Business
Warner Bros Sues Paramount Over $500 Million South Park Deal
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. is suing Paramount Global, alleging that the latter aired new episodes of the popular animated comedy series “South Park” after paying for exclusive rights.
According to a lawsuit filed Friday in New York State Supreme Court, Warner signed a contract in 2019 paying more than $500 million for the rights to existing and new episodes of the irreverent show.
HBO Max, Warner Bros.’ streaming service, was supposed to get the first episodes of a new “South Park” season in 2020. According to the lawsuit, the company was informed that the pandemic had halted production.
Despite Warner’s exclusive rights to the show until 2025, the company claims South Park Digital Studios, which produces the shows and is named a defendant in the lawsuit, offered Paramount two pandemic-themed specials, which aired in September 2020 and March 2021.
According to the lawsuit, the pandemic specials should have been offered to Warner as part of the original contract. The move, described in the lawsuit as “verbal trickery,” drove the show’s fans to the competing Paramount platform. According to the lawsuit, nearly all South Park episodes premiere on Comedy Central, one of Paramount’s cable channels.
The lawsuit does not name show creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, who launched the show in 1997 and oversee the franchise.
According to Warner’s lawsuit, gaining streaming rights to “South Park” is a competitive process due to the potentially lucrative market attracting more subscribers, advertisers, and a loyal fan base comprised primarily of young adults.
A $900 million deal in 2021 between a Paramount subsidiary and South Park Digital Studios for exclusive content on the Paramount Plus streaming service, which launched the same year, is also mentioned in the 24-page court filing.
Warner claims the deal was a deliberate “scheme” between Paramount, it’s subsidiary MTV Entertainment Studios and South Park Digital Studios to “divert as much of the new South Park content as possible to Paramount Plus to boost that nascent streaming platform.”
Warner paid $1,687,500 per episode and claims it has yet to receive all episodes covered by the contract, resulting in more than $200 million in damages.
Meghan Markle ‘Upset and Overwhelmed’ Following South Park Depiction
Meanwhile, in the latest episode of “South Park,” titled “The Worldwide Privacy Tour,” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were brutally roasted.
Though the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not directly mentioned in the episode, it did feature characters who were described as Canadian royalty and dubbed “the prince and his wife,” clearly mocking the couple.
The couple was also mentioned in “The Worldwide Privacy Tour,” including Harry’s explosive memoir and their six-part Netflix series “Harry & Meghan.”
In the episode, the red-headed prince and his wife – who wore a pink ensemble that resembled one worn by Markle, 41, for 2018 Trooping the Colour – decide to leave Canada after a falling out with the royal family following the queen’s death.
The pair embark on a worldwide “We Want Privacy” tour before landing in South Park, where they move into a house across the street from Kyle Broflovski, much to his chagrin.
The episode skewers Harry and Meghan in typical “South Park” fashion, with jokes, innuendos, and thinly veiled references.
Meghan Markle was reportedly “upset and overwhelmed” by the portrayal of herself and Prince Harry in the most recent episode of the US comedy South Park. “South Park irritates her, but she refuses to watch it all,” she says.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the show’s creators, are known for hilariously mocking a wide range of celebrities, but some felt they went ‘too far’ with one gag, in which they very accurately recreated several of Meghan’s real-life magazine covers.
She did cartoon versions of the Vanity Fair front page before she married Harry and one for The Cut to promote her Spotify podcast.
But the most controversial one is a spoof of GQ, which in real life had the headline ‘Meghan’s annus mirabilis’, which translates from Latin to ‘Meghan’s wonderful year’. However, the South Park version controversially read: “Princess Anus.”
Most viewers deemed the new episode hilarious, including the Sussexes’ harshest critic, Piers Morgan, who tweeted: “The South Park rinsing of Meghan and Harry is brilliant… I believe this is how most Americans now perceive them.”
Harry & Meghan Get ROASTED In New ‘South Park’ Episode
Business
Sonic the Hedgehog Dominates Christmas Wish Lists
Sonic the Hedgehog is dominating Christmas wish lists this year. The lovable blue hedgehog is back in the spotlight, from sonic the hedgehog toys and games to sonic the hedgehog coloring pages and movie hype.
Sonic-themed holiday merchandise is on fire, from quirky sweaters to action figures flying off shelves. Sonic the Hedgehog Christmas outfits for kids are selling out fast, making them a go-to gift option for festive fun.
Retailers have been quick to recognize Sonic’s holiday appeal. Special promotions and exclusive items, like the Sonic holiday t-shirts, are everywhere.
Everyone’s stocking up on Sonic merchandise, from big-box stores to boutique retailers.
Online shopping platforms are seeing a surge in searches for Sonic items. Whether it’s Sonic Christmas-themed tops or Sonic the Hedgehog coloring pages, Sonic the Hedgehog toys or Sonic and the Hedgehog 3, the demand is skyrocketing.
Retailers who tap into this trend are sure to see strong holiday sales.
Sonic has been around since the early 90s, but his popularity never wanes. With the release of Sonic 3, fans are more excited than ever.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures is preparing “Sonic the Hedgehog 4,” with the newest addition in the family-friendly genre set for a spring 2027 release.
The announcement comes as “Sonic 3” opens in theatres on Friday, estimated to gross $55 million to $60 million from 3,800 North American locations.
The sequel is shaping up to be a good holiday season blockbuster for Paramount, which explains the desire in future “Sonic” adventures. On the international front, the film will be released on Christmas Day in 52 markets.
On Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave “Sonic 3” an outstanding 87% fresh score.
The first two films grossed a total of $725.2 million at the global box office and generated over $180 million in global consumer expenditure through home entertainment rentals and digital purchases.
They also inspired a spinoff Paramount+ series, “Knuckles,” which premiered earlier this year.
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Business
Amazon Strike Called By Teamsters Union 10,000 Walkout
An Amazon strike has hit facilities in the United States in an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the corporation for a labour agreement during a peak shopping season.
The Teamsters union told the Associated Press that Amazon delivery drivers at seven facilities in the United States walked off the job on Thursday after the firm failed to discuss a labour contract.
According to the union, Amazon employees in Teamsters union jackets were protesting at “hundreds” of additional Amazon facilities, which the union billed as the “largest strike” in US history involving the company.
The corporation, which employs over 800,000 people in its US delivery network, stated that its services will be unaffected.
It was unclear how many people, including members of Germany’s United Services Union, participated in Thursday’s demonstration. The Teamsters union reported that thousands of Amazon employees were implicated in the United States.
Amazon Strike at 10 Locations
Overall, the group claims to represent “nearly 10,000” Amazon strikers, having signed up thousands of people at roughly ten locations across the country, many of whom have joined in recent months.
The organization has claimed recognition from Amazon going on strike, claiming the firm illegally neglected its obligation to bargain collectively over salary and working conditions.
The Teamsters is a long-standing US union with nearly one million members. It is well-known for securing lucrative contracts for its members at companies like delivery behemoth UPS.
Most of the Teamsters’ Amazon campaigns have concerned drivers working for third-party delivery companies that partner with the tech behemoth.
Amazon denies that it is liable as an employer in those circumstances, which is a point of legal contention. In at least one case, labour officials have taken a preliminary stance in favour of the union.
Stalled Contract Negotiations
Amazon employees at a major warehouse on Staten Island in New York have also chosen to join the Teamsters. Their warehouse is the only Amazon facility in the United States where labour officials have formally recognized a union win.
However, the Amazon strike is because contract negotiations have not progressed since the 2022 vote. It was not one of the areas scheduled to go on strike on Thursday.
Amazon, one of the largest employers in the United States, has long received criticism for its working conditions and has been the target of activists seeking to gain traction among its employees.
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Business
Amazon Encounters Numerous Strikes As Unions Aim At The Holiday Shopping Surge.
(VOR News) – Thousands of Amazon employees at various sites across the country were scheduled to go on strike on Thursday in an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the retail behemoth to acknowledge its unionised workers in the United States.
The walkout is expected to concentrate on seven Amazon locations across the country during the holiday purchasing surge and may be the most significant union action against Amazon in the nation’s history.
The business announced on Thursday morning that there had been no effect on operations. It also stated that it is “continuing to concentrate on fulfilling customers’ holiday orders.”
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters maintains that it represents more than 10,000 Amazon employees and contractors in aviation centres, warehouses, and delivery centres.
Amazon has refused to acknowledge the union for many years.
The retail giant, which employs approximately 1.5 million individuals, excludes contractors and part-timers. A strike has been initiated by delivery couriers and warehouse employees at seven distinct locations in order to exert pressure on the company to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that would encompass modifications to compensation, amenities, and working conditions.
Picketing was intended for New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Skokie, Illinois.
Also, the Teamsters assert that they are establishing picket lines at “hundreds” of additional warehouses and delivery centres by encouraging non-unionized workers to picket under U.S. labour law, which protects workers’ ability to take collective action to further their interests.
“Amazon workers are exercising their power,” Randy Korgan stated to NPR.
“They now realise there is a pathway to take on a corporate giant like this – and that they hold the power.” Amazon responds by accusing the Teamsters of fabricating information regarding the strikes, asserting that the participants are “entirely” outsiders rather than employees or subcontractors of the corporation.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stated that “the reality is that they were unable to secure sufficient support from our employees and partners and have invited external parties to harass and intimidate our team.” For more than a year, the Teamsters have been intentionally misleading the public by claiming to represent “thousands of employees and drivers.” They do not.
The Teamsters did not provide a specific duration for the strike; however, they informed NPR that it would extend beyond one day. Workers would receive $1,000 per week in strike money, as per the union.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien issued a statement in which he stated, “If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can attribute it to Amazon’s insatiable greed.” We established a firm deadline for Amazon to attend the meeting and treat our members equitably. They disregarded it.
The Teamsters granted until December 15 to convene with its unionised employees and develop a collective bargaining agreement.
Amazon has opposed all unionisation efforts in court, asserting that unions were not advantageous to its employees and emphasising the compensation and benefits that the organisation currently provides.
Amazon has been accused of discriminatory labour practices on numerous occasions, including the termination of labour organisers. Furthermore, it has disputed its official status as a contract employer.
Teamsters organize Amazon delivery couriers and other employees.
In June, Amazon established its first unionised warehouse in Staten Island, New York, two years after making history by voting to join the fledgling Amazon Labour Union, which is also affiliated with the Teamsters.
The union is one of the most influential in the United States and Canada, with 1.3 million members. On Thursday, the German United Services Union declared that Amazon employees in Germany would participate in a strike in conjunction with their American counterparts.
In the past, Amazon has experienced demonstrations in Germany and Spain that were related to the holiday season in order to advocate for improved wages and working conditions.
“The holiday season has arrived.” Delivery is anticipated. Patricia Campos-Medina, the executive director of Cornell University’s Worker Institute, asserts that “this is the moment in which workers have control over the supply chain.”
The Teamsters have reported that Amazon’s profits have increased both during and after the pandemic. The corporation is currently valued at over $2.3 trillion, with net income of $15 billion in the most recent quarter alone. It is the second-largest private employer in the United States, following Walmart.
SOURCE: NPR
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