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Monday July 26, 2021

IN THE NEWS

Senate lawmakers introduced a bill aimed at boosting local news outlets including newspaper, digital, TV and radio outlets. The Local Journalism Sustainability Act would provide tax credits, of up to $250 per year to cover a portion of subscription costs. It will cover 80 percent of the subscription costs during the first year and 50 percent during the subsequent four years. Introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), the legislation would provide another credit up to $25,000 to defray employment taxes in the first year, and $15,000 in the next four years, for each employee. The bill also provides a credit for small businesses to advertise in local media.

Union dues paid by SAG-AFTRA members were down $14 million during the past, pandemic-saturated year, but were higher than union leaders expected, according to the union’s latest financial report obtained by Deadline. For the fiscal year ended April 30, the report shows despite job losses incurred by members, those members kept paying their dues. The 165,000-member union had expected that 23 percent of all dues owed would be “uncollectable” due to the pandemic, but only 6 percent of the dues owed couldn’t be collected.

No Covid-19 vaccines for entire cast and crew, no return for Sean Penn to the set of Starz’s upcoming Watergate drama “Gaslit.” The actor laid down the gauntlet, and offered to facilitate the mandatory-for-all vaccination effort, free of charge, through his nonprofit organization Community Organized Relief Effort.

Out to sea: The Disney Dream will be the first Disney cruise ship to set sail from the US next month since the line shutdown in March 2020 due to the onset of Covid. Three- and four-night cruises from Port Canaveral, FL, to Disney’s private island in the Bahamas will begin August 9.

We are proud to announce this year’s Cynopsis Top Women in Media Distinguished Companies: A + E Networks, Laugh Out Loud, Magical Elves, The E.W. Scripps Company, STARZ, and Vice Media Group. These are companies committed to championing women in the workplace, and we look forward to honoring them all at the in-person Awards Gala on October 27 in NYC. Join us for this memorable evening. Register now>>

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British filmmaker Oscar Sharp is teaming with Damon Lindelof and Matt Reeves to develop magical-realist medical drama “The Human Conditions” for HBO Max. The series centers on a young British doctor who must learn to treat impossible, fantastical illnesses by healing the emotional issues at their root. Reeves’ 6th & Idaho is producing along with UK production company Brightstar, and Warner Bros Television. Sharp will write and direct, and serve as an exec producer.

Korean dynasty series “American Seoul” is in the works at Hulu. From Lana Cho, the soapy drama follows a young Korean-American adoptee who moves to Seoul for a job and discovers she’s the heir of a dynastic Korean family. Cho will write and exec-produce.

The Tempest Awards cover every aspect of the rapidly expanding esports space, from Best Consumer Media Outlet to Innovative Use of Technology and so much more. This is your opportunity to make a name for your business in the industry, but time is running out… your entries are due this Thursday: start your entry now.

HBO Max Films scored the spec script “Black Choke,” penned by Doug Simon with Lawrence Michael Levine on board to direct. Billed as a neo-noir story about a bank robbery gone wrong, the project has Tracey Nyberg, Michael Costigan and Jason Bateman of Aggregate Films attached to produce.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

“MeatEater Hunts,” a new six-ep series featuring favorite “MeatEater” crew members, bows on Outdoor Channel today (July 26) at 7:30p. The crew travels to Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Texas and other wild locales.

At Comic-Con, Amazon previewed “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” a YA series that offers a modern take on the 1997 slasher flick. Slated to debut in October, the project from Sony Pictures Television and Original Film has the same premise as the feature film where, in a town full of secrets, a group of teenagers are stalked by a mysterious killer a year after a fatal accident on their graduation night. Cast includes Madison Iseman, Brianne Tju and Ezekiel Goodman… Amazon also tipped “The Wheel Of Time,” a series adaptation of Robert Jordan’s books coming in November and starring Rosamund Pike. Set in a sprawling world where magic exists, but only women can use it, the series is from “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” and “Chuck” writer Rafe Judkins, who is showrunner and exec producer.

Paramount+ unveiled new trailers for animated series “Star Trek: Prodigy” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks” season 2. The latter returns on Thursday, August 12, while the former will debut in the fall. “Prodigy,” the first Star Trek series aimed at younger audiences, follows a crew of young aliens who must work together while searching for a better future. The voice cast includes Kate Mulgrew and Brett Gray. Half-hour comedy “Star Trek: Lower Decks” centers on the support crew on the U.S.S. Cerritos, one of Starfleet’s least important ships… The streamer also unveiled during a Comic-Con the official trailer for upcoming series “The Harper House,” set to premiere Thursday, September 16. The adult animated comedy centers on an overconfident female head of a household who strives to regain a higher status for herself and for her family after she loses her job in small-town Arkansas.

Starz released a preview and character art for upcoming indie wrestling series “Heels” at Comic-Con. The series, which premieres Sunday, August 15 at 9p, is written and created by exec producer Michael Waldron, and stars Stephen Amell (“Arrow”) and Alexander Ludwig (“The Hunger Games”). Peter Segal (“Get Smart”), who directs several eps, is exec producer of the character-focused drama.

Hulu dropped a trailer for “Nine Perfect Strangers,” debuting Wednesday, August 18. Based on the book by author Liane Moriarty, the series takes place at a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation as nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy and Michael Shannon star.

The official trailer for “American Rust,” starring Jeff Daniels (“The Comey Rule”) and Maura Tierney (“Your Honor”) is out from Showtime. The drama, based on Philipp Meyer’s novel, is told through the eyes of a complicated and compromised chief of police in a Pennsylvania Rust Belt town full of good people making bad choices. It debuts Sunday, September 12 at 10p.

COMING UP

New event “Puppy Bowl Presents: The Summer Games,” streaming Saturday, July 31 on Discovery+, brings together five teams of trainers and dogs who will face off against each other for the gold, silver and bronze in showmanship and talent. Judges include 2012 Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney; top team takes home $5,000 to be donated to the animal charity of their choice.

Also on Discovery+, “Unraveled: The Stalker’s Web” debuts Tuesday, August 10. The next installment of the “Unraveled” anthology podcast and series tracks the multidecade wrath of Jason Christopher Hughes, who is alleged to have stalked and terrorized upward of 50 victims across more than a dozen states.

TECH TALK

Telemundo Deportes, the Spanish-language home of the Tokyo Olympics, unveiled its first multicamera VR set that serves as one of the studio homes of its Olympics coverage. The Tokyo Olympics VR studio features three cameras, augmented reality capabilities, live graphics and custom interfaces to help the production team to go on air.

CASTING

Adam Rodriguez (“Criminal Minds”) scored a recurring role in “Ordinary Joe,” NBC’s upcoming drama series… Luke Cook joined season 2 of the Hulu original comedy “Dollface” in a recurring guest star role… Showtime is rounding out the Roosevelt family cast for its upcoming anthology series “The First Lady.” Ellen Burstyn, Eliza Scanlen and Cailee Spaeny will recur in the anthology series.

GOING GLOBAL

“Gangs Of London” is the latestmajor UK production to shut down amid a third Covid wave. Filming on season 2 of the Sky/AMC drama has been halted for 10 days after a crew member tested positive for the virus.

BritBox UK’s “Spitting Image” will return September 11 with several new puppets of prominent national figures. Last year, the program was a big hit for the streaming platform co-developed by the BBC and ITV.

See the full list of Cynopsis Top Women in Media honorees and join us for a special in-person Awards Gala October 27 in NYC. We’ll be recognizing and toasting the individual leaders and distinguished companies moving our industry forward. Secure a table for your team before it sells out.

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Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Thursday, July 22
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: “Holy Moley” 2.77 (0.4), “When Nature Calls” 4.7 (1.3), “The Hustler” 1.70 (0.3)
CBS: “Big Brother” 3.87 (0.9), “Love Island” 1.86 (0.4), “Bull” 1.79 (0.2)
CW: “Walker” 1.15 (0.2),“The Outpost” 0.45 (0.1)
ION: “Chicago PD” 1.13 (0.2), “Chicago PD” 1.31 (0.2), “Chicago PD” 1.25 (0.2)
FOX: “Beat Shazam” 1.86 (0.4), “Lego Masters” 1.13 (0.3)
NBC: “Making It” 2.00 (0.3), “Good Girls” 1.53 (0.2), “Good Girls” 1.68 (0.3)
Telemundo: “Exatlon” 0.99 (0.2), “Hercal: Armor y Venganza 1.29 (0.3), “Cafe Aroma du Mujer” 0.89 (0.2)
Univision: “PJ Takeover” 1.36 (0.4), “Premios Juventud” 1.95 (0.7)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Adtech company Amobee appointed Nick Brien, former CEO of the Americas for Dentsu International, as its new CEO.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which sitcom character had children named Emmy, Oscar and Tony? Victoria Chase (played by Wendie Malik) in “Hot In Cleveland.” Kudos to: Gary Arlen-Arlen Communications/Bethesda, MD; Jim Kelly-Jim Kelly Consulting/Central Islip, NY; Charles A. Mannino-SubCom/Eatontown, NJ; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA

Today’s Trivia Question
Former “Superior Donuts” co-stars Katey Sagal and Judd Hirsch guested on the same episode of which series in 2007? 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.)