 IN THE NEWS |
| NFL Network averaged an all-time high of 2.1 million viewers for the first week of its preseason games, up 44% over last year’s Week 1. Topping the chart were the Dolphins-Bears matchup with 2.34 million viewers, followed by Browns-Panthers with 2.24 million.
AI images that accompanied a story on far-right One America News Network “violated company policies,” a network spokesperson told CNN. Images of female military recruits that were shown during Defense Department spokesperson Kingsley Wilson’s comments to Matt Gaetz appear to have been generated using Elon Musk’s Grok. In addition to an on-air correction, “Management has taken additional actions to ensure the issue is appropriately addressed,” said the OAN rep. |
 The Television Critics Association unveiled a new logo ahead of the announcement of the 41st Annual TCA Award winners on Wednesday, August 20. The brandmark aims to pay tribute to television’s past while emphasizing the organization’s focus as it looks ahead to the future. |
| Cynopsis ScreenShift
For the Media Pros in Transition
If you’re exploring new roles, we want you in the room. Cynopsis ScreenShift is opening 8 discounted spots at $99 for job seekers to join us Oct 14 in NYC—starting at 3PM with roundtables, panels, and networking.
Request access: marketing@cynopsis.com
REQUEST MY PASS |
| PRODUCTION |
| Disney Branded Television has greenlit “Coven Academy,” a supernatural dramedy from Tim Federle (“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”). Premiering next year on Disney+ and Disney Channel, the series follows a trio of teenage witches-in-training. “‘Coven Academy’ is an innovative format that blends supernatural intrigue with the friendships, challenges and self-discovery of the teenage experience,” said Ayo Davis, President, Disney Branded Television. “Under Tim Federle’s creative leadership, this magical high school comes alive with a breakout cast, continuing our tradition of creating stories and stars that connect deeply with today’s generation.” |
| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
 “Dance Moms: A New Era” debuts Monday, September 8 at 7p on Lifetime. The reboot of “Dance Moms” (2011-19) introduces a new dance coach, new dancers, and fresh mama drama. |
Today’s Premieres
Fox: LEGO Masters Jr. at 8p
Hulu: Are You My First? |
| Cynopsis ScreenShift
Live sports = streaming’s MVP.
At ScreenShift, Winning with Live TV unites top execs to tackle rights deals, hybrid models, D2C loyalty, and ad innovation.
Prices rise Aug 29—save $200 when you register now.
RESERVE YOUR PASS NOW |
| INSIGHT |
| With candor and his trademark specificity, Albert Thompson, Director, Digital Innovation at Walton Isaacson, offers a preview of his ScreenShift panel, “Rethinking Measurement for the AI Era”, taking place October 14th at City Winery.
So how should we be rethinking measurement in the face of AI?
Technology does not care about your opinions, so move beyond the bias of, say, hallucinations to refining the accuracy of the possible outputs beyond the existing frameworks.
The human limitation is we tend to not do things our friends aren’t already doing or aren’t existing habits. AI’s only limit is physics (literally). So, think in terms of time, space, distance limitations. Not willingness or irrational behaviors. AI can connect meaning between two unrelated measurement platforms to start synthesizing or establishing correlations between them. Examples:
– Turn on CTV advertising while measuring foot traffic patterns to understand potential lift.
– Draw correlations between AI Search patterns, with drop offs in site traffic but continued sales growth.
What are the biggest challenges you see in thinking differently?
The greatest threat is still human laziness. It’s time to connect systems that are merely adjacent to each other. Make them face each other and then interlock with one another. Measurement is a continuum. People are too timid to make the connections. The marketplace has so much “noise” no one is solving anything, but AI can be what “turns down the volume” for clarity.
What strategies do you believe would be most effective for pivoting in this AI era when it comes to measurement?
Start with an AI council to ensure proper governance and ethics. Then outline the business framework and the points of friction to fix in your measurement approach. After that:
– Deploy the type of AI solutions for measurement that match the business structure – don’t just deploy what everyone else does.
– Embrace upstart companies, the innovators, with unique solutions who aren’t buried in bureaucracy.
– Develop a framework around AI that establishes “line of sight” in understanding that is currently lacking.
And, through it all, ensure there is a feedback loop for the AI agents to get smarter around connecting dots in measurement and teaching the teams.
What is your hoped-for takeaway from this panel?
If brands, media companies, or agencies don’t start taking up “agency” or decisioning fast, the machines will, because they are going to expose all the historical excuses that were made.
For more on the October ScreenShift event, go here. |
| COMING UP |
| Four-part documentary “Hurricane HQ: Katrina’s Wrath 20 Years Later” launches Monday, August 25 at 8:30p on FOX Weather, featuring FOX Weather hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross, correspondent Robert Ray and FOX News senior meteorologist Janice Dean as they reflect on the storm that slammed New Orleans. |
 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” joins the MeTV Toons weekday lineup starting September 15, airing at 7:30a, 4p and 12a. Launched as a five-part miniseries in 1987, the show featuring anthropomorphic superheroes on a half shell began its full-time run in 1988 and aired for eight years in syndication, then on CBS. Nickelodeon revived the series for a 2012-17 run. |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| FilmRise has expanded its content offering to include short-form content curated from FilmRise’s library on Fire TV Channels, available via all Fire TV and Echo Show devices in the US. Over 2,000 short form clips (5-15 minutes each) from 14 content creators will be available.
Canadian independent production company Trembling Void Studios is permanently giving away its show, “The Switch,” to be viewed, copied, or pirated, for free. The sitcom about trans people, which premiered on OUTtv in Canada in 2016, is now available in the Creative Commons. “With the rise of alt-right politics, this provocatively left-leaning show is more relevant than ever and needs to be seen worldwide,” says Ingo Lou, producer, Trembling Void Studios. “Giving trans people access to positive, uplifting representation is important, and we hope these stories bring joy, passion, and inspiration to every viewer.” |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| Gray Media has promoted Bob Kroeger to Chief Technology Officer. Kroeger succeeds David Burke, who retired last month. |
| IN MEMORIAM |
| Actor Tristan Rogers died August 15 after battling cancer. He was 79. Rogers was best known for his long-running role as Robert Scorpio on “General Hospital.” “Tristan Rogers was a very bright light, as an actor and as a person,” said Rogers’ former co-star, Genie Francis. |
This Day in History
1920 – The Nineteenth Amendment, giving women the right to vote, was ratified.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
On “Scrubs” (2001-10), who played J.D.’s college friend Spencer? Ryan Reynolds. Kudos to: Joel Maxwell-Cozen O’Connor/NYC; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC; Alyson White-Fox TV Stations/Leander, TX; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton, FL; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA
Today’s Trivia Question
Which game show had the longest continuous run on NBC? (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.) |
RIGHTS AND CLEARANCE SPECIALIST >>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/GLENDALE, CA: Spearhead rights management for all contracts, including but not limited to network, distribution, acquisitions, production partner, sponsorship, and talent agreements, maintaining a system that streamlines the process of identifying terms, rights, avails, participations, holdbacks, and territories. Input rights information into our software. Full info HERE
SENIOR DESIGNER >>
REELZ CHANNEL/ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Responsible for the concept, design and execution of various motion graphics projects for on-air promo and sales presentations. Will be required to design and create graphics for social media, digital and print. Must be able to follow brand guidelines and expand and change the brand look when necessary. Full info HERE
EVP, COMMERCIAL & TECHNOLOGY TRANSACTIONS, LEGAL & BUSINESS AFFAIRS >>
A+E GLOBAL MEDIA/NY(HYBRID): Oversee the three major areas of commercial transactions (comprised of supporting the Distribution, Total Media Solutions and Global Content Sales divisions) and the adjacent areas supported by the attorney teams that principally support those divisions (including vendor management and privacy). 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
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE DIRECT RESPONSE >>
OPPORTUNITY MEDIA/NY(REMOTE/HYBRID): Seeking an energetic achiever with excellent written & organizational skills for role to assist in growing revenue for dynamic Direct Response Team: required: BA Degree, Min 5 yrs DR Experience. Wide Orbit Exp a +. 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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