Media Experts Conflict About News Corp

Needham & Company analyst Laura Martin todaydowngraded her recommendation on New Corp from “buy” to “hold.” The organization has put aside huge amount of money to prep itself for legal cases within the scandal’s wake, but Martin told Reuters she didn’t think it had been enough. News Corp shares have forfeit almost 14% of the value since news because the analysis started in This summer. Today, shares closed lower five centsto $15.51. Although not all media experts believe way.BTIG’s Wealthy Greenfield thinks News Corp is definitely an affordable stock at this time and released a “Buy” recommendation and elevated his 12-month cost target for the organization’s stock cost to $24: Specially when put poor its double digit earnings growth (with only 12% of operating earnings from posting assets in fiscal June 2012).Now you ask , only what's going to an progressively mature News Corp. do using its strong free income ($3.5-$4. billion yearly) as well as an underleveraged balance sheet (ended fiscal 2011 at .5x leverage). With News Corp now ‘cash wealthy’ following a build-from cash to invest in BSkyB, traders are worried that the organization will try to destroy investor value through large-scale, non-core purchases. News Corp has devoted to purchasing back $5 billion of stock throughout fiscal (June) 2012.A $5 billion buyback is one thing just about any investor wanted the organization to complete just before the BSkyB acquisition attempt (this year). However, nobody thought the organization would ever get it done, primarily because they didn't think Rupert supported coming back capital to investors (no matter what his top professionals wanted). We feel News Corp. management recognizes that they're better at building than purchasing (out of the box the majority of the media sector, which stays a lot of time hearing investment bankers who attempt to excite all of them with proper / growth purchases). Consequently, we expect News Corp. to be put off by multi-billion purchases within the next few years. Traders be worried about the unknown impact from the ongoing analysis in to the News Around The Globe phone hacking scandal.While there's not a way to evaluate ultimate impact, News Corp has had a legitimate reserve within their fiscal year finish financials and most importantly, News Corp.s operating companies haven't been influenced through the NOTW occasions (past the closure of NOTW itself). We feel the only method for News Corp. to attain our $24 cost target is as simple as consistently purchasing back stock and just not making poor Return on investment multibillion dollar purchases. It's all about rebuilding investor confidence daily.We feel this is actually the path management follows.

Cranston's absence gives noms a chance

Steve Buscemi in 'Boardwalk Empire'Jon Hamm in 'Mad Men'Kyle Chandler in 'Friday Night Lights'Michael C. Hall in 'Dexter'Hugh Laurie in 'Dexter'Timothy Olyphant in 'Justified'The high interest that naturally accrues to this hugely competitive category is somewhat muted by the TV Academy's tendency to repeat itself.Brian Cranston, for example, has won the Emmy for lead actor in a drama for the past three years running. Yet with Cranston and "Breaking Bad" off the table this year due to an air date that missed the eligibility window, voters did open the door to a couple of newcomers.Timothy Olyphant, the charismatic star of FX's sophomore series "Justified," is a first-time nominee. Steve Buscemi also made the cut for "Boardwalk Empire," but that felt inevitable, given the outpouring of Emmy accolades for the freshman HBO series, which nabbed 18 noms overall. A second nom for "Friday Night Lights" star Kyle Chandler was a welcome indication that voting members really do watch television, including low-rated but critically embraced shows in their final seasons. For the remaining three noms, the Academy was more true to form, recognizing Hugh Laurie ("House") for the sixth time, while Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") and Michael C. Hall ("Dexter") were each given the nod for the fourth consecutive year.With Cranston out of the picture, a case can be made for any of these returnees. Laurie has long drawn praise from critics and viewers for his turn on "House" while Hall won a Golden Globe in 2010 for his perf as a serial killer.Hamm has never been able to cash in the "Mad Men" Emmy momentum and if voters believe the actor is a critical component of why the show has won top drama series three years in a row, this may finally be his time.Steve Buscemi"Boardwalk Empire"(HBO)Best scene: When Nucky Thompson burns down his childhood home, a powerful personal statement if ever there was one. But the vulnerability Thompson revealed in the season finale also made a big impact.Why he might win: Rose to the occasion and won over doubters who thought his slight build and bug-eyed looks would make him unpersuasive in the lead role as a Prohibition-era shotcaller in a seaside resort lousy with gangsters. Breaks out new colors in this remarkable showcase after years of sterling character work, including in "The Sopranos." Won the Golden Globe and SAG Award. Could this be his Triple Crown? Maybe not: "The Good Wife's" Julianna Margulies bagged those same two trophies last year, and still lost the Emmy to Kyra Sedgwick. The TV Acad tends to reward its own, and Buscemi's done most of his work in indie films. Kyle Chandler"Friday Night Lights"(DirecTV/NBC)Best scene: At a restaurant, in the series finale, when Coach Taylor realizes the irony of lecturing daughter Julie about how marriage requires compromise, then follows his upset wife (Connie Britton) outside to comfort her while still struggling with his dilemma. Why he might win: It's hard to imagine this isn't the role of a lifetime for Chandler. He owns it that completely, imbuing his small-town, underdog football coach with a steady decency and quiet heroism that's come to define the essence of the show. An Emmy win would make an amazing send-off for a sentimental favorite that just ended.Maybe not: That underdog stuff might work on the football field, but the Emmys are often a different game. Michael C. Hall"Dexter" (Showtime)Best scene: The Jekyll and Hyde displayed in the episode "Teenage Wasteland," when Dexter deals out brutal physical punishment to a child molester while describing each of the man's organs as he hits them. That's followed by a poignant scene with his stepdaughter Astor, a friend of the victimized girl. Why he might win: Golden Globes voters pushed him to the top of their heap last year. The fifth-year show has mostly held its audience, and it's a (pardon the pun) killer showcase for an actor the Academy clearly loves.Maybe not: The buzz on the show has clearly faded and so may have Hall's chances.Jon Hamm"Mad Men" (AMC)Best scene: Standouts run pretty much the length of the episode called "The Suitcase," perhaps peaking when Don unleashes his trademark intensity on Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) during a heated exchange about why she should be grateful merely to work for him. Why he might win: Voters have continually embraced this show, which this season drilled ever more deeply into the enigma that is Hamm's character, giving him some of his strongest scenes yet. If there's a time for a perennial favorite to have his turn, it's arrived.Maybe not: Hall and Laurie have been nominated more often, so if the Acad wants to make sure their achievements are recognized, Hamm might be the odd man out.Hugh Laurie"House" (Fox)Best scene: In the season finale "Moving On," when House finally acts out his rage over his break-up with Cuddy by crashing his car into her house in order to return a hairbrush. Why he might win: Episodes like that one, and the one where he cut his own leg, took the crotchety M.D. ever deeper into the darkness that sets him apart.Maybe not: The show itself wasn't nominated, and it's growing long in the tooth. Network procedurals like this medical mystery aren't exactly in vogue. Voters have gone another way five times running. Timothy Olyphant"Justified" (FX)Best scene: When U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens joins forces with outlaw Mags to try to prevent the pregnant young Loretta from pulling the trigger -- and becoming like the two of them -- in the season finale, "Bloody Harlan." Why he might win: Olyphant's foxy lawman brings movie-star panache to this backwoods procedural, and don't think everyone hasn't noticed. And this season, his game was elevated when he got to play off the likes of Margo Martindale and Walton Goggins, as the increasingly present Boyd Crowder. Maybe not: The series itself wasn't recognized, and given its youth and procedural nature, this might be a case where it's an honor just to be nominated. ROAD TO THE EMMYS: THE ACTORActors look to play characters unlike themselvesComedy | Drama | Miniseries & Movies Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Lollapalooza: Eminem, Foo Martial artists, Deadmau5 Highlight 20th Anniversary Show

In 50's great Akira Kurosawa film Rashomon, the crime caper is told from the 3 perspectives. This Year, music festivals provide a similar multi-dimensional experience to ensure that one person's Lollapalooza might be totally different from those of the background music fan standing three ft away.our editor recommendsLollapalooza: What Experts SayFoo Martial artists Rock Lollapalooza With Highlight Performances (Video)Lollapalooza: 100s of Gate-Crashers Hurry Fences at Offered-Out Festival The dimensions and scope of Lollapalooza, which keeps growing in urban mass (this season offered out 90,000 tickets each day) and gets control much more of Chicago's Grant Park, forces fans to create individuals tough choices. On Friday evening, for instance, participants were made to choose from Coldplay and Muse. And unless of course you are in triathlon shape or can navigate hundreds of 1000's of individuals packed into one street on the skateboard, on Saturday, it came lower to Lykke Li or Cee-Lo, as each performed opposite sides from the park. With more than one hundred bands, as well as several off-site parties where the kind of Fitz & The Fits, Skylar Gray, Patrick Stump andDelta Spirit performed, your competition for attention has me overwhelmed. But there have been a couple of styles that handled to unite the whole festival, beginning using the ongoing emergence of dance music like a growing attraction. This season, festival founder and Jane's Addiction frontmanPerry Farrell, who made his only looks like a artist in the Kidsapalooza corner and the own Perry's dance tent, saw happens that shares his title come to be a complete-sized rave that covered a lot more than 15,000 fans at any given time, which makes it a great deal larger than Coachella's dance-oriented Sahara Tent. As well as at 15,000, it frequently overflowed, with passionate club kids honoring the pounding beats in the sides and also the back. Deadmau5, who grew to become the very first dance act to headline a primary stage at Lolla, and taken part using the Foo Martial artists and also the rain on Sunday, said backstage in advance the love he saw for that genre demonstrated it was bridging the space between rock and dance. Another moment that introduced the festival together happened on Saturday evening when Eminem shipped that which was easily probably the most anticipated group of the weekend. Showing his headliner might, the Detroit native had the whole backstage shut lower and rerouted so he could drive directly to the stage. The badass move left without doubt regarding who had been the greatest rock star of Lollapalooza 2011. Actually, because of the infrequency that he tours, it's sometimes simple to forget precisely how dynamic a artist he's, but following a spectacular 90-minute show, there is no denying the rapper's energy. Em engaged everyone else constantly while delivering a large-varying set that covered early material like "The Way In Which I'mInch and "Stan," along with the anthemic "I am Not ScaredInch and "Lose Yourself," along with a spectacular "Love How You Lie." Musically, it had been unquestionably our prime-point from the weekend. The only real band able to competing on that large a stage? The Foo Martial artists, who rocked an unexpected (and free!) three-hour show Saturday evening in the Metro, and returned for additional loads of headbanging on Sunday. Regrettably, their Lolla set was hammered by rain four tunes in, turning that which was already a dirt pit fit for Bonnaroo into area conditions merely a pig could love (the Arctic Monkeys' set earlier within the day was postponed by twenty minutes due to amazing -- a risk any rock festival faces when held outdoors as well as in the area). Still, fans weren't discouraged, nor was Dork Grohl, who declared, "I do not provide a fuck it's pouring down rain." Indeed, hundreds of 1000's of fans braved the torrential rain storm, which fortunately came and went rapidly, so that as rain pelted them, they sang along to Foos hits like "My Hero," "Stacked Stars" and "Learn how to Fly" unfazed. The couple of who did choose to refer to it as an earlier evening on Sunday skipped out. This being Lollapalooza, although a larger version, the main one constant that continues to be even two decades later may be the sense of discovery, a sentiment which was celebrated all weekend lengthy. Whether or not this was Imelda May's bluesy set, that closed having a version of sentimental Cell's "Tainted Love," or Los Angeles' Local Natives, who appeared truly humbled by their very own Sunday mid-day turnout, or buzz-worthy sets by Promote The Folks and Fitz And Also The Fits bringing in, by their estimations, some 25,000 people. Beginners certainly had their moments. Skylar Gray, who shared a stage with Eminem for that Dr. Dre hit "I Want A Physician," accepted she was more nervous doing her very own set than singing to 80,000 fans using the rapper.Dale Earnhart Junior. Junior, who rocked a Moving Stone party with covers from the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" and 4 Non Blondes' "What Are You Doing,Inch capped themselves having a Lolla rendition of Whitney Houston's "I'll Always Adore You.Inch And also the veterans shipped, too. An Ideal Circle placed on an impressive performance, Large Audio Dynamite, featuring former Clash guitarist Mick Johnson, reminded the crowd how incredibly hooky the British publish-punk movement was, and also the Cars came back having a hit-heavy set that incorporated radio staples "Precisely What I Desired,Inch "Miracle," and "Good Occasions Roll," sounding just like vibrant as decades ago. Two decades after its first United States run, which featured Jane's Addiction, Siouxsie and also the Banshees, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T and Violent Femmes about the bill, Lollapalooza 2011 resided as much as its high status of getting legendary moments and artists old and new together for that greatest party in music. Related Subjects Cee-Lo Eco-friendly Eminem Coldplay Foo Martial artists Lollapalooza Perry Farrell

Bruce Campbell Joins Sam Raimi, James Franco and Mila Kunis For Oz: The Great and Powerful

Bruce Campbell is full of big announcements this summer. First, he confirmed that a remake of Evil Dead is officially in the works. (With Diablo Cody on board to help write the script no less.) And now, the actor has just tweeted that he will work with his long-time collaborator Sam Raimi once again in Oz: The Great and Powerful. Just an hour ago, the actor Tweeted that he would definitely be featured in Raimi’s prequel to the 1939 classic: “I. Am. In. Oz. Sam Raimi refuses to tell me what character I will portray. Just know that the role is PIVOTAL.” Campbell joins James Franco (who will play the title character) as well as Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz, who will play the three witches. Walt Disney Pictures has given the mega-budgeted movie a March 8, 2013 release date. Cambell has worked with Raimi, whom he met in high school, on a number of projects including the Evil Dead series, the Spider-Man series, Darkman and The Quick and the Dead. · Bruce Campbell Confirms He Has A Role In Sam Raimi’s Oz The Great And Powerful [CinemaBlend]

'Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes' Clips Teach Evolution Leads To Revolution

Apes will rise this Friday, and you're going to want to be there to see it happen. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" already has some seriously strong critical buzz going for it, and having seen a preview screening of the movie earlier today I'd say that it's warranted. But if you still aren't sold on the second attempt at a "Planet of the Apes" reboot, Next Movie has five clips to whet your appetite for this weekends lesson on "evolution = revolution." Check out the rest of today's film news after the jump! Universal Saves Robert Zemeckis' Imagemovers Hollywood has proven over the past decade that it is the place for second chances to happen, and Robert Zemeckis' production company Imagemovers just got a big one. Imagemovers, which was behind the flop "Mars Needs Moms," was shut down by Disney in 2010, but now The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Universal made a two-year first-look deal with the company. I guess that means those of you out there looking forward to the adaptation of "How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack" are in luck. Summit Entertainment Is "Storming Las Vegas" Deadline has learned that Summit Entertainment has gained the production rights to John Huddy's nonfiction book "Storming Las Vegas: How A Cuban-Born, Soviet-Trained Sommando Took Down The Strip to the Tune of Five World Class Hotels, Three Armored Cars, and Millions of Dollars," which they smartly retitled "Storming Las Vegas." They have hired "Brooklyn's Finest" director Antoine Fuqua to help the project and Lorenzo di Bonaventura to produce. Gore Verbinski Gets A "Clue" While Universal might have saved Imagemovers, it is passing on the big screen adaptation of "Clue," one of their seven Hasbro game properties currently in production. No need to fear, though, because Deadline is reporting that director Gore Verbinski is going forward with the film anyways. "Flash Gordon" scribes Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama were just hired to write the script, so keep an eye out for "Clue" to soon follow in "Battleship's" footsteps. Zack Snyder Nabs "The Last Photograph" Twitch is reporting that Zack Snyder is taking over for "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" director Niels Arden Oplev as director on "The Last Photograph." Sean Penn and Christian Bale are currently attached to star in the drama that Snyder already co-wrote and is producing. It can be expected that the flick will start filming after Snyder wraps on "Man of Steel." The Trailer For "The Darkest Hour" Premieres At Comic-Con we were treated to an early taste of the "The Darkest Hour" trailer and were blown away by it, and now here's your chance to get in on the excitement as well. The teaser for the alien-invasion movie hit the web earlier today courtesy of Apple, but you can check it out below as well. Tell us your thoughts on today's Dailies in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Finally: Aliens, 3-D, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brendan Fraser and the Weinsteins Join Forces

This just in from The Weinstein Company: Sarah Jessica Parker, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Alba, James Gandolfini and Rob Corddry are among the voice talent joining the studio’s 3-D animated family flick Escape From Planet Earth. Says co-writer/director Cal Brunker: “Escape From Planet Earth has got it all… explosions, romance and a cast of hilarious aliens….what more could you ask for?” Oh, I dunno. A flow chart? A shotgun? Let’s check out the full announcement and consider alternatives in the comments. ================= NEW YORK, NY August 2, 2011 - The Weinstein Company (TWC) and Rainmaker Entertainment announced today the all-star voice cast for ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH which includes Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Rob Corddry, James Gandolfini and Craig Robinson. The 3D animated family comedy is currently in full production. The announcement was made today by Donna Gigliotti, TWC’s President of Production, and Catherine Winder, President and Executive Producer, Rainmaker Entertainment. Both Gigliotti and Winder serve as producers on the animated feature film. ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH is directed by Cal Brunker, best known for his work on the animated feature films DESPICABLE ME, 9 and HORTON HEARS A WHO! Producers Gigliotti and Winder are joined by Rainmaker’s Luke Carroll as a producer on the film. TWC Co-Chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein are executive producers. The film was written by Cal Brunker and Bob Barlen based on an original screenplay by Tony Leech and Cory Edwards. “ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH has got it all… explosions, romance and a cast of hilarious aliens….what more could you ask for?” said Brunker. “We are having a great time making it which is coming across on the screen. It will ultimately provide a ton of fun for both kids and their parents.” “We’re excited to have such a talented group of actors bringing this action-packed comedic tale to life,” said Gigliotti. “I’m also very pleased to be working with Catherine and the Rainmaker team. Their outstanding artistry, storytelling and techniques in CGI animation add a new dimension to this film and ensure a fun movie going experience for the entire family.” Winder added, “A successful animated movie starts with an imaginative story and appealing characters. The addition of such high caliber voice talent is a crucial layer to the mix. With the amazing array of talented artists and creatives from both The Weinstein Company and Rainmaker collaborating on this production, we have all the right ingredients to make ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH a highly entertaining and successful film.” The 3D animated family comedy ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH catapults movie goers to planet Baab where admired astronaut Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) is a national hero to the blue alien population. A master of daring rescues, Scorch pulls off astonishing feats with the quiet aid of his nerdy, by-the-rules brother, Gary (Rob Corddry), head of mission control at BASA. When BASA’s no-nonsense chief Lena (Jessica Alba) informs the brothers of an SOS from a notoriously dangerous planet, Scorch rejects Gary’s warnings and bounds off for yet another exciting mission. But when Scorch finds himself caught in a fiendish trap set by the evil Shanker (James Gandolfini), it’s up to scrawny, risk-adverse Gary to do the real rescuing. As the interplanetary stakes rise to new heights, Gary is left to save his brother, his planet, his beloved wife Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) and their adventure hungry son Kip! A film from The Weinstein Company, ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH is produced in association with Rainmaker Entertainment and will be released in the U.S. in 2012. ###

The Closer's James Duff Previews "Under Control"

Michael Paul Chan In my own little world, nothing has meant more to me than family: It is the foundation of my daily life. Properly attended, our immediate kin can be extended by fresh relationships, more marriages and new children; its growth nurtured by the best instincts of the human heart.So when an organism like a family splits apart, it can provoke a nuclear reaction, a shattering force every bit as powerful as the one that held it together.Lt. Michael Tao's 16-year-old son, Kevin, who has taken on the title of Day Camp Counselor as part of his summer vacation from high school, encounters an arguing divorced couple, one of whom seems to have misplaced their boy. This soul-rattling fear - that one unsupervised moment in a young child's life can lead to irreversible tragedy - gives the next episode of The Closer a primal jolt; it also offers a glimpse into the private life of Lt. Tao, whose teenage son, Kevin, travels with him through most of an incredibly dark journey, every step of which leads us nearer to the solution of a heinous crime.Many people might be aghast that Tao allows his son to observe the inner workings of a murder, but the children of police officers are often exposed to the darker side of life at an earlier age. Indeed, many detectives make sure their kids know that human nature also includes violence, ignorance, greed and even worse horrors. To say that Tao's wife has different ideas from her husband only serves to dramatize our theme. Some family's can argue, and grow closer; others are destroyed by their conflicts, leaving themselves prey to dangers they cannot even fathom.The theme of improper supervision of a family also asserts itself in the pending lawsuit against Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, who finds herself struggling against the relatives of Turell Baylor, the suspect she released last year from LAPD custody (in front of his house, which might have been surrounded by gang members). What actually happened to Mr. Baylor after Brenda drove away and left him alone? It's up to Captain Sharon Raydor to explain.Losing control of a child, a case, a suspect, a family can lead to terrible consequences. Several people end up facing these relatable fears as we discover, once again, even in the best of circumstances, our lives are never fully "Under Control."Some families don't require as much supervision as others. The diverse group of people who gather seventy hours every work week to manufacture The Closer are a case in point. Our crew, whose goal it is to make every episode of our show look like a little feature film, is made up of so many disparate individuals that the very concept of blending them together into one indivisible team would seem impossible. Every political opinion, every religion, every age group, every gender, every race, every sexual identity, every associated union and guild regularly join together in a mutually supportive effort, allowing each person on the squad to play at the very top of their game. We accomplish a lot through the practice of mutual respect.Respect, of course, comes easier when one recognizes that all the human beings with whom one lives and works are members of the same family. We are, after all, much, much more alike than we are different, and my constant appreciation to The Closer crew for demonstrating this scientific fact on a daily basis knows no bounds. Thanks to the strength of their collective vision, every week we deliver the best we can do to our much-appreciated family of viewers.Until next week - James Duff