
Strictly Business
Industry leaders converse about business deals, strategy and the future of media and entertainment.
Latest episodes

Dec 18, 2024 • 36min
Vim, Vigor and Verve: Talent Agency Partners Talk Industry Turmoil, Transitions and Surviving 15 Years in Hollywood
Liz Parker, Bryan Besser, Adam Levine, and Adam Weinstein, partners at Verve talent agency, share their insights as their agency approaches its 15th anniversary. They discuss the end of packaging fees and the shifting dynamics within the creative community. Fascinatingly, they explore unexpected sources for intellectual property and highlight growth areas in animation. The conversation touches on innovative strategies in the book business and the importance of adapting to industry changes while focusing on client development and a robust workplace culture.

Dec 11, 2024 • 27min
I Defended Publishing the Sony Hack Emails 10 Years Ago. Now I Regret It.
Strictly Business co-host Andrew Wallenstein looks back on the rationale he laid out a decade ago as co-editor-in-chief of Variety for publishing the contents of the Sony hack and shares his misgivings about a difficult decision and why he made it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 4, 2024 • 31min
Chappell Roan Collaborator Daniel Nigro on the Evolving Role of the Writer-Producer in Pop
Nominated for producer of the year at the Grammys, Daniel Nigro has become one of the top writer-producers in the pop thanks to his collaborations with Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo, who became superstars on his watch. He talks about why he thinks of himself more of a band member with these artists than a traditional producer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 20, 2024 • 35min
John Landgraf Wrestles with the Entertainment Industry’s ‘Really Big Reckoning’
John Landgraf, the respected chairman of FX, engages in a wide-ranging conversation about the precarious state of TV and film and the content industry in general. Coming off a banner year for FX, Landgraf explains how the edgy cable brand found a home within Disney and is navigating the transition from linear to streaming.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 13, 2024 • 34min
Nebula Builds Streaming Platform with A24 Vibes
CEO Dave Wiskus details the growth ambition of the four-year-old streamer that is home to the buzzy original series "Jet Lag" and backed by management company Standard with a minority stake held by Curiosity Stream.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 6, 2024 • 21min
Why Riot Games’ Entertainment Ambitions Stalled Beyond ‘Arcane’
With the long-awaited second season of the Emmy-winning Netflix series "Arcane" debuting Nov. 9, producers Riot Games may be better known for videogame phenomena like "League of Legends," but they've proven they can make great entertainment, too. But the company has struggled to expand further into scripted entertainment as inexperience has kept anything else from getting off the ground. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 31, 2024 • 44min
Delphi Interactive’s Leadership on Challenging Gaming’s ‘Publisher Industrial Complex’
Delphi Interactive is a new company licensing some of the biggest franchises in entertainment and partnering them with independent gaming studios to bring those properties to life as new AAA video games. CEO Casper Daugaard and President Andy Kleinman joined Strictly Business to discuss what they refer to as the “publishing industrial complex” and their plans to circumvent gaming’s biggest entities to deliver new experiences for the unpredictable console and PC gaming market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 28, 2024 • 32min
Cenk Uygur Shares the Young Turks' 'Dangerous Strategy' for Covering Presidential Election
The founder, CEO and lead anchor of the insurgent progressive news brand shares his pre-election outlook on what it's been like covering the 2024 presidential race and discusses the state of the TYT business from his days as a YouTube pioneer more than two decades ago. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 23, 2024 • 25min
Masters of Message: Marketing leaders on AI, TikTok, Metrics That Matter and What Consumers Want
Marketing and advertising leaders from Disney, Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, Google, Nvidia, CVS, Ford, Pintrest and other blue-chip firms share insights on how to break through in a moment of transition from media and tech. HIghlights from the Variety Ad Week studio presented by Canva include conversations with creatives engaged in marketing and advertising pursuits including Terry Crews, Common and Camila Cabello. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 16, 2024 • 33min
Gamefam CEO on Roblox Brand Building for 'Barbie,' 'My Hero Academia,' New Coldplay Album and More
Gamefam founder Joe Ferencz breaks down the metaverse game developer and publisher's strategy for harnessing and monetizing popular IPSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.