INTRODUCING HOME.MADE. BUILT FOR YOU
A&E’S DESTINATION FOR THE HOME ENTHUSIAST IN US ALL
A STRONG FOUNDATION
Proven Track Record With 15+ Years in the Genre
BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS
A Growing Pipeline of Content and Opportunities through 2024
LET’S BUILD SOMETHING TOGETHER
Vast Universe with Multiple Touchpoints for Your Message

CONTACT YOUR A+E REPRESENTATIVE TODAY
HISTORY | A&E | LIFETIME | LMN | FYI | VICE ON TV

Thursday April 1, 2021

Today’s Finale
Food Network: “Dinner: Impossible” at 10p

IN THE NEWS

Univision announced 4Q20 results that included a revenue increase of 4%, to $722.9 million from $692.9 million. In Full Year 2020 versus Full Year 2019, revenue decreased 5%. New CEO Wade Davis sees great opportunity moving forward. “This is an exciting time for the Company as our audience continues to be at the cultural, economic and political core of America,” said Davis. “Our portfolio delivered the fastest ratings growth of any media company during primetime in 2020 among Total Viewers 2+, Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34…. We expect to drive meaningful near term growth by optimizing our core businesses and at the same time we will be evolving for the future by investing in our people, content, products and platforms to capture the huge and growing market opportunity to serve Spanish speakers across the US.”

While Starz has decided not to renew “American Gods” for a fourth season, the story will continue, according to executive producer Neil Gaiman. “It’s definitely not dead,” tweeted Gaiman, who wrote the book on which the drama is based. “Fremantle (who make AG) are committed to finishing the story that began in episode 1, and right now we’re all just waiting to see which way forward is best.”

The IAB 2021 Podcast Upfront, titled “Listen Up,” is set for May 11-13. Libsyn will be presenting at the Upfront for the first time; IAB will also feature nine “Showcase” presentations over the three-days, including Audio Up Media, AT WILL MEDIA, Blue Wire, Headgum, Kast Media, Locked On Podcast Network, QCODE, SpokenLayer, and Wonder Media Network. “Podcasting is a space where advertisers can utilize trusted content in a very purposeful way,” said Eric John, VP, Media Center, IAB. “Whether for branding or performance, advertisers are leveraging the intimate – and highly engaged – relationship podcast creators and hosts have with their listeners.”

Exiting the podcast arena is The E.W. Scripps Company, which closed it sale of Triton – which it purchased for $150 million in 2018 – to iHeartMedia for $230 million. Scripps also sold podcast company Stitcher in October, nearly doubling its return on that investment.

Advertising revenues will increase by +6.4% to $240 billion in 2021, according to the latest MAGNA US Ad Forecast, up 2.3 percentage points from the December projection. The upswing is due to a stronger economic outlook, supported by the new stimulus package, well-pacing COVID decline, and a return to normal sports events. More takeaways incude:
· The strongest ad spend growth rates will come from Travel, Automotive, Drinks, and Movies, following heavy ad budget cuts in 2020.
· Most advertising channels and formats will stabilize or grow ad revenues in 2021, with double-digit growth expected from social media, digital video, search and out-of-home, and low to mid-single-digit growth for national TV and radio.
· Cross-platform editorial media ad sales (linear+digital) will grow by +4% in 2021 (excluding cyclical), with television (including broadcast and cable TV plus long-form AVOD) up +4% and audio (including broadcast radio, streaming and podcasting) up +5%.

CBS gave a straight-to-series order to sequel “CSI: Vegas,” for the 2021-22 season. Returning to the franchise are William Petersen and Jorja Fox. “Twenty-one years ago, we launched ‘CSI’ and watched in awe as this new cinematic series launched an entire genre and became a groundbreaking juggernaut that still has global resonance today,” said Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment. “We are thrilled to welcome the next generation of forensic criminalists to the CSI brand and unite them with the legendary characters from the past who we still love, including the extraordinary Billy Petersen and Jorja Fox. Crimefighting technology has advanced dramatically over the last several years, and combined with classic ‘CSI’ storytelling, we can’t wait to watch this new CSI team do what they do best: follow the evidence.”

Cable operator Cable One launched Sparklight TV, a new app-based pay-TV service, in Longview, Texas; Bisbee, Arizona; Altus and Duncan, Oklahoma; and Dyersburg, Tennessee last month, with more markets set for April. “We anticipate transitioning all Sparklight-served markets to Sparklight TV on a market-by-market basis by the end of 2021,” said the company.

Who are the female role models and trailblazers making an impact? Cynopsis wants to know. Entries are open for Cynopsis’ Top Women in Media! This fall, we will be honoring the leading women in our industry who are innovating and risk-taking. The deadline to enter is May 6 – get started here.

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and The College Board announced the scholarship recipients of the Triunfadores campaign, guiding Spanish-speaking families through the college planning process. For the first time, two students, Juliana Balanzar from La Jolla High School in San Diego, Calif., and Isaias Torres from Elmer L. Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., each received from the College Board a $40,000 scholarship for their efforts to plan and pay for college.

Over 130 BIPOC media figures signed a letter to PBS CEO Paula Kerger saying PBS has demonstrated a “systemic failure to fiulfill a mandate for a diversity of voices.” The letter points to PBS’ decades-long exclusive relationship with Ken Burns as “troubling not just for us as filmmakers but as tax-paying Americans.” Countered a PBS spokesperson, “This year alone, we are airing more than 200 primetime hours of documentaries, and 55% of those hours feature BIPOC talent, are produced by diverse filmmakers or cover topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Of the 200 hours, 35% are produced by diverse filmmakers. While we have a strong foundation of inclusive programming, we recognize that there is more to be done, and we welcome ongoing dialogue on this critically important issue.”

The competition in the live entertainment is no joke, and the heat is on to make sure your audience is consistently growing. Learn from the experts at Katz Media Group how to expand your reach and exceed your advertising partners expectations.

Register Now

Doug Schwalbe, formerly SVP of Coproduction for Dreamworks Animation Television

, is launching the Co-Production Company, specializing in finance and distribution arrangements for high-end international productions. The Co-Production company has backing from France’s Superprod Group and deals with writer/producer Michael Poryes and Impact X Capital. Other partners include Pukeko Pictures (NZ), August Media (Singapore), Chatrone (Brazil), Anima Estudios (Mexico) and DreamWorks Animation Television.

Michael Showalter (“The Big Sick”) will direct episodes of, and executive produce, Hulu’s “The Dropout,” starring Amanda Seyfried as disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. The limited series comes from 20th Television and Searchlight.

Trailblazer Studios announced the launch of its podcast initiative, kicking off with “American Sport,” debuting April 21. “The expansion into podcasting allows us to be creatively nimble and amplify our voice in the premium scripted and nonfiction landscape,” said Jeff Lanter, president and COO of Trailblazer Studios. “It also allows us the opportunity to tell the stories we want to tell beyond the boundaries of linear television.”

Casting notes: Sarah Michelle Gellar (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) landed the lead in Amazon comedy pilot “Hot Pink,” inspired by the book, What Girls Are Made Of…Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) will star in HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” a drama remake of the 2004 French true crime docu-series…Brett Cullen (“The Joker”) and Lola Kirke (“Mozart in the Jungle”) have joined HBO’s drama pilot based on the book, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s…CW’s “Naomi” has added Barry Watson (“Seventh Heaven”), Mouzam Makkar (“The Fix”), Mary-Charles Jones (“Kevin Can Wait”), Aiden Gemme (“Finding Neverland”) and Daniel Puig (“The System”) to the superhero drama cast.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

In “Ghost Brothers: Lights Out,” Dalen Spratt, Juwan Mass and Marcus Harvey explore disturbed hotspots, sizing up local legends to expose haunted locations. The series makes its debut Saturday, April 17 on discovery+.

“Home Town” stars Ben and Erin Napier take on a whole-town makeover of Wetumpka, AL in limited series “Home Town Takeover,” premiering Sunday, May 2 at 8p. The series will showcase 12 major renovations, including restaurants, shops, historic homes, public spaces and more.

HBO’s “Mare of Easttown,” starring Kate Winslet as a small-town Pennsylvania detective, premieres Sunday, April 18 at 10p.

Adventurer Josh Gates gets back in the field beginning Wednesday, April 14 at 9p, breaking out of lockdown to join his team of scientist in the season premiere of “Expedition X” on discovery+ and Discovery Channel. Then, Josh welcomes celebrity guests, newsmakers, and experts to his expedition headquarters for talk show “Josh Gates Tonight” at 10p.

Attention COLLEGE STUDENTS and SPONSORS!
FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference
May 26 – 28 / Virtual

Joining us to celebrate our 5th year anniversary will be award-winning comedian, writer and actress TINA FEY for A Conversation with Tina Fey. Students, you don’t want to miss this. Connect with leaders, meet recruiters, get insights into the industry, and gain mentors. This is ALL for YOU.

Students,

APPLY by 4/12. Sponsors, contact Margaret Kim, [email protected].
http://www.futurenowconference.com

Netflix will stream the musical “Diana” on October 1, before its (planned) opening on Broadway in December. “I think people will see the movie and will say, that’s a show I want to see in person,” Frank Marshall, one of the musical’s producers, told The New York Times. The play, based on the life of Princess Diana, had been scheduled to open March 31, 2020.

Haystack News has launched a new streaming channel dedicated to the return of Major League Baseball and 2021 Opening Day. The channel will offer local coverage from all hometown MLB markets, with highlights and analysis.

Nickelodeon is holding an interactive streaming event, “PAW Patrol Live! At Home” on Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25. The virtual experience includes a 45-minute interactive stage show; an opportunity to watch the show in a shared viewing room with friends and family; and an immersive pre-show area with games, videos, printable activities and more.

COMING UP

It’s back to January for the Grammys. The 64th annual ceremony has been set for Monday, January 31, 2022 at 8p on CBS. This year, the event was moved from January to March due to the pandemic.

Combate Americas and Univision Communications struck a new, five-year media rights deal. The agreement calls for 30 live television Combate Americas events annually, beginning on Friday, April 9.

Production Illustrator John Eaves (“Star Trek” series) will receive the Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illustrators and Matte Artists at the 25th Annual ADG Awards, set for Saturday, April 10.

The Weather Channel is premiering a new Immersive Mixed Reality segment during on-air programming today, April 1. In the segment, The Weather Channel, with the help of The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, will demonstrate the three steps families need to take to save their homes from storms heaving ice the size of golf balls.

GOING GLOBAL

Insight TV announced the launch of four of its channels on Samsung TV Plus in India. Samsung TV Plus India is making lifestyle channel Insight TV, action sports-focused channel inTrouble, science/technology channel inWonder and the new nature and wildlife channel InWild available to Samsung TV owners.

Gusto Worldwide Media has also partnered with Samsung TV Plus in India, and will be launching a branded channel across more than 2.3 million Samsung Smart TVs, with a further expansion onto their mobile platform in the coming months.

Abacus Media Rights has acquired the international sales rights to the forthcoming documentary feature “Hollywood Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntman.” The documentary tells the story of the small community of British stunt performers who came to dominate Hollywood in the 1970s and 80s.

Media I.M. Incorporated announced a brand extension to its “Sunny Bunnies” property. Minsk-based producer Digital Light Studios’ new educational sub-brand, “Sunny Bunnies ABC,” will hop on the Sunny Bunnies dedicated YouTube channel this month.

“Domino Effect” will be adapted for the French market, with EndemolShine France producing for M6.The commission follows the recent pickup of the EndemolShine North America format in the Netherlands with EndemolShine Netherlands for RTL4

Moonbug Entertainment has brought kids’ program “CoComelon” to China through broadened and newly established partnerships with streaming platforms iQIYI and ByteDance/Xigua Video.

“Dramaworld” will premiere in Asia on April 2. In South Korea, it will launch on the Lifetime Korea channel, and also on a local OTT provider, TVing. Additionally, global OTT platform iQIYI will air “Dramaworld” simultaneously in Southeast Asia, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, while in Japan, streamer U-NEXT will serve as the main platform. A+E Networks International holds all distribution and remake rights in Asia.

Imira Entertainment has closed deals for kids series Mondo Yan. Broadcast partners who have signed up include Clan TV in LATAM, Minika in Turkey, Discovery in MENA, Omri Batz in Israel, Trans 7 in Indonesia and Astro in Malaysia, besides the streamers Primo in US Hispanic and TTNET.

REGISTER NOW

Documentary “Tina,” focused on singer Tina Turner, reached a total audience of 1.1 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max, making it the top-rated doc on HBO since 2019’s “Finding Neverland.”

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Tuesday, March 30
Show, P2+ (millions), (A18-49)
ABC: “Pooch Perfect” 4.17 (0.6), “black-ish” 2.45 (0.5), “mixed-ish” 2.05 (0.4), “Soul of a Nation” 1.37 (0.3)
CBS: “NCIS” 5.02 (0.4), “FBI” 4.77 (0.5), “FBI: Most Wanted” 3.50 (0.4)
CW: “The Flash” 0.91 (0.2), “Supergirl” 0.73 (0.1)
FOX: “The Resident” 1.40 (0.3), “The Masked Singer” 1.52 (0.4)
ION: “NCIS: New Orleans” .88 (0.2), “NCIS: New Orleans” 1.02 (0.2), NCIS: New Orleans” .89 (0.2)
NBC: “Young Rock” 2.58 (0.6), “Kenan” 1.96 (0.4), “This Is Us” 1.88 (0.2), “New Amsterdam” 3.44 (0.4)
Telemundo: “Exatlon Estados Unidos” 1.12 (0.3), “La Suerte de Loli” 1.09 (0.3), “Buscando a Frida” 1.08 (0.3)
Univision: “Vencer el Desamor” 2.06 (0.6), “Te Acuerdas de mi Ton”1.44 (0.4), “Hija del Embajador” 1.43 (0.4)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

dick clark productions has appointed Chris Czarkowski as Chief Revenue Officer, and Robert Foothorap as SVP of Sponsorship. Czarkowski was most recently SVP of Client Relationships at NBCUniversal, while Foothorap managed a team at BET Networks/ViacomCBS.

Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, has appointed John Brauer as VP, Insights and Analytics. Brauer had been leading the company’s researchteam on an interim basis since May 2020.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which actresses, who played the same role on “All My Children,” graduated from the same high school? Dorothy Lyman and Jill Larson, who succeeded her as Opal on the soap opera. Kudos to: Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank

Today’s Trivia Question
On “The Big Bang Theory” (2007-2019), how did Sheldon and Amy meet? (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.)