‘For 40 years, we’re protecting you’: US President Donald Trump criticises allies’ reluctance to commit forces to open the key waterway for Gulf oil exports.
K-POP Demon Hunters fans shared their reactions to watching HUNTR/X’s history-making Oscars performance and win.
The trio of voices behind the band from the popular Netflix film – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – took the stage at the 98th annual Academy Awards on Sunday, moving audiences worldwide with tears of joy.
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HUNTR/X took the stage at the 98th annual Academy Awards on SundayThe trio – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – performed their hit track, Golden, from K-Pop Demon HuntersCredit: ABC
They performed their iconic track, Golden, celebrating the folklore and cultural inspiration brought from the 2025 animated film.
Shortly after hitting the stage, K-Pop Demon Hunters, which became Netflix’s most-watched film ever, won the award for Best Original Song for Golden, after dominating awards season.
HUNTR/X, who nabbed two awards – Best Song Written for Visual Media for the famed track and Best Original Song – at the Golden Globes in January, incorporated instrumentals and dance into their performance at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.
“Let’s go K-POP Demon Hunters!” one fan wrote on X.
“I love me some K-pop demon hunters! Those girls were singing down in that movie lol,” said another.
“K-Pop Demon Hunters made HISTORY,” reacted a third.
“The only thing I care about at the Oscars is K Pop Demon Hunters. If it were up to me, I’d give them all the possible awards,” added a fourth.
However, many were disappointed upon seeing that their acceptance speech was abruptly cut short, as were many others throughout the night, despite them pleading for more time.
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“Absolutely disrespectful of the #oscars for cutting off kpop demon hunters in their acceptance speech. They were given less time than every other winner and the Oscar’s owes them an apology,” one fan raged.
“I don’t like how they cut off the Kpop Demon Hunters Cast. That was nasty #Oscars,” someone else complained.
“Congrats to Michael B Jordan, but why did he get 3x the amount of time for his speech than the KPop Demon Hunters crew?” said another, referencing Sinners star Michael B. Jordan’s Best Actor win afterwards.
According to The Independent, HUNTR/X is the first all-Asian musical act to take the Oscars stage, following Blackpink K-pop band member Lisa, who was the first K-pop artist to perform at the show last year.
In August 2025, Netflix revealed that K-Pop Demon Hunters was the platform’s most popular movie of all time, overtaking the previous record-holder, Red Notice, starring Dwayne Johnson,Ryan Reynolds,and Gal Gadot.
“KPop Demon Hunters has gone up, up, up, and it’s their Golden moment,” the streaming service said in a statement.
Biggest Oscar Nominees of 2026 Academy Awards
Everyone in Hollywood hopes to snag a nod on the industry’s biggest night but only few get that honor. Here are the nominees and winners from the major categories of the 2026 Academy Awards:
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another *WINNER*
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Best Director
Chloé Zhao — Hamnet
Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another *WINNER*
Joachim Trier — Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Best Actor (Leading Role)
Timothée Chalamet — Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke — Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan — Sinners *WINNER*
Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent
Best Actress (Leading Role)
Jessie Buckley — Hamnet *WINNER*
Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Renate Reinsve — Sentimental Value
Emma Stone — Bugonia
Kate Hudson — Song Sung Blue
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro — One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo — Sinners
Sean Penn — One Battle After Another *WINNER*
Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress
Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another
Wunmi Mosaku — Sinners
Amy Madigan — Weapons *WINNER*
Elle Fanning — Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — Sentimental Value
Best Original Screenplay
Marty Supreme — Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein
Blue Moon — Richard Linklater & Glen Powell
Sentimental Value — Joachim Trier & Eskil Vogt
Sinners — Ryan Coogler *WINNER*
It Was Just an Accident — Jafar Panahi
Best Adapted Screenplay
One Battle After Another — Paul Thomas Anderson *WINNER*
Bugonia — Yorgos Lanthimos & Will Tracy
Frankenstein — Guillermo del Toro
Hamnet — Chloé Zhao
Train Dreams — Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar
Best Animated Feature
Arco
KPop Demon Hunters *WINNER*
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Elio
Best International Feature Film
The Secret Agent — Brazil
Sentimental Value — Norway *WINNER*
It Was Just an Accident — Iran
Sirāt — Spain
The Voice of Hind Rajab — Tunisia
Best Documentary Feature
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr. Nobody Against Putin *WINNER*
The Perfect Neighbor
“The animated musical officially became Netflix’s most popularfilmof all time on the Most Popular English Films list with 236 million total views.“
In response to the film’s massive success, Netflix released a sing-along “party at home” version, K-Pop Hunters Sing-Along, that’s currently streaming on the app.
The movie was produced by Sony Pictures Animation and helmed by Maggie Kang, a Canadian film director born in Seoul, South Korea.
Maggie described the film as a “love letter to K-pop,” also known as “Korean pop music.”
On March 12, Netflix announced that the beloved animation will be getting a sequel, with directors Maggie and Chris Appelhans returning behind the scenes.
A release date has yet to be revealed, but fans can expect it may be a while, given the first film went into production in 2021 and wasn’t released until 2025.
“I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters,” Maggie said in a statement about the sequel.
“There’s so much more to this world we have built, and I’m excited to show you. This is only the beginning.”
The ladies are the voices behind the characters in the Netflix film, K-Pop Demon Hunters, which is nominated for two Oscar AwardsCredit: GettyK-Pop Demon Hunters became the most-watched film on Netflix ever following its 2025 releaseCredit: GettyHUNTR/X is the first all-Asian musical act to perform at the OscarsCredit: Getty
The avian power couple follows her home, keeping her company as she cooks dinner.
“We live in such a busy world, and things are always being thrown at our face, so sometimes it’s nice to just have a gentle reminder of nature and what else is out there in the world,” Wagner told me last week.
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She is just one of many devoted fans; the eagles had the highest view count of any year-round nature livestream active on YouTube between last fall and this spring, said Rebecca Mauldin, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington who studies social connectedness.
While the eagles’ following is singular, it’s part of a broader trend: surging interest in webcams that broadcast nature, unadulterated, minute by minute, in all its messy glory.
The number of 24/7 livestreams created per year swelled by about 3,000% between 2019 and 2025, Mauldin’s data show.
Jackie and Shadow’s livestream exemplifies “Slow TV,” a genre that began with a 2009 Norwegian broadcast of a seven-hour train trip. It took off, with other marathon programs featuring chopping firewood and knitting.
The appeal makes intuitive sense. In a world of quick camera cuts, sound bites and troubling headlines, Mother Nature’s rhythms can be a salve. And with many of us wound up in concrete urbanity, the livestreams offer instant transportation to the wild.
Following Jackie and Shadow takes patience. If they’re not hanging out at the nest, it’s a waiting game until they come back. Even when they’re there, there may not be much going on.
Entertainment “can be very artificial, it can be very packaged, and it can be very short,” said Jenny Voisard, media manager for Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that operates the cameras broadcasting the eagles. “This is long and slow and calm.”
Yet nature is unpredictable, another draw for viewers. This nesting season alone has brought plenty of drama, from the lovebirds losing their eggs to ravens to laying more not long after. Last week, I wrote about the couple’s shocking origin — it involves a love triangle! — and their rise to reality stardom.
Last year, Jackie and Shadow raised two chicks that went on to fledge: Sunny and Gizmo
(Friends of Big Bear Valley)
Research backs the vibes. Those who watch nature livestreams — from platypi to osprey — report a host of benefits, from uplifted mood to relaxation, said Mauldin, citing a literature review she-coauthored.
Others get jazzed about learning about a particular species, she said.
There may be limitations, though.
In terms of connecting to nature, “I lean toward the effect is stronger if you’re actually outdoors, or, you know, you’ve got a little ant crawling on your finger and watching it,” Mauldin said.
She highlighted another dimension I didn’t think of: Many “talk about how they’re developing strong online relationships, and you can see it in the chats or in the comments.”
Someone might comment that they had a bad day and are glad to be watching their favorite birds again, and another viewer will rally to support them. Then there are people who watch on their own, but gab about it later with a friend.
Friends of Big Bear Valley, with 1.2 million followers on Facebook, offers more than just updates on the eagles. It’s a buzzing community center where fans can share their thoughts and engage with one another.
Animals may also get something out of being watched: protection.
The eagle cam, for example, “sort of stokes the public’s imagination and interest in conservation,” said Thomas Leeman, deputy chief of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s migratory bird program in the Pacific Southwest. “They start to really care about whichever particular birds that they’re watching.”
Wagner, of Chicago, said her husband and 14-year-old son sometimes give her a hard time about how invested she is in Jackie and Shadow.
But her cat, Oscar, shares her fascination.
She recently posted a photo of the feline on Jackie and Shadow’s Facebook — looking intently at a TV where an eagle hunkered down on the nest.
“My new cat is just as obsessed as all of us,” she wrote.
More recent wildlife news
Big Bear’s celeb eagles continue to keep us on our toes. Jackie recently vanished from the nest for nearly 24 hours, sending fans into a panic — but eventually reunited with her eggs and mate, reports USA Today’s Michelle Del Rey.
While we’re on the subject of avian kind: Last week, I wrote about a pair of condors that appear to be nesting in Northern California, something not seen for a century. The Yurok Tribe is leading the effort to bring the large, endangered vultures back to their historic homeland in Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
As conservationists celebrate that win, the story for birds nationwide is not so rosy. A recent study found that North America is rapidly losing birds, and the loss is accelerating, largely due to intensive agriculture and warming temperatures, writes the Associated Press’ Seth Borenstein.
A few last things in climate news
Trump’s war on Iran has disrupted global oil and gas supplies. The conflict has kept ships that carry millions of barrels of oil a day stranded in the Persian Gulf, and key Middle East facilities have sustained damage, reports the Associated Press.
Oil prices have spiked, and Californians are paying the highest price at the pump in the nation. As my colleague Iris Kwok explains, that’s due to the state’s higher taxes and stricter requirements for cleaner, more expensive gas that pollutes.
This is the latest edition of Boiling Point, a newsletter about climate change and the environment in the American West. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. And listen to our Boiling Point podcast here.
IF YOU told me there was a place that had the streets of Paris but in England, I wouldn’t believe you.
But there is, and after years of living in London, New York and Los Angeles, I decided to move back to the storied cosmopolis that is Canterbury.
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Canterbury has been named the best small city in the UK by The TelegraphCredit: Sarah Ivens
Canterbury has just been named the best small city in the UK by The Telegraph, and it isn’t hard to see why.
With a wealth of glorious green spaces, museums, ‘traditional meets trendy’ pubs, inviting restaurants and unique shops, the UNESCO World Heritage Site city in The Garden of England leaves me with a grateful heart.
I first fell in love with its cobbled, meandering streets and willowy riverbank walks as a student at the university here in the 1990s, where I met my husband.
When we finally decided it was time to bring our family home to the UK after two decades living in the US, there was only one place on our list.
And three years after our return, I still get a buzz walking past the hodgepodge of medieval taverns and churches immortalised in the novels of one of the city’s biggest fans, Charles Dickens.
Here’s my insider guide to get the best out of this glorious city, whether you’re coming for the day or a week.
Canterbury technically invented tourism when it started making the most of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket, who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170, encouraging people to travel to the site for miracles and blessings, and stay for the fine ale and feasts.
Today, the UK’s oldest cathedral and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican community, is still a beautiful place to spend a peaceful few hours.
You can admire the breathtaking stained-glass windows, gawp at the tombs of The Black Prince and Henry IV, or explore the wildflower gardens that surround the Gothic cloisters.
And with the first female archbishop in the cathedral’s 1400-year history being enthroned this month, there’s never been a more meaningful time to visit.
Tickets start from £18 per person and include exhibitions, mini talks and activity trails.
Under 18s can go free when accompanied by one paying adult (max two children per adult).
Social media had recently been alive with comparisons between Canterbury and Paris, thanks to both cities’ abundance of pavement cafes and tree-lined streets.
The cities are only being 177 miles apart and my car even picks up French radio stations.
“For me, Canterbury feels like a tiny English version of a Paris arrondissement… a storybook full of historic wonders,” agreed my friend Marie, a Parisian who has called Canterbury home for the last five years.
Canterbury feels like a tiny English version of a Paris arrondissementCredit: Sarah Ivens
“I fell in love with its quirky tea rooms, independent boutiques, traditional pubs and cathedral bells.
“Plus, this place has really friendly locals, who are way more welcoming and laid-back than the people you will find in most French cities!”
For the best of France right here in England, wander The King’s Mile and pop to local gourmands for sweet treats, including Madame Oiseau Chocolatiers for handmade truffles.
Or head into Café Turquoise for delicately fragrant macaroons, and there’s A. T. Patisserie as well, which has inventive eclairs that make your mouth scream hallelujah.
There is even a famous haunted Crooked House BookshopCredit: Sarah Ivens
Our shopping definitely compares in originality to the greatest global metropolises.
From the rare gems waiting to be discovered in the infamously wonky and haunted Crooked House Bookshop (where every penny made goes to support a local charity, Catching Lives), to the made-and-glazed-onsite teapots designed by a husband-and-wife team in Canterbury Pottery.
Another spot worth exploring is The Goods Shed – an indoor farmer’s market which boasts farm-fresh soups and stews.
Thanks to Canterbury having the UK’s biggest student-to-resident ratio, the vintage shops are abundant and full of quirky finds.
Check out the Cathedral Quarter’s Superstore, Retro Remix and Karma too.
You’ll leave with a head full of history and a bag full of pre-loved treasures for much less than you’d pay in a bigger city.
Every penny the bookshop makes goes to charityCredit: Sarah Ivens
Spring is the perfect time to visit, thanks to its plethora of free parks and gardens.
Toddler’s Cove is an action-packed mecca for the under-eight-year-olds, which is just along from Westgate Gardens, with its award-winning flower displays and views of 12th-century towers – the oldest surviving gateway in the country.
Inside the towers is now a museum, escape room and a kid-friendly restaurant called The Pound (don’t miss the spicy chicken sandwich).
Entrance to the old gaol (jail) museum is free with every meal.
After people-watching on the patio, walk past the controversial new statue of a drowning Ophelia (Shakespeare was inspired to write her character after being transfixed with a similar local scandal).
It is next to The Guildhall – where a young Mozart performed – which houses a great coffee shop.
You can also jump onboard a chauffeured punt for a dreamy historic tour along the River Stour.
Back on dry land, head to local boyOrlando Bloom’s favourite restaurant, Café des Amies, which serves the best Tex-Mex I’ve ever tasted (and I lived in Austin for seven years).
If you’re up for more action, rent your own paddleboard or kayak from Canoe Wild for a sunset paddle along the river to gaze upon the resident beavers (from £40 per person).
You can go on a chauffeured punt for a dreamy historic tour tooCredit: Alamy
The brand-new Canterbury Tales Experience is a state-of-the-art interactive, immersive journey through the stories of Geoffrey Chaucer – with holograms and actors, sounds and smells of the 13th century.
The experience ends up in a pub too, where you can meet the Father of English Literature himself.
A family ticket for two adults, three kids costs £60.
Other cultural must-dos include the Roman Museum, which gives a family friendly insight into life in Roman Britain, built around the remains of an original Roman
Another option is Town House, which is complete with stunning mosaics (Adults, £11; children £5.50) and the free Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, which hosts workshops, art shows and exhibitions for all ages throughout the year.
It is also the home of a few of Canterbury’s most beloved fictional characters, including Rupert the Bear and Bagpuss.
Live Nation has reached a settlement with the Justice Department in an antitrust case that put the entertainment giant at risk of being separated from Ticketmaster.
The ticket vendor’s settlement offer was announced, in a court hearing on Monday, less than a week after the long-awaited trial began. With pending approval from the judge, Live Nation will have to pay damages to the suing states and allow competitors to sell tickets on its platform. Media reports have said the company agreed to pay more than $200 million as part of the settlement.
The settlement caught Judge Arun Subramanian off guard. He said no one informed him of the tentative deal until late Sunday, even though a term sheet for a possible settlement was signed on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.
A 12-person jury was seated last Tuesday in a Manhattan federal courthouse and the trial had reached witness testimony by the end of last week. The complaint was filed in 2024, when the federal government, 39 states including California and the District of Columbia, alleged that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have monopolies in various aspects of the live music industry, such as concert promotion, venue operations, artist management and ticketing services.
Live Nation could not immediately be reached for a comment.
Many of the large monopoly claims were thrown out during a pretrial hearing last month, including an allegation that Live Nation’s industry power raises ticket prices and harms consumers. But the new settlement offers major structural changes to the company’s ticketing services.
If the trial judge approves the settlement, the Beverly Hills-based company will have to open parts of its platform to rival ticketing operators. This means third-party sellers like SeatGeek could list tickets and have access to Ticketmaster’s technology.
Another key claim in the lawsuit concerned Ticketmaster’s alleged exclusivity contracts, which required artists who booked Live Nation-owned venues to also use its ticketing services. The settlement now limits these contracts to four years and allows venues to place a number of its tickets on competing platforms.
The original lawsuit also argued that Live Nation manages more than 400 artists and controls more than 265 venues in North America — all while Ticketmaster simultaneously controls around 80% of the primary ticket marketplace and is increasing its involvement in the resale market. Under the pending legal agreement, Live Nation would have to divest more than 10 of its venues and Ticketmaster would also have to cap service fees at 15%.
Serona Elton, attorney and interim vice dean at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, said this outcome can be understood in two ways — it’s either a win that addresses anti-competitive behaviors or a deal that does not go far enough.
“It is important to understand that it is not illegal to be a monopoly and control a large portion of the market,” said Elton in a statement. “What is illegal is the use of anti-competitive tactics. In analyzing the settlement, the question to ask is if it does enough to address the alleged tactics and the harm they may have caused.”
Elton added that venues could benefit from these adjustments, but “music fans should not think this is going to bring ticket prices down to an affordable level as there are other causes behind the sky-high ticket prices.”
Stephen Parker, the executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, similarly expressed some skepticism about the potential settlement.
“The reported settlement does not appear to include any specific and explicit protections for fans, artists, or independent venues and festivals,” he said in a statement.
“Reported details also indicate that ticket resale platforms could be further empowered through new requirements for Ticketmaster to host their listings, which would likely exacerbate the price gouging potential for predatory resellers and the platforms that serve them,” Parker added . “If these facts are true, NIVA views this as a failure of the justice system.”
A settlement could mark the potential end to one of the major legal battles Live Nation is facing. The company is also being sued by the Federal Trade Commission and is dealing with a handful of class-action lawsuits from groups of concertgoers.
After the news of the settlement broke, Live Nation’s stock jumped over 5% to $164.03.
The Island Bakery in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull is hiring two production staff members, with the job offering a two-bed flat and a salary of £22,000-£24,000
Isobel Pankhurst Audience Writer
07:50, 09 Mar 2026
This remote Scottish island is looking for a new baker(Image: Getty)
Anyone seeking a remote relocation with some baking know-how might find their dream opportunity on a stunning Scottish island. The Island Bakery in Tobermory, situated on the wild Isle of Mull, is recruiting two production staff members – and the position includes a two-bedroom property.
The bakery has built quite a reputation, stocking its renowned biscuits through several upmarket stores, including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. According to the job advert, the salary ranges from £22,000-£24,000, with minimal experience necessary, making it ideal for anyone wanting to swap hectic urban living for a more peaceful existence – so it could be time to refresh that CV.
Two shift patterns are available: 2pm to midnight, Monday to Thursday, or 6am to 2pm, Monday to Friday.
The posting has gained traction online because it includes a two-person flat, as job vacancies offering accommodation on the Isle of Mull are relatively uncommon.
The bakery has made clear it will favour candidates prepared to share the flat, given the accommodation is suited for two occupants. Those with a partner or mate also keen to move may stand a stronger chance of securing the role.
With a population of merely 900 residents, Tobermory is genuinely isolated, with the journey from Glasgow typically requiring a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Oban, followed by a 45-minute ferry crossing to Craignure and then an additional 35-minute drive to reach the village.
Lonely Planet highlighted its “cinematic scenery” and “distinct wildlife,” acknowledging that whilst it may lack Mediterranean sunshine, the village still boasts stunning landscapes and exceptional seafood.
The island’s remarkable wildlife includes golden and white-tailed eagles, minke whales, and basking sharks, all of which you might spot frequently if you choose to relocate to this beautiful village.
To apply for this job, visit the listing at hijobs.net.
And brunch lovers won’t miss out either as there will be Reggae Brunch and Maggi Brunch.
There will be family-friendly daytime sessions in the summer too.
When it comes to grabbing a tipple at the venue, guests will be able to choose from a number of speciality bars.
One bar will be the Casamigos ‘House of Friends’ and another will be Hotel Milano, centred on the much-loved Italian aperitivo concept.
Hotel Milano will also form part of the new Brixton Cocktail Club.
Each Thursday, the venue will host South of the South as well, which is a collaboration with Cross The Tracks Festival and includes jazz, funk and soul music.
The line-up for the opening of the venue will include reggae musician Davis Rodigan on May 9.
Laurence Guy will then perform house music on May 16 and on May 30, Ghosts of Garage will take over the rooftop.
In total, 50 jobs will be created as well and the venue aims to also host grassroots events, youth programmes and charity fundraisers.
Dan Morris, Managing Director of Freight Island, said: “Freight Brixton is an incredible rooftop in the heart of South London and will be a place for locals and the city beyond to come together and enjoy themselves with the best food, drink and music.
“I cannot wait for us to get this open – we have seen what creating these kinds of spaces can do for a community in Manchester, and we are all very excited to build something just as special in Brixton.”
Freight Island already has a destination in Manchester, located near Piccadilly Station.
And another new destination was recently announced for Leeds, inside the Trinity Leeds shopping centre.
In addition to street-style food stalls and independent bars, there will also be an outdoor terrace which will look over City Square.
If you are looking for more rooftop venues to explore in the capital, here’s London’s best rooftop bars including one that feels more like Mykonos.
As part of its case, the DOJ has accused Live Nation of requiring artists to use its promotional services when they play a Live Nation-owned venue. Because so many venues are owned by the company, the government claims Live Nation’s alleged practices are anti-competitive.
Jury selection began Monday in a New York federal court and opening statements are expected Tuesday for the complaint first filed in 2024. Since then, the antitrust case against the Beverly Hills-based company has been streamlined — examining whether Live Nation uses illegal anti-competitive practices and whether the company and Ticketmaster should be broken up.
Live Nation’s presidents Michael Rapino and Joe Berchtold, executives from competing companies like Anschutz Entertainment Group and Irving Azoff, the former Ticketmaster CEO, are expected to testify. Musicians like Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons and entertainer Kid Rock could also take the stand.
Key claims in the lawsuit
The original lawsuit led by a cadre of interested parties including the federal government, 39 states and the District of Columbia alleged that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster have monopolies in various aspects of the live music industry, such as concert promotion, venue operations, artist management and ticketing services.
The lawsuit states that Live Nation manages over 400 artists and controls more than 265 venues in North America. Ticketmaster simultaneously controls around 80% of the primary ticket marketplace and is also increasing its involvement in the resale market.
Many of the large monopoly claims were thrown out during a pretrial hearing with Judge Subramanian last month, including an allegation that Live Nation’s industry power raises ticket prices and harms consumers.
The claim with arguably the greatest potential impact centers on whether Live Nation should own Ticketmaster. The two companies merged in 2010, a move that has frequently been considered controversial. Beyond the ownership of Ticketmaster, the DOJ claims Live Nation forces venues to sign exclusive contracts with Ticketmaster, barring the inclusion of other ticket vendors.
“For over a decade, Ticketmaster and Live Nation have promised reform, but meaningful competition has remained out of reach. The industry now stands at an inflection point: restore a competitive marketplace that supports innovation, or allow the status quo to continue narrowing options for American consumers,” Dustin Brighton of the Coalition for Ticket Fairness said in a statement.
“Yet the very competitors that could check this monopoly and restore balance are routinely boxed out by restrictive practices that limit innovation and reduce consumer options,” Brighton added.
“Calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR win for the DOJ in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores the basic economics of live entertainment,” wrote Live Nation in a previous statement.
Next steps after the trial
If Live Nation loses the trial, the judge will decide how the company should be restructured, which could mean selling Ticketmaster to a competitor. Live Nation maintains the right to appeal such a decision, if it materializes, and take the matter to a higher court.
“If the court finds Live Nation violated the law, monetary penalties and behavioral commitments alone will not be sufficient,” Stephen Parker, executive director of the Independent Venue Association, said in a statement.
“The relief must be proportionate to the harm,” Parker added, “and that means structural separation of primary ticketing, resale ticketing, venue operation, national tours, advertising/sponsorship, and artist management must be seriously considered.”
