| A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM PREMION |
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| Thursday September 25, 2025 |
 IN THE NEWS |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday night averaged 6.3 million viewers on traditional television, over three times its recent average of 1.77 million, according to Nielsen. That’s despite Nexstar and Sinclair’s ABC stations – representing over 20% of affiliates – continuing to preempt the show. Among A18-49, the show scored its “highest regularly scheduled episode in over 10 years,” said ABC. On YouTube, the episode had drawn over 16 million views by Wednesday evening. Before the suspension, Kimmel had been averaging 1.77 million viewers, while his monologues on YouTube usually drew about 3 million views.
Meanwhile, a group of nine Democratic senators sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr over pressure put on ABC to cancel “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”. “The FCC’s regulatory authority over broadcast licenses was never intended to serve as a weapon to silence criticism or punish satirical commentary,” said the letter. “Your agency’s mission is to serve the public interest, not to act as an enforcement arm for political retribution against media outlets that displease those in power.” The letter asks Carr to disclose any communications between the FCC and ABC, Disney or its affiliates, and the White House about the late-night show.
On Wednesday, Nextstar said that it was “continuing to evaluate” the status of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its ABC-affiliated stations. “We are engaged in productive discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve,” said the company in a statement. |
 MSNBC will turn to Comcast-owned Sky News for international reporting starting October 1, following the loss of NBC News resources. The shift comes as MSNBC prepares to spin off from Comcast, renamed MS Now under the new media company Versant. “In this moment of consequential and historic news events happening around the world that are rapidly reshaping our collective future, we are honored to bring Sky News’ premium, on-the-ground reporting and roster of top journalists to the MSNBC community,” said MSNBC President Rebecca Cutler.
As NFL games dominate linear TV, the league could begin renegotiating its media rights deals as soon as next year, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told CNBC. That’s four years before the current agreement’s opt-out clause for Amazon, Comcast, Fox and Paramount, and five years ahead of Disney’s deal. “I think our partners would want to sit down and talk to us at any time, and we continue to dialogue with them. I like that opportunity,” said Goodell. “Obviously it’s not going to happen this year. But it could happen as early as next year.”
The 12 largest media and entertainment companies spent a record-breaking $210 billion on content in 2024, up 4% from the year prior. That’s according to KPMG, which cited NBCUniversal as the biggest spender ($37 billion), followed by YouTube ($32 billion), Disney ($28 billion), Amazon ($20 billion) and Netflix ($17 billion). |
 Listen up: Podcast “New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce,” featuring the NFL stars, is now streaming on Prime Video. Available at launch is the Taylor Swift interview, which made history with 1.3 million concurrent viewers on YouTube.
Telemundo Studios is expanding its alternative content production with the launch of a mobile-first format featuring vertical, short-form content. The portfolio will feature a range of content designed to appeal to diverse audiences, including reimagined versions of Telemundo series like “Armas de Mujer” and “Diario de un Gigoló,” and original productions developed specifically for the new format. |
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| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
| Docuseries “Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars,” executive produced by Gordon Ramsay and Studio Ramsay Global, premieres Friday, October 10 on Apple TV+. The eight-parter is hosted by Jesse Burgess, food expert and co-founder of TopJaw.
Sports entertainment series “Locos x el Deporte” premieres digitally tomorrow, September 26 on Discovery en Español GO and October 5 on Discovery en Español. “Locos X el Deporte brings us into the sports market with the energy, culture, and passion that define Hispanic fans,” said David Tardio, SVP of Ad Sales, Warner Bros. Discovery US Hispanic. “It also creates new opportunities for advertisers to connect with our audience through sports storytelling that’s as commercially powerful as it is culturally relevant.”
South African crime thriller “Donkerbos” drops Tuesday, October 7 on MHz Choice. The limited series follows an ostracized detective investigating a serial killer. |
Today’s Premieres
AMC+/Sundance Now: Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping
AMC+: The Red King
BritBox: Silent Witness
CBS: The Amazing Race at 9p
Fox: Hell’s Kitchen at 8p; Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test at 9p
FX: English Teacher at 9p
Nat Geo: Cleopatra’s Final Secret at 10p
NBC: Law & Order at 8p; Law & Order: SVU at 9p; Law & Order: Organized Crime at 10p
Netflix: House of Guiness; Wayward; Alice in Borderland
Prime Video: Cocaine Quarterback: Signal-Caller for the Cartel |
| TECH |
| Media measurement platform Integral Ad Science has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by private equity firm Novacap. “As a private company with the support of Novacap, we will have access to new resources to achieve our strategic goals and further build upon the differentiated value we bring our customers as we advance our mission to be the global benchmark for trust and transparency in digital media quality,” said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS.
GSTV has struck a strategic partnership with Casey’s, a convenience store retailer and pizza chain, to strengthen the Casey’s Access Retail Media Network. The partnership will complement and expand Casey’s retail media portfolio of options for partner brands to connect with customers and increase sales inside the store. |
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CABLE & BROADBAND Q2 STANDOUTS
Congratulations to the innovators moving our industry forward!
From technology to talent leadership, these executives are setting new standards across cable and broadband. Meet the honorees and celebrate their impact this October 14 at ScreenShift in NYC.
View the full list + join us at ScreenShift.
VIEW THE LIST |
| PRODUCTION |
| Vince Gilligan (“Breaking Bad”) inked a four-year exclusive deal that keeps him at Sony Pictures Television. Gilligan will develop and produce shows under his High Bridge production company. “Beyond being a legend and a true giant in our business, Vince Gilligan is an incredible human being, who is always looking out for and shining the spotlight on others,” said Katherine Pope, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios. “He’s a humble genius, the rarest of the rare, and we couldn’t be prouder to continue our unprecedented partnership with him.”
China Bridge Content, the New York-based content and consulting firm, has announced its latest project: Music-based animated series “The C-Pops!”, a partnership with Chinese animation studio, Perfect World Animation. The projects is a spin-off of Chinese hit show “Rainbow Crew.”
Whatever Pictures has launched, following the merger of Finnish scripted independent production companies Whatevergroup and Mutant Koala Pictures. The two scripted indies have formed a formed a scripted studio with global ambitions.
South African animation studio Triggerfish is expanding its global presence with the launch of a new UK studio. The studio is currently recruiting multiple positions for a TV special as well as a Head of UK to lead projects from the new base. |
| COMING UP |
| “Terry McMillan Presents: Preach, Pray, Love,” starring Karrueche Tran (“Searching for a Serial Killer”), premieres Saturday, November 8p as part of the network’s Love of a Lifetime programming event.
A three-part reunion with the season seven cast of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Miami” kicks off Thursday, October 2 at 9p.
“An Intimate Evening with Adam Pally” debuts Friday, October 17 at 9p on HBO. It’s the “Happy Endings” star’s first comedy special. |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| MediaLane’s quiz show format “The Connection” has expanded to Germany on SAT.1. Local adaptations are currently in development in France, Italy, and Portugal. |
| RATINGS |
| The season premiere of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” jumped to 8.13 million Total Viewers and a 1.79 rating among A18-49 after three days of cross-platform viewing, scoring the show’s best telecast since the 2020-2021 season.
“America’s Game of the Week” on Fox delivered 25.5 million average viewers, to repeat as the most watched telecast of the week. Season-to-date, “AGOTW” is averaging 29.5 million viewers, up +15% over last year’s season-to-date average.
Basic Cable Top 10 for the Week of September 15
P2+ AA (000)
Primetime
Fox News 2037
ESPN 1558
MSNBC 688
CNN 460
HGTV 402
TBS 298
ESPN2 264
Food Network 280
TLC 322
Hallmark Channel 308
Total Day
Fox News 1776
ESPN 937
MSNBC 505
CNN 400
HGTV 281
Hallmark Channel 215
GSN 215
Hallmark Mystery 194
TBS 219
Food Network 225
Source: Nielsen |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| Production studio Versus has promoted Kathryn Henderson to Director of Creative Operations. Henderson was previously Head of Production.
Lauren Hallam has been named Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Fox Television Stations. Hallam joined Fox Corp. in 2019. |
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This Day in History
1780 – American army officer Benedict Arnold defected to the British.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Who plays the title character’s stepmother in “Moesha” (1996-2001)? Sheryl Lee Ralph. Kudos to: Stephanie Smalling/LA; David Garber-Loyola Marymount University/Playa Vista, CA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Kerri Huyck/ Kennewick, WA; Barbara Bevel/Staten Island, NY; Michelle Levy Williams-Next Level Sports & Entertainment/Hanover, MD; Michael J. Brewer/Washington, DC; Corey Lambert-Paramount Skydance/NYC
Today’s Trivia Question
How long did Barbara Walters serve as an anchor for “ABC Evening News”? (Email trivia@cynopsis.com with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Limit of four answers per time zone.) |
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER>>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC:
Oversee daily sales pipeline operations focused on national sponsorships, integrations, and branded content tied to unscripted programming. Manage and coach the Business Development team, drive outbound activity, shape proposals and pricing, and lead CRM strategy, reporting, and optimizations via Salesforce. Full info HERE
MANAGER, CONSUMER INSIGHTS & BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE >>
SESAME WORKSHOP/NEW YORK, NY:
Support the Research & Insights team in understanding the behaviors, motivations, and needs of children, educators, and caregivers—especially as they interact with TV shows, digital content and experiences. This role will help execute research initiatives that inform content strategy, digital product development, marketing, and audience engagement. Full info HERE
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER >>
NTD/WASHINGTON, DC:
Pitch story ideas and write scripts/segment outlines as well as research guests and interview topics. Book guests and coordinate interviews. Help with logistics and sometimes field production. Support shoots and ensure production runs smoothly. Review footage and work with editors to shape final episodes. Write headlines, teasers, and social posts. Full info HERE
INTEGRATED MEDIA PLANNER >>
VLADIMIR JONES/DENVER, CO:
Responsible for preparing and implementing client media plans of all types for existing and prospective clients. This includes audience identification, research, development, presentation and purchasing of media plans & buys as well as an expert at understanding emerging trends and best practices across the omni-channel media world. Full info HERE
MOTION DESIGNER (FREELANCE) >>
LONG STORY SHORT/WASHINGTON, DC: Collaborate closely with our creative team to develop high-quality motion graphics for a variety of projects. Deliverables could include lower thirds, kinetic text, full-screen visuals, logo animations, infographic animations, bumper/intro sequences, social media graphics, and event or presentation graphics. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATION >>
THE JIM HENSON COMPANY/HOLLYWOOD, CA: Responsible for all HR functions and oversight of administrative and management needs. This strategic role is charged with operating from a customer service driven viewpoint that prioritizes employee satisfaction as well as enforce legally compliant policies, increase efficiency by implementing administrative and record-keeping best practices. 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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