Saturday’s Premieres
MSNBC: American Voices With Alicia Menendez at 6p, The Week With Joshua Johnson at 8p

Sunday’s Premieres
CBS: 60 Minutes at 7:30p
Food Network: Outrageous Pumpkins at 10p
Paramount Network: Bar Rescue The Dirty Truth at 10p
PBS: Last Tango in Halifax at 8p

Sunday’s Finales
CNN: Race for the White House at 10p
Showtime: Love Fraud at 9p

IN THE NEWS

NBCUniversal is testing a new measurement program that would let advertisers compare the sales they achieved versus how many people they reached. Total Investment Impact tracks the ads running on NBCU and elsewhere, as well as non-advertising factors, and evaluates ads versus product sales. “The real value of Total Investment Impact lies within its continuous learning model,” wrote Kavita Vazirani, EVP of Insights and Measurement, and Pankaj Kumar, SVP of Advertising Impact, in a blog post. “Once put into motion for an advertiser, the results from each NBCU campaign are used to build outcome-driven plans based on the latest model results. This perpetual learning and optimization method allows clients to make every marketing dollar go further, and attain higher ROI across the board.” Honda is a partner for the tool’s beta launch; NBCU plans to approach other advertisers in 4Q20.

In more measurement news, Nielsen is launching Nielsen Compass, a database that leverages the company’s global scale to establish syndicated normative standards for campaign outcomes measurement. The dataset covers elements from marketing campaigns including brands, pricing, promotions and media platforms, providing a common measurement language across advertising buyers, sellers, and agencies. “Each year, billions of advertising dollars go to waste as marketers rely on incomplete data when making decisions on their cross-media strategies especially when attempting to scale across countries and brands,” said Matt Krepsik, General Manager, Planning & Outcomes Products, Nielsen. “Our mission is to deliver outcome measurement around the world so marketers can maximize their ROI, move with velocity and be budget friendly.”

Cynopsis’ Big TV Conference is less than one week away and going global with over 1,500 of your peers from 18 countries for the premier media experience! Get up to speed on the most critical trends & topics in our industry. Plus, some of our sponsors are giving away serious prizes like a big TV, Apple Watch, and more. Head on over to the website to register: https://www.thatbigtvconference.com/

Stumptown, renewed for a second season and announced as part of ABC’s fall 2020 season back in June, will not return to the network after all. Between pandemic-related production delays and a change in creative direction, the dramedy would not have been ready until April, reports Deadline, leading to the decision not to move forward.

The CW renewed Two Sentence Horror Stories for season three. The second season of the multiplatform anthology series, which originated as a short-form digital series on go90 in 2017, is slated to premiere in 1Q21.

Ad sales for Discovery Inc. will slip 10% or less in the third quarter as the US market slowly recovers, versus a 14% drop in 2Q20, CEO David Zaslav told investors at the Goldman Sachs media conference. Without going into details, Zaslav said Discovery just completed its upfront and “will surprise on the upside.”

Thirty-eight live TV musicians sent an open letter to TV networks calling for economic parity with their actor, director and writer colleagues when it comes to wages, health coverage, and residuals for work used on streaming platforms. “Historically our union (AFM) has been more inclusive of BIPOC members than the other unions inside of the Live TV industry,” said the letter, directed to Disney/ABC Television’s Dana Walden, NBCU’s Mark Lazarus, CBS Entertainment’s George Cheeks and ViacomCBS’ Bob Bakish. “Unfortunately, this goes hand-in-hand with its members being economically disrespected, undervalued and underpaid in comparison to those of other unions. Systemic racism becomes the status quo regardless of intention or awareness, but now you have the opportunity to rewrite this narrative.” By addressing the demands, concludes the letter, networks will “demonstrate to the world a powerful example of action toward dismantling systemic racism.”

Quibi and NBC News are teaming on a poll focused on GenZ and Millennials about the 2020 Presidential election. Quibi will join NBC News and the Wall Street Journal to track, analyze and release young voter preferences in conjunction with the NBC News/WSJ national polls. Quibi’s The Report by NBC News will feature analysis of results.

Also eyeing young would-be voters, ViacomCBS, in partnership with the Ad Council, is launching Vote For Your Life, a mass voter registration, early voting, and get-out-the-vote campaign. MTV is also funding the cost of printing and mailing ballot applications. “With the pandemic, social injustices, protesting and environmentally caused catastrophes like the wild fires on the West Coast and the hurricanes on the East Coast, our audiences are facing unprecedented and life-wrenching decisions which make the 2020 election so important to their daily lives,” said Chris McCarthy, President, Entertainment & Youth Group, ViacomCBS. “We’re launching the Vote For Your Life campaign to give them the resources to easily register, check their early voting options, vote safely and as early as possible.”

As part of AT&T’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2035, WarnerMedia will expand its efforts to reduce energy and resource consumption related to production. In addition to using sustainable products, Warnermedia is expected to switch to low-emission vehicles, and invest in carbon offsets. “Our network is tested by climate change and natural disasters every year,” said AT&T CEO John Stankey. “We recognize the long-term impact these commitments can have, and we owe it to the millions of customers who rely on our services to create the most resilient and sustainable business we can.”

ABC gave a straight-to-series order for Rebel, a drama starring Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy) inspired by the life of activist Erin Brockovich, from Brockovich, Krista Vernoff (Grey’s Anatomy), Davis Entertainment, Sony Pictures TV and ABC Signature. “Erin Brockovich has never stopped the extraordinary work she does fighting for her clients like they’re family, and Krista Vernoff’s take on her life today in Rebel is undeniable,” said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. “Katey Sagal is a powerhouse as Rebel, and with Andy Garcia, John Corbett and the rest of the phenomenal cast, viewers are going to fall in love with these characters and the world Krista has created for them.”

Tiger King’s Carole and Howard Baskin, the activists behind non-profit educational sanctuary Big Cat Rescue, have partnered with ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media to develop and produce a new unscripted series. “This partnership and new series fall right into Thinkfactory’s wheelhouse, offering a unique new format with incredibly vibrant and passionate individuals at its center,” said Thinkfactory CEO Adam Reed. “Carole and Howard are fun, intense, unpredictable, wildly driven, and, oh yeah, they’ve very recently become pop culture sensations.” Reed will be talking reality TV at Cynopsis’ virtual Big TV Conference. If you haven’t registered yet, head here.

Here’s a reality show that’s out of this world. Production company Space Hero Inc. nabbed a seat on a 2023 mission to the International Space Station, which will be awarded to a contestant in an unscripted show, Space Hero. Contestants will undergo extensive training (phew) before one of them takes off in a SpaceX Dragon rocket. Ben Silverman and Howard Owens’ Propagate are producing.

Raised by Wolves, HBO Max’s top-performing original series, has been renewed for a second season. The streamer said its Ridley Scott sci-fi drama grew its audience in week two by nearly 50% week-over-week.

Also coming back for a second round is Quibi’s Die Hart, from Kevin Hart and LOL Studios. Dubbed Die Harter, the series will see Hart resume his role as a version of himself, going to an action star school run by a lunatic director played by John Travolta.

Lawline, the online continuing legal education provider, announced a content partnership with legal news net Law&Crime. As part of the deal, Law&Crime is producing three new series for Lawline, available to Lawline subscribers. “As Law&Crime continues to expand its footprint into different areas, this content partnership with Lawline is another great opportunity to extend our reach,” said Dan Abrams, Founder of Law&Crime. “Creating compelling programs is what we do so providing them directly to lawyers is a natural evolution of our business model.”

Season four of The Rich and the Ruthless starts production tomorrow, September 19 in LA. The behind-the-scenes soap opera follows the fictional story of the first Black-run daytime drama. Victoria Rowell (The Young and the Restless) stars and executive produces the digital dram-com.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

New Science Channel series Phantom Signals investigates the phenomenon of blips on the screen and faulty frequencies. Signals like a mysterious cry for help over a radio and floating city in the clouds are explored starting Thursday, October 8 at 10p.

Industry, a drama focused on a group of young college graduates competing for jobs at a leading London investment bank, premieres on HBO Monday, November 9 at 10p.

ABC set fall premiere dates for its scripted drama series, starting Monday, November 2 at 10p with The Good Doctor. Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy return Thursday, November 12 at 9p and 10p, and Big Sky makes its series premiere on Tuesday, November 18 at 10p. For Life is back Wednesday, November 18 at 10p – taking the slot from just-canceled Stumptown – followed the next night by A Million Little Things at 10p. The Rookie will premiere later in the season.

Two new relationship series are on the way from OWN, expanding the net’s unscripted programming block to Fridays and Saturdays. Put a Ring on It launches Friday, October 23 at 10p, with longtime couples dating other people to determine if they’re meant to be. Behind Every Man, making its debut Saturday, November 7 at 10p, will focus on the women behind famous men.

Find out why John Hesling, President of Maverick TV USA, is all fired up about Netflix newcomer American Barbecue Showdown, in Cynsiders.

Apple TV+’s new kids’ series Doug Unplugs and Stillwater premiere on Friday, November 13 and Friday, December 4, respectively. The season two debut of the streamer’s Ghostwriter is set for Friday, October 9p followed by the sophomore launch of Helpsters on Friday, October 16.

Univision Local Digital launches #MiHistoriaCOVID, a digital docu-series that shines a light on Latino front-line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each episode will feature the story of a Latino essential worker.

STREAMING

AMC Networks and Twitch are partnering for a live-streaming entertainment experience focused on The Walking Dead. The TWD Universe channel will offer fans a way to engage with the TWD Universe by live-streaming original related programming exclusively on Twitch. “As the storytelling and characters that span The Walking Dead Universe continue to grow, so do the innovative ways we reach and engage with fans – both old and new – across social media and popular new platforms like Twitch,” said David Beck, EVP and Head of Programming Strategy and Business Operations, AMC Networks.

Netflix’s Lucifer shot to the top of Nielsen’s weekly top 10 list of streaming shows for the week of August 17 – when its fifth season premiered – displacing The Umbrella Academy, which slipped to third. Animated The Legend of Korra jumped from eight place to second.

Cinedigm is launching AVOD CONtv Anime on THETA.tv, a decentralized streaming platform available on desktop web, Android/iOS mobile app, and via Android TV. CONtv Anime offers a range of ianime series and movies, including cyberpunk, supernatural tales, gripping dramas and epic fantasy adventures.

PBS Distribution launched its streaming channel, PBS Masterpiece, on Amazon Prime Video Channels for Canada. In addition to Masterpiece programming, the channel will offer titles from the Walter Presents library.

From March through July 2020, Sinclair-owned local news streaming app NewsON reports it has registered over 3 million new installs and maintained users, minutes viewed and ad avail gains of close to 70% from pre-COVID levels.

COMING UP

No in-person event? No problem for E!, which will have Giuliana Ranic and Vivica A. Fox headlining E!’s Live From the Red Carpet: The 2020 Emmy Awards, beginning Sunday, September 20 at 4:30p.

Reelz’ Ted Bundy: The Survivors offers first-hand accounts of women who survived the notorious serial killer’s attemts to assault and murder them. The two-part special launches Saturday, October 3 at 8p.

Heidi Schreck’s Broadway play, What the Constitution Means to Me, is headed to Amazon Prime Video. A filmed version will premiere on the streamer on October 16. Amazon Studios also inked an overall deal with the playright to create content for Prime Video.

Fuse Media will debut coming-of-age documentary film Ready Or Not on Saturday, October 3 at 9p. Part of Fuse Docs, the fim follows 17-year old activist Marcel McClinton in his race against a powerful incumbent for a seat on the Houston City Council.

TECH TALK

As the cookie crumbles, TV measurement and attribution TVSquared and Blockgraph, a privacy-focused audience platform for media companies, have partnered to provide omni-channel TV measurement and audience activation. By combining TVSquared’s measurement of reach and frequency across linear and OTT services, and Blockgraph’s peer-to-peer audience insights and authentication platform, the partnership offers advertisers cross-channel measurement and identity resolution. “Attempts to solve for the needs of today’s TV ecosystem with technology that is decades old is a losing battle,” said Jo Kinsella, President, TVSquared. “The only way for advertisers to effectively and efficiently buy on a cross-platform basis is with world-class measurement and audience identity resolution. TVSquared and Blockgraph have the capabilities needed to solve for this in a way that meets the privacy, security and data concerns of the new world.”

Google announced features for Ad Manager’s Dynamic Ad Insertion that allows ad insertions during live events. DAI Prefetch distributes ad requests and accommodates longer ad times, enabling a high-quality experience for concurrent users, and increasing the ability for the ad ecosystem to manage the scale of large live events. Google also launched an Early Break Notification API in Ad Manager’s DAI, to make it easier to use real-time ad break data to monetize live events.

With more than a dozen categories, these companies reign supreme in Cynopsis’ Adtech Awards: Adobe, Amobee, Bell Media, Concert, Cuebiq, Dell, Disney, Dotdash, Discovery Engage, Gamut Total, GroundTruth, IBM, Imagine Communication, Jaguar Land Rover, ListenFirst, MagicLinks, NewsON, Nielsen, New York Interconnect, Premion, Publica, Realeyes, Roku, Simpli.fi, Spectrum Reach, Tap Native, The AI Exchange, TVSquared, Giant, Viamedia, Vistar Media, WarnerMedia, and Xandr. Save the date for our virtual awards event on December 1 to see who wins!

Discovery platform Taboola is partnering with digital ad verification company Integral Ad Science to introduce an integration to directly apply pre-bid brand safety within a native discovery platform. “Now Taboola’s large number of global advertisers can feel secure knowing that their content will only appear in locations that have been deemed appropriate by IAS technology,” said Adam Singolda, Founder and CEO at Taboola. “IAS has proven to be a brand safety innovator and a key strategic partner for Taboola. By extending our partnership and introducing this first-to-market offering, we’re giving advertisers yet another way to benefit from Taboola’s audience scale and ultimately ensure ROI.”

AT&T is mulling offering mobile phone plans that include an advertising element, revealed CEO John Stankey. “I believe there’s a segment of our customer base where given a choice, they would take some load of advertising for a $5 or $10 reduction in their mobile bill,” said Stankey in an interview in Reuters. Ad-supported plans could arrive in “a year or two,” he added.

GOING GLOBAL

UK’s Channel 5 is adding six new documentaries focused on real-life crime to its slate. ITN Productions is set to produce murder series Manhunt and docu-drama The Railway Murders, Vice Studios is onboard for forensic psychology-led series Jack The Ripper: The Hidden Victims, Firecracker Films will produce Luke Mitchell (wt), October Films will produce Worboys: The New Revelations, and Clockwork Films and Daisybeck Studios will co-produce a documentary film The Yorkshire Ripper: The Untold Story.

France 5, part of the France Télévisions Group, has commissioned The Trojan War: Myth and Reality. Belgian broadcaster RTBF, French channel Histoire TV and an undisclosed US broadcaster have also pre-bought the two-hour special.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
The main character in which 1980s drama was pursued by a bounty hunter with the same name as a current popular podcast host? In Werewolf (1987-88), Eric Cord is pursued by Joe Rogan. Kudos to: Austin Cassidy-Nectarine Media/Jacksonville, FL, Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA, Larry Hutchins/Nipomo, CA

Today’s Trivia Question
In which sitcom did Bill Parcells, Brian Bosworth, Boomer Esiason, Chad Johnson and Stacy Keibler appear as themselves? (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.)