“In conversations with CMOs and media directors, I’ve arrived at an undeniable conclusion: the NFL remains the ultimate platform for brand engagement at scale,” said Laura Grover, SVP, Head of Client Solutions, EDO. “For brands seeking measurable TV outcomes, no other media property comes close.”

Add Democratic House members Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ) and Rep. Jamie Raskin MD) to the politicians with questions about the $16 million payment Paramount agreed to – just weeks before it obtained FCC approval for its merger with Skydance Media – to settle a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump. Also being questioned is the extra $20 million President Trump said he anticipated from the new owners, as well as the exit of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens and the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” days before FCC approval.

“Two wrongs do not make a right – illegitimate demands from the FCC or the Administration do not absolve your company from wrongdoing,” wrote the representatives in a letter to Paramount. “If Skydance offered a side deal of up to $20 million worth of advertisement or programming to President Trump in order to receive regulatory approval for the merger with Paramount, these actions would run afoul of federal and state anti-bribery statutes. Similarly, if Paramount forced out CBS’s longtime leaders, spent $16 million to settle a sham lawsuit with President Trump, or canceled a highly popular comedy show that President Trump dislikes in order to curry favor with the Administration and to receive regulatory approval for the merger with Skydance, these actions would likely further embolden President Trump to use lawsuits and regulatory authority to attack media organizations that he finds objectionable in order to silence them.” Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have also questioned whether anti-bribery laws were violated (a charge Paramount has denied), and Sen. Adam Schiff sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr demanding information on the FCC’s conditions for approving the merger.

Apple TV+ has raised its monthly price by 30%, to $12.99. The annual rate of $99 is unchanged. The streamer’s last price hike was $3/month, in October 2023; at launch in 2019, the price was $4.99.

SAG-AFTRA members have approved the 2025 broadcast television code, which covers recorded and live programming. Among the highlights of the new contract are a wage increase; improvements to the benefits plan; a commitment to adopt future AI terms in 2026 negotiations; and heightened protections for young performers. The code was ratified by 96.48% of members who voted.

TLC’s “Sister Wives” is back Sunday, September 28 at 10p. Teaser: “Robyn clings to her belief in plural marriage, even as Kody questions its future and entertains attention from a woman online asking to be his new wife.”

Peacock has rewritten its plans for “The Paper,” a mockumentary set in the same universe as “The Office.” Instead of a weekly release schedule, all 10 episodes will drop Thursday, September 4.

“A Man on the Inside” returns Thursday, November 20 for a second season on Netflix. Mary Steenburgen, wife of series star Ted Danson, has joined the show in a lead role. This time around, Danson’s character goes undercover to take on a blackmailing case at a liberal arts college.

True crime series “The Tech Bro Murders,” exploring the deaths of tech execs, premieres Tuesday, September 9 on ID.

HGTV canceled seven series earlier this summer, but over 100 episodes of new, original content are coming down the pike. Series premiering in 2026 include new seasons of “The Flip Off,” “Love It or List It” and “Renovation Aloha,” as well as newcomers “Home Town: Inn This Together,” “Cheap A$$ Beach Houses” and “Tropic Like It’s Hot.” Premieres in September include “100 Day Dream Home” (Tuesday, September 16 at 8p), “Sin City Rehab” (Wednesday, September 17 at 9p), “Scariest House in America” (Friday, September 19 at 9p) and “Help! I Wrecked My House” (Wednesday, September 24 at 8p).

Limited series “Death by Lightning” will premiere Thursday, November 6 on Netflix. The four-parter recounts the true story of President James Garfield and the one-time admirer who assassinated him.

A remastered version of “The Beatles Anthology” docuseries premieres Wednesday, November 26 on Disney+, 30 years after its original broadcast. The series will include the original eight episodes, as well as a newly completed ninth installment featuring behind-the-scenes footage taken of McCartney, Harrison and Starr in 1994 and 1995 as they reflect on their shared musical journeys.

Saturday’s Premieres
Hulu: Twelve
Netflix: Bon Appetit, Your Majesty

Sunday’s Premieres
PBS: Professor T at 8p; The Marlow Murder Club at 9p; Unforgotten at 10p

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

GET THE INFO

IPG Mediabrands and Acxiom, the connected data and technology foundation of IPG, announced the launch of Acxiom Contextual CTV powered by IRIS_ID. The solution enables IPG Mediabrands advertisers to reach consumers with relevant messages based on the context, genre, and tone of the content being viewed to deliver outsized upper and lower funnel results. “Acxiom Contextual CTV represents the future of programmatic – privacy by design, data-rich, and publisher-aligned,” said Simon Poplyansky, VP of Global Partnerships at Acxiom. “With the IRIS_ID, we’re able to enhance our core offerings with precise contextual targeting, driving superior outcomes for our brand partners.”

Magnite announced an integration with Acxiom that establishes Magnite as Acxiom’s first programmatic partner for sell side data activation. Advertisers can activate their first-party data and Acxiom’s third-party data directly through Magnite to enhance their addressable buying. How’s it working out? “The differentiated structure offered by Magnite and Acxiom empowers us to more effectively plan and measure the outcomes of our ad campaigns,” said Jean Fitzpatrick, EVP Commercial Strategy at IPG Mediabrands. “By simplifying activation and reducing fees, we can drive more dollars toward working media and deliver greater value for our clients.”

Clinch is offering a new DCO strategy available within its Flight Control platform, enabling brands and agencies to integrate a broader range of third-party aggregated performance data from media partners, directly into the creative optimization workflow. The insights are visualized within Flight Control’s Campaign Insights, providing advertisers with a unified view of creative effectiveness across channels and media partners. “By bridging the gap between external media performance and creative insights, we’re giving marketers unprecedented options to control driving outcomes and visibility into what’s truly working and what is not,” said Oz Etzioni, CEO and Co-founder, Clinch. “This advancement continues to set Clinch apart as the only solution that connects creative and media data in one platform, delivering actionable insights that fuel real-time optimization.”

Viant Technology has partnered with programmatic media solutions provider AdTegral. As Viant’s debut activation partner, AdTegral will enable agencies and brands to access and activate campaigns on Viant’s DSP through a co-managed, performance-optimized model with no spend minimum levels to access. The partnership marks the first certified integration of the Viant DSP into a third-party platform.

Circana has completed its acquisition of Nielsen’s Marketing Mix Modeling business, specializing in advanced statistical modeling to help brands understand the true incremental impact of their marketing investments. The deal comes after the acquisition of NCSolutions in June. “MMM’s sophisticated analytics – combined with our existing assets – are expected to provide unparalleled insights into optimizing our clients’ marketing investments across every channel,” said Stuart Aitken, President and CEO of Circana. “We look forward to leveraging the full extent of MMM’s talent, comprehensive data assets and proven methodologies to help clients around the world maximize their return on marketing investment.”

Six Scripps channels – ION, ION Mystery, Bounce, Court TV, Court TV Legendary Trials and Scripps News – are now streaming on Peacock. “This expanded reach is a win for sports fans, entertainment seekers and news junkies, and it unlocks even more potential for advertisers seeking to reach these engaged fans,” said Keisha Taylor Starr, Scripps CMO and GM, Scripps Networks.

The ESPN DTC Unlimited plan, which retails for $29.99/month, is now available at no additional cost for customers with eligible Spectrum TV plans. Additionally, Hulu, which retails in combination with Disney+ as the Disney+, Hulu Bundle for $10.99 per month, is now included for customers with qualifying video plans.

FanDuel Sports Network has extended its existing carriage deal with Comcast. Under the agreement, Xfinity Ultimate TV package subscribers in FanDuel Sports Network markets will continue to have access to live, local MLB, NBA and NHL games and pre- and post-game coverage.

Lifetime let go several members of its unscripted division, including VP of Programming and Development Nicole Vogel. Vogel joined the network in 2019.

David Gandler, Co-founder and CEO of FuboTV, has been appointed to the board of directors at Newsmax. “David’s achievements as an entrepreneur in the streaming and media industries will bring fresh perspective as we continue to expand our global reach, including through our streaming service Newsmax+,” said Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy.

Ribeye Media announced a strategic investment from Tatari TV and the appointment of Philip Inghelbrecht, Tatari’s CEO and Co-Founder, to Ribeye’s Board of Directors.

David Bernath has been promoted from GM, Americas at Wurl to CEO. He succeeds Ronald Gutman, who is retiring.

Hallmark has eliminated 30 jobs in a restructuring move. “As the industry continues to traverse a significant period of transformation, Hallmark is taking steps to transition our workforce to meet the needs of the business today,” said a company spokesperson. “This means an ongoing exploration of specific roles and functions.”

Friday Fun Fact
The oldest goldfish lived to be 43 years old.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
“The Law & Harry McGraw” (1987-88) was a spinoff of which series? “Murder, She Wrote” (1984-96). Kudos to: Ericka Foster/Columbia, MD; Kurt Howell-Nexstar WCMH-TV/Columbus, OH; Todd Galloway-Gray Media/Raleigh, NC; Fred Cerullo/NYC; Wendy Holmes/Denver; Beth Tallent-TallentPR/Nashville; John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Julia Martinez-JDA Media/Dallas; Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
Who hosted the 2015 airing of 1965 film “Mary Poppins” on “The Wonderful World of Disney”? (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.)