Saturday’s Premieres
Bounce TV: Mind Your Business at 8p
HGTV: Vacation House Rules at 8p
Lifetime: The Life & Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson at 8p
Max: Trixie Motel: Drag Me Home
Oxygen: Deadly Waters With Captain Lee at 9p
TBS: Dinner and a Movie

Sunday’s Premieres
Bravo: The Real Housewives of Dubai at 9p
CNN: Violent Earth at 9p; Secrets & Spies: A Nuclear Game at 10p
HBO: Ren Faire at 9p
HGTV: Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse at 8p; Celebrity IOU at 9p
History: The Einstein Challenge at 7a
ID: Signs of a Psychopath at 10p
Magnolia: Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse at 8p
MGM+: Billy the Kid at 9p
Nat Geo: World Eats Bread at 10p
Paramount+: Mayor of Kingstown
Univision: Noticias Univision Presenta: Mexico: Dos Mujeres, Un Destino at 7p

Sunday’s Finales
A&E: Secrets of the Hells Angels at 10p
Lifetime: The Life & Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson at 8p

IN THE NEWS

Skydance Media hasn’t given up on Paramount Global, and has sweetened its merger offer for the company with a deal that is more palatable to both voting and nonvoting shareholders. That’s according to The Wall Street Journal, which reports the latest offer includes putting more money into Paramount. Skydance’s previous offer was viewed by Class B stockholders as a sweetheart deal for controlling shareholder Shari Redstone.

Warner Bros. Discovery is still in talks with the NBA about basketball rights, said CEO David Zaslav on Thursday, but even without the league, WBD will remain “a leader in the sports world.” Speaking at Bernstein’s Strategic Decisions Conference, Zaslav said, “I was just down in Atlanta. We’ve got a great team down there and we love our experience with the NBA.” With NBCUniversal looking to get back in the game, WBD may not retain NBA games, but still has March Madness, the NHL, NASCAR, college football, and major overseas rights among its offerings. “We’re in the business of sport and in sport, deals come up and you look at those deals and you make a decision about the overall quality of the full menu of content you have for each of your platforms,” said Zaslav.

Sixty percent of advertisers plan to increase their spending on creator marketing this year, according to Advertiser Perceptions. When asked what their goals are for investing in creators and influencers, advertisers cite increasing product consideration (46%), driving sales (43%), purchase intent (39%) and finding new customers (36%). Creator marketing is seen as being trustworthy and authentic for advertisers that invest in it, especially among Gen Z. Additional findings include:
· Mid-tier influencers with follower counts between 50,000-500,000 are a sweet spot for advertisers, while nano-influencers with less than 10,000 were the ones they’d least like to work with.
· Lifestyle (26%), beauty/fashion (25%) and DIY (24%) are the top content categories for advertisers.
· Social short-form videos (53%) are the best performing content formats, followed by mid-form videos (29%) and social text posts (25%).
· Two-in-three paid creator/influencer campaigns have included shoppable links, up significantly from 2023. In 2024, four-in-ten advertisers are prioritizing creator partners who can provide shoppable features.
· Almost three-quarters (72%) of advertisers think AI will help provide better matches between their brand and content creators.

Activist investor Nelson Peltz has sold his entire stake in Disney, reports CNBC. Last month Peltz, whose company, Trian Management, owned $3 billion of common stock in Disney, lost a bid to win board seats at the company.

Most Americans tuned into 3 or fewer apps in 1Q24, on 2.5 CTV devices, and they watched 9.4 OTT programs, according to TVision’s State of CTV study, done in partnership with DoubleVerify. Additional findings include:
· YouTube and then Netflix top the list for Share of Time Spent, but in Household Reach, Netflix tops YouTube.
· Amazon’s “Reacher” and “Road House” were the top show and movie on the TVision Power Score.
· Overall CTV Ad Attention is up and ad attention to premium (those apps with ad-supported and ad free tiers) CTV apps now surpasses linear TV.
· First in pod ads capture the most attention.
· Ad Attention varies by time of day, with Prime the best time for Attention, according to DV.

“Each quarter we see advancements in CTV advertising – in terms of reach and scale but also in terms of attention and engagement from viewers,” said Yan Liu, CEO of TVision. “The latest report highlights these trends and is a useful tool for marketers to better understand CTV attention norms, and how to leverage these metrics within their own campaign processes.”

Also re-upped is “The Vince Staples Show,” for a second season on Netflix. “The Vince Staples Show is back!” said Staples. “The people have spoken and the most riveting, captivating, and polarizing show on Netflix is returning for season 2. Get ready for hijinks that only a mother can love. Thank you, Netflix!”

Animated comedy “Kevin,” written and executive produced by Aubrey Plaza (“The White Lotus”) and Joe Wengert (“Big Mouth”) scored a series order from Prime Video. The show centers on a housecat who decides he doesn’t want to live with people anymore.

Netflix is expanding the “Selling Sunset” franchise with an order for NYC-set “Selling The City,” from Done and Done Productions. The setting will be luxury real estate company Douglas Elliman. On the animated front, Netflix has ordered adult comedy “The Undervale,” from creator Matt Roller (“Rick & Morty”), about a single mom running a haunted hotel.

Netflix is also developing a series based on the Minecraft sandbox game. The CGH-animated series will be co-produced with Mojang Studios, the game’s developer. Among other shows in the works at the streamer are music competition “Building the Band” and a show featuring songwriters competing to write music for professional artists.

Kabosu, the dog behind the “doge” internet meme, will be the subject of documentary “underDOGE” from Scout Productions. Scout has teamed with First Gen Studios, Dukes Up and Own the Doge to tell the story of the side-eyed Shiba Inu and its owner, a 62-year-old kindergarten teacher from Japan. Kabosu died last week at 18.

UK’s Nest Productions is partnering with Greenred Media for a deal that calls for Nest to supply production and company infrastructure for all company productions. The news comes after the commission of Channel 4 and Skipton Building Society’s social-first branded entertainment series “Make Your Move,” the first partnership production which Greenred worked on with Nest.

For the first time in its 22-year history, the Disney Television Discovers: Talent Showcase will debut an ensemble piece, “D-DAY: An Original Workplace Comedy.” “This year, my team has reimagined the showcase with a fresh format,” said Felicia Joseph, SVP, Casting, ABC Entertainment. “We look forward to presenting this extended ensemble piece to the industry at large and championing these artists in their journeys both in front of and behind the camera.”

Casting notes: “Selling Sunset” star Chrishell Stause is going back to her soap opera roots. The “All My Children” alum has joined Amazon Freevee Australian drama “Neighbours” as a series guest star, and is set to arrive in Australia in July to begin filming….Jay Ellis (“Insecure”) will have a major recurring role in Netflix’s basketball comedy series “Running Point.”

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Limited event series “Three Women,” based on the bestselling book of the same name by Lisa Taddeo, premieres Friday, September 13 at 10p on Starz.

“El Conde: Amor y Honor” launches Monday, July 1 at 10p on Telemundo. Mexican actor Fernando Colunga and Ana Brenda Contreras star in the story of love, betrayal and revenge.

“BBQ Brawl” returns to Food Network on Monday, July 8 at 9p, to determine who is this summer’s Master of ‘Cue. The following day, season three of “Bobby’s Triple Threat” gets cooking at 9p.

Bounce TV original series “Mind Your Business” debuts Saturday, June 1 at 8p with back-to-episodes. The sitcom tells the story of the Williams family, which runs a party space in Chicago. Columbus Short (“Scandal”), Drew Sidora (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”), Rolonda Watts (“Rolonda”), and singer/radio host Bebe Winans lead the ensemble cast.

Drama, drama, drama! Season three of “Professor T” kicks off Sunday, June 16 at 8p on PBS, followed by the season nine debut of “Grantchester on Masterpiece” at 9p and the season two launch of “D.I. Ray” at 10p. Thursday, July 15 brings the return of “Cobra: Rebellion,” with “Hotel Portofino” back for season three on Sunday, July 28. Of course this is PBS, so you’ll want to check local listings.

Adventurer Josh Gates explores new mysteries when “Expedition Unknown” returns Wednesday, June 19 at 9p on Discovery Channel.

TECH TALK

IAB Tech Lab announced the expansion of its Open Measurement Software Development Kit to include Samsung and LG. With the addition of support for Samsung and LG platforms, OM SDK now covers a substantial portion of CTVs in households, amounting to 40% of the market. “We’re seeing the importance of standardizing campaign measurement and verification across digital ad platforms, especially with CTV’s growth,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. “By expanding OM SDK for CTV to encompass additional platforms, we’re ensuring advertisers and agencies access consistent, normalized measurement metrics, ultimately addressing industry demands for improved cross-device and environment measurement, which supports increased ad spend on CTV platforms.”

Programmatic-platform revenue is on pace to rise above direct advertising sales in two years, according to investment research firm Guggenheim Securities, which forecasts that programmatic-platform buying will reach $15.7 billion, versus $14.8 billion for direct sales. Demand-side advertising platform The Trade Desk’s share of programmatic business will rise from 59% this year to 63% in 2025 and 66% in 2026, projects Guggenheim. As for streaming partners, “We believe relatively newer players (Netflix, Roku, for example) will be primary drivers of programmatic share gains over time,” writes Michael Morris, media analyst for Guggenheim Securities. “Our bottoms-up analysis of The Trade Desk’s estimated programmatic CTV revenue suggests that Disney is and will remain the company’s largest partner.”

Clinch, creator of Flight Control, unveiled a new creative decisioning capability via its Sports API, enabling brands to offer personalized/localized experiences to audiences in real time. Brands can employ strategies including utilizing sequential messaging, directing consumers to nearby dedicated merchant partners or delivery services, and showcasing product feeds highlighting top-performing items. “By enhancing our Sports API offering to include Olympics data, Clinch continues to empower advertisers to engage with audiences in real-time, delivering personalized experiences during one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world,” said Oz Etzioni, CEO, Clinch. “Brands can leverage our Sports API not only for the Olympics but also for other summer events such as MLB and the UEFA European Championship.”

MyBundle has entered into a partnership agreement with Ziply Fiber that will enable the broadband provider to offer streaming services to its high-speed subscribers. MyBundle has also launched its first-ever mobile app to assist consumers in optimizing their streaming experience.

COMING UP

Season one of “The Bear” will be available to viewers of the FX linear channel for the first time with a marathon beginning Sunday, June 2. The series, currently available only on Hulu, will air two episodes on FX each successive night beginning at 10p through Wednesday, June 5.

Throughout Pride month, Max will be updating its LGBTQ+ Voices page with new curations including “Presenting with Pride,” “Pride in Every Story,” “Beyond the Binary,” and “Queer Film Club,” custom artwork, and more. In a collaboration with NewFest, running through June 3, Max is also activating virtual and in-person community screenings of LGBTQ+ titles.

Noticias Telemundo will offer multiplatform coverage of the presidential election on Sunday, when Mexico is expected to elect its first woman president. Special broadcast and streaming coverage will run from 7p until 3a and include live updates and reporting from the Noticias Telemundo team on the ground in Mexico.

HDNET Movies is running a Dolph Ludgren marathon on Wednesday, June 12, starting at 2p with 1992’s “Universal Soldier.”

INSP also has movie marathons on the way, including Wild West Walker: Clint Walker Movie Weekend on July 5 and 6, and Tip of the Hat: National Day of the Cowboy Movie Event on July 27.

Animated movie “No Time To Spy: A Loud House Movie” premieres Friday, June 21 at 7p on Nickelodeon. The film is an extension of the animated series.

Pluto TV is bringing back “Free Movie Weekend” as a part of its “Summer of Cinema” campaign, which brings the service’s “free” offering to independent theaters around the country. Complimentary movie tickets will be available on select weekends.

SPORTS UPDATE

ESPN released its Commitment to Communities, outlining ESPN’s vision is to use the power of sports to inspire social good. Some highlights include:
· ESPN’s commitment to youth sports, as it continues to help enable more kids to have access to sports and develop important life skills through sports
· Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the V Foundation, where ESPN has helped raise more than $197 million for cutting-edge research
· The network’s continued efforts to support the communities where employees live, work and play

For the second consecutive year, FOX Sports will offer full coverage of the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, on Saturday, June 8 across FOX Sports’ family of networks. For the first time in history, the third leg of the Triple Crown will be held at Saratoga Race Course while Belmont Park undergoes renovations.

FuboTV is launching Willow by Cricbuzz, which offers live, streaming and on-demand cricket, ahead of next month’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Through the multiyear agreement, more than 220 live cricket matches annually will be available to subscribers of Fubo’s International Sports Plus channel add-on package with Willow by Cricbuzz, the official broadcaster of various cricket Boards around the globe and the home of the new Major League Cricket.

DraftKings named Set Free as the brand’s first-ever Creative Director of NBA Culture. “Set Free has an incredible track record for bringing creative ideas, brands and people together with the purpose to connect to culture through art, fashion, music, sports and more,” said Michael Shonkoff, DraftKings VP of Brand Marketing. “We are thrilled to continue to work closely with Set Free in this newly created role to deliver elevated basketball experiences for our customers.”

The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final audiences averaged 4.2 million viewers across North America for the first three games, up 63% year-over-year on TNT, truTV, Max, Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports.

The WNBA’s Fever/Sparks game on May 24 averaged 724,000 viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA game on ION to-date. The game peaked at nearly 981,000 viewers.

Season five of “The Kardashians” delivered 3.9 million viewers in its first four days across Hulu, Disney+ and Star+, the best number for any unscripted premiere on Disney streaming platforms.

During Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Summer stunt, the network was the #1 most-watched entertainment cable network in Weekend Total Day among Women 18+; #2 among Households; #2 most-watched network in Weekend Primetime with Households, Total Viewers, and Women and Persons 18+; and #2 most-watched of the month in Total Day among Households and Women 18+, according to Nielsen.

During the week of May 20-26, FOX News earned two million viewers, 214,000 in the 25-54 demo and 129,000 among A18-49. In total day, FNC posted 1.3 million viewers and 152,000 in the news demo. “The Five” averaged 3.3 million viewers and 284,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the most-watched show in cable news.

HBO comedy special “Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die” has drawn two million cross-platform viewers since its May 11 premiere, and had the best premiere night for a comedy special in over two years. If this pace keeps up, it will have the top streaming audience for any comedy special in the history of Max.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Former UTA animation head, Anna Berthold-Zuk, will be joining Stampede Ventures as Executive Vice President of Animation and Kids & Family.

Friday Fun Fact
PEZ candy was invented to help smokers kick the habit.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
During a 1989 episode of which sitcom did actors from “The Brady Bunch” reprise their roles in a dream sequence? “Day by Day” (1988-89). Kudos to: Andy Atherton-A&E/Stamford, CT; Charles A. Mannino-SubCom/Eatontown, NJ; Andrew Goldman-Phanes Funding Group/NYC; Danny Frank-Citi/Potomac, MD; Eric LItt-Nexstar/Chicago; Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago; Demetri Pappas-iHeartMedia/LA; Andi Leston-Outdoor Sportsman Group/Waukesha, WI; Ken DuBow-DuBow Media Distribution/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
Freeform’s “Good Trouble” (2019-24) was a spinoff of which series? (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.)