 IN THE NEWS |
| Doesn’t sound like Disney is backing down in the carriage dispute that has left its channels dark on YouTube TV. On an earnings call Thursday, CEO Bob Iger told analysts, “The deal that we have proposed is equal to or better than what other large distributors have already agreed to. So, we’re not trying to really break any new ground. And while we’ve been working wirelessly to close this deal and restore our channels to the platform, it’s also imperative that we make sure that it reflects the value that we deliver.” Or, as Disney CFO Hugh Johnston said earlier on CNBC, “We’re ready to go as long as they want to.”
The launch of a new ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service in August was a big win, Bob Iger told analysts during the aforementioned earnings call. Among new sign-ups, 80% have chosen a bundle that includes Disney+ and Hulu, which is “a very positive sign for us in terms of lowering churn for us in the future,” he noted, adding, “In almost every way you look at it, it is working…It is also working for advertisers, because, obviously, there’s real value in the data that we provide advertisers on the director consumer platform. And so we’re attracting both more advertising and new advertisers to the service.”
A bipartisan group of seven former FCC commissioners have filed a formal petition calling on the FCC to rescind its news distortion policy. The petition comes after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened ABC and Disney with the policy after Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks about the murder of Charlie Kirk. “The Commission should focus on ensuring that all Americans are connected and have access to information and ideas — not imposing on broadcasters its vision of what presentation of the news is correct,” wrote Mark Fowler, Republican, FCC Chairman from 1981-87. “The news distortion policy is being used by the current FCC leadership as a tool of speech coercion and that abuse will not stop until the agency repeals it.”
The BBC has apologized to President Donald Trump for airing a misleadingly edited clip of Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021. Trump had threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion, in addition to demanding an apology and a retraction. He got two out of three. “While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited,” said a BBC spokesperson, “we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim,”
The top two streaming leaders in Parks Associates’ annual “Top 10 List of US SVOD Services” for 2025 switched positions from 2024, with Netflix now above Prime Video and Hulu taking third position over Disney+. “Hulu’s jump past Disney+ is a result of smart distribution strategy,” said Michael Goodman, Senior Contributing Analyst, Parks Associates. “The Charter deal gave Hulu instant access to millions of households, reinforcing how vital partnerships between broadband providers and streamers have become in defining the new entertainment bundle, and the ability to scale.” The ranking is based on estimated numbers of subscribers through September 2025 from the firm’s Streaming Video Tracker. |
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| Versant’s USA Sports struck a five-year partnership with the new Pac-12, launching with the 2026-27 season, for over 80 live, regular season football and basketball games annually. “USA Sports is proud to partner with the new Pac-12 and showcase the league to a national audience on USA Network,” said Matt Hong, President of USA Sports. “Our partnership further establishes USA Network as a destination for all sports fans, with weekends packed with Pac-12 football doubleheaders and men’s and women’s basketball double- and triple-headers beginning next fall.”
Thirty-eight percent of respondents in a TVB survey reported viewing TV with the speaker off – and thus are presumably undercounted with measurement that relies on audio. That stat comes from the 2025 Video Media Devices and Usage Study, which also found:
· 77% of households have at least one TV with a linear connection, and 67% of households having at least one TV with a streaming connection.
· Those opting to stream linear programming through apps from cable and satellite companies now represent half of households that have at least one TV set connected to cable or satellite.
· More than half of households with an OTA set or a vMVPD set have other linear TV connections; focusing on OTA or vMVPD only households may undercount OTA or vMVPD viewing.
· Devices oriented to linear TV content are more likely to be in rooms used by adults.
· The average number of TV sets per household is 2.8; about half of households have 3 or more sets, and 24% have 4+ sets.
· 76% of households are able to stream linear TV programs and events through a mobile device. |
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| Fuse Media and OUTtv announced a six-month content sharing partnership, bringing a curated selection of each platform’s signature series to subscribers starting today, with titles refreshed monthly. “This partnership reflects the evolving streaming landscape, where sharing premium content enriches the viewer experience,” said Patrick Courtney, Chief Business Officer at Fuse Media. “We’re thrilled to bring OUTtv’s innovative LGBTQ+ programming to our audience, while introducing OUTtv viewers to some of our most celebrated series.”
“Poker Face” has not been renewed by Peacock for a third season, and Natasha Lyonne is leaving her starring role – but that doesn’t mean it’s curtains for Charlie, human lie detector. Series creator Rian Johnson has plans. “We’ve been germinating this next move together since writing the season two finale,” said a statement from Johnson and Lyonne, who remains as executive producer. “We love our ‘Poker Face’ and this is the perfect way to keep it rolling. Give us a beat and we may just see Charlie Cale again down that open highway.” Replacing Lyonne as Charlie? Peter Dinklage.
Canela Media has expanded its partnership with FAST channel JTV to include Club Canela, the loyalty and rewards platform within Canela.TV. Launching in time for the holiday season, the collaboration enables Club Canela members to redeem points for exclusive rewards from JTV. |
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| 2026 CONVERGENT TV WORLD
Lock In the Best Rate — Before It’s Gone.
Building on the success of CTV Connect 2025, Convergent TV World brings the industry’s sharpest minds together again. Limited early spots available—once the first price point fills, rates rise.
FIND OUT MORE |
| PRODUCTION |
| Japan’s Nippon TV has partnered with Korea’s CJ ENM for the co-production of a new cross-cultural romantic comedy/drama, “Merry Berry Love” (w/t). The series follows a down-on-his-luck spatial designer and a strawberry farmer as they find love on a remote Japanese island.
Cast members as well as directors and writers for season two of FX’s “Shogun,” which is set over a decade after the events of the first season, were announced as part of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Disney+ Originals Preview. Newly added to the cast are Asami Kizukawa (“Aya”), Masataka Kubota (“Hyūga”), Sho Kaneta (“Hidenobu”), Takaaki Enoki (“Lord Ito”) and Jun Kunimura (“Gōda”). Two directors from the first season – Hiromi Kamata and Takeshi Fukunaga – are set to direct on season two, with Anthony Byrne (“Say Nothing”), Kate Herron (“Loki”) and Justin Marks also set to direct episodes. Writers include Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks, Shannon Goss, Matt Lambert, Maegan Houang, Emily Yoshida, Caillin Puente and Sofie Somoroff. |
| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
| Prime Sports announced a 12-episode order for “Good Sports,” a weekly sports talk show hosted by Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson. Premiering November 25 on Prime Video, new episodes will stream every Tuesday.
Bobby Berk (“Queer Eye”) will help collectors turn chaos into dream spaces in the new HGTV series “Junk or Jackpot?”, premiering Friday, December 26, at 9:30p. Actor/wrestler John Cena is executive producing.
Apple TV’s “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” is back for season two on Friday, February 27 with the first episode, followed by one episode every week until May 1.
Docuseries “Redemption,” about the Ohio State football team, will premiere Sunday, November 16 with all three episodes on the Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video in the US. |
Today’s Premieres
Discovery: The Last Woodsman at 9p
Disney+: LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails
HBO Max: The Seduction
Netflix: I Feel Like It
Prime Video: Malice
Shudder: The Creep Tapes
Saturday’s Premieres
Lifetime: Eric Jerome Dickey’s Friends and Lovers at 8p
Nat Geo Wild: Deep Dive Australia at 10p
OWN: Love & Marriage: Huntsville at 8p
UP: Got It From My Momma at 9a
Sunday’s Premieres
Nat Geo: Snakes in the City at 9p
Paramount+: Landman
PBS: The American Revolution at 8p |
| CABLEFAX MOST POWERFUL WOMEN
Celebrate the Women Who Lead—and the Brands That Back Them
At the Cablefax Most Powerful Women Reception, Dec. 4, we honor the changemakers defining the future of media. Sponsorship opportunities offer exclusive visibility among the industry’s most influential voices.
LEARN MORE |
| TECH |
| AdGood, the nonprofit-focused CTV media platform, is partnering with marketing attribution company LeadsRx to combine AdGood’s discounted, nonprofit-only CTV inventory with LeadsRx’s impartial attribution technology. “Nonprofits have always faced the double challenge of limited budgets and high expectations for impact,” said Kris Johns, CEO of AdGood. “By combining affordable access to premium CTV with transparent attribution from LeadsRx, we’re helping nonprofits do more than just reach viewers – we’re empowering them to measure what matters, prove their results, and optimize campaigns in real time.”
Spectrum is offering eligible customers a data-speed lift up to 1 Gig for a week at no extra cost. “Thanksgiving means more people, more devices, and a lot more gaming, streaming and shopping,” said Sharon Peters, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Spectrum. “’Gig Week’ is our way of saying thank you on one of the busiest online weeks of the year – by giving families the extra bandwidth to keep all their devices running smoothly.”
How is AI impacting CTV buying? Dan Larkman, CEO and Founder of Keynes Digital, shares his thoughts on that in Cynsiders. |
| SPORTS ROUNDUP |
| Peacock, NBC Sports, and the NFL are teaming for “Reality Hot Seat,” spotlighting stories and personalities behind professional football. The show streams live exclusively on Peacock and NFL+ on December 7 at 8p and continues through the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs matchup. “’Reality Hot Seat’ brings together two of the greatest passions, football and reality TV, both full of drama, strategy and fiercely loyal fans,” said Frances Berwick, Chairman of Bravo and Peacock Unscripted. “We’re not reinventing the game; we’re simply watching it through a different lens.”
The Golf Channel has grabbed “Vanity Index,” a show hosted by Chad Mumm (“Full Swing”) and Wells Adams (“Bachelor in Paradise”) that started as a video podcast series. “Wells and I started the ‘Vanity Index Podcast’ as a way to explore the connective tissue between golf, Hollywood and pop culture,” said Mumm. “We’re excited to partner with the Golf Channel to take the show into its next chapter, reaching even more fans with great stories, A-list guests, and obsessed takes on the culture of golf.” |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| A+E Global Media™ has partnered with Langley Productions on an international content distribution deal for Langley’s catalogue of nonfiction programming. The deal will include international distribution of 848 hours of programming, including “COPS,” which has delivered over 1,200 episodes and is the longest running primetime unscripted show in its genre, with season 38 currently in production.
“Mad Men” will be available to stream on HBO Max, for the first time in 4K for premium subscribers, beginning December 1. The drama originally aired on AMC from 2007-2015.
Three French-language FAST channels, TV5MONDE Chefs, TV5MONDE Info and TV5MONDE Voyage, are being rolled out globally on TCL Channel and in the US through TCLtv+. |
| COMING UP |
| Animators gather for “Adult Swim’s The Elephant,” premiering as an ad-free experience on Friday, December 19 at 11p on Adult Swim. The event features Patrick McHale (“Over the Garden Wall”), Ian Jones-Quartey (“OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes”), Rebecca Sugar (“Steven Universe”), and Pendleton Ward (“Adventure Time”), who reunite to for a storytelling experiment.
The Africa Channel will kick off its holiday programming season by shining a spotlight on Wild Africa’s wildlife conservation efforts, providing support for the organization’s annual fundraising gala November 15, and continuing with the Thanksgiving Day premiere of its new series, “Dr. Mark’s Animal Show.”
Sarah Jessica Parker will receive the Carol Burnett Award during CBS’ “Golden Eve” primetime special on Thursday, January 8 at 8p, ahead of the “83rd Annual Golden Globes” on Sunday, January 11. |
| RATINGS |
Nielsen data highlights across the top telecasts for the week of November 3:
· NFL coverage, including games and commentary, represented the top nine telecasts of the week, led by:
– #1 FOX NFL Sunday National (4:25p) – 23.1 million viewers
– #2 NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers at Chargers) – 18.6 million viewers
– #3 CBS NFL Single (1:00p) – 18.2 million viewers
· “Tracker” on CBS (8.0 million viewers) continues to lead Live+SD viewing across the new Fall TV slate, followed by “Dancing With The Stars “on ABC (6.3 million viewers). This is the fourth consecutive week that both “Tracker” and “DWTS” have been the top two fall programs of the week.
· Of the top 50 broadcast programs of the week:
– 20 were Sports or Sports Commentary
– 20 were new Fall TV programs
Top 10 Broadcast Primetime Network Averages for the Week of November 3
P2+ Live+SD AA (000)
NBC 5113
ABC 4576
CBS 3791
FOX 2083
Univision 1084
Telemundo 849
ION 626
Me TV 523
CW 406
GRIT 331
Top 10 Syndicated Programs for the Week of October 20
P2+ Live+SD AA
Jeopardy 2.4
Wheel of Fortune 2.2
Family Feud 2.2
ESPN NFL Regular Season 2.1
Judge Judy 1.6
Weekend Adventure 1.0
Dateline Weekly 0.9
Inside Edition 0.9
Entertainment Tonight 0.8
Access Hollywood 0.8
Source: Nielsen |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| Streaming technology company Kiswe announced a reorganization that includes Chief Operating Officer, Mike Schabel, becoming President of Sports, and Chief Product Officer, Vadim Brenner, becoming President of Entertainment. Chris Pantoya, who has served as Chief Revenue Officer, will transition to the company’s Board of Directors.
Michael Collins has been named CEO of Locality. Collins was previously CEO of Adwerx. |
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Friday Fun Fact
A groom traditionally stood to the right of his bride so he could grab his sword should he need to protect her.
This Day in History
1832 – The first horse-drawn streetcar debuted in NYC. The fare was 12 cents.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which sitcom was a parody of “Baywatch” (1989-99)? “Son of the Beach” (2000-02). Kudos to: Michael Strocko-Proskauer Rose/NYC; Brad Clough-Premion/NYC; Lou Vazquez-OMD/NYC; Perry Casciato-CBS Stations/Philadelphia; Tom Boyd-WGN/Chicago; Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago; John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA
Today’s Trivia Question
Earn on “Atlanta” (2016-22) dropped out of which university? (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.) |
MANAGER, DISTRIBUTION MARKETING >>
INSP, LLC./INDIAN LAND, SC:
Develop and manage B2B and B2C campaigns in partnership with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), virtual MVPDs (vMVPDs), and streaming platforms to increase viewership, drive tune-in, and support carriage initiatives. Execute marketing strategies. Strong multi-tasking skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities. Full info HERE
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
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
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
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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