Core Points - Shareholders at Warner Bros. Discovery rejected the executive compensation plan for 2024, particularly highlighting CEO David Zaslav's $51.9 million package [1][3] - The non-binding advisory vote saw 59% of shareholders voting against the pay plans, with a general threshold of 70% support considered notable [3] - The company's stock has struggled since the merger three years ago, leading to a downgrade to junk status by S&P due to weak credit metrics [4] Compensation and Governance - The vote, known as say-on-pay, is a requirement for publicly traded companies, and while non-binding, boards are expected to consider the results seriously [2] - The compensation committee adjusted the metrics they set to increase Zaslav's pay, raising concerns among shareholders [4] - Institutional Shareholder Services recommended voting against WBD's executive pay, citing limited responsiveness to shareholder concerns after consecutive years of low support [5]

Core Points - Donald Trump and Paramount are in negotiations regarding a $20 billion lawsuit related to a 60 Minutes segment, with Paramount reportedly offering $15 million while Trump's team demands $25 million and an apology [1][4][8] - The lawsuit alleges violations of Texas' Deceptive Trade Practices Act, typically used for false advertising claims, and is seen as meritless by many observers [3][8] - The ongoing negotiations are critical for Paramount as they seek regulatory approval for a multi-billion dollar merger with Skydance, which has faced delays [10][8] Group 1 - Paramount has made an opening offer of $15 million, while Trump's team is seeking $25 million and an apology from CBS News [4][2] - The lawsuit was filed in October 2024, alleging deceptive practices related to an edited interview with Kamala Harris [2][5] - The outcome of the negotiations could impact CBS News, as leadership changes and concerns over the settlement have arisen [7][6] Group 2 - The merger between Paramount and Skydance requires approval from the FCC, which has been slow, leading to a 90-day extension [10][8] - Trump's legal team has indicated that further legal action may be pursued if CBS and Paramount continue to air segments they deem defamatory [12][8] - The situation has created tension within CBS News, with staff interpreting leadership changes as a sign that a settlement may be imminent [7][6]

Group 1 - President Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union and a 25% tariff on Apple, indicating that tariffs remain a key aspect of his economic policy [1][2] - Trump has communicated to Apple that iPhones sold in the U.S. should be manufactured domestically, warning that a 25% tariff will apply if production occurs elsewhere [2] - The European Union is accused by Trump of exploiting the U.S. in trade, leading to an annual trade deficit exceeding $250 billion, prompting his recommendation for a 50% tariff starting June 1, 2025 [3] Group 2 - Historical data shows that when Trump raises tariffs, stock markets tend to decline, while a reduction in tariffs leads to market increases, reflecting investor sentiment on future profitability [4] - Trump has also proposed a 100% tariff on films produced overseas, although the White House later clarified that no decision has been finalized on this matter [4]

Core Insights - AMC Networks reported a 7% decline in total revenue year-over-year, amounting to $555.2 million, with adjusted earnings per share at 52 cents, significantly lower than the previous year's quarter [1] Financial Performance - The company's advertising revenue fell 15% to $119 million, while affiliate revenue decreased by 12% to $156 million, attributed to basic subscriber declines and contractual rate decreases [4] - Content licensing revenue dropped 13% to $54 million, influenced by tough comparisons with the previous year when there was a boost from the sale of rights to "Killing Eve" [5] Streaming Metrics - AMC Networks' streaming subscriber count remained flat at 10.2 million compared to the same period last year, and decreased slightly from 10.4 million in the previous quarter [2] - The company has revised its method of counting streaming subscribers, excluding those from pay-TV or broadband bundles, which may have impacted the reported subscriber numbers [2] - Despite the downturn in subscribers, the company noted improvements in retention and viewing hours per subscriber, indicating a focus on higher-quality customers [3] Stock Performance - Shares of AMC Networks have declined by 37% in 2025, trading at $6.19, close to all-time lows [5]

Core Viewpoint - News Corp. reported strong financial results for the third quarter despite political turbulence and the impact of Donald Trump's tariffs, indicating resilience in its business model and potential for future growth [1][2][4]. Financial Performance - News Corp. revenues for the three months ended March 31 were $2.01 billion, a 1% increase from the same period a year earlier [4]. - Net income from continuing operations was $107 million, up 67% from a year earlier [4]. - Total segment EBITDA rose 12% to $290 million [4]. Segment Performance - Revenue at Dow Jones reached $575 million, up 6% from a year earlier, driven by higher circulation and subscription revenue [5]. - Digital-only subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal rose 5% to 3.91 million, representing 90% of subscriptions to the publication [5]. - The news media segment saw revenues decrease by 8% to $514 million due to lower advertising revenues [6]. - Digital real estate services revenue grew by 5% to $406 million, while book publishing revenue rose by 2% to $514 million [6]. Market Outlook - The company believes that the current political disruption is temporary and anticipates robust growth potential in the U.S. economy [3]. - Despite uncertainties related to tariffs, the impact on the company is expected to be "immaterial," although advertising may remain volatile [7]. AI and Intellectual Property - News Corp. has partnered with OpenAI and is actively addressing issues related to AI companies' use of copyrighted content [7][9]. - The company emphasizes the importance of protecting its intellectual property against unauthorized use by AI operators [9].

Core Insights - Paramount Global's co-CEO Chris McCarthy emphasized the company's strategic partnership with Taylor Sheridan's 101 Studios, highlighting that they are not seeking to acquire the studio but value the existing relationship [1][2][4] - The partnership with Sheridan has proven successful, with Paramount holding an exclusive agreement with him until 2028 and owning all intellectual property (IP) generated from their collaboration [3] - Paramount has implemented new creative models inspired by Sheridan's work, which have been effective in attracting new talent, such as Jez Butterworth, leading to successful projects like The Agency and MobLand [5] Financial Performance - Paramount reported solid quarterly earnings but is focusing on cash conservation amid a challenging macroeconomic environment, alongside significant cost reductions in preparation for a merger with Skydance [6] - The average production cost of Paramount Pictures' films has been reduced by 35% over the past 24 months, indicating a strategic shift towards more efficient production practices [6] Future Outlook - The company anticipates that its sale to Skydance will be finalized in the first half of the year, pending FCC approval [7]

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Global anticipates the merger with Skydance Media to close in the first half of 2025, pending regulatory approvals from the FCC [1][2][3] Financial Performance - Q1 revenue decreased by 6% to $7.2 billion, but increased by 2% when excluding the impact of Super Bowl LVIII from the previous year [4] - The company reported a net profit of $152 million, a significant recovery from a loss of $554 million in the same quarter last year [5] - Adjusted EPS was 29 cents per share [5] - Streaming revenue rose by 9% to over $2 billion, with Paramount+ contributing to a 16% increase in subscription revenue [6] Subscriber Growth - Paramount+ added 1.5 million net new subscribers, reaching a total of 79 million by the end of March [7] - The growth was driven by series, post-theatrical releases, CBS primetime, and sports programming [7] Advertising and Media Performance - Ad sales fell by 9%, with 8% attributed to Super Bowl comparisons [6] - CBS is expected to be the most-watched network in primetime for the 17th consecutive season, despite a 21% decline in ad revenue [8] Division Performance - TV Media operating profit decreased by 36% to $922 million on revenue of $4.54 billion [9] - Filmed entertainment revenue increased by 4%, with theatrical revenue easing by 3% [9] - The success of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 contributed to a profit swing in the division, moving from a $3 million loss to a $20 million profit [10]

Group 1 - WBD has reorganized into two operating divisions: Global Linear Networks and Studios & Streaming, allowing for quicker decision-making regarding restructuring [1] - Comcast is in the process of separating its linear cable networks into a standalone public company called Versant, raising speculation about WBD potentially following suit due to the decline of linear television [1] - There are concerns on Wall Street regarding how WBD's substantial debt would be allocated between the two businesses if a real split occurs [2] Group 2 - WBD's CFO stated that the company is pleased with the speed of the reorganization and believes it is now structured to capitalize on future opportunities [3] - The CEO emphasized WBD's position as the largest content producer globally, with a significant streaming service that has experienced growth, and highlighted the interconnectedness of traditional and streaming businesses [3]

Group 1 - Warner Bros. Discovery experienced a mixed first quarter with streaming subscriber growth and profit, but anticipated revenue decline from the film studio, which improved in Q2 [1] - The company ended March with 122.3 million global streaming subscribers, an increase of 5.3 million from Q4, and streaming revenue reached $339 million [2] - Content revenues fell by 25% due to lower theatrical performance, with a notably weak box office [3] Group 2 - Total revenues were approximately $9 billion, reflecting a 10% decline, while the net loss was about $500 million, which included $1.6 billion in pre-tax acquisition-related amortization and restructuring expenses [4]

Core Insights - Disney's fiscal second quarter results exceeded expectations, driven by strong performance in its Sports and Experiences divisions, with revenue reaching $23.6 billion, a 7% increase year-over-year [1][2] - Earnings per share rose to $1.45 from $1.21 in the previous year, indicating solid financial health [1] Revenue Performance - The Sports division saw a significant boost from the expanded College Football Playoff and an additional NFL game, leading to a 29% increase in domestic ad revenue [2] - Revenue from Domestic Parks and Experiences increased by 13%, while Consumer Products revenue climbed by 14% [3] Streaming Growth - Direct-to-consumer operating profit in streaming rose by $289 million to $336 million, marking a positive trend after a challenging five-year rollout of Disney+ [3] - Disney+ subscribers reached 126 million, an increase of 1.4 million from the previous quarter, while the Disney+-Hulu bundle grew by 2.5 million to 180.7 million [4] Future Outlook - CEO Bob Iger expressed optimism about the company's growth trajectory, highlighting upcoming theatrical releases, the launch of ESPN's new direct-to-consumer offering, and numerous expansion projects in the Experiences segment [4]