A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM HALLMARK CHANNEL

Hallmark Channel’s
COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS
IS TOO HOLLY TO HANDLE!

STARTING TONIGHT WITH THE HOLLIEST, JOLLIEST
ALL NEW HALLMARK ORIGINALS EVER!
40 Movie Premieres Every Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Shine bright with the premiere of
A HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR
starring the Radio City Rockettes

Today’s Premieres
Apple TV+: Acapulco; Ghostwriter
HBO Max: Vale Dos Esquecidos
Magnolia: In the Kitchen with Abner and Amanda
Netflix: 28 Days Haunted; ONI: Thunder God’s Tale; High: Confessions of an Ibiza Drug Mule; Pokemon Ultimate Journeys
Prime Video: Modern Love Tokyo; The Peripheral
The Roku Channel: Chrissy’s Court

Saturday’s Premieres
Animal Planet: Pit Bulls and Parolees at 9p
CW: Criss Angels Magic with the Stars at 8p; World’s Funniest Animals at 9p
OWN: The Hair Tales at 9p

Sunday’s Premieres
Crunchyroll: To Your Eternity
History: The Toys That Built America at 9p

Sunday’s Finales
Food Network: Outrageous Pumpkins at 10p
HBO: House of the Dragon at 9p
Starz: Power Book III: Raising Kanan at 9p; The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast at 10p

IN THE NEWS

“Your ads, your choice,” promised Google with yesterday’s rollout of My Ad Center, a feature that allow users to control the type of advertisements they see across Search, YouTube, and Discover. When signed into Google, users can access My Ad Center directly from ads on Search, YouTube and Discover, and choose to see more of the brands and topics they like and less of the ones they don’t. They can also turn off ad personalization completely. “It’s our responsibility to strengthen the ways we keep you in control of your ad experiences, while ensuring that every day, people are safer with Google,” said Jerry Dischler, Google’s VP/GM, Ads in a company post.

Despite record global downloads for consumer apps in 3Q22 – 38.7 billion, up 8% over 3Q21 – global consumer spend on apps is down 5%, to $32.4 billion, according to data.ai. The top five apps in the third quarter remained unchanged from the quarter prior in downloads (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp Messenger, Snapchat), spend (TikTok, YouTube, Tinder, Disney+, HBO Max) and monthly active users (Facebook, WhatsApp Messenger, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok).

Advertising investment dipped for the fourth consecutive month, down 5% in September 2022 vs. the previous year, according to Standard Media Index. Digital moved to represent two-thirds share of ad dollars – roughly $13.2 billion during 3Q22, while the absence of the Summer Olympics in July and a portion of August led to the deepest cuts this quarter in Sports investment. On a bright note, auto spend expanded for the first time in September since 2017, up 7% year-over-year.

Moviegoers can get a sneak peek at season five of “Yellowstone” before its November 13 premiere on Paramount Network. Along with a look at Paramount’s upcoming “Tulsa King,” the western will be available at over 100 AMC locations on Saturday, October 29.

Starz has renewed “P-Valley’” for a third season. “‘P-Valley’ continues to keep viewers on the edge of their seats as it captures the nuances of the Mississippi Delta with an unprecedented level of humanity and artistry,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming, STARZ. “This layered drama gets beyond the glitz through authentic and complex characters that have captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike.”

In its earnings report, Snap revealed its daily active users rose 19% from the year prior, to 363 million, above the 358 million anticipated. Revenue was up 6%, to $1.128 billion, but missed forecasts. In a letter to shareholders, CEO Evan Spiegel wrote, “We are finding that our advertising partners across many industries are decreasing their marketing budgets, especially in the face of operating environment headwinds, inflation-driven cost pressures, and rising costs of capital.

Chelsea Handler (“Chelsea Lately”) has been tapped to host the 2023 “Critic’s Choice Awards,” airing Sunday, January 15 at 7p on The CW. “I know this will be the best year yet and can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store,” said CCA CEO Joey Berlin.

Trevor Noah – whose final turn as host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” is December 8 – will headline his third Netflix stand-up special on November 22. “I Wish You Would” shares stories about Noah’s learning to speak German, modern communication and his love for curry.

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PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Cable veteran Melinda C. Witmer has launched a new digital platform, Foiye, offering free home design and real estate-related entertainment content alongside listings from Multiple Listing Service partners. Among launch partners are Egypt Sherrod (“Married to Real Estate”), TLC carpenter Carter Oosterhouse and Ken and Anita Corsini (“Rock the Block”). “Like many real estate obsessed people, I was spending lots of time oogling listings even when I wasn’t in the market to transact…and I didn’t see a destination that was built for real estate daydreamers like me,” Witmer tells Cynopsis. “I decided to create Foiye because I wanted one dedicated destination where home and real estate enthusiasts and pros could come together and get inspired around the content they love.”

Casting notes: William H. Macy (“Shameless”) will guest on season five of ABC’s “The Conners,” as one of Dan’s best friends from high school….Garret Dillahunt (“Sprung”) has joined the third and final season of Netflix’s “Dead to Me,” returning November 17.

NEW AND RETURNING SERIES

E!’s celebrity news and gossip show “E! News” is returning to cable after a two-year hiatus. The revival will be hosted by Adrienne Bailon-Houghton and Justin Sylvester, starting November 14 at 11:30p. “E! News has a long history of entertainment news excellence, and we are excited to bring the show back and continue its legacy,” said Tracie Wilson, EVP, NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and E! News. “This is the perfect team to bring a fresh take to this franchise.”

Competition series “Mountain Men: Ultimate Marksman” premieres on History Channel Thursday, November 3 at 9:30p. “Survivor” alum Colby Donaldson and champion shooter Mark Romano host.

New weekly series “Musical Matinee,” hosted by TCM’s Dave Karger, makes its debut on Turner Classic Movies on November 5. First up: 1951 classic “An American in Paris.”

“Shaq,” a four-part docuseries detailing the life and career of NBA Hall of Famer and multi-hyphenate Shaquille O’Neal, debuts Wednesday, November 23 at 9p on HBO.

ESPN and Omaha Productions announced a new NBA-focused presentation, “NBA in Stephen A’s World,” will debut Wednesday, October 26, on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The series will feature ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith and accompany select ESPN NBA games throughout the season.

“True Crime Story: Indefensible” returns Thursday, October 27 at 10p to SundanceTV. New episodes of the series will roll out weekly on Thursdays.

COMING UP

Paramount Global is holding the “Paramount Global Summit on Disability” at the company’s Hollywood Gower office in LA on October 31. The day-long summit for employees and external partners will feature discussions with performers from series and films; company leaders; and philanthropic and non-profit champions to call attention to the need for greater disability inclusion in media and entertainment.

CMT and Sandbox Productions announced “Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn,” a live event in partnership with the family of the late country music icon. The public memorial service is set to air commercial-free on Sunday, October 30 at 7p on CMT. “Today” co-host Jenna Bush is hosting.

“Michael Buble Night” brings you-know-who to Disney+’s “Dancing With the Stars” as a guest judge on Monday, October 24. The “Feeling Good” singer will also perform.

Great American Family kicks off their Great American Christmas holiday programming event this morning, October 21. The network will air 24/7 Christmas movies through the end of the year, including 18 new original Christmas movie premieres.

STREAMING

AVOD and FAST continue to be the fastest growing sectors in the streaming market, according to Kantar’s EOD streaming analytics service. While SVOD declined 1% quarter-over-quarter to reach 82% of US households, AVOD grew by 1% to 28% household penetration, and FAST grew by 1% point to 24% household penetration. Additional insights include:
· Stacking has continued to grow quarter over quarter, with the average streaming household accessing 5.2 different streaming services, up from 5.0 in 2Q22.
· For platforms with multiple tiers, SVOD performed very well, particularly for Hulu (SVOD + 8% vs AVOD -3%) and Paramount + (SVOD + 44%, AVOD +26%).
· In the US, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Showtime were the only SVOD platforms to lose subscribers in 3Q22. Amazon Prime Video losses were expected after its Prime Day growth.
· Despite losing subscribers overall, Amazon Prime Video was still the #1 destination for new video streaming subscribers, closely followed by Paramount+.

Tastemade Home streaming channel is now available on Amazon Freevee, Tubi and Sling TV. The new 24/7 channel, designed for a new generation of homeowners and renters, joins Tastemade’s network of streaming channels, Tastemade, Tastemade Travel, and Tastemade en Español.

Universal Pictures film “Nope” starts streaming November 18 on Peacock, along with a documentary about the making of Jordan Peele’s summer sci-fi blockbuster.

TECH TALK

Sixty-one percent of Gen Z agree that the development of immersive experiences in the metaverse will create jobs and boost economic activity, according to Cassandra report “Fact or Science Fiction – What’s Real in the Metaverse.” Other findings include:
· 65% of Gen Z strongly rely on technology to help manage their finances – and the rise of cryptocurrencies, NFTs and blockchain technologies has added to their interest and engagement in the space.
· 43% of Gen Zs report that they understand cryptocurrencies.
· 59% of youth today report they always try to have more than one stream of revenue, such as crypto.
“Gen Z enjoys the aspect of creative freedom, and as the metaverse and new technologies are developed, they’re eager for new opportunities to collaborate and connect,” said Kathy Sheehan, SVP, Cassandra. “Gen Z has trust in the digital world and can see great value in what the metaverse has to offer.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Google, claiming the company’s broad application of facial recognition technology in Google Photos, along with voice recognition technology in its home products, is a violation of the state’s Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act. “All across the state, everyday Texans have become unwitting cash cows being milked by Google for profits,” reads the complaint.

The WB Movieverse has launched with a Web3 Movie Experience of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” The experience allows owners to watch an extended version of the film in 4K UHD, access more than eight hours of special features, discover hidden AR collectibles and more.

SPORTS

CBS Sports has announced its 2022-23 college basketball regular-season schedule, featuring nearly 300 games across platforms on the CBS, CBS Sports Network and Paramount+. This year’s slate includes 22 ranked teams from the Associated Press Men’s Preseason Top 25 Poll, as well as and top conferences, key rivalry games and Conference Tournament action, including 12 automatic bids to the 2023 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments. Additionally, CBS Sports will broadcast the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, providing exclusive live coverage of every game in its entirety across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV.

TelevisaUnivision struck a partnership with Liga MX that exclusively brings the Mexican soccer league’s commercial rights to market in the US. Through this partnership, TelevisaUnivision will enable brands to tap into Liga MX’s fan base through IP-driven media, experiential, retail activations and more. “Our mission is to make it easy for brands to grow with US Hispanics,” said Dan Riess, EVP and Chief Growth Officer of US Advertising at TelevisaUnivision. “And there’s no better opportunity to engage this consumer base than with the most-watched soccer league in the U.S. Now, we can help marketers bring the official marks of Liga MX to millions of passionate fans in America.”

Posts for women’s college sports engage followers at nearly 8x the rate of men’s posts (48K vs. 6.3K), according to SponsorUnited’s 2022 NIL Sports Snapshot. NIL (name, image, and likeness) women’s basketball deals lag men’s basketball by more than 100, but their total audience engagement is 35% higher (5.4M vs. 3.8M). Softball athletes’ engagement on social media totals 1M–nearly 10x that of baseball athletes’, and while men have inked over 1,000 total deals with 2,000 total social media posts (compared to the 550+ deals and 1,100 posts for women), female athletes tally a total engagement score of over 27M, versus 6.5M for male athletes.

FanDuel and Spotify have agreed to a multi-year partnership agreement. The new deal represents an expansion of previous agreements, an increased investment from FanDuel in The Ringer and a closer integration of the two brands through new digital and upcoming linear TV programming on FanDuel TV. Also, as part of this deal, FanDuel will remain as the exclusive sports betting partner of The Ringer.

NFT ecosystem Deadfellaz and DraftKings announced a collaboration to transform 13 pro football players into limited-edition NFT player cards with Deadfellaz IP. The collectibles are slated to drop October 25 on DraftKings Marketplace.

Pixelllot, provider of AI-automated sports video and analytics solutions, is partnering with Magnet, Team Whistle’s Social Content Agency, to launch their first original series, “My First Coach” on Friday, October 28. Hosted by Dell Curry, former NBA All-star and current broadcaster for the Charlotte Hornets, and father to NBA MVP, Stephen Curry and Brooklyn Nets sharp-shooter Seth Curry, the series shares the origin stories of athletes through the words and memories of their parents.

Tempest Awards
Congrats to our Tempest Finalists!
Best Production of an Event
The State Farm Gamerhood Challenge
Overwatch League 2021 Grand Finals
FIFA Finals 2022
2021 NBA 2K League All-Star
Twitch Rivals: Streamer Bowl III featuring Fortnite
Pokemon World Championships

View all finalists

RATINGS

The NBA delivered its most-watched opening night in five years, with a doubleheader that averaged 3.3 million viewers, up 17% from 2021. NBA social media and the NBA App generated 148 million video views, up 200% versus last year.

More than 21 million viewers tuned in to the latest season of HGTV’s “My Lottery Dream Home.” The series averaged a .62 Live+3 rating among P25-54, an increase of 63% over the prior six weeks and 55% over year-ago benchmarks, and a .84 rating among W25-54, a 75% increase over the previous six weeks and a 53% increase over year-ago levels.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Wednesday, October 19
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: The Conners 3.62 (0.5), The Goldbergs 2.32 (0.4), Abbott Elementary 2.54 (0.5), Home Economics 1.92 (0.4), Big Sky 2.24 (0.2)
CBS: Survivor 4.91 (0.7), Real Love Boat 1.60 (0.3), Amazing Race 2.33 (0.3)
CW: DC’s Star Girl 0.42 (0.1), Kung Fu 0.39 (0.1)
FOX: Major League Baseball 4.83 (1.0), The Masked Singer 2.52 (0.4), LEGO Masters 1.50 (0.3)
NBC: Chicago Med 6.88 (0.6), Chicago Fire 7.01 (0.6), Chicago PD 5.58 (0.6)
Telemundo: Exatlon Estados Unidos 0.91 (0.2), La Reina del Sur 1.46 (0.5), Fuego Del Destino 0.91 (0.2)
Univision: La Herencia, Legado Amore 1.65 (0.6), Ricos Tambien Lloran 1.46 (0.5), LIGA MX 1.69 (0.7)
Source: Nielsen, live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

CBS Studios has named Kristen Hall as EVP of Communications. Hall is returning to CBS Studios after four years at Amazon Studios/Prime Video.

Sinead Dean has joined cultural marketing agency 160/90 as VP of Entertainment Marketing.

This Day in History
1950 – Chinese forces occupied Tibet.

Friday Fun Fact
You can draw a line 35 miles long using an ordinary pencil.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which 1978-79 series was rebooted in 2003? “Battlestar Galactica.” Kudos to: Linda Walker-Smith-Comcast Cable/Orlando, FL; Cary Bond-EW Scripps/Atlanta; Joe Swaney-Purchasing Power/Atlanta; Louis Lewow-FITE/Atlanta; Aaron Paquette-AccelerateSG/Fort Worth, TX; John Kukla-KDFW Fox/Dallas; Adam Leston-Weigel Broadcasting/Milwaukee; Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago; Luke Watson-Bright Moments/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
Which series aired on Fox for three seasons, and moved to Syfy for two more? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four per time zone.)

Cynopsis Team