Goldman Sachs: Sell Yahoo

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) recommenced its coverage of Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO) with a Sell rating and a suggested price target of $14, citing deteriorating fortunes of its core business, even though it sees value on the company’s balance sheet. “While there is significant value on Yahoo’s balance sheet, we don’t expect management will be able to unlock it to shareholders’ benefit before Yahoo’s core business deteriorates further,” Goldman said in its analysis.

The internet has seen a 5% rise, year-on-year, in global minutes/user, whereas, in contrast, Yahoo has declined 5%, with usage down in its key segments such as search, mail, and entertainment. According to Goldman, search is a vulnerable area for Yahoo, even considering Microsoft’s one-year extension of its minimum revenue per search guarantee

December 16, 2011
Categories: News you can Use, Vendor News . Tags: , . Author: MyMotorways . Comments: Leave a comment

Paramount Closing New York Distribution Office

In the wake of centralizing its theatrical marketing and distribution operations in Los Angeles, Paramount is closing its New York distribution officeParamount Logo

There are eight positions in the office; five are being eliminated, while three executives were offered to relocate to Los Angeles. One of the three staffers has accepted, while the other two positions will be filled in Los Angeles.

A Paramount insider said a New York distribution office–which handles booking and billing of films in the Northeast—is no longer a necessity, considering the evolution of the business.

In the past, all the major studios had distribution offices in various regions of the country, ensuring direct contact with theater owners. But as technology changed, many were closed, save for New York.

Last week, Paramount announced sweeping changes to its marketing and distribution structure that sees Megan Colligan, previously co-president of domestic marketing, promoted to president of domestic marketing and distribution.She reports to Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore on distribution matters.

The changes coincided with the announcement that Jim Tharp will retire as president of domestic distribution in June 2012, at which time Don Harris will assume the title and report to Colligan. Harris currently serves as executive vice president of sales and domestic distribution.

Don Harris, who had served as executive vice president of domestic sales and distribution, will become president of domestic distribution, reporting to Colligan.

October 3, 2011
Categories: Inside Hollywood, Vendor News . Tags: , , . Author: MyMotorways . Comments: Leave a comment

First Image from “The Adventures of Tintin” –

The notion of canine sidekicks seems to have gone out of fashion as of late, and that’s a shame.  After all, where would Dorothy be without Toto?  Who is Superman without Krypto the Superdog?  And who gives a damn about Turner without Hooch?  Luckily for dog-lovers everywhere, in Steven Spielberg‘s motion capture epic The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Herges globally-beloved Belgian reporter Tintin will assisted by his trusty dog Snowy (so named not for his white fur, but on account of his voracious appetite for a particular Colombian export).  A new image from the film has Tintin and Snowy doing some research in an outmoded artifact that primitive cultures referred to as a “book.”

The image first dropped at Animatie.

The Secret of the Unicorn is directed by Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson, and the sequel, Prisoners of the Sun, is directed by Jackson and produced by Spielberg.  This first entry is written by the British power-triumvirate of Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish.  Jamie Bell provides motion-capture performance for Tintin, and he’s joined on the mo-cap stage by the likes of Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Mackenzie Crook, Toby Jones, and Cary Elwes.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn hits theaters in 2D and 3D on December 23rd.

July 11, 2011
Categories: Inside Hollywood . Tags: , , , . Author: MyMotorways . Comments: Leave a comment