Studios Hot (and Bothered) on Twitter

Case shows why Twitter, Facebook matter

(NEWSER) - Who says social media don't matter? Malcolm Gladwell, the New Yorker's "big-haired, big-brained and big-mouthed columnist," may think Twitter is a silly fad, but the Gap logo case says otherwise, writes Shane Richmond for the Telegraph . The retailer recently abandoned its cheap-looking new logo after an outcry online. "And Malcolm thinks social media can’t bring social change. Tsk tsk," he writes. More»

Follow the right tweeters, and mind your hashtags

(NEWSER) - More and more marketers are giving away free stuff on Twitter, and Erin Gifford at Mashable offers advice on to cash in. Read the full list here . A sampling:

• Find tweeters who give away merchandise by searching for "freebie" or "free stuff." Some winners: @heyitsfree ; @freestuffrocks ; @freenology ; and @fstimes .

Producers blame uncertainty about studio's future

(NEWSER) - MGM's massive debt has done what Goldfinger, Scaramanga, et al couldn't: Stop James Bond in his tracks. The next 007 movie starring heart-stopper Daniel Criag has been suspended indefinitely because of the studio's financial woes and uncertainty about its future, the BBC reports. MGM owes $3.7 billion and has been seeking a buyer since late last year. More»

Twitterverse split on ethics of Sponsored Tweets

(NEWSER) - A new company is brokering deals between businesses and Twitterers who want to make a few extra bucks plugging products, Time reports. The founder of the website Sponsored Tweets says 7,000 enterprising Twitterers have signed up for the service in its first month. Twitterers get paid based on a range of considerations, including their number of followers. Companies look at the database of participants and make an offer. More»

(NEWSER) - Inglourious Basterds had a glorious opening weekend, scalping the box office for $37.6 million to give Quentin Tarantino the best opening of his career, USA Today reports. District 9 continued its strong showing in second place with $18.9 million, while GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra ($12.5 million), The Time Traveler's Wife ($10 million), and Julie & Julia ($9 million) rounded out the top five. More»