The Town with Matthew Belloni

Matt is joined by the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Bill Kramer, to talk about his first year as CEO, the changes we will see on this year's broadcast, what they have learned from the Slap, how to bring more young people to the show, and convoluted Oscar campaign rules in light of the Andrea Riseborough nomination. Matt and Craig finish the show with a prediction about the opening weekend for ‘Scream VI' and new dinosaur action film ‘65.’For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Bill KramerProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Mosaic talent manager and Oscars enthusiast Michael Lasker to help parse through the chatter in Hollywood to find a gambling edge on the Oscars. Matt and Michael reveal why ‘Top Gun’ still has a shot at stealing Best Picture, who has the edge in a tight Best Actress race, historical trends for certain categories, and how a changing Academy could affect who wins and loses.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Michael LaskerProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the recent dearth of hit TV shows and whether the current state of the streaming landscape marks the end of peak TV. Will we finally see a pullback in the number of TV shows produced each year? They discuss which streamers are likely to reduce their output and which will continue to push ahead, and they predict how far we could drop from last year's record 599 scripted U.S. television shows. Matt and Craig finish the show with a prediction about Paramount Global’s potential sale of BET.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman to discuss his new book ‘Oscar Wars’ and the ploys and tactics behind Oscar campaigning. They highlight the most devious campaigns in Oscar history and break down this year’s most interesting campaigns, including the gamesmanship involved in Andrea Riseborough’s surprise nomination for Actress in a Leading Role and how these tactics have both changed and stayed the same since the beginning of the Academy Awards. Matt and Craig finish the show with a prediction about Chris Rock’s live comedy special on Netflix.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Michael SchulmanProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck’s Dylan Byers to talk about Rupert Murdoch’s surprisingly candid testimony regarding Fox News’ relationship with the Trump election conspiracy and what this means for the future of Fox News. Later, Matt and Craig make a prediction about the opening weekend of the upcoming film ‘Creed III.’For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Dylan ByersProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what a potential writers strike would look like for Hollywood, how the economics of streaming have hurt writers, what they want, whether or not the studios would want a strike, and how this would affect your favorite television shows and movies. Matt and Craig finish the show with a prediction about the future of ‘Yellowstone.’For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuests: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Brandon Ross, partner at Lightshed Partners, to discuss the shifting balance of power for regional sports networks, where you can watch your favorite local teams when their games are not airing nationally. The current media landscape is shifting under the RSNs; consolidation and competition from streaming services are threatening the economic viability of their business. Can the local sports networks for the NBA, MLB, and other sports leagues survive this monumental shift in sports viewership? Then, Matt and Craig finish with a prediction about the upcoming comedy ‘Cocaine Bear.'For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetownEmail us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuests: Brandon RossProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to conduct the first box office draft on The Town. Matt and Lucas each draft five blockbusters set to be released in 2023 with the goal of making the most money possible against the production budget. We add a twist to the draft by allowing each person the chance to sink the other team by giving them a movie they believe will flop.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing ...,' click this link: puck.news/thetownEmail us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Axios senior media reporter and CNN media analyst Sara Fischer to discuss the current state of the deal market for entertainment companies and who she is watching for possible acquisitions or sales. Sara predicts what could happen to digital media companies like Vice, Disney’s acquisition possibilities, potential buyers for the WWE, Lionsgate spinning off Starz, YouTube’s valuable IP, NBCU, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount’s likelihood of consolidation, and the state of the struggling podcast industry.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing ...', click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuests: Sara FischerProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams of The New York Times to discuss their new book, ‘Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy.’ They discuss the inside machinations that put Sumner Redstone’s daughter, Shari, on top at Paramount, how she took on Les Moonves, and how the Redstone empire fell behind Netflix and the other digital-focused entertainment companies.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing ...', click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuests: James B. Stewart and Rachel AbramsProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices