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| Tuesday February 18, 2020 |
Tonight’s Premieres
Nat Geo: Life Below Zero Port Protection at 9p
truTV: Hot Ones: The Game Show at 10p
Tonight’s Finale
Food Network: Chopped at 9p
For streaming TV premieres, go here. |
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A Cynopsis Message From THE FUTURE NOW MEDIA FOUNDATION
Attention COLLEGE STUDENTS and SPONSORS!
FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference
May 27 – 29, 2020 / The Schimmel Center, NYC
Investing early in future leaders is critical to our companies’ and our industry’s growth and success. Sponsors, join FUTURE NOW and access, engage, recruit, and inspire our future leaders. Students, apply for this incredible opportunity to connect with today’s top industry executives.
Sponsors, contact Peggy Kim, [email protected].
Student application deadline: March 1. http://www.futurenowconference.com |
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| IN THE NEWS
CNN and Univision will host the Democratic presidential debate on March 15, taking place in Phoenix. It’s the fourth time CNN has hosted this election cycle, and the second time around for Univision. This will be the first debate after Super Tuesday on March 3; NBC News and MSNBC host tomorrow’s debate from Las Vegas.
Live mobile trivia game HQ has shut down, its 25 employees laid off. Launched in 2017, the game drew millions of players and plenty of buzz, but flamed out after setbacks including the death of cofounder Colin Kroll in December 2018. CEO Rus Yusopov said in an email obtained by CNN that a potential acquisition offer had fallen through and the company would “cease operations and move to dissolution.”
CBS chose Valentine’s Day to share the news that season two of Love Island will launch with a two-hour premiere on Thursday, May 21 at 8p. The show will air five nights a week, and this go-round will also have weekly recap episodes on Saturdays. Season one of the ITV Entertainment series, based on a UK format, launched in July.
Topher Grace (That ‘70s Show) will star in ABC comedy pilot Home Economics, centered on three siblings in very different financial circumstances. Grace will also exec produce the project from writers Michael Colton and John Aboud, the Tannenbaum Co., Lionsgate TV and ABC Studios.
Univision Communications is in advanced negotiations to sell itself to a group led by former Viacom CFO and investment banker Wade Davis, including Searchlight Capital Partners, according to the Los Angeles Times. Billionaire Haim Saban and his partners, who paid $13.7 billion for the company in 2007, were seeking $10 billion. Univision announced last summer it was exploring its options.
Netflix renewed Lucifer for a fifth and final season in June, but is in talks with Warner Bros. Television for season six. The drama, based a DC comic character, was canceled after three seasons on Fox, then picked up by the streamer.
One Netflix show that won’t be returning is Insatiable, starring Debby Ryan as a once-bullied girl out for revenge against her tormenters. The dark comedy lasted two seasons.
The number of YouTube creators earning five figures a year jumped by over 40% over the past year, wrote company CEO Susan Wojcicki in a blog post commemorating YouTube’s 15th birthday. Wojcicki also pointed to YouTube’s commitment to acting responsibly in the age of fake news, removing over 8.7 million videos in 3Q19.
The sports industry’s most influential executives and content creators will gather on Thursday, April 23rd in NYC for the 8th Annual Cynopsis Sports Media Awards Breakfast. Save the date and stay tuned for the full list of category finalists!
NBC has selected the 2019-20 class of its Alternative Directors Program, launched in 2018 to give experienced female and ethnically diverse directors the opportunity to expand their repertoire of alternative formats and directing styles with the ultimate goal of hiring them as show directors on an NBC or Universal Television Alternative Studios series. This year, the program directors will rotate through two to three alternative shows across the network’s daytime, primetime and late night line-up. Following the program, they will be considered for available series directing positions on NBC and Universal Television Alternative Studios shows. The new class includes Eve Adair, Ana Breton, Dale Lewis, Justin Mabardi, Stephanie Medina, JP Perez, Lauren Quinn and Jeannie Roshar.
CJC Television Network announced the launch of its family friendly 24/7 network in the LA market on channel 24.7, reaching over 5.1 million households. The network is free to LA viewers with an HD digital antenna or via a cable provider.
Linear and digital service Insight TV signed a new distribution deal for its HD channel with streaming service fuboTV. Insight TV is now available in fuboTV’s Adventure Plus package. Insight TV also inked a distribution agreement with Service Electric Cable and Communications and has deployed 4K set top boxes in throughout Pennsylvania. Insight TV will be available to Service Electric 4K customers as of March 1. |
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Cynopsis’ Measurement & Data Conference
Providing the tools & tech you need to solve today’s cross-platform challenges.
Session topics include: Addressable TV, Ad Fraud, Cross Media Measurement, Issues with Data Quality, Storytelling with Data and more.
Join us on 6/2 in NYC > SECURE YOUR SAVINGS PASS
Sponsored by: Gamut – Tubular Labs – Premion – Tunity |
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| PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
ABC ordered comedy pilot Adopted , to be written and exec produced by late night host Jimmy Kimmel. The project, inspired by the true story of a Green Beret who returns from military service to the challenges of the adoption of his new brother, a 12-year-old from Russia, comes from ABC Studios in association with KImmelot.
Yvonne Orji (Insecure) will star in a comedy special for HBO. Included will be footage shot in Nigeria in January and a taping later this month at Howard University. Art and Industry is producing the show, set to air this summer.
Stage 29 Productions (The Doctors, Bull) announced the creation of Stage 29 Podcast Productions. The new unit will premiere 500+ hours of programming in 2020 featuring topical conversations encompassing entertainment, health & wellness, self-improvement, relationships, business and more. Patty Ciano, executive producer of The Doctors, serves as executive producer of the podcasts, which will be available across all leading distribution platforms. For more, go here.
Netflix landed rights to Italian drama The Life Ahead, a project from Rome-based Palomar starring Sophia Loren as a Holocaust survivor who takes in a 12-year-old boy. “In my career, I’ve worked with the biggest studios but I can safely say that none have had the breadth of reach and the cultural diversity of Netflix, and that’s what I love about them. They have understood that you don’t build a global studio unless you cultivate local talent in every country and give these unique voices an opportunity to be heard,” said Loren.
Call for submissions: To be included in the Cynopsis Upfronts Online Navigator, 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].
Top 10 Weekend Domestic Box Office Estimates: February 14-16
Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount) $57.0 million, opening weekend
Birds of Prey (Warner Bros.) $17.1 million (week 2), cume revenue $59.3 million
Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island (Sony) $12. 4 million, opening weekend
The Photograph (Universal) $12.3 million, opening weekend
Bad Boys for Life (Sony) $11.3 million (week 5) cume revenue $181.3 million
1917 (Universal) $8.1 million (week 8), cume revenue $144.4 million
Jumanji: The Next Level (Sony Pictures) $5.7 million (week 10), cume revenue $305.7 million
Parasite (Neon Rated) $5.5 million (week 18) cume revenue $43.2 million
Dolittle (Universal) $5.1 million (week 5) cume revenue $70.5 million
Downhill (Fox Searchlight) $4.7 million, opening weekend
Source: Comscore
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
You would die for your children, but quite also often want to kill them, is the premise behind Breeders, a comedy launching on FX on Monday, March 2 at 10p. Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard star as parents juggling careers, aging parents and kids.
Also on the way from FX is docu-series The Most Dangerous Animal of All, making its debut Thursday, March 6 at 8p. Complete season will be available on Hulu the day after the linear premiere.
Coming back for season four on FX is Better Things, offering two new episodes on Thursday, March 5 at 10p.
Killing Eve returns for season three on Sunday, April 26 at 10p on BBC America and AMC. Season two of the series had the highest rate of growth of any returning TV drama since the final season of AMC’s Breaking Bad in 2013, doubling its season one audience in Live+SD; the show has already been renewed for season four.
Season three of TBS’s The O.G. kicks off Tuesday, April 7 at 10:30p, with Tray (Tracy Morgan) forced to find a new place to live and new ways to make money. Guest stars during the season include Mike Tyson, Katt Williams, J.B. Smoove, Sasheer Zamata, Marla Gibbs, John Amos, Zach Cherry, Chelsea Frei, Lord Jamar, Clifton Powell, Roy Wood Jr., H. Michael Croner and Andrew Richardson.
TECH NEWS
Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired data-driven audience planning and targeting agency Media Storm from founders Craig Woerz and Tim Williams. The company will provide technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle with expanded capabilities across verticals.
The National Cable Television Cooperative announced at its Winter Educational Conference a new initiative that allows NCTC member companies to purchase Amazon Fire TV streaming devices at a discount. The NCTC also said it has completed an agreement with Techint Labs that gives NCTC member operators access to affordable digital lead generation programs developed by Techint, as well deals with PerfectVision, a provider and manufacturer of cable and telcom infrastructure products, and CCI Systems that give NCTC members price discounts.
COMING UP
Tied to the launch of Amazon Prime Video series Hunters, starring Al Pacino and Logan Lerman, Prime Video will turn LA’s Highland Park into 1970s New York with era specific details from the series. The activation will take place from February 19-22. Guests at the “Hunters’” Grindhouse Experience will be able to watch a sneak preview of the first episode, then attend a “killer afterparty” set in 1977 featuring Easter eggs and plot points from the show.
Caroline Rhea (Sabrina The Teenage Witch) will headline More Women of a Certain Age, a comedy special premiering Saturday, March 14 at 10p on Showtime. Also going for laughs are Carol Leifer (Seinfeld), Carole Montgomery (Comics Unleashed), Julia Scotti (America’s Got Talent), Tammy Pescatelli (Finding The Funny) and Thea Vidale (Last Comic Standing) in the show, filmed at the Bell House in Brooklyn.
NBC Sports will mark International Women’s Day on March 8 by using an all-female crew to broadcast and produce the NHL match-up between the St. Louis Bues and Chicago Blackhawks. Kate Scott will offer play-by-play with US Olympic gold medalists Kendall Coyne-Schofield and AJ Mleczko. “We aren’t just bringing women together for the sake of bringing women together,” said producer Kaitlin Urka. “These are professionals who are some of the best at what they do and do these jobs on a regular basis. International Women’s Day just gives us a unique platform to celebrate their great work.”
CASTING
Dedee Pfeiffer (For Your Love) will co-star in ABC procedural thriller The Big Sky, executive produced by her brother-in-law, David E. Kelley…Lance Gross (Star) has landed on Hawaii Five-0 as a season ten guest star…Omar Epps (Love and Basketball) has boarded the cast of Starz prequel Power Book III: Raising Kanan, reports Deadline.
GOING GLOBAL
Endemol Shine Group announced that Spanish production company Diagonal is launching a new original TV series for Atresmedia SVOD platform ATRESplayer Premium. The Luimela fiction format is a spin-off series of long running television hit Love is Forever and will launch as six short form episodes, each 8- 10 minutes in length.
UK’s Channel 4 decided not to air a new show, The Surjury, hosted by Caroline Flack, the former host of ITV’s Love Island, who died by suicide on February 15 at age 40. Flack was replaced on Love Island after being charged with assaulting her boyfriend, charges she denied. “We are shocked and saddened to hear the tragic news about Caroline Flack,” said a Channel 4 rep. “Our deepest sympathies go out to Caroline’s family and friends. Under the circumstances, we have decided not to broadcast The Surjury.”
Sinking Ship Entertainment struck a sub-distribution partnership with D&D Pictures for distribution of Dino Dana The Movie. Based on the TV series, the dinosaur adventure begins its international museum window this June.
UGC Writers Campus by Series Mania, an immersive week-long writing workshop for 20 emerging TV drama writers throughout Europe, will run as part of Series Mania from March 20-27, 2020. The president of the campus will be Eli Horowitz (Homecoming), with Season 2 set for this Spring. The 20 selected screenwriters will be also tutored by screenwriter Jeppe Gjervig Gram (Follow the Money, Borgen) and screenwriter and story consultant Nicola Lusuardi (Bulletproof Heart, 1992), over the course of the program.
KIDS CORNER
Thomas & Friends will be chugging to a new US TV home, Netflix. Season 23 of the animated series, which aired on Nick Jr., will be available on the streamer next month, with its 24th run arriving later this year. |
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TOP WOMEN IN MEDIA
BRIGHT. BOLD. UNSTOPPABLE.
Cynopsis is gearing up to recognize the Top Women – trailblazers who are pushing the industry forward, while empowering & inspiring others. We’re looking for innovators, risk-takers and those instrumental in executing strategy.
It’s an opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague who stands out in the space.
[ NOMINATE BY 4/16 ]
(sponsored by Turnkey Search) |
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| RATINGS
American Idol launched its third season on ABC to win Sunday among A18-49 with a 1.5 rating, and 8.05 million. The series premiere of Fox’s Duncanville at 8p drew an 0.5 rating in the demo and 1.5 million viewers.
Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Thursday, February 13
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: Station 19 5.98 (0.9), Grey’s Anatomy 5.55 (1.0), Million Little Things 3.70 (0.6)
CBS: Young Sheldon 8.84 (1.0), The Unicorn 6.04 (0.8), Mom 6.26 (0.8), Carol’s Second Act 4.87 (0.6), Tommy 4.41 (0.4)
CW: Katy Keene 0.56 (0.1), Legacies 0.62 (0.2)
FOX: Last Man Standing 3.68 (0.6), Outmatched 2.17 (0.5), Deputy 3.38 (0.5)
NBC: Superstore 2.34 (0.6), Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1.79 (0.5), Will & Grace 1.96 (0.4), Indebted 1.53 (0.3), Law and Order: SVU 3.32 (0.7)
UNIVISION: Ringo 1.54 (0.4), Amor Eterno 1.84 (0.6), Rubi 1.59 (0.6)
TELEMUNDO: Exation Estas Unidos 1.24 (0.4), La Dona 0.84 (0.3), Operacion Pacifico 0.99 (0.4)
Source: Nielsen, live + same day time period averages
EXECUTIVE MOVES
MGM Television tapped Richard Bedser to serve as EVP of Factual Series, Documentaries and Specials. Bedser launched Two Halves Pictures, which closed at the end of 2019, and was showrunner for History’s The Bible and NBC’s A.D.
IN MEMORIAM
Actress Lynn Cohen died February 14. She was 86. Cohen, who was perhaps best known to TV audiences for her role as Magda on Sex and the City, more recently appeared on series including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Chicago Med and God Friended Me.
Voice actor Jason Davis died February 16. He was 35. Davis voiced the character of Mikey Blumberg on Disney Channel’s Recess, and appeared on Dave’s World and Roseanne as a child. |
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This Day in History
1503 – Henry Tudor was created Prince of Wales.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which future Oscar winner once played Bert Convy’s daughter, a girl who had a mad crush on Danny, on The Partridge Family (1970 to 1974)? Jodie Foster. Kudos to: Melissa Friedman/LA, Rick Dascher-Warner Media Studios/Atlanta, David Martinez-Electus/NYC, Anne Lunanuova-St. Joseph’s University/Philadelphia, NY, Andrew Goldman-Fathom Events/NYC, John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas, Anthony Salerno-Horizon Media/NYC, Les Stipp-GSD&M/Chicago, John Langermann-Fox 36/Toledo, Greg Stewart/LA, Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA, Tom Boyd-WGN/Chicago, Eric Litt-Nexstar/Chicago, Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA
Today’s Trivia Question
Which two series each won five consecutive Best Comedy Emmys? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four.) |
SR ANALYST, RESEARCH
Warner Media
NYC
Track/analyze/report advertising trends & dvlpmnts, especially as they are projected to affect ad sales. 3+ yrs relevant work exp incl linear, digital & social media mktplace knwldg. V-Lookups, Index-Match, Pivot Tables, Data Connections/Queries, etc.; VBA/Macros a +. Full info HERE (2/27)
MANAGER, AD SALES MARKETING >>
Crown Family Networks/NYC: Dvlp 360-degree advertiser-driven mktg programs while ensuring our brand value proposition, network voice & pgrmng priorities anchor every proposal. 3-5yrs ad sales mktg or related field. Flawless att to detail a must. Full info HERE (2/28)
AD SALES MARKETING COORDINATOR >>
Crown Media Family Networks/NYC: Responsible for supporting the Ad Sales team with client communication materials, event coordination, advertiser sponsorship opportunities, premiums and promotions. Min 2 yrs exp mktg or advertising at an entertainment co. Full info HERE (2/28)
SALES SERVICE SUPERVISOR >>
A+E Networks/NYC: Responsible for training of all new SSR’s, responding to system issues & questions from users & reinforce all Policies & Procedures necessary to provide the best possible customer service to both internal and external client. Full Info HERE (2/28)
DIRECTOR, DIGITAL CONTENT >>
INSP/Charlotte NC: Oversees all website & digital content initiatives. Proven successful exp mngng creative digital-first content, creating websites & digital properties a must as well as . proven track record showing strong growth. 5+yrs exp leading mngmnt of a website property. Relo pkg avail. Full info HERE (2/26)
SALES DIRECTOR >>
VENN/NYC/LA: Entrepreneurially minded self-starter to come in & help drive rev through brand partnerships. Passion for media biz & 5+ yrs track record of success as individual contributor in media sales. Familiarity w/digital & linear media landscape, technologies, platforms & brands. Full info HERE (2/26)
SALES PLANNER >>
VENN/NYC/LA: Passionate self-starter to play key role in our revenue org to help drive our business forward. Partner w/sales team to create proposals, presentations & media plans to bring to mkt. 2+ yrs track record of exp in similar role at media co. Familiarity w/dig & linear landscape. Full info HERE (2/26)
INTEGRATED MARKETING MGR >>
VENN/NYC: Ideal candidate will work cross-functionally with Sales & Prod to ideate/oversee execution of breakthrough creative opps for brand partners across Media, Content and Experience. Must be creative thinker & problem solver. Track record of success in similar role at media company, working with video and experiential assets. Full info HERE (2/26)
DIRECTOR, PRICING STRATEGY & INVENTORY >>
Pluto TV/NYC: Play a meaningful role in Ad Sales driving revenue growth through improved yield. Partner w/SVP of Nat’l Ad Sales & other key ad sales execs within the org. 8-10yrs in a pricing, plan’g or revenue operations dept specializing ad sales @ linear ntwk or online video digital publisher. Full info HERE (2/26)
WRITER PRODUCER EDITOR >>
NBCU Entertainment/Universal City CA: Talented Writer/Producer/Editor brilliant at crafting promos & trailers as they are social & digital videos, with a keen ability to tell different types of stories on diff platforms. Min 3 yrs brdcst network or ent cable network exp on-air promo as a writer/prod/editor. Full info HERE (2/25)
SPECIALIST, MUSIC & MEDIA CLEARANCES >>
MLB Network/Secaucus NJ: Resp to help ensure that assigned media content & products, whether licensed, library, stock or original are cleared for air. 1- 3 years’ work exp at a TV, Film, Licensing or Media Company. Full understanding of music licensing is req’d. Full info HERE (2/25)
DIRECTOR MEDIA RELATIONS >>
FX Networks/NY: Resp for launching/sustaining new & returning shows, planning/executing goal-focused PR campaigns, contributing to the advancement of PR objectives, and cultivating media support and awareness of FX Networks. Min 7 yrs exp in media/PR – previous exp in TV, network or studio a + Full info HERE (2/21)
SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE >>
(NBC/TLMD Chicago): Primarily responsible for delivering sales revenue, as well as cultivating and developing new advertisers for the station’s multi-platform properties. Min 3 yrs exp in sales and/or marketing roles start-up, media company exp. Full info HERE (2/21)
SR DIRECTOR, CONSUMER MARKETING >>
INSP/Charlotte NC: Relocation package offered. Responsible for leading INSP’s consumer mktg strategy, campaign dvlpmnt & executional oversight to effectively drive awareness, reach, and ratings for all off-channel initiatives.7-10 yrs exp ent, brand mktg, ad cable/streaming. Full info HERE (2/21)
PR MANAGER >>
MAGNOLIA/NYC: Looking for an energetic PR Manager under the new JV with Chip and Joanne Gaines. Must be ready for hands on, fast paced, high pressure environment. Looking for a talent driven, creative PR pro with prior media/tv experience. Must have at least 3+ yrs of new talent experience. Full info HERE (2/19)
RESEARCH MANAGER >>
HGTV/NYC: HGTV is looking for a strong Research Manager for their linear insights team. Will be driving all brand/industry related reporting for the net while presenting and providing insight to managing teams. Must have 5+ yrs exp in tv research and leadership/supervisory role. Full info HERE (2/19)
DIR, DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA >>
TV ONE/Silver Spring, MD: Seeking individual to direct and implement the content/marketing strategy for TV One’s digital platforms, including website, social media, apps and mobile. Must be a detailed-oriented multi-tasker with previous entertainment television network exp. Full info HERE (2/19) |
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Tuesday February 18, 2020
ABC: The Conners, Bless This Mess, mixed-ish, black-ish, For Life
CBS: NCIS, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted
CW: The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
FOX: The Resident, Gordon Ramsey’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back
NBC: Ellen’s Game of Games, This Is Us, New Amsterdam
PBS: Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Frontline
Telemundo: Exation Estas Unidos, La Dona, Operacion Pacifico
Univision: Ringo, Amor Eterno, Rubi |
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