Welcome to the Entertainment Newsletter, containing content related to the people, news and business issues we see in our day-to-day service to the industry.

In this issue:

• What Profit Participants Need to Know – Product Placement and Product Integration in Television
  Traditionally, producers have generated revenue from license fees paid by networks and syndicators, who in turn sold advertising spots which created awareness and sparked demand for commercial brands. And while traditional advertising remains a significant source of revenue, new methods of promotion, including product placement and product integration, have grown as alternative approaches to creating value for brands and increasing the bottom lines for networks, producers of television series and other interested parties.
• Using Digital Audio Recognition to Unlock Revenue Streams
  At the Association of Independent Music Publishers’ panel discussion on “Digital Audio Recognition: Disruption and New Revenue Opportunities,” the panel of leading music industry experts discussed digital audio recognition technology and the importance of digital fingerprinting in monetizing content that is frequently infringed upon.
• The Impact of the Los Angeles Business Tax on Entertainment Industry Professionals
  The Los Angeles Business Tax has over the years been a contentious privilege tax on businesses that engage in activity within Los Angeles. Entertainment industry professionals are generally taxed based on their specific activity, whether the income is earned directly by the individual or through a legal entity in which the individual owns an ownership interest.
• Five Key Challenges for the Video Game Industry
  While the video game industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, it also faces challenges which pose a significant threat to the industry. Ilan Haimoff, CPA, of GHJ and Steve Smith, Esq., of Greenberg Glusker collaborated to identify five key challenges confronting the video game industry.