Blogs

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 12 hours ago
By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Warner Music Group Files $24 Million Lawsuit Against Crumbl Cookies Over Alleged TikTok and Instagram Infringement Warner Music Group (WMG) filed a complaint in a U.S. District Court in Utah, alleging that the cookie chain Crumbl used at least 159 songs from WMG’s catalog in promotional videos posted to Instagram and TikTok. WMG says the list of works includes recordings or compositions from artists and songwriters like Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Mariah Carey, and Taylor Swift, that were used without proper authorization or licensing. ...

This Week in Theater News

By Elissa Hecker posted 3 days ago
By Bennett Liebman Broadway Box Office Hits, $51M, Broadway Box Office Hits $51M As Star-Packed Shows Rake In The Cash Broadway Box Office Reaches 2018 Levels, Grosses analysis: Broadway welcomes highest number of admissions since 2018 Remembering William Finn, Remembering William Finn: Finding joy in pain, at NYU and on Broadway - Washington Square News Critics Divided by Stranger Things, Broadway critics divided over ‘hollow’ Stranger Things theater adaptation Stranger Things as a Cash Grab, ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ Broadway review: A terrifying cash grab - The Washington Post Reviews of Floyd Collins, ...

This Week in New York Gambling News

By Elissa Hecker posted 3 days ago
y Bennett Liebman Las Vegas Sands Drops Out, Las Vegas Sands Drops Bid to Open a Casino on Long Island - The New York Times New Bidder Is Bound by Sands’ Terms, Third-party casino bidder at Nassau Coliseum would need to stick with Las Vegas Sands' terms, official says - Newsday Sands Won’t Pursue Casino, Las Vegas Sands won't pursue casino bid at Nassau Coliseum, company executives say - Newsday Sands Drops Out, Las Vegas Sands Drops Out of Contest to Develop NYC-Area Casino Sands Leaves Nassau Bid, Las Vegas Sands drops bid for ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 7 days ago
By Seth Nguyen Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News. Entertainment ‘Optimistic’ Major Labels and Internet Archive Confirm Advanced Copyright Suit Settlement Talks The lawsuit between major labels Universal Music and Sony Music and the Internet Archive over the "Great 78 Project" music preservation initiative may soon be resolved. Both sides have requested a 30-day stay to facilitate settlement talks, with optimism that the case will be dismissed if a resolution is ...

This Week in New York Gambling News

By Elissa Hecker posted 8 days ago
By Bennett Liebman Downstate Casinos Casinos Decry Slow Environmental Reviews, Three NYC casino bidders decry slow environmental reviews, fear disqualification — CDC Gaming Casino Builders Fret Over Environmental Reviews, Casino Bidders Fret Over Environmental Reviews SL Green Can Meet the Environmental Review, SL Green Can Meet Enviro Review Deadline for Times Square Casino Wynn Resorts Gets Local Backing, Wynn Resorts Leads Bid with Local Backing for New York Casino Cohen Gets Project Support, Cohen's $8B Casino Project Gets Key Support from Queens Lawmaker Casino Conflict in the Bronx, Bronx Councilwoman's ...

This Week in Theater News

By Elissa Hecker posted 8 days ago
By Bennett Liebman Record for Good Night and Good Luck, Good Night, and Good Luck Breaks Record for the Highest Grossing Play in Broadway History - TheaterMania.com 40 Shows on Broadway, Grosses analysis: Broadway offers 40 shows for first time in over six years Shows Worth Seeing Now, Broadway shows worth seeing right now - The Washington Post Reviews for John Proctor, Reviews Are Out for John Proctor Is the Villain, Starring Sadie Sink | Playbill Reviews for Smash, Review Roundup: SMASH Opens On Broadway Starring Robyn Hurder and More Bombshells on Broadway, ‘Boop!’ and ‘Smash’ on Broadway, reviewed: ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 14 days ago
By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Morrissey Launches Legal Action Against Alleged Online Fraudster, As Web Sheriff Investigation Uncovers ‘Decades-Long Defamation Campaign’ In 2022, Cardi B won a libel case against a YouTuber for defamatory statements. Recently, K-pop giant HYBE has moved to unmask anonymous YouTubers who are allegedly spreading misinformation about its artists. With AI-generated deepfakes, the distinction between legitimate criticism ...

This Week in Theater News

By Elissa Hecker posted 17 days ago
By Bennett Liebman Obit for William Finn, William Finn, Tony-Winning Composer for ‘Falsettos,’ Dies at 73 - The New York Times Life of William Finn, The Loose Screws, Hot Flames and Infinite Joy of William Finn - The New York Times End the NEA, End the National Endowment for the Arts | Cato Institute Trump Defunds Arts programs, Jewish cultural institutions reeling as Trump defunds arts and humanities – The Forward Lawsuit Seeking Restoration of NEA Funding Denied, AMERICAN THEATRE | ACLU-Led Lawsuit for NEA Funding Relief Denied Trump Takes Axe to Humanities Agency, New York Attorney General joins lawsuit against ...

This Week in New York Gambling

By Elissa Hecker posted 17 days ago
y Bennett Liebman Goodbye to the Saks Casino, Saks Fifth Avenue abandons NYC casino project before contest opens | Crain's New York Business Favorites in the Casino Race, Favorites and underdogs in the race to build a casino in the New York City area (MGM:NYSE) | Seeking Alpha Transit Wins with Wynn, Wynn's NYC casino plan gets key Planning Commission approval — CDC Gaming Related Wins City Planning Approvals, Related Wins Support of City Planning Commission for Hudson Yards Casino – Commercial Observer Protect the High Line Opposing Wynn, Protect the High Line Pushes Bottcher to Oppose Wynn Casino Will ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 21 days ago
By Lorena Guzmán-Díaz Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News. Entertainment Federal Communications Commission Chairman Orders Inquiry Into Disney’s D.E.I. Practices The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, has initiated an inquiry into Disney's diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) practices. Carr accused Disney of potentially violating equal employment opportunity regulations by implementing programs that increase diversity in hiring and promoting race-based affinity ...

This Week in Theater News

By Elissa Hecker posted 25 days ago
By Bennett Liebman Review of Glengarry Glen Ross, Review: ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ With Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr - The New York Times WaPo on Glengarry, Glengarry Glen Ross review: Kieran Culkin and other stars are better on TV - The Washington Post Sara Bareilles’ First Original Musical, Sara Bareilles teases first original music she’s written since Covid: ‘Heavy’ but ‘cathartic’ Reimagining Death Becomes Her, Reimagining "Death Becomes Her" for Broadway - CBS News Early Look at Smash, 'Smash' on Broadway stars Brooks Ashmanskas. Our early look Sarah Snook in Dorian Gray, BROADWAY REVIEW: ...

This Week in New York Gambling News

By Elissa Hecker posted 25 days ago
By Bennett Liebman Trump Will Profit from Bronx casino, If New York Puts a Casino in the Bronx, Trump Will Get $115 Million - The New York Times Casino Sweepstakes May Aid Trump, New York's casino sweepstakes could put $115M in Donald Trump's pocket | AP News Bronx Pols Push Bally’s Bid, Bronx pols push bill to aid Bally's bid to build casino on parkland Steve Cohen Casino Bid Adds Affordable Housing, Steve Cohen, Hard Rock NYC casino proposal now includes affordable housing in Queens — CDC Gaming Drilling at Citi Field, Mets Owners Are Already Drilling at Citi Field — Without NYC Casino Bid Settled | THE CITY ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 28 days ago
By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment ‘Moana’ Verdict An LA jury decided there was no evidence that “Moana” creators had seen the unproduced project, “Bucky the Surfer Boy”, and therefore Disney was cleared of copyright infringement claims brought against it. The case was half a decade long and cost millions of dollars in legal fees. https://copyrightlately.com/moana-verdict-delivers-another-no-access-reality-check-for-courts/ Judge Rules That AI Can Continue Training on Copyrighted Lyrics, For Now While a judge ruled that an AI can continue using copyrighted lyrics for ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 03-24-2025
By Celine Agard Edited By Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Investigation Into Leaked Eminem Recordings Reveals an Inside Job — Federal Charges Now Being Filed Joseph Strange, a former sound engineer for Eminem, is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing and selling the rapper's unreleased music. Strange, who worked for Eminem from 2007 to 2021, reportedly sold the music over the internet, leading to leaks. The FBI launched an investigation after staff at Eminem's studio discovered the stolen music online. Strange is charged with criminal copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. During a search ...

Week In Review (delayed due to technical website issues)

By Elissa Hecker posted 03-20-2025
By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment The Trump Administration Is Upending the AI Race. What Does That Mean for Music? As the administration appears to be taking a more bullish stance on AI, industry experts weigh in on the possible consequences for musicians and rights holders. https://www.billboard.com/pro/trump-upending-ai-race-what-does-that-mean-music/#recipient_hashed=a56884b15f52a23930fd1cad4e8531916b52ea8a19835c4c08439717bda510c4&recipient_salt=331e198496565af19d43589a05b00e746cab0e5da267831ac69c84c80e8cbc22&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exacttarget&utm_campaign=billboard_MustRead&utm_content=593405_03-13-2025&utm_term=1439336 ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 03-10-2025
By Seth Nguyen Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News. Entertainment Drake and iHeartMedia settle lawsuit over ‘Not Like Us’ payola dispute Drake settled a legal dispute with iHeartMedia over the promotion of Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us." However, his legal battles continue with UMG and Spotify, alleging unfair streaming tactics and defamation. He also filed a petition accusing UMG of orchestrating the song's success to harm him. https://routenote.com/blog/drake-iheartmedia-lawsuit-settled/ ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 03-03-2025
By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty in Brazen Plot to Sell Graceland A Missouri woman pleaded guilty to federal charges of attempting to defraud Elvis Presley's family by auctioning off Graceland. In a Memphis hearing, Lisa Jeanine Findley admitted to mail fraud. She previously pleaded not guilty to a two-count indictment, including aggravated identity theft dropped. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/graceland-foreclosure-sale-scheme-fraud-guilty-plea-lisa-jeanine-findley/ ...

This Week in New York Gambling News

By Elissa Hecker posted 02-28-2025
By Bennett Liebman Empty Stands at Racetracks, Opinion | Dead Athletes. Empty Stands. Billions to Keep Horse Racing Alive. - The New York Times Mayor Adams Will Influence Casino Selection, NYC Mayor Adams Will Continue To Influence Casino Licensing Borough President Opposes Wynn Casino, Manhattan Borough President Opposes Wynn's Hudson Yards Plan Approval Uncertain for Cohen Casino, Pitch for casino near Citi Field heads to New York City Council; state approval uncertain — CDC Gaming New Members on casino Board, NYC casinos board shaken up by unexplained resignations | Crain's New York Business Concerns ...

This Week in Theater News

By Elissa Hecker posted 02-28-2025
By Bennett Liebman Buena Vista Starts Strong, ‘Buena Vista’ starts strong, ‘Wicked’ remains on top while overall box office slips Equity and the Broadway League Reach Agreement, Actors' Equity And The Broadway League Reach Agreement On Thorny Issues Around New Work Development Original Cast Returns to Oh Mary, Cole Escola and entire original cast to return to ‘Oh, Mary!’ on Broadway Sarah Snook Readies for Broadway, Sarah Snook in Rehearsals for Broadway's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (Exclusive Photos) English and Theater Language, The director of 'English' on Broadway talks about the importance of language in and ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 02-24-2025
By Lorena Guzmán-Díaz Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News. Entertainment The Fight to Protect Your Royalties in Washington A new coalition of music licensees and their Washington lobbyists are seeking to change the performing rights licensing system used by organizations like ASCAP, potentially leading to lower royalties for music creators. The U.S. Copyright Office has issued a Notice of Inquiry in response to this lobbying effort, prompting music creators and copyright owners to share ...