IN THE NEWS

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is retiring, to be replaced by President and COO John Stankey on July 1. Stankey’s selection completes a succession planning process that AT&T’s Board began in 2017, which included evaluation of internal and external candidates. “John has the right experiences and skills, and the unflinching determination every CEO needs to act on his convictions,” said Stephenson. “He has a terrific leadership team onboard to ensure AT&T remains strong.” Stephenson, who said in February that he would be in his position for the rest of the year, will remain executive chairman of the board until January 2021.

NBCUniversal will hold a virtual event on Monday, May 11, the day that had been slated for its Upfront presentation. “One Industry Update” will feature a “state of the marketplace” conversation and Q&A, offer updates on One Platform and introduce new offerings. NBCU, along with the other major media companies, canceled its Upfront event in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How would Leslie Knope deal with social distancing? Parks and Recreation fans will find out five years after the NBC comedy left the air – the cast is reuniting for NBC and Universal Television’s A Parks and Recreation Special, set to air Thursday, April 30 at 8:30p. “Like a lot of other people, we were looking for ways to help and felt that bringing these characters back for a night could raise some money,” said executive producer Michael Schur. “I sent a hopeful email to the cast and they all got back to me within 45 minutes.” State Farm and Subaru of America will each make matching donations of $150,000; combined with NBCUniversal and the writers/producers/cast of the show, a total of $500,000 in matching donations will be made through May 21.

Season three of documentary news series Axios continues on HBO tonight at 11p, ramping up production with episodes biweekly for the rest of the year. “While the way we report has changed in recent weeks due to the ongoing pandemic, the stories we are telling have only grown in importance and we look forward to bringing even more of them to the forefront in these new episodes on HBO,” said Jim VandeHei, Co-Founder and CEO of Axios. “It is more important than ever that we provide viewers access to top leaders and decision makers and help them cut through the noise of the 24-hour news cycle with our Smart Brevity format.” The show will also be available on HBO’s streaming platforms.

Fuse Media is just getting started with its social responsibility initiative, Be Change. “Our Be Change initiative launched with a simple message of Be Change: Be Home, encouraging social distancing among our young audience, and we continue to build on that with calls to Be Connected, Be Healthy and Be Thankful in the coming weeks,” Mark McIntire, Fuse Head of Marketing, tells Cynopsis. “Beyond pandemic-related themes will be calls to action like the one we launched last week around environmental responsibility with Zero Hour – the second year we have partnered with this incredible organization – and we look forward to tapping into similar partnerships as we roll out more in the coming months.”

BET’s Saving Our Selves: A BET COVID-19 Relief Effort raised over $16 million in commitments. Funds will support over 50 organizations across the country providing emergency resources to African Americans hit by the health and financial crisis.

When the COVID-19 crisis is over, the top streaming platforms “will emerge with the lion’s share of scripted content production,” said MoffettNathanson in a report, “Say Goodbye to Hollywood,” predicting the impact of the pandemic on TV. “We believe the linear TV industry should emerge in an even weaker state post this period with fewer subscribers, lower spending on original scripted content,” said analysts. “John Landgraf’s concept of ‘Peak TV’ will finally move to ‘post-Peak TV’ as cable, premium and broadcast networks look to rein in their spending.” As for advertising, “We are expecting to see major cuts in TV ad spend over the next few quarters,” said the report. “In the mid-term, the shifts in consumer behavior towards streaming should move more ad spend to AVOD platforms like Roku, Pluto and Peacock, or SVOD hybrids like Hulu and CBS All-Access.”

Celebrity contractor Eric Eremita (Love It or List It) was released after a month in the hospital, where he was on a ventilator after contracting COVID-19. “The power of prayer is really strong!!” he tweeted, saying he’s “learning to walk again.”

Also on the mend is George Gray, the announcer for The Price Is Right. Gray suffered three massive heart attacks but is now “recovering well” in Arizona. The 53-year-old attributed his heart issue to genetic factors – and said if coronavirus hadn’t kept him at home, instead of on a planned vacation at a remote location in Thailand, he may very well not have survived.

SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP said they will start negotiations – via videoconference and under a formal media blackout – today for a new film and TV contract. The current contract expires June 30.

“It’s always been true that viewer connection is the most important predictor of success in media content, but this is doubly so during the Covid-19 crisis. This shift uncovers the opportunity to develop deeper relationships with consumers, which our panelists will discuss in detail & with specifics.”-Robbie Caploe, Publisher -Cynopsis

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Marc Smerling (Catfish) launched Brooklyn-based TV and podcast production company Truth Media. The company will look for true crime stories to turn into podcasts and develop as series. First project out of the gate is A Wilderness of Error, a non-fiction series produced by Blumhouse Television for FX Networks.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Bering Sea Gold returns to Discovery for a new season on Friday, May 15 at 8p. The net has viewers who need a refresher covered, with a catch-up special airing May 8 at 10p.

Streamer BritBox will release limited series Honour, telling the true story of a woman killed by her family because of a relationship they considered shameful, in fall 2020. The BritBox Original comes from Liza Marshall’s (Temple, Riviera) Hera Pictures in association with Buddy Club.

HBO’s I May Destroy You, following a woman whose life changes after she’s sexually assaulted in a nightclub, debuts in June. The half-hour series is created, written, executive produced by and starring Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum).

Streaming service Local Now introduced a new daily series featuring Dr. Wendy Walsh to offer advice and insight on mental health topics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Wendy Walsh Is Here for You is available now.

TECH NEWS

Who’s Zooming who? Facebook is rolling out video calling feature Messenger Rooms, allowing users to host up to 50 people to a video call, with no time limit. Users who create a Messenger room from Messenger or Facebook can invite anyone to join, including people without Facebook, and can remove people from a call and lock a room. Facebook is also increasing What’sApp’s video call person limit from four to eight people.

Global in-game advertising platform Anzu.io announced a collaboration with Nielsen Connectivity to bring advanced advertising effectiveness measurement, optimization, and real-time brand-specific metrics to in-game ad campaigns. “In-game advertising has a real opportunity to be the next big thing for marketers seeking to connect with hard-to-reach consumers on digital platforms,” said Matt Pagen, GM of Nielsen Connectivity. “For game publishers, advertisers and agencies to realize the promise of the vehicle, proof that in-game ads are not just seen by consumers but remembered and acted upon is critical.”

Computer vision and AI-powered platform company Mirriad is partnering with the Pact, the UK’s trade body for independent film and TV producers. Working with broadcasters, brands and now producers, Mirriad uses AI to identify opportunities in content and subtly integrate advertising imagery in a realistic way (like digitally embedding a branded bottle on a table, an ad on a billboard, or a commercial running on a TV in the background). “We see this as a great opportunity for independent producers to drive new revenue for their productions,” said Mirriad CEO Stephan Beringer. “This is especially meaningful now as new productions around the world have ground to a halt and Mirriad’s AI technology can literally refresh back catalogues with up-to-date imagery.”

COMING UP

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020: Celebrate Together will be hosted by Victoria Justice (Victorious) on Saturday, May 2, at 8p. The virtually produced show will reveal the winners through “creative orange-blimp acceptances.”

HGTV’s marathons on tap this week are Home Town, Love It or List It, Brother vs. Brother: Jonathan vs. Drew, Property Brothers: Forever Home, House Hunters and Unsellable Houses. Bingeing begins at 6a.

Food Network celebrates Mother’s Day weekend with mom-centric episodes, including a new Pioneer Woman: Staying Home on Saturday, May 9 at 10a, a self-shot episode featuring quarantine recipes.

STREAMING SCOOP

Free OTT service DistroTV has added Newsmax TV to its linedup. DistroTV is available across a variety of platforms including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, and Android.

FilmOn TV Networks is free for 30 days, available as an Android and iOS app and on the mobile web. In addition to classic movies, vintage television, music videos, news, and international programming are channels devoted to MMA, football, soccer, basketball, boxing, auto racing, tennis, wrestling – and darts and snooker.

GOING GLOBAL

Endemol Shine Group’s team in Italy has been commissioned by Mediaset to produce a one-off special documenting Covid-19 through the eyes of the Italian people. #rEsistiamo – a play on words meaning “we resist and exist” – the film will give a first-hand account of life in lockdown, telling the story of the COVID-19 pandemic through videos sent from the public, filmed directly with their smartphones.

London-based distribution company Media I.M. Incorporated closed a three-year multimedia deal with 0+ Media for its global pre-school show, Sunny Bunnies.

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The first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday had a record 15.7 million viewers for opening night across ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes and their digital channels, up 37% versus 2019.

Global Citizen announced estimated viewership and engagement numbers for the One World: Together At Home global broadcast special, saying more than 270 million people tuned in to the show and its related content across television and digital platforms. And that’s not counting viewership numbers in Africa or the Middle East, or from markets where the special has not yet aired.

Discovery’s portfolio of networks delivered its largest Live+3 gross audience in over a year for the week April 13 among P25-54 viewers in Total Day. In Primetime, Discovery networks accounted for 4 of the top 10 networks among P25-54 (TLC #2, Discovery #8, HGTV #9, Food Network #10) and W25-54 (TLC #2, HGTV #3, Food Network #6, Discovery #9). Among the highlights, Food Network scored its highest-rated week ever among both P25-54 and M25-54 in Total Day, and the week ranks as the highest-rated week in DIY history in Primetime and Total Day among P25-54, P18+, M18+, and P2+. Cooking Channel saw its highest-rated week ever in Primetime among P25-54.

TLC’s 90-Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days hit its highest Live+3 Nielsen number yet last Sunday, scoring a 2.91 rating among P25-54, 3.87 among W25-54 and 4.4 million total viewers. Along with after-show 90-Day Fiance: Pillow Talk, the show shot TLC to #1 on the night.

The April 18 episode of Cold Justice was its most-watched episode on Oxygen, delivering 1.01 million total viewers.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Thursday, April 23
Show, P2+ 0000s, (A18-49)
ABC: NFL Draft on ABC 5.69 (1.4)
CBS: Young Sheldon 5.75 (0.6), Man With a Plan 5.84 (0.7), Mom 4.84 (0.5), Broke 4.78 (0.6), Tommy 4.62 (0.5)
CW: Katy Keene 0.48 (0.1), In the Dark 0.39 (0.1)
FOX: Last Man Standing 4.14 (0.7), Last Man Standing 2.83 (0.3), Mental Samurai 1.51 (0.2)
NBC: Superstore 3.01 (0.7), Brooklyn Nine-Nine 2.23 (0.6), Will & Grace 3.14 (0.5) Will & Grace Goodbye 3.0 (0.5), Law & Order: SVU 3.69 (0.7)
UNIVISION: Te Doy la Vida 1.68 (0.5), Amor Eterno 1.94 (0.6), Sin Miedo a la Verdad 1.44 (0.4)
TELEMUNDO: Cennet 1.20 (0.4) La Dona 1.14 (0.4), La Reina del Sur 0.82 (0.3)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

IN MEMORIAM

TV announcer Jerry Bishop died April 21 of heart disease. He was 84. Bishop had been the announcer for Judge Judy since its first season, in 1996. “He had a golden heart and a generous spirit,” said Judy Sheindlin. “I adored him and will miss him.”

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which short-lived sitcom was centered in Nowhere, California? The Kallikaks (1977). Kudos to: Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA, Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC, Paul Blutter-Walk and Talk Production Rentals/Burbank, Carl Mayer-Active International/Pearl River, NY, Ken DuBow-Bob’s Your Uncle/LA, Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton, FL, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank

Today’s Trivia Question
For which role did Kirstie Alley win her second Emmy Award? (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.)