Satellite radios -- totally over-hyped? Unlikely to be saved by the holiday shopping rush. The news keeps getting worse and worse. S&P today downgrading XM Radio shares to sell from hold. S&P expecting the company to give up its marketshare to Sirius. But Sirius had its share of bad news as well -- its stock losing 32 cents today on the heels of lowering its year-end 2006 subscriber forecast on slower retail sales since black Friday -- from 6.3 million to between 5.9 and 6.1 million. This prompting Bear Stearns’ analyst to cut his rating to underperform. Stern’s whole "let freedom ring and let it be rung by a stripper" campaign to convert listeners to satellite, the numbers are just one disappointment after another. I’m guessing that everyone will be too interested in the new Zune, iPod and Wii to bother with buying satellite radios as xmas presents. My bet-these guys are on thin ice.
More news about Borat could mean bad news for Sasha Baron Cohen’s next movie, and for Universal, which spent $42 million to buy the rights to Bruno, Cohen’s gay fashionista character. First- there’s the issue of lawsuits - lawyers who filed a $30 million lawsuit against Borat’s makers said they’d refile the suit to provide the specific allegations. Will Universal be turned off by these mega lawsuits? Then take the fact that Cohen has had so much exposure he’s unlikely to be able to fly under the radar as he did as Borat-plus the fact that a gay fashionista is likely to have Borat’s broad appeal, and Universal may be out of luck-and down $42 million. But Borat is laughing all the way to the bank.
The Hollywood Reporter announced its "Women in Entertainment Power 100" and feted these women at a breakfast in L.A. this morning. Topping the list, Amy Pasqual, Sony Pictures co-Chairman - though Sony had a really awful 2005, 2006 has been a stellar year --- 12 top films… But it’s unfortunate that Anne Sweeney - the former number one-was pushed to the second spot. Talk about a great run - the Disney-ABC TV group president has totally turned around ABC primetime-Grey’s Anatomy and Lost among her big hits … Definitely a tough call. Too bad that women are still so outnumbered in Hollywood that they need their own separate list.
Is cheap and easy the video gaming winner? I can’t even count the emails I’ve gotten raving about how addictive the Wii is- if you haven’t tried it find one and do so immediately. You can actually get a workout from swinging and punching in those games…
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