Today’s Premieres
Apple TV+: Super League: The War for Football
Discovery: Gold, Lies & Videotape at 10p
HBO Max: I Don’t Like Driving
Netflix: Trial by Fire; Break Point
Prime Video: Hunters; The Test

Saturday’s Premieres
Aspire: 6 Minutes to Glory: The HBCU Band Experience
Netflix: Crash Course in Romance

Sunday’s Premieres
Hallmark Channel: The Way Home at 9p
HBO: The Last of Us at 9p
MGM+: Godfather of Harlem at 9p; Murf the Smurf: Jewels, Jesus, and Mayhem at 10p
Paramount+: Mayor of Kingstown
Showtime: Your Honor at 9p
TLF: MILF Manor at 10p

IN THE NEWS

“Minx,” canceled by HBO Max while season two was in production, has found a new home. “We have always felt this show would be a perfect fit for our brand with our dedication to narratives by, about and for women,” said Jeffrey Hirsch, President and CEO of Starz. “Starz is proud to be the new home for this incredible show that has drawn in well-deserved critical acclaim.” Set in 1970s Los Angeles, “Minx” centers on an earnest young feminist who joins forces with a low-rent publisher to create the first erotic magazine for women.

Season 10 of truTV’s “Impractical Jokers” will be simulcast on TBS beginning Thursday, February 9 at 10p. “This is a rare opportunity to grow the reach of this fan favorite series,” said WBD’s Julie Taylor, Chief of Content Strategy & Insights, U.S. Networks. “Giving truTV’s ‘Impractical Jokers’ dual-network reach on TBS underscores our commitment to this long-running franchise while growing visibility and awareness with our audience.” The series attracted 6.1 million fans during its last season.

Netflix has renewed “Mo” for a second and final season. The critically acclaimed comedy about a Palestinian refugee’s journey to asylum is inspired by the life of co-creator, star and exec producer Mo Amer. “I’m thankful to continue to tell a universal story of struggle that relates to so many refugees and millions of under-represented humans trying to be seen around the globe and to be able to bring the people who loved and rooted for Mo Najjar along for the ride as we close this chapter of his story,” said Amer.

Also picked up for a second – though we’re guessing not last – season is “Criminal Minds: Evolution,” by Paramount+. “The series has always been a consistent top performer for Paramount+ and fans have quickly embraced this new season with its more serialized elements,” said Tanya Giles, Chief Programming Officer of Paramount Streaming. “There are still many dark twists and turns yet to come for the BAU.”

“Ghosts” isn’t disappearing anytime soon, either. CBS renewed the comedy – which in season two has grown to an average 9.15 million viewers, up 15% from its freshman run – for season three.

“Sons of Anarchy” spinoff “Mayans M.C.” will end with season five. Series regulars J.D. Pardo, Clayton Cardenas, Danny Pino, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera, Edward James Olmos, Frankie Loyal, Vincent Vargas, and Joseph Raymond Lucero will all be back for the final run.

John Landgraf, who famously observed in 2015 that there was “simply too much television,” predicted a decline of original series in 2023 (there were 599 in 2022). Speaking at the TCA press tour, the Chairman FX Content and FX Productions pointed to “a strong indication” that 2022 would mark the end of Peak TV. “That is still my bet,” he said, “while noting with humility that I’ve been wrong on this prediction twice before.”

A day after Noah Oppenheim exited as President of NBC News, layoffs began at NBC News and MSNBC. According to CNN, a relatively small number of jobs were affected, about 75 out of 3500. NBCU is just the latest media company looking to streamline staff in the face of economic uncertainty and invest in growth areas.

CBS’s pickleball competition “Pickled” may not have scored in the ratings, but it topped the charts of EDO’s most engaging broadcast primetime programs of 2022, outperforming average ad engagement by 31%. Coming in second was ABC’s “The Bachelor” (+29%), followed by Fox’s “Family Guy” (+28%) and NBC’s “This Is Us” (+27%). EDO measure TV ads via search engine volume, to quantify consumer ad engagement 5-10 minutes after an ad airs.

The TV screen is the home base for premium video content, but Gen Z allocates as much time or more to content on other devices, according to Hub’s annual “Video Redefined” study. The youngest consumers and their older counterparts both allocate about a fifth of their total screen time to content on a smart TV. But otherwise, device usage of the two groups is very different:
· Viewers age 35+ estimate they spend about a third of their total screen time watching content through a pay TV set top box and only 12% to entertainment on a phone.
· Those age 13-24 allocate the most time (30%) to content on their smartphone, and only 8% to content through a cable box.
“The ‘streaming wars’ monopolize the spotlight when it comes to predicting the fortunes of media companies in the future,” said Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub. “But this obscures an even more important shift: the next generation of TV consumers are just less engaged with traditional TV itself. Gaming and social video are the focus of their entertainment lifestyles. There’s no reason to assume they’ll grow out of these habits as they age. Media organizations need to adapt to these changes in order to meet tomorrow’s viewers on the devices and platforms where they will spend most of their time.”

CNN is revamping its daytime programming lineup with a new format that will have anchors away from their desks and moving around the network’s studios. The goal is to energize telecasts and leverage “innovative use of technology to offer context.” The format will allow anchors the ability to be “more authentic,” said CNN chairman and CEO Christ Licht. Dayside programming will be divided into two three-hour blocks, one filmed out of New York and one out of Washington, DC. The changes will roll out “in coming months.”

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PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Netflix ordered two sports docuseries. An untitled show following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, produced by Fulwell 73 in partnership with FIFA+, will launch later this year, while “Six Nations” (wt) will focus on the rugby competition. “By going behind-the-scenes of the world’s biggest sporting events with unprecedented access, we have a unique opportunity to share the triumphs, tribulations and drama of these iconic moments with our hundreds of millions of global members,” said Brandon Riegg, VP, Unscripted and Documentary Series, Netflix.

Texas Crew Productions, part of Asylum Entertainment Group, struck a first-look co-production partnership with Fort Worth, Texas-based V1 Productions. Known for unscripted documentaries, series and specials with a focus on true crime, sports, music and home renovation, Texas Crew is joining forces with V1 to amplify its slate of unscripted programming and leverage V1’s production framework.

Resy founder Gary Vaynerchuk, former CAA agent Eric Wattenberg and Matt Higgins, co-founder of RSE Ventures, have teamed to launch TV production company VaynerWatt. The outfit will focus on long- and short-form content for linear and streaming outlets.

APC Studios UK and Irish independent production company Magamedia have started principal photography on Irish dark comedy crime drama “Obituary,” which is being co-produced by APC and Magamedia for Hulu in the US. RTÉ in Ireland has pre-bought the series, which is being made in association with Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland, BAI and The Wrap Fund.

White Cherry Entertainment will produce the Tony Awards through 2026. The American Theatre Wing knows what it’s getting into – White Cherry Entertainment founders Glenn Weiss (Executive Producer/Director) and Ricky Kirshner (Executive Producer) have served as the Tony Awards’ production team since 2003.

Nickelodeon announced the start of production on “Zoey102” (wt), a movie based on characters from the 2005-08 Nickelodeon series “Zoey 101.” The film follows Pacific Coast Academy alumni as they reunite for a wedding in the present day. Production is underway in North Carolina, with a premiere slated for later this year exclusively on Paramount+.

NGL Collective has partnered with Walmart for a new incubator aimed at fostering the next generation of diverse Latino filmmakers. “Walmart recognizes Latinos are a critical part of this country’s creativity, inspiration, and culture,” said D.J. Vaughn, Director of Multicultural Marketing Partnerships at Walmart U.S. “In looking to support this community and amplify authentic experiences, we could think of no better partner than NGL Collective.” mitú, which merged with NGL earlier this year, will provide filmmaker mentees access to mitúStudios, where they will have the opportunity to work alongside other Latino creators on projects, including the development, production, and editing of their short films.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

MTV franchise “Ex On the Beach” is expanding with “Ex On The Beach Couples,” launching Thursday, February 9 at 9p. Relationship expert and TV host Kamie Crawford hosts, as six couples choose to get engaged or go their separate ways.

“Jane,” inspired by the mission of Dr. Jane Goodall, debuts Friday, April 14 on Apple TV+. Ava Louise Murchison (“Reacher”) stars as Jane Garcia, a nine-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals.

Season four of Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions” kicks off Sunday, February 19 at 8p. This season, Guy Fieri has added a twist: randomizer wild cards that progressively get harder in each round.

“My Dad the Bounty Hunter” premieres Thursday, February 9 on Netflix. The animated action-comedy follows siblings who stow away on their father’s work trip, unaware that he’s the toughest bounty hunter in the galaxy.

“Volver a Caer” (Falling Again), starring and executive produced by Kate del Castillo (“La Reina del Sur”), makes its debut Friday, January 20 on ViX+. The six-parter is a contemporary version of the Leo Tolstoy classic Anna Karenina.

Hulu drama “Saint X,” based on the novel by Alexis Shaitkin, launches April 26 with 3 episodes, with new episodes weekly. The series explores how a young woman’s mysterious death during a Caribbean vacation creates a traumatic ripple effect.

FX set premiere dates for early 2023. On the way are two-part doc The New York Times Presents: “Sin Eater” starting Friday, March 10 at 10p; season three of FXX’s “Dave” on Wednesday, April 5 at 10p; The New York Times Presents: “The Legacy of J Dilla” (Friday, April 7 at 10p); and FX’s “Dear Mama” on Friday, April 21 at 10p.

Bravo’s “Summer House” opens for season seven on Monday, February 13 at 9p. Eight housemates return for Hamptons hijinks.

Season two of Peacock drama “Bel-Air,” kicking off February 23, will include an appearance by recording artist Saweetie, along with recurring cast Brooklyn McLinn (“Cloak & Dagger”), Jazlyn Martin (“This Is Us”) and Riele Downs (“Darby and The Dead”).

COMING UP

The confrontation-packed two-part reunion of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” commences Wednesday, January 25 at 8p.

Antenna TV is offering a full day of romantic episodes of classic sitcoms on Valentine’s Day. The “Love Is In/Over the Air” marathon starts Tuesday, February 14 at 5a.

TECH TALK

TikTok was slapped with $368,274.44 in sanctions related to its discovery practices in the trademark case of Stitch Editing in the Central District of California. In April 2021, Stitch Editing Limited of London and LA sued TikTok and its parent companies, alleging willful infringement of Stitch’s federal and common-law trademarks for Stitch Editing and Stich, as well as other claims, based on TikTok’s use of its editing feature called Stitch.

STREAMING

Netflix released 1160 episodes of content in 4Q22, topping Prime Video (323), Disney (207), and Hulu (174), according to data from HarrisX and MoffattNathanson. Total streaming minutes from all platforms rose 47% from the year-ago quarter.

The price of a new HBO Max ad-free monthly subscription in the US has been nudged up from $14.99 to $15.99. “This price increase of one dollar will allow us to continue to invest in providing even more culture-defining programming and improving our customer experience for all users,” said the streamer of its first price increase for a monthly subscription since launching in May 2020.

Demand Africa is now available on Prime Video. “This launch is in line with the growing interest by American audiences in African and global Black diaspora content giving each of us a lens into new cultures, stories, and experiences,” said Chris Eckman, SVP of Operations and OTT Services of The Africa Channel, which owns and operates Demand Africa as a separate, standalone service.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

ESPN’s Monday night Super Wild Card game presented by Verizon featuring the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will air on January 16 at 8p across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes. NFL+, available on tablets and phones, will also carry the game. In advance of kickoff, ESPN’s studio shows will descend upon the Tampa area with multiple versions of “First Take” and a two-hour “NFL Live” ahead of “Monday Night Countdown.” “Get Up” and “SportsCenter” will also have a presence in Tampa.

Wanna bet? Across its partners, Simplebet’s handle during the national championship game between Georgia and TCU was nearly $4M, up from $1.7M in the same game in 2022. 158K wagers were placed during the game, marking an 226% increase on previous year. More than 22% of all betting activity came from the state of New York.

Former ESPN reporter Allison Williams and former producer Beth Faber are suing the sports net and Disney over its Covid-19 vaccination requirement. The plaintiffs maintain the requirement is a violation of their religious beliefs. Both were let go by ESPN in late 2021.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment struck an international partnership with DirecTV Latin America that will deliver Anthem’s Invicta Fighting Championships to countries throughout South America. The agreement will give DirecTV subscribers in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela access to Invicta FC events. Each event will be shown on DirecTV Latin America’s dedicated fight channel, D-Fight, and broadcast live and in Spanish.

The National Hockey League has partnered with Pepsi to launch the Pepsi Zero Sugar NHL Goalie Challenge, a new free-to-play weekly pick ‘em game, where each week, NHL fans in the US and Canada will have the opportunity to pick three NHL goalies to either get a win, have the most saves, have the fewest goals against and have a shutout, for a chance to win NHL prizes. Fans have until Tuesdays at 7p each week to make their picks.

GOING GLOBAL

Endemol France has acquired a majority stake in Puzzle Media, a production entity specializing in action, adventure, and alternative culture. The deal sees the label expand its development potential in the sports space, particularly in digital and non-linear.

Cineflix Rights has acquired the worldwide rights to new format “Tempting Fortune” from Voltage TV, which has been commissioned by Channel 4 for the UK and Roku for North America.

Curious Films has been commissioned by BBC Factual to produce a documentary for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer that explores the secret workings of the tabloid press, public relations, and agents which led to the high-profile public bust-up between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy.

All3Media International has announced that Canada’s Bell Media has acquired the CBS adaptation of “Lingo.” Simulcasting with CBS’s launch in the US, the game show airs on channel CTV.

2023 Sports Media Awards

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RATINGS

Calendar year 2022 ended on a negative note for most of syndication veterans thanks to holiday scheduling, football preemptions and the fact that many shows offered only repeats. For the week ending January 1, only three of the major strips in first run above a 0.6 household rating were able to advance from last year at this time: “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (0.9 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 13% from the same week one year ago), “The Drew Barrymore Show” (0.8, up 60%) and “Tamron Hall” (0.7, up 17%).

Broadcast Nielsen Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of December 26 ranked in order by HH Rtg
Jeopardy (CMV) 5.2 AA
Family Feud (CMV) 5.0 AA
Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 4.8 AA
Judge Judy (CMV) 4.2 AA
Inside Edition (CMV) 2.1 AA
Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 1.9 AA
The Big Bang Theory (WB) 1.7 AA
Live With Kelly and Ryan (DAD) 1.6 AA
Dateline (AT) 1.4 AA
Hot Bench (AT) 1.3 AA

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Tuesday, January 11
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: The Conners 4.15 (0.6), The Goldbergs 2.63 (0.4), Abbott Elementary 2.94 (0.5), Home Economics 2.21 (0.3), Big Sky 2.23 (0.2)
CBS: Price Is Right at Night 4.79 (0.6), Lingo 3.08 (0.5), Tough as Nails 1.91 0.3)
CW: Penn & Teller: Fool Us 0.58 (0.1), Kung Fu 0.23 (0.0)
FOX: Name That Tune 1.68 (0.4), Special Forces 1.81 (0.4)
ION: Blue Bloods 1.01 (0.1), Blue Bloods 0.93 (0.1), Blue Bloods .80 (0.1)
NBC: Chicago Med 6.80 (0.6), Chicago Fire 5.45 (0.7), Chicago P.D. 545 (0.6)
Telemundo: Exatlon Estados Unidos: All Stars 1.13 (0.3), La Reina del Sur 0.92 (0.3), Amor Y Traicion 0.76 (0.2)
Univision: Vencer La Ausencia 1.36 (0.4), Mi Camino Es Amarte 1.55 (0.5), La Cabo 1.48 (0.5)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Banijay has appointed Steve Matthews as Content Partnerships Executive. Matthews joins from HBO Europe, where he was VP, Executive Producer, Scripted.

Blue Ant Media announced the promotions of Carlyn Staudt to General Manager, Love Nature and Head of Commissioning, Global Media; Julie Chang to EVP, Business Strategy and Co-productions, Global Media; Sam Linton to VP, Production and Development, Global Media; and James Manfull to Commissioning Editor, Love Nature. Katie Bauer Murdock has joined the wildlife and nature brand as Executive Producer.

Monique Francis has joined HOORAE, the entertainment media company owned by Issa Rae, as Head of Marketing. Francis was previously a client strategist within the Entertainment and Culture division of MediaLink.

Genius Brands International announced the creation of Genius Networks, consolidating Kartoon Channel!, Frederator Network, and Ameba TV under the new banner. Todd Steinman will spearhead the business unit as President, Genius Networks.

Gaming lifestyle company XSET has promoted Operations Manager Jacob Arce to a new role as Head of Esports.

Hot Snakes Media has named Valerie Idehen as Vice President of Unscripted. Idehen most recently served as Director of Development for Propagate Content.

This Day in History
1794 – Congress changed the US flag to 15 stars and 15 stripes.

Friday Fun Fact
Sea sponges have no head, mouth, eyes, bones, heart, lungs, or brains and yet they are alive.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
What is the name of the ‘90s sitcom in which Melissa Joan Hart explains typical coming-of-age issues? “Clarissa Tells All” (1991-94). Kudos to: Jamie Bugner-AMC Networks/NYC; Misha Leister-Warner Bros. Discovery/NYC; Amy Guthrie-Mediaassociates/Sandy Hook, CT; Michael K. Flanagan-Effectv/Boston; Brienne Chance-LocaliQ/Phoenix; Dale Warshaw-KMSB/KTTU/Tucson; Tom Boyd-WGN/Chicago; Sally Sluss-Spectrum Reach/St. Louis, MO; John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas; Kyle Krebs-Fox13/Memphis; Adam Leston-Wiegel Broadcasting/Milwaukee; Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago; Richard Quan-Deloitte Digital/San Francisco; Julie Baritz-Observatory/LA; Randall Bosley-Studio Talent Group/Santa Monica, CA; Melissa Friedman/LA; Pete Hazell-Warner Bros. Discovery/London

Today’s Trivia Question
What was Sarah Jessica Parker’s first TV role after “Sex and the City” (1998-2004)? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.)

Cynopsis Team