Today’s Premieres
Disney+: Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever; The Low Tone Club
FX: Snowfall at 10p
HGTV: The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project at 9p
Netflix: Triptych; Murdagh Murders: A Southern Scandal
Prime Video: Melody
Smithsonian Channel: Island of the Monsoon at 8p

Today’s Finales
CBS: Tough as Nails at 9p
PBS: Dogs in the Wild at 8p

IN THE NEWS

Judge Greg Mathis wasn’t off the bench for long. Days after Warner Bros. announced the cancellation of syndicated court series “Judge Mathis” after 24 seasons, Allen Media Group announced the launch of “Mathis Court with Judge Mathis,” a daily one-hour strip set for fall 2023. “We at Allen Media Group are proud to add ‘Mathis Court with Judge Mathis’ to our amazing portfolio of court shows,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Judge Greg Mathis is an outstanding, charismatic, and iconic television host, and we are extremely confident that our eighth and newest court series with Judge Mathis will be very successful for years to come.”

CBS has gone on a renewal spree. Among reality shows, “Survivor” will be back for season 45; “The Amazing Race” will have a 35th lap; “Tough As Nails” returns for season six; and RuPaul-hosted “Lingo” scored a season two renewal just a month into its freshman run. The net ordered a 55th season of “60 Minutes,” and a 36th season of “48 Hours,” while drama “NCIS” was given the go-ahead for a 21st run, and “NCIS: Hawai’i,” and “CSI: Vegas” made it to season three.

People over 35 spend an average 43% of their entertainment screen time on TVs, versus 17% of viewers ages 13-24, according to a report from Hub Research. Gen Z spends over twice the time on gaming than their elders (22% versus 10%) – a trend that shows no sign of retreating. “Gen Z is just as passionate about entertainment as their Gen X parents and Boomer grandparents, but they are content omnivores, and TV is just one of a constellation of things competing for their attention,” said Jon Giegengack, Founder and principal at Hub. “Most importantly: So far, there’s no reason to think they’ll outgrow their attachment to short-form video or gaming as they get older.”

CNN anchor Don Lemon will be back on the air as co-host of “CNN This Morning” today. Lemon had been absent since Thursday, after outcry over his comment that 51-year-old Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime, sorry.” Lemon soon apologized for the remark, and CNN chairman Chris Licht sent a memo to staff on Monday evening saying he’d had a “frank and meaningful conversation” with Lemon, adding, “It is important to me that CNN balances accountability with fostering a culture in which people can own, learn and grow from their mistakes.”

The Black Music Action Coalition and the Academy of Country Music are partnering to launch, sustain and support “OnRamp,” a guaranteed income program for 20 young, Black members of the music community, including artists and industry professionals, in Nashville. The OnRamp program is focused on improving inclusivity and equity in Music City.

The 2024 Golden Globe Awards have a date, January 7, but not a place. The scandal-plagued Hollywood Foreign Press Association had a one-year deal with NBC for a Dick Clark Productions-produced show that delivered an all-time low 6.3 million viewers on a Tuesday night (instead of the traditional Sunday). The ceremony is looking for a broadcast deal for next year…

…Unlike the 54th NAACP Image Awards, which has a date (February 25 at 8p), a slew of networks (the show will be simulcast across BET, BET Her, CBS, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, Paramount Network, Pop TV, Smithsonian, TV Land and VH1) and now a host, Queen Latifah. “This is a night to celebrate Black excellence and Black contribution to our industry and beyond,” said Latifah. “Celebrating one another, lifting each other up and you know we’ll have fun doing it!”.

Ovation TV and partner Charter Communications announced the recipients of the 2022-2023 Stand For The Arts Awards, which recognizes local arts, cultural and educational organizations and programs. This year, recipients include Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy in Brooklyn, NY; Donkey Mill Art Center in Hawaii; the Duluth Art Institute in Minnesota; and the Latino Theater Company in LA, among others.

House Speaker Kevn McCarthy has given Fox News host Tucker Carlson over 40,000 hours of surveillance footage from the January 6 attack on the Capitol, reports Axios, a move that has former members of the January 6th Committee concerned. “It’s hard to overstate the potential security risks if this material were to be used irresponsibly,” said committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS). Said Carlson on Monday’s show, “We believe we have the right to see whatever we want to see.”

Kevin Costner – or, at least, his attorney – has taken issue with a report that the Oscar winner attempted to cut back on his hours at “Yellowstone.” “The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of ‘Yellowstone’ is an absolute lie,” Costner’s attorney, Marty Singer, told Puck News. “As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”

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PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

A long-gestating HBO production based on the life of Napoleon Bonaparte appears to be accelerating. At the Berlin Film Festival, director Steven Spielberg said of the project, written by Stanley Kubrick, “We’re mounting a large production for HBO on based on Stanley’s original script ‘Napoleon.’ We are working on ‘Napoleon’ as a seven-part limited series.” Kubrick, who died in 1999, had envisioned the project as a film.

A new adaptation of Agatha Christie novel Murder is Easy is being produced by Mammoth Screen (“The Serpent”) and Agatha Christie Limited (“And Then There Were None”) for BBC One and iPlayer, in a co-commission with BritBox International. The two-part thriller will film this summer and is adapted for the screen by Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre and directed by Meenu Gaur (“World on Fire”).

ITV America (“Queer Eye”) and Good Company have partnered to produce new unscripted series “Category Is” (working title). The eight-episode docuseries exploring Ballroom is currently being shopped.

Hallmark Medi announced the selection of Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe (“Signed, Sealed, Delivered”) as the inaugural participant in its Make Her Mark Women’s Directing Program. Conceived and founded by Ashley Williams (“Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday”), Make Her Mark is an on the job mentorship program that allows aspiring female filmmakers to shadow established directors throughout the entire production process of a Hallmark movie. Each candidate will then direct her own Hallmark film, with the same mentor assuming the role of shadow and executive producer.

YouTube star JoJo Siwa and Pure Imagination Studios are teaming to develop TV projects based on pop group XOMG Pop!. First out of the gate is an animated children’s series following the group as they tour the universe.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

A new show hosted by former White House press secretary Jenn Psaki, “Inside With Jen Psaki,” debuts Sunday, March 19 at noon on MSNBC. Psaki, who joined the news net last year as a contributor, is also developing a new streaming show and social show, and will continue to serve as an analyst on MSNBC and NBC News.

Food Network takes ten up-and-coming chefs to Tuscany in “Ciao House,” hosted by Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and Tuscan-born Chef Gabriele Bertaccini. In addition to cooking, the competitors must navigate alliances and rivalries starting Sunday, April 16 at 9p.

Season three of Starz drama “BMF” will featureGrammy winners 2 Chainz and Ne-Yo in recurring roles. Season two of the crime drama premiered in January.

A series of live-action shorts, “What Can You Become?”, rolls out on PBS Kids starting March 3. Each three-minute episode illustrates how a child’s interests today can lead them to a fulfilling future career as they meet professionals with jobs that match those interests.

Hulu scooped up all six episodes of BBC comedy/thriller “Am I Being Unreasonable?”. The UK hit will debut as a Hulu original on April 11.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

BT Sport will be rebranded as TNT Sports when the streaming sports joint venture from Warner Bros. and BT Group launches in the U.K at the start of the soccer season. WBD’s Eurosport will also eventually roll into the new brand. “Today is another important step towards the launch of a simpler and even more compelling offering for sports fans in the UK and Ireland,” said Andrew Georgiou, Managing Director of WBD Sports Europe.

Overtime is diving into boxing with the launch of OTX. This August, OTX will host a summer series with four weekend match cards at OTE Arena. DAZN will serve as OTX’s exclusive media rights partner in with C4 Energy® brand as an inaugural sponsor. “These next waves of fighters have remarkable stories of grit and perseverance,” said Brandon Rhodes, GM of OTX. “We feel privileged that we can help empower them as they work to reach their dreams and share their stories with Overtime’s millions of fans.”

MLB Network will air at least one live Spring Training game for 32 consecutive days beginning with the Boston Red Sox vs. Atlanta Braves on Saturday, February 25 at 1p. The New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays follow on Sunday, February 26, live at 1p. For all Spring Training games involving two MLB teams, Major League Baseball’s new rules for 2023 – the pitch timers, shift restrictions and bigger bases – will be in effect.

Baseball legend Curt Schilling has joined OutKick to host “The Curt Schilling Baseball Show,” a video podcast debuting Friday, February 24 with new episodes every Tuesday and Friday during MLB Spring Training. The show will feature Schilling’s vast baseball knowledge, expert analysis, and unvarnished opinions.

Pacific Life announced a new five-year partnership with the PGA Tour as part of its Official Marketing Program. The agreement, which runs through 2027, gives Pacific Life the designation of “Official Life Insurance Sponsor of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.” Pacific Life plans to amplify its brand via broadcast and online advertising, support various tournaments on the schedule, and engage with PGA Tour players to enhance brand awareness.

Travel company Insider Expeditions is teaming with John and Patrick McEnroe to bring the tennis pros to Tanzania this December as part of a new goodwill, awareness and sport initiative. In cooperation and support of the Tanzanian government, the Brothers McEnroe will be accompanied by as many as 120 tennis aficionados during an eight-day trip which will include the dedication of a tennis court in the Serengeti.

Pro League Network announced the launch of PLN Picks, a weekly TV show airing on sports networks including NBC Sports California, AT&T Sportsnets, beIN Sport, MASN, Stadium Sports and more. The show offers a weekly look at the games, matches and meets in PLN sports, including CarJitsu, SlapFIGHT Championship, World Strongman, Major League Paintball’s NXL ProSeries, Pillow Fight Championship, and U.S. Pro Mini Golf, among others. “Since launching, we’ve seen bettors and sports fans really get excited about the sports in our portfolio,” said Co-Founders Mike Salvaris and Bill Yucatonis. “The opportunity to bring our sports to a broader audience through our new show is really exciting.”

STREAMING

NewsNation, a Nexstar Media Group property, announced the launch of NewsNation-branded connected-television apps on a variety of major platforms, including Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire, Android TV and Samsung devices. The free NewsNation apps offer OTT viewers clips and highlights of news from NewsNation and content from NewsNation’s talk show lineup, “CUOMO,” “Dan Abrams Live,” “Banfield” and “On Balance With Leland Vittert.” Local weather reports from Nexstar’s local stations are also available and targeted to viewers’ locations.

Global streaming sports rights will rise 64% in 2023, to $8.5 billion, according to Ampere Analysis. In 2022, DAZN, which invested $2.6 billion, was the biggest spender on global sports content, followed by Amazon Prime Video, with $1.6 billion, primarily for its NFL “Thursday Night Football” package.

BET continues its year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop with a video written by rapper Black Thought. Produced by director Benny Boom the four minutes and 35 second tribute, “Dear Hip Hop,” can be found on YouTube.

FilmRise has entered into a deal with Orange Heart Productions to distribute digital series “Uncle Roger” as part of the FilmRise Creator Partner Program. The partnership will see the digital series packaged and distributed by FilmRise into an episodic format and distributed onto SVOD, AVOD, TVOD and FAST platforms worldwide.

TECH TALK

Advertising groups are pushing the Federal Trade Commission to reject a law professor’s petition to have the FTC regulate some programmatic ads as it considers issuing privacy regulations. “The reasonable use of data provides tremendous benefits to consumers, the economy, and society as whole, and helps assure our nation’s current competitive position globally,” said the Interactive Advertising Bureau. “Were the petition to be granted, the unreasonable restrictions on the data-driven digital advertising ecosystem would significantly impede innovation, reduce consumer choice and increase consumer costs, as well as create barriers to entry for new market participants.” Brooklyn Law School professor Jonathan Askin maintains people shouldn’t have to bear the burden of reading a privacy policy, rather, “the burden to be compliant and respectful of privacy should be placed on those who have the knowledge, expertise, ability, and resources to do so – the ad tech companies themselves.”

COMING UP

Start TV will celebrate Women’s History Month with a new special, “The Power of Perseverance: Strength Through Struggle,” sharing the true stories of an inspirational group of women who have persevered through challenges. The one-hour special premieres Saturday, March 11 at 11p.

GOING GLOBAL

Canada’s Corus Entertainment is rebranding of two of its linear kids’ television channels. On March 27, Teletoon will become Cartoon Network, and the current Cartoon Network channel will relaunch as Boomerang.

Paramount+ has six new drag queen specials headed for Canada. First up: “Peppermint: so-Sigh-Ety Effects” on Friday, February 24.

Channel 4 has commissioned a new comedy series from Fremantle’s Dancing Ledge Productions (“The Responder”). Written and created by Camilla Whitehill, “Big Mood” portrays female friendship when infiltrated by the complexities of a serious mental illness.

GoQuest Media has finalized sales for three series. bTV Media Group’s digital platform VOYO Bulgaria has acquired the SVOD rights to crime thriller “Rats,” Serbian spy thriller “Civil Servant,” and romantic drama “Secrets of the Grapevine.”

French animation production and distribution company Dandelooo has struck a deal with Moonworks Productions and Amopix Studios for new hybrid 2D animation series “The Super Heroes of Nature.” The deal gives Dandelooo exclusive worldwide distribution rights to the kids’ show.

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RATINGS

The Thursday, February 16 premiere of Fox comedy “Animal Control” launched as the network’s most-streamed scripted debut ever in Live + 3 Day ratings. Posting 4.5 million multi-platform viewers, a lift of +114% from Live + Same Day, “Animal Control” registered 1.3 million streaming viewers on Hulu and Fox Now.

Top 10 Streaming Shows for the week of February 13, 2023
Program, Platform, Total Actions, Total Content, Actions per Content, Fans & Followers
Outer Banks (Netflix), 12.0m, 16, 747,197, 5.6m
You (Netflix), 1.8m, 37, 49,467, 2.0m
Bridgerton (Netflix), 1.8m, 14, 126,850, 3.8m
The Last of Us (HBO Max), 1.6m, 48, 33,885, 1.2m
The Mandalorian (Disney+), 1.2m, 22, 54,424, 2.6m
Shadow and Bone (Netflix), 1.1m, 19, 56,794, 869k
The Chosen (Prime Video), 669k, 22, 30,413, 1.2m
Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), 419k, 4, 104,656, 1.4m
The Boys (Prime Video), 404k, 5, 80,725, 3.3m
Get Organized with the Home Edit (Netflix), 288k, 25, 11,506, 7.1m
Source: Comscore Social Powered by Shareablee

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Friday, February 17
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: Shark Tank 3.91 (0.5), 20/20 2.79 (0.3)
CBS: Greatest @Home Videos 3.38 (0.3), Fire Country 3.24 (0.2), Blue Bloods 3.55 (0.3)
CW: Penn & Teller: Fool Us 0.59 (0.1), Whose Line Is It Anyway 0.58 (0.1), Whose Line Is It Anyway 0.55 (0.12)
FOX: WWE Friday Night SmackDown 2.38(0.6)
ION: Hawaii Five-0 1.20 (0.1), Hawaii Five-0 1.09 (0.1), Hawaii Five-0 0.92 (0.1)
NBC: Lopez vs Lopez 2.13 (0.3), Young Rock 1.38 (2), Dateline 2.44 (0.3)
Telemundo: La Casa de los Famosos 1.23 (0.3), El Señor de los Cielos 1.31 (0.5), Amor y Traición 0.9 (0.2)
Univision: Vencer la Ausencia 1.45 (0.4), Mi Camino es Amarte 1.50 (0.4), Cabo 1.31 (0.4)

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Former ABC News President James Goldston has joined Candle Media to serve as President of a new division focused on scripted and unscripted content inspired by true stories. “We have known James for many years, through our collective time together at Disney,” said Candle heads Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs. “He is a world class storyteller, with a unique ability to turn real life stories into engaging, premium content across a variety of formats and platforms. We look forward to working with him to integrate and expand these capabilities as part of Candle.”

IN MEMORIAM

Actress Barbara Bosson died February 18. She was 83. Bosson was best known for her Emmy-nominated role of Fay Furillo on “Hill Street Blues.”

This Day in History
1784 – The first US ship to trade with China sailed from New York.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
In which series did John Goodman play an English professor? “Treme” (2010-13). Kudos to: Aaron Paquette-AccelerateSG/Fort Worth, TX; Dana Keith-Great American Family; Kevin McDonough- GroupM/NYC; JoAnn DiNapoli-DeSales Media Group/Brooklyn, NY; Kathryn Tesoriero-GroupM/NYC; Anne Sessions-Red October Productions/Annapolis, MD; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M andS Entertainment/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
Which sitcom was renewed for a 22-episode second season in 2001, but shut down production after just 19 episodes in 2002 due to low ratings? (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