Category: media

In 2016, John Cho “became the unwitting beneficiary of #StarringJohnCho, a social movement that imagined Cho standing in for, say, Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible and Daniel Craig in Spectre as part of a wider calling for diversity in entertainment, and an Asian-American leading man.” And now, things are definitely starring John Cho. – The New York Times

Anthem: Homunculus “is not the first podcast musical to be released. And though it contains a love ballad from a brain tumor to its host, it may not even be the strangest. But it is probably the most ambitious and, with a cast that includes [Patti] LuPone, Glenn Close, Cynthia Erivo, Marion Cotillard and Laurie Anderson (as the tumor), certainly the starriest.” – The New York Times

A legal dispute between Oklahoma’s network of PBS affiliates and the foundation through which viewers support it just ended (and so did the foundation). Similar discord in Arkansas is even worse: the CEO of both the network and the foundation spent foundation money on a payment the board explicitly forbid her to make, she fired the COO/development director when the latter told the board about it, so the foundation board fired the CEO (who remains in place at the network). – Current

“A source at RAI said the plan was about repositioning programmes to better target male and female audiences, rather than gender segregation, but the potential move has been lambasted by opposition MPs and women’s groups.” – The Guardian

We have questions. New York Magazine’s Jordan Crucchiola has some answers. – New York Magazine

The legislation passed by the Iraqi parliament gives the reason for the ban as “the negative effects caused by some electronic games on the health, culture, and security of Iraqi society, including societal and moral threats to children and youth.” – Reuters

Amidst a whopping 60.3% decline in pilots from Q1 2018, a single feature that was awarded tax incentives filming in the city, a 15% drop in Commercials and more bad news, overall production is down 9.1% from the stronger than expected results of Q1 2018. – Deadline

The Financial Times cited sources close to James Murdoch tonight that said his new three-comma fund could include a long-rumored liberal-leaning news outlet. – Deadline

Pavel Lungin’s Leaving Afghanistan (Russian title Bratstvo, meaning Brotherhood), based on the real-life experience of an officer who went on to become the head of the FSB (the successor to the KGB), is said by its director to be about “the senselessness and cruelty of war.” The head of one veterans’ organization calls it “dirt and filth” and a senior member of parliament says it’s unfit for “educating young people with a sense of patriotism.” – The Guardian