Hollywood's business woes
Hollywood may need a new business model. Sales of DVDs fell 13 percent last year, compared with sales in 2009, while movie-theater attendance was flat. Movie-studio revenue from video rentals has fallen by some $1.3 billion since 2001, to around $1.7 billion in 2009.
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Apple’s App Store nears 10 billionth download
Downloads of iPhone apps from Apple’s App Store continue to accelerate, with the 10 billionth app likely to be downloaded sometime next week. Apple has paid app developers some $2 billion since the store opened in 2008.
CNNmoney.com
Bonuses for workers at Ford and General Motors
Ford and General Motors are getting set to award profit-sharing checks to their workers. During the financial crisis, the autoworkers’ union negotiated the bonuses, which are expected to top $5,000 per worker at Ford, in exchange for pay concessions.
The New York Times
Foreclosure filings in 2010
Creditors filed foreclosure papers on 2.9 million U.S. properties in 2010, a 2 percent increase from 2009 and a 23 percent jump from 2008. The increase came despite a sharp slowdown in foreclosure filings in December, as a result of controversy over shoddy record keeping by lenders.
RealtyTrac.com
A mixed review of 2010 holiday sales
Shoppers spent a record $462 billion during the 2010 holiday season, topping the $453 billion spent in 2007, says the National Retail Federation. But because the U.S. population has expanded by 8 million since 2007, per-person spending actually declined last year.
USA Today