Winston Cho
Winston Cho is The Hollywood Reporter’s Business and Legal Writer, covering physical production, government oversight, antitrust and business disputes shaping Hollywood. Before joining THR in 2022, he worked at the legal trade publication The Daily Journal and the alt-weekly East Bay Express. His work has been recognized by the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism awards, and he graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in public health and journalism. More from Winston Cho WME, ‘La La Land’ Composer Settle Conflict of Interest Lawsuit WME and La La Land composer Justin Hurwitz have settled a lawsuit accusing the agency of a conflict of interest when it produced live orchestral shows of the movie using his score while mostly locking him out of profits from the touring live-to-film concerts. “The Parties are happy to report that they have resolved their […] Business News Jun 18, 2024 4:41 pm TikTok Threatened With New Lawsuit As National Ban Fight Intensifies TikTok may be facing a new lawsuit over alleged violations of a federal law intended to protect children’s privacy online as it fights a First Amendment legal battle against the U.S. government challenging a national ban on the social media platform. The Federal Trade Commission, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said that an investigation […] Business News Jun 18, 2024 2:14 pm Disney Wins Approval of $17B Development Deal With DeSantis Truce disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis have put the finishing touches on a deal to end a contentious legal battle for control of the district that oversees development around their theme parks. On Thursday, the entertainment giant dropped its appeal of a ruling dismissing its First Amendment lawsuit against the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District over […] Business News Jun 13, 2024 3:11 pm Behind Netflix’s Real-Life Legal Dramas In the first episode of When They See Us, Ava DuVernay’s bleak drama about the Central Park Five, Linda Fairstein, then head of the sex crimes unit investigating the case, gives an order to dispatch an army of officers to Harlem. “Every young Black male who was in the park last night is a suspect […] Business News Jun 12, 2024 9:44 am Legal Saga Over Stolen VFX Tech Used for Hit Films Ends With Paramount Settlement visual effects company Rearden has settled one of the last remaining lawsuits over the unlicensed use of its motion-capture technology by major Hollywood studios, this time with Paramount. Both sides on Monday moved to dismiss the lawsuit, which accused Paramount of infringing on Rearden’s VFX software called MOVA Contour in the 2015 film Terminator Genisys, […] Business News Jun 11, 2024 4:20 pm Elon Musk Drops Lawsuit Against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman elon Musk has dropped a lawsuit against OpenAI and chief executive Sam Altman over the company allegedly straying from its founding mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity to instead focus on corporate profits. The X. Corp owner moved on Tuesday to dismiss the lawsuit “without prejudice,” indicating that a settlement wasn’t […] Business News Jun 11, 2024 1:52 pm Netflix Hit With Defamation Lawsuit Over ‘Baby Reindeer’ n Netflix has been sued over its portrayal of a woman depicted as a stalker in Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer. In a lawsuit filed on Thursday in California federal court, Fiona Harvey, who claims to be the inspiration behind Jessica Gunning’s Martha, accuses Netflix of defaming her through statements in the show that she’s a twice-convicted […] Business News Jun 6, 2024 1:20 pm More Stories Sign Up
69%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
85%
Examples:
- Refusing to license content they’re profiting off of, Sudo and Uncharted Labs threaten to eliminate the existing market for licensing sound recordings, as well as the future market for licensing sound recordings to generative AI companies.
- The losers did exactly what Suno and Udio are doing now.
- These services are engaging in massive theft to train their models and flood playlists with machine imitations, infringing on creators’ rights and devaluing art itself.
Conflicts of Interest
63%
Examples:
- The author states that the study surveying 300 leaders across Hollywood is indicative of the elimination, reduction, and consolidation of jobs due to OpenAI's Sora tool.
- There’s growing mistrust of AI companies, with many believing that the Altman-led firm isn’t operating in good faith.
Contradictions
86%
Examples:
- Fiona Harvey alleges that Netflix depicted her as a convicted criminal who spent five years in prison for stalking and sexually assaulting someone.
- It never investigated whether Harvey was convicted, a very serious misrepresentation of the facts.
- The series depicts Martha as a convicted criminal who spent five years in prison for stalking Gadd and another woman.
Deceptions
54%
Examples:
- The article presents OpenAI’s Sora tool as a major encroachment onto Hollywood when similar tools have been available for some time now.
- The author uses sensationalist language such as 'elimination', 'reduction' and 'consolidation of jobs'
- The title implies that Sean Diddy Combs has been accused of sexual assault by a producer when in fact he has also been accused of trafficking him.
Recent Articles
Record Labels Sue AI Music Generators Suno and Udio for Copyright Infringement
Broke On: Monday, 24 June 2024Record labels Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music have sued AI music generators Suno and Udio for copyright infringement over unlicensed use of sound recordings. The companies argue that their technology copies pre-existing content without consent, while Suno's CEO maintains it generates new outputs. Lawsuits seek injunctions and damages totaling $350 million, with RIAA warning of harm to artists and the music industry. Lawsuit Filed: Fiona Harvey vs. Netflix - Allegations of Defamation over 'Baby Reindeer' Character Portrayal
Broke On: Thursday, 06 June 2024Fiona Harvey, believed to be the inspiration for Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer' character Martha, has filed a $170 million defamation lawsuit against Netflix. She denies being a convicted stalker or assaulting anyone and alleges inaccurate portrayal led to harassment. The controversy comes after interviews where Harvey denied being a stalker and spoke about death threats. 
Scarlett Johansson Threatens Legal Action Against OpenAI for Digital Voice Replication
Broke On: Tuesday, 21 May 2024Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson threatened legal action against OpenAI after discovering their digital assistant, named Sky, bore a striking resemblance to her voice. OpenAI initially denied wrongdoing but later took down Sky's voice out of respect for Johansson. The incident raised concerns about the use of digital replication technologies and their impact on performers' livelihoods. SAG-AFTRA welcomed OpenAI's decision and looks forward to protecting performers' voices and likenesses. The rapid rise of voice imitation technologies has caused anxiety in the entertainment industry, leading to a previous SAG-AFTRA strike over concerns about AGI. 
Paramount Pictures Wins Copyright Lawsuit Over Top Gun Sequel Inspiration
Broke On: Tuesday, 09 April 2024Paramount Pictures has won a copyright lawsuit against the heirs of Ehud Yonay, author of an article that inspired Top Gun. The sequel's elements are largely dissimilar from the original story, meaning any overlapping factual similarities aren't protected by copyright law. 
Sean Diddy Combs Faces Sexual Assault Lawsuit from Producer Rodney Lil Rod Jones over Bad Boy Records Album
Broke On: Tuesday, 27 February 2024Sean Diddy Combs faces a new sexual assault lawsuit from producer Rodney Lil Rod Jones, who accuses him of harassing and trafficking on his latest album. 
OpenAI's Sora: Revolutionizing the Entertainment Industry with Hyper-Realistic Video Generation
Broke On: Friday, 16 February 2024OpenAI's Sora AI model generates hyper-realistic videos from textual descriptions or still images, marking the company's first major foray into the entertainment industry.
