 IN THE NEWS |
| Paramount Skydance responded to an open letter signed by over 1000 industry professionals, including JJ Abrams, David Fincher, Don Cheadle, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jason Bateman, who object to the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. “We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good,” said the letter. “The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised.”
Paramount countered by stating that to the contrary, the transaction will “create a company that can greenlight more projects, back bold ideas, support talent across multiple stages of their careers, and bring stories to audiences at a truly global scale –while strengthening competition by ensuring multiple scaled players are investing in creative talent.” The statement notes Paramount has been clear about its commitment to increase output to a minimum of 30 feature films annually with full theatrical releases, “continuing to license content, and preserving iconic brands with independent creative leadership – ensuring creators have more avenues for their work, not fewer.”
The Federal Trade Commission is in talks with several major ad firms to reach a settlement over allegations they coordinated boycotts of platforms – including Elon Musk’s X – in violation of federal antitrust laws, according to The Wall Street Journal. An inquiry by the FTC was initiated last year about whether the companies collectively withheld advertising dollars from the platforms. The proposed resolution would involve companies including Dentsu, Publicis Groupe, and WPP to commit to not steering clients’ ad budgets away from media platforms based on political content.
Hasbro Entertainment and Get After It Media are launching Hasbro Legends, a new linear channel powered by Hasbro’s IP. The network will roll out across Get After It’s national footprint – reaching 70M+ US homes – with streaming expansion to follow. Expect fan-favorite franchises like My Little Pony, Power Rangers and G.I. Joe to lead the lineup.
ABC has renewed “The Rookie” for season nine, and “Will Trent” for season five. Both dramas average over 8 million viewers with a week of cross-platform viewing.
As part of Disney’s “Step Into Wonder” Earth Month campaign, National Geographic is launching a sweepstakes that allows the winner and guests to choose their own adventure. Options include Alaska and the Galapagos Islands.
Puppeteer Sid Krofft, who with his brother, Marty, created kids shows including “H.R. Pufnstuf,” “Lidsville,” and “Mutt & Stuff,” as well as live-action variety shows like “The Donny & Marie Show,” died in his sleep on April 10. He was 96. His brother Marty died in 2023 at age 86. |
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| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
| Season two of “Greg Gutfeld’s What Did I Miss?” premieres Monday, April 27 on Fox Nation. On the quiz show, five contestants live in isolation for three months, then are quizzed by the “Gutfeld!” host on what happened in the world during their seclusion.
Both seasons of “Everyone Is Doing Great” drop Monday, May 11 on Netflix as part of the streamer’s deal with Sony Pictures Television. While the first season of the coming-of-age story premiered on Hulu in 2021, season two will make its debut on Netflix. “’Everyone is Doing Great’ captures what makes great indie television so compelling – it’s raw, authentic, hilarious, and full of heart,” said Paul Littmann, EVP of Global Distribution, Sony Pictures Television. “Netflix is the ideal platform to bring this incredibly special show to audiences worldwide.”
BBC soccer mockumentary “Twenty Twenty Six,” starring Hugh Bonneville (“Downton Abbey”), will launch Friday, May 1 on Tubi and BritBox. The six-parter debuted April 8 on BBC2.
Paramount+ has enlisted UK social media star Big John, known for his Chinese takeaway reviews and “Bosh” catchphrase, and his family for a new docusoap, “Meet the Fishers” (w/t). Said Fisher, “If you’d told me a few years ago that our daft videos and family chaos would lead to our own Paramount+ series, I’d never have believed you. We can’t wait to let people into the loud, funny and real-life madness of the Fisher household.” |
Today’s Premieres
HBO: The Dark Wizard
HGTV: World’s Bargain Dream Homes at 9p
MHz Choice: Reykjavík Fusion
Netflix: Crooks
Paramount+: You Don’t Know Where I’m From, Dawg |
| PRODUCTION |
| Avid survivalist Alan Ritchson (“Reacher”) will star in and executive produce an untitled survival competition series from Bunim/Murray Productions. The show will follow a group of high-profile influencers and headline-makers who, with the comforts of modern-day life stripped away, must rely on their instincts, determination, and each other to outlast the competition.
MGM+ and BBC announced that principal photography has begun on The Ink Factory’s “Legacy of Spies,” a television adaption of John le Carré’s bestseller The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. The eight-part espionage thriller is showrun and written by Stephen Cornwell (“A Most Wanted Man”) and Clarisa Ingram. Michael Lennox (“Crystal Lake”) will serve as an executive producer and direct.
Nippon TV unveiled a slate of unscripted formats from Gyokuro Studio, Nippon TV’s in-house production arm. The lineup is headlined by the social experiment “Majority Rules,” originally broadcast on Nippon TV in February, along with two new formats: family-oriented game show “The Balance” and culinary competition show “Cooking Rush!”. |
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| TECH |
| OpenX debuted a rebrand that includes a new logo, positioning, and product architecture, with a streamlined product offering aimed at making it easier for advertisers, publishers, data partners, and DSPs to understand, deploy, and compare against alternatives. “In an ecosystem that has historically profited from complexity and opacity, simplicity is imperative to move forward,” said Matt Sattel, CEO of OpenX. “We’ve spent the past decade building the intelligence layer closest to media and data. This next step is about putting that power to work in a way that’s easier to understand and simpler to use.” |
| COMING UP |
 Warner Bros. Discovery and DC are marking Superman Day on April 18, the anniversary of Superman’s debut, with a global, multi-platform celebrating that includes experiences, products, digital content, marathons, and more from DC Comics, DC Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences. For its part, HBO Max will host a dedicated hub highlighting classic films, animated series, and the 2025 film “Superman.”
Disney+ and Hulu will live stream the red carpet premiere event for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” on Monday, April 20, from NYC’s Lincoln Center. The film opens in theaters on May 1.
NBC 4 New York / WNBC, Telemundo 47 / WNJU and Stop & Shop are teaming up to support eight Feeding America food banks with the Feeding Our Families / Alimentando a Nuestras Familias food collection drive on Saturday, April 25 at tri-state Stop & Shop locations.
FETV celebrates Mother’s Day with episodes of “The Jeffersons” featuring Mother Jefferson, Zara Cully, May 4-8 at 6:50p as well as a mini-marathon of the sitcom on May 10.
FMC honors America’s heroes with “Salute to Service,” a month-long tribute featuring wartime classics, including “The Longest Day” (1962), “The Dirty Dozen” (1967), “Sands of Iwo Jima” (1949), “The Best Years of Our Lives” and more in May. |
| THINK FAST |
| Bizaar Studios’ FAST channel offering has expanded to Prime Video. Launched in early 2025, the channel includes programming like “Speed Racer,” “Lupin the 3rd” and animated documentaries from The New Yorker. |
| SPORTS REPORT |
Ads during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament were 28% more effective than the primetime average, generating 10.9x the impact of a typical primetime ad – a 7% increase vs. last year, according to TV outcomes company EDO. Ads during the NCAA Women’s Tournament were 12% more effective than primetime, with 8% year-over-year growth in effectiveness and 24% growth in overall impact. Highlights include:
· QSR brands dominated the men’s bracket, with Starlink (+1,469%), McDonald’s (+595%), and Buffalo Wild Wings (+468%) among the most effective advertisers.
· Performance was more evenly distributed on the women’s side, led by Dairy Queen (+489%), Taco Bell (+400%), and McDonald’s (+366%).
John Buccigross has signed a multi-year extension with ESPN. “I love my teammates and love sports,” said Buccigross, an anchor at the sports net since 1996. “I’m a one uniform guy and this is the team I want to play for.”
DAZN has teamed with ADI Predictstreet, Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, to integrate ADI Predictstreet into DAZN’s platform. ADI Predictstreet is a new forecasting market platform that is programmed and trained on FIFA’s official historic data, allowing fans to predict things such as match outcomes, tournament statistics, and breakout players. |
| RATINGS |
| The final round of the Masters Tournament on Sunday averaged 18.5 million viewers, according to data from AdImpact. Linear accounted for 52% of viewers, while YouTube TV accounted for 25% of viewers and other streamers, 23%. |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| Nielsen has named Robert Ruiz as Head of Measurement Science. Ruiz most recently led his own advisory practice, where he helped media and marketing organizations navigate AI-driven transformation in measurement and audience intelligence.
Chris Wiggins has joined CNN as Head of Machine Learning and AI Science. Wiggins was previously Chief Data Scientist at the New York Times.
LTN has appointed Mark Romano as Vice President, Multichannel Platforms, and Edward (Ed) Cox as Vice President, Sales & Business Development. Romano has held roles with SES and Outdoor Channel, while Cox’s was most recently VP of SES.
Anomaly has elevated Kira Montgomery to Executive Strategy Director, Head of Communications Strategy, North America, expanding her remit from Toronto to the agency’s full North American business. |
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This Day in History
1902 – James Cash Penney opened his first store, part of The Golden Rule Store chain. His company was incorporated under the name J.C. Penney in 1913.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
What was the original name of “The Ed Sullivan Show” (1948-1971)? “Toast of the Town.” Kudos to: Mike Lee-Nexstar Media/College Station, TX; Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago; Patrick Paris-Paris PR/LA; Ken DuBow-DuBow Media Distribution/LA; Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Ron Simon-The Paley Center for Media/NYC; Art Salisch/Smrc/West Windsor, NJ; Betsy Frank-Betsy Frank Insights/NYC; Russell Kurland-Kurland Enterprises/Atlanta
Today’s Trivia Question
On “Step by Step” (1991-98), where did Carol and Frank get married? (Email your answer to trivia@cynopsis.com and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone – a limit of four answers per time zone.) |
EXECUTIVE >>
TBS INTERNATIONAL/LOS ANGELES, CA: Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of entertainment and media agreements, with a primary focus on unscripted television, format licensing, and intellectual property distribution. Handle development, production, and co-production agreements, including situations where TBS is designated as the production entity providing production services. More info HERE
PRINT TRAFFICKER AND TECHNICAL COORDINATOR >>
FILM FEST DC/WASHINGTON, DC: Coordinate direct communication between print sources and the festival to ensure the on-time inbound and outbound delivery of all film materials and work with venue staff to deliver and test each film and KDM. Request and collect KDMs for all encrypted DCPs and maintain a spreadsheet that contains all the aspects of the film. Full info HERE
MANAGER, MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND ANALYTICS >>
TELEVISION ACADEMY/NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA:
Lead the execution of initiatives such as the Peer Circle program and Your Voice Matters, reviewing data to enhance program participation and ensure metrics are achieved; collaborate with the Senior Director of Engagement and Retention and stakeholders across marketing to manage delivery and optimization of the Member Benefits Perks newsletter. Full info HERE
BROADCAST ENGINEER >>
HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY/HIGH POINT, NC: Ensure high-quality production environments and provide technical leadership to faculty, staff, and students in live and recorded productions and play a role in supporting the school’s mission to provide industry-standard production experiences for students and will have opportunities to contribute to the development of emerging media technologies. More info HERE
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE, MULTI-EPISODE TELEVISION PRODUCING >>
BOSTON UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION/BOSTON, MA: Develope, produce, and manage scripted and unscripted multi-episodic series for linear television and/or streaming. Qualified applicants will be distinguished multi-platform practitioners with a significant body of “boots on the ground” work in the TV and streaming industry. The position will require in-class instruction and on-set exercises. Full info HERE
PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE: STUDIO AND/OR FIELD DIRECTING; MULTIPLE CAMERAS >>
BOSTON UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION/BOSTON, MA: We seek a colleague with a significant body of practical work in television directing using multiple cameras for linear television and/or streaming platforms. Familiarity with visual effects and AI-supported tools is considered a plus. This position includes teaching directing of scripted and/or unscripted content using multiple cameras at many levels. Full info HERE
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE: VERTICAL FILMMAKING/CONTENT CREATOR >>
BOSTON UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION/BOSTON, MA: We seek a colleague with a professional track record in the creation and development of original short-form content aimed at promoting, activating, and motivating young people through social activism, experimentation, entertainment, brand building, and audience engagement across today’s leading content platforms and social media ecosystems. More info HERE
SALES MANAGER – AP AD INSIGHTS HUB >>
ADVERTISER PERCEPTIONS/NEW YORK, NY: Drive direct sales of the platform offering, focusing heavily on new client acquisition. Reporting to and working closely with the GM of the Ad Insights Hub, this individual contributor will partner cross-functionally with Sales, Business Intelligence, Operations, and Client Services teams to build awareness and engagement with new clients. Full info HERE
SALES DIRECTOR – OMG
MOONBUG ENTERTAINMENT
NEW YORK, NY
Deliver and exceed sales revenue targets as well as build, manage and grow a strategic account list with a focus on Omnicom agencies and their clients directly, within the northeast. Ability to navigate holding company structure and negotiate strategic partnerships with key stakeholders (ratecards, preferred programmatic deals, content deals, etc.). More info HERE
DIRECTOR OF PERFORMANCE MARKETING >>
ATHLETE TO ATHLETE/SANTA MONICA, CA: Lead the performance marketing team across Meta Ads and new paid digital channels (TikTok, YouTube, Google, etc.) as well as build and execute a roadmap for channel expansion and profitable scale. Develop and run structured testing frameworks. Partner with Creative Strategist on ad briefs, testing priorities, and creative feedback loops. Full info HERE
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER>>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC: Oversee daily sales pipeline operations focused on national sponsorships, integrations, and branded content tied to unscripted programming. Manage and coach the Business Development team, drive outbound activity, shape proposals and pricing, and lead CRM strategy, reporting, and optimizations via Salesforce. Full info HERE
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER >>
NTD/WASHINGTON, DC: Pitch story ideas and write scripts/segment outlines as well as research guests and interview topics. Book guests and coordinate interviews. Help with logistics and sometimes field production. Support shoots and ensure production runs smoothly. Review footage and work with editors to shape final episodes. Write headlines, teasers, and social posts. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATION >>
THE JIM HENSON COMPANY/HOLLYWOOD, CA: Responsible for all HR functions and oversight of administrative and management needs. This strategic role is charged with operating from a customer service driven viewpoint that prioritizes employee satisfaction as well as enforce legally compliant policies, increase efficiency by implementing administrative and record-keeping best practices. Full info HERE
SR. DIRECTOR OF SALES, KSTU & KUPX >>
THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY/SALT LAKE CITY: Leverage our suite of advertising solutions to unlock growth opportunities for local and national businesses. Play a role in driving the station’s revenue goals as well as serving as the home station for Utah’s new NHL team. Collaborate with our production team to create campaigns that connect our clients with their customers in meaningful ways. Full info HERE
DIGITAL MEDIA BUYER >>
FURMAN ROTH ADVERTISING/NY(HYBRID): Plan, launch, and optimize digital marketing campaigns across various paid media channels (including Display, Google products, Paid Social, CTV, and Programmatic, etc.) while managing budgets effectively. Support the execution of media plans across platforms, overseeing targeting, budget allocation, and performance tracking to drive campaign success. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR; CTV BRAND PARTNERSHIPS – MID WEST/WEST COAST
FUTURE TODAY
REMOTE
Build, maintain and expand a pipeline of sales targets, contacts, and sales opportunities leveraging your relationships with a heavy focus on new business revenue. Build/nurture relationships with the investment, strategy, precision and digital agencies as well as clients. Also maintain an ongoing knowledge of the streaming media landscape. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, AD MARKETING & SALES >>
THE SHADE ROOM/REMOTE: Develop and execute a revenue growth strategy to drive direct advertising, branded content, and sponsorship sales as well as lead the development of compelling advertising and branded content offerings tailored for TSR’s audience and cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key advertisers, media agencies, and brand partners. Full info HERE
PROFESSIONAL LECTURER OF COMMUNICATION/SPORTS BROADCASTING >>
MARIST UNIVERSITY/ POUGHKEEPSIE, NY: Teach studio and field broadcasting and new media courses in sports media and journalism as well as be able to teach a studio course on producing a newscast and help students live stream a podcast or produce short-form feature content suitable for social media streaming. Also demonstrate through their teaching, professional activity, and service. Full info HERE
SALES LEAD – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
UPWAVE
NEW YORK, NY
Build and manage relationships with our agency partners – mostly targeting media buyers and planners – and help them see the value of adding Upwave measurement to The Trade Desk campaigns. You will both leverage your existing network and open new doors to achieve aggressive but achievable sales targets. Full info HERE |
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