Samantha Masunaga is an entertainment business reporter, with a focus on Hollywood studios and how the film business intersects with new industries. Since joining the Los Angeles Times in 2014, she has covered the aerospace industry, workplace culture and Southern California’s Japanese American community. Masunaga has previously worked for the Oregonian, the Orange County Register and the Rafu Shimpo, among other publications. A Southern California native, she is an alumna of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and UCLA.
Latest From This Author
The Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride at Disneyland, the long-anticipated replacement for Splash Mountain, represents a new chapter for the theme park.
Nov. 15, 2024
Propelled by a strong box office performance by “Deadpool & Wolverine” and profits in streaming, Walt Disney Co. reported strong fourth-quarter results.
Nov. 14, 2024
From ‘Twisters’ to ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,’ decades-later sequels have scored big at the box office. Will ‘Gladiator II’ continue the trend?
Nov. 14, 2024
The brightly colored “CoComelon” cartoons have become must-watch videos for babies and toddlers. But they’ve also raised questions about what kids should be viewing.
Nov. 13, 2024
News consumers are slipping away from TV networks and newspapers. Trump’s victory showed how legacy media is losing relevance to personality-driven programming, including podcasts.
Nov. 8, 2024
L.A.-area startups received $1.8 billion in the third quarter, the highest quarterly amount for the region, according to CB Insights. Most of it went to a single company.
Nov. 8, 2024
From no federal aid to the threat of a tariff war or retaliation, the entertainment industry could be in for a bumpy ride under the incoming Trump presidency.
Nov. 6, 2024
LeBron James’ production company the SpringHill Co. is reportedly in talks to merge with Fulwell 73, the London-based studio behind ‘The Kardashians.’
Nov. 5, 2024
Comcast is considering spinning off its cable network business, which includes USA Network, Syfy and Bravo, as the media giant grapples with the changes in the linear television industry.
Oct. 31, 2024
Netflix and Imax are in preliminary talks to bring Greta Gerwig’s “The Chronicles of Narnia” to theaters. Here’s what that means for the streamer’s film strategy.
Oct. 29, 2024