Blog

As the Andes version of hantavirus continues to cause concern among health officials, the music industry is monitoring what’s being called “blue dot fever.” It’s nothing biological, nor will it be the cause of the next lockdown, but it is of concern.The condition gets its name from online Ticketmaster seating charts for concerts at venues across North America. A blue dot indicates an unsold seat, and a quick survey of summer concerts features a lot of gigs that look like a bad case of Smurf measles.For the couple of years immediately following COVID, business for the touring end of the music industry surged as we made up for lost time during the shut-in period in 2020-21. We called it “funflation,” a wave of spending on things that hadn’t been able to do.Concert revenues exploded, with 145...

The director of the Eurovision Song Contest says the door is open for Canada to join the popular musical spectacle, but has not yet received a formal request after the federal government said last year it would “explore participation.” Canada’s public broadcaster, however, confirmed to Global News that it is in talks with the European Broadcasting Union about closer collaboration and has sent observers to this year’s contest.Eurovision director Martin Green told the BBC on Wednesday that “nothing’s particularly come over my desk” from Canada but acknowledged “we are an open place” for new participants outside of Europe.“For 70 years, our doors have been open, and we will welcome anyone through those doors who wants to share the values of this wonderful occasion and stand on our stage with ...

Will Smith is set to headline the action-thriller 'Supermax', directed by David Gordon Green, in a major worldwide acquisition deal by Amazon MGM Studios from Miramax. The film centres on two FBI agents investigating a murder inside what is described as the world's most secure prison, as per Deadline. Smith will play one of the lead investigators, while casting is currently underway for his female FBI agent partner.  According to Deadline, Amazon MGM Studios secured worldwide rights to the project in an agreement reportedly valued in the USD 70 million range. The film is expected to be developed as a streaming release rather than a theatrical title. Production on the thriller is scheduled to begin in mid-August. The screenplay has been written by David Weil and David J Rosen, known for the...

Aaron Carter’s family and a Los Angeles psychiatry clinic that prescribed the late singer Xanax have reached a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit. In court documents obtained by Rolling Stone, People and Billboard, Amen Clinics will pay a “confidential sum” as a “full and final resolution” of the allegations against the clinic and one of its psychiatrists, Dr. John Faber.The settlement’s value is “within the ballpark” of the damages Carter’s family sought, which was less than US$325,000, Rolling Stone reports.Global News has not independently verified the reports. 1:57 Nick Carter fights back tears as Backstreet Boys pay tribute to late brother Aaron Carter ...

Three years is a lot of time for things to change. And they have in the OTT world, according to Randeep Hooda, who is returning to the digital space with the second season of Inspector Avinash. The JioHotstar show’s first season premièred in 2023. In the years in between, the medium went from being a potent platform for “experimental content” to now fighting for subscribers, observed the actor. “There was a ray of hope for experimental content. But let’s keep in mind that OTT is not here for charity. Just like filmmakers want to sell tickets, they want to sell subscriptions. The medium created a lot of stars, but now even they are not enough. Streamers are getting actors, who work in films, to [transition] to OTT, so that they can attract more subscriptions,” said Hooda, candid as always....