Rupert Murdoch, Blogger?
Peter Kafka
May 12, 2008
1:51 PM
Buyout mogul Carl Icahn says he's just about ready to start blogging at his personal site,
The Icahn Report, any day now -- as long as he gets the OK from his lawyers.
Has he started a trend?
At a party for Arianna Huffington last week, one of her eager employers cornered Rupert Murdoch, and asked the News Corp.
(NWS) boss whether he'd like to start writing posts for free, too.
The exchange, via the NY Observer:
“Would you blog for us?” said a young political reporter.
“Would you ever want to do a blog for us?”
Mr. Murdoch gazed at him silently for a few seconds, then smiled.
“I’d love to,” he said.
We're not sure that this represents an ironclad commitment on Rupe's part.
But if it is, we have a proposal for his first contribution:
"Why I Was Sure I Was Going To Buy Newsday A Week Ago, And What Happened Next".
July 11So the guys at Disney and Pixar have it all figured out --
if you don’t believe it, ask them.
Why mess around with big, risky tentpole pictures aimed at capricious teens when you can aim your output at the ultimate sweet spot -- families with kids?
All parents live for is to make their offspring happy, whether that means movies, theme parks or tween tours, and Disney has the revenues to prove it.
But what happens if attitudes change?
A series of studies cited in Newsweek Magazine this week suggest childless married couples are a lot happier than those with kids.
They actually get to do things they like, such as travel or go to restaurants and see movies that actually interest them, not Panda pics that appease the kids.
In short, the “bundle of joy” syndrome may be wearing off.
Robin Simon, a professor of sociology who has conducted several parenting studies, points out that Disney World commercials “made parenthood out to be one blissful moment after another, and it’s disappointing when you find out it’s not.”
Simon, by the way has two kids.
Other studies also suggest that American couples are increasingly pursuing the Western European model of remaining childless.
There are several reasons:
Raising kids is becoming more expensive, public education continues to deteriorate, extended families (with their support mechanisms) are diminishing.
Plus for more and more parents (and I see this in my family as well) the process of raising “perfect” kids is becoming an obsession, replete with private coaches, trainers and learning gurus.
Mothers don’t seem to feel they’re good enough anymore --
they need to hire a backup team.
After all, their kid is destined to be a star.
At today’s prices, he better be.
The process of raising a kid through college involves an investment approaching $500,000, according to new government figures.
None of this poses a serious short-term challenge to the Disney business model, but suggests that they should be a little less smug about it.
The time may come when the kiddie market isn’t the only one to show exponential growth.
Suddenly the grownups will start demanding, ‘what’s in it for me?’
Now that’s a terrifying concept.
Published by Carolina on
July 11th, 2008 (5 hours ago)
All you gotta do is buy her fake hair extensions!
This is crazy.
Reports are surfacing that the new Warner Bros Batman film, Dark Knight, is set to have a record-breaking weekend.
Sources are estimating that the film will bring in around $130 million for its opening 3-day weekend.
And, when it opens, next Friday, is not even a holiday weekend! Even more impressive!
However, WB is trying to lower expectations, suggesting that the film might "only" make $90 million due to increased competition now as opposed to the beginning of May.
ONLY $90 million?
That's still a damn lot!
And, as we mentioned last month, pre-sales for the film are selling out quickly!
We've already scored our tix for opening night at one of the Imax theaters in L.A.
Yay!!!!
Additionally, inside sources are telling PerezHilton.com exclusively that the opening weekend for the Batman sequel could bring in about $150 million or more.
That's record breaking!
And, despite the fact that the movie is a bit longer than usual, at 2 hours and 32 minutes, theater managers are trying to by-pass the problem by adding late and round-the-clock screenings during its debut on July 18th.
So the main question is, Will U go watch Dark Knight on its opening weekend?
(Duh, the answer is yes.)
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