A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM LOCALITY

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Today’s Premieres
ABC: Claim to Fame at 8p; The Bachelorette at 9p
Acorn TV: Cannes Confidential
BET+: Average Joe
FX: Reservation Dogs at 10p
PBS: POV at 10p

Finale
Fuse: Big Freedia Means Business at 9p

IN THE NEWS

The Directors Guild of America has ratified an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, with 87% of members voting in favor of the deal. “Our new contract secures gains on wages, global streaming residuals, safety, diversity and creative rights that build for the future and impact every category of member in our Guild,” said DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter.

Meanwhile, actors’ guild contract negotiations with the AMPTP have been “extremely productive,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “We’re standing strong and we’re going to achieve a seminal deal.” Negotiations started June 7.

Ahead of Tuesday’s launch of Paramount+ with Showtime, Paramount+ has canceled four shows. “We are refining our content offering to deliver the best streaming experience for subscribers,” said a statement from the company. “This is consistent with our content strategy since launch and across our business, which ensures we make smart, efficient choices, informed by audience data and insights. We are removing select programming as we look to optimize Showtime’s robust slate of premium originals.”
Axed are the revival of “The Game” and drag queen singing competition “Queen of the Universe” after two seasons; prequel “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” after one; and animated kids’ show “Star Trek: Prodigy,” despite its renewal in 2021 for a second run. All of the series will be removed from Paramount+ (“a particularly brutal move,” wrote “Pink Ladies” creator Annabel Oakes on Instagram) and shopped by their studios. Like Disney and WBD before it, Paramount Global will take a tax write-off for the move.

Season five of “Magnum P.I.”, picked by NBC after CBS canceled the show last year, will be its last – barring another rescue. Ten more episodes remain and have been scheduled for midseason 2024.

“Last King of the Cross” has been renewed for a second season on Paramount+. The Australian crime drama follows the journey of a nightclub mogul.

Also headed for a sophomore run is Peacock’s “Bupkis,” starring Pete Davidson, Edie Falco and Joe Pesci. “Bupkis” is executive produced by Lorne Michaels for Broadway Video.

What’s the next move for Geraldo Rivera? The journalist’s final appearances on Fox News’ “The Five” are slated for June 29 and 30, but he has said his contract with the network runs through 2025. “I am unsure about my next career move,” tweeted Rivera on Friday, adding that he’ll make an announcement this Friday about whether his future includes FNC or not. Last week, Rivera said “growing tension that goes beyond editorial differences” prompted his exit from “The Five.”

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed rules making it easier for consumers to cancel subscriptions, and imposing penalties for companies violating those rules. The proposal would make canceling a subscription “at least as easy” as signing up for it. Not so fast, said Computer & Communications Industry Association SVP and Chief of Staff Stephane Joyce, who warned, “The expansive, new rules would create duplicative and inconsistent obligations that would invite confusion and uncertainty for both businesses and consumers.”

Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly negotiating to sell half of its film and TV music publishing assets, to the tune of around $500 million. No word on which assets are up for grabs, but the library includes a wealth of titles.

The call for judges for this year’s Best of the Best & Rising Star Awards is now open. If you’re in the media business and are interested in helping determine the winners, please email Lauren Toolen by July 14 with a short blurb on why you’d be a great judge. Want to enter to win or find out more? Check out our website.

Gray Television has reached a deal that renews all 54 of its CBS affiliates. “At a time when local news is more valued than ever — and under greater pressure than ever — Gray is very pleased to have reached an agreement that builds upon the decades-long relationship with CBS in dozens of markets, large and small,” said Pat LaPlatney, co-CEO of Gray Television. “With this renewal, we intend to continue to invest in local news, weather and sports reporting, while bringing CBS’ premium programming to our local communities.”

Tom Brokaw opened up to his former “Today” co-host Jane Pauley, now host of “CBS News Sunday Morning,” about his ten-year battle with incurable blood cancer. Brokaw, “NBC Nightly News” anchor from 1982-2004, told Pauley the condition forced him to walk away from his elder statesman role at NBC News. “I really had to give up my daily activity with NBC,” he told Pauley. “You know, I had to walk away from them, as they were walking away from me.”

Cynopsis’ BIG TV Conference

Lining up the best yet for this year’s program

We have an exceptional roster of speakers who will bring you next-level discussions and in-depth answers on how to navigate success for your media business in this volatile marketplace. Get ready for our 2023 program, bringing you accurate answers and meaningful connections to carry you well into 2024. Join us this September 27-28 in NYC!

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PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

An adaptation of the novel Forget Me Not, which follows an ambitious wedding planner working with her florist ex, is being adapted for TV by Universal International Studios. “I am absolutely ecstatic to be working with Universal International Studios on an adaptation of Forget Me Not,” said author Julie Soto. “I was blown away when I heard the news that they were interested in my book and even more excited at the prospect of a series adaptation.”

RETURNING SERIES

“Love During Lockup” returns for a new season on WE tv on Friday, July 21 at 9p. The “Love After Lockup” spinoff follows people in romances with prisoners (props to the publicist who came up with the line, “It’s time to cell-abrate love!”).

STREAMING

James DuBose, former GM of Fox Soul, is launching an AVOD platform to amplify Black voices and stories. In The Black Network is slated to launch on October 2 with content spanning sports, music, scripted, talk, kids/family and feature films.

COMING UP

“Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks” will honor the late Tina Turner, with Rutledge Wood (“Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge”) and Zuri Hall (“Access Hollywood”) serving as hosts. The spectacle airs Tuesday, July 4 at 8p on NBC.

The Heroes & Icons Network is the new destination for Weigel Broadcasting Co.’s annual 4th of July presentation of “Rod, White & Blue: A Twilight Zone Celebration,” a marathon of 86 episodes of “The Twilight Zone” series airing from Sunday, July 2 at 12p-Tuesday, July 4 at 12p. The stunt previously aired on Decades network.

“The Slumber Party,” a coming-of-age comedy based on the YA novel The Sleepover by Jen Malone, is set to debut Thursday, July 27 at 8p on Disney Channel. The film depicts the aftermath of a sleepover birthday party hypnotism gone wrong.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

YouTube TV is dropping the New York Mets’ pay-TV network, SNY, effective June 30. In a tweet, NYI encouraged YouTube viewers to “find another provider” to watch Mets games. SNY is controlled by Sterling Equities; Charter and Comcast hold minority stakes.

NBC Sports Washington is being rebranded to Monumental Sports Network, following the RSN’s sale from Comcast to Monumental last year. In addition to new visuals, the revamped net will include an interview show hosted by Rachel Nichols and alternate broadcast feeds for Wizards and Capitals games.

Rob Ninkovich’s time at ESPN is running out. As part of cutbacks at the network, the contract of the Super Bowl champ, who served as an on-air personality for shows including “NFL Live,” will not be renewed.

FuboTV struck a marketing partnership with the Seattle Mariners, its fourth with a Major League Baseball team following recent agreements with the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians and St. Louis Cardinals. The partnership includes the display of Fubo branding at select Mariners home games as well as fan engagement opportunities. Additionally, Mariners season ticket holders will receive an invite from the club inviting them to join Fubo through a free 30 day trial. Non-season ticket members will be eligible for a free 14 day trial.

Cynopsis’ Best of the Best & Rising Star Awards

Shine among the stars of the media & entertainment industry

For our 2023 Best of the Best & Rising Star Awards, we’re coming to you live and in-person in New York City on September 27th, where you’ll rub elbows with some of the best this industry has to offer. Join some noteworthy veterans, including past winners from Food Network, NBC News, TLC, PBS, CNBC, and more. Don’t wait – entry prices increasing by $100 this Thursday!

ENTER NOW

RATINGS

The premiere episode of “The Walking Dead: Dead City” is the #1 season premiere in the history of AMC+ in terms of viewership across all new and returning series, including “The Walking Dead.” In linear viewership, the first episode of the new series attracted a total premiere audience of 2 million viewers, 768,000 among A25-54 and 573,000 among A18-49 in Nielsen Live+3 ratings. The linear ratings reflect total viewership of a multi-network simulcast and Sunday night encores on AMC.

The NBA draft averaged 3.74 million viewers across ESPN (both rounds) and ABC (first round), up 23% from last year, to rank as the most-watched program of the day across all of television.

This Day in History
1870 – The first section of the Atlantic City, NJ boardwalk opened.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which “SNL” alum appeared in a Doritos commercial in which he swiped a bag of chips from an old lady? Chevy Chase. Kudos to: David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
Which 1970s series included soap opera parody sketches titled “Love of Chair”? (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