Netflix's very good week — strong earnings, rising stock and a blockbuster deal with the WWE — cemented its victory in the streaming wars.
The big picture: Netflix's combination of original content and reruns has been the backbone of its success so far, and now it's positioning itself aggressively for a new phase that relies more heavily on live broadcasts.
Cruise's loss of its robotaxi license in California was "a self-inflicted wound" caused by poor leadership, colossal mistakes in judgment and an "us vs. them" mentality with regulators, according to an independent report released Thursday.
Why it matters: The General Motors-owned startup was once seen as a leader in autonomous vehicle technology, with bold plans to deploy robotaxis in more than a dozen cities this year.
WPP will merge BCW and Hill & Knowlton, as the advertising and communications company continues to consolidate its internal brands.
Why it matters: The move will create Burson, a communications group that will be one of the largest PR agencies in the world, with more than 6,000 employees.
Details: Corey duBrowa, who joined BCW from Google last year, will serve as global CEO of Burson. Hill & Knowlton CEO AnnaMaria DeSalva will serve as global chairman.
The rest of the leadership team will be announced this year.
Burson will launch on July 1 of this year, WPP said.
What they're saying: "Hill & Knowlton and BCW are two high-performing businesses with complementary strengths, shared ambitions and many shared clients," said WPP CEO Mark Read.
"There is a strong correlation between CEOs who truly trust, value and consider the advice of their top communications people and the company's stability and success."
— Matthew Hiltzik, CEO of Hiltzik Strategies, tells The Ankler.
When U.S. Steel last month agreed to be acquired by Japan's Nippon Steel, many pundits and politicians were aghast that such an iconic American company would even consider foreign ownership.
Driving the news: It turns out that the deciding factor was regulatory arbitrage, not price, according to a preliminary proxy statement filed this week.
Consumer health company Haleon is voluntarily recalling select lots of Robitussin honey cough syrups due to microbial contamination.
Why it matters: The recalled products "could potentially result in severe or life-threatening adverse events" if used by immunocompromised individuals, according to the recall notice posted on the Food & Drug Administration website.
The union representing editorial workers at Forbes is planning to walk off the job for three days beginning Thursday at 9am ET and ending Monday at 11:59pm ET.
Why it matters: It would represent the first walkout at Forbes in its 106-year history.
WPP on Thursday said it will merge BCW and Hill & Knowlton, as the advertising and communications company continues to consolidate its internal brands.
Why it matters: The move will create Burson, a communications group that will be one of the largest PR agencies in the world, with more than 6,000 employees.
Goldman Sachs is leading a new round of funding in Bastille Networks, a company that uses hardware sensors in offices to stop corporate and nation-state espionage.
Why it matters: The fresh funds can help Goldman raise awareness inside corporate America about an issue that's primarily been a priority inside the intelligence community.
One of the year's biggest debt market fights is taking shape.
Driving the news:Dish Network shareholders, and multiple warring factions of the company's bondholders, have become combatants in a clash that could turn into a battle royale.
In the immediate aftermath of the 737 Max 9 incident on Jan. 5,Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci proclaimed, "Proudly all Boeing is not just a tagline. It's a commitment."
Why it matters: Boeing's manufacturing issues have become PR nightmares for Alaska Airlines as well as its biggest customer, United Airlines, as they scramble to inspect their fleets and ease the minds of concerned fliers and shareholders.
Just five years after two crashes that killed 346 people, Boeing is back in the news due to manufacturing and safety concerns.
Why it matters: Unlike the 737 Max crisis of 2018-19, Boeing's leadership is prioritizing communication as it attempts to restore trust, rebuild its reputation and win back business after a door of an Alaska Airlines plane flew off during ascent on Jan. 5.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday provided a pathway for Boeing to resume 737 MAX 9 flights.
Why it matters: Following the announcement, both United and Alaska airlines revealed plans to resume flying their grounded 737 Max 9 aircraft after receiving final approval from the agency to complete the process to return the aircrafts to service.
