The Usher Internship

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Happy Tuesday, Future Party. If taking the whole family to the movies is getting too expensive, comedian Nate Bargatze hears you. For his upcoming Sony film The Breadwinner, Bargatze has convinced major theater chains to adopt the “Nate Rate” — essentially offering matinee pricing regardless of showtime. If the movie turns out to be both a box-office hit and a bargain for audiences, it could be a major win for Bargatze.

Media entrepreneur Byron Allen is taking over BuzzFeed in a $120 million deal.

The Big Picture: At one point, BuzzFeed was considered one of the internet’s crown jewels — and nearly sold to Disney for $650 million. The digital economy has changed quite a bit since that offer in 2013. BuzzFeed has pivoted a lot to shore up its revenue, but it became increasingly clear the company would eventually need a lifeline. It’s officially the end of an era.

Behind The Listicles: Byron Allen has made many M&A plays in recent years… and has finally landed a distressed asset.

Final Deal Points: Allen, who controls several TV stations and 10 network channels, has been looking to level up for some time. He’s been involved in bids for everything from BET to Paramount to ABC. While none of those efforts have succeeded, they underscore Allen’s ambition to build a media empire — and his tendency to circle any major media auction like a shark in the water. He’s even taking over The Late Show’s time slot on CBS once the program ends its run, replacing it with a two-hour comedy block.

With BuzzFeed, Allen now has a platform he can remake in his own image.

The Future: Given Peretti’s focus on AI, it’s possible Allen is looking to build a media brand centered on AI-generated content that can be repackaged and distributed across other platforms.

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Usher has launched an internship program that will run alongside his upcoming R&B: Raymond and Brown tour with Chris Brown.

Why It Hits: The nuts and bolts of putting on a tour are becoming a lost art, and there’s essentially no pipeline training the next generation to take over these highly technical jobs. At a time when the job market for young people is so depressed, creating pathways to cool jobs that AI can’t replace should be music to everyone’s ears.

Behind The Program: Usher’s nonprofit, Usher’s New Look (UNL), is collabing with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Detroit on “Entertainment Industry Club: Live Touring Edition.”

Encore: Usher hopes the program will give overlooked communities valuable access to touring jobs, effectively serving as an apprenticeship for work that people can’t simply find on LinkedIn. Interviews are already underway, with the internship set to hit the road from May 27 through August 10.

Next Tour: Given the skyrocketing popularity of live music and young people’s growing interest in blue-collar work, the touring industry may be poised for a recruitment renaissance.

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43.5% of you voted No, they’re not my thing in yesterday’s poll: Have you ever listened to boy bands?

“Heard on endless repeat on the radio, in films and television shows, and in too many commercials to count? Yes. Actively chose to listen to? No.”

“Never have been… the Jackson 5 are the exception. :)”

“Hello, even the Beatles could be considered a boy band — unless you’re only counting non-instrument-playing, choreographed dance-and-sing groups. But then I could mention the Four Tops, the Drifters, and so on…”

“I was actually forced to listen to them when my kids were teenagers in the early 2000s. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I had them burn me a few CDs that I’d listen to on my way to work — then hide from my coworkers whenever they got in my car. Listen today? NAH!”

“I’m a forever fangirl — it’s in my blood. First it was NSYNC, now it’s BTS.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

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💰 Ketchup Entertainment, the upstart distributor releasing Coyote vs. Acme this summer, has secured a $100 million credit facility focused on press and advertising.

📺 NBC is planning a competition show based on Wordle hosted by Savannah Guthrie.

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📱 Apple is rolling out end-to-end encryption to Android users.

🤳 Disney plans to double down on investment in the creator economy, especially via Disney+.

💻 The new Digg is pivoting into a news-ranking platform… starting with headlines about AI.

🎮 Discord debuted Nitro Rewards to give subscribers extra gaming perks at no extra cost.