| Good morning and welcome to Cynopsis — the media industry’s essential morning read. The Upfronts are wrapped — now the real work begins. We want to know what you think: how do you see negotiations playing out this year? Share your thoughts at Lynn@Cynopsis.com — we’ll be sharing a selection of responses in a new Reader Insights section. |
 IN THE NEWS |
| Sports betting ads under scrutiny. As online gambling among minors continues to rise, Sens. Katie Britt (R, Ala.) and Richard Blumenthal (D, Conn.) are introducing the Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement Act, which would ban sports betting ads targeting minors on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Violations would carry FCC fines of up to $100,000 per ad. “Congress has been completely feckless when it comes to protecting our children online,” said Britt. “We talk about this crisis nonstop, but have not done nearly enough to address it.” The FTC would be responsible for enforcing the law, but repeat offenders could be referred to the Justice Department. This dual-agency threat raises the stakes for advertisers well beyond a simple fine.
Elon Musk lost his lawsuite against Sam Altman and OpenAI. A federal jury ruled against Elon Musk on Monday in his lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI, finding his claims fell outside the statute of limitations. Musk had alleged Altman and OpenAI broke their founding promise to operate as a nonprofit. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sided with the advisory jury, dismissing claims of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment as untimely — and signaled she was ready to toss the case on the spot. The ruling carries implications for the television industry. OpenAI has already begun expanding into media — the company recently acquired TBPN, a streaming business series, signaling an intent to move beyond AI tools and into content distribution itself. With the legal threat neutralized, OpenAI can now pursue that strategy with greater certainty.
Sony Pictures Television is doubling down on unscripted TV with the acquisition of Alex Baskin’s 32 Flavors, producer of two “Real Housewives” series and “Vanderpump Rules.” Sony Pictures TV Studios president Katherine Pope framed the move as part of a deliberate push into premium nonfiction content and globally scalable formats. Baskin will continue running the company as CEO. |
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| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
 The animated spinoff series “Adventure Time: Side Quests” will debut on Monday, June 29, streaming on both Disney+ and Hulu. The Cartoon Network Studios production marks a notable shift in media homes — its predecessor ran on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Cartoon Network from 2010 to 2018.
AMC Global Media and comedian Chris Hardwick are teaming on the relaunch of the “I Think You’re Overthinking It” podcast. The 12-episode audio and video podcast will feature guests, including Billy Magnussen (“The Audacity”), Alison Brie (“Glow”), Nathan Fillion (“The Rookie”), among others, and be available across AMC+, All Reality, FAST channels, YouTube and digital/podcast platforms, beginning Sunday, May 31.
“Blue Ridge” returns to INSP on Sunday, July 19 at 10 p.m. for a sophomore run. A sleeper hit, Season 1 cracked the Top 5 rankings on Prime Video.
Acorn TV has renewed crime drama “Dalgliesh” for a fourth season. The series is produced by New Pictures (“Gone”) in association with All3Media International and Northern Ireland Screen.
Season 45 of “Nature” premieres Wednesday, October 14 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). The season kicks off with a special episode featuring characters from “Sesame Street.”
HBO’s “Harry Potter” series is in the market for a new Ginny Weasley — child actor Gracie Cochrane is leaving “due to unforeseen circumstances,” said her family in a statement. A rep for HBO said the network supports Cochrane’s decision and wishes her the best. |
Today’s Premieres
Bravo: In the City at 9 p.m.
History: The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch at 9 p.m.
Hulu: The Nightmare Upstairs: What Happened to Ty and Bryn?
TLC: Baylen Out Loud at 9 p.m. |
| PRODUCTION |
| FX’s “Very Young Frankenstein” is officially a go. The comedy — from “What We Do in the Shadows” trio Stefani Robinson, Taika Waititi, and Garrett Basch — reimagines Mel Brooks’ 1974 classic, with Brooks himself on board as executive producer. Zach Galifianakis stars. It’s headed to FX and Hulu. |
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| GAMING |
| PHYND, the ad-supported game streaming platform, is entering beta on Samsung Gaming Hub in the U.S., making a play to establish connected TVs as a viable gaming distribution channel. The platform operates on a fully free-to-access model, with no subscriptions or downloads required. Revenue flows through advertising, offering publishers an alternative monetization route while removing cost barriers for players. The Samsung Gaming Hub beta marks PHYND’s first major hardware partnership, putting the service in front of the Samsung smart TV install base out of the gate. The launch reflects broader industry interest in leveraging the CTV footprint as untapped gaming real estate. |
| TECH |
| DoubleVerify has introduced AI-powered pre-screen content controls for Meta Threads, giving advertisers the ability to filter out unsuitable content before ads are served. The new capability pairs with DV’s post-bid brand suitability measurement to create a full-funnel media quality solution. Pre-screen controls evaluate content prior to any impression being transacted, while post-bid measurement provides transparency into where ads ultimately ran and how those placements aligned with brand standards.
In another Meta brand safety announcement, Zefr is adding content block lists to its brand safety and suitability suite on Meta’s Threads Feed, giving advertisers pre-bid control over ad placements powered by AI.
The move extends Zefr’s existing capabilities on Threads and allows brands to proactively exclude content categories before an auction is entered, rather than flagging unsuitable placements after the fact. The company positions the update as a meaningful step forward for advertisers operating in walled garden environments, where third-party verification has historically been limited. |
 X is introducing Creator Connect, a product that uses xAI technology to match brands with creators suited to specific campaigns. The platform factors in campaign objectives, real-time trends and audience interest to identify talent across video, text or mixed formats — then reaches out to those creators directly to gauge participation interest. X has been vague on the mechanics, but the pitch is precision targeting over broad outreach. The announcement comes on the heels of an Upfront week heavy on creator news. |
| COMING UP |
| As Disney expands the slate of live programming for its streaming platforms, Disney+ will, for the first time, join Hulu in livestreaming the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits Music Festival. In addition to livestreaming the performances, Disney+ and Hulu will also bring back the Live Set, an on-site content studio at each festival. The festival season kicks off with Bonnaroo from June 11–14, followed by Lollapalooza from July 30–August 2, and wraps up with Austin City Limits from October 2–4. |
| SPORTS REPORT |
| Fox Sports continues its push for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, using its free streaming platform Tubi to launch a dedicated FOX Hub featuring Fox Sports and FIFA programming, plus original and exclusive content from Tubi. The platform will also simulcast the tournament’s opening ceremonies live in 4K, followed by two group stage matches: Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 and the U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Paraguay on June 12. With the World Cup on American soil for the first time since 1994, Fox is clearly betting big on the moment.
FOX Sports is also revving up for its second Indianapolis 500, “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” on Sunday, May 24 at 12:30 p.m. on FOX and FOX ONE. Play-by-play announcer Will Buxton sits alongside Indianapolis 500 competitor James Hinchcliffe and Indy 500 racer Townsend Bell on the call for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Next League has formed a strategic partnership with AI engineering firm Marvik, strengthening its in-house AI development capabilities. Together, the two organizations bring something the global sports industry hasn’t had before: Next League’s operator playbook — built across leagues, federations, and teams — combined with Marvik’s enterprise AI engineering expertise, including more than 300 production AI projects delivered and established relationships with leading AI platforms. |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| To help achieve its AI ambitions, Paramount Skydance has hired Barak Turofsky as head of consumer AI. Turofsky, who was most recently chief AI officer at GM, also spent 11 years at Google. |
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
What was Andy Richter’s first major acting job after leaving “Late Night With Conan O’Brien”? “Andy Richter Controls the Universe” (2002-03). Congrats to: Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Rosemary Cunningham-MeTV/Chicago; Phyllis McQuillan-MSG Networks/NYC; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Group/NYC; John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas
Today’s Trivia Question
What was the name of the “21 Jump Street” spinoff series? (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.) |
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