The Town with Matthew Belloni

This week, Matt is in New York for the network upfronts, a gathering of the major players in television to present their programming plans for the upcoming TV season to the advertising community. Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss whether advertisers will continue to pay top dollar to these major broadcast networks in a media landscape that is shifting to digital. Host: Matt Bello...

When it comes to streaming, is Disney the new Netflix? Matt is joined by analyst Michael Nathanson to discuss Disney’s recently released quarterly earnings report, its growing number of subscribers, and whether the cost to potentially beat out Netflix in the streaming wars has been worth it. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Michael Nathanson Producer: Devon Manze Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more abou...

Are the quality of Marvel movies and television shows in decline? Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey to discuss Marvel's recent dip in quality, the future of its content, and if the biggest issues are creative, financial, or both. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Sean Fennessey Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw conduct the first streaming service draft! They draft their way through each of the top streaming services (Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon, Paramount+, Peacock, Hulu), and pitch why they believe their roster will succeed the most over the next 10 years. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme song: Devon Renaldo Learn more a...

Matt is joined by Seth Abramovitch of The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the recent New Yorker profile on Elisabeth Moss, including its reference to Seth’s article from a few years back and Moss’s involvement with Scientology. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Seth Abramovitch Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by divorce attorney Brett Ward to discuss whether Johnny Depp has a case that he lost tens of millions of dollars of potential career earnings because of Amber Heard’s op-ed in The Washington Post. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Brett Ward Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to talk about the beginning of the end for peak TV. With 559 original scripted shows on television and streaming, will the overall volume of content finally decrease? They discuss oversaturation, the problem with doom-scrolling, and the conundrum of curation on streaming platforms. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: De...

Matt is joined by Puck News contributor Eriq Gardner to discuss former Lakers star Jerry West’s demand of a retraction over HBO’s ‘Winning Time’. They also discuss Olivia Wilde getting served legal documents by Jason Sudekis in Las Vegas. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Eriq Gardner Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by lawyer Aaron Moss to discuss a legal loophole that is suddenly a big deal to legacy film and TV studios called “termination rights,” a quirk of copyright law that allows certain creators to recapture their work. If you’re a studio like Marvel, that loophole could lead to a large headache. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Aaron Moss Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Lear...

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what an ad-supported tier on Netflix would look like, as well as what the company would need to change about its business and data-gathering practices to do so. Then they are joined by the head of research at Fanthropology, Kris Longfield, to talk about a new study on the growing divide in the public's interest in returning to movie theaters. Hos...

Matt is joined by longtime media reporter Bill Carter to talk about Jon Stewart’s struggling talk show on Apple+, why the modern late night talk show isn’t working, and what these shows mean to their respective networks. Later they predict when Lorne Michaels will step down from 'SNL,' who will replace him, and what the cast will look like next year. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Bill Carter Producer:...

Matt is joined by media analyst Rich Greenfield to discuss Netflix’s subscriber loss and subsequent stock plunge, the company's inability to make long-lasting hits, its claim that it will crack down on password sharing, its potential addition of a cheaper, ad-supported service, and whether its run of streaming dominance is finally over. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Rich Greenfield Producer: Craig Hor...

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss why concert ticket prices have never been higher, as well as a historic stretch for live music sales across the globe. Later, they discuss Coachella’s gradual transition into a more pop-focused festival, including predictions for 2023 and how it chooses its artists. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon R...

Matt is joined by New York Times writer at large Jim Rutenberg to discuss CNN+’s ‘The Murdochs: Empire of Influence,' including Rupert Murdoch’s prominence in media, his relationship to Donald Trump, the inter-dynamics of the Murdoch family, their relation to HBOs 'Succession,' and more. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Jim Rutenberg Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about you...

Matt is joined by long-time film producer Neal Moritz ('Fast and Furious', '21 Jump Street', 'I Am Legend') to talk about the success of his newest film, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’, why most video game adaptations flop, what will bring people back to theaters, the evolution of the 'Fast & Furious' franchise, and the secret to his longevity as a producer. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Neal Moritz Producer:...

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to recap the weekend box office, including the promising success of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ and the collapse of Michael Bay’s ‘Ambulance’, followed by a discussion about the current state of original action movies in Hollywood. Later, they break down Apple TV+’s glitchy 'Friday Night Baseball' debut as well as the complex predicament of baseball and streamin...

Matt is joined by Amy Kaufman from the LA Times to talk about her article that highlights Bruce Willis’s surge in movie appearances in recent years despite his declining health as he battles with aphasia. They discuss the responsibilities those around an actor may or may not have to their well-being, and how informed those involved with Bruce’s projects were. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Amy Kaufman...

Matt is joined by Jason Kilar, who has recently announced his resignation as CEO of WarnerMedia. He discusses the choice to drop Warner’s 2021 slate of movies directly on HBO Max on their premiere dates, the vision for CNN+, his decision to resign ahead of Discovery’s merger with WarnerMedia, the future of advertising on streaming services, and where Jason is headed next. Host: Matt Belloni Guest:...

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to talk about his experience at the Grammy Awards, including Trevor Noah’s performance, who stole the show, who didn’t, the Oscars vs. the Grammys, Vegas as a venue, and more. Matt wraps up the show by giving a take on the 2023 Oscars. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Matt reacts to Will Smith’s resignation from the Academy and explains the details of the decision. Host: Matt Belloni Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Variety executive editor Shirley Halperin to look ahead to Sunday’s 2022 Grammy Awards. They forecast what we will see out of Kanye, whether this will be Olivia Rodrigo’s night, whether a Grammy win still matters to an artist's success, how Vegas as a venue will affect the show, and how streaming saved the music industry. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Shirley Halperin Producer: Craig...

Matt is joined by WWE president Nick Khan to chat about the WWE as a media entity, including its deal with Peacock and whether a potential acquisition is looming. Nick talks about how the WWE wants to develop new wrestlers, changing the narrative of the sport, The Rock’s career, 'Wrestlemania,' and more. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Nick Khan Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn m...

It’s the morning after, and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw joins Matt to give a report on the 2022 Academy Awards. They discuss the fallout after the Will Smith–Chris Rock slap, the viewership spike after an all-time low in 2021, and if the modified show format was a success. Later, Matt and Craig review Matt’s past month of predictions. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme...

Live from inside the Dolby Theater at the Academy Awards, Matt and The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg react to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock in the face onstage during the show. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Scott Feinberg Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme song: Devon Ronaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oscar math expert Ben Zauzmer joins the show to outline his Oscars prediction model and to forecast who his model believes are mathematically the most likely winners in each category. Later, Matt gives a prediction of his own on the 2022 Oscars. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Ben Zauzmer Producer: Craig Horlbeck Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi...