Television/Streaming: CuriosityStream Announces It Is Now Serving Over 10.5 Million Paying Subscribers

CuriosityStream’s 2,800+ title SVOD service is now offered for mass bundling by U.S. and international pay TV distributors

CuriosityStream is currently being delivered to 10,512,340 paying subscribers

CuriosityStream’s menu offers premium factual and non-fiction content ranging from visually-stunning natural history presentations such as LIGHT ON EARTH, hosted by the legendary David Attenborough, to captivating science and technology series such as DREAM THE FUTURE narrated by Sigourney Weaver to in-depth stories about the human experience including SACRED SPACES

CuriosityStream Inc, the home of award-winning content in the full-category of non-fiction and factual programming, announced that it is currently serving 10,512,340 paying subscribers. This paying subscriber count does not include registrants who are under free-trial. Growth is accelerating, and the company expects to continue its substantial subscriber gains through the end of this year and throughout 2020. The company also announced today that it has partnered with Millicom for upcoming launches in 9 Latin American countries.

CuriosityStream’s 2,800+ title SVOD service is now offered for mass bundling by U.S. and international pay TV distributors

CuriosityStream, an independent media enterprise created by Discovery Channel founder John Hendricks, is undergoing rapid distribution growth due to its implementation of a bundled partnership fee plan through which distributors can provide the CuriosityStream SVOD service to all basic customers or to any significant customer segment. In addition to its partnership with Millicom, CuriosityStream’s affiliate partners who have already implemented the new “bundled” distribution plan include Altice USA and Suddenlink in the United States, StarHub in Singapore, Totalplay in Mexico, Airtel in India, Multichoice’s DStv across Africa, Liberty Global / FLOW in the Caribbean, and REV TV on Cable Bahamas. Additional carriage agreements are expected to be announced in the weeks and months ahead.

Clint Stinchcomb, President and CEO of CuriosityStream, stated: “As we have traveled the world to meet with cable, satellite, and mobile distributors, it became crystal clear to us that video providers are searching for impactful ways to serve the enormous appetite of their customers for universally-appealing factual content. Given the quality of our programming, our low wholesale cost compared with other providers, the enormous desire for on-demand streaming content and short-form factual choices for mobile, we are currently on a high growth trajectory. Our early success in growing paying subscribers through distributors is attributable, I believe, to the flexibility we offer our affiliates through a ‘partnership fee’ that allows distributors to use our content however they need to support their revenue and sub growth strategies.”

John Hendricks, Founder and Chairman of CuriosityStream, stated: “We are thrilled to play an integral role in the plans by video distributors who are adapting their platforms to the unstoppable quest by consumers for quality content on demand. We are now implementing our plan to be a full partner with our U.S. and global distribution affiliates in meeting their need for a high-quality factual content provider who can help drive video customer signups and retention, provide ‘stickiness’ to broadband and mobile customer offerings, and lower wholesale content costs. We expect that the ‘bundled’ distribution model launched first internationally and then in the U.S. will continue to roll out worldwide at a significant pace.”

Wrap Up The Holidays With Last-Minute Gifts At Macy’s

Macy’s Makes Last-Minute Gift Shopping Easier than Ever with Grab and Go Gifts, Extended Store Hours and Special Deals

Gifts Arrive In the Nick of Time with Fast Shipping Solutions

It’s beginning to look a lot like … you waited until the last minute. Eight tiny reindeer aren’t coming to the rescue, but Macy’s has it covered with unique and thoughtful last-minute ideas from ultra-luxe to gifts under $100, $50 or $25 to make everyone believe their special gift was wrapped and sitting under the tree weeks ago. Whether you’re looking for something sparkly from the Forevermark Tribute™ Jewelry Collection or scoring an out of this world gift like First We Feast’s “Hot Ones” exclusive hot sauce pack and gear from the hit Complex Networks series, Macy’s makes finding great gifts on every budget so easy that they’re sure to get everything on the “what they really, really want” list.

When the elves have left the building, Macy’s is here to help wrap it up fast with extended store hours, fast shipping solutions and special deals. To ensure everyone’s checked off the list, Macy’s will open early and close late until Dec. 24, check your local store for up-to-date hours.

• On Dec. 21, grab your wallet and dash to your local Macy’s, the first 250 shoppers in-store will receive a free $10 Macy’s Reward Card.
• Orders placed by Saturday, Dec. 21 with standard shipping or by noon EST on Sunday, Dec. 22 with express delivery will arrive by Christmas.
• Orders placed by 3 p.m. on Dec. 24 can be picked up in-store by 6 p.m., just in time for Christmas morning!

STORY at Macy’s

Faster than you can call on Dasher, Dancer or Prancer, score the perfect gift from STORY at Macy’s. “Home for the Holidays STORY,” the latest theme at the narrative-driven concept store inside Macy’s locations nationwide, features more than 900 unique presents from 200 small businesses. Experience this editorial-inspired living gift guide and discover a wonderland of gifts for everyone on the list in the ultimate home setting. From grooming kits and whimsical games to food-themed finds and rock music inspired collectibles, STORY at Macy’s gifts add wonder and merriment to any holiday celebration. Visit STORY at Macy’s at select locations or shop a highlight of gifts online at macys.com/STORY.

Discover a selection of gifts including:

Macy’s has you covered with unique and thoughtful last-minute gifts in every price range this holiday season; Luckies Of London Pocket Tin Speakers 2.0, $34.00 (Photo: Business Wire)

• Streamline Let it Melt! Snowman
• Harry Barker Plaid Chicken Flavored Biscuit Tin
• Quotable You Rock Scented Candle
• Julie Mollo Martini Clutch
• True Brands Admiral Rosewood Flask by Viski
• Luckies of London The Pocket Tin Speakers 2.0
• We Took To The Woods In The Glen Bark Candle
• Suck UK Mini Desktop Cork Globe
• Gingko Flip Click Clock

Mandarin Oriental to Manage Luxury Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced today that it has signed a management contract to manage, and ultimately brand, the iconic Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Group will take over management of the property starting January 1, 2020. It will be Mandarin Oriental’s second hotel in the United Arab Emirates following the opening of Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai in early 2019.

Mandarin Oriental to Manage Luxury Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi

The hotel will be rebranded as a Mandarin Oriental property, following a phased renovation over two years, during which time the hotel will remain open. The work will encompass significant upgrades to guestrooms and recreational amenities, as well as new food and beverage facilities.

The Emirates Palace hotel sits on a 1.3-kilometre private beachfront, featuring 394 guestrooms and suites, 12 restaurants and bars, 40 meeting rooms, a concert grade auditorium and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 2,500 people. Leisure facilities include a marina, two swimming pools, a spa and two fitness centres.

“This is a unique opportunity to manage one of the most high-profile properties in the Middle East and will be an excellent addition to our portfolio in the region. We look forward to bringing the Group’s exemplary service standards to Abu Dhabi and to introducing the brand to a new audience,” said James Riley, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi is centrally located in the heart of the city, conveniently situated for both leisure and business travellers. The Grand Mosque and the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre are a short drive away. The Marina Mall is nearby and the commercial centre of the city is also easily accessed. The hotel is 40 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 90 minutes from Dubai Airport.

The property is owned by Emirates Palace Company, a subsidiary of the government of Abu Dhabi. The hotel, which is a fine example of Arabian design, was conceived to host the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit and remains the preferred venue for several high-profile conferences in the public and private sector. It is also well recognised for welcoming several heads of states, foreign dignitaries and celebrities.

“The partnership with Mandarin Oriental represents an important milestone and aims to propel the property’s profile into a new era,” said His Excellency Sultan Dhahi Sultan Al Humairi, Managing Director of Emirates Palace Company (EPCO). “We look forward to a mutually prosperous and fruitful relationship with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group,” he added.

Celebrate Chinese New Year 2020 With The Peninsula Shanghai And Welcome The Year Of The Rat With Glamorous Michelin Experiences

The Peninsula Shanghai welcomes the Chinese New Year with authentic family experiences to bring joy and prosperity for The Year of the Rat. Peninsula guests and local residents can ring in the New Year with a range of customs and traditions, welcoming the most important occasion in the Chinese lunar year. Throughout the festive period, a canopy of red lanterns will decorate the hotel forecourt and festive plum blossoms will decorate The Lobby. Guests will be welcomed by 6.5 metre traditional Chinese paper-cutting with intricate detailing and New Year blessings – a decoration which has become one of The Peninsula Shanghai’s Spring Festival traditions.

Chinese New Year Celebrations

As tradition states, The Peninsula Shanghai (No. 32 The Bund 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road Shanghai 200002 The People’s Republic of China. +86 21 2327 2888. PSH@PENINSULA.COM) will once again host its spectacular Lion Dance performance by the award-winning Ha Kwok Cheung dance troupe from Hong Kong at The Lobby on January 25, 2020 and at Yi Long Court every evening from January 25to 31 January, 2020. A fantastic show to behold, The Peninsula’s Lion Dance performance is a picture-perfect moment for the entire family in anticipation of the new year.

Chinese New Year Pudding

Sharing a sumptuous reunion banquet with family and friends is perhaps the ultimate highlight of the Spring Festival holiday. One Michelin-starred Yi Long Court will present Chef Tsui’s delectable eight-course Chinese New Year menus with two options: the Treasure and Longevity menus.

The Peninsula Pages with Chinese New Year Lanterns

On Chinese New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, diners at Yi Long Court can enjoy three quintessential delicacies from Southern China. Poon Choi, a luxurious Chinese casserole with premium Yunnan truffle, prickly sea cucumber, abalone and oysters, is served in two versions, Fortune and Fame and Fortune and Treasure. Lo Hei is a sumptuous raw fish salad that groups of guests stir together as they make a wish for the year ahead.

Arts and Culture 2020: American Perspectives: Highlights from the American Folk Art Museum

February 11, 2020–May 31, 2020 At The American Folk Art Museum, Lincoln Square, Manhattan, New York City

Everyone has a story to tell. A life lived, witness to and participant in events both private and shared. Such moments are captured by American folk and self-taught artists in powerful visual narratives that offer firsthand testimony to chapters in the unfolding story of America from its inception to the present. American Perspectives: Highlights from the American Folk Art Museum (curated by Stacey C. Hollander) showcases more than seventy stellar works of folk and self-taught art from the museum’s premier collection. Beautiful, diverse, and truthful, the art illuminates the thoughts and experiences of individuals with an immediacy that is palpable and unique to these expressions.

Peter Zimmerman; Jacob Maentel (1778–?); Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania; c. 1828; watercolor, gouache, ink, and pencil on paper; 17 x 10 1/2 in.; Collection American Folk Art Museum, gift of Ralph Esmerian, 2013.1.6. Photo © 2000 John Bigelow Taylor.

American Folk Art Museum logo

Maria Rex Zimmerman; Jacob Maentel (1778–?); Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania; c. 1828; watercolor, gouache, ink, and pencil on paper; 17 x 10 1/2 in.; Collection American Folk Art Museum, gift of Ralph Esmerian, 2013.1.5. Photo © 2000 John Bigelow Taylor.

The artworks are organized into four sections—Founders, Travelers, Philosophers, and Seekers—that respond to such themes as nationhood, freedom, community, imagination, opportunity, and legacy. Evocative visual juxtapositions and accessible contextual information further reveal the vital role that folk art plays as a witness to history, carrier of cultural heritage, and a reflection of the world at large through the eyes, heart, and mind of the artist.

American Heritage; Ralph Fasanella (1914–1997); New York City; 1974; oil on canvas; 50 x 80 in.; Collection American Folk Art Museum, gift of Eva Fasanella and her children, Gina Mostrando and Marc Fasanella, 2005.5.1. Photo by Gavin Ashworth.

Memories of the Veteran; Nick Quijano Torres (b. 1953); Old San Juan, Puerto Rico; 1984; laquered gouache on paper; 12 1/4 x 12 1/4 in.; Collection American Folk Art Museum, gift of Dorothea and Leo Rabkin, 1984.2.1.

Blue Meat; Kevin Sampson (b. 1954); Newark, New Jersey; 2000; mixed media with found objects and bone; 28 x 16 x 17 in.; Collection American Folk Art Museum, gift of Evelyn S. Meyer, 2005.10.5. Photo by Gavin Ashworth.

This exhibition is supported in part by the David Davies and Jack Weeden Fund for Exhibitions, the Richard C. von Hess Foundation, the Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation, the Stacy C. Hollander Fund for Exhibitions, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and the Council for Traditional Folk Art. The upcoming national tour of this exhibition is supported in part by the Art Bridges Foundation.

Las Vegas Raises A Glass To 2020 With Glamorous New Year’s Eve Events

The Entertainment Capital of the World to Offer Dazzling New Year’s Eve Experiences

Saying goodbye to another year, Las Vegas visitors can give 2019 a proper farewell with exciting New Year’s Eve events. The Strip and Downtown Las Vegas will ring in 2020 with astounding entertainment, pyrotechnic displays, mouthwatering culinary offerings and much more.

Las Vegas Logo (PRNewsFoto/Las Vegas Convention…)

Raise a Glass with the Stars

• Christina Aguilera will have guests saying “come on over” as she wraps up this leg of her “Christina Aguilera: The Xperience” residency at Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, with four shows on New Year’s Eve weekend Dec. 27-28 and 30-31. Join the chanteuse for a special countdown to midnight at the Dec. 31 show.
• One of the world’s greatest rock bands – Journey – will bring the crowd inside The Colosseum at Caesars Palace to their feet with four shows on New Year’s Eve weekend Dec. 27-28 and 30-31.
• Celebrate with Lady Gaga as she puts on three shows New Year’s Eve weekend at Park Theater inside Park MGM. The superstar will perform her famous pop hits during LADY GAGA ENIGMA Dec. 28 and 30. And close out the decade in style on Dec. 31 at LADY GAGA JAZZ & PIANO with stripped-down versions of those hits alongside music from the Great American Songbook.
• Maroon 5 will bring their annual New Year’s Eve shows back to Mandalay Bay Events Center for the ninth consecutive year, Dec. 30 and 31.
• Jam out with rock band The Offspring at the Pearl Theater inside Palms Casino Resort on Dec. 30 and close out the year with an intimate performance by Puerto Rican superstar OZUNA on Dec. 31.
• Straight up ring in the new year with Paula Abdul as she performs her greatest hits at the Flamingo Las Vegas on Dec. 31.
• Guests looking to slay the remaining hours of 2019 can join multi-platinum artist LIZZO as she bring her captivating performance to The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Dec. 31.
• Say adieu to 2019 with pop rock band Third Eye Blind at House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino also on Dec. 31.
• American reggae and dub band Stick Figure will ring in 2020 at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas with a New Year’s Eve performance on Dec. 31.

Leave it all on the Dance Floor

• Drai’s Nightclub at The Cromwell will host a star-studded, four-day celebration to ring in 2020 from Dec. 28 to Dec. 31, with performances from artists Trey Songz (Dec. 28), Meek Mill (Dec. 29), Gucci Mane (Dec. 30) and Future on New Year’s Eve.
• Hakkasan Nightclub inside MGM Grand Hotel and Casino will celebrate New Year’s Eve weekend in style with five days of stellar performances by DJ Shift (Dec. 27), Fergie DJ (Dec. 28), rapper DMX (Dec. 29), TIËSTO (Dec. 30) and Steve Aoki bringing it home on Dec. 31.
• GRAMMY Award-winning rapper Drake continues his partnership with XS Nightclub at Encore Las Vegas with a New Year’s weekend performance Dec. 30.
• Chart-topping DJ duo The Chainsmokers will kick off the 2020 countdown on Dec. 31 at XS Nightclub at Encore Las Vegas with hits like “Call You Mine” and “Something Just Like This.”
• Rapper and songwriter Tyga will light up the JEWEL Nightclub stage inside ARIA Resort and Casino on Dec. 31 for a rousing night of dancing to number one hits.
• Celebrate with electronic dance music sensation Calvin Harris at Omnia Nightclub inside Caesars Palace on New Year’s Eve for an unforgettable celebration as he spins his greatest hits into 2020.
• Lil Jon will have the whole club screaming “yeah!” as he closes out 2019 at 1 OAK Nightclub at The Mirage Hotel & Casino.
• Mustard will ring in the new year on Dec. 31 at Marquee Nightclub inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas with complimentary champagne at midnight for all.
• Keeping the party going, TAO Nightclub at The Venetian Las Vegas will host a special performance by iconic rap artist NAS on New Year’s Eve.
• Shut down the old and ring in the new on Dec. 31 with the sounds of T-Pain at LIGHT Nightclub at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.