12/13/17: Michael Che and Colin Jost named Weekend Update co-head writers

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM A+E STUDIOS
A BIG “KNIGHT” FOR SCRIPTED ON HISTORY
HISTORY’S KNIGHTFALL ranks as a top-five cable launch this year.
 
Last week’s series premiere of Knightfall brought in over 3 million total viewers (Live+3). Together with the Navy Seals drama SIX, A+E Studios and HISTORY claim two of the top-five-rated cable drama premieres of 2017 (Live+SD).
 
We’re making HISTORY.
 
A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE
[ 2017 salary survey report ]
 
There’s good news and bad news…
 
Good news: the gender gap is closing a bit
Bad news: women consistently make less than men
($27K less, in fact, vs. $32K in 2016)
 
 
PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
 
Comedy Natural History is in development at NBC. From Chris Hardwick’s Fish Ladder Production, David X. Cohen, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Universal TV, series follows a young woman who becomes director of a natural history museum in her hometown and discovers it’s been on a big downward spiral in her absence.
 
Writer/director/producer Nick Stoller (Neighbors) inked a three-year production deal with Sony Pictures Television under his Stoller Global Solutions production company. Stoller will create, write, supervise and exec produce TV comedies and dramas. Stoller brought along Conor Welch, former VP of comedy development & programming at Fox, as his TV producing partner
 
Entertainment One entered a multi-year overall television first-look deal with Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola’s King Bee Productions. Under the deal, eOne will serve as the studio and will control worldwide rights to projects developed and produced with King Bee Productions. Through King Bee, the husband and wife team of Mortimer and Nivola produced two seasons of  Doll & Em for HBO, and has projects in development at various studios including Amazon and truTV.
 
 
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
 
New 10-ep Discovery series The Interrogation Room will premiere January 4 at 10p. In this take on real-life crime, the series places viewers in on the action at the very start of investigations.
 
USA Network will return Falling Water for a second season on Saturday, January 6 at 10p. An intersection between reality and unconscious thought, series explores the story of three unrelated people who realize they can affect the waking world from inside their dreams.
 
Science Channel’s longest-running space series is returning in January to delve deeper into cosmic exploration. How the Universe Works will be back for a sixth season on Tuesday, January 9 at 10p.
 
Carrie heads back to DC in the seventh season of hit drama Homeland, which will kick off on Showtime on Sunday, February 11 at 9p.
 
Exes-turned-business-partners DeRon Jenkins and Page Turner rehab and sell homes in HGTV’s Flip or Flop Nashville, the latest installment in the franchise, which premieres Thursday, January 18, at 9p.

 

Drama series The Alienist, which opens with a series of haunting murders of male prostitutes in NYC, premieres on TNT Monday, January 22 at 9p.
 
The third season of The Detour premieres on TBS on Tuesday, January 23 at 10:30p.
 
The third installment of SundanceTV’s original scripted anthology series Hap and Leonard: The Two-Bear Mambo will return Wednesday, March 7 at 10p. Principal cast James Purefoy and Michael Kenneth Williams will be joined by an ensemble cast including Laura Allen, Corbin Bernsen, Andrew Dice Clay, Louis Gossett Jr. and musician Curtis Harding.
 
 
COMING UP
 
Bullseye. BBC America will become home to the two largest darts tournaments in the world – the World Darts Championship and the Premier League. The World Darts Championship premieres on BBCA on December 14 and is the biggest darts tournament in the world, featuring 72 players representing 24 countries competing for the Sid Waddell Trophy. Premier League Darts will debut on February 1.
 
Discovery en Espanol and the NFL are in the scrum for Aventura NFL, a half-hour special that takes a 360-degree look at the culture and passion found in the NFL game-day experience. Produced by NFL Films, the special will air Tuesday, December 19 at 1p.
 
CBS celebrates the holidays with newly colorized eps of two classic comedies – I Love Lucy Christmas Special and The Dick Van Dyke Show – Friday, December 22.
 
Travel Channel has a lot of chill. The net’s “Chillcation” programming event, December 25-January 7, features an avalanche of specials and special eps. Don Wildman hosts two Mysteries at the Museum specials: Race to the Antarctic, premiering Thursday, December 28 at 9p and Andes Rescue, premiering Thursday, January 4 at 9p. Best in Snow, a global search to find the most over-the-top snow sculptures, debuts January 7 at 9p, and companion Best in Ice follows at 10p. Additionally, the new season of Expedition Unknown premieres Wednesday, December 27 at 9p.
 
Decades Network unwraps a celebration of the comedic genius of Carol Burnett on December 25, beginning at 8a. The marathon “A Christmas Carol” features selected episodes of Carol Burnett and Friends and Burnett’s guest host appearance in The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show.
 
Musical acts Kelly Clarkson, Kane Brown, BTS, Fitz and The Tantrums, Khalid, Shawn Mendes and Charlie Puth are on board for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018. Special airs Sunday, December 31 at 8p on ABC.
 
2018 awards show updates: The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards will broadcast live from Las Vegas on CBS on Sunday, April 15 at 8p… The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards are scheduled to air live on NBC on Monday, September 17 at 8p.
 
History Films and the BFI announced new documentary feature film Escape from Homs, in association with BBC Storyville. Based on the book Under the Wire by Paul Conroy, the film will make its television debut on History in the States and BBC 4 in the UK following a theatrical campaign.
 
 
DIGITAL DATA
 
CBS All Access will debut the second season of its first original drama series, The Good Fight, on Sunday, March 4. New eps of the 13-episode season will be available weekly on Sundays exclusively for CBS All Access subscribers.
 
Bravo Media series Top Chef is flipping the tables on Padma Lakshmi, Tom Collicchio, Gail Simmons and Graham Elliott. For the first time, the judges will serve as “cheftestants” in a holiday-themed Quickfire Challenge to benefit charity. The challenge will stream live on Wednesday, December 13 at noon on the official Top Chef Facebook page. Season 15 of the series airs Thursdays at 10p.
 
 
KIDS NEWS
 
Netflix and DreamWorks Animation Television continue to mine DWA IP, with plans to launch six new original series. Trolls: The Beat Goes On!, slated to debut January 19, picks up where the animated feature left off. Also on the slate is a modern reboot take on power twins She-Ra and He-Man, from author and executive producer Noelle Stevenson.
 
 
CASTING
 
Amirah Vann (Underground) landed a recurring role in USA Network’s true crime anthology series Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.
 
Nicole Ari Parker (Almost Christmas) will recur opposite Forest Whitaker on Fox‘s Empire.
 
Jill Hennessy (Crossing Jordan), Kevin Chapman (Person of Interest), Jere Shea (Passion) and Lauren E. Banks (Instinct) scored roles in City on a Hill, Showtime’s drama pilot. Amanda Clayton, Rory Culkin, Cathy Moriarty and Michael O’Keefe will guest and recur if the project goes to series.
 
 
CARRIAGE & DISTRIBUTION
 
Fox Television Stations acquired Debmar-Mercury and Citylife Productions’ Caught in Providence for a fall 2018 national launch. The first-run series will offer fresh episodes of actual real-life cases directly from the Providence, RI, courtroom of the fast-rising social media phenom Judge Frank Caprio.
 
A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE
Visionaries, rebels, mentors, rising stars…
Take your place as one of the top women in digital media.
Cynopsis is honoring the incredible accomplishments of women in every field, including excellence in digital content, marketing, advertising, social media and online content. Past honorees have been digital-savvy innovators from a range of companies ( view last year’s honorees ). The deadline is Jan. 9 and honorees will be celebrated at our annual awards breakfast on Mar. 14 in NYC.
 
 
RATINGS
 
The December 6 US premiere of History’s Knightfall was watched by more than 3 million Total Viewers based on Live+3 viewing (+71% over Live+SD).
 
Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” continues to drive ratings with the most recent new original holiday premieres pushing the network to be the most-watched and highest-rated on cable among HH, W18-49, W25-54, A25-54, and Total Viewers for the entire weekend. Among Nielsen highlights (L+SD), on Saturday, December 9, The Christmas Cottage averaged a 4.0 HH rating, 4.6 million Total Viewers, and 827,000,000 W25-54. On Sunday, December 10, Sharing Christmas averaged a 3.4 HH rating, 3.7 million Total Viewers, and 703,000 W25-54.
 
Ratings for the syndicated newsmagazines ratcheted up in the session ending December 3, the first week after the November sweep, with coverage of the firing of Today co-host Matt Lauer. Leading the magazines was Entertainment Tonight (new season high 3.3 live plus same day national Nielsen, up 22% from the week before), which ballooned to its biggest rating in nine months. Inside Edition (new season high 3.2, up 3%) followed. TMZ (1.5, up 25%), Access Hollywood (1.4, up 8%) and Extra (1.3, up 8%) all steamed to their best rating levels of the season.
 
Also seeing sharp increases with reports on the Lauer dismissal were first-run freshman champ Daily Mail TV (1.0, up 11%), which was syndication’s most-watched new show for the 11th week in a row with more than 1.4-million daily viewers, and rising newcomer Page Six TV (0.8, up 33%), which grew the most of any show in syndication and matched its highest rating of the season.                                         

 

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of 11/27/17 ranked in order by HH Rtg
Judge Judy (CTD) 7.2AA
Family Feud (2/T) 6.7AA
Jeopardy (CTD) 6.4AA
Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.3AA
The Big Bang Theory (WB) 5.0AA
Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.3 AA
Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.3AA
Inside Edition (CTD) 3.2AA
Modern Family (AT) 2.5AA
Ellen DeGeneres Show (WB 2.5AA
Hot Bench (CTD) 2.4A
Live With Kelly & Ryan (DAD) 2.3AA
Source: Nielsen Media Research
 
Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of 11/27/17 ranked in order by A18-49 Rtg
The Big Bang Theory (WB) 1.9AA
Family Feud (2/T) 1.8A
Judge Judy (CTD) 1.4AA
Jeopardy (CTD) 1.2AA
Family Guy (2/T) 1.2AA
Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 1.2AA
Modern Family (2/T) 1.2AA
Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 0.8AA
Dr. Phil (AT) 0.7AA
Inside Edition (CTD) 0.7AA
Two And A Half Men (WB) 0.6AA
Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

Top 10 Broadcast Programs Among A18-49 ratings/share for the week of December 4, 2017
NBC: Sunday Night Football (12/10) 5.4/19
NBC + NFLN Thurs Night Football (12/7) 4.3/17
CBS: The Big Bang Theory (12/7) 2.8/11
NBC: Football Night America Pt 3 (12/10) 2.3/8
FOX: The Simpsons (12/8) 2.3/8
CBS: Young Sheldon (12/7) 2.2/8
NBC: The Voice (12/5) 1.8/7
NBC: The Voice (12/4) 1.8/7
CBS: Survivor (12/6) 1.8/7
NBC: Will & Grace (12/5) 1.8/7
FOX: Empire (12/6) 1.8/7

 

Broadcast Morning News Shows Weekly Average Ratings week of December 4, 2017
NBC Today 4.58 million total viewers, 1.4/12 and 1.64 million A25-54
ABC Good Morning America 4.38 million total viewers, 1.1/10 and 1.38 million A25-54
CBS This Morning 3.57 million total viewers, 0.8/7 and 917,000 million A25-54

 

Broadcast Evening News Shows Weekly Average Ratings week of December 4, 2017
ABC World News Tonight 9.53 million total viewers, 1.7/1 and 1.99 million A25-54
NBC Nightly News 8.92 million total viewers, 1.7/8 and 2.11 million A25-54
CBS Evening News 7.07 million total viewers, 1.1/5 and 1.38 million A25-54

 

Live + Same Day Viewers AA (millions): Monday, December 11, 2017 time period averages
Source: NTI, Galaxy as dated Live+SD
NBC: 8.79 million
The Voice 10.45, Better Late Than Never 5.47
ABC: 3.71 million
The Great Christmas Light Fight 4.31, The Bachelor: Countdown to Arie 2.53
CBS: 5.56 million
Kevin Can Wait 6.31, Man With a Plan 5.70, Superior Donuts 5.18, 9JKL 4.30, Scorpion 5.92
FOX: 3.07 million
Lucifer 3.36, The Gifted 2.78
Telemundo: 750,000
Milagros de Navidad 733,00, Sangre de mi Tierra 695,000, Senora Acero 4: La Coyote 814,000
Univision: 900,000
Rey David 1.0, Mi Marida Tien Familia 0.9, Caer en Tentacion 0.7
CW: .91 million
Penn & Teller: Fool Us 1.06, Valor .76
 
Monday A19-49 Rating: ABC .8/3, FOX .8/3, NBC 1.6/6, CBS .9/3, UNI .5/2, TELE .3/1, CW .3/1
 
 
EXECUTIVE MOVES
 
Rafe Oller, who has served as CEO/GM of Z Living since 2015, is exiting the network to pursue a new venture; a search for a replacement is underway. Additionally, Rajeev Kheror has been named network president. Kheror previously served as president of strategy and planning of international business at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Z Living’s parent company.
 
The Fred Rogers Co. named Matthew Shiels to the newly created position of director of business and legal affairs. Shiels most recently handled legal services such as patent and trademark counseling and litigation services for the Pittsburgh-based law firm Reed Smith LLP.
 
Sesame Workshop named Benjamin Lehmann the new executive producer of Sesame Street. He has served as the show’s supervising producer since 2015, after first joining the show as a PA in 2001.
 
Viceland promoted Catherine Whyte to EVP/head of production and Meghan Kirsch to SVP of marketing and creative. 
 
Melinda Witmer, a former executive at Time Warner Cable (now Charter Spectrum), has been elected to the Board of Directors of Tegna, the media company that operates 46 television stations in 38 markets.
 
King Features Syndicate named C.J. Kettler as its new president. The Hearst Entertainment & Syndication group is home to a host of iconic cartoon characters. Kettler most recently was EVP consumer brands and strategy at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
 
 

This Day in History: 1769 – Dartmouth College, in New Hampshire, received its charter.

 

Answer to our last trivia question: Which primetime actor is the grandson of Bernard Lee? Jonny Lee Miller Kudos to: Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NY; Holly Hearn-H2 Concierge Marketing/Sarasota, FL; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Deerfield Beach, FL; Patty Youngross Underhill-Media Biz/Atlanta; Kathy Kraft-Abelson Taylor/Chicago; Dan Whitford -WTTW Chicago; Pat Brady-CESD/LA; Richard G. Murphy-Manor Productions/W. Toluca Lake, CA;
Today’s Trivia Questio: What was the name of the short-lived comedy series one of the writers of 2 Broke Girls starred in? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: A limit of four correct answers from each time zone will be selected.).
 
Answer to Our Last Actor Anagram: A Fouler Crib = Eric Balfour Kudos to: Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA 

 

Comedy Anagram: Filth Notes Nest (Email [email protected]; first three respondents with the correct answer who aren’t in trivia will be posted in tomorrow’s newsletter.)
 
Lynn Leahey
Editorial Director
@Lynn_Leahey
Roberta Caploe
Publisher
@robertacaploe 		Diane K Schwartz
Senior Vice President
Media Communications Group		 Cynopsis Ad Sales
Mike Farina | 203-218-6480
VP, Sales		 Cynopsis Job Listings Sales
Trish Pihonak | 203-899-8459
Director of Operations
CYNOPSISJOBS – For More jobs, please visit Cynopsis.com
JOB OF THE DAY

DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER
Levity Entertainment Group
LA

 

Works closely w/CCO team to ensure vision of dvlpmnt is understood thru quality prod. Min 5 yrs dvlpmnt w/producing exp req’d. Prev exp on comedy & game shows w/studio background pref’d. Proven trac record of innovation/creativity.

Resume

HERE

JOB OPENING: COORD PUBLICITY & AWARDS/A+E/NY: Assist A+E Studio, Awards, & Corp Outreach with the day-to-day operations of the dept. Manage award submissions, coordinate w/press, interface with talent. Exp working in office environment publicity or mktg pref’d. Excellent comm & writing skills a must. Apply HERE (12/20)

 
JOB OPENING: LIVE EVENTS OPERATION MGR/NBC Sports/Philadelphia: Work closely w/all depts for multi-platform operational needs. Assist in operational tech workflows. 5+ yrs in production/ops of live TV sporting events. Highly orgnzd, self-sufficient & exc comm skills. Full info/apply HERE (12/20)
 
JOB OPENING: Your ON-AIR break in NYC is HERE! PRODUCER/REPORTER/MetroFocus: Multi-platform PBS news-mag needs ASAP! News/Public-Affairs/Lifestyle is your beat from story dev to post-prod & delivery; 2+ yrs multimed exp, incl exp dealing w; camera/edit/rundown/self-mngmnt. Strong written/verbal comm skills. Full info/apply HERE (12/20)

 

JOB OPENING: DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER/Levity Entertainment Group/LA: Works closely w/CCO team to ensure vision of dvlpmnt is understood thru quality prod. Min 5 yrs dvlpmnt w/producing exp req’d. Prev exp on comedy & game shows w/studio background pref’d. Proven trac record of innovation/creativity. Resume HERE (12/20)


JOB OPENING: TRAFFIC COORDINATOR/NECN/Newton MA: Implement, revise, and maintain traffic instruction for all national orders. At least 3-5 years of experience working in a broadcast television traffic department. Full info/apply HERE (12/17)

JOB OPENING: ACCOUNTING & TRAFFIC COORDINATOR/FOX/Chicago: Create/load daily logs thru placement of commercial spots, graphics, episode formats & ratings. BA deg; accounting, finance, or related bus. field or equiv work exp. Exc written/verbal comm skills a must. Wide orbit & oracle exp pref’d. Full info/apply HERE (12/17)

 

JOB OPENING: ANALYST PROGRAM RESEARCH/BRAVO/OXYGEN@NBCUniversal/NYC: Responsible for analyzing and reporting for the Program Research dept. Proven exp in analyzing & interpreting quantitative research with internal client business needs in mind. Proactive thinker w/great writing & comm skills pref’d. Full info/apply HERE (12/17)


JOB OPENING: MARKETING MANAGER/WVIT/Hartford CT: Development of sales marketing strategy and cutting edge multi-platform marketing solutions that drive advertising revenue for NBC Connecticut and NBC Owned Stations. Minimum 3 yrs marketing or agency exp as well as Min 1 yr sales exp. Full info/apply HERE (12/17)

 
JOB OPENING: SENIOR MARKETING DIRECTOR/National Geographic/DC: Lead marketing strategy for tentpole programming across all platforms. Drive tune-in & increased ratings for major marketing priorities. 10+ yrs of entertainment category exp. Excellent verbal and written communication skills Full info/apply HERE (12/16)

 

JOB OPENING: AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST/NYC: Dvlp/optimize mktg campaigns to grow audience/viewer engagmt; create message/assets to support efforts. 4+ yrs dig. mktg/publicity/aud engmt exp. Strong writing & verbal skills; knwlg of bid mgmt., keyword targeting & qual score optimization. Full info/apply HERE (12/16)

 

JOB OPENING: PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANT/Big Bad Boo/Vancouver or NYC: Deadline & detail oriented person w/great orgnztnl skills & knack w/numbers who doesn’t miss a detail. BA deg in Accounting/finance w/4+ yrs related accounting exp. Mac expert.  Animation prod exp pref’d. Full info/apply HERE (12/16)

 
JOB OPENING: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT MANAGER/KVEA/LA: Responsible for generating multi-platform new business as part of KVEA. BA deg in pref’d field. 2-3 yrs sales exp with a proven success record. Full info/apply HERE (12/16)
 
JOB OPENING: COPY COORDINATOR/NBC/Newton Mass: Implement, revise, and maintain traffic instruction for all national orders. 3-5 years of exp working in a broadcast television traffic dept. Wide Orbit Traffic System knwlg a +. Effective organizational or office management skills. Full info/apply HERE (12/15)
 
JOB OPENING: DIRECT RESPONSE AD SALES ASSISTANT/Crown Media Family Networks/NY: Provide sales support to the Director, Direct Response and Direct Response Team. Process media buys/revisions, sending pre and post logs, and updating account info.  BS req. Full info/apply HERE (12/15)

 

JOB OPENING: DIRECT RESPONSE SALES PLANNER/Crown Media Family Networks/NY: Provide sales and analytical support to the Direct Response Team. Monitor and manage inventory for Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama.  Provide internal analysis on inventory and sell-out levels. BS req. Full info/apply HERE (12/15)

 

JOB OPENING: SR ART DIRECTOR/MELT/ATL: Hands-on, innovative team player, resp for presenting creative solutions that meet client objectives & strategies. Design for events, print, digital & retail. 8+yrs creative field exp. Understanding brand identity & how to create concepts that fit w/in it. Full info/apply HERE (12/15)


JOB OPENING: EXECUTIVE RECRUITER/JAMES & CO LLC/NYC: Responsible for search execution to include but not limited to dvlpng target list, candidate identification and assessment as well as candidate interviews. Understanding of landscape for talent in our srch verticals a must. Full job info/apply HERE (12/14)

JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER/MUSIC CHOICE TV/NYC: Resp for development/fulfillment of integrated media plans & proposals across all Music Choice television platforms for advertising clients. 1-2 yrs media or sales plan’g/assistant at an agency or ntwrk. Solid understanding of media math. Full info HERE (12/14)

JOB OPENING: PROJECT MGR OFF-AIR DESIGN/Paramount Network/NYC: Work close w/ & support Sr Project Dir. Receive clients requests & work w/them to get full scope of work, specs & expected due dates. Must possess great comm. skills, ability to work high paced environment & be able to effectively multi task. Resumes HERE (12/14)
 
WHAT’S ON TONIGHT – WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13
ABC: The Goldbergs, Speechless, Modern Family, American Housewife, Designated Survivor
CBS: Survivor, SEAL Team, Criminal Minds
CW: Riverdale, Dynasty
FOX: Empire, Star
NBC: The Wall, Golden Globes 75th Anniversary Special
PBS: Nature, NOVA, Supernature – Wild Flyers
Telemundo: Milagros de Navidad, Sangre di mi Tierra, Senora Acero 4: La Coyote
Univision: Rey David, Mi Marido Tiene Familia, Caer en Tentacion
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