By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Universal Music Group and TikTok Strike New Multi-Year Licensing Deal - With Expanded AI Protections For Artists and Songwriters Universal Music Group and TikTok reached a new multi-year licensing agreement that expands marketing opportunities for artists and includes enhanced protections against unauthorized A.I.-generated music. The agreement ended a months-long standoff between UMG and TikTok. https://www.musicbusine

By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Oscars Ban AI in Acting and Writing Categories, Overhaul International Feature Film Rules The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced major rule changes for the 99th Oscars (2027), including a ban on AI-generated performances and scripts. Only roles “demonstrably perfor

By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Amazon MGM Studios Sued by Producer Over Alleged Pay-to Play Scheme A producer sued Amazon MGM Studios, alleging the company operated a pay-to-play scheme that improperly required financial contributions or incentives tied to production opportunities. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/amazon-mgm-studios-sued-by-producer-1236595069/ Paramount Says It’s All in on Theatrical Distribution as It A

By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Settle Their Legal Dispute, Mostly Blake Lively has settled her legal claims against Justin Baldoni’s production company, the actors announced in a joint statement, after she had accused him of unleashing an online retaliation campaign against her. The settlement was announced as the actors’ legal teams were gearing up for a contentious and high-profile trial scheduled to start on Ma

By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Trademark (Taylor’s Version): Swift Strikes Back Against Deepfakes by Trademarking Her Voice and Likeness to Combat AI Misuse Taylor Swift filed multiple trademark applications to protect her voice and image, including sound marks of her voice saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” and “Hey, it’s Taylor,” to guard against unauthorized AI-generated uses of her likeness. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/04/27/taylor-swift-

By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Live Nation Lost in Court. Here’s What It Means For Concerts A federal jury found that Live Nation Entertainment illegally monopolized parts of the concert industry through its control of venues, promotion, and its ticketing arm Ticketmaster, potentially inflating fees and limiting competition. The ruling does not immediately change ticketing, but it opens a remedies phase where courts could impose penalties, struc

By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Live Nation Lost in Court. Here’s What It Means For Concerts A federal jury found that Live Nation Entertainment illegally monopolized parts of the concert industry through its control of venues, promotion, and its ticketing arm Ticketmaster, potentially inflating fees and limiting competition. The ruling does not immediately change ticketing, but it opens a remedies phase where courts could impose penalties, struc

By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Time for Another Supreme Court Battle? Major Labels (and BMG) Move to Take Over Vetter v. Resnick Copyright Recapture Case, Spearhead Appeal Major record labels and BMG moved to take over the Vetter v. Resnik case and plan to seek a higher-court appeal after a Fifth Circuit ruling held that copyright recapture rights apply worldwide. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/03/27/vetter-v-resnik-major-labels-appeal/ Blake L

By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Bill Cosby Loses Sex Assault Lawsuit and Faces a $59 Million Judgment On March 23, 2026, a Santa Monica jury found Bill Cosby liable for the 1972 drugging and sexual assault of Donna Motsinger, awarding her $59.25 million. This follows years of legal battles, with Cosby's conviction

By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Indie Artist Coalition Files Major Lawsuit Against Google Over AI Copyright Theft–’Broadest, Most Comprehensive Attack’ Against AI Music Models An independent artist coalition filed a sweeping lawsuit against Google, accusing it of using copyrighted music to train AI models without permission. The case is being described as one of the most significant legal challenges to AI in the music industry to date. https://ww

By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Live Nation Accused of Hurting Music Fans as Antitrust Trial Begins The Justice Department accused Live Nation, the concert company that owns Ticketmaster, of earning its profits illegally by using monopoly power to stifle competition, dominate the ticketing market, and extract money from fans through high ticket prices and surcharges. Live Nation denied the allegations, arguing that the company has minimal profit margi

By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment U.S. Appeals Court Overturns BMI Rate Hike on Concert Promoters, Ruling Rates Were ‘Unreasonable’ The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that the rates imposed on concert promoters in Judge Louis Stanton’s 2023 decision – which more than doubled the royalty rate son

By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Netflix Boss Says $83B Warner Bros Takeover Will Benefit Industry Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended the company’s $82.8B Bid to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery assets, saying the deal would spur industry growth and benefit creators and consumers, even as political and competitive scrutiny mounts. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/23/netflix-warner-bros-takeover-ted-sarandos-donald-trump-susan-rice Ryan R

By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Hollywood Braces for New Round of Labor Talks The contracts that ended the actors’ and writers’ strikes in 2023 are nearing their expiration dates. Negotiations begin today between SAG-AFTRA and the leaders of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for a new deal, while negotiations between the Writers’ Guild of America and the studios and directors’ alliance will occur later this spring....

By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Trump Assails Grammys and Threatens to Sue Trevor Noah Over Epstein Joke President Donald Trump described this year’s Grammys as “virtually unwatchable” and threatened to sue the host Trevor Noah over a joke that implied Trump had been to Jeffery Epstein’s island. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/arts/television/trump-grammys-trevor-noah.html Timothy Busfield Is Indicted on Charges of Child Sexual Abuse A grand jury i

By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Sundance Says Thank You, and Goodbye, to Park City “It’s hard not to feel a disturbance in the force,” said Ethan Hawke, whose acting career took off after his early movies appeared at the Utah festival in the 1990s. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/business/media/sundance-film-fes

By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Paramount Extends Deadline for Warner Bros. Discovery Shareholders to Back Hostile Bid; WBD Says Base has Already Snubbed “Inferior Scheme” Paramount extended its deadline for Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders to back its bid in attempts to give the media giant more time to oppose Warner Bros’ proposed merger with Netflix. https://deadline.com/2026/01/paramount-extends-deadline-warner-bros-discovery-netflix-12366

By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Hands Down Landmark Vetter v. Resnik Copyright Termination Decision — ‘No Explicit Geographical Limitation’ to U.S. Copyright Recaptures The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed down a landmark copyright ruling in Vetter v. Resnik , determining that U.S. copyright termination rights apply worldwide. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/01/13/vetter-v-resnik-appeals-court-determi

By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Warner Bros. Board Rebuffs Paramount’s Latest Buyout Offer Warner Bros. Discovery advised shareholders to reject a takeover bid from Paramount, concluding that the deal posed greater risk than its recently announced $83 billion agreement to sell much of the company to Netflix. The board said that Paramount’s proposal, backed in part by a personal equity guarantee from billionaire Larry Ellison, relied heavily on debt an

By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment As Netflix Swallows Warner Bros., Hollywood Is In Full-Blown Panic Mode Netflix’s $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. has triggered widespread panic across Hollywood, as industry insiders, unions, and movie‑theater owners warn it could lead to job losses, reduced creative variety, and the erosion of the theatrical film model. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/netflix-warner-bros-hollywood-panic Jor