National Geographic’s Valley of the Boom is a look at the game-changing birth of Silicon Valley, from the browser wars of the early ’90s through the 2001 dot-com bust. Starring Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn and Lamorne Morris, the series mixes scripted drama with documentary interviews, giving viewers a glimpse inside the rise, fall and revival of tech. Nat Geo’s Carolyn Bernstein, EVP […]
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Cynopsis Salary Survey: Who’s Making What in the Media Industry
The stock market might have taken us on a bumpy ride in 2018, but according to the Cynopsis Salary Survey, media industry salaries are relatively stable versus year-ago. Once again, pay varies significantly by department. Average salaries are highest for Legal/Finance, Sales Distribution and Production/Writing/Business Development, while support departments […]
4 Reasons for Univision’s Ratings Uptick
By Jessica Rodriguez From research insights to fresh talent, Jessica Rodriguez, President and COO of Univision Networks and CMO of Univision Communications, explains the network’s strategy shift. 1.Research-Based Content Strategy: We have utilized Univision’s Research, Insights and Analytics division to help drive our new content approach. We have long known that our audience values collectivism, […]
How AI and 5G Will Impact the Media Industry in 2019
AI and 5G are bound to have a major impact on the media and ad industries in 2019. This Friday, Mike Bloxham, SVP, Global Media and Entertainment, Magid, will lead a panel at a luncheon of the Market Research Council looking at the two technologies and what’s ahead. His panel will include Larry Allen, VP Ad Innovation […]
Nat Geo Makes a Return Trip to MARS
National Geographic’s acclaimed series MARS, from executive producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, is back for season two. Showrunner Dee Johnson talks about changes this time around – and how in at least one way, going to Mars isn’t that different from Nashville. Cynopsis: How will season two of MARS differ from season one? Dee […]
Netflix’s Beat Bugs Get Bigger
Beat Bugs, which features songs from The Beatles, is back for season 3 on Netflix on November 9. And this time around, creator Josh Wakely tells Cynopsis, it’s a whole new world. Cynopsis: What’s new for season three? Josh Wakely: In Season 3, the series becomes even more ambitious. We expand beyond the garden and introduce new characters, […]
Vox Media Looks to the Future
Vox Media says it is “shaping the future of journalism and entertainment.” Chad Mumm, VP, Head of Vox Entertainment at Vox Media, tells how. Cynopsis: What can others take away from Vox Media’s success? Chad Mumm: Here at Vox Media, we’ve been very happy to see that we can successfully bring our digital audience along […]
Why TV Networks Should Get In the Podcast Game
Donald Albright joined friend and music video director Payne Lindsey to launch content creation company Tenderfoot TV in 2016. Since then, Tenderfoot has released the viral true crime podcast “Up and Vanished” and the subsequent number one hit podcast “Atlanta Monster.” Albright tells Cynopsis how the podcast business is changing – and why TV dive in deeper. […]
Did the 1970s Change TV – Or Vice Versa?
The 1970s was a time of massive change in America, an upheaval that was represented on TV. Former network TV exec Jim McKairnes has written a book, All in the Decade: 70 Things About 70s TV That Turned Ten Years Into a Revolution, recounting a raucous ten years in the life of television. An excerpt is […]
In Double Take, Chris Jones Uses Hypnotism to Shake Up the Prank Show Format
Comedian and hypnotist Chris Jones is host of Double Take, a prank show with a twist premiering on Facebook Watch on October 24. America’s Got Talent viewers will recall Jones hypnotizing Howie Mandel, even getting the germaphobe to shake hands with his fellow judges; he’ll also be on hand for the Cynopsis Model D […]
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