There's a famous phrase called "Hollywood Accounting". It's a creative approach to accounting, in order to make a profitable business venture (i.e. movies) look like a loss. Traditionally, this has been used to reduce taxes and dodge contractual obligations, as some were paid a percentage of profits.

Generally, it means shuffling the money around. CBS lost $40m, to make another business unit (in a tax-advantaged location) a ton of money.

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 10 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Doesnt quite work for broadcast TV where the income from advertising on a show is roughly known by observers, as is roughly the budget.

[–] Nollij@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 month ago

Doesn't change the point I was making. If the producers want to make it look like it's losing money, they absolutely can.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

Counterpoint: LotR trilogy, where we know pretty much everything about the production and income (a lot of income), somehow mysteriously stays unprofitable to this day.

[–] turdburglar@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago

yeah, you’ve got this one wrong tho. both film and tv do some wackadoodle shit with the monies.

i work in the industry and have both seen it and have been expected to participate in it.

it’s straight up money fuckery that doesn’t make sense unless you have the waaaay zoomed out view.