote.
The bill would create a “safe harbor” from antitrust laws for a period of six years years for newspapers, broadcast stations and digital journalism outlets, giving them more market power in the face of competition for advertising from Google and Facebook. If publishers are unable to come to terms with platforms on a deal for their content, an arbitrator would ultimately determine the rates.
Lawmakers who champion the legislation, led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) and Sen. John Kennedy (R-la), say that it is needed in the face of the decline of local journalism, which has seen the scaling back of newsroom coverage and severe cuts in staffing.
The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday in a 14-7 vote.
The bill would create a “safe harbor” from antitrust laws for a period of six years years for newspapers, broadcast stations and digital journalism outlets, giving them more market power in the face of competition for advertising from Google and Facebook. If publishers are unable to come to terms with platforms on a deal for their content, an arbitrator would ultimately determine the rates.
Lawmakers who champion the legislation, led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) and Sen. John Kennedy (R-la), say that it is needed in the face of the decline of local journalism, which has seen the scaling back of newsroom coverage and severe cuts in staffing.
- 6/15/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told lawmakers on Tuesday that the “right thing to do” is to make sure that content owners “get significant upside benefit” from artificial intelligence technology that has raised new concerns over copyright and compensation.
At a Senate subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Altman was questioned by some lawmakers over the use of copyrighted material to train OpenAI’s ChatGPT to generate new works. The use of AI is an issue in the Writers Guild of America strike against the studios, but content creators in general have raised concerns over what the technology means for protection of their intellectual property.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tn) said that the music artists in her state “should be able to decide if their copyrighted songs and images are going to be used to train these models.” She cited OpenAI’s Jukebox, which generates music in “a variety of genres and artist styles.
At a Senate subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Altman was questioned by some lawmakers over the use of copyrighted material to train OpenAI’s ChatGPT to generate new works. The use of AI is an issue in the Writers Guild of America strike against the studios, but content creators in general have raised concerns over what the technology means for protection of their intellectual property.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tn) said that the music artists in her state “should be able to decide if their copyrighted songs and images are going to be used to train these models.” She cited OpenAI’s Jukebox, which generates music in “a variety of genres and artist styles.
- 5/16/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Demand for concerts continues rising and bolstering the revenue of ticket seller and concert promoter and operator Live Nation.
The company reported total first-quarter revenue of $3.1 billion, up from $1.8 billion a year earlier and above analyst expectations. Concerts brought in $2.3 billion of that revenue, up from $1.2 billion, while ticketing increased to $678 million, from $480 million. Live Nation reported a loss of 25 cents per share, compared to a loss of 39 cents per share the prior year.
This comes as the company was able to operate in all of its markets worldwide for the first time in three years (Asia was the last market to reopen). The company sold more than 145 million tickets in its first quarter.
So far, Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, has sold close to 90 million tickets for concerts this year, which is up 20 percent from this time last year. The early sales numbers have included tickets to concerts from Beyoncé,...
The company reported total first-quarter revenue of $3.1 billion, up from $1.8 billion a year earlier and above analyst expectations. Concerts brought in $2.3 billion of that revenue, up from $1.2 billion, while ticketing increased to $678 million, from $480 million. Live Nation reported a loss of 25 cents per share, compared to a loss of 39 cents per share the prior year.
This comes as the company was able to operate in all of its markets worldwide for the first time in three years (Asia was the last market to reopen). The company sold more than 145 million tickets in its first quarter.
So far, Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, has sold close to 90 million tickets for concerts this year, which is up 20 percent from this time last year. The early sales numbers have included tickets to concerts from Beyoncé,...
- 5/4/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A group of over 20 of the most powerful companies in the live music business announced their support of Live Nation Entertainment’s Fair Ticketing reforms on Wednesday, calling for lawmakers to pass ticketing legislation that could give more power to artists regarding their ticket sales while limiting practices on the resale market.
Live Nation announced the Fair Ticketing initiative during the company’s earnings call in February as it looked to expand the conversation about fixing the ticketing marketplace beyond its Ticketmaster subsidiary, which has attracted the scorn and scrutiny...
Live Nation announced the Fair Ticketing initiative during the company’s earnings call in February as it looked to expand the conversation about fixing the ticketing marketplace beyond its Ticketmaster subsidiary, which has attracted the scorn and scrutiny...
- 3/8/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
When Joni Mitchell finally took the stage near the end of an all-star tribute concert honouring her as this year’s recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, she opted to perform a cover rather than one of her own songs.
The 79-year-old music legend, who is the first Canadian and only the third woman to be honoured with the accolade, leaned against the piano Wednesday as she crooned a sultry version of “Summertime”, the popular tune from George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”, an appropriate choice since the award was named after the composer.
But she wasn’t done. The evening’s other performers came to the stage and surrounded Mitchell as she launched into one of her more popular tunes, “The Circle Game”. Graham Nash, James Taylor, Ledisi, Cyndi Lauper, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Mumford, Brandi Carlile and others brought the crowd to their feet...
The 79-year-old music legend, who is the first Canadian and only the third woman to be honoured with the accolade, leaned against the piano Wednesday as she crooned a sultry version of “Summertime”, the popular tune from George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”, an appropriate choice since the award was named after the composer.
But she wasn’t done. The evening’s other performers came to the stage and surrounded Mitchell as she launched into one of her more popular tunes, “The Circle Game”. Graham Nash, James Taylor, Ledisi, Cyndi Lauper, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Mumford, Brandi Carlile and others brought the crowd to their feet...
- 3/2/2023
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
As Live Nation Entertainment faces continued criticism from fans and lawmakers over its place in the ticketing marketplace, on Thursday the company called on Congress to pass legislation to crack down on scalpers and ticket resale. The company is looking to broaden the conversation regarding ticketing reform beyond potential issues with Ticketmaster itself toward the secondary market.
Pushing for a “Fair Ticketing act,” Live Nation — owner of both the eponymous live music promoter as well as ticketing giant Ticketmaster — is advocating for federal laws that could weaken scalpers’ ability to...
Pushing for a “Fair Ticketing act,” Live Nation — owner of both the eponymous live music promoter as well as ticketing giant Ticketmaster — is advocating for federal laws that could weaken scalpers’ ability to...
- 2/24/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Jaipur, Feb 19 (Ians) A delegation of US Senators, headed by its Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and accompanied by US Charge d’Affaires Elizabeth Jones, inspected the making of the world-famous Jaipur Foot on Sunday.
The delegation visited the Jaipur Foot centre in Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (Bmvss) where they were received by founder and chief patron D.R. Mehta, Executive Presidents S.S. Bhandari and Satish Mehta, Secretaries Bhupendra Mehta and Dr Deependra Mehta and the Chief Executive Officer R.K. Agarwal.
The Senators, apart from inspecting the making of the Foot, gathered information about its cost, efficiency level, and durability.
D.R. Mehta said: “The US delegation’s visit to the Bmvss was initiated by the US Embassy in Delhi that wanted to show to the Senators the work of the Bmvss which has become the world’s leading organisation for the rehabilitation of the handicapped with over two...
The delegation visited the Jaipur Foot centre in Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (Bmvss) where they were received by founder and chief patron D.R. Mehta, Executive Presidents S.S. Bhandari and Satish Mehta, Secretaries Bhupendra Mehta and Dr Deependra Mehta and the Chief Executive Officer R.K. Agarwal.
The Senators, apart from inspecting the making of the Foot, gathered information about its cost, efficiency level, and durability.
D.R. Mehta said: “The US delegation’s visit to the Bmvss was initiated by the US Embassy in Delhi that wanted to show to the Senators the work of the Bmvss which has become the world’s leading organisation for the rehabilitation of the handicapped with over two...
- 2/19/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
As Beyoncé fans anxiously waited online looking to secure tickets to Queen Bey’s upcoming Renaissance tour, the high price of ticket fees is once again a groan-inducing discussion among ticket-buyers as they have no choice but to swallow the hefty added costs if they want to see her show.
Some customers who bought VIP packages for the tour — already among the priciest and highest-quality experiences at the venue — saw service fees as high as 550 (about a 15 service fee) atop the 3,757 the customer already spent on their seat. The most expensive tickets,...
Some customers who bought VIP packages for the tour — already among the priciest and highest-quality experiences at the venue — saw service fees as high as 550 (about a 15 service fee) atop the 3,757 the customer already spent on their seat. The most expensive tickets,...
- 2/10/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Tickets for Beyoncé’s upcoming Renaissance tour, one of the most in-demand concerts in recent memory, won’t hit the market until next week. But that hasn’t stopped ticket scalpers from posting listings for as much as 3,000 a ticket — even if they don’t actually have them yet.
Such a practice isn’t new, nor is it in any way unique to Queen Bey. Tickets for Fall Out Boy’s “So Much For (Tour) Dust” Tour, for instance, don’t hit pre-sale until Thursday, but tickets were already listed...
Such a practice isn’t new, nor is it in any way unique to Queen Bey. Tickets for Fall Out Boy’s “So Much For (Tour) Dust” Tour, for instance, don’t hit pre-sale until Thursday, but tickets were already listed...
- 2/2/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Multiple senators chose their words wisely during Monday’s congressional hearing addressing Ticketmaster parent company Live Nation’s November fiasco regarding Taylor Swift ticket sales.
None of it was accidental as the “Mastermind” senators quoted several of Swift’s lyrics while grilling the ticket-selling company on Capital Hill.
Read More: Taylor Swift And Ticketmaster Offer Verified Fans A Second Chance At ‘Eras Tour’ Tickets
“You can’t have too much consolidation. Something that unfortunately for this country, as a ode to Taylor Swift, I will say we know ‘all too well’,” Senior United States Senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar said, naming the singer’s 2012 song to address the incident that gained mass attention as it was scolded by thousands of fans online.
Ready for the Taylor Swift Ticketmaster hearing pic.twitter.com/S5ojxJg37X
— Germ (@anthonygermano) January 24, 2023
“A lot of people seem to think that’s somehow a solution,...
None of it was accidental as the “Mastermind” senators quoted several of Swift’s lyrics while grilling the ticket-selling company on Capital Hill.
Read More: Taylor Swift And Ticketmaster Offer Verified Fans A Second Chance At ‘Eras Tour’ Tickets
“You can’t have too much consolidation. Something that unfortunately for this country, as a ode to Taylor Swift, I will say we know ‘all too well’,” Senior United States Senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar said, naming the singer’s 2012 song to address the incident that gained mass attention as it was scolded by thousands of fans online.
Ready for the Taylor Swift Ticketmaster hearing pic.twitter.com/S5ojxJg37X
— Germ (@anthonygermano) January 24, 2023
“A lot of people seem to think that’s somehow a solution,...
- 1/25/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
We knew she was trouble when she walked in…Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and Taylor Swift are now at the center of a senate hearing due to the singer’s latest tour proving to be an absolute nightmare to get tickets to, as hours-plus-long queues and system outages locked out even her most die-hard fans–like, the ones who sat through Cats.
Hearings began this week, with the debacle over Taylor Swift and her Eras tour–the U.S. leg launches in March–serving as a major catalyst. However, it’s obviously not Swift coming under fire but rather the practices allegedly promoted by Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Due to the extremely high demand–Swift reportedly sold more tickets in one day than anyone else in music history (although we’re not expecting her directorial debut to smash many records)–the Ticketmaster public sale was canceled, an unprecedented move that left...
Hearings began this week, with the debacle over Taylor Swift and her Eras tour–the U.S. leg launches in March–serving as a major catalyst. However, it’s obviously not Swift coming under fire but rather the practices allegedly promoted by Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Due to the extremely high demand–Swift reportedly sold more tickets in one day than anyone else in music history (although we’re not expecting her directorial debut to smash many records)–the Ticketmaster public sale was canceled, an unprecedented move that left...
- 1/25/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Ticketmaster has apologised after its site crashed and left thousands of Taylor Swift fans without tickets.
Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation said that they should have done a “better job” by staggering sales over a longer time period, during a congressional hearing addressing its handling of the singer’s ticket sales.
“We apologise to the fans. We apologise to Ms Swift. We need to do better, and we will do better, said Live Nation president Joe Berchtold.
The ticket company published a statement ahead of a US Senate hearing, which blamed a bot attack for the issues with the site.
According to the statement, Ticketmaster usually controls bot issues by using the pre-registration service to ensure fans are legitimate.
However, bots were still able to overwhelm the system, so Ticketmaster apparently slowed the site down to ensure they were unable to get access.
In a statement submitted by Ticketmaster ahead of the senate,...
Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation said that they should have done a “better job” by staggering sales over a longer time period, during a congressional hearing addressing its handling of the singer’s ticket sales.
“We apologise to the fans. We apologise to Ms Swift. We need to do better, and we will do better, said Live Nation president Joe Berchtold.
The ticket company published a statement ahead of a US Senate hearing, which blamed a bot attack for the issues with the site.
According to the statement, Ticketmaster usually controls bot issues by using the pre-registration service to ensure fans are legitimate.
However, bots were still able to overwhelm the system, so Ticketmaster apparently slowed the site down to ensure they were unable to get access.
In a statement submitted by Ticketmaster ahead of the senate,...
- 1/25/2023
- by Megan Graye
- The Independent - Music
Update: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) told reporters that she that she believes that the three-hour Senate hearing focusing on Ticketmaster’s business practices helped educate some members “so we can move forward on some consumer legislation when it comes to ticket prices.”
The criticism of Ticketmaster and parent Live Nation Entertainment came from both sides of the aisle, as lawmakers blasted the company not just for the Taylor Swift ticket debacle but for its market power in three sectors of live entertainment: ticketing, promotion and venues.
“You wouldn’t know sometimes who was speaking, a Democrat or Republican. They want to help consumers. There are concert fans that are in red states and blue states.” She said that by making the hearing public, “I think you are going to see some changes immediately — small changes, but some changes, it sounds like.” She also pointed to reports that the Justice Department is investigating the company.
The criticism of Ticketmaster and parent Live Nation Entertainment came from both sides of the aisle, as lawmakers blasted the company not just for the Taylor Swift ticket debacle but for its market power in three sectors of live entertainment: ticketing, promotion and venues.
“You wouldn’t know sometimes who was speaking, a Democrat or Republican. They want to help consumers. There are concert fans that are in red states and blue states.” She said that by making the hearing public, “I think you are going to see some changes immediately — small changes, but some changes, it sounds like.” She also pointed to reports that the Justice Department is investigating the company.
- 1/24/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Over an hour into Tuesday’s Senate judiciary hearing on competition in the music industry, Sen. Richard Blumenthal sardonically “congratulated and thanked” Live Nation Entertainment president and CFO Joe Berchtold for the “absolutely stunning achievement” of unifying Republicans and Democrats over a policy matter. The glue for such cooperation? The vitriol and concern they all have over the ticketing industry and with Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of the eponymous concert promoter and of ticketing giant Ticketmaster.
It was Live Nation against virtually everyone else during the hearing, with...
It was Live Nation against virtually everyone else during the hearing, with...
- 1/24/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
In the wake of the Taylor Swift ticketing debacle, U.S. Senators took aim at Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, with many arguing that it’s a monopoly that should be broken up.
Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) led the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, entitled “That’s the Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment.” Klobuchar and Lee were specifically focused on whether Live Nation had violated its consent decree, a set of conditions and divestitures Live Nation and Ticketmaster agreed to when they merged in order to ensure competition.
The hearing follows the Taylor Swift ticket presale on Ticketmaster on Nov. 15, in which fans experienced long wait times and site outages during the Verified Fan presale and the Capital One pre-sale the next day.
During the hearing, Live Nation President and CFO Joe Berchtold blamed bots and cyber attacks for the problems during the ticket sale,...
Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) led the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, entitled “That’s the Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment.” Klobuchar and Lee were specifically focused on whether Live Nation had violated its consent decree, a set of conditions and divestitures Live Nation and Ticketmaster agreed to when they merged in order to ensure competition.
The hearing follows the Taylor Swift ticket presale on Ticketmaster on Nov. 15, in which fans experienced long wait times and site outages during the Verified Fan presale and the Capital One pre-sale the next day.
During the hearing, Live Nation President and CFO Joe Berchtold blamed bots and cyber attacks for the problems during the ticket sale,...
- 1/24/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At the height of Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s latest controversy over the disastrous ticket on-sale for Taylor Swift’s upcoming “Eras” tour — a kerfuffle that once again brought into question what some have called the anticompetitive nature of tickets and the live music business — few politicians were as vocal or critical of the live events giant as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn). Last November, Klobuchar, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, penned a letter to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino, demanding Rapino...
- 1/23/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
The crash of Ticketmaster’s website amid an overload of demand for Taylor Swift tickets has led to a Senate hearing, as lawmakers seize on the incident to scrutinize a host of business practices in the ticketing industry.
The full Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday — That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment — following the November debacle in which Swift fans were locked out of presales and a public sale was canceled.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn), who chairs the antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement that “the issues within America’s ticketing industry were made painfully obvious when Ticketmaster’s website failed hundreds of thousands of fans hoping to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s new tour, but these problems are not new. For too long consumers have faced high fees, long waits and website failures, and Ticketmaster’s dominant...
The full Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday — That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment — following the November debacle in which Swift fans were locked out of presales and a public sale was canceled.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn), who chairs the antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement that “the issues within America’s ticketing industry were made painfully obvious when Ticketmaster’s website failed hundreds of thousands of fans hoping to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s new tour, but these problems are not new. For too long consumers have faced high fees, long waits and website failures, and Ticketmaster’s dominant...
- 1/18/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Zach Bryan is the latest artist to rage against the Ticketmaster as the country star — frustrated by skyrocketing ticket prices — pledged Saturday that he’ll embark on a summer tour with “prices as cheap as possible.” Doubling down on his disdain for the concert giant, Bryan also released a surprise new album titled, fittingly, All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live From Red Rocks).
“Seems there is a massive issue with fair ticket prices to live shows lately. I have met kids at my shows who have paid upwards of four-hundred...
“Seems there is a massive issue with fair ticket prices to live shows lately. I have met kids at my shows who have paid upwards of four-hundred...
- 12/25/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
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