Peter Kafka

Recent Posts by Peter Kafka

Sony Re-Ups Movie, Music Boss Michael Lynton

michael_lynton3Lots of people think Sony is looking to sell off its entertainment properties. But here’s an argument against that notion: The company has re-signed Michael Lynton as head of its movie studio and music business.

Lynton had run the movie studio for some time; last year, Sony bumped him up by adding music to his responsibilities. Sony won’t disclose the length of Lynton’s contract, but a statement from Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai indicates that it’s a multiyear term.

Hirai’s press release quote also telegraphs that Sony isn’t in any hurry to dump the businesses Lynton is running: “I look forward to working closely with Michael in ensuring that music and pictures remain integral parts of our global strategy.”

Lynton’s appearance at our D: Dive Into Media conference in February was one of my personal favorites; we had a wide-ranging conversation about everything from home video to Netflix to Facebook. You can see the whole thing here, or watch a highlight reel below:

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The problem with the Billionaire Savior phase of the newspaper collapse has always been that billionaires don’t tend to like the kind of authority-questioning journalism that upsets the status quo.

— Ryan Chittum, writing in the Columbia Journalism Review about the promise of Pierre Omidyar’s new media venture with Glenn Greenwald