Star Wars: Rogue One star Diego Luna and former Mexican President Vincente Fox will join late night host Conan O’Brien primetime special, CONAN Without Borders: Made in Mexico. Shot on location in Mexico City, the hour-long special is set to premiere Wednesday, March 1, at 10p on TBS. It’s O’Brien’s sixth international trip in the past 2 years.
 
Disney CEO Bob Iger expressed confidence in ESPN, despite cord cutting affecting the sports net’s pay-TV penetration. During a 4Q16 earning call, Iger said, “Clearly the deals we have done with new platform owners, mostly over-the-top, have already yielded some nice gains from those services in subs, but they’re not right now being counted fully by Nielsen.” In addition to a deal with Hulu, Iger refered to “another entity that hasn’t been announced,” as well as ongoing discussions with other players.

Sesame Workshop launched a “Spread Kindness, #ShareTheLaughter” year-long campaign, with kindness-themed episodes on Sesame Street’s 47th season on HBO and PBS Kids, as well as new and classic videos and songs celebrating kindness on Sesame Street’s social media channels.

Season 3 of ID weekly podcast Detective launched yesterday. The podcast features the star of new ID series Murder Chose Me, Detective Rod Demery, whose obsession with solving his mother’s murder drove him to a career in justice. Murder Chose Me arrives Wednesday, February 15 at 10p.

Universal Cable Productions is holding its second UCP Pitch Fest, an open forum for undiscovered storytellers. This year the studio is targeting entries focused on diversity, and expanding its outreach efforts by partnering with NBCUniversal Talent Infusion Programs. As part of the April competition, selected candidates will have an opportunity to pitch their idea to UCP’s development team and the NBCUNI executive team. The winning pitch will be placed into development and will receive guidance and fostering throughout the process. Interested candidates can get more info here.

In related news, NBCUniversal Talent Infusion Programs has a winner  comedian/musician JR De Guzman was the last comic standing in the 13th Annual StandUp NBC search for comedians of diverse backgrounds. De Guzman has been awarded a one-year talent holding deal and opportunity to perform before bookers across the country.

Days after Dish TV announced its “Tuned In To You” brand promise to customers, DishLATINO launched “Sigue Haciendola” (“keep pressing on”), a comprehensive campaign celebrating U.S. Hispanics. “It’s about recognizing and inspiring Latinos who are working hard to build a better life in the U.S. while also continuing to value their heritage,” said Alfredo Rodriguez, VP of DishLATINO. Elements include TV spots starring producer and director Eugenio Derbez, a campaign anthem and photo storytelling inviting Latinos to share their stories with customized images.

Trump bump: NBC has moved the season finale date for This Is Us from March 7 to Tuesday, March 14 at 9p, followed by the series premiere of Trial & Error at 10p. The change was made to accommodate President Donald Trump’s first address before the joint session of Congress on February 28. The second-to-last freshman episode of This Is Us will air March 7 at 9p, followed by an original Chicago Justice.

Showtime is offering a free preview weekend from Friday, February 17-Monday, February 20, on Showtime, Showtime on Demand, Showtime Anytime and via TV Everywhere portals. That’s in time for a live boxing championship event on Saturday at 9p, and a Sunday marathon of season one of Billions starting at 9a, leading to a new episode of Homeland at 9p an the season 2 bow of Billions at 10p.

Nielsen signed a multiyear renewal agreement with CBS Television Stations for the measurement company’s Local Television Measurement, which includes Local Digital in TV numbers. The deal covers stations in 17 markets.

21st Century Fox reaped about $350 million from its participation in the FCC’s broadcast spectrum auction, in which broadcast TV station owners could sell a portion of the broadcast spectrum licensed to them by the FCC. “This spectrum sale is not expected to lead to any material change in the operations or results for Fox Television Stations or for any of the affected television markets,” said the company.

The Paley Center for Media announced initial talent participants for the 34th annual PaleyFest Los Angeles. Fan festival takes place March 17-26 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with stars and execs from shows including The Walking Dead, Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, This Is Us, Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS: Los Angeles, Orphan Black, Bob’s Burgers, Pretty Little Liars, Late Late Show, Westworld, Scandal and American Horror Story: Roanoke.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Nicole Kidman has optioned bestseller The Expatriates via her Blossom Films, to be adapted for television. Kidman and Per Saari will exec produce with POW! Productions’ Theresa Park.

Another Hollywood A-lister, Jessica Chastain, along with writer Todd Komarnicki (Sully) and producer Christina Wayne (I’m Dying Up Here), is plotting a TV project. The trio are teaming for an event series about women barred from the space program at NASA in the 1960s. Project is set at ITV Studios America.

NBC ordered an espionage drama pilot for Redliners, written by Emerald City EP Shaun Cassidy and Kelly Sue DeConnick (Pretty Deadly), who will exec produce with David Janolarri via Universal Television and David Janollari Entertainment. 

HBO ordered a 10-episode season of drama Succession, about a powerful, dysfunctional family, written/exec produced by Jesse Armstrong (Peep Show).

Angie Tribeca returns to TBS for season 3 on Monday, April 10 at 10:30p. Guest stars lined up include Chris Pine, Natalie Portman, Michelle Dockery, Ed Helms, Rachel Dratch, Jean Smart “and many, many, many, many more.”

Season 3 of comedy Catastrophe debuts on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, April 28. The series had been renewed for seasons 3 and 4 by UK’s Channel 4.

Netflix news: Season 3 of Grace & Frankie bows Friday, March 24. Comedy Girlboss, about a woman who builds a fashion empire, premieres on Friday, April 21, while Dear White People, a comedy based on the independent feature, arrives one week later and Anne of Green Gable reboot Anne has a May 12 premiere date. The streaming service’s Orange Is the New Black returns for season 5 on Friday, June 9. Judd Apatow comedy Love was renewed for season 3, and sci-fi series The OA and Travelers landed sophomore runs.

Theories about the impending countdown to destruction are explored in American Heroes Channel series How the World Ends. Six-parter premieres Sunday, February 12 at 10p, with Nostradamus’s eerily accurate predictions.

On Saturday, February 11, Fuse Media’s FM celebrates Drake with The Drake Effect: The Videos, a collection of the musician’s most iconic videos, airing at 10:30p, followed by the The Drake Effect at 11p. 

The New York Television Festival, which includes a competition for independently produced pilots, is expanding to add a sixth day of events in October, to focus on the writing process, and adding a Chicago event in April that will include panels and pitch opportunities. “The NYTVF has evolved a lot in its first dozen years, but the central goal has always been two-fold: provide a platform for storytellers across the episodic spectrum to showcase their work and simultaneously serve as a filter and curator of independent work for the greater industry,” said NYTVF founder Terence Gray. “More opportunities for more creators is always a good thing.”

Premier Boxing Champions: The Next Round on Bounce is headlined by lightweight world champion Robert Easter defending against Puerto Rican contender Luis Cruz. Televised coverage begins Friday, February 10 at 9p.

Fuse is counting down to Sunday’s Grammys with a half-hour music block of nominees included in the categories of Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Duo or Group Performance, Best Rap Album, and Record of the Year every day at 11a. On Sunday, February 12 Fuse is running a 2-hour music block of the most nominated artists, with episodes of Moesha, Sister Sister, Malcolm & Eddie, Belly, and Belly 2, which all feature artists who have been nominated in the past.

Performers at the 2017 Stellar Awards, celebrating gospel music, will include Tamela Mann, Shirley Caesar, Jekalyn Carr, Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin, Bizzle, Canton Jones, Da’ Truth, JJ Hairston and Youthful Praise,Travis Greene, VaShawn Mitchell, Tasha Cobbs, Doug Williams, Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson & Da Chozen Brothaz. TV One premieres the show on Sunday, April 9 at 7p, with encores at 9p and 11p. The ceremony will also air in national broadcast syndication on 170 stations from April 15-May 7.

HBO’s Game of Thrones picked up 5 visual effects wins at the VES Awards, all for its “Battle of the Bastards” episode. Starz’ Black Sails also notched a win.

Litton Entertainment won 20 awards from the Parent’s Choice Foundation. Programs honored included shows in Litton’s Weekend Adventure block on ABC, shows in CBS Dream Team: It’s Epic! block, and programming in NBC’s The More You Know brand and CW’s One Magnificent Morning and Go Time blocks.

Nominees for the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards will be announced on CBS This Morning Thursday, February 16. AMC winners Lady Antebellum will do the honors; awards show airs Sunday, April 2 at 8p on CBS.

Jodie Turner-Smith has been upped from her recurring status on season 4 to series regular for season 5 of TNT’s The Last Ship, launching in 2018.

Yara Martinez (Jane the Virgin) has been elevated from guest star to series regular on upcoming Amazon comedy The Tick, following an accountant who realizes his city is owned by a super villain.

Brian d’Arcy James (Hamilton), Trieste Kelly Dunn (Blindspot) and Elizabeth Reaser (Mad Men) have been Discovery’s upcoming scripted series Manhunt: The UNABOMer (formerly known as Manifesto), set to air this year.

Robert Wisdom (The Wire) and Q’orianka Kilcher (The New World) have joined the cast of TNT’s The Alienist, based on the Caleb Carr bestseller. Series is slated to premiere in late 2017.

Starz and Starz Encore services are now available on AT&T streamer, DirecTV Now. For $8/month, subscribers will have access to more than 2,500 episodes and movies at launch.

Epix is now available on Apple TV(4th generation) to authenticated subscribers. New subscribers can also gain access to a limited free trial of the app exclusively on Apple TV.

SundanceNow will live-stream the Film Independent Spirit Awards, along with the live telecast on IFC on Saturday, February 25 at 5p. Oh Hello on Broadway stars Nick Kroll and John Mulaney host the ceremony.

Shudder, the suspense and horror streaming service backed by AMC Networks, has acquired North American rights to horror comedy Prevenge. Available in NYC and LA theaters and on Shudder starting March 24, the film follows a pregnant woman on a killing spree, whose baby is coaching her from the womb.

Dubai’s OSN inked a long-term MENA deal to keep exclusive rights to Disney XD, Disney Junior and Disney Channel HD. OSN also launched Disney Channel Pop Pick Play, Disney Forever, Disney English and Disney Channel Hindi for an enhanced online/ On Demand experience, also available on OSN Play.

UK’s Royal Television Society announced nominations for the RTS Television Journalism Awards. Among the nominees are BBC News Channel, CNN International and Sky News for News Channel of the Year, and BBC News at 10, Channel 4 News and The Victoria Derbyshire Programme for Daily News Programme. Winners will be announced in a ceremony in London on March 1.

Superights has found homes for kids show Pat the Dog with Turner’s Boomerang across EMEA and Asia Pacific, where it will also play on Turner’s POGO and Cartoon Network Channels.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules hit a Live+3 season high among P18-49 and P25-54, delivering 1.5 million P18-49 (up +5% versus the prior week’s episode), 1.7 million P25-54 (up +8%), and 2.4 million total viewers (up +9%). Top Chef hit a season high among P18-49, delivering 1 million P18-49 (up +1%), 1.2 million P25-54, and 2 million total viewers (up slightly).

Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XIII was the second highest-rated Puppy Bowl ever with a 1.11 rating from 3-5p on Sunday among A25-54 in L+SD, up +4% from last year’s game and ranking behind only Puppy Bowl X in 2014 (1.25). The cutefest averaged 2.5 million total viewers P2+ from, up +12% versus Puppy Bowl XII in 2016.

Disney Channel‘s Stuck in the Middle: Stuck in the Waterpark: The Movie (is the series’ #2 telecast on record among total viewers (2.48 million), Kids 2-11 (1.32 million/3.3 rating), Kids 6-11 (936,000/3.9 rating) and A18-49 (668,000/0.5 rating).

RLTV’s Gig Barton was promoted to Senior Vice President of Ad Sales. Barton will report to Roy Ennis, RLTV’s GM.

Carat US CEO Doug Ray has been named its first President, Product and Innovation, and Michael Epstein has been promoted to CEO, Carat US. In his new role role, Ray will drive Dentsu Aegis’s holistic product agenda, helping clients to access the breadth and depth of capabilities across the network and lead the development of integrated, tailored client solutions.

Canada-headquartered TV production and distribution company Media Ranch appointed Tanja van der Goes to establish the company’s first European office. Van der Goes was most recently Format and Brand Director, Creative Networks at Endemol Shine Group.

Integrated production company Tool has added director Rachel McDonald to its live-action roster. McDonald’s first work for Tool centered around the 2017 Grammy Awards.

Roberta Caploe: Publisher @robertacaploe
Diane K Schwartz: Senior Vice President, Media Communications Group 

Cynopsis Ad Sales: Mike Farina | VP, Sales | 203-218-6480
Cynopsis Job Listings Sales: Trish Pihonak | Director of Operations | 203-899-8459

Copyright Cynopsis 2017