Jun 5, 2019

Broadway had a great 2018

Dion Rabouin
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Data: The Broadway League; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

Last year was a big one for entertainment. Television, radio and movies saw increased revenues — and audiences came to the theater in a big way.

By the numbers: The Broadway League announced that 2018 ticket sales and gross revenue had both reached record highs, with nearly 15 million in attendance and close to $2 billion in grosses, an increase of 7.8%.

The big picture: Other entertainment avenues also saw a boost in their numbers.

  • Internet advertising revenues in the U.S. rose 22% to $107.5 billion for full-year 2018, according to a report by PwC.
  • TV advertising increased 1.4%
  • Radio ads drew a 1% increase in ad spend.

Digital ad spending in the U.S. is expected to be greater than traditional ad spending this year for the first time, according to eMarketer's latest forecast.

Go deeper: Disney is killing its competition at the box office

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Axios

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 2 a.m. ET: 859,796 — Total deaths: 42,332 — Total recoveries: 178,300.
  2. U.S.: Leads the world in confirmed cases. Total confirmed cases as of 2 a.m. ET: 189,618 — Total deaths: 4,079 — Total recoveries: 7,109.
  3. Business updates: Should you pay your rent or mortgage during the coronavirus pandemic? Find out if you are protected under the CARES Act.
  4. Public health updates: More than 400 long-term care facilities across the U.S. report patients with coronavirus — Older adults and people with underlying health conditions are more at risk, new data shows.
  5. Federal government latest: President Trump said the next two weeks would be "very painful," with projections indicating the virus could kill 100,000–240,000 Americans.
  6. Coronavirus in custody: Inmates in all U.S. federal prisons are set to enter a 14-day quarantine on April 1. A federal judge on Tuesday ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release 10 detained immigrants who are at risk of contracting COVID-19 while in confinement.
  7. U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt: Captain of nuclear aircraft carrier docked in Guam pleaded with the U.S. Navy for more resources after more than 100 members of his crew tested positive.
  8. What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
  9. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

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Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

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Of note: Hours earlier, President Trump noted it's "going to be a very painful two weeks," with projections indicating the novel coronavirus could kill 100,000–240,000 Americans — even with strict social distancing guidelines in place. "They are going to be facing a war zone," he said of medical workers.

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