Reuters – While James Cameron’s 3D sci-fi epic “Avatar” took the box office by storm instantly, the road to success will be much longer for Best Buy Co Inc, which is making a big bet on 3D televisions this year.
AP – Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Monday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market:
NewsFactor – In one of the funnier moments of Sunday’s Academy Awards, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin thought they spotted Avatar director James Cameron in the audience. The hosts whipped out 3-D glasses to scan the audience for the man whose top-grossing film has fueled more interest in 3-D viewing.
AP – Five giant billboards have been removed from buildings in Hollywood near the site of the Academy Awards after Los Angeles prosecutors charged four people and four companies with hanging the so-called supergraphics illegally.
AP – Cablevision’s 3.1 million customers in New York could lose access to the Academy Awards on Sunday if ABC’s parent company follows through on a threat to pull the plug at midnight Saturday in a dispute over payments.
AP – City prosecutors have charged four people and four companies with illegally hanging giant billboards at an intersection near the site of the upcoming Oscars, days after they jailed a man for putting up a separate eight-story supergraphic ad across the street.
AP – An incentive package approved by the Legislature is helping attract filmmakers to Arkansas, which the state’s film commissioner says is a solid way to build a new segment to the state’s economy.
AP – City prosecutors have obtained arrest warrants for four people connected to giant billboards at an intersection near the site of the upcoming Oscars, days after they jailed a man accused of putting up a separate eight-story supergraphic ad there without a permit.
AP – Among the stock activity stories for Wednesday, March 3, from AP Financial News:
AP – Shares of giant-screen movie technology company Imax Corp. fell Wednesday after an analyst said No. 2 theater chain AMC Entertainment will roll out its own oversized format in the U.S., which could hurt Imax’s revenue.
AP – DVD rental kiosk chain Redbox has agreed to wait 28 days after Warner Bros. releases new movies for sale before offering to rent them for $1 a night.
Reuters – A strong performance at its cable division and cost-cuts at its film studio propelled Walt Disney Co to better-than-expected earnings, but clouds remained over its theme parks.
Reuters – Walt Disney Co has reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit, as its cable TV division turned in another star performance and cost-cutting provided some much-needed support for its film studio.
AP – Two filmmakers, their companies and the former manager of the Iowa Film Office were accused Monday of mishandling tax incentives designed to lure moviemakers to the state.
AP – Two filmmakers, their companies and the former manager of the Iowa Film Office were accused Monday of mishandling tax incentives designed to lure moviemakers to the state.
AP – Movie Gallery Inc., owner of struggling movie rental chain Hollywood Video, said Wednesday it will continue to operate while the company is in bankruptcy.
AP – Movie Gallery Inc., owner of the Hollywood Video movie rental chain, has filed for Chapter 11 protection and plans to close 805 stores — about a third of its total.
AFP – Buoyed by a box office hit in “Avatar” and better-than-expected profits, News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch has predicted a rosy future for content companies such as his media and entertainment giant.
AFP – Sony Pictures Entertainment is to trim 450 jobs from its workforce, the studio said, with executives citing online piracy and changing viewer habits as reasons for the cuts.
AP – Movie Gallery Inc., owner of the Hollywood Video movie rental chain, may file for bankruptcy court protection as soon as next week, according to a news report.
AP – It’s a scenario many authors dream about: Their book becomes a smash movie. But novelist Walter Kirn is taking the pessimistic view of fellow Minnesota writer Garrison Keillor as he watches the movie version of his book, “Up in the Air,” soar to critical and box office success.
AP – The annual Berlin film festival will open next month with the premiere of a new movie from Chinese director Wang Quan’an, “Apart Together.”
AP – “Slumdog Millionaire” child star Rubina Ali played a poverty-stricken child in the Oscar-winning film, but the real-life daughter of India’s shantytowns now has a small fortune in book and movie deals.
AP – Stuart Townsend has departed Marvel Comics’ movie adaptation of “Thor” because of creative differences, according to sources close to the production.
AFP – Television entered a new dimension on Tuesday as US sports broadcaster ESPN said it will show some World Cup soccer matches live from South Africa in 3-D and Japan’s Sony teamed up with Discovery and IMAX to launch a 3-D TV network in the United States.