Today’s Premieres
Amazon: Chasing the Crown: Dreamers to Streamers
Animal Planet: Best-Kept Secrets at 8p
Apple TV+: Ghostwriter
BBC America: The Graham Norton Show at 11p
Disney: Raven’s Home at 8p
Disney+: The Right Stuff
Netflix: Deaf U, The Haunting of Bly Manor
Nick: Santiago of the Seas at 12:30p
Saturday’s Premieres
AMC: Eli Roth’s History of Horror at 10p
Ovation TV: The Fall
Snapchat: Coach Kev
Sunday’s Premieres
AMC: Fear the Walking Dead at 9p
Animal Planet: North Woods Law at 9p
Nick Jr.: Rainbow Rangers at 11a
Starz: The Spanish Princess at 8p
Sunday’s Finales
DIY: Barnwood Builders at 9p
Food Network: Halloween Wars at 9p, Outrageous Pumpkins at 10p
PBS: Last Tango in Halifax at 8p
IN THE NEWS
In a restructuring that could cut costs by as much as 20%, WarnerMedia will lay off thousands of employees, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The restructuring is expected to begin in a matter of weeks, the result of a hit in earnings from movie tickets, cable subscriptions and television ads due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The WSJ report said layoffs would affect Warner Bros. Studios, as well as networks including HBO, TBS and TNT.
CBS is rolling out a refreshed brand identity across all divisions, including new audio and visual cues, and an animated take on the iconic CBS Eye . “CBS has long been one of the most unifying brands in media, bringing people together from all walks of life. Vibrant, trusted, inviting, inclusive – a connector with heart. We needed to make that clearer and more consistent at every consumer touchpoint,” said President and Chief Marketing Officer Mike Benson. The updated look for entertainment programming debuted on the network this week in advance of the upcoming fall season, and will roll out across CBS News leading up to the 2020 election and for CBS Sports by the network’s broadcast of Super Bowl LV in February. Similar iterations are being developed for CBS Television Stations and CBS Television Distribution.
Joe Biden’s campaign has scheduled a solo ABC News town hall on October 15, the day the second presidential debate was to take place. The Commission for Presidential Debates announced on Thursday that the October 15 debate would be virtual instead of in person, to address safety concerns over President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis, but the president immediately vetoed that plan, telling Fox Business Network, “I am not going to waste my time on a virtual debate.” The Trump campaign then said it was open to a proposal to move the debate to October 22, when the third and final match-up was scheduled, and schedule another for October 29, but balked when the Biden campaign said the October 22 debate would be the candidates’ last. Now what? “We look forward to participating in the final debate, scheduled for Oct. 22, which already is tied for the latest debate date in 40 years,” said Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield. “Donald Trump can show up, or he can decline again. That’s his choice.” Stay tuned….
ViacomCBS salaried employees won’t be getting merit increases this year as the media industry deals with the economic fallout of the pandemic. CEO Bob Bakish broke the news at a town hall meeting. “In an effort to manage company assets conservatively during this economically challenging time, we have come to the difficult but necessary decision to forego merit increases for all employees this year,” said Bakish.
Apple comedy Dickinson has been renewed for season three, ahead of the January 8 premiere of its sophomore run on Apple TV+. Creator/showrunner/exec producer Alena Smith signed an overall deal with Apple in May.
Facebook will temporarily halt all political ads in the US after polls close on November 3, to “protect the integrity” of the election. The announcement follows Facebook’s decision in September not to run new political ads the week before election day, and President Trump’s suggestion that he would not necessarily participate in a peaceful transfer of power.
Call for Submissions: Cynopsis is producing its annual Holiday Programming Guide, which comes out on October 28 and will be sent to all Cynopsis subscribers. If your network has holiday programming airing from October 28 through January 1, please send your listing to [email protected] and [email protected] no later than Monday, October 19 with the subject line: Holiday Guide. To be included, programs must be listed by date, title of program, and start times, in the following format: “Thursday, November 19: Network Name: My One Christmas Wish at 9a, Paper Angels at 11a, 12 Days of Giving at 1p, A Christmas Kiss at 3p, A Very Country Christmas at 5p, Christmas on the Coast at 7p, A Christmas Cruise at 9p”. Holiday-related programs only! A confirmation email will be sent following each submission (if you don’t receive a confirmation email, please resubmit). |
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CYNOPSIS WEBINAR | BLACK OWNED MEDIA MATTERS
Addressing the Issue of Systemic Racism in Advertising
Thursday, October 29 | 1:00-2pm ET
“Our industry must have true economic inclusion, and this can only start when agency planners guide their clients to include black owned-media in their annual budgets… thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement, for the very first time in our business, there is real accountability.” –Byron Allen, Chairman & CEO, ALLEN MEDIA GROUP
REGISTER FOR FREE
(Sponsored by TheGrio/ES Networks) |
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| PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) will star in ITV and Spectrum Originals thriller Angela Black. The six-episode psychological drama produced by Two Brothers Pictures in association with all3media International is written by Harry and Jack Williams (The Missing, Fleabag).
Quibi greenlit Ten Ton Chum (wt), hosted by Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar) and produced by MAK Pictures. The series will dive deep to explore the ocean’s ecosystem.
All3Media companies Aurora Media Worldwide and North One will act as host broadcasters in a multi-season deal with Extreme E for a new racing series that has SUVs competing in extreme environments affected by climate issues. The partnership will employ a hybrid storytelling approach, combining sport and scientific stories highlighting the planet’s plight.
Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek: Voyager) will reprise her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway in Nickelodeon’s new animated series Star Trek: Prodigy. The news was revealed during the Star Trek Universe virtual panel at New York Comic Con. “Kate’s portrayal of Captain Janeway is truly iconic, and has resonated with a global audience for many years,” said Ramsey Naito, President, Nickelodeon Animation.
Casting Notes: Brooke Smith (Bombshell), Jeffrey Joseph (A Million Little Things), Gage Marsh (Nancy Drew) and Gabriel Jacob-Cross (Snowpiercer) have joined the cast of ABC’s David E. Kelley thriller series Big Sky….Amy Carlson (Blue Bloods) and Terry O’Quinn (Lost) are joining season two of CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted in recurring roles.
The speaker panel is now available for next month’s annual Measurement & Data Conference… but this year (for obvious reasons) it’s going virtual on November 17-18. Hear from executives from companies such as Amazon, Starcom, OMD, Publicis, UM (see the full list here) on industry trends, best practices, data security/privacy updates, and more! Lock in your spot for our two-day digital experience and score your pass at a reduced rate when you reserve your virtual seat by 10/27.
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
A bad attitude isn’t all the subjects of Oxygen’s Killer Siblings have in common. The true crime series is back for season two on Saturday, November 7 at 6p, with detectives on the hunt for rotten relatives.
Docu-series By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem premieres Sunday, November 8 at 10p on Epix. Inspired by the music and subjects featured in the Epix series Godfather of Harlem, the four-parter follows the true story of Harlem and its music during the 1960’s.
Law&Crime, the true crime and live trial network, is adding Trial File to its primetime programming lineup. The new docu-series condenses weeks-long trials into thirty minute episodes featuring the most impactful moments from inside the courtroom, starting Monday, October 12 at 9p.
Attorney and former Fox News host Eboni K. Williams is joining Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City. “NYC is filled with successful and dynamic Black women. I’m excited to join this legendary franchise as the first Black housewife,” Eboni said in a statement to Bravo. “Can’t wait to share a slice of life in this city that hasn’t been seen before.”
Bravo Digital has launched a new talk show hosted from home by Project Runway mentor Christian Siriano. So Siriano airs Thursdays on BravoTVcom.
Have you checked out our Membership Program yet? It’s got more content…more education…more connections. And discounts of course! We want to deliver more, easy-to-absorb information + opportunities to help you do your job better. We invite you to take advantage of it, starting today: https://www.cynopsis.com/membership.
COMING UP
Fuse Media will premiere Fuse Town Hall: Our Votes Matter on Friday, October 23 at 9p. Singer/actress/dancer/author Amara La Negra will serve as moderator.
Kane Brown and Sarah Hyland (Modern Family) will be two of the co-hosts for the 2020 CMT Music Awards, airing Wednesday, October 21 at 8p on CMT, MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network, Pop and TV Land. Two additional hosts to be revealed closer to air date.
In more music news, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Inductions debuts on Saturday, November 7 at 8p on HBO. This year’s inductees are Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, The Notorious B.I.G., T-Rex, and Ahmet Ertegun Award honorees Jon Landau and Irving Azoff. The event is in lieu of the live Induction Ceremony originally scheduled for May 2. The special will feature guests including Luke Bryan, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Miley Cyrus, Billy Gibbons, Dave Grohl, Don Henley, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Chris Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brad Paisley, Bruce Springsteen, St. Vincent, Ringo Starr, Gwen Stefani, Charlize Theron, Nancy Wilson and more.
Showtime will premiere American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself on Friday, October 23 at 9p. The film from Alexandra Pelosi raises questions about the stark divisions in how Americans feel.
extraORDINARY / The Bill Atkinson Story, the latest documentary from The WorkShop Content Studios focusing on people overcoming life-challenging adversity, will have its TV premiere on PBS, as a result of the company’s new distribution agreement with American Public Television.
E!’s Daily Pop is dedicating the second half of its show on October 14 to shining a light on Latinx entertainers, stories, and culture. The special will be hosted by E! Latinx talent including Lilliana Vazquez, Erin Lim and Victor Cruz.
Bitchin’ Rides rolls onto MotorTrend TV for a new season on Wednesday, October 21 at 9p. Among Kindig-It Design’s projects this go-round are a 1966 Corvette, a 1951 Ford Pickup Truck, a Kindig concept Corvette, and a 1967 C10.
STREAMING SCOOP
Tubi has launched News on Tubi, offering live, streaming news content for free. Initially available on Android, Amazon Fire TV, and the Roku platform, News on Tubi features content from Fox Television Stations, NewsNOW from Fox, Fox Soul, Bloomberg TV, NBC News NOW, PeopleTV, CBC, WeatherNation, Cheddar, Altice USA’s News 12 New York, fubo Sports Network, and Black News Channel. Currently, viewers have access to 17 feeds from Fox owned and operated television stations. Tubi is a division of Fox Entertainment.
TECH TALK
IBM has added three new products its suite of AI solutions for brands and publishers. The new capabilities are designed to allow brands to reach consumers while considering user privacy. “While the advertising industry strives to re-emerge strong from the global economic and societal issues we faced this year, it’s also deep in the throes of a major transformation with changes to mobile identity, certain elimination of third-party cookies, compliance and regulatory shifts and increased demand for trust and transparency,” said Bob Lord, SVP, Cognitive Applications and Blockchain, IBM. “We believe AI will be the ‘backbone’ of the new era as the industry prepares for the next generation of advertising.”
Video technology company Connatix announced that multiple publishing partners have integrated with the Playspace platform, including AccuWeather, Gray TV, and The Washington Times. Playspace, launched in June, aims to help publishers boost their video revenue while enhancing the editorial experience by generating swipeable story units that feature content highlights from articles and videos. “We’re seeing a rapid adoption of Playspace because publishers love how it drives both reader engagement and revenue,” said David Kashak, CEO of Connatix. “Many of our partners are hyper focused on the content experience and want to ensure monetization solutions are working in harmony with their editorial goals.”
Dwayne Johnson topped 200 million Instagram followers this week. His advice to fans, in his post about the milestone? “Always speak your truth. And do your best to speak your truth with dignity, compassion, respect, poise and empathy.” Johnson now counts the most Instagram followers by an American man, and is just behind Ariana Grande’s 203 million.
Centro introduced Email and SMS steps within Slack’s Workflow Builder, allowing salespeople to create automated customer emails within Slack. The emails can be placed in a series so no customer email is lost, and if there is no customer response, predetermined reminders will be sent out.
Attribution specialist AppsFlyer has added linking tool OneLink to Salesforce AppExchange. OneLink generates a link that takes customers to a mobile app or app store; brands can track the journey post-email, allowing companies to “not only create enhanced user experiences but better track the effectiveness of campaigns,” said Elad Mashiach, Chief Partnerships Officer for AppsFlyer.
KIDS CORNER
Sesame Workshop tackles racism, and models how children can stand up to it, in The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special. Designed as a co-viewing experience for children and families, the special will stream on HBO Max and PBS KIDS starting Thursday, October 15, and debut on PBS stations the same day (check local listings). The special will also re-air throughout October and November on PBS stations and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel.
New series Pikwik Pack premieres on Disney Junior and Disney Now on Saturday, November 7 at 8:30a. In the animated series, four animal friends work together to deliver magical surprises.
GOING GLOBAL
Corus Entertainment’s W Network is airing Hallmark Channel’ 2020 Countdown to Christmas, kicking off with a special early premiere on Saturday, October 31 at 9p. New originals premiere every Saturday and Sunday.
Superights announced a second season of Clay Time, produced by French studio REAZ. The series will include live tutorial episodes.
Prime Focus Technologies announced that it has researched, developed, and produced the second season of the multi-part series, Mega Icons 2, for National Geographic India. The series explores key events of icons of the 21st century.
The BBC and Silverback Films are at work on climate change series Earthshot: How to Save Our Planet (wt). The show will launch Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, grants for people working on solutions to environmental problems.
Splash Entertainment and ViacomCBS’ Ananey Studios, a production company and content creators in Israel, are joining forces for the first time to produce and distribute Family Rocks, a new preschool series about the first modern family of the Stone Age. |
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| RATINGS
Wednesday’s debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris drew 50.7 million total viewers across broadcast and cable. Fox News drew the most viewers, with 11.5 million, followed by ABC (9.8 million), CNN (7.3 million) and MSNBC (6.7 million). The VP debate in 2016 delivered 35.6 million viewers.
TVision Top Shows for September 2020, for Ad Attention
Top Shows, Broadcast
show, network, Ad Attention
Bob’s Burgers, FOX, 46.7%
The Simpsons, FOX, 42.1%
Match Game, ABC, 41.9%
Emergency Call, ABC, 41.3%
Big Brother, CBS, 41.2%
Top Shows, Cable
show, network, Ad Attention
Welcome to the Jungle, HGTV, 49.4%
Fargo, FX, 47.5%
South Park, MTV – Music Television, 47.4%
NBA Courtside, ESPN, 47.0%
Vacation House Rules, HGTV, 43.5%
OTT Co-Viewing
Program Name, Application, Co-Viewing Rate
Sing On! (S1), Netflix, 97%
Emely’s Wonder Lab (S1) Netflix, 86%
Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt (S1), Netflix, 85%
Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father (S4), Netflix, 84%
Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous, Netflix, 83%
Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Wednesday, September 30
Show, P2+ 0000s, (A18-49)
ABC: Pence vs. Harris 4.39 (0.8), Vice Presidential Debate 9.83 (2.2) Vote 2020 Analysis 7.00 (1.6)
CBS Big Brother 4.10 (1.0), Vice Presidential Debate 5.38 (1.1), Debate Analysis 4.23 (0.8)
CW: Devils 0.60 (0.1), Coroner 0.72 (0.1)
FOX: The Masked Singer 6.00 (1.5), Vice Presidential Debate 6.80 (1.6), Debate Analysis 4.69 (1.1)
NBC: Weakest Link 4.08 (0.8), Vice Presidential Debate 6.80 (1.6), Debate Analysis 4.69 (1.1)
Telemundo: Exatlon Estados Unidos 0.98, Decision 2020 1.00
Univision: Medicos Linea de Vida 1.31 (0.4), Destino 2020 1.03 (0.3)
Source: Nielsen, live + same day time period averages
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Crown Media Family Networks announced that Andy Rooke has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, an expanded role that adds to his existing areas of oversight as CFO. Rooke assumes all responsibility for Crown Media’s corporate strategy and business development, as well as leadership of the company’s non-cable business units, including SVOD, international, publishing, home entertainment, and licensing.
WarnerMedia tapped Jean-Paul “JP” Colaco to serve as the Head of Advertising Sales. Colaco most recently led the Americas for the Apple Search Ads business.
ITV Studios label Possessed has appointed Nick Mather as its Creative Director. Mather has previously held the roles of Managing Director of Remarkable TV and Creative Director of Expectation Entertainment.
Twitter hired Tracy McGraw as Senior Director of Global Consumer Communications. Most recently, McGraw was Head of Communications for Tyler Perry Studios.
Slawko Klymkiw, CEO of the Canadian Film Centre, announced that he will retire in spring 2021 after 15 years. “Slawko’s extraordinary leadership at the CFC and his years of unwavering support of Canadian creators will undoubtedly leave a long-lasting imprint on our industry,” said Christina Jennings, Chair, CFC Board of Directors.
Group Nine Media named Sylvia Banderas Coffinet General Manager of Multicultural Brand Partnerships and Marketing. Banderas Coffinet most recently served as Publisher, Chief Brand and Revenue Officer at Hello and Hola Media Inc.
Filter, a Merkle Company, appointed Todd Paris as CEO. Paris joined Filter in August 2020 from Deloitte Digital, where he held the role of Managing Director in charge of the firm’s Advertising Technology and Insights practice.
American Documentary, Inc. announced that Justine Nagan will step down as Executive Director. Nagan, who joined AmDoc in 2015, will stay on until Spring 2021 when a replacement is named. |
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A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM SPECTRUM REACH
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This Day in History
1936: Hoover Dam begins transmitting electricity to Los Angeles.
Friday Fun Fact
Walmart has a lower acceptance rate than Harvard
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
On which sitcoms starring former Friends (1994-2004) co-stars did Matthew Perry guest star? Cougar Town (starring Courteney Cox) and Web Therapy (starring Lisa Kudrow). Kudos to: Melissa Friedman/LA, Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC, Rev. Mark Wajda/Clermont, FL, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA,
Today’s Trivia Question
How did Will Gardner die on The Good Wife (2009-16)? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four.) |
COMMERCIAL, SYSTEMS INTEGRATION LEADER >>
ION MEDIA NETWORKS/NY, NY, CLEARWATER OR W PALM BEACH, FL: Resp for the assessment, design, implementation, and interconnectedness of key business applications. Must be technically proficient, and disciplined in project mgmt. and be able to work with multiple clients/users/stakeholders to meet their requirements. 10 yrs exp in Systems Ops, Process Diagnostics and Implementation. Full info HERE (10/29)
SALES PLANNER >>
JUKIN MEDIA/NEW YORK, NY:Seeking an individual who can combine creativity and strategy with a deep understanding of the digital media sales process. Must be able to work with clients, with a min of 2 yrs in advertising/media and a proven track record of building strong client relationships. Full info HERE (10/28)
VP, SCRIPTED SALES & CO-PRODUCTIONS >>
BBC STUDIOS/LA, CA: Resp for managing sales/co-prod activity in the fiction genres, with clients across both TV/digital. Need to deliver against a stretching bus plan and budget, maximizing the BBC Studios Catalogue through licensing and co-producing programme rights in the US for TV/VOD. 5yrs exp in programme dist, with an understanding of the UK TV industry. Full info HERE (10/28)
HEAD of PRODUCTION >>
Half Yard Productions/New York: Reporting to the SVP of Prod & Ops this position is resp for overseeing all Productions and Production Mgmt staff across a wide range of programs. Including supporting the Development Dept in creating budgets/schedules for all new productions. Exp in managing various types of shows for networks/channels. Full info HERE (10/27)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER >>
Newsmax Media/NYC: Responsible for designing and building shows, managing show hosts and production team, identifying and integrating guests, overseeing and executing the production of key video & graphic elements. 3+ yrs EP exp or political news & talk programming. Full info HERE (10/27)
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER >>
Newsmax Media/NYC: Write for fast paced news and opinion show. You are an exceptional storyteller with a command of political news and cultural trends. At least 3 years of national or large market local news experience. Full info HERE (10/27)
SENIOR LINE PRODUCER >>
Newsmax Media/NYC: Responsible for the production and execution of live political news programming, and recorded video segments for television, and digital platforms. 3+ yrs experience line producing. Full info HERE (10/27)
PRODUCER >>
Newsmax Media/NYC: Responsible for the production of live news & talk show, and recorded video segments for television, and digital platforms. 3+ yrs in TV news and/or talk production. Full info HERE (10/27)
MANAGER, RESEARCH DIGITAL/ON-AIR MAGNOLIA >>
DISCOVERY INC./NEW YORK, KNOXVILLE: Strong strategic & data-oriented individual to partner on new Magnolia Network & oversee research and performance analytics to optimize Magnolia’s linear & digital presence. 5+ yrs analytics exp req’d. Full info HERE (10/26)
SOCIAL MEDIA ASSOC PRODUCER >>
JUMA ENTERTAINMENT/Remote: Looking for creative and highly motivated individual to access and clear videos for network prime time clip series. Must possess a love of TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and be able to navigate platforms. Full info HERE (10/25)
MANAGER, PROGRAMMING ANALYTICS >>
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS/STAMFORD, CT: Resp for accessing and leveraging internal/external data, as well as building models to support Charter’s various business grps (Programming Acquisition, Original Content, Spectrum Nets, Mktg, Product, etc.) on critical initiatives and decisions. Min 5 yrs exp in data modeling and analytics. Full info HERE (10/25)
VP, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS >>
AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION/BOSTON, MA: Public media leader seeks VP to promote APT brands, impact, marketing strategies, diverse content & engage audiences. Min 10 yrs experience. APT is EOE. Full info HERE. (10/24)
DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER – COUNTER LOGIC GAMING (CLG) >>
Counter Logic Gaming/Madison Square Garden Sports/LA, CA: Counter Logic Gaming is looking for someone to lead the digital mktg team, with a focus on digital content and social media. Resp for creating/executing all CLG digital/content strat across all social/streaming platforms. Min 5 yrs of digital/mktg exp. Full info HERE (10/24)
DIR, LIVE ACTION & UNSCRIPTED SERIES MKTG >>
Nickelodeon/NYC, NY: Ideal candidate will lead a team of mktg and campaign mngrs in all aspects of marketing across all platforms in support of Nickelodeon series and content. Min 8 yrs exp in marketing, media or a consumer strategy position. Full info HERE (10/24) |
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FRIDAY OCTOBER 9
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBA Countdown, NBA Finals
CBS: The Greatest #AtHome Videos, Undercover Boss, Blue Bloods
CW: Masters of Illusion, Masters of Illusion, World’s Funniest Animals, World’s Funniest Animals
FOX: WWE Friday Night SmackDown
NBC: American Ninja Warrior, Dateline NBC
PBS: Washington Week, Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, American Masters
Telemundo: Exatlon Estados Unidos, Todo Por Mi Hija, Falsa Identidad
Univision: Medicos, Linea de Vida, Imperio de Mentiras, Dulce Ambicion |
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