10 Stories You Should Know: 09/08/2022

Alex Wagner is reportedly hosting Netflix's reboot of "The Mole"

Here is a rundown of today’s stories that should be on your morning radar:

Netflix In South Africa Versus The World — Libraries And Prices Compared (My Broadband)
Looking at raw numbers, subscribers in the United Kingdom get the broadest range of content to watch — 7,098 titles consisting of 4,803 movies and 2,286 TV shows.

Netflix subscribers in the Netherlands are not far behind, with 7,023 titles, including 5,154 movies and 1,869 shows.

Germany had the third-largest library, packing 6,692 titles comprising 4,627 movies and 2,065 series.

South Africa was some way down the list — ranking 12th with 5,802 titles available. That consisted of 3,595 movies and 2,207 TV shows.

Although somewhat smaller than the largest libraries, it is substantially better than in other Sub-Saharan African countries we considered.

Nigeria and Kenya’s libraries only offered 1,784 and 1,742 titles, respectively. But even their paltry selections dwarfed that of Zambia, which had less than 1,000 titles.

Netflix’s ‘The Mole’ Host Revealed: It’s Alex Wagner (Reality Blurred)
Netflix has not yet announced the new host, but I’ve independently confirmed with production sources that journalist Alex Wagner is the host.

Her social media hinted at this more than a year ago, when she posted about being abroad for a couple months last summer, which is when The Mole was filming in Australia, using the code name The Insider, produced by Eureka Productions, which also produces the great ABC show Holey Moley.

Bob Iger: Traditional TV, Film Biz Face ‘World of Hurt’ as Streaming Transforms Entertainment (Variety)
Iger took a dim view of the movie business in theaters, making clear that he doesn’t think “movies ever return in terms of going to the level they were at pre-pandemic.”

He went so far as to say that the success of big streaming shows like “House of the Dragon” and “The Mandalorian” has led him to rethink some of the conventional wisdom he used to believe as true.

“The movie industry used to argue that you couldn’t create cultural impact without people going to the movie theater around the globe that same weekend,” he said. “I don’t agree anymore. I probably made that argument at some point.”

Are Scottish Consumers Turning Away From Subscription TV Services? (Senal News)
A new survey conducted by ScotPulse found that 64% of Scottish SVOD subscribers have, or are planning to, cut back or cancel their subscription TV services, while 47% plan to spend less on TV entertainment subscriptions such as Sky, Netflix and Disney+.

Furthermore, 52% said they planned to use fewer paid-for TV services and 48% planned to use fewer SVOD services. This figured is compared with 75% who planned to use free-to-view services at the same level, and 14% who planned to use free television services more going forward.

David A. Arnold, Standup Comedian and Creator Of Nickelodeon’s ‘That Girl Lay Lay’, Dies At 54 (The Hollywood Reporter)
“It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our husband, father, brother and friend, David A. Arnold,” Arnold’s family said in a statement. “David passed away peacefully today in his home and doctors have ruled the cause of death due to natural causes. Please keep our family in prayer and respect our privacy at this time as we are all shocked and devastated by this loss.”

With Britain Imploding, Daytime TV Needs To Get Political (Independent) (Free Registration Required)
Spin the wheel and win some heating. This was the premise of a segment on ITV’s This Morning earlier this week. Hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby stood astride a spinwheel contraption, upon which were marked various monetary values and, on some spaces, the promise of four months’ energy bills, paid for by the programme.

’Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ Sparks Autism Debate In South Korea (South China Morning Post)
The hit Netflix K-drama about a high-functioning autistic lawyer is prompting soul-searching in South Korea, where some people on the autism spectrum say they can feel invisible.

The endearing Extraordinary Attorney Woo, featuring a neurodivergent lawyer, has been Netflix’s most-watched non-English show for over a month now, following a trail blazed by fellow Korean smash Squid Game.

Even popular K-pop boy band BTS are fans of the global hit, with the group’s members posting a video performing the signature greeting between Woo and her best friend – a dance step-slash-dab that is tearing across social media.

But the 16-episode series, which follows a rookie lawyer whose condition helps her find brilliant solutions to legal conundrums but often leaves her socially isolated, has gone beyond memes to trigger a serious debate in South Korea about autism.

Millions Of Netflix Streams And A Venice Film Festival debut — Meet The Next Generation Of Filmmakers From Canberra (ABC News Australia)
Stranger Things, Tiger King, and Bridgerton are all well-known small-screen behemoths and cultural touch points found on Netflix.

But the latest worldwide success from the streaming giant comes from the mind of one of Canberra's own — the psychological thriller Echoes, written by Vanessa Gazy.

Gazy hails not from the Hollywood Hills or the Brooklyn lofts that some content makers call home, but from the emerging talent pool of Canberra's suburbs.

Prime Video Nigeria Celebrates Launch of Amazon's 'The Rings of Power' With Celebrity Watch Parties (Pulse)
The premiere of Amazon's Original J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings prequel, The Rings of Power, was celebrated in style. Prime Video hosted a series of watch parties with some of Africa’s biggest names in Nigeria and South Africa. With multiple thematic rooms and fine dining; Top celebrity chefs like Chef Fregz, Chef Benedict, Chef Waltz, Z Kitchen, and Kewa’s Kitchen teamed up with Prime Video to curate amazing dining experiences, each host gathered their friends to experience the season premiere with them—making for an unforgettable night.

From Rocky To Rambo: Sitting Down With Sylvester Stallone (60 Minutes Australia) (Video)
Charles Wooley spent some time with Sylvester Stallone in 1995 and found that as the actor neared 50, he was finally and grudgingly winning some respect for his abilities - so much so he was confident enough not to bare his famous torso.