The Town with Matthew Belloni

Ad industry insider Michael Kassan joins Matt to dissect Netflix's foray into ads and streaming. They discuss the streaming ad market, live events, and predict 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' box office. AI in advertising and box office projections are also explored.

Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw joins in for a summer concert tour draft where they pick four acts each, discussing the profitability of tours, ticket prices, and trends in music genres. They predict which bid will win over Shari Redstone for Paramount at the end.

Isabella Simonetti, a Wall Street Journal reporter, joins Matt to discuss the impact of older TV viewers on advertising. They explore the shift in ad pitches, age gaps between TV consumption, acceptance of older casts, and the potential decline of linear TV. Matt ends with a prediction on the distribution of 'The Apprentice' and its connection to Donald Trump's career.

Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw joins Matt to discuss the Memorial Day box office disaster and its impact on future film releases. They debate studios releasing fewer movies and make a prediction about Warner Bros. Discovery's NBA broadcasting rights.

Legal expert Eriq Gardner and host Matt discuss the U.S. government's monopoly lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation. They explore the history of the merger, why concert prices may not go down post-split, impact on secondary markets, and what a divided Ticketmaster–Live Nation might entail.

Legal expert Aaron Moss joins Matt to discuss Scarlett Johansson's potential lawsuit against OpenAI for using her voice in an AI chatbot. They explore the legal implications, compare past cases, and predict the future of the CW Network.

Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw joins the host to discuss the shift in Hollywood pay structures towards performance-based compensation on streaming platforms like Netflix and Apple. They debate the reasons behind this change, potential transparency issues, and the feasibility of this new model. The episode also includes predictions about Kevin Costner's 'Horizon: An American Saga' and Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis'.

Media analyst Rich Greenfield joins Matt to discuss the TV up-fronts, Netflix's NFL deal, YouTube's viewership data, Amazon's announcements, and the future of media. They also talk about the 'Wicked' trailer and two-part movies.

Camilo Becdach, a partner at McKinsey, discusses the untapped potential of Latinos in Hollywood, estimating a $12-18 billion annual revenue loss due to underrepresentation. They explore barriers faced by Latinos in the industry and offer solutions. Matt predicts the box office performance of a John Krasinski-directed animated film at the end.

Bloomberg journalist Lucas Shaw joins the host to discuss the new bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and Max. They debate potential winners and losers, predict the next to join the Great Re-Bundling, and speculate on Netflix's NFL involvement.