Today’s Premieres
Discovery+: All On The Table
ID: What’s Your Emergency? at 10p

Today’s Finales
FX: Snowfall at 10p
TLC: Body Parts at 10p

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM GAC MEDIA

CANDACE CAMERON BURE JOINS GAC MEDIA

“QUEEN OF CHRISTMAS” TO CREATE AND STAR IN ORIGINAL CONTENT FOR GAC FAMILY AND GAC LIVING

GAC Media is your trusted, family-friendly home for seasonal celebrations, holidays and quality content.

IN THE NEWS

Disney+ is 30 percent more valuable than the average streaming service, according to Fandom’s new “State of Streaming” report, which notes Disney’s focus on genre fans and programming gives it a strong leg up. Fandom was founded in 2004 by Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales and Angela Beesley Starling and says it receives more than 300 million unique visitors per month. Conducted in January, the streaming study took the temperature of 5,500 global Fandom users.
Among other key takeaways:
* 61 percent of consumers believe their streaming services are too expensive
* 32 percent of fans are looking for bundles with gaming subscriptions services
* 74 percent of consumers are willing to wait until they can see the movie for free as part of one of their subscription plans
* 45 percent claim streaming services that establish partnerships, ie, offering packages with food delivery services, would enhance their viewing experience and drive loyalty

Netflix stock yesterday plunged more than 20 percent after the streamer reported its first subscriber loss in a decade. The subscriber tally fell to 221.64 million globally, down 200,000 from the end of Q4 2021, an unexpected report. Netflix also fell short of revenue predictions, reporting $7.868 billion, up less than 10 percent from a year ago, with earnings per share falling 6 percent from a year ago to $3.53. “Our revenue growth has slowed considerably as our results and forecast below show,” Netflix wrote in its quarterly letter to shareholders. “Streaming is winning over linear, as we predicted, and Netflix titles are very popular globally. However, our relatively high household penetration—when including the large number of households sharing accounts—combined with competition, is creating revenue growth headwinds.”

In lighter Netflix news, Arsenio Hall will reboot his late-night show for a four-night run during next month’s Netflix Is A Joke Festival. Beginning May 2, Hall will host his show at the Roosevelt Theater in LA; the episodes will air on Netflix’s comedy YouTube page. “The Arsenio Hall Show” initially ran in syndication from 1989-94.

On-location television and film production in LA set a first-quarter record, according to the latest report from FilmLA, the city and county film permit office. The 9,832 days of on-location shooting during the quarter bested the previous Q1 high mark set in 2016, but fell short of the all-time record-setting 10,780 shoot days during Q4 2021.

Good Energy released “Playbook for Screenwriting in the Age of Climate,” a guide to help screenwriters, execs, actors and creatives incorporate climate into any TV or film storyline or genre. With Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up” as a touchstone, the guide aims to communicate the urgency of climate action, and was created in consultation with more than 100 TV and film writers, creatives and producers. Bloomberg Philanthropies, CAA Foundation and Sierra Club are among other institutions involved in the project.

MEASUREMENT & DATA CONFERENCE

June 7th at Edison Ballroom, NYC

Do you know what the latest trends are in latest trends in attribution, addressable TV, CTV, OTT, privacy, data, and ad fraud?

FIND OUT MORE

PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

“Twisted Metal,” a live-action comedic adaptation of the like-named video game, is in the works at Peacock from Sony Pictures TV, PlayStation Productions and Universal Television. Kitao Sakurai (“The Eric Andre Show”) will exec-produce and direct multiple episodes; Anthony Mackie will both topline and exe-produce the series, based on an original take by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick about a dude who’s offered a chance at a better life if he is able to deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

The Golden State Warriors are getting in the production game. The NBA team launched Golden State Entertainment to create original content rooted in the worlds of sports and entertainment. The company plans to produce documentaries, collaborate with recording artists on musical releases and marketing and sponsorship opportunities, and host culturally relevant events. David Kelly, chief business officer will lead the Golden State Entertainment team and continue to serve as the Warriors’ chief legal officer. Golden State Entertainment facilitated the production of doc “38 at the Garden,” which will world-premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Already at work on programming for its Mahogany line, Crown Media is developing content around two additional Hallmark Card brands, Crayola and Dayspring. Execs are exploring programming from movies and series for short-form entertainment and podcasts.

CBS’ upcoming musical game show “Superfan” introduced the musicians participating in the six-ep competition series: Kelsea Ballerini, Gloria Estefan, Little Big Town, LL Cool J, Pitbull and Shania Twain. Musical superfans will aim to prove they are a certain artist’s ultimate supporter in the series, which will be hosted by exec producer Keltie Knight and CBS Mornings’ Nate Burleson.

Helena Bonham Carter will narrate “Wild Babies,” a natural history series in the works at Netflix. From UK indie factual production company Humble Bee Films, eight-ep series aims to reveal the little-seen lives of wild baby animals by following the varied stories of 17 wild animal families including lions, sea otters, elephants, grizzly bear, bottlenose dolphins and Emperor penguins.

Bidding was heating up at press time on a live-action incarnation of “Voltron,” with Amazon Studios reportedly in the lead. Rawson Marshall Thurber (“Red Notice”) is attached to direct the new project, based on the Japanese sci-fi series that was the basis of a syndicated show in the ‘80s.

Estrella Media and TV Azteca are joining in a content and programming partnership that will see the companies together creating more than 600 hours of original programming for both the US and Mexico, as well as the production of existing series and the licensing of library content to air in both countries. As part of the exclusive two-year agreement, both Estrella Media and TV Azteca have committed to co-produce original content and specials, including EstrellaTV’s tentpole Regional Mexican music awards special “Premios de la Radio.”

Candace Cameron Bure inked an expansive deal with GAC Media. The former “Full House” star signed on to develop, produce and star in movies and television content across GAC Family and GAC Living through her Candy Rock Entertainment banner, and will also take on an executive role overseeing and curating programming for the networks.

AGC Television optioned a trio of books written by Jayne Allen—first two are “Black Girls Must Die Exhausted” and “Black Girls Must Be Magic,” with a third upcoming—as fodder for TV fare. Allen will be an exec producer on the series, which will center on books protagonist Tabitha Walker, a woman whose checklist is almost complete with a solid job, down payment for a house and promising relationship when she gets an unexpected health diagnosis that gives her only six months to fulfill her dream of having children.

“The Goldbergs” are staying put at ABC. The network renewed the family comedy, which recently hit the 200-episode mark, for a 10th season.

Netflix renewed animated comedy “Big Mouth” for a seventh season ahead of its season 6 premiere later this year. Spinoff “Human Resources,” which debuted earlier this year, is also on the books for a second season with all series regulars returning.

Also at the streamer, J. Miles Dale, Oscar-winning producer of “The Shape of Water,” entered a creative partnership with Netflix through which he’ll produce feature films under a multiyear first-look deal via his Demilo Films banner. Dale is currently an exec producer and co-showrunner on Netflix’s “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities.”

Briarcliff Entertainment acquired North American rights to “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down,” with plans to open the film nationwide July 15, with CNN Films planning to air it later in the year.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Premiering Friday, April 22 on Apple TV+, “The Long Game: Bigger Than Basketball” chronicles the coming-of-age story of basketball phenom Makur Maker, the NBA hopeful who grabbed headlines with his decision to forgo the NBA and play for Howard University, making him the highest-ranked high school player in the modern recruiting era to commit to an HBCU.

Four-part series “Meltdown: Three Mile Island,” from the producers of “Erin Brockovich” and director Kief Davidson (“The Ivory Game”), debuts Wednesday, May 4 on Netflix. Lens is on the near catastrophe at the Pennsylvania nuclear plant and ordinary people having the courage to do extraordinary things.

A trailer is live for “Angelyne,” Peacock’s Emmy Rossum-starring limited series about, per the streamer, “fame, identity, survival, billboards, Corvettes, lingerie, men, women, women teasing men, men obsessed with women, West Hollywood, crystals, UFOs and most importantly of all, the self-proclaimed Rorschach test in pink, glow-in-the-dark queen of the universe, Angelyne.” Series debuts Thursday, May 19.

Also at Netflix is the return of Emmy-winning anthology series “Love, Death + Robots” on Friday, May 20. Third volume is exec-produced by Tim Miller (“Deadpool”) and David Fincher (“Mindhunter”) and once again melds terror, imagination and beauty in new episodes that stretch from uncovering an ancient evil to a comedic apocalypse.

Apple TV+ dropped a trailer for bilingual thriller “Now & Then,” which premieres with the first three episodes Friday, May 20. The series explores the differences between youthful aspirations and the reality of adulthood, when the lives of a group of college besties are forever changed after a celebratory weekend ends up with one of them dead. Now, 20 years later, the remaining five are reluctantly reunited by a threat that puts their seemingly perfect worlds at risk.

Docuseries “Origins of Hip Hop” takes the mic at A&E beginning Monday May 30 at 10p, before moving to its regular night on Tuesdays starting June 6 at 10p. From Mass Appeal (“Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men”), series explores some of the genre’s most celebrated and groundbreaking stars including Busta Rhymes, Eve, Fat Joe, Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Ja Rule, Lil Jon and Uncle Luke.

Seth MacFarlane’s sci-fi series “The Orville: New Horizons” is back Thursday, June 2 on Hulu. Set 400 years in the future, new season of the former Fox show revisits the crew of the U.S.S. Orville as they continue their mission of exploration.

Season 5 of Showtime drama “The Chi” hits the screen Sunday, June 26, with access for streaming and on-demand subscribers June 24. Season four ended as one of the network’s most-streamed series ever, averaging 4.2 million weekly viewers.

COMING UP

Channel 22 International is celebrating Earth Day all week with a schedule of Mother Earth-themed programming aimed at raising awareness of climate change among the US Spanish-speaking community. Among specials to air is the documentary “Endgame 2050’: Humanity’s Last Chance Is Now.”

ABC News is airing network-wide climate coverage to recognize Earth Day with live reports and analysis from each region of the U.S. all week across “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight with David Muir,” “Nightline” and more. ABC News Live, ABC News Digital and ABC Audio will also have dedicated coverage.

Burna Boy, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Rauw Alejandro and Red Hot Chili Peppers are among the first round of performers for the “2022 Billboard Music Awards,” airing Sunday, May 15 at 8p.

Two-parter “Colombia-Wild And Free” will air on PBS on Wednesdays May 18 and 25. Special touches down in locales including El Dorado and rainforests along the Amazon River to reveal magnificent wildlife and majestic landscapes.

UPFRONT NEWS & CALENDAR

One message came through loud and clear at SeeHer’s virtual SheFront on Tuesday: Use the GEM (Gender Equality Measure) score. The score quantifies gender bias in advertising and programming, and with research showing a correlation between gender equality and advertising success, not only do “we have an obligation to use the right language and the imagery,” as Oprah Winfrey noted during the presentation’s opening, it’s good business.

P&G is committed to “a marketing system that is free from gender bias,” according to the company’s Chief Brand Officer, Marc Pritchard, who said P&G is “committed to choose equal in everything we do.”

SeeHer is “everywhere in media,” pointed out the organization’s President, Jeannine Shao Collins, a fact made clear as a constellation of senior executives from Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Disney, Fox and more who offered examples of programming that celebrates and elevates women. “The future is female,” said Laura Molen, President, NBCU Advertising Sales and Partnerships.

The SeeHer Programming Award was given to OWN’s “All Rise.” In accepting the honor, OWN TV Network & OTT Streaming President Tina Perry said, “We are delighted to give a home to ‘All Rise,’ whose characters reflect our audience with powerful affirmation. OWN and SeeHer both deeply value creating authentic storylines and role models through television, and we are honored to be in partnership on this important mission.”

FETV is going to great heights for upfront season. In addition to showcasing new programming and added distribution at three in-person presentations at its Empire State Building offices April 26, the network is taking clients on an express trip to the 102nd floor Observatory (a 10a meeting is virtual). With presentations almost fully booked, FETV is considering adding additional dates.

April 25: Disney Storyteller’s Showcase (invite-only)
April 26: FETV (Empire State Building, NYC)
May 2-6: IAB NewFronts
May 2: NBCUniversal/Peacock NewFront
May 3: Samsung Ads at 9a (Samsung 837, NYC), Roku at 11:30a (Caldwell Factory, NYC)
May 5: Canela Media at 1p (virtual) and CincoDeFront at 5:30p (NYC)
May 16: NBCUniversal (Radio City Music Hall, NYC); Telemundo (Ziegfeld Theater, NYC); Fox (Skylight, NYC)
May 17: Disney (Basketball City at Pier 36, NYC); YouTube Brandcast at 8p; Univision (Javits Center in NYC)
May 18: Paramount (Carnegie Hall, NYC); Warner Bros. Discovery (Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, NYC)
May 19: The CW (New York City Center Theater, NYC)

STREAMING NEWS

Season 2 of Netflix’s “Bridgerton” beat its own season 1 to become the most-watched English-language series debut ever on the streamer. The new season of the Shondaland-produced series has a total of 627.11 million hours viewed; season 1 drew had 625.49 million hours during the same span. “The Tinder Swindler,” about Israeli conman Simon Leviev, who conned numerous women on dating app Tinder, is the streamer’s most-watched doc to date—with 166 million hours watched in its first 28 days.

The number of UK households that subscribe to at least one streaming service shrank in Q1 2022. This according to new research from Kantar, which reveals 1.51 million subscriptions to SVOD services were canceled in the UK during the quarter, up from 1.04 million in the previous quarter and from 1.2 million a year ago.

TECH TALK

Skydance New Media and Lucasfilm are co-developing a new Star Wars action-adventure game that will feature an original story line.

It’s back to school with Sesame Workshop and Discovery Education, which are launching The Sesame Workshop Channel, designed to meet the needs of children from pre-K to second grade, this fall on Discovery Education’s learning platform. Content includes social and emotional development and wellness, foundational academic skills in math and literacy, and social studies.

CASTING

Omari Hardwick (“Army of the Dead”), Kelly Rowland (“American Soul”) and Rome Flynn (“How to Get Away with Murder”) joined Marsai Martin (“Little”) to round out the cast of “Fantasy Football,” Nickelodeon and Awesomeness Films’ new live-action movie… Tyroe Muhafidin is now a cast member of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power”… ABC comedy pilot “The Son In Law” cast Anupam Kher (“New Amsterdam”) as the father-in-law.

DO YOU KNOW A TOP WOMAN IN MEDIA?

Innovators and risk-takers who help design and execute strategy…sound like someone you know? Maybe even you? This year’s Top Women in Media Awards are open for entry!

Nominate yourself and/or a colleague for this industry distinction. It’s your turn to be in the spotlight!

Enter Now!

RATINGS

The two-ep premiere of AMC’s sixth and final season of “Better Call Saul” delivered the biggest day of new direct-to-consumer subscriber sign-ups in the history of the AMC+ streaming service, alongside big-time social buzz and engagement, and strong linear viewership. The first episode of the premiere event, “Wine and Roses,” is now the No. 1 cable drama premiere of 2022, delivering 1.4 million total viewers in Nielsen live/same day ratings and more than 500,000 A25-54.

“Fix My Flip,” the freshman HGTV series, averaged a .46 L+3 rating among A25-54 and a .60 L+3 rating among W25-54 during its six-episode run. Airing Thursdays at 9p, series attracted 12.4 million total viewers.

Virtually none of the shows in first run syndication were able to gain ratings steam in the session ended April 10 thanks to successive major schedule disruptions for UEFA Champions League soccer and coverage of the events surrounding Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s final Senate confirmation. Only one talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” in the top 10 was able to beat its year-ago rating. The soon-to-be-upgraded daytimer also held 100 percent of its ratings week to week. “Live with Kelly and Ryan” led the yak pack for a fifth straight week.

Nielsen Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of March 28 ranked in order by HH Rtg
Jeopardy (CMV) 5.5 AA
Family Feud (CMV) 5.3 AA
Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 5.1 AA
Judge Judy (CMV) 4.5 AA
Inside Edition (CMV) 2.2 AA
Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 2.1 AA
The Big Bang Theory (WB) 2.1 AA
Live With Kelly and Ryan (DAD) 1.6 AA
The Dr. Phil Show (CMV) 1.5 AA
Hot Bench (CMV) 1.5 AA

Basic Cable Top 10 for the week of April 11
Network, P2+ AA (000s)
Primetime
Fox News 2281
TNT 1464
ESPN 1243
MSNBC 1203
HGTV 971
INSP 860
History 833
TLC 833
Food Network 778
Discovery 778

Total Day
Fox News 1535
MSNBC 671
CNN 592
TNT 587
ESPN 569
HGTV 568
INSP 451
Food Network 439
ID 427
History 422

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Tuesday, April 18
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: “American Idol” 5.57 (0.6), “The Good Doctor” 3.77 (0.4)
CBS: “The Neighborhood” 5.37 (0.6), “Bob Hearts Abishola” 4.97 (0.4), “NCIS” 6.34 (0.4), “NCIS: Hawaii 5.09 (0.4)
CW: “All American” 0.44 (0.1), “All American: Homecoming” 0.30 (0.1)
FOX: “9-1-1” 5.04 (0.7), “9-1-1: Lonestar” 4.21 (0.6)
NBC: “American Song Contest” 1.53 (0.3), “Endgame” 1.46 (0.2)
Telemundo: “Exatlon” 0.94 (0.2), “Hercai: Amor” 1.25 (0.3), “Pasion Gavilanes 0.72 (0.2)
Univision: “Soltero Con Hijas” 1.52 (0.5), “Mi Fortuna es Amarte” 1.70 (0.5), “Madre” 1.88 (0.6)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Bardo S. Ramírez has rejoined Disney as VP, studio strategy and operations, Disney Branded Television. He most recently was co-exec producer, Universal Animation Studios. Additionally, Chris Hutchison has been promoted to VP, production at Disney Branded Television.

Unscripted production house Magical Elves hired Dan Goldsack as EVP of development. Goldsack previously was the head of factual entertainment at Burning Bright.

Sandra Ortiz is exiting Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment at the end of her contract in February 2023. She joined Kapital as head of business operations four and a half years ago.

Andrew Roy, who previously oversaw international coverage for the BBC, is heading to CBS News as VP and London bureau chief… Stewart Maclean has been named editor of flagship BBC Two topical format “Newsnight.”

Colin Decker is stepping down as CEO of Sony’s Crunchyroll. Longtime Funimation exec Rahul Purini is on tap to run the anime brand as president.

Nexstar Digital named Dennis Cook as SVP, sales marketing. Cook joins from Gamut, a Cox Media Group company, where he led the marketing, communications, creative services and insights teams.

Manager James Jolly joined Anonymous Content’s talent division. Jolly’s client roster includes Kelvin Harrison Jr. (“Waves”) and Richa Moorjani (“Never Have I Ever”).

Yassue Inoki is joining Penthera as GM, Latin America. Inoki most recently served as CEO of Wired7.

Online gaming company FanDuel Group appointed Tricia Alcamo as chief people officer. She most recently served as group VP of human resources for Spectrum Enterprise.

Noticias Telemundo appointed Emmy-award winning journalist Aranxta Loizaga as anchor of “Noticias en la Noche.” Rebeka Smyth was also named to the news anchor team on “hoyDía.” Loizaga, most recently was a news anchor on “hoyDía.”

Firstlight Media named Joy Baer to its Board. Baer founded and served as CEO of Spot Buy Spot; until 2020, she led Comcast’s Freewheel Advertisers.

Imax promoted Natasha Fernandes to CFO; she most recently served as deputy CFO.

IN MEMORIAM

Christopher Coover, a longtime “Antiques Roadshow” appraiser of rare books and manuscripts, died April 3 of pneumonia complicated by Parkinson’s disease. He was 72. The expert on all printed material on the PBS series for 14 seasons, from 1998-2011, Coover had a keen eye that send many families home empty-handed but spotted a few gems including an Abraham Lincoln-inscribed speech and funeral invitation valued at $77,500.

This Day in History
1902 – Scientists Marie and Pierre Curie isolated the radioactive element radium.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
How many children did Carla have when “Cheers” (1982-93) began, and when the show ended? Four and eight. Kudos to: Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc/NY; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton, FL; Charles Lore/NY; Sandy Spiegel/Chicago; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
Who appeared as Amy Santiago’s perfect older brother in a season 6 episode of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”? (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