By Tali Arbel, AP Technology Writer
TikTok, the popular short-video app that has also drawn national-security and privacy concerns, has a new high-profile CEO from Disney, Kevin Mayer.
Mayer will also be chief operating officer of TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and report to its founder and CEO, Yiming Zhang, the company announced Monday.
He led Disney's streaming business, which launched Disney Plus in November and has already emerged as a threat in the increasingly competitive streaming-video arena, with 54.5 million subscribers. Mayer was also known for his role in building Disney through mergers, including the industry-changing 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox's TV and film business that created an entertainment behemoth.
TikTok's app features short videos, many with music and dancing, that has become a favorite of younger people and is known for its goofy, light-hearted feel.
However, it has been the focus of U.S. national-security concerns because of its Chinese ownership. A U.S. national-security agency is reviewing ByteDance's purchase of TikTok's precursor, Musical.ly, while the U.S. military branches have banned the app from government-issued phones. Government officials have in recent years cracked down on Chinese companies, including telecom giant Huawei. There is concern that Chinese companies may share data with the Chinese government. TikTok and Huawei deny this.
The federal government has also fined TikTok for breaking children's privacy laws, and privacy watchdogs recently filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission saying the company was still violating the law.
"Like everyone else, I've been impressed watching the company build something incredibly rare in TikTok – a creative, positive online global community – and I'm excited to help lead the next phase of ByteDance's journey as the company continues to expand its breadth of products across every region of the world," Mayer said in a statement.
He leaves Disney a few months after the entertainment giant named a longtime executive , Bob Chapek, to replace the well-regarded CEO Bob Iger. Mayer had been regarded as a possible Iger successor.
Disney said Monday that Rebecca Campbell, another Disney veteran, will succeed Mayer as the chairman of the streaming and international business, and also announced Josh D'Amaro, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, as the successor to Chapek's old job as head of parks, experiences and products.
Damien Chazelle, Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons On The Return Of “Whiplash” To Theaters After 10 Years
Ten years after " Whiplash " took the film world by storm, Damien Chazelle's breakthrough feature is returning to theaters nationwide Friday.
In 2014, "Whiplash" was the ultimate indie movie Cinderella story — a Sundance discovery made by a 20-something that that would go on to become both a box office hit and an awards darling: It won three Oscars, including for J.K. Simmons ' portrayal of a semi-sadistic and ever quotable jazz ensemble instructor; launched Chazelle's directing career into the A-list stratosphere; and established Miles Teller as a next generation movie star. Now, audiences will get another chance to experience it on the big screen.
Chazelle, Teller and Simmons spoke recently about the re-release, their memories of the 20-day shoot (including when Teller accidentally broke his co-star's rib) and making something with staying power. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: What has it been like watching "Whiplash" settle into the culture in the past decade?
CHAZELLE: It's very cool, a little surreal. It doesn't feel like 10 years. It's fun to have a moment like this to relive it a little bit.
SIMMONS: It's sobering to know that I'm 10 years older. It's kind of shocking and kind of awesome that the movie actually holds up. I just saw it a few days ago in Toronto: That's a good piece of cinema.
TELLER: This is the first time I've ever had a movie re-released. I'm still fairly young into my career, but it's an incredible movie. The one thing that's frustrating for me is that people just yell out at me all the time, " not my tempo." So that's stuck around well.
SIMMONS: Maybe if you get the tempo... Read More