Today’s Premieres
Apple TV+: The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray; The Snoopy Show
CW: Charmed at 8p
Disney: Raven’s Home at 8p
HGTV: Selling the Big Easy at 9p and 9:30p
Magnolia: The Craftsman
Netflix: Life After Death With Tyler Henry; Once Upon a Time…Happily Never After; Formula 1: Drive to Survive
Prime Video: Pete the Cat; Upload
Travel Channel: The Ghost Town Terror at 10p

Saturday’s Premieres
A&E: Flipping Down South at 12p
HGTV: Build It Forward at 6p; Mash-Up Our Home at 8p
Snap: Addison Rae Goes Home

Sunday’s Premieres
discovery+: Help! My House Is Haunted: Celebrity Edition
HBO: Game Theory with Bomani Jones at 11:30p
NBC: Weakest Link at 9p
TV5 Monde USA: L’Art du crime at 12:15a

IN THE NEWS

“Nick Cannon” has been canceled after six months. The syndicated talker is averaging a 0.4 household rating. “It’s never easy to cancel a production with clear potential but, after a great deal of deliberation and examining various options, we have made the difficult business decision to end production on Nick Cannon,” said Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein, Co-Presidents of Debmar-Mercury. Original episodes will continue to air through the remainder of this season. Don’t cry for Cannon – he’s still at work on Fox’s “The Masked Singer” and VH1’s “Wild ‘N Out.”

“Judge Jerry” has been canceled after three seasons by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios. The court show, which opened strong but has seen viewership dwindle, will remain on the air through September.

Also off the table is “The Good Dish,” which replaced “Dr. Oz” this season after host Dr. Mehmet Oz left to run for a Senate seat. Sony Pictures Television is said to be looking to clear the show on a different platform. The show averaged a 0.4 household rating.

Discovery raised $30 billion for its merger with WarnerMedia, a debt offering that ties for the fourth-largest US high-grade bond issue on record, according to Bloomberg. Order books were reported to reach nearly 3.5 times the available bonds.

“Saturday Night Live” cast member Pete Davidson will star in a comedy inspired by his own life. The series, from Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video and Universal Television, is exec produced by Davidson, co-writers Dave Sirius and Judah Miller, Michaels, Andrew Singer and Erin David.

HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” is coming to an end after a 10-season run. The home renovation series is hosted by Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack, who went through a divorce during the show’s run – but both still have a home on HGTV. “We look forward to seeing more of Tarek and Christina’s real life, real estate and renovation adventures in upcoming episodes of their solo series ‘Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa’ and ‘Christina on the Coast,’” said the network.

WarnerMedia has created a new hub, WM Inclusive, as “the intersection of all things Equity + Inclusion” across the company’s brands, content and programming. Set around the motto, “When You See Us, You See You,” the destination for WM’s culture and content is designed to help move conversations forward around representation and amplify the voices of underrepresented creators and talent.

In honor of the Disney+ film “Polar Bear,” premiering Friday, April 22, DisneyNature and the Disney Conservation Fund will support Polar Bears International in their efforts to help protect polar bear mothers, cubs and their Arctic home. PBI is deploying a new aerial radar detection tool to allow aircraft to identify polar bear dens, and working with Arctic communities to reduce potential human-bear conflicts.

The National Football League hasn’t tried to block the launch of the USFL, home to spring football starting April 16, said Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch at a Morgan Stanley investor conference. “The NFL has actually been tremendously helpful to us in thinking through and setting up the USFL,” said Murdoch. “They haven’t tried to obstruct it at all. In fact, it’s the opposite. They’ve helped us.” Fox and NBC will broadcast USFL games this spring.

MEASUREMENT & DATA CONFERENCE AGENDA IS SET

Best Alternative Currencies – The New Definition of Audience, Advertising on CTT/OTT and SO much more! Walk away with the tools you need to effectively take on today’s cross platform challenges.

Check out the full agenda and join us in NYC on June 7th!

REGISTER NOW

PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

ABC is taking a bite out of true crime with an order for “Who Do You Believe?” form Lime Pictures. The series tells the stories of true crime cases through two different perspectives, leaving the audience to deduce the truth. Lime’s Head of Unscripted Programming Sarah Tyekiff and EVP, Unscripted Ben Crompton exec produce.

Family drama “Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons,” based on the book by the same name, has been ordered by BET. The four-parter from Tri Destined Studios (“The Family Business”) and set in Sag Harbor will debut in summer 2022.

“Ex on the Beach” has been renewed for seasons five and six by MTV. Season five of the dating series debuts Thursday, March 31 at 8p.

Amazon Studios gave a two-season order to an adult animated comedy from comedian/writer/director Ramy Youssef (“Ramy”) and A24 to stream on Prime Video. Youssef’s Cairo Cowboy has a first-look deal with Amazon Studios.

IMDb TV has ordered a pilot for “Western,” a period comedy from Sony Pictures Television, Amazon Studios and Lord Miller. The project, set in the 1800s, is centered on a young woman who travels out west to meet a husband only to be catfished by a teenaged boy.

Netflix announced a slate of 25 new original French productions coming in 2022, including a teen adaptation of “Dangerous Liaisons.” Twenty projects are currently in production, the streamer revealed during a presentation in Paris.

Fremantle has acquired a 25% stake in Henrik Bastin’s Fabel Entertainment (“Bosch”). “Fremantle and Fabel share a deep-seated passion and ambition for important and diverse storytelling from around the world and we are honoured that they have chosen us as their partner for the next stage of their exciting adventure,” said Jens Richter, Fremantle International CEO.

Epix struck a deal with Banijay Rights for a second season of historical drama “Domina,” from producer Tiger Aspect. The new season will chronicle the struggle for control of the Roman Empire, and of Rome’s Imperial Family from a female perspective.

India de Beaufort (“Firefly Lane”) landed a lead opposite John Larroquette and Melissa Rauch in NBC’s upcoming “Night Court,” a sequel to the 1984-92 sitcom.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

The sixth and final season of Netflix period drama “Peaky Blinders,” currently airing in the UK, makes its debut in the US and other markets on Friday, June 10.

Season nine of TLC mother ship “90 Day Fiance” premieres Sunday, April 17 at 8p. Last year, the reality show was the #1 unscripted show with all key adult and women demos. Since the show’s original debut in 2014, 4.3 billion hours of “90 Day” content have been consumed.

AXS TV’s “Music’s Greatest Mysteries” kicks off season two on Wednesday, March 23 at 8p, exploring stories like Jim Morrison’s father’s possible role in the start of the Vietnam War.

Pastry chef Stephanie Boswell helps failing bakery owners in Food Network’s “Bake or Break,” starting Monday, April 11 at 10p. In each of four episodes, Boswell and her team make over bakeries about to go bust.

COMING UP

Country music star Kelsea Ballerini and actor Anthony Mackie (“Avengers” franchise) will host the “2022 CMT Music Awards,” airing Monday, April 11 at 8p on CBS.

TECH

Verizon is partnering with Meta to explore metaverse opportunities. The goal is to “understand the foundational requirements for the metaverse and its applications,” said Chief Strategy Officer Rima Qureshi during Verizon’s analyst day. “Our collaboration with Meta will explore how Verizon’s MEC infrastructure can deliver intensive XR cloud rendering and low latency streaming.”

Pinterest announced it will launch Idea Ads, an Idea Pin created and promoted by a business that includes a destination URL and the ability to follow a business account. Now in beta, Idea Ads was unveiled at the company’s global advertiser summit.

Place Exchange, the supply-side platform for programmatic out-of-home media, announced a partnership with Clear Channel Outdoor Latin America, provider of digital OOH media in Latin America. The partnership will enable marketers to execute OOH media campaigns programmatically via their preferred demand-side platforms, delivering messaging to audiences throughout Latin America.

STREAMING

Peacock’s premium subscribers will be able watch MSNBC shows including “Morning Joe,” as well as specials and documentaries, on demand, as MSNBC’s existing channel, The Choice from MSNBC, is folded into Peacock. The company is “reimagining the MSNBC experience by adding the core of our perspective programming to Peacock and reaching audiences wherever they are and however they choose to consume content,” said MSNBC President Rashida Jones.

Shudder has acquired rights to the “Deadstream” ahead of its anticipated premiere at SXSW. The film follows a disgraced internet personality who faces off against a sinister spirit in a haunted house. Promised Craig Engler, GM of Shudder, “Deadstream is wickedly crowd pleasing, the rare horror comedy as frightening as it is funny.”

UPFRONTS UPDATES & CALENDAR

The Interactive Advertising Bureau released the agenda for PlayFronts, representing the gaming industry. “Gaming is an untapped ‘attention oasis’ that embodies many of the characteristics of the next wave of the internet,” said IAB Vice President-Experience Center Zoe Soon. “As an industry, we can’t afford to keep neglecting the massive source of consumer attention that gaming provides.” Onboard are Meta (9:20a), Activision Blizzard (9:40a), Frameplay (10a), Niantic (11:05a), Admix (11:25a), Unity (11:50a), Zynga (1p), Bidstack (1:20p), Riot Games (1:45p), Anzu (2:10p), Twitch (3:15p), IGN (3:35p), SuperAwesome (3:301), and PlayerWON (4:10).

March 15: National CineMedia at 11:30a (Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago)
March 15-16: Black Owned Media Upfront at 1p (virtual)
March 22: NBCUniversal’s One22 Conference at 11a (30 Rock Studio H, NYC)
March 23: Fox’s Content Drives Commerce Brand Partnership Summit (Fox Lot, LA)
March 24: Nickelodeon at 4p (Palladium Times Square, NYC)
March 28: National CineMedia at 11:30a (Film at Lincoln Center, NYC)
April 12: Black Owned Media Upfront at 1p (virtual)
April 5: PlayFronts (NYC)
April 6: Disney’s Sports Summit (virtual); AMC Networks at 6:30p (The Peak in Hudson Yards, NYC); National CineMedia at 11a (Academy of Motion Pictures, LA)
April 25: Disney Storyteller’s Showcase
May 2-6: IAB NewFronts
May 2: NBCUniversal/Peacock NewFront
May 3: Roku at 11:30a (Caldwell Factory, NYC)
May 16: NBCUniversal (Radio City Music Hall, NYC); Telemundo (Ziegfeld Theater, NYC); Fox (Skylight, NYC)
May 17: Discovery (Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC); Disney (Basketball City at Pier 36, NYC); YouTube Brandcast at 8p; Univision (Javits Center in NYC)
May 18: Paramount (Carnegie Hall, NYC); WarnerMedia (Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, NYC)
May 19: The CW (New York City Center Theater, NYC)

GOING GLOBAL

Banijay has acquired the exclusive format rights to an original new factual entertainment series from Rebelintown. Created by Jimmy Muteba at the South African based production company, “Still Got It!” sees people aged 60-80 competing in a series of challenges with the help of the Gen Z crowd.

Leeds-based production company Hell Fire! is developing drama series based on the bestselling DI Charley Mann novels by R.C. Bridgestock. Working title: “Mann.”

Samsung TV Plus and international content services and processing company ODMedia, announced The Netherlands launch of MojiTV, a kids’ channel featuring programs including “Peter Rabbit,” “Care Bears,” “The Smurfs” and more.

Australia’s ABC and Canada’s CBC announced the Kindred ABC/CBC Animation Collaboration, a joint initiative designed to nurture and support the kids’ production industry by funding new children’s animated projects in Australia and Canada. Canadian and Australian creators and producers can apply March 28-May 16.

SPORTS MEDIA AWARDS REGISTRATION IS OPEN

On April 19th at the New York Athletic Club in NYC we will gather to celebrate today’s industry leaders across production, marketing and technology! Don’t miss this opportunity to network and connect with them and each other.

Interested in bringing your team?
Tables of 10 are available for purchase as well as single seats.

REGISTER NOW!

RATINGS

Season one of HGTV’s “Holmes Family Rescue” averaged a 0.49 Live+3 rating among P25-54 and 0.56 among W25-54, increases of 43% and 20%, respectively, over the prior six weeks.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Wednesday, March 9
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: The Goldbergs 2.33 (0.4), The Wonder Years 1.56 (0.3), The Conners 1.76 (0.3), Home Economics 1.31 (0.2), A Million Little Things 1.83 (0.2)
CBS: Survivor 4.96 (0.8), FBK 1.93 (0.2)
CW: The Flash 0.59 (0.1), Kung Fu 0.63 (0.1)
FOX: The Masked Singer 4.15 (0.9), Domino Masters 1.68 (0.4)
NBC: Chicago Med 7.05 (0.9), Chicago Fire 7.14 (0.9), Chicago PD 6.38 (0.9)
Telemundo: Exatlon 1.07 (0.3), Hercai: Amor Venganza 1.10 (0.3), Pasion de Gavilanes 0.74 (0.2)
Univision: Soltero con Hijas 1.54 (0.5), Mi Fortuna es Amarte 1.69 (0.5), Madre 1.72 (0.5)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has promoted Darren Galatt to Chief Revenue Officer. Galatt’s previous title was President of Advertising Sales for Global Syndication, a position he held since 2016.

This Day in History
1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev replaced Konstantin Chernenko as the leader of the Soviet Union.

Friday Fun Fact
Falling coconuts kill more people than sharks do.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which series focused on the lives of characters named Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo? “Rome” (2005-07). Kudos to: Evan Williams-Roger Wilco Productions/New Canaan, CT; Joe Swaney-Purchasing Power/Atlanta; Matt Sautter-WideOrbit/York, PA; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton, FL; Tom Boyd-WGN/Chicago; Peter Steckelman-Tennis Channel/Santa Monica, CA; Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA; Richard Quan-Heat/San Francisco; David Garber-Loyola Marymount University/Playa Vista, CA

Today’s Trivia Question
Which Miami-set sitcom followed the relationship of two musicians? (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