Tonight’s Finale
ID: The Interrogator at 10p

IN THE NEWS

Highlights from ABC’s Winter TCA presentation: Young Frankenstein Live! (wt) will debut in the fall, based on the stage version of the Mel Brooks comedy classic. Brooks, who wrote and directed the 1974 film and 2007 Broadway adaptation, will produce…The series farewell of Modern Family is set for Wednesday, April 8. Fan votes will decide which episodes run in a March 11 Modern Family binge… How to Get Away With Murder returns for its final six episodes on Thursday, April 2…The Conners will air live on Tuesday, February 11, the night of the New Hampshire primary, with ABC News coverage of the primary incorporated into the story in real time as results roll in… Shark Tank returns to Friday nights beginning February 28, and American Housewife moves to Wednesdays at 9p starting on April 15… and The Emmy Awards have a date: Sunday, September 20.

The 2020 Academy Awards will once again go host-less, announced Karey Burke, ABC entertainment president, at TCA – but she promised “huge entertainment value, big musical numbers, and star power.” Last year’s show was also without a host, after Kevin Hart withdrew amid controversy over old tweets, and the show saw an uptick in ratings versus the year prior.

Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActive Corp. is selling CH Media, parent of College Humor, to CH chief creative officer Sam Reich in a deal that is costing about 100 jobs. “IAC, our parent company, has made the difficult decision to no longer finance us,” Reich said. “While we were on the way to becoming profitable, we were nonetheless losing money – and I myself have no money to be able to lose.” Said IAC, which has owned CollegeHumor since 2006, “Sam was the best choice to acquire CH Media and define its next chapter. The decision places CH Media with an owner who is beloved by fans, passio nate about the business and sees a future we believe in.”

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Abby Phillip will be joined by the Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannenstiel to moderate the January 14 Democratic debate, the final debate before the Iowa caucuses on February 3. Candidates qualifying so far are Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. (Which candidate would you most like to see added to the roster? Let us know in the Cynopsis poll.)

Houses were just the beginning – HGTV is now looking for a whole town to make over. Inspired by the success of its series Home Town, which helped transform Laurel, Mississippi, the net is asking fans to submit a bid to have their own small towns (population less than 40,000) featured in upcoming event series, Home Town Takeover, slated to premiere in 2021. “This is a big one,” said Home Town co-host Erin Napier. “HGTV has never, ever taken on a whole town renovation and restoration project and we’re so proud and excited to be leading the team that will get it done.”

NowThis announced a new division, “NowThis Impact,” dedicated to covering global challenges important to a young audience. “Our audience is deeply passionate and incredibly eager to engage on the issues that matter most to them,” said Athan Stephanopoulos, President of NowThis. “They’ve made it crystal clear that they are looking for new ways to not only learn more about the challenges dominating the world around them, but how they can get involved and take action themselves.”

See who’s leading the charge in industry excellence. Over 45 companies are being represented at the Cynopsis Best Of The Best Awards Luncheon, taking place on February 6th in NYC. This is your chance to raise a glass to the finalists, make connections and take part in the ultimate celebration of media’s game changers. This year’s awards luncheon will include a spotlight on Cynopsis’ Rising Star honorees. Seating is limited, and last year’s luncheon sold out quickly, so reserve your spot today.

Martha MacCallum inked a new multi-year deal with Fox News Channel, where she will continue as anchor of The Story with Martha MacCallum and co-anchor of the network’s election and special event political coverage alongside Bret Baier.

NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker will succeed Sheinelle Jones as co-host of Weekend Today, with Peter Alexander. Jones announced last month she was leaving the show to spend more time with her family.

Wireless speaker maker Sonos is suing Google, seeking a ban on Google speakers, smartphones and laptops in the US, as well as financial compensation. “Google has been blatantly and knowingly copying our patented technology in creating its audio products,” said Sonos CEO Patrick Spence. Sonos alleges Chromecast Audio and Google Home speakers, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, Nest Wifi Point, Pixel phones, Pixel Slate Tablet and Pixelbook laptop all infringe on its patents.

Cynopsis, the industry’s go-to resource for up to the minute media news, is gearing up to celebrate young game-changers at the 5th Annual Rising Star Awards and we’re betting you want to show your support. 56 honorees will be celebrated alongside the Cynopsis Best Of The Best Finalists.

VIEW RISING STARS LUNCHEON INFO REGISTER BY 1/16

thirtysomething(else), a sequel to 1987-1991 series thirtysomething, landed a pilot pickup from ABC. The show will follow the grown-up children of the original cast, reprised by Ken Olin, Mel Harris, Timothy Busfield, and Patty Wettig.

ABC also picked up The Brides to pilot. Vampire drama comes from executive producer/writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale), Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

More fun and games at ABC: The net is bringing back Supermarket Sweep, hosted and executive produced by SNL standout Leslie Jones, and a new version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Produced by Fremantle, Supermarket Sweep follows three teams of two as they battle it out using their grocery shopping skills. “I’ve always dreamed of being on Supermarket Sweep,” said Jones. “Seriously, I tried out for the show years ago; and after getting turned away, I knew I’d have to take matters into my own hands. Being able to bring the iconic game show back to life on ABC is my ultimate redemption story!” The original format aired on ABC from 1965-1967 and went on to become adapted in 13 international territories. Production on the 10-episode order is set to begin this spring. Millionaire will feature celebrities playing for charity, and an interactive game viewers can play from home, starting Wednesday, April 8.

A series based on The Last of the Mohicans is in development at HBO Max. Written by Joji Fukunaga (True Detective) and Nick Osborne (Remember Me) and directed by Nicole Kassell (Watchmen), the series will be a retelling of James Fenimore Cooper’s historical novel.

Amazon Prime Video Spain is at work on a reboot of El Internado (The Boarding School). Eight-part El Internado: Las Cumbres will be set in an isolated school for problem children. The original series’ creator, Laura Belloso, will serve as executive producer alongside Laura Fernandez Espeso and Javier Pons of Mediapro, and Ignacio Corrales and Sonia Martinez from Atresmedia Studios.

Call for submissions: To be included in the Cynopsis Upfronts Guide, the go-to resource for buyers and planners during the 2020 Upfronts season, please submit the dates/times/locations of upfront events (if no events are planned, include a tagline or up to 25-word mission statement) and logo by March 1 to [email protected]. For sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected].

Quibi announced the development of The Hot Drop, a new take on the dating genre. At the start of each week, Quibi will drop a profile of an eligible single, and the audience can submit videos vying for the possibility to join the single on an adventure via the Quibi app. That same week, Quibi will reveal the top three candidates; then the Quibi community will determine who goes on the date. ITV America’s Sirens Media and ITV Studios Entertainment are producing.

Netflix gave a 10-episode order to Love Is Blind, a dating show hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey. Unscripted series from Kinetic Content (Married at First Sight), following singles who want to meet the person they’ll spend the rest of their lives with without having seen them, premieres February 13.

A documentary exploring the connections between the mythical creatures in JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and real animals is on the way from the BBC, Warner Bros and the UK’s Natural History Museum. Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History (wt) will be made by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit and narrated by Stephen Fry.

Ready your nominations! Cynopsis will be commencing the search for this year’s Top Women in Media later this month. Now’s the time to think of the female trailblazers in your life who are pushing the industry forward and making waves in the areas of entertainment, sports & esports, and tech. Honorees will be announced in June and the awards gala will take place on September 24th in NYC.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Netflix’s Ozark is back for a ten-episode season three on March 27. Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star in the drug-money-laundering drama.

The Baker and the Beauty, a “modern-day fairytale” from ABC, debuts Monday, April 6 at 10p. Romantic dramedy focuses on the relationship between a man who works in his family’s bakery and an international superstar.

Also on the way from ABC is an addition the The Bachelor franchise. The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart, which will have single men and women going on dates that focus on music, premieres Monday, April 13 at 8p.

Comedic travel series High & Low made it onto the upcoming programming slate of Quibi. Produced by Renegade 83, High & Low explores the luxury and budget options at travel destinations.

Cleo TV offered season two premiere dates for Cleo Speaks (Saturday, February 15 at 9a), Just Eats With Chef JJ (Saturday, February 22 at 12p), New Soul Kitchen (Saturday, April 4 at 12:30p) and Heart of the Batter with Jordin Sparks (Saturday, May 9 at 1p).

Discovery’s new programming block, “Off the Grid Thursdays,” begins tonight with a new episode of Homestead Rescue, followed by the series premiere of Reclaimed and a new season of Building Off the Grid.

ADVERTISING

NBCUniversal announced its new go-to-market offering, One Platform, which will offer linear and digital advertising buys across all platforms on local, national and global levels. “We know that viewers do not differentiate content by network, time or screen; instead, our fans see NBCUniversal as one giant home to the best stories, so that’s the mindset we’ll go to market with in 2020,” said Linda Yaccarino, Chairman, Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “With One Platform, we’re following our viewers’ lead. Rather than rejecting the changes in consumer behavior, we’re reflecting it.” The first version of the tool will be available for this year’s Upfronts, with a final version expected to be complete in three years. For details, go here.

Software platform DoubleVerify announced the launch of Authentic Performance, a data solution to provide predictive data expected to drive campaign performance. “Current tools are either fast but simplistic – with metrics like viewability and click-through rate (CTR); or they’re sophisticated but slow – with data reported post-campaign,” said Wayne Gattinella, CEO of DoubleVerify. “Authentic Performance is designed to provide predictive data that are correlated with digital advertising effectiveness, in real time – giving global brands clarity and confidence in their digital investment.”

Let the games begin! Just hours after news broke that Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg was spending $10 million on a Super Bowl ad, came word that President Trump would be doing the same. “President Trump made the unprecedented decision to keep the campaign open following his first election, which allows us to do things like buying a Super Bowl ad,” said Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, in the NY Times. “We got in early, which gave us prime ad position early in the game.” The Super Bowl is one day before the Democratic caucuses in Iowa.

TVSquared and RTL AdConnect have partnered to provide RTL AdConnect’s global advertisers with proof of performance across more than 150 TV channels and BVOD platforms throughout Europe. This marks the first time a media owner has launched a European TV attribution initiative for advertisers.

STREAMING SNIPPETS

CW Seed acquired the second window, non-exclusive streaming rights to 14 series from BBC Studios. Now streaming on CW Seed are The Intruders, starring Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite) and Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things); Atlantis, starring Mark Addy (Game of Thrones); The Secret of Crickley Hall, starring Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) and Tom Ellis (Lucifer); Bedlam, featuring pop star Will Young; and the reimagined adventure series Sinbad. James Corden comedy Gavin & Stacey; The Fades, starring Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out); House of Cards; Robin Hood; Primeval; Bleak Old Shop of Stuff; Hyoperdrive; The Deep; and Married Single Other will be available to stream on CW Seed beginning late January and rolling out through February 2020.

ViacomCBS and Comcast Corporation have renewed their content carriage agreement in a deal that includes CBS All Access’ availability on Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Flex platforms later this year. It’s the first time CBS will make its streaming TV app available on an MVPD-based set-top box.

Cinedigm is partnering with all3media International to launch two free AVOD services. So…Dramatic will feature dramas, while So…Real will be reality programming-focused. Both networks will be available as ad-supported linear AVOD offerings, and begin rolling out in the first quarter of this year. Cinedigm will distribute the networks in the US, managing, operating and curating the programming, and working jointly with all3media International to market them.

Hisense’s Smart TV platform VIDAA has been revamped, it was announced at CES. The updated platform incorporates a centralized user management, advertising and billing systems. Vidaa aggregates content from partners including Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Red Bull TV, Deezer, DAZN, Rakuten TV and Hungama, and with the update will now bring sports-focused fuboTV. fuboTV’s application is already pre-installed in every Hisense TV with Vidaa OS; users can access a custom sports experience by clicking the ‘Sports’ button on the remote.

AWARDS UPDATES

Netflix earned the most nominations for the GLAAD Media Awards, which honor outstanding LGBTQ images in the media. The streamer’s 15 nods were followed by HBO’s 8. ABC, CBS, and NBC each earned 4 nominations, Apple TV+ and Disney+ received their first nominations (for Dickinson and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, respectively). ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise and MTV’s Are You The One? received their first nominations in the Outstanding Reality Program category, and Univision received 7 nominations in Spanish-Language categories.

Seven honorees will be celebrated at the Cable Center Hall of Fame celebration on April 30 in NYC, including Bridget Baker, CEO, Baker Media; Jim Blackley, advisor to the CEO, Charter Communications; Cathy Hughes, founder and chairwoman, TV One, and Alfred C. Liggins III, CEO, Urban One and chairman and CEO, TV One; cable pioneer Jeff Marcus; Dave Watson, president and CEO, Comcast Cable; and Jeff Zucker, chairman, WarnerMedia News & Sports and president, CNN Worldwide.

1 Entering is Easy: Summarize your initiatives with synopsis & supporting materials
2 Make News: Finalists are covered on ALL of Cynopsis’ platforms
3 Fuel Innovation: Boost team morale & inspire success by joining this elite group
4 Showcase Your Work Where It Counts: With over 40 categories to choose from
5 NETWORK: When winners are announced at the 8th Annual Awards Breakfast in NYC

2019 WINNERS VIEW CATEGORIES ENTER BY 1/28

A&E’s second annual “True Crime Week” gave the network its best week in six years (averaging 577,000 A25-54). The event, which kicked off January 1, made A&E the #2 cable network for the week (12/30/19-1/5/20) among A25-54, behind ESPN.

The season two premiere of Univision’s Amor Eterno reached nearly 3 million Total Viewers 2+ who tuned in to all or part of the episode. The one-hour premiere averaged 1.9 million Total Viewers 2+, 747,000 A18-49 and 305,000 A18-34.

Live with Kelly and Ryan (2.2 Live+SD) was one of the few programs that remained steady in an otherwise low-rated Christmas session ending December 29, with a boost from its holiday-themed “Kelly and Ryan’s Christmas Eve” telecast. Usual talk topper Dr. Phil (new season low 1.8, down 25%) was in repeats on all five days, but was still in second place among talk shows.

TLC was the #1 fastest growing ad-supported cable network in Prime in 2019 with P/W25-54, W18-49 and P2+, rising in the overall ad-supported cable rankings to become the #2 cable network with W25-54/18-49 and #3 with W18-34. In other Discovery Inc. highlights: In Live+3 Nielsen numbers, Discovery Channel wrapped 2019 as cable’s #1 network in Prime among M25-54 (excl. sports) for the 5th straight year; HGTV nabbed the #1 spot in Weekend among upscale W25-54; Food Network was a top 10 cable network in Prime among P25-54 (#9) and W25-54 (#7); ID finished 2019 as the #1 cable network for W25-54 in Total Day for the 3rd consecutive year, and was #2 for P25-54, behind only ESPN; OWN delivered 3 of the top 10 original scripted series on cable among W25-54; Animal Planet was a top 10 cable destination for women on Saturday nights (W2+) for 2 out of 4 quarters in 2019 (2Q19-3Q19); Travel Channel had its highest-rated year ever in Prime among HHs & W25-54 and second-highest-rated year ever among P25-54, while Science Channel boasts its highest-rated year among P25-54 with YAGO in Prime and Total Day; and Cooking Channel posted its highest ever Primetime ratings among P25-54 (+7% vs. YAGO) and M25-54 (+14%).

ABC’s Jeopardy: The Greatest of All Time delivered 14.42 million viewers on Tuesday, and 2.4 among A18-49. The premiere of NBC musical dramedy Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist drew 2.66 million viewers and 0.6 in the demo.

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of December 23 ranked in order by HH Rtg
Family Feud (CTD) 5.6 AA
Judge Judy (CTD) 5.4 AA
Jeopardy (CTD) 4.8 AA
Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 4.8 AA
The Big Bang Theory (WB) 2.8 AA
Inside Edition (CTD) 2.4 AA
Live With Kelly & Ryan (2/T) 2.2 AA
Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 2.1 AA
Last Man Standing (DAD) 2.0
Dr. Phil (CTD) 1.8 AA
Hot Bench (CTD) 1.8 AA

Top 11 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of December 23 ranked in order by A18-49 Rtg
Family Feud (2/T) 1.3 AA
Judge Judy (CTD) 1.1 AA
Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 0.8 AA
Jeopardy (CTD) 0.8 AA
The Big Bang Theory (WB) 0.8 AA
Family Guy (2/T) 0.7 AA
Modern Family (2/T) 0.6 AA
Last Man Standing (2/T) 0.5 AA
Inside Edition (CTD) 0.5 AA
Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 0.5 AA
Live With Kelly & Ryan (2/T) 0.5 AA
Nielsen Live+SD, individual program ratings

Live + Same Day Viewers AA (millions): Tuesday, January 7
Time period averages
Source: Nielsen Live+SD
CBS: 8.97 million
NCIS 10.39, FBI 9.32, FBI: Most Wanted 7.19
ABC: 6.16 million
Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time 14.37, mixed-ish 4.77, black-ish 3.17, Emergence 2.28
NBC: 3.89 million
Ellen’s Game of Games 4.34, Ellen’s Game of Games 4.67, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist 2.66
FOX: 3.14 million
The Resident. 3.74, Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back 2.54
UNIVISION: 1.64 million
Ringo 1.71, Amor Eterno 1.71, El Dragon 1.40
TELEMUNDO: 0.87 million
Decisiones: Unos Gana, Otros Pierden 0.77, La Dona 0.79, Al Senor de los Cielos 1.06
CW: 0.49 million
Batwoman 0.63, Black Lightning 0.36

Tuesday A18-49 Ratings
ABC 1.2/6, CBS 0.9/4, NBC 0.9/4, FOX 0.7/3, UNI 0.5/2, TELE 0.3/1, CW 0.2/1

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Animal Planet named Amy Introcaso-Davis as its new EVP, Development and Production. Introcaso-Davis most recently served as EVP Development and Production at E!.

Rebecca Mayer was tapped to serve as EVP of Programming and Development at Banijay Studios North America. Previously, Mayer was a development consultant and producer at Universal Television Alternative Studio.

French animation studio Xilam Animation appointed Caterina Gonnelli, Disney’s former Director of Acquisitions and Co-Productions for the Disney Channels EMEA, as EVP, Content.

Effie T. Brown has been named CEO of Gamechanger, which launched in 2013 as the first film financing fund by and for women. Brown is broadening the fund’s scope to include projects by and about people of color, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities. Gamechanger is also expanding into television and digital content.

Answer to our last Trivia Question
Jim Rockford, the character that headlined NBC’s The Rockford Files, was originally written in an unproduced script for which ABC series? Toma (1973). Kudos to: Rev. Mark Wajda/Lakeland, FL, Rick Dascher-Turner Studios/Atlanta, Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC, Charles Lore/NYC, Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA, Paul Blutter-Walk and Talk Production Rentals/Burbank, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
What was the title of sitcom Private Secretary (1953-57) changed to when it was released in syndication? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: A limit of four correct answers from each time zone will be selected.).