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By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Rapper Kendrick Lamar topped the list of Grammy contenders for the second straight year on Friday with nine nominations, outpacing the seven nods for pop superstar Lady Gaga in the race for the music industry's top honors. Lamar's "GNX" and Gaga's "MAYHEM" will compete for the coveted album of the year trophy at the Grammy Awards 2026 ceremony in February. Neither artist has won the honor despite multiple nominations in the category. Others nominated in the album field include Bad Bunny for the Spanish-language "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," Justin Bieber for "Swag" and Sabrina Carpenter for "Man's Best Friend." "The Life of a Showgirl" by Taylor Swift, who has claimed album of the year an unmatched four times, was not in the running because it was released after this year's Grammy eligibility window closed. Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican musician who will perform at next year's Super Bowl halftime show, received six nominations in total including for record, song and album of the year. Two KPop songs landed in the field for song of the year, an award given to songwriters. They are "Golden" from the soundtrack of smash Netflix movie "KPop Demon Hunters" and "APT." by Rose and Bruno Mars. "APT." also was nominated for record of the year, a trophy given to producers and performers. Others on the list included Gaga's "Abracadabra," "luther" by Lamar and SZA, and "DtMF" by Bad Bunny. In the best new artist category, Olivia Dean and KATSEYE will compete with Leon Thomas, Alex Warren and others. Thomas, an R&B and soul musician, also received an album of the year nomination for "Mutt." Grammy winners will be chosen by the roughly 15,000 voting members of the Recording Academy and announced at a red-carpet ceremony in Los Angeles on February 1. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; editing by Diane Craft)

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By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Nominations for the music industry's Grammy Awards were announced Friday. Below is a list of nominees in select categories. RECORD OF THE YEAR "DtMF," Bad Bunny "Manchild," Sabrina Carpenter "Anxiety," Doechii "Wildflower," Billie Eilish "Abracadabra," Lady Gaga "luther," Kendrick Lamar with SZA "The Subway," Chappell Roan "APT.," Bruno Mars and ROSE ALBUM OF THE YEAR "DeBi TiRAR MaS FOtoS," Bad Bunny "Swag," Justin Bieber "Man's Best Friend," Sabrina Carpenter "Let God Sort Em Out," Clipse, Pusha T and Malice "MAYHEM," Lady Gaga "GNX," Kendrick Lamar "Mutt," Leon Thomas "CHROMAKOPIA," Tyler, The Creator SONG OF THE YEAR "Abracadabra," Lady Gaga "Anxiety," Doechii "APT.," Bruno Mars and ROSE "DtMF," Bad Bunny "Golden," EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI "luther," Kendrick Lamar with SZA "Manchild," Sabrina Carpenter "Wildflower," Billie Eilish BEST NEW ARTIST Olivia Dean KATSEYE The Marias Addison Rae sombr Leon Thomas Alex Warren Lola Young BEST RAP ALBUM "Let God Sort Em Out," Clipse, Pusha T and Malice "GLORIOUS," GloRilla "God Does Like Ugly," JID "GNX," Kendrick Lamar "CHROMAKOPIA," Tyler, The Creator BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM "SWAG," Justin Bieber "Man's Best Friend," Sabrina Carpenter "Something Beautiful," Miley Cyrus "MAYHEM," Lady Gaga "I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1)," Teddy Swims (Reporting by Danielle Broadway; editing by Diane Craft)

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TEL AVIV (Reuters) -The director of Israel's entry for the 2026 Oscars about a Palestinian boy's quest to see the sea hopes it will help arouse compassion in his homeland during so much conflict. Prospects for lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians have rarely looked so bleak after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, two years of war in Gaza and surging settler violence in the West Bank. However, director and writer Shai Carmeli-Pollak has taken heart from the reception to his film "The Sea" which won Israel's top film prize so was automatically submitted for the foreign-language Oscar prize to be decided in March.  "I met the audience that came to watch it and it was amazing that people could be emotional and sometimes shed a tear for this story while violence and atrocities happened not far from here," Carmeli-Pollak said in an interview this week after a viewing. "The Sea" tells the story of Khaled, a Palestinian boy in the Israeli-occupied West Bank who fears growing up without seeing the sea and makes the perilous journey alone and without travel papers into Israel to try to reach the coast.  He had recently been turned away at a checkpoint on a school trip to the sea, and his sudden disappearance from home leads his father, an undocumented labourer in Israel, to risk arrest by setting out in search of him. "The Sea" won Best Picture at September's Ophir awards, the Israeli equivalent of the Oscars, prompting condemnation from Culture Minister Miki Zohar, who pulled funding from the ceremony over the movie's portrayal of the Israeli military. Israel's government since 2022 has been among the most right-wing in its history, adamantly opposed to Palestinian statehood and committed to expanding settlement in the West Bank.  The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which killed more than 1,200 people, has hardened many Israelis towards Palestinians and made criticism of the army more sensitive. 'COMPASSION AND LOVE' Carmeli-Pollak and the Israeli-Palestinian producer of "The Sea", Baher Agbaria, said it was important to make films that helped people hear each other's stories.  "I hope that the film will open other channels – channels of compassion and love – and give other ways that we can live together in this place," Carmeli-Pollak told Reuters. Agbaria said it felt surprising to bring a Palestinian story to mainstream cinemas in Israel against the backdrop of the war.  "Because (of) what is happening this is time also for this film, you know, for this kind of story, to listen to the others," he said.  The film was released in cinemas in Israel in July and is still running.  At the 2025 Oscars, an Israeli-Palestinian film "No Other Land", about the Israeli displacement of a Palestinian community in the West Bank, won the documentary feature film award, also angering Israel's government. Carmeli-Pollak, a longtime peace activist, said that even though the government did not want him to represent Israel, he was proud to be part of a community of filmmakers who chose to honour "The Sea".  "I represent every people, like both Israelis and Palestinians, that aspire for peace and for equality and for living together in a different way than this government is working for." (Reporting by Miro Maman in Tel Aviv and Lianne Back in Jerusalem, writing by Angus McDowall, editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

TEL AVIV (Reuters) -The director of Israel's entry for the 2026 Oscars about a Palestinian boy's quest to see the sea hopes it will help arouse compassion in his homeland during so much conflict. Prospects for lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians have rarely looked so bleak after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, two years of war in Gaza and surging settler violence in the West Bank. However, director and writer Shai Carmeli-Pollak has taken heart from the reception to his film "The Sea" which won Israel's top film prize so was automatically submitted for the foreign-language Oscar prize to be decided in March.  "I met the audience that came to watch it and it was amazing that people could be emotional and sometimes shed a tear for this story while violence and atrocities happened not far from here," Carmeli-Pollak said in an interview this week after a viewing. "The Sea" tells the story of Khaled, a Palestinian boy in the Israeli-occupied West Bank who fears growing up without seeing the sea and makes the perilous journey alone and without travel papers into Israel to try to reach the coast.  He had recently been turned away at a checkpoint on a school trip to the sea, and his sudden disappearance from home leads his father, an undocumented labourer in Israel, to risk arrest by setting out in search of him. "The Sea" won Best Picture at September's Ophir awards, the Israeli equivalent of the Oscars, prompting condemnation from Culture Minister Miki Zohar, who pulled funding from the ceremony over the movie's portrayal of the Israeli military. Israel's government since 2022 has been among the most right-wing in its history, adamantly opposed to Palestinian statehood and committed to expanding settlement in the West Bank.  The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which killed more than 1,200 people, has hardened many Israelis towards Palestinians and made criticism of the army more sensitive. 'COMPASSION AND LOVE' Carmeli-Pollak and the Israeli-Palestinian producer of "The Sea", Baher Agbaria, said it was important to make films that helped people hear each other's stories.  "I hope that the film will open other channels – channels of compassion and love – and give other ways that we can live together in this place," Carmeli-Pollak told Reuters. Agbaria said it felt surprising to bring a Palestinian story to mainstream cinemas in Israel against the backdrop of the war.  "Because (of) what is happening this is time also for this film, you know, for this kind of story, to listen to the others," he said.  The film was released in cinemas in Israel in July and is still running.  At the 2025 Oscars, an Israeli-Palestinian film "No Other Land", about the Israeli displacement of a Palestinian community in the West Bank, won the documentary feature film award, also angering Israel's government. Carmeli-Pollak, a longtime peace activist, said that even though the government did not want him to represent Israel, he was proud to be part of a community of filmmakers who chose to honour "The Sea".  "I represent every people, like both Israelis and Palestinians, that aspire for peace and for equality and for living together in a different way than this government is working for." (Reporting by Miro Maman in Tel Aviv and Lianne Back in Jerusalem, writing by Angus McDowall, editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Deborah Mary Sophia and Dawn Chmielewski (Reuters) -Warner Bros Discovery posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss on Thursday, as lackluster growth in its streaming unit and ongoing declines in its cable TV business eclipsed a strong showing from the media giant's studio. The company's shares rose nearly 1% in volatile trading. They have more than doubled in value this year as the company weighs a full or partial sale, while advancing plans to split its studio and streaming operations from its shrinking cable-TV unit. After a solid quarter last year fueled by the 2024 Paris Olympics and the first season of crime drama series "The Penguin", WBD's streaming business – home to HBO Max – faced a lull in fresh content in the July-September period. It added 2.3 million streaming subscribers in the third quarter, missing Visible Alpha estimates of 2.75 million and lower than the 3.4 million additions in the preceding quarter. NO DEADLINE FOR SALE OR SPLIT WBD said there was no deadline for the sale or split. It would also consider an alternative structure that would involve selling its studio and streaming businesses, while spinning off its global networks division. "It's fair to say that we have an active process underway," CEO David Zaslav said on an earnings call. Reuters reported last week that Netflix was actively exploring a bid for WBD's studio and streaming business. Comcast is also exploring a deal, although several analysts view David Ellison-led Paramount Skydance as a front-runner for WBD given its access to deep pockets and Washington ties. While WBD declined to answer analysts' questions about its business review, Zaslav spent several minutes touting the success of the film studio, its upcoming content slate and internal talent. He lauded the work of DC Studios co-chairmen James Gunn and Peter Safran, who are working to revitalize Warner Bros' roster of super heroes. Upcoming films "Supergirl" and "Clayface" have been shot, and the script for the sequel to "Superman" is already written, Zaslav said. He also said director Steven Spielberg will executive produce a new "Gremlins" film, slated for theatrical release in 2027. SPORTS STRATEGY Sports would be a "key pillar" for the Discovery Global business that would house the cable TV assets, Zaslav said, noting progress in plans to launch a standalone sports content app. He said the app would serve as a dedicated U.S. sports platform after HBO Max stops carrying live sports after the planned spinoff and could be bundled with other services. Outside the U.S., sports will stay within HBO Max. The company holds U.S. broadcast rights to MLB, NHL and the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. It also secured access to coveted NBA content last year, but that excluded live games rights in the crucial U.S market. The absence of those games, live-streamed on HBO Max and TNT, is expected to hit ad revenue. Its streaming division will take a hit of 300 basis points in the fourth quarter, with a bigger impact expected in the first half of 2026. It also projected a hit of 400 basis points to fourth-quarter ad revenue in its cable network unit. LATEST "SUPERMAN", "CONJURING" RELEASES LIFT STUDIO BUSINESS Warner Bros studio delivered a strong quarter as new releases "Superman", "Weapons" and "The Conjuring: Last Rites" dominated the box office. The segment reported a better-than-expected 24% jump in revenue to $3.32 billion. Meanwhile, its legacy cable TV unit continued to slump amid cord-cutting, with revenue plunging 22% after last year's boost from a strong news cycle and the Olympic Games. WBD reported a loss of 6 cents per share for the September quarter, bigger than analysts' forecast of 4 cents, while total revenue fell 6% to $9.05 billion, just shy of estimates. "This quarter further validates that the TV networks will appeal to value buyers," eMarketer analyst Ross Benes said. (Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Maju Samuel)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Deborah Mary Sophia (Reuters) -Warner Bros Discovery posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss on Thursday, as lackluster growth in its streaming unit and ongoing declines in its cable TV business more than offset a strong showing from the media giant's studio. Shares fell nearly 1% premarket. They have more than doubled in value this year as the company weighs a full or partial sale, while advancing plans to split its studio and streaming operations from its shrinking cable-TV unit. After a solid quarter last year fueled by the 2024 Paris Olympics and the first season of crime drama series "The Penguin", WBD's streaming business – home to HBO Max – faced a lull in fresh content in the July-September period. It added 2.3 million streaming subscribers in the third quarter, missing Visible Alpha estimates of 2.75 million and lower than the additions of 3.4 million in the preceding quarter. NO DEADLINE FOR SALE OR SPLIT WBD said there was no deadline for the sale or split. It would also consider an alternative structure that would involve selling its studio and streaming businesses, while spinning off its global networks division. "It's fair to say that we have an active process underway," CEO David Zaslav said on an earnings call, declining to comment on media reports about potential suitors. Reuters reported last week that Netflix was actively exploring a bid for WBD's studio and streaming business. Comcast is also exploring a deal, although several analysts view David Ellison-led Paramount Skydance as a front-runner for WBD given its access to deep pockets and Washington ties. SPORTS STRATEGY Zaslav said sports would be a "key pillar" for the Discovery Global business that would house the cable TV assets, noting progress in plans to launch a standalone sports content app. He said the app would serve as a dedicated U.S. sports platform after HBO Max stops carrying live sports after the planned spinoff and could be bundled with other services. Outside the U.S., sports will stay within HBO Max. The company holds U.S. broadcast rights to MLB, NHL and the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. It also secured access to coveted NBA content last year, but that excluded live games rights in the crucial U.S market. The absence of those games, live-streamed on HBO Max and TNT, is expected to hit ad revenue. Its streaming division will take a hit of 300 basis points in the fourth quarter, with a bigger impact expected in the first half of 2026. It also projected a related hit of 400 basis points to fourth-quarter ad revenue in its cable network unit. LATEST "SUPERMAN", "CONJURING" RELEASES LIFT STUDIO BUSINESS Warner Bros studio delivered a strong quarter as new releases "Superman", "Weapons" and "The Conjuring: Last Rites" dominated the box office. The segment reported a better-than-expected 24% jump in revenue to $3.32 billion. Meanwhile, its legacy cable TV unit continued to slump amid cord-cutting, with revenue plunging 22% after last year's boost from a strong news cycle and the Olympic Games. WBD reported a loss of 6 cents per share in the September quarter, wider than analysts' forecast of 4 cents, while total revenue slipped 6% to $9.05 billion, just shy of estimates. "This quarter further validates that the TV networks will appeal to value buyers," eMarketer analyst Ross Benes said. (Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Anil D'Silva)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -Warner Bros Discovery posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss on Thursday, as lackluster growth in its streaming unit and persistent declines in its cable TV business more than offset a strong showing from the media giant's studio division. After a strong quarter last year that saw a boost from the 2024 Paris Olympics and the first season of crime drama series "The Penguin", WBD's streaming business – home to the HBO Max and Discovery+ platforms – suffered from a lack of new seasons or shows. The company reported 2.3 million global streaming subscriber additions for the third quarter, missing Visible Alpha estimates of 2.75 million. Shares fell 1% premarket. NO DEADLINE FOR SALE OR SPLIT WBD is evaluating options including selling itself or in parts. The company said on Thursday it would also consider an alternative structure that would involve selling its studio and streaming businesses, while spinning off its global networks division. "There is no deadline or definitive timetable regarding this strategic review process," WBD said, adding executives will not be answering questions on the matter in its earnings call. WBD's legacy cable TV business continued to struggle with weak demand amid cord-cutting. The unit posted a 22% decline in revenue, falling sharply after a strong news cycle on CNN and the Olympic Games boosted viewership last year. In contrast, Warner Bros studio put in a strong performance as new releases including "Superman", "Weapons" and "The Conjuring: Last Rites" dominated the box office. The segment reported a better-than-expected 24% jump in revenue to $3.32 billion. For the fourth quarter, the absence of the National Basketball Association (NBA) games, which were live-streamed on HBO Max, would have a negative impact of 300 basis points on the streaming unit's advertising revenue, the company said. The first half of 2026 would see an even greater impact. The company also expects a related hit of 400 basis points to ad revenue in its cable network unit in the fourth quarter. It reported a loss of 6 cents per share, wider than analysts' estimates for a 4-cent loss, according to data compiled by LSEG. Total revenue fell 6% to $9.05 billion in the September quarter, compared with analysts' estimate of $9.15 billion. (Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Maju Samuel)

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