 IN THE NEWS |
| Display prospecting ad costs dropped 27% year-over-year in Q1, highlighting a broader shift away from upper-funnel campaigns as economic uncertainty grows, according to AdRoll’s latest State of Digital Advertising Report. In contrast, the retargeting cost per mile (CPM) fell just 8%, signaling that brands are doubling down on high-intent audiences and prioritizing performance-driven strategies. “As brands tighten budgets, lower-funnel campaigns remain a lifeline for performance,” said Courtney Herb, Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Public Relations at AdRoll. “While retargeting offers immediate return on investment, marketers shouldn’t ignore the long game. Capitalizing on lower CPMs to maintain brand visibility now will pay off when consumers return to spending.”
Just 1% of streaming ads include accessibility features like captions or audio description, according to XR’s 2025 Global Accessibility Maturity Index & Trends Report. Across TV more broadly, only 1 in 10 ads is accessible. Additional findings include:
· 9% of global TV ads include closed captions
· 1% percent include audio description
· CTV is the worst-performing channel for accessibility –less than 1% of streaming ads including captions or audio description
· While broadcaster readiness ranges from 30–100%, brand adoption of accessibility features still lags below 30% in most markets
“Our report reveals a significant gap between viewer preferences and execution—but the brands, broadcasters and publishers that close it will gain an edge in reach, loyalty and performance across every channel, from linear to CTV,” said John Batter, CEO at XR. “Millions of impressions are lost when people can’t understand video content. Accessible advertising ensures every impression can connect, whether audiences have disabilities, are watching in public or simply prefer to keep captioning turned on.” |
 Anne Burrell, chef and host of Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America”, died on June 17 at the age of 55. No cause of death was given. “’Worst Cooks in America’ was the funniest show on TV,” wrote Bobby Flay on Instagram. “All of your co-hosts (me included) were just alongside for the Anne Burrell ride.”
Hello Sunshine announced the launch of Sunnie, a Gen Z-focused media, experiential and lifestyle brand, designed to inspire the next generation of young women. The platform will feature social content, book clubs, digital zines, custom curriculums, and more, and will launch with e.l.f. Beauty as its foundational partner. “It’s been a dream of mine to build a space where young women can be the truest version of themselves,” said Reese Witherspoon, Founder of Hello Sunshine.
Kevin Hart-founded Hartbeat is partnering with Sundial Media & Technology Group to launch an ESSENCE-branded FAST channel, the first major streaming platform designed specifically for Black women.
Future Today is strengthening its partnerships with digital creators to expand their reach and accelerate their move to OTT platforms by leveraging itsscale to bring additional YouTube content creators into the streaming era, guiding them on best practices for syndication and packaging their content for platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Vizio, LG and Samsung TV, among others.
Integral Ad Science has launched contextual category reporting for Meta Platforms, expanding measurement capabilities across Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels. The update delivers third-party tools that help advertisers meet brand suitability and performance goals. “We’re closing the loop for advertisers,” said IAS CEO Lisa Utzschneider. “Our AI-driven insights across Meta platforms help marketers protect brand equity, reduce wasted spend, and maximize ROI. Aligning measurement with contextual categories improves both coverage and performance.”
EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen’s meeting with President Trump, arranged with help from Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, appears to have delayed or halted an FCC investigation that threatened to seize the company’s spectrum licenses and push EchoStar toward bankruptcy, according to a story in the New York Post. Ruddy reportedly convinced Trump that Ergen supports conservative programming and has donated to Republicans, easing concerns about Ergen despite his controversial reputation. Following the meeting, EchoStar’s stock surged nearly 50%, and the FCC investigation into whether Ergen met wireless build-out requirements has been paused.
Tubi is tapping into YouTube’s creator economy with the launch of “Tubi for Creators,” a new initiative to bring creator-led content to the platform. As part of the rollout, Tubi has partnered with six YouTube creators to license over 500 episodes, with plans to add more creators and thousands of additional videos in the coming weeks.
Great American Media has partnered with Audyns, a new centralized, data-driven platform, to enhance its media buying capabilities through its GAM Connect solution. This integration allows advertisers to plan, buy, and measure campaigns more efficiently across brand-safe content. “Partnering with Audyns aligns with our mission to deliver trusted, high-quality content to audiences while providing advertisers with smart, scalable solutions,” stated Bill Abbott, President and CEO, Great American Media. “We’re proud that GAM Connect is part of our forward-thinking platform.” |
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| PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT |
| GameTV has commissioned a new, six-episode comedic miniseries, “Hate The Player: The Ben Johnson Story,” which will take a satiric look at the doping controversy that rocked the 1988 Olympics. GameTV will be its exclusive cable home in Canada, while Paramount+ in Canada, which developed the series with New Metric, will be its exclusive streaming platform in the country. Shamier Anderson (John Wick 4, Invasion) stars as Ben Johnson and will also serve as an executive producer for Bay Mills Studios.
Bunim/Murray Productions is partnering with X Games to launch a new competition series, “X Games Battleground.” Created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the X Games, the series will feature 30 past champions and current stars competing in challenges inspired by the event’s history. The show is currently in development and will be taken to market later this summer.
TikTok star Charlie Curtis-Beard will lead the cast of “The Normal MFer,’ a new 10-episode adult animated series created by CC0 Studios founder Joe McNaney and director Alex Orrelle. The story follows a mid-20s man-child adrift in a surreal, algorithm-driven reality, exploring what it means to grow up while being terminally online. |
| NEW & RETURNING SHOWS |
 “Welcome to Plathville” will return Tuesday, July 22 at 10p with a season filled with “raw emotions, shocking surprises, new faces and fresh starts.”
“Crossroad Springs”, a new six-part hour-long drama that follows adult siblings living on a ranch, will make its series debut on Sunday, September 7 on Super Channel Heart & Home. “This beautifully told drama fits perfectly alongside beloved series like ‘When Hope Calls’ and ‘When Calls the Heart,’” said Don McDonald, President & CEO at Super Channel.
Apple TV+’s “Yo Gabba GabbaLand!” will return for season two on Friday, January 30, 2026. |
Today’ Premieres
Hulu: The Bravest Knight
Max: Now or Never: FC Montefermeil; Olympo
Nat Geo Wild: Planet Weird at 7p
Netflix: Olympo
Saturday’s Premiere
Netflix: The Great Indian Kapil Show
Sunday’s Premieres
Discovery: Marooned With Ed Stafford at 11p
HBO: The Gilded Age at 9p
TLC: Match Me Abroad at 10p |
| COMING UP |
| “John Stossel: Give Me Liberty!” airs Sunday, June 22 at 7p on NewsNation. Hosted by Connell McShane, the hour-long program features an interview with libertarian journalist John Stossel, who reflects on President Trump’s second term.
Negin Farsad, a comedian and regular panelist on NPR’s “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me,” will host the 46th Annual Documentary Emmy Awards on June 26 at the Palladium Times Square in New York City. “Negin is a master of all genres—from comedy to romance to social justice—and she’s a prolific filmmaker and actress,” said Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS. “She’s fearless, with a sharp wit that promises to be both timely and thought-provoking as we celebrate the year in documentary television.” |
 “The Rookies,” the ABC series that ran from 1972-1976, will begin airing on FETV starting Sunday, July 6. Look for a “Red, White and the Blue” marathon from 9a-3p before the show moves to its regular slot of 3:15p weekdays. “Police dramas have been essential to the viewership success of FETV,” said Adam Sumrall, Executive Vice President of FETV and FMC.
The world premiere of “Grounded in Love” streams exclusively on Great American Pure Fix beginning Thursday, August 7. The film, starring Danica McKellar (“A Cinderella Christmas Ball”, “Swing Into Romance”) and Trevor Donovan (“Jingle Bell Princess”, “Harvest Homecoming”), is adapted from the bestselling novel, Grounded, by Angela Correll and will also premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, September 27.
Starting tomorrow, June 21, Advocate Originals will debut on Hulu with a lineup of LGBTQ+ content timed for Pride Month. The slate features the “Pride of Broadway Special,” celebrating LGBTQ+ stars and allies in New York’s theater scene with exclusive interviews and performances, hosted by Sam Champion.
Three films from A24 will debut on HBO and be available to stream exclusively on Max in July. “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” drops Friday, July 4, then makes its linear debut on Monday, July 7. “Opus,” starring Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich and Juliette Lewis, will be available to stream Friday, July 11 on Max, landing on linear on Saturday, July 12. “Death of a Unicorn,” starring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega and Will Poulter, will be available to stream Friday, July 25 on Max, then make its linear debut on Saturday, July 26,
In a bid to celebrate career comeback of the year, former Daytime Emmy nominee Matt Borlenghi is on the 2025 Emmy ballot for Supporting Actor in a Movie (“Can You Feel the Beat—The Lisa Lisa Story,” Lifetime). Borlenghi tells Cynopsis, “I’d never expect to win among the amazing talent out there, being nominated would be everything I could ask for.” Borlenghi recently wrapped the TV pilot “Daddy’s Place,” starring with Big Daddy Kane and Terri J. Vaughn (“She the People”). |
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| SPORTS REPORT |
| The All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN) and 3XBA, the only US pro tour feeding into Olympic women’s 3×3 basketball, are kicking off their partnership with a live broadcast of the 3XBA tournament at Spokane Hoopfest, June 27–28, on the AWSN channel on Pluto TV. The event features 32 elite players across 8 teams and will be held during the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball event. It marks the first of three AWSN-covered 3XBA events this season. |
| GOING GLOBAL |
| El Reino Infantil (The Children’s Kingdom), a Spanish-language children’s content network, has announced a strategic partnership with HappyKids to offer shows including “Zenon the Farmer”, “Bichikids”, and “Zoo Songs”. Content will be available in both English and Spanish.
PGS Entertainment is partnering with Bayard Jeunesse Production to distribute “Vampirette & Me,” a new 52-episode animated series. Commissioned by France Télévisions, the show follows the quirky friendship between Vampirette, a sunny vampire, and Emma, the only human in a school full of fantastical creatures. Set in the odd world of Nosferatu Manor, the series targets children aged 6 to 8.
BINGE has commissioned a new Australian scripted crime drama based on the notorious bank robber Brenden Abbott, known as “the Postcard Bandit.” The six-episode, one-hour series follows Abbott’s daring bank heists, prison escapes, and life on the run in 1980s and 1990s Australia. |
| RATINGS |
| In its first season with Ryan Seacrest as host, “Wheel of Fortune” was the only syndicated game show to post growth and was one of only two syndicated series to increase year to year. “Wheel of Fortune” averaged 7.93 million total viewers, gaining +74,000 viewers year over year, and. scored a 4.6 HH rating for the season, up +1% year over year.
Acorn TV’s inaugural Murder Mystery May delivered the biggest month in the streaming service’s history, setting new records for viewership, engagement, and subscriber growth. The month-long event surpassed 20 million hours watched for the first time ever, with unique engaged subscribers hitting an all-time high — up double digits from the annual average. New subscriptions surged 70% above the 12-month average, reaching a four-year peak, while social engagement also saw strong year-over-year growth. “We’re thrilled by the incredible response to Murder Mystery May,” said Courtney Thomasma, EVP of Linear and Streaming Products at AMC Networks. “We can’t wait to make this an annual tentpole event for our fans.”
In May, FOX News Digital achieved its second-best month ever, reaching 134.4 million unique digital visitors and showing year-over-year growth, according to Comscore. |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| Meeri Cunniff has been named VP, Programming Strategy & Content Planning, FX Networks, Freeform and Disney Entertainment’s FAST channels. In this position, she will work with content leaders on program strategy and content curation across the FX suite of networks — FX, FXX and FXM — Freeform and Disney Entertainment Network’s FAST Channels.
The BBC has tapped company vet Kate Phillips as its new Chief Content Officer.
Law&Crime has hired Marco Bresaz as Executive Vice President of Current Series & Documentaries and Debasish Mishra as Chief Technology Officer.
Stacy DeRiso has been named brand president of IPG Mediabrands agency Initiative, a role in which she will lead the agency globally.
Courteney Tarantin has been tapped as Vice President of Scripted TV at CJ ENM. Based in Los Angeles, Tarantin will report to Elsie Choi, Executive Vice President, Head of Scripted TV. |
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This Day in History
2018 – “Yellowstone,” starring Kevin Costner, debuted.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which Emmy-winning soap opera actress later played a daytime drama executive on a Hallmark Channel movie? Linda Dano. Kudos to: Greg West-WATC TV/Atlanta; Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NY; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA
Today’s Trivia Question
In which series did Willie Aames and Leif Garrett appear as the same character? (Email your answer to trivia@cynopsis.com and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.) |
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DIRECTOR, AD MARKETING & SALES >>
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