Strictly Business

Variety

Industry leaders converse about business deals, strategy and the future of media and entertainment.

  1. Daily Variety – What’s Next for Warner Bros. Discovery’s M&A Love Triangle?; Remembering Robert Duvall’s ‘Symphonic’ Talent

    5H AGO

    Daily Variety – What’s Next for Warner Bros. Discovery’s M&A Love Triangle?; Remembering Robert Duvall’s ‘Symphonic’ Talent

    On today’s episode, we’ll hear from Variety’s Todd Spangler on the latest developments in the three-way M&A love triangle between Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix and Paramount Skydance. And Owen Gleiberman pays tribute to the “symphonic” talent of Robert Duvall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    17 min
  2. Daily Variety – ‘Wuthering Heights’ Extends Warner Bros.' ‘Fabulous’ Box Office Streak

    1D AGO

    Daily Variety – ‘Wuthering Heights’ Extends Warner Bros.' ‘Fabulous’ Box Office Streak

    On today's episode, Variety's Rebecca Rubin breaks down a solid weekend at the box office with a diverse mix of new titles, led by Emerald Fennell's buzzy "Wuthering Heights" from Warner Bros. and animated family film "GOAT" from Sony Pictures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    16 min

  3. 5D AGO

    New Funko CEO Josh Simon is Determined to Make Culture Pop for Collectibles Firm

    Josh Simon, the Netflix alum who took the reins of Funko as CEO in September, discusses his vision for growing the pop culture brand and collectibles maker. The company aims to improve its speed-to-market on timely trends, pursue new markets in Asia and Latin America and generally expand the scope of Funko's thinking as a business. "How do we turn every product into a canvas for storytelling," Simon tells Variety's Jennifer Maas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min
  4. Daily Variety -- What's Happening in Hollywood's Contract Talks; Remembering James Van Der Beek

    6D AGO

    Daily Variety -- What's Happening in Hollywood's Contract Talks; Remembering James Van Der Beek

    On today’s episode, Variety’s Gene Maddaus offers the latest on SAG-AFTRA’s contract negotiations with Hollywood’s largest studios and streamers. And Emily Longeretta pays tribute to James Van Der Beek, an actor who came to help define his generation of TV and movies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    19 min
  5. Daily Variety -- 'The Simpsons' Celebrates 800 Episodes and Takes Aim at 1,000: 'It's a Gift'

    FEB 11

    Daily Variety -- 'The Simpsons' Celebrates 800 Episodes and Takes Aim at 1,000: 'It's a Gift'

    On today’s episode, Variety’s Michael Schneider discusses “The Simpsons” reaching another astounding industry milestone, Episode No. 800. He details his reporting with producers and longtime cast members on how the beloved animated series defies the gravity of its years to stay strong in Season 37. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    14 min
  6. Daily Variety -- France Adds Above the Line Costs to Production Tax Incentives; Variety Artisans Awards at Santa Barbara Film Festival

    FEB 10

    Daily Variety -- France Adds Above the Line Costs to Production Tax Incentives; Variety Artisans Awards at Santa Barbara Film Festival

    On today’s episode, Variety’s Elsa Keslassy explains the significance of the big move by France to expand its national production tax incentive and why it matters to the U.S. And Jazz Tangcay reports on Variety’s Artisans Awards that were handed out at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    18 min
  7. Daily Variety -- Super Bowl Stomps Domestic Box Office, 'Zootopia 2' Rules Global Turnstiles; Ted Sarandos Has Confidence in WBD Deal

    FEB 9

    Daily Variety -- Super Bowl Stomps Domestic Box Office, 'Zootopia 2' Rules Global Turnstiles; Ted Sarandos Has Confidence in WBD Deal

    On today’s episode, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin breaks down a typically weak Super Bowl weekend at the turnstiles in the U.S., and she examines “Zootopia 2’s” staying power at the international box office. Marc Malkin presses Netflix’s Ted Sarandos about the fate of the Warner Bros. Discovery deal at the Directors Guild Awards. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    18 min

  8. FEB 6

    DGA Chief on TV and Film's Downturn, Fighting for a Federal Production Tax Incentive and Hollywood's Health Plan Problems: 'Our No. 1 Priority is 'Jobs, Jobs, Jobs'

    On today’s episode, Russell Hollander, national executive director of the Directors Guild of America, gives a wide-ranging interview as Hollywood contract negotiations begin Feb. 9 with SAG-AFTRA sitting down with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Hollander addresses the precipitous drop in TV and film employment, efforts to secure a federal production tax incentive, "raging healthcare inflation," what the guild wants to achieve on AI and why the DGA is not first up at the table with the AMPTP this time around. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    38 min
See All (504)

Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Industry leaders converse about business deals, strategy and the future of media and entertainment.

Information

  • Channel
    Variety
  • Creator
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    504
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    Strictly Business

More From Variety

You Might Also Like