मनोरंजन

(Reuters) -Universal Music and Warner Music are nearing landmark artificial intelligence licensing deals, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Universal and Warner could each strike deals with AI companies within weeks, the newspaper said. Talks involved start-ups such as ElevenLabs, Stability AI, Suno, Udio and Klay Vision, the report said, adding that the music companies are also in talks with large technology groups, including Alphabet's Google and Spotify. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. Universal, Warner, Google and Spotify did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. The growing use of generative AI in creative industries has triggered a wave of lawsuits, with artists, authors and rights holders accusing AI firms of using copyrighted material without consent or compensation to train their models. The deal talks have centred on how the labels license their songs for creating AI-generated tracks and for training large language models, the report said. The music companies are seeking a payment structure similar to that for streaming, whereby playing a song triggers a micropayment, the report added. (Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman)

(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) -Universal Music and Warner Music are nearing landmark artificial intelligence licensing deals, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.  Universal and Warner could each strike deals with AI companies within weeks, the newspaper said. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. (Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman)

(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 Blake Brittain (Reuters) -A federal judge again threw out a lawsuit by a man who accused iconic grunge rock band Nirvana of distributing child pornography by using a photograph of him as a naked, swimming baby on the cover of its breakthrough 1991 album "Nevermind."  U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin tossed out the lawsuit filed by plaintiff Spencer Elden for a second time after finding that no reasonable jury would consider the picture pornographic. "Other than the fact that plaintiff was nude on the album cover," nothing "comes close to bringing the image within the ambit of the child pornography statute," Olguin said. Attorneys for Elden did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Nirvana's attorney Bert Deixler said they were "delighted that the court has ended this meritless case and freed our creative clients of the stigma of false allegations." The defendants included surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, late lead singer Kurt Cobain's widow Courtney Love and photographer Kirk Weddle. The lawsuit stemmed from Nirvana's use of a photo taken by Weddle at the Pasadena Aquatic Center in California that depicted Elden swimming naked toward a dollar bill on a fishhook. Elden, now 34, first sued the band and its label Universal Music Group in 2021, accusing them of sexually exploiting him through his depiction on the cover and causing him continuing personal harm. Olguin dismissed the case in 2022 after finding Elden's claims were time-barred without addressing the substance of his allegations. The 9th Circuit reversed that decision in 2023. Olguin determined on Tuesday that the image could not be considered child pornography, comparing it instead to a "family photo of a nude child bathing." (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by David Bario and Sergio Non)

(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 Blake Brittain (Reuters) -A federal judge again threw out a lawsuit by a man who accused iconic grunge rock band Nirvana of distributing child pornography by using a photograph of him as a naked, swimming baby on the cover of its breakthrough 1991 album "Nevermind."  U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin tossed out the lawsuit filed by plaintiff Spencer Elden for a second time after finding that no reasonable jury would consider the picture pornographic. "Other than the fact that plaintiff was nude on the album cover," nothing "comes close to bringing the image within the ambit of the child pornography statute," Olguin said. Attorneys for Elden did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Nirvana's attorney Bert Deixler said they were "delighted that the court has ended this meritless case and freed our creative clients of the stigma of false allegations." The defendants included surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, late lead singer Kurt Cobain's widow Courtney Love and photographer Kirk Weddle. The lawsuit stemmed from Nirvana's use of a photo taken by Weddle at the Pasadena Aquatic Center in California that depicted Elden swimming naked toward a dollar bill on a fishhook. Elden, now 34, first sued the band and its label Universal Music Group in 2021, accusing them of sexually exploiting him through his depiction on the cover and causing him continuing personal harm. Olguin dismissed the case in 2022 after finding Elden's claims were time-barred without addressing the substance of his allegations. The 9th Circuit reversed that decision in 2023. Olguin determined on Tuesday that the image could not be considered child pornography, comparing it instead to a "family photo of a nude child bathing." (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by David Bario and Sergio Non)

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

PARIS (Reuters) -Dior creative director Jonathan Anderson unveiled a new aesthetic for women’s ready-to-wear on Wednesday, showing his take on house classics such as the bar jacket at one of the hottest tickets in a packed season of designer debuts.  Anderson joined the LVMH-owned label in March, and showed menswear in June. He is part of a new generation bringing change to the luxury industry, which faces a prolonged slump. Famous for its nipped waist, Anderson's bar jacket was loosened, with added volume at the back and paired with a pleated mini skirt that also jutted out behind. The look set the tone for "a bold new chapter" at the brand, said Simon Longland, director of buying for the fashion department at Harrods.  "The show was a collection of contrasts—couture against everyday ease, femininity with androgyny, covered versus sheer," he said. The show, held in the Tuileries Gardens, started with a fast-paced film, showing images from the label's past but styled like a black-and-white horror film. The models then strode onto the runway. They paraded mini skirts paired with long, wool capes covering the shoulders and arms, suit jackets worn with high collars, dresses that opened in the back and lightweight knit ensembles. Jeans were slim or ample, barrel-legged style, while coats had high collars. After the show, guests, who included K-pop stars Jimin and Jisoo, as well as actors Jennifer Lawrence, Johnny Depp, Jenna Ortega and Mickey Madison, gave a standing ovation as Anderson took a quick bow. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Alison Williams)

(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) -Microsoft's Xbox has raised the price of the highest tier of Game Pass by 50% and expanded its offerings under the videogame subscription service to include more games, enhanced cloud streaming and a revamped rewards system. Xbox will now charge $29.99 per month for a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, $10 higher than earlier, the console maker said in a post on Wednesday. In return, these subscribers will get more than 75 first-day releases a year, including premium titles such as "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7", and "Ninja Gaiden 4." Microsoft had last month also announced price hikes for its consoles in the U.S. for a second time this year due to tariff-induced cost pressures. Xbox has made big bets on its subscription service by offering more premium titles and cloud gaming access, as it seeks to establish a foothold in the games-as-a-service industry to counter sluggish console sales and economic uncertainty. Alongside the price increase, the company rebranded its cheapest and middle tiers to "Essential" and "Premium", and included unlimited cloud gaming in them, as a part of its push to allow gamers to stream titles anywhere. Prices for the other two tiers remain unchanged, Xbox said. (Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)

(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) -Microsoft's Xbox has raised the price of the highest tier of Game Pass by 50% and expanded its offerings under the videogame subscription service to include more games, enhanced cloud streaming and a revamped rewards system. Xbox will now charge $29.99 per month for a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, $10 higher than earlier, the console maker said in a post on Wednesday. In return, these subscribers will get more than 75 first-day releases a year, including premium titles such as "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7", and "Ninja Gaiden 4." Microsoft had last month also announced price hikes for its consoles in the U.S. for a second time this year due to tariff-induced cost pressures. Xbox has made big bets on its subscription service by offering more premium titles and cloud gaming access, as it seeks to establish a foothold in the games-as-a-service industry to counter sluggish console sales and economic uncertainty. Alongside the price increase, the company rebranded its cheapest and middle tiers to "Essential" and "Premium", and included unlimited cloud gaming in them, as a part of its push to allow gamers to stream titles anywhere. Prices for the other two tiers remain unchanged, Xbox said. (Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)

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

(Corrects spelling of Bergquist in paragraphs 17-18) By Steve Gorman, Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The recent debut of an AI-generated "actress" dubbed Tilly Norwood, and its producer's boasts of interest from studio executives, sparked a backlash on Tuesday from the SAG-AFTRA actors union, condemning the replacement of human performers with "synthetics." The Hollywood buzz around Tilly Norwood, introduced on Saturday at a film industry conference in Zurich, and the union's scathing reaction to it reflected the dread many in the creative community feel about the intersection of artificial intelligence and show business. The official Tilly Norwood launch consisted of a 20-second appearance of the photo-real character – a twenty-something fictional ingénue bearing no particular resemblance to any real celebrity – in a brief video parody about making an AI-generated television show. Dutch actor-producer Eline Van der Velden, whose London-based AI production studio Particle6 created Tilly Norwood, said during her presentation at the Zurich Summit the project was starting to turn heads. After months of facing boardroom skepticism, talent agents were starting to tell her: "'We need to do something with you guys,'" Hollywood trade paper Variety quoted Van der Velden as saying. She said an announcement of a first-of-its-kind talent agency deal was a few months away, Variety reported. Concerns about Hollywood actors and writers being exploited, and even supplanted, by AI-generated scripts and performers was a major issue SAG-AFTRA's most recent round of contract talks with studios and streaming services. Computer-generated imagery is nothing new to the film and television industry, and AI-enhanced software has more recently emerged in various effects such as "de-aging" technology allowing actors to portray younger versions of themselves. The ability to convincingly replicate a feature-length human film performance with AI stand-ins is still seen as far off. 'VERY REAL EMOTIONS' Nevertheless, the prospect of talent agents suddenly showing interest in AI-created figures stirred a swift denunciation from SAG-AFTRA, representing 160,000 actors, announcers, recording artists, stunt performers and other talent. "Creativity is, and should remain, human-centered," the union said in a statement. "The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics." The parody video, which first appeared in July, actually comprises 16 AI-generated characters in all. But Tilly Norwood – a winsome figure with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, a British accent and her own social media profile – was the star. A separate Facebook post attributed to the character exclaims: "I may be AI generated, but I'm feeling very real emotions right now. I am so excited for what's coming next!" SAG-AFTRA officials were not amused. "To be clear, 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor," the union said in its statement. "It's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation." Van der Velden sought to assuage such concerns in an Instagram message, saying Tilly Norwood "is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity." Van der Velden was more provocative in an interview in July with the publication Broadcast International, which quoted her as saying: "We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that's the aim of what we're doing." Not everyone is convinced Tilly Norwood packs such potential. Yves Bergquist, director of AI in media at the University of Southern California's Entertainment Technology Center, called the hoopla "nonsense." "There is a lot of very understandable nervousness and fear out there about talent being replaced," he said. But judging from his own daily interactions with Hollywood executives, Bergquist said there was zero interest from "serious people" in developing entirely synthetic characters. "Scarlett Johansson has a fan base. Scarlett Johansson is a person," he said. (Reporting and writing by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles)

(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 Dawn Chmielewski (Reuters) -Broadway actors are preparing to walk off the stage in a strike that would shut down 32 stage productions as theater attendance approaches its peak season, according to their union. Actors' Equity, a union that represents 900 current Broadway performers and stage managers, said it has yet to reach agreement on a new labor contract with the Broadway League, the trade association that represents theater owners, producers and operators. Negotiations continue, though the three-year contract ended on September 28. A central issue in bargaining is healthcare and the contribution the Broadway League makes to the union's health care fund. Al Vincent Jr, executive director and lead negotiator for Actors' Equity, said the union is asking Broadway's employers to increase their contribution to the health care fund, which is projected to fall into a deficit by next May.  The rate of contributions has been unchanged for more than a decade, even as smaller regional theaters in Kansas and Idaho oftentimes pay more, Vincent said.  "Asking our employers to care for our bodies, and to pay their fair share toward our health insurance is not only reasonable and necessary, it’s an investment they should want to make toward the long-term success of their businesses," Actors' Equity President Brooke Shields said in a statement to Reuters, adding that she tore her meniscus on a Broadway show and continued dancing on it, "painfully," for three months. "That’s just math. There are no Broadway shows without healthy Broadway actors and stage managers. And there are no healthy actors and stage managers without safe workplaces and stable health insurance.” The Broadway League issued a statement saying it continues to work toward an agreement.  “We all want to sustain the magic of Broadway for our audience," the Broadway League said in its statement to Reuters. "We are continuing good-faith negotiations with Actors Equity to reach a fair agreement that works for Broadway shows, casts, crews and the millions of people from around the world who come to experience Broadway.” Other sectors of the entertainment industry have been roiled by labor unrest, with Hollywood actors and writers striking in 2023, as they fought for better compensation in the streaming TV era and curbs on the use of artificial intelligence. Video game actors staged a nearly year-long walkout as they sought protections against the use of artificial intelligence.     Stage actors have already authorized the bargaining committee to call a strike. On Friday, the union began delivering "strike pledge cards" to the stage door, asking performers and stage managers to commit to a walkout.   Kaylin Seckel, an ensemble cast member of Disney's "The Lion King" and understudy to Nala and Sarabi, said she ruptured her Achilles tendon during a 2022 performance and had to be carried off-stage by her scene partner. She underwent surgery to repair the injury, and lengthy physical therapy to help her return to the stage.  Although workers' compensation covered many of her medical expenses, she relied on her union's health care to pay for acupuncture and other treatments.  "That was three years ago, and I require, to this day, other procedures and more physical therapy that I was denied under workers' comp," said Seckel. "So for performers and stage managers in this industry, where your jobs are dangerous, … without really good health insurance, it's difficult for us to do our jobs." The last major Actors Equity strike was in 1968, when a three-day dispute closed 19 Broadway shows. The New York City mayor intervened, and helped both sides come to an agreement.  (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Mary Milliken and Stephen Coates)

(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 Hanna Rantala PARIS (Reuters) -Stella McCartney showed a summer collection packed with cocktail dresses in new, feathery materials, further expanding the range of textures used by her label, known for an ecological bent. "This collection was about coming together, bringing together handwork, craft, bringing together different innovations," McCartney told Reuters after the show. The show kicked off with actor Helen Mirren stepping out of the front row to read the lyrics of the Beatles song "Come Together."       "I thought, 'oh, what fun, that would be great'," Mirren said backstage, after the show, recalling the request from McCartney to take part. "But when I was sitting there, I started getting really nervous." Models moved quickly down the runway, parading short dresses made from piles of raffia and pastel gowns in an airy plant-based feather alternative. There were also double-breasted suits with sharp shoulders, short skirts with extra flounce and slouchy jeans. Known for her use of alternatives to leather and fur, McCartney in January announced she would repurchase LVMH's minority stake in her label, but would continue to advise the French luxury conglomerate on sustainability matters. Paris Fashion Week, which started on Monday and has featured shows from Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton, runs through October 7. Upcoming designer debuts will include fashion houses Chanel, Balenciaga and Loewe. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer in Paris and Hanna Rantala in London; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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