A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM A+E NETWORKS

THE EYES HAVE IT
See how A+E Networks’ premium content drives views
wherever your customers are watching.

Through our in-house studios, studio partnerships and global co-pros, our premium content is powering new areas of A+E Networks’ expanding portfolio.

PREMIUM TALENT. PREMIUM CONTENT. PREMIUM PARTNERSHIPS.

A+E NETWORKS
THE HISTORY CHANNEL | A&E | LIFETIME | LMN | FYI | VICE ON TV

Today’s Premieres
BET: The Wine Down With Mary J. Blige at 10p
CBS: Survivor at 8p; True Lies at 10p
Disney+: The Mandalorian
Hulu: Wreck
Netflix: Cheat
TV5Mondeplus: En Francais s’il me Plait

Today’s Finales
Fox: Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test at 9p
ID: Homicide Hunter: American Detective at 10p

IN THE NEWS

Axe is back: Damian Lewis will return to “Billions” for season seven, appearing in six out of 12 episodes. Lewis left the Showtime drama after its fifth season to spend more time with his family in the UK (his wife, actress Helen McCory, died in April 2021 from cancer), saying at the time, “I’ll miss the ‘Billions’ family. Yep, some jobs are more than just a job.” Toney Goins, who plays Philip, has been upped to series regular.

Television remains the most important influence through all stages of the purchase decision process, in all key demos, according to a GfK study commissioned by TVB. Highlights include:
* Among those who cited TV as most important for awareness, two-thirds of respondents chose broadcast TV versus cable.
* Local broadcast television news is #1 for trust among media platforms.
* Social media is the least trusted.
* More exposure to TV ads means more action, importance, trust, and preference.

Fox issued a statement about Dominion’s lawsuit asking for $1.6 billion, which the voting technology company alleges it is owed for false claims made on Fox News about a rigged election in 2020. “Dominion’s lawsuit has always been more about what will generate headlines than what can withstand legal and factual scrutiny, as illustrated by them now being forced to slash their fanciful damages demand by more than half a billion dollars after their own expert debunked its implausible claims. Their summary judgment motion took an extreme, unsupported view of defamation law that would prevent journalists from basic reporting and their efforts to publicly smear Fox for covering and commenting on allegations by a sitting President of the United States should be recognized for what it is: a blatant violation of the First Amendment.” In its own statement, Dominion said, “Dominion is a strong believer in the First Amendment and its protections. As long-settled law makes clear, the First Amendment does not shield broadcasters that knowingly or recklessly spread lies.”

Peacock is getting Reelz. The cable channel’s live linear feed and on-demand programming hits NBCU’s streaming service today, including the net’s biggest show, “On Patrol: Live.” Exception: The Tuesday 10p “Major League Wrestling” hour on Reelz, which conflicts with Peacock’s WWE deal.

Dish Network was struck with a cyberattack that left customers’ personal data vulnerable. “The services of cyber-security experts and outside advisors were retained to assist in the evaluation of the situation,” said the company in a filing with the SEC.

Keeping the faith: Cinedigm, owner of Dove Channel, is acquiring movie review and rating service Dove.org – founded to “encourage and promote the creation, production, distribution of wholesome family entertainment” – and streaming platform Christian Cinema, from Giving Company. “Over the last few years, we have perfected what we think is the best approach to enthusiast streaming: giving customers more of what they want in the medium they want – movies, podcasts, editorial, commerce – under the business model of their choice,” said Cinedigm President and Chief Strategy Officer Erick Opeka.

Nexstar Media Group reported financial results for 4Q22 that included record 4Q net revenue of $1.49 billion, up 19.3% versus the same quarter of 2021. Core ad revenue of $447.5 million was down 3.3%, while political ad revenue of $266 million was up 1307%. “Our strong financial results are a referendum on the power of the broadcast model and its ability to deliver audiences at scale and strong levels of free cash flow,” said Nexstar Chairman, President and CEO Perry A. Sook. Asked on an earnings call about The CW – Nexstar acquired 75% of the network last year – Sook said the goal is to air programming that is “a little more noisy and will get attention and get eyeballs,” along with “sports opportunities that could bleed into primetime.”

OLIVER, the in-housing company, announced the official launch of InKroud, a division committed to creating representative work that accurately and progressively portrays diverse consumers. Tyra Jones-Hurst, a Business Director at OLIVER, initiated the establishment of InKroud late last year, answering a call from clients to meaningfully connect with diverse communities.

2023 Measurement & Data Bootcamp

Check out the agenda for this year’s Bootcamp!

Cynopsis is proud to present Measurement & Data Bootcamp, which will cover the topline basics of media measurement, including audience, impression, frequency, reach, CPMs, and outcome. Join us on June 13 in NYC for crucial discussion around consistent measurement across platforms from real world professionals!

REGISTER NOW

PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

9 Story Media Group has entered into a development deal with youth conservation organization Earth Rangers to create a new animated comedy series to empower kids and their families in the face of growing anxiety over the state of the planet. In addition to the series, the teams are also working on a 6-episode serialized podcast.

Hulu has partnered with OVFX Studios, the animation studio from the Outlook Company, that will make the streaming service the new home for the “Kulipari” franchise based on the children’s books written by former NFL player Trevor Pryce. The third season, entitled “A King Rises,” will be a three-episode arc that brings the “Amphibilands” saga to a close with the coronation of a new King of the Lands in late 2023. The first two seasons, which premiered on Netflix, are streaming now on Hulu.

M-Net, South African producer Quizzical Pictures and Fremantle have teamed for a new eight-part drama series, “White Lies,” starring Natalie Dormer (“Games of Thrones”) and Brendon Daniels (“Four Corners”). The crime thriller explores race and inequality.

Scott Sternberg Productions is partnering with CJ ENM to bring Korean lifestyle series “Get It Beauty” to the US. The show invites beauty specialists such as physical trainers, hairdressers, and make-up artists into the studio to demonstrate their expertise to a live studio audience who actively participate in the tutorials.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Former NFL star Tre Boston and wife Cierra have been named the new hosts of The Weather Channel’s “Fast: Home Rescue,” starting June 18 at 10p.

TLC’s “Seeking Brother Husband,” following four polyandrous relationships, premieres March 26 at 10p.

Season 10 of Science Channel’s “How the Universe Works” premiers March 5 at 10p, as cosmological experts offer viewers a look at the latest discoveries in space and astronomy.

A new season of “Beach Cottage Chronicles” debuts March 17 on Magnolia Network, followed on March 28 by the return of “Restored.”

SPORTS ROUNDUP

Euroleague Basketball, the organizer of the two top European club basketball competitions, and United Media have renewed their partnership, which secures the exclusive rights to broadcast all Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup matches in Greece, Serbia, Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina and North Macedonia. The multi-year deal continues United Media’s strategy of expanding its portfolio in Southeast Europe, where basketball is one of the dominant sports.

Franklin Sports inked a partnership agreement making Franklin Sports X-40 the official ball of the inaugural Pickleball Slam, a tournament featuring tennis legends Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, John McEnroe, and Andy Roddick competing for a $1 million purse. The Pickleball Slam will be held at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL on Sunday, April 2 and televised on ESPN.

Nitro Circus and Round Room Live struck a multi-year global partnership that will see the action sports authorities return to North American arenas for the first time in five years. The new production, beginning Fall 2023, will mix Nitro high-adrenaline feats combined with Round Room Live’s dedication to live entertainment.

STREAMING

Pluto TV is offering a new lineup of channels this month, including limited run channel Rocky Collection, featuring Sylvester Stallone’s boxing movies. Also on the way is Sailor Moon, along with over 2000 episodes from Paramount Media Networks shows. In addition, starting today, the new season of “WOW – Women Of Wrestling,” which premiered last September in national syndication via Paramount Global Content Distribution, will launch on Pluto TV with two episodes airing weekly from 8-10p. New episodes will continue to premiere on local stations in their weekend time slots.

FOX Weather, FOX News Media’s FAST weather service, has expanded its distribution to include Optimum, Spectrum and LG Channels. The service continues to be available via simulcast on FOX Business Network on weekend mornings,

TECH TALK

LiveRamp has introduced a new module for privacy-safe, multi-party collaboration on its Data Collaboration platform. The solution is designed for brands, publishers, retailers, platforms and data providers to collaborate with partners across channels, allowing users to navigate data requirements across partners while maintaining compliance with evolving privacy policies. More than 20 partners have worked with LiveRamp’s new solution over the past year, with early adopters including Ampersand, DISH Media, Snap, Inc., TelevisaUnivision, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Pinterest with the Albertsons Media Collective.

COMING UP

It’s Elvis-o-rama starting today on HBO Max. Ahead of the Oscars on March 12, the streamer is featuring three Elvis Presley movies, two documentaries, two concert films and Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar nominated “Elvis.”

Live-action fim “Peter Pan & Wendy” begins streaming April 28 on Disney+. “In making ‘Peter Pan & Wendy,’ we set out to craft a film that honors both the original J.M. Barrie text and Walt Disney’s animated adaptation; we wanted to invigorate our retelling with emotional sincerity, an open heart, and a grand yearning for adventure,” said Director/co-writer David Lowery.

HBO Documentary Films has acquired worldwide and television streaming rights to documentary short, “How Do You Measure a Year?”, from longtime HBO collaborator Jay Rosenblatt (“When We Were Bullies,” “Phantom Limb,” “The Darkness of Day,” “Human Remains”). Coinciding with Father’s Day, the doc will debut in June.

GOING GLOBAL

Employees at the BBC have voted to go on a 24-hour strike on March 15, over cutbacks in local TV and radio programming. The BBC maintains funding for local content hasn’t changed, it’s just being redistributed to “keep pace with changing audience expectations.” Members of the National Union of Journalists warned future action could impact the coronation of King Charles and Eurovision.

Big Media is partnering with Mexico/Florida-based production company BTF Media (“Break the Format” Media) to coproduce a true crime series based on the true story of a serial killer who evaded authorities on both sides of the border for 30 years. “The Railroad Killer,” which is being produced in both English and Spanish, has been licensed by A+E Networks EMEA for broadcast in the UK.

ITV announced sales of its drama, non-scripted and format titles, as well its new slate of programs. Among the offerings are medical thriller “Malpractice,” headed to The Roku Channel; “Nolly,” starring Helena Bonham-Carter, set to air in the US on Masterpiece on PBS, BBC First in Australia and PCCW in Hong Kong; and medical drama “Maternal,” sold to CBC Gem in Canada, Seven in Australia and TVNZ in New Zealand.

Prime Video announced the Amazon Original Francophone docuseries, “Pendant ce Temps en Cuisine,” which follows the fast-paced lives of six chefs over six months. The series premieres on Prime Video in Canada on March 10.

2023 Esports & Gaming Business Summit

Vegas awaits…

Join us in Las Vegas for Cynopsis Esports & Gaming Business Summit, the only conference that connects marketers to the elusive Gen Z audience, through the lens of gaming and esports. Learn how to grow your business, leverage this passionate global audience, and make world-class connections that will last.

REGISTER TODAY

RATINGS

For the first seven weeks of 2023, Sinclair Broadcast Group reports its free over-the-air, multicast television networks Comet, Charge!, and TBD have experienced year-over-year growth across all key dayparts in the P25-54 demo. Charge! saw a 54% jump, TBD rose 50% and Comet was up 5%.

Spectrum News averaged 2.2 million daily viewing households across its linear and digital platforms in February, ranking as the most-viewed network among Spectrum audiences.

Fox News was the most watched network in all of basic cable for the month of February, notching 94 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month. In total day, FNC delivered over 1.4 million viewers, 189,000 in the 25-54 demo and 121,000 among A18-49 demo. In primetime, FNC averaged 2.3 million viewers, 299,000 A25-54 and 198,000 A18-49.

Fox Business Network’s Business Day programming delivered an average 218,000 total viewers the month of February, while Market Hours programming hit 210,000 total viewers. FBN drew 135,000 total viewers and 14,000 A25-54 in Total Day viewership.

Basic Cable Top 10 for the week of February 20
Network, P2+ AA (000s)
Primetime
Fox News 2088
ESPN 1068
MSNBC 1060
HGTV 936
History 805
INSP 745
Hallmark Channel 742
USA 683
Food Network 679
TBS 668
Total Day
Fox News 1334
MSNBC 689
ESPN 505
HGTV 496
CNN 462
Hallmark Channel 424
INSP 414
Food Network 407
History 377
ID 377
Source: Nielsen

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, has done some tweaking. “I will continue to rely on the same incredible leaders who have delivered hit after hit onto our platforms and into our rich library, but have made some changes to our structure,” she said in a note to staff. John Landgraf, Chairman, FX Content and FX Productions, has been given oversight of National Geographic and Onyx, and Simran Sethi is now EVP, Programming and Content Strategy, ABC Entertainment and Freeform. Disney Television Studios’ Eric Schrier has seen his responsibilities expand to include its global original television strategy,

The National Lacrosse League announced industry veteran Kurt Hunzeker has been named to the newly created position of Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations. Hunzeker brings more than 20 years of executive sales, marketing, and brand building to the NLL, most recently as Vice President, Minor League Business Operations for Major League Baseball.

This Day in History
1912 – Isabella Goodwin became the first US woman to be appointed a detective, in NYC.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
The cast of which sitcom included an actor whose real-life brother played his adopted brother? “My Three Sons” (1960-72) starred Barry and Stanley Livingston as Chip and Ernie. Kudos to: Cathy Korda/Honolulu, HI; Lee Houck-CCC/LA; Phyllis McQuillan-MSG Networks/NYC; Douglas Hochstadt-Disney/NYC; Louis Lewow-FITE/Atlanta; Roger Furman-Sports Marketing Communications/Greentown, PA; John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas; Greg Stewart/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/A

Today’s Trivia Question
During which season of “Frasier” (1993-2004) do Niles and Daphne admit their feelings for each other? (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