KCRW's Hollywood Breakdown

The Low Down on the 2013 Upfronts

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:47:35 EDT

How the broadcast TV networks' presented their new Fall shows.

Will Robert Downey, Jr. Reprise His Iron Man Role?

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:57:56 EDT

Have we seen the last of Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man?

What's Up at the NewFronts?

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:58:10 EDT

Creators of online video entertainment woo advertisers.

Hollywood's Efforts to Break into China

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:07:40 EDT

Kim and John break down the risks and rewards of making movies for the the Chinese market.

The Media's Rush to Report on Boston Bombers

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:45:45 EDT

CNN and other media outlets err when rushing to report arrests.

Aereo Has Moguls Up in Arms

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:56:54 EDT

A New York start-up threatens broadcast television.

Leno, Fallon, and Colbert

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:23:04 EDT

Fallon to replace Leno but Colbert big winner

Barbara Walters Reportedly Set to Retire

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:22:36 EDT

KCRW's Steve Chiotakis and Michael Schneider (TV Guide magazine) discuss reports that veteran ABC News personality Barbara Walters is set to announce her retirement.

Leno Out and Fallon In

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:41:36 EDT

Kickstarter Kick Starts Veronica Mars Movie

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:41:26 EDT

A crowd-funding website that has been used to bring art projects, documentaries and inventions to fruition, has kick started the budget for a movie by Hollywood insiders.

Fox Hopes to Rival ESPN

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:12:26 EDT

NewsCorp has announced plans to launch Fox Sports 1, its answer to ESPN.

Oscars' Ratings Up; VFX Artists Snubbed

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:16:07 EDT

While Oscar ratings were up, the VFX Community was up-in-arms.

The Oscars Are (Finally) Here

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:51:57 EDT

Kim and John weigh in on what's been a lengthy, expensive Oscar campaign season. They also discuss the Academy's play to bring younger audiences to the telecast.

VFX Business in Trouble

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:24:21 EDT

Troubles in the VFX business.

Sundance Sales Were Sailing

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:05:27 EDT

John Horn, freshly back from the Sundance Film Festival, talks with Kim about the state of the film market there.

The Gun Debate and Hollywood

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:22:46 EDT

While the country engages around the gun debate and what to do about gun violence some in Hollywood are getting self-reflective while others are deflecting. Kim speaks with John who is in Park City for the Sundance Film Festival. He reports that in his opening remarks, Festival found Robert Redford raised the issue of whether his industry believes that guns will sell tickets. Meanwhile, they talk about a recent contentious interview Quentin Tarantino gave to a UK outlet during which he refused to answer questions about violence in his films. It remains to be seen how and if Hollywood writ large will take any action on the issue.

The Directors' Oscar Race

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:24:29 EDT

2012's Big Box Office and the Oscar E-Voting Snafu

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:23:42 EDT

Last year ended with lots of people having gone to the movies. Today AMPAS ends its voting window with many a member having trouble with the new e-voting system.

Zero Dark Thirty v. Lincoln

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:55:34 EDT

Two Hollywood movies vying for awards contention have been making waves in Washington, DC.

Golden Globes v. SAG Awards

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:58:44 EDT

Kim and John discuss how the Golden Globe nominations compare to others -- namely those of the SAG nominations which were announced yesterday.

Disney Deals Big Hand to Netflix

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:58:37 EDT

Kim and John discuss the big deal that Netflix did with the Walt Disney Company to carry that studio's content exclusively starting in 2016. This moves Netflix from a company that overpays for old movies and television reruns to a player in the VOD space. Netflix is hoping with this news and the launch of some original programming -- namely the David Fincher produced/Kevin Spacey starring House of Cards -- they will turn their stock price and their subscriber numbers around.

BBC Scandal Rocks the UK

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:13:57 EDT

Why was a BBC expose of decades of child molestation by a now deceased talk show host never aired? Why did the BBC wrongly accuse an MP of being a pedophile?

Election Night TV Watching

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:15:19 EDT

Kim and John break down the way we are watching on Election Night.

Disney Buys Lucas Film

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:13:04 EDT

Disney is the new home of "Star Wars"....

Politics and Movies

webmaster@kcrw.org (Kim Masters, John Horn) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:58:16 EDT

Dueling political documentaries are in the news...