Today’s Finales
HGTV: Windy City Rehab at 9p
ID: Living a Nightmare at 10p

IN THE NEWS

Linda Yaccarino has been elevated to Chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. In addition to overseeing all National Advertising Sales, Ad Sales Marketing, and Global Partnerships, Yaccarino will now add Local Advertising Sales and Strategic Initiatives teams to her purview, as well as spearhead a new cross-functional Data Strategy effort across the company. The new structure is an extension of NBCU’s One Platform strategy, tying its local ad sales operation more closely to the company’s global sales efforts. “Linda has done a fantastic job moving the advertising business forward, not just for NBCUniversal, but the industry at large,” said Jeff Shell, CEO, NBCUniversal. “I’m excited for her to continue architecting the future of the ad-supported ecosystem and uniting all assets of this company.”

Also undergoing a restructuring is the Walt Disney Co., with a “focus on developing and producing original content for the Company’s streaming services.” Distribution and commercialization activities will be centralized under Media and Entertainment Distribution, a group responsible for all monetization of content and oversight of streaming services. Creation of content will fall under Studios, General Entertainment, and Sports. “Managing content creation distinct from distribution will allow us to be more effective and nimble in making the content consumers want most, delivered in the way they prefer to consume it,” said Disney CEO Bob Chapek. “Our creative teams will concentrate on what they do best—making world-class, franchise-based content—while our newly centralized global distribution team will focus on delivering and monetizing that content in the most optimal way across all platforms.”

The Critics Choice Awards are spinning off a TV special, The Critics Choice Super Awards, honoring “fan obsessed” genres Superhero, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror, and Action and Animation. The special will air Sunday, January 10 on The CW. “The time has come to recognize the brilliance, creativity, and artistic excellence showcased in genres that, for far too long, have been overlooked by other award shows,” said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin.

The decision by Walt Disney Studios to move the release of Pixar film Soul from November 20 in theaters to December 25 directly onto Disney+ drew the “shock and dismay” of European exhibitors, according to the International Union of Cinemas. Said UNIC in a statement, “While cinemas will struggle to recover without new releases, so in truth too will our studio partners, whose decisions in such circumstances risk causing irreparable damage to key markets, many of whom will be less well-placed to support their films when they do decide to release them. It is no exaggeration to say that by the time some studios decide that the moment is right to release their films, it may be too late for many European cinemas.” Soul will be released theatrically in markets where Disney+ is not available.

Facebook is updating its hate speech policy to ban content that denies or distorts the Holocaust. The decision is meant to address the “well-documented rise in anti-Semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust, especially among young people,” said Monika Bickert, VP of Content Policy.

Comcast is launching Comcast RISE, a program to help strengthen small and diverse businesses hard hit by COVID-19. US-based Black-owned small businesses can apply for marketing and technology support and equipment. In the next wave, eligibility will expand to include Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Plus, all small businesses are able to sign up now for free marketing insights.

What’s a good price for ad-free TV? A survey from Engine Insights found that on average, $21.30 is considered a “great value” for a streaming, cable or satellite subscription, while $36.70 is pushing it. A quarter of respondents said that during programming they stream for free, 8 to 10 ads in an hour-long show would be acceptable.

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).

Showtime gave a straight-to-series order for Flatbush Misdemeanors, created by and starring Kevin Iso and Dan Perlman. The comedy is a co-production of Showtime and Avalon, which will act as lead studio in adapting the digital series of the same name that follows longtime friends struggling to thrive in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

History greenlit Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman (wt), hosted and executive produced by the Academy Award winner. Produced by Freeman and producer Lori McCreary’s production company, Revelations Entertainment, the six-parter will explore the greatest convict escapes from notorious prisons around the world.

Channing Tatum is producing a limited series in development at HBO, focused on the rise of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Doug Jung (Star Trek Beyond) will write, based on the book Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.

Disney Channel ordered animated series Hamster & Gretel, from Dan Povenmire (Phineas and Ferb). “An incredibly gifted storyteller, Dan has been an esteemed member of the Disney family for many years, consistently showcasing his knack for creating universally appealing shows that resonate with both kids and families,” said Meredith Roberts, SVP/GM, Television Animation, Disney Channels. “His signature blend of heart, humor and music are a perfect fit for Disney.”

Pandemic precautions can save money on Netflix productions, shared co-CEO Ted Sarandos at virtual Mipcom. “Because of all these safety protocols and people being very supportive of these safety protocols, productions run much smoother, so you actually save some shooting days sometimes,” he said. “Shooting days are shorter, the sets are better run, there’s fewer people on sets sometimes, which keeps the trains running on time.” Also significant is the financial benefit of people not getting sick. “Going into flu season, all these safety protocols for Covid are going to prevent people also from getting the flu as frequently as they did and you would lose shooting days,” noted Sarandos.

CASTING

Joshua Jackson (The Affair) will play the title role in Peacock’s Dr. Death, based on the podcast. He replaces Jamie Dornan, who had to bow out due to production delays caused by the the pandemic….Keira Knightley left her role in Apple TV+ The Essex Serpent for family reasons. With the COVID-19 outbreak heating up in the UK, there “wasn’t a comfortable scenario” that could be put into place for childcare, the actress’ rep told the Daily Mail…Jessica de Gouw (Arrow) and Simon Manyonda (His Dark Materials) have joined the season two cast of Pennyworth.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

ID’s Killer in Question follows murder cases where the verdict remains in dispute, starting Sunday, November 1 at 9p with the story of man convicted of a murder that occurred while a serial killer was on the loose.

His Dark Materials is back for season two on HBO on Monday, November 16 at 9p. Joining the cast this season are Terence Stamp (Superman), Jade Anouka (Trauma) and Simone Kirby (Notes on Blindness).

E!’s Total Bellas is back for season six on Thursday, November 12 at 9p. Last season, the reality show delivered more than 1 million total viewers, 672,000 P18-49 and 499,000 W18-49, up 12%, 9% and 16%, respectively, from the prior season.

More crumbling Kansas City estate homes get massive overhauls in six new episodes of HGTV’s Bargain Mansions, premiering Monday, November 9 at 9p. More than 26 million viewers have watched this season of the series, following mother of four Tamara Day using budget-conscious designs to transform houses.

My Little Pony: Pony Life trots onto Discovery Family on Saturday, November 7 at 11:30a. The animated kids series explores the funny side of friendship in Sugarcube Corner.

Complex and Crooked Media’s Vote Save America join forces for a video series on issues that undecided Gen Z, Millennials and BIPOC voters are concerned with that will be on the ballot. Complex Conversations x Vote Save America airs Wednesday, October 14 at 11 on Complex’s YouTube and Facebok channels and Complex.com.

Season four of Overheard at National Geographic Podcast kicks off Tuesday, October 27. “Just because we’re stuck inside for the time being doesn’t mean discovery stops,” said co-host Peter Gwin, Editor at Large at National Geographic.

COMING UP

Mobile news app NowThis announced event NowThis NEXT, with hosts Seth Meyers and Netflix CMO Bozoma Saint John. The virtual event will feature celebrities and thought leaders, including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Diane von Furstenberg, Stacey Abrams and more, amplifying the voices of up-and-coming women leaders. NowThis NEXT’s inaugural partner is Vital Voices Global Partnership, a nonprofit that invests in women leaders.

HBO will mark the season one finale of Lovecraft Country with the final event of Social VR experience Lovecraft Country: Sanctum, a virtual reality concert given by Janelle Monáe. The musical experience re-imagines the future of performances and live events, featuring a virtual environment that is interactive and directly impacted by the artist’s physical performance. Ahead of Monáe’s set, guests will be invited into The Reliquary, a mystery room hosted by Lovecraft Country’s Michael Kenneth Williamss. The finale airs Sunday, October 18 at 9p.

Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean joins Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen for a virtual two-part reunion beginning Monday, October 19 at 9p.

Netflix drama Narcos will begin streaming on Pluto TV on Thursday, October 15, across the Crime Drama and Narcos Novelas channels, as well as its own branded channels. It’s the first time the entire series has been available to stream on a free service US.

Antenna TV will air 70 back-to-back episodes of The Jack Benny Program to mark the show’s 70th television anniversary. The marathon starts Saturday, October 24 at 10a, and runs through Sunday, October 25 at 8:30p.

TLC’s fourth annual Give a Little event will go virtual this year with a panel discussion featuring past honorees on October 19 at 2p. The initiative seeks to replace bullying and hate with positivity and kindness. Hosted by Shaun Robinson (host of 90 Day Faince Tell Alls), the panel will cover topics related to the Black Lives Matter movement, the effects of the pandemic, and how current events have impacted each honoree on the panel.

STREAMING SCOOP

YouTube is now the most popular social media platform for watching sports highlights, according to a survey from Ring Digital. Fifty-three percent of respondents said they turn to YouTube, versus 45% who use Facebook regularly. That’s a switch from 2017, when 63% of people said Facebook was their top choice, and 43% pointed to YouTube.

WWE announced its official YouTube channel topped 50 billion total views. The channel combines in-ring highlights from Raw, SmackDown, pay-per-views, NXT, NXT UK and 205 Live, interviews, news from WWE Now and live event coverage with WWE Kickoffs, Watch Alongs and WWE’s The Bump.

TECH NEWS

Microsoft took down the servers behind Trickbot, a huge malware network that Microsoft said could have affected the election. “Adversaries can use ransomware to infect a computer system used to maintain voter rolls or report on election-night results, seizing those systems at a prescribed hour optimized to sow chaos and distrust,” said Microsoft VP of security Tom Burt in a blog post. Trickbot has not only been used to spread ransomware, but to spread malicious emails containing malware intended to draw victims with messaging around Black Lives Matter and COVID-19, said Microsoft.

FreeWheel, A Comcast Company announced that agencies using their Strata Platform’s ePort platform broke spend records in orders sent to local broadcasters and rep firms in the month of September. “Since early spring, proprietary FreeWheel data has shown record increases in viewership, including a 32% growth in ad views. However, advertising budgets were in decline as brands and agencies struggled with the pandemic,” said Michael McHugh, VP, Media eBusiness at FreeWheel. “Our latest data is a clear sign that these trends are reversing – and local advertising is coming back into balance. Consumers are increasingly turning to local programming to find out what’s happening in their communities, and the advertisers are following.”

Tech – from smartphones to social media – is impacting news coverage. Amir Efrati, newly-named Executive Editor of business and technology news site The Information, offers his insights on the shift in news focus, and the “ad machines” that have forced the contraction of local news, in Cynsider.

Snap has released First Commercial to advertisers in Ad Manager. The product guarantees advertisers the first ad experience that a user sees on a given day within premium shows on Discover. Testing on the video takeover solution began in spring 2020.

DISTRIBUTION

Studio 100 Group and TV Cultura are teaming for live action/CGI hybrid series Mia and me. The first two seasons will air on Brazil’s TV Cultura.

all3media international has signed worldwide deals for All Creatures Great and Small, Playground’s television adaptation of James Herriot’s bestselling novels. The deals cover the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Blue Ant International inked a distribution deal with HBO Max for tween series Detention Adventure, and kids’ science show MAKE IT BIG, make it small.

Sky has acquired feature documentary Yusef Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn, directed by Muta’Ali Muhammad, from UK producer Lightbox, to be broadcast on Sky Documentaries and via NOW TV.

GoQuest Media has closed a deal with Ukraine’s StarLightMedia, acquiring worldwide distribution rights for dramas Mother’s Choice and Behind The Shop Window.

Beyond Rights has closed a series of deals with US broadcasters, for series including the HighwayThru Hell, Heavy Rescue, Chasing Monsters, Love It or List It, Love It or List It Australia, and Rabbit Project.

Ovation TV signed a deal with Beta Film for linear and AVOD rights of four Canadian mystery and drama series: King, Cracked, Remedy, and Street Legal.

ComediHa! and Productions Casablanca have agreed on a distribution deal for five of Productions Casablanca’s series: The Phoenix, Anyway, Writer’s Block, The Invincibles and The Elevator .

One Animation has secured a deal with Disney Channels US for a package of long-form seasonal specials and shorts of Oddbods, Party Monsters, The Festive Menace, Oddbeard’s Curse, and additional Christmas shorts.

Media Ranch and South Korea’s Something Special struck an agreement that will have Watch! represented by Something Special in Asia, while Something Special’s new formats, Miracle Recipes and Miracle Habits, will be represented outside of Asia by Media Ranch.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which primetime medical drama on CBS was transformed into a soap opera that aired on ABC? The Nurses (1962-67). Kudos to: Joe Leydon-Cowboys & Indians Magazine/Houston, Paul Blutter-Walk and Talk Production Rentals/Burbank, Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC, Charles Lore/NYC, David Garber-Loyola Marymount University/Playa Vista, CA, Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA, John KuklA-KDFW/Dallas, Ken DuBow-Bob’s Your Uncle/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
With which series did Magnum, P.I. (1980-88) have crossover episodes? (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.)