BSkyB Q4 net profit up nearly fourfold (AP)
AP – British Sky Broadcasting’s profit nearly quadrupled in its fourth quarter, the satellite broadcaster said Thursday as it announced an exclusive deal to carry new Home Box Office programming in the U.K.
Imax inks deal for 8 more theaters in China (AP)
AP – Imax Corp. said Wednesday it has signed a deal to add eight more of its jumbo-screen movie theaters in China.
Summary Box: Mattel 2Q net income doubles (AP)
AP – THE RESULTS: Toymaker Mattel Inc.’s second-quarter net income more than doubled, boosted by strong sales of Barbie, Hot Wheels and “Toy Story 3″ toys.
Filmmaker: I was undercover operative for law firm (AP)
AP – A filmmaker who went to Nicaragua to make a documentary said Thursday he became an undercover operative for a Texas law firm that was suing Dole Foods on behalf of purported banana plantation workers who claim they were left sterile by pesticide exposure.
Imax says 2Q box office sales grew (AP)
AP – Canadian giant-screen movie company Imax Corp. said Wednesday its remastered gross box office sales grew 37 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier.
Netflix Challenges Pay-TV Model with Relativity Deal (NewsFactor)
NewsFactor – In a move to better position itself against cable television, Netflix on Tuesday announced a long-term agreement with Relativity Media that lets subscribers stream newly released DVDs during the pay-TV window. Until now, these new movies were only available to Relativity’s partners for broadcast on premium TV channels.
Harkins Theatres owner cited for animal neglect (AP)
AP – Police say the owner of a movie theater chain has been cited for animal neglect after he allegedly left his dog in a car in Arizona for more than three hours.
Harkins Theatres owner cited for animal neglect (AP)
AP – Police say the owner of a movie theater chain has been cited for animal neglect in Arizona after he allegedly left his dog in a car for more than three hours.
Imax, Disney in deal for 3 movies in 3D (AP)
AP – Imax Corp. and Walt Disney Studios said Wednesday that they have agreed on a deal to release three more 3D movies to Imax theaters next year.
Liberty Media to split off Capital and Starz units (Reuters)
Reuters – Liberty Media Corp, the media conglomerate controlled by mogul John Malone, said on Sunday it plans to spin-off two of its units — investment arm Liberty Capital and pay TV and Hollywood studio unit Liberty Starz .
Summary Box: Box-office futures trading OK’d (AP)
AP – NEW BOX-OFFICE TRADING OK’D: Federal regulators have allowed a new online exchange to proceed to trade future box-office receipts for movies. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission voted 3-2.
New contributors & a few other business items
Look for two new contributors at Now Smell This this month. First, Alyssa H (many of you know her from Perfume Smellin’ Things) will kick off (and explain) her ‘Out of the Bottle’ series tomorrow. Next week, our new book reviewer, Cheryl K, will weigh in on Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas.
I am moving at my usual snail’s pace…
CFTC delays decision on movie futures (AP)
AP – Federal regulators have postponed for one week a decision on whether to allow a new online exchange to proceed to trade future box office receipts for movies.
New public profiles for gravatars
All of you who have taken the time to create a gravatar at gravatar.com have a new option: you can now create a public profile associated with your gravatar.1 Public profiles can include any information you want: your email address, links to your website(s), your accounts on various social media services, whatever. This should be handy for those of you who’d like to be able to share more personal information with other readers…
Imax gets deal for 2 more theaters in China (AP)
AP – Imax Corp. said Thursday it struck a deal to install two more of its jump screens with Chinese movie theater operator Stellar Investment Co.
Ahead of the Bell: Imax expectations cut (AP)
AP – Imax Corp.’s second-quarter results may come in below current Wall Street expectations because of disappointing box office results, a Morgan Joseph analyst said Wednesday.
Imax, AMC to add 15 to 25 more Imax theaters (AP)
AP – Imax Corp. said it will open 15 to 25 new theaters next year as part of an expanded joint venture with movie theater chain AMC Entertainment Inc.
Movie theater shares down after holiday weekend (AP)
AP – Shares of movie theater operators dropped Tuesday after a disappointing holiday weekend at the box office.
Accused adviser to wealthy hid from U.S. agents (Reuters)
Reuters – Kenneth Starr, an investment adviser to celebrities and other wealthy New Yorkers, was coaxed from a darkened suit closet by U.S. agents at his apartment on Thursday to face charges of running a fraud of at least $30 million, prosecutors said.





