Entertainment News Roundup: Grammy Awards organizers tighten conflict of interest rules; Stormzy pledges 10 million pounds and more

Los Angeles movie theaters fail to get green light to reopen Los Angeles County officials said on Wednesday that movie and TV production could resume on Friday, but movie theaters in the biggest market in the United States must remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Grammy Awards organizers tighten conflict of interest rules, say show to go ahead in January

Organizers of the annual Grammy Awards on Wednesday announced tighter rules regarding conflicts of interest after claims that nominations for the highest honors in the music industry were rigged. They also said the next Grammy Awards show would go ahead as planned in January 2021, despite the coronavirus epidemic that has sidelined multiple cultural events.

Stormzy pledges 10 million pounds to black causes over the next decade

British rapper Stormzy said on Thursday he will donate 10 million pounds over the course of a decade to causes that empower black people. "The uncomfortable truth that our country continuously fails to recognize and admit is that black people in the UK have been at a constant disadvantage in every aspect of life - simply due to the color of our skin," he said in a statement.

Comcast, media mogul Byron Allen reach carriage deal

Comcast Corp said on Thursday it reached a content carriage deal with comedian-turned media mogul Byron Allen, who withdrew a lawsuit about racial bias against channels owned by African Americans. The settlement with Allen's Entertainment Studios Networks comes at a time when the recent death of African American George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis has triggered protests in the United States against racism and police brutality.

Los Angeles movie theaters fail to get green light to reopen

Los Angeles County officials said on Wednesday that movie and TV production could resume on Friday, but movie theaters in the biggest market in the United States must remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. California state officials said earlier this week that movie theaters could reopen as early as Friday, pending approval from local officials, with attendance capped at 25% of capacity and other hygiene and social-distancing protocols.

'Gone with the Wind,' 'Cops' pulled as pop culture reckons with racism

Oscar-winning Civil War epic "Gone with the Wind" was pulled from the HBO Max streaming service and reality TV show "Cops" was canceled as America's reckoning with systemic racism extended to its popular culture. Less than 24 hours later, the DVD for "Gone with the Wind" jumped to the top of Amazon.com Inc's list of best-selling TV shows and movies.

Africa's MultiChoice looks to Netflix and Amazon in strategy shift

Adding streaming services will give Africa's biggest pay-TV group, MultiChoice, a head start when online viewing takes off on the continent, it said on Thursday, after revealing it had deals with Netflix and Amazon. CEO Calvo Mawela, in a presentation on Thursday, did not name the partners or give further details of the partnerships but the deals with Netflix and Amazon were included in the company's results presentation on its website.

Country music's Lady Antebellum changes name because of slavery association

Country music group Lady Antebellum on Thursday changed its name to Lady A, saying it regretted its blindspot over the name's association with a time of slavery in the United States. The trio, one of the most successful in country music, said in an open letter that they took the name 14 years ago after the Southern antebellum style home where they took their first photos.

Disney eyes July reopen for California theme parks

Walt Disney Co plans to reopen the Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park on July 17, pending approval from state and local authorities. The theme parks based in Anaheim, California have been shut since March 14 to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coachella, Stagecoach music festivals canceled for 2020 on virus concerns

The 2020 editions of the Coachella music festival and its country music counterpart Stagecoach have been canceled due to concerns over a possible autumn resurgence of COVID-19 cases, Riverside County health office said late Wednesday. "I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall," said the County's Public Health Officer Cameron Kaiser, who signed the order canceling the festivals.

Disney's take on young adult novel 'Artemis Fowl' debuts Friday

Walt Disney Co on Friday will release a film adaptation of popular young adult book series "Artemis Fowl," one that its stars and director admit differs from the story written by Irish author Eoin Colfer. A movie trailer released in March prompted criticism from some fans because it appeared the title character was a hero rather than the villain he was made out to be in the first "Artemis Fowl" book, which was published in 2001. Seven other books followed through 2012.

(With inputs from agencies.)