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👋 This is Warner, creator of AvA. Connect with me here. Hope everyone had a more relaxing weekend than anyone watching Alex Honnold who free climbed the 1,700 foot Taipei 101 on Netflix. More on that below. Also F-ck ICE.
💼 Looking for open Entertainment jobs? Scroll to the bottom of this email. Our Job Board now has 155 early career Entertainment roles.
📰 TikTok comes to an agreement for their US owned venture. The ‘Sinners’ production team continues to make Oscars history. War Child announces star-studded charity album. & More.
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1) TikTok has officially sealed a deal to keep the app in the US, and not everyone is pumped.
TikTok is now a US majority owned company, and the 7-member board notably still includes TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew.
The new arrangement keeps ByteDance as a minority stakeholder with a 19.9% holding, while three managing investors, Silver Lake, Oracle, and MGXm collectively control the remaining 80.1%. Adam Presser will be the CEO for the venture previously worked for TikTok in the past.
In response to the new American-controlled ownership and a new ~algorythm~, a ton of creators, including our queen Meg Stalter, are deleting their account.
2) Netflix is dominated viewing time in the U.S. in 2025 for original content, with Amazon Prime and HBO Max rounding out the top 3.
Credit: Luminate
🏊 Deeper Dive: Viewing hours of original content in both film and TV also shot up to 25 billion (increase of 3.2 billion vs. 2024). That number has sat between 21 and 22 billion since 2022, and was widely driven by a 3.5 billion hour increase in watch time for original TV series.
Can only imagine the numbers once Heated Rivalry Season 2 drops..
3) ‘Sinners’ Costume Designer, Ruth E. Carter, is now the most nominated Black woman in Oscar History with 5.
The Director of Photography for the film, Autumn Arkapaw, is the first woman of color to be nominated for the Best Cinematography category.
4) Netflix continues to venture in the live sports world, with the most stressful broadcast I’ve ever seen.
They live-streamed professional climber, Alex Honnold, as he climbed the 11th tallest building in the world with no ropes. At 1,700 ft. this was the tallest urban free climb in history, although he reportedly took home an “embarrassing” $500k.
Warner Music Group appoints Hannah Karp as their new EVP and Chief Communications Officer. Her last role was with Billboard as the Editor in Chief, and she spent a decade with the company prior to her departure.
Billboard promoted 4 team members across a variety of roles. Lyndsey Havens has been named Executive Editor, Day Rys is Execute Editor (Business), Shira Brown is SVP (Video), and Mary Rooney is SVP (Experiences). Sounds like year-end review’s went well for this lot.
Country Music Association’s CEO, Sarah Trahern, is retiring at the end of 2026 after 12 years in charge. At this moment in time there is no successor, and a committee is actively being formed to plan for the next hire.
Atlantic Music Group created a new President role, and was internally given to Kevin Weaver. He will report to the company’s CEO, Elliot Grainge, to ‘oversee high-impact opportunities’ across Atlantic Records, 300 Entertianment, and 10K Projects.
❤ ❤ ❤
We are still fundraising for some amazing Entertainment charities. Thank you to everyone who has supported the amazing causes.
After all the holiday shopping and gift returns, Refundly helps you make sure your hard-earned money actually makes it back to you. It’s a simple app that tracks your online returns and refunds so nothing slips through the cracks. It’s free to use, and you can get set up in under two minutes.
To help with the post-holiday wave of returns, Refundly is doing a giveaway for AvA subscribers.
The first fifty (50) eligible entrants who complete the primary method of entry will each receive one (1) $10 Starbucks gift card. Approximate retail value: $10 each. Everyone who completes the primary method of entry will also be entered into a raffle to win one (1) of three (3) $125 Amazon gift cards.
How to Enter
To complete the primary method of entry:
• Download the Refundly app for free on the Apple App Store
• Complete the full app setup, which must include linking your Gmail email account. This takes under 2 minutes.*
• Email [email protected] with “AvA” in the subject line and your first and last name in the body of the email
One entry per person regardless of number of email addresses used
See complete rules and details here.
The first 50 eligible participants to complete app setup and email confirmation will receive a $10 Starbucks gift card, delivered via email within seven days. All eligible participants will be entered into the Amazon gift card raffle.
Deadline: Friday, February 6, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT
Amazon gift card winners will be notified by February 14, 2026.
Our new job board features 155+ early career roles in Entertainment, including:
💼 Artist Relations Operations Manager - Universal Music Group - Apply Here
💼 Digital Marketing Manager (Hip-Hop/R&B) - BMG - Apply Here
💼 Assistant to Talent Manager - Anonymous Content - Apply Here
💼 Manager, Programming: Culture & Brand - Red Bull Media House - Apply Here
💼 Specialist, Music Partnerships and Licensing - 2k - Apply Here
💼 Sports and Media Partnerships Specialist - Snap - Apply Here
💼 Director, Multi-Format Production - Audible - Apply Here
💼 Brand Manager - Live Nation - Apply Here
💼 Brand Partnerships - Outside Lands - Apply Here
💼 Screenings Researcher - Netflix - Apply Here
💼 Video Producer, The New Yorker - Condé Nast - Apply Here
💼 Paid Social Marketing Manager - Amazon Music - Apply Here
💼 Marketing Manager (North America) - Ticketmaster - Apply Here
💼 A&R Coordinator - Universal Music Group - Apply Here
💼 Executive Assistant - NBCUniversal - Apply Here
💼 Associate Content Strategy & Operations Associate - Spotify - Apply Here
🎒 Soundtrack Operations Intern (Summer 2026) - Netflix - Apply Here
🎒 Creative Services & Business Development Intern (Remote) - Create Music Group - Apply Here
🎒 Disney Character Voices Intern (Summer 2026) - The Walt Disney Studios - Apply Here
🎒 Paid Media Intern (Summer 2026) - The Walt Disney Studios - Apply Here
👋 See you back here on Wednesday
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This newsletter is written by Warner Bailey and edited by Riley Furey and Dominik Sansevere.
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