Friday December 17, 2021

Saturday’s Premieres
Discovery: Out of Stock: Supply Chain Crisis at 8p
discovery+: Drew’s Dream Car
GAC Family: When Hope Calls at 8p
Netflix: Single’s Inferno, Bulgasai: Immortal Souls
Travel Channel: Kindred Spirits at 10p

Saturday’s Finale
BBC America: Wild Patagonia at 8p

Sunday’s Premieres
HBO: And Just Like That… at 8:30p
Netflix: What Happened in Oslo
Paramount Network: 1883 at 9p
TNT: Claws at 9p

Sunday’s Finales
Food Network: Buddy vs. Duff at 8p, Holiday Wars at 9p

IN THE NEWS

Actor Jeff Garlin has exited ABC comedy “The Goldbergs,” following allegations of misconduct and an investigation into his on-set behavior. Garlin has been a main cast member since the show’s debut in 2013. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Garlin acknowledged being spoken to by HR three times in the past three years about his behavior, but defended his actions as “silly.”

Verizon Fios and TV stations owned by Tegna are in a retransmission dispute that could lead to a blackout in the Washington, D.C. area at year’s end. “We have been working for some time to come to fair terms with Tegna and will continue to work diligently to reach a fair agreement on behalf of our customers,” said Verizon. “However, Tegna has proposed an immediate and unacceptable rate increase of almost 50% to carry their stations. We will not stand for this.” Said Tegna, “We are working hard to reach a fair, market-based agreement with Verizon based on the competitive terms we’ve used to reach deals with other major providers.”

Content creator reality series “The Next Influencer” is moving to Paramount+ for season three, premiering Thursday, January 13. TikTok star Owen Holt hosts. The new season is the first project from the Awesomeness Unscripted & Digital Franchise Studio to stream on Paramount+.

Allen Media Broadcasting has signed a purchase agreement for its Montgomery, AL Fox affiliate, WCOV, from Woods Communications Corp. for $28.5 million. The deal that also includes the low-power WIYC (Cozi TV, MNT, Heroes & Icons, Court TV/Mystery, TBD, Comet and Charge!) and WALE-LD (True Crime Network, Laff, Court TV, Jewelry Television, Movies!, Heroes & Icons and Comet). The acquisition is expected to close in 2022. “Over the past two years, we’ve invested approximately $1 billion to acquire best-in-class, top-tier, Big 4 broadcast network affiliates and we plan to invest significantly more to acquire additional ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox television stations with the goal of being the largest broadcast television group in America,” said Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Allen Media Group.

Showtime has renewed “Yellowjackets” for season two. The premiere of the survival drama has been seen by over 4 million viewers across platforms to date.

Also coming back for more is “American Dad!”, renewed by TBS for seasons 18 and 19. Co-creator Matt Weitzman and executive producer Brian Boyle have inked new deals to continue showrunning and executive producing the additional seasons. Season 17 premieres Monday, January 24, on TBS at 10p.

Broadcast TV viewing dipped one percentage point in November versus October, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge, accounting for 27% of viewing time. That’s compared to 28% for streaming and 37% for cable. Sports had a strong showing, with football rising 7% on broadcast and cable.

Rising Stars Announced! Congratulations to the 2021-22 Cynopsis Rising Stars, honoring stand-out performers, innovators and emerging leaders in the media industry who have the passion, talent and creativity to take the industry to new heights. See the full list of honorees.

Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin has dropped her lawsuit related to Netflix’s “Tiger King” sequel. Baskin and her husband had tried and failed to an injunction to block the November launch of “Tiger King 2.”

Fox News Book All American Christmas has risen to the top of the New York Times bestseller list for nonfiction. The book, focused on recipes and traditions, is written by “FOX & Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy and her husband Sean (“Real World”).

The Africa Channel announced that in 2021 it launched in 103 new markets. TAC’s latest partnership with Cox Communications brings the channel to 100% of Cox’s markets. “This has been a particularly exciting time for us at The Africa Channel which, despite prevailing trends in the industry where audiences appear to be cutting the cord in favor of OTT and digital streaming options, has seen impressive growth in interest, viewership, and distribution in our traditional broadcast offering,” said Narendra Reddy, EVP and GM of TAC.

In-theater advertising company National CineMedia has reimagined its Noovie pre-show. Online personalities will appear in new content segments, which will run on screens in over 1600 US movie theaters.

Position your offering in front of top agencies, brands and networks including Amazon, Geico, Mastercard, Samsung, Facebook, BET, Comcast, Warner Media, Mediacom, Publicis Media and more. New sponsor opportunities available, including custom panels, networking breaks and branded experiences

Email Albert Nassour for more information: [email protected]

Ryan Seacrest will keep on rockin’. MRC Live and Alternative has extended Seacrest’s deal to host and executive produce “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” for a multiple year term. Seacrest returns to Times Square this year for the show’s 50th celebration and his 17th as host and executive producer December 31 at 8p on ABC.

Rapper Megan Thee Stallion inked a first-look deal with Netflix that includes creating a series. “Megan is a multi-talented creative force who has consistently made her mark on culture,” said Tracey Pakosta, Head of Comedy at Netflix. “She’s always growing and evolving as an artist, and we’re thrilled that she’s making a home at Netflix for this next chapter in her journey.

Charles Randolph is reuniting with his “The Big Short” writing partner Adam McKay to write and executive produce a vaccine drama series in development at HBO.

Jon Hamm will reprise his role as Archangel Gabriel in season two of Prime Video’s “Good Omens.” While season one was based on the novel of the same name, the new season will go beyond material in the novel.

Also reprising a role is Sam Waterston, who has joined the season 21 cast of NBC’s “Law & Order” revival. “Very few casting announcements have ever given me this much pleasure,” said the crime drama’s creator, Dick Wolf. “Since day one, Sam has had perfect pitch when it comes to Jack McCoy as a character who both reflects and expands our ability to understand the law. He is the ultimate conscience of the show.”

Netflix landed a series development deal for a drama about Frank Sinatra, from Bill Condon, Lionsgate Television, Polygram Entertainment and Frank Sinatra Enterprises. Tina Sinatra is an executive producer on the project

Nikki Toscano (“The Offer”) has signed an overall, three-year deal with Paramount Television Studios. “Nikki is a supremely talented writer and showrunner. Her contribution to ‘The Offer’ as its fearless leader and North Star is immeasurable,” said Nicole Clemens, President Paramount Television Studios and Paramount+ Original Scripted Series.

Murder mystery “Clubhouse” (wt) is in development at The CW. The drama, from Christina de Leon (“iZombie”), Lisa Berger and Sarah Penna’s Frolic Media, centers on four young women pulled together when a podcast features an unsolved murder that took place in their childhood clubhouse.

“In March, Ford reimagined its company purpose: To help build a better world where everyone is free to pursue their dreams. We are precise about those words, particularly the word ‘everyone,’” says Suzy Deering, Global CMO of the automaker. “And if our true purpose is to think of everyone, then we need to be way more inclusive with underserved audiences.” For more from Deering in the latest SeeHer column, check out Cynsiders.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Peacock’s “Bel-Air” will kick off on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13. New episodes of the one-hour dramatic iteration of 1990-96 sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” will be released weekly. The big game will air on the streamer, as well as NBC and Telemundo.

A licensed home inspector reveals industry secrets and solutions in HGTV’s new series “Home Inspector Joe,” premiering Wednesday, January 19 at 9p.

Apple TV+ drama “Severance,” from Ben Stiller, debuts Friday, February 18. The show stars Adam Scott (Parks & Recreation”) as an employee at a company that creepily tries to separate work and out-of-work memories.

“Ice Airport Alaska” is back for season two on Smithsonian Channel Sunday, January 9. The docu-series follows the action at the Ted Stevens International Airport in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

AMC+ has acquired “The Ipcress File” from ITV Studios, set to premiere in Spring 2022. The twisty UK spy thriller is based on the bestseller by Len Deighton.

Season fifteen of “Murdoch Mysteries” launches Saturday, February 26 at 7p on Ovation TV. Season fourteen of the detective series was its highest-rated on the network.

“A Mother’s Love” will premiere in the US on Tuesday, January 4 on Pasiones. The telenovela will air Monday to Friday at 8p.

“Crikey! It’s the Irwins” is back for season four on Animal Planet and discovery+ on Saturday, January 1 at 8p. In the season premiere, Bindi and Chandler’s daughter Grace discovers her new world at Australia Zoo, while Robert and the team attempt the biggest Gator move in the zoo’s history.

Casey Webb tackles a memorable milkshake when “Man v. Food” launches a new season on Food Network on Tuesday, December 28 at 9p.

COMING UP

Adventure comedy “Free Guy” will be available to Disney+ subscribers starting Wednesday, February 23. The film, starring Ryan Reynolds as a bank teller who decides to save the world, was released in theaters in August, and has grossed over $330 million worldwide to date.

OWN Spotlight documentary “Eggs Over Easy” premieres Tuesday, January 4 at 9p. In conjunction with OWN’s health initiative, Own Your Health, the program explores women’s reproductive choices, options, and barriers.

The announce team for Nickelodeon’s slime-filled presentation of the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend game on Sunday, January 16, at 4:30p, includes Nate Burleson, play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle and Nick star Gabrielle Nevaeh Green (“All That”) reprising their roles in the booth, while Young Dylan (Dylan Gilmer, “Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan”) makes his sideline reporting debut.

Docu-special “Scream: The True Story,” part of the Shock Docks series, launches Friday, January 14 on discovery+. The special explores the true gruesome crime spree at the root of the “Scream” movie franchise.

The “LiveOne 2021 Breakout Awards,” a hybrid event hosted by Fortune Feimster, will be livestreamed on LiveXLive on Saturday, December 19 at 8p. Spoiler alert: Breakout of the Year award goes to Britney Spears and the #FreeBritney Movement.

It’s back to in person for Paley Center for Media’s Annual PaleyFest LA, taking place Saturday, April 2 through Sunday, April 10 at the Dolby Theatre in LA. After two years of a virtual format, PaleyFest LA will feature talent from TV shows for behind-the-scenes conversations.

“The Golden Palace” (1992-93), a sequel to “The Golden Girls” (minus Bea Arthur), starts streaming on Hulu Monday, January 10. That’s exactly one week before the 100th birthday of beloved Betty White.

STREAMING

discovery+ is now available to VIZIO SmartCast users. As part of the launch, a dedicated carousel, “Discover More on discovery+”, will showcase the content portfolio and introduce users to the streamer.

Curiosity has entered a new distribution partnership with Stockholm-headquartered Viaplay, making Curiosity films, shows and series available to Viaplay subscribers in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Curiosity has also secured new global partnerships with El Espectador in Colombia, Telekom Slovenije in Central Eastern Europe, and Shanghai Media Group and CCTV in China.

Paramount+ offered a look at the platform’s “peak” content in 2021. The top original was “Star Trek: Discovery”; the most-watched genre was Kids & Family; “Mayor of Kingstown” was the most-watched series this quarter; the most-binged series was “SpongeBob SquarePants”; and the most-watched drama was “SEAL Team.”

DMR has expanded their existing content distribution offering on VIZIO with the launch of the KMTV streaming video app. The KMTV app offers a K-Pop content line-up.

VlogBox, a platform for CTV app development and distribution, has partnered with the Youtube channel for kids, Ya-Alisa. “We at VlogBox will provide OTT technology for the most effective video distribution and monetization,” said Nick Platonenko, VlogBox CEO.

TECH TALK

Samsung Ads has established the Samsung Onboarding Partner Program. Starting in the first quarter of 2022, marketers can access their curated audiences from Acxiom, Adobe, Experian, LiveRamp, Merkle, and Oracle to both plan and execute campaigns throughout the Samsung Ads network. More partners will be added to the Onboarding Partner Program in 2022. Advertisers leveraging the program will also receive access to Samsung Ads’ planning capability, Audience Advisor, providing media planning guidance.

Mobile video is on the rise as consumers go hybrid, according to IAS’ 2022 Industry Pulse Report, based on feedback from digital media experts. The report notes 86% of respondents see mobile video streaming as a key opportunity in the year ahead, while 77% agree that ad fraud will be a greater concern across mobile environments. Seventy-nine percent of respondents said that ad fraud is a top concern for their campaigns, while 60% cited eroding consumer trust as a key factor in adjusting spending for 2022. CTV is primed for innovation, believe respondents – 76% expect consumer uptake of video streaming to remain strong even if COVID-19 restrictions fully lift in the next 12 months, and 46% said CTV and digital video hold the most potential for innovation.

Theta Labs and Jukin Media have struck an entertainment partnership that will encompass video content, video delivery infrastructure, and fan engagement. As part of the agreement, Jukin Media properties FailArmy and The Pet Collective will implement the Theta Network infrastructure, video player and peer-to-peer bandwidth relaying. Theta will also license content from Jukin Media, and the companies will work together to launch exclusive NFTs for FailArmy and The Pet Collective on the ThetaDrop NFT platform.

GOING GLOBAL

The Ukraine is getting “Younger.” Noviy has commissioned Art Forms Productions to produce a 24-episode season of the Darren Star series to premiere early next year.

One Animation has secured a new deal with Sky Kids in the UK for its CG-animated series “Oddbods.” Sky Kids has acquired rights for season three of Oddbods’ long-form series and the seasonal special “The Festive Menace.”

Banijay France’s scripted label, Terence Films, announced a drama in development based on the novel The Hands of Louis Braille by Hélène Jousse.

India’s Sangli Media Communication has deployed Synamedia’s video network solutions. Using Synamedia’s VN technology, Sangli Media is now able to increase the number of channels it delivers to local cable operators while reducing bandwidth and improving video quality.

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To date in 2021, Food Network reports it is the #1 overall cable network among W25-54 in the Weekend “In the Kitchen” cooking block, tied as the #2 overall cable network among W18-49 in Total Day, and is the #4 non-news/non-sports cable network among W18+ in Prime.

Fox News Channel topped all of basic cable in total day and primetime for the sixth consecutive year, according to Nielsen. In primetime, FNC averaged 2,365,000 viewers and 374,000 among A25-54, along with 233,000 in A18-49.

Cable News Nielsen Ratings for 2022 vs. 2021
Primetime
Fox News: 2,365,000 P2+ (down 34%); 374,000 25-54 (down 41%)
CNN: 1,103,000 P2+ (down 38%); 276,000 25-54 (down 46%)
MSNBC: 1,554,000 P2+ (down 27%); 220,000 25-54 (down 38%)
Total Day:
Fox News: 1,328,000 P2+ (down 29%); 223,000 25-54 (down 35%)
CNN: 787,000 P2+ (down 31%); 190,000 25-54 (down 39%)
MSNBC: 919,000 P2+ (down 26%); 128,000 25-54 (down 36%)
Ratings are for 12/28/20-12/09/21 vs. 12/30/19-12/27/20

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Wednesday, December 15
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: The Goldbergs 2.52 (0.5), The Wonder Years 1.76 (0.4), The Conners 1.54 (0.2), Home Economics 1.36 (0.2), The Chase 1.51 (0.3)
CBS: Survivor 5.62 (1.0), Survivor Reunion 4.00 (0.7)
CW: iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 0.52 (0.1)
FOX: The Masked Singer 4.41 (0.8), The Masked Singer 5.08 (1.0)
NBC: Young Rock 3.06 (0.5), Kenan 2.15 (0.4), Mr. Mayor 1.98 (0.4), Chrisley Knows Best. 1.53 (0.3), Kelly Clarkson Presents 1.93 (0.2)
Telemundo:: Amor e Venganza 1.14 (0.3), Malverde: El Santo Patron 0.91 (0.3)
Univision: La Rosa de Guadalupe 1.55 (4), Vencer el Pasado 1.67 (0.4), La Desalmada 1.71 (5)
Source: Nielsen, live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

605 has tapped Tom Keaveney to serve as President. Keaveney was previously an executive at AdScribe.

Tubular Labs has named Jon Baron as Chief Revenue Officer. Baron was most recently CRO for Affinio.

Friday Fun Fact
The longest place name in the word has 85 letters: “Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu,” New Zealand. Locals call it Taumata Hill.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
“These Friends of Mine” was the original title of which sitcom? “Ellen” (1994-98). Kudos to: Charlie Conner-KOKI/KMYT/Tulsa, OK; Ellen Davis-Dotdash Meredith/NYC; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Paul Blutter-Walk and Talk Production Rentals/Burbank; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Sandy Spiegel-WTTW/Chicago; Andi Leston-Outdoor Sportsman Group/Waukesha, WI; Kerri Huyck/Kennewick, WA; Denise Krause-Skyview Networks/NYC; Anthony Salerno-Horizon Media/NYC; Erik Rankin-CoxReps/NYC; Anderson Angad-Dentsu/Wilmington, NC’;Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago;

Today’s Trivia Question
Which two sitcoms featured episodes, written by the same writer, titled “Christmas and the Hard-luck Kid” and “Christmas and the Hard-luck Kid II”? (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.)