Today’s Premieres
Hulu: Culprits
Netflix: The Great British Baking Show: Holidays
Today’s Finale
The CW: FBoy Island at 9p
Saturday’s Premieres
Hulu: Maestra: Strings of Truth
Magnolia: Northwest By Design at 1p
Sunday’s Premieres
Fox: MasterChef Junior: Home for the Holidays at 8p
Nat Geo: Science Fair: The Series at 8p
IN THE NEWS
Twenty percent of US internet households own a television antenna and 12% don’t have an antenna but plan to purchase one in the next six months, according to a report from Parks Associates, “ATSC 3.0: Impact and Opportunities for Video Services.” TV antenna owners report watching about 6.4 hours of over-the-air programming per week, second only to subscription-based video-on-demand streaming (7.6 hours per week). Among nearly 30% of antenna owners, OTA is the preferred method of watching live news, while approximately 20% prefer OTA to watch live sports and TV shows and movies. “The percentage of antenna owners has remained steady over the last few years, creating a stable audience for broadcasters at a time when they are losing revenues from lost retransmission fees as consumers abandon pay TV for streaming services,” said Alan Bullock, Sr. Contributing Analyst, Parks Associates. “ATSC 3.0 has the potential to pump new life into broadcast TV.”
Yahoo News and Yahoo Sports are undergoing layoffs as part of an ongoing initiative to cut Yahoo’s workforce by 20% by 2024. Music editor Lyndsey Parker, senior MLB reporter Hannah Keyser and film and TV writer Ethan Alter are among the latest employees impacted. Video platform In the Know was also shut down. “As we work to elevate our category-leading properties to better serve customers, we need the right structure, talent and roles in place,” company spokesperson Sona Iliff-Moon told The San Francisco Chronicle. “That’s why we’re transitioning roles that no longer align with our business needs.”
CNN is set to host two more Republican presidential debates, in early contest states. The first takes place January 10 in Des Moines Iowa; the second in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Neither of the debates will be sanctioned by the Republican National Committee, organizers of the debates that have taken place so far this year.
Advertising alongside creator content can accelerate the purchase funnel – collapsing the awareness, interest, and consideration stages, according to IAB report, “The Creator Economy Opportunity: Where Authenticity Meets Impact,” conducted in partnership with Talk Shoppe. The study explores the evolving consumer purchase journey, how buyers can leverage the creator economy in their media budgets, and where creator content fits in the media mix alongside studio-produced content. “Creator content marketing is a powerful vehicle for driving full-funnel impact, and advertisers are finding tremendous success adding it to their marketing mix alongside studio content advertising,” said Jack Koch, SVP, Research & Insights, IAB. “This report helps marketers more deeply understand the opportunity and how best to activate campaigns leveraging creator content. As more advertisers see real success with creator marketing, those who haven’t invested yet risk falling behind.”
More than 1.5 in 10 entertainment workers in LA have lost their jobs since the start of the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes, according to a new study from Otis College of Art and Design. Hollywood is 17% smaller now than it was in April 2023, with 24,799 workers losing their jobs. Now the strikes over and the pandemic is under control – but they are only part of the problem. The study points to a quartet of larger challenges to Hollywood’s model: Oversupply, a weaker investment environment, technological disruption, and foreign competition. “This study confirms what we have all seen and heard anecdotally over the last year: a notable contraction in the Hollywood economy,” said Dr. Patrick Adler, Principal at Westwood Economics and Planning Associates and Assistant Professor at The University of Hong Kong. “The decrease in entertainment employment predates the strikes, so despite relief that they have resolved, widespread challenges remain.” |
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| Cynopsis Events
IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
Cynopsis is offering a new limited offering: A holiday ticket sale to select 2024 events. With different packages available at a reduced cost, you’ll have access to the best Cynopsis has to offer next year!
Keep an eye out on Monday, December 11, for the full scoop…
VISIT CYNOPSIS HERE |
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| PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner is partnering with ESPN and Disney Entertainment Television to share her story through various projects on their platforms. A documentary feature from ESPN Films and scripted series development with ABC Signature are in the works, along with an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts. “The last two years have been the most harrowing, transformative and illuminating period of my life, and I am grateful to be in a place now to share my story with the world,” said Griner, who was detained in prison in Russia for cannabis possession. “I’m proud to partner with ESPN and Disney to share this very personal story because of its incredible potential to inspire hope around the world and their proven ability to do just that.”
MTV renewed “Jersey Shore Family Vacation” for season seven. The second half of season six scored the series’ highest rating in two years, with its premiere episode the highest rated in four years.
Ray Romano (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) will star in Netflix’s “No Good Deed.” The dark comedy from Liz Feldman (“Dead to Me”) follows three families trying to buy the same 1920s villa. Feldman serves as showrunner and executive produces with Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum for Gloria Sanchez Productions, along with Christie Smith and Silver Tree.
Moonbug Entertainment and creative studio Toikido have unveiled their first collaboration project, “PeaKeeBoo”, an animation series for pre-school children and their families. Moonbug will produce the first season of “PeaKeeBoo,” which will be available globally on the Moonbug Kids YouTube Channel in 2024.
Sean Penn has wrapped production on “War Through the Eyes of Animals,” a Ukrainian anthology film focused on animals affected by ecocide due to the war in Ukraine. Penn stars in the anthology’s final story, The Eagle, which pays tribute to a Ukrainian nature reserve around Chernobyl ravaged by war.
NEW SERIES
TBS’ new series, “Stupid Pet Tricks,” will premiere with a sneak peek across TBS, Discovery, truTV and Animal Planet on Sunday, February 11 at 5p, with an encore airing later that evening. New episodes will debut on TBS every Monday at 9p beginning February 12. A reimagining of the David Letterman segment, the half-hour variety show is hosted by Sarah Silverman.
COMING UP
“Norman Lear: A Life on Television” airs tonight at 8p on CBS. The special, presented by “Entertainment Tonight,” features new interviews with stars from Lear’s comedies, as well as an interview “ET” conducted in honor of the late, legendary producer’s 100th birthday.
HBO Original documentary “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” debuts Monday, January 8 at 9p. The film explores the enduring influence of Nikki Giovanni, one of America’s greatest living poets and social commentators.
Who will be ringing in the new year with Ryan Seacrest? ABC and Dick Clark Productions announced the lineup for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024,” airing Sunday, December 31 beginning at 8p. Onboard are Aqua, Doechii, Ellie Goulding, Green Day, Janelle Monáe, Loud Luxury x Two Friends with Bebe Rexha, Ludacris, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Paul Russell, Reneé Rapp with Coco Jones and Thirty Seconds to Mars.
A CBS special covering the National Christmas Tree Lighting airs Friday, December 15 at 8p, hosted by country music artist Mickey Guyton and featuring musical performances by Darren Criss, Samara Joy, Ledisi, Maddie & Tae, St. Vincent, Joe Walsh and Dionne Warwick.
“MTV Unplugged Presents: A Hip Hop 50th Celebration of Jersey’s Finest” debuts Thursday, December 14 at 9p on MTV. BET Media Group will encore the special on Friday, December 15 on BET and Tuesday, December 19 on VH1 at 8p.
TECH
Google has launched AI model Gemini. “Built from the ground up to be multimodal, Gemini can generalize and seamlessly understand, operate across and combine different types of information, including text, images, audio, video and code,” said the company. “This means it has sophisticated multimodal reasoning and advanced coding capabilities.” There are three different sizes, Ultra, Pro and Nano, giving Gemini the flexibility to run on everything from data centers to mobile devices.
Dentsu announced a global partnership with Meta, making it the first global agency network solution provider for WhatsApp Business. Through this integration, initially launching in the UK, dentsu will enable its clients to further personalize the ways they engage with consumers to support their service, commerce and loyalty experience journeys. “Customer-brand communications are in the moment and increasingly conversational. It needs to be easy and brands that embrace conversational experiences will be well-positioned to thrive,” said Angela Tangas, UK&I CEO at dentsu. “Our relationship with Meta is focused on helping brands achieve deeper engagement and value with their current and prospective customers, a critical enabler for growth. Launching a WhatsApp conversational solution, builds on our commitment to creating seamless E2E experiences. This enables brands to establish stronger, more relevant, one-on-one connections with customers, fostering trust and enhancing service experiences in the process.”
IAB Tech Lab unveiled its new Advanced TV Initiative, aimed at bridging the gap between traditional linear TV, digital video, and live streaming. Initially, the primary focus is implementing a creative ID framework and conducting a dedicated workshop. This registered creative ID – overseen by organizations managing metadata and access controls – will outline the integration process for all supply chain members. Additionally, it will include essential information about advertisers, represented products, and technical specifications. “We understand that interoperability across distribution environments is critical to achieving better reconciliation, auditability, and verification,” said Shailley Singh, EVP of Product & COO at IAB Tech Lab. “This effort emphasizes standardization and interoperability, paving the way for a unified and integrated television advertising reconciliation framework, freeing up thousands of hours of legacy inefficiencies, and saving media companies time and money.”
STREAMING
Allen Media Group’s Local Now has partnered with VICE Media Group, adding two VICE FAST channels to the Local Now platform. Local Now viewers can stream VICE NEWS and VICE FAST.
MyBundle has entered into a partnership with Calix Partners, as the companies look to expand solutions offerings for broadband partners. For MyBundle, the deal further accelerates and optimizes launch potential for broadband providers already doing business with Calix. “At the end of the day, while this will benefit MyBundle and Calix, it’s really about offering Broadband Providers the tools to thrive against the ‘giants’ out there,” said MyBundle CEO Jason Cohen.
SPORTS ROUNDUP
MLS team sponsorship revenue rose to a record $587 million, a 15% year-over-year increase, according to Sponsor United’s annual MLS Marketing Partnerships Report. The league saw a 16% increase in brand deals this season, and over half of teams saw double-digit increases in deals. Sporting Kansas City leads all MLS teams in sponsorship deals for the second year in a row, while Lionel Messi leads all players with 21 brand endorsements. “The surge in MLS’s team sponsorship revenue to over half a billion dollars is a remarkable testament to the league’s rising prominence and their ability to leverage the global excitement of the World Cup, Messi’s star power and the Apple partnership,” said Bob Lynch, Founder and CEO of SponsorUnited. “Additionally, it’s important to remember that the league’s investment in aggressive club expansion (nine markets added over seven years) has been pivotal in driving fan engagement and revenue growth.”
Prime Video and Premier Boxing Champions announced a multiyear rights agreement calling for Prime Video to distribute PBC’s PPV events in the US, with the first event anticipated for March 2024. PBC PPV fights will be available for all viewers to purchase, regardless of Prime membership. Additionally, Prime Video will exclusively stream a PBC Championship Boxing series of events, showcasing top matchups among boxing’s current and rising stars.
GOING GLOBAL
APC Studios has secured international sales for the crime thriller “Wolf.” Deals for the six-part series include Deutsche Telekom for Germany (Magenta TV), Blue Play for German-speaking Switzerland, CANAL+ for Austria, TVNZ for New Zealand, Proximus and RTBF (Auvio) for Belgium, Paramount+ for English-speaking Canada and France, Quebecor Content (Club illico) for French-speaking Canada, RTS for Switzerland and HOT for Israel.
The latest season of Cake’s New Zealand stop motion series “Kiri and Lou” has been picked up by Nickelodeon and is slated to air on the Nick Jr. channel in 2024. “Kiri and Lou” launched in the US in June 2022.
Augustus Dulgaro, EVP Asia Pacific, Global Partnerships, ITV Studios and GE Lai, President of Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation signed a Format Co-Development deal at the Asia TV Forum in Singapore. The three-year deal will see the Jiangsu Broadcasting development team collaborating with ITV Studios’ to develop and adapt entertainment formats suitable for the Chinese and international market.
Abacus Media Rights announces a package of sales for documentary titles from producer Peninsula Television. Deals for “The Heiress and the Heist” include pre-sales to Sundance Now (US) and RTE (Ireland) with further sales to Prime Video – UK, Sky – New Zealand, Digital Store – USA, Canada, Australia and India, Intervision – Greece and Greek speaking Cyprus, Pickbox – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (including the regions of Kosovo and Vojvodina), Slovenia and Bulgaria.
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| Cynopsis Special Reports
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Cynopsis’ 2023 Holiday Guide is HERE! Looking for when to catch your favorites on TV? Browse the guide (with listings from now through Jan. 1, 2024) to make sure you won’t miss out on the ho-ho-holiday hits this month.
FOLLOW THE GUIDE HERE |
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RATINGS
The Republican debate on Wednesday night delivered 1.6 million viewers to NewsNation, the Nextstar net’s largest audience since its 2021 launch. The debate’s simulcast on The CW drew 2.5 million viewers, making it that network’s most-watched program since 2018. Viewership for the GOP debates have been falling since the cycle’s first one, on Fox News in August, which drew 12.8 million viewers.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Fandom has appointed Jason Tollestrup as VP, Revenue Strategy and Operations. Tollestrup was most recently VP of Programmatic Strategy and Yield at the Washington Post.
IN MEMORIAM
Actress Andrea Fay Friedman died December 3 of complications of Alzheimer’s disease. She was 53. Friedman, who had Down syndrome, costarred in 1989-93 drama “Life Goes On,” and made guest appearances on shows including “Touched by an Angel,” “ER,” “Saving Grace” and “Chicago Hope,” among others.
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This Day in History
1976 – Asylum Records released The Eagles album Hotel California.
Friday Fun Fact
In an average lifetime, people eat about 70 insects while sleeping.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
What was the first spin-off of MTV’s “16 and Pregnant” (2009-14)? “Teen Mom.” Kudos to: Aaron Paquette-AccelerateSG/Fort Worth, TX; Justin Pierce-JP Consulting/LA; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC; Roger Furman-Jewish Life Television/Greentown, PA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Lisa Siciliano-Paramount/NYC; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA
Today’s Trivia Question
Which show counted Martin Short, John Goodman and Ryan Philippe as series regulars? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.) |
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
INTERSECTION
SEATTLE, WA
Grow in billings, income, and experience on a team that continues to lead our industry. Take your career to the next level with a company that is transforming cities and delivering on our promises to our clients and to our long-standing Municipal and Transit Authority partners. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
INTERSECTION
PORTLAND, OR
Grow in billings, income, and experience on a team that continues to lead our industry. Take your career to the next level with a company that is transforming cities and delivering on our promises to our clients and to our long-standing Municipal and Transit Authority partners. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, AD SALES >>
FUSE MEDIA/NEW YORK, NY: Support the Ad Sales team by prospecting, selling and expanding the Company’s advertising revenue base. The candidate will have a strong media sales background with a network of industry clients and prospects as well as establish a book of business and exceed pre-established activity and sales quota utilizing CRM tools to document sales activity. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, EAST COAST ADVERTISING SALES
THE ALLEN MEDIA GROUP
NYC (Hybrid)
Responsible for coverage of assigned advertising agencies and clients specifically dedicated to representing AMG linear, digital and streaming platforms. Also grow and maintain existing clients as well as prospect and close new business. Work closely with clients and advertising holding companies ensuring AMG is a ‘must-buy’ for advertisers. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
TV ONE NETWORK
(Remote, Hybrid)
Communicate the value and brand strength of the Network to advertisers and agencies as well as create compelling presentations that convey the benefits and features of TV One programming and the TV One viewing audience. Full info HERE
COPY COORDINATOR
TV ONE NETWORK
(Remote, Hybrid)
Manage the delivery and arrival of commercial content working closely with Manager of Commercial Operations to resolve conflicting traffic instructions as well as oversee maintenance of E-faxes and storage of client files. Responsible for entering original account data and revisions into the traffic system. Full info HERE
AD SALES COORDINATOR
TV ONE NETWORK
(Remote, Hybrid)
Establish business relationships with agency counterparts and internal departments including: Pricing and planning, inventory management, marketing, traffic and billing, also fulfill advertiser allocations requests, ensure stewardship delivery in accordance to deal guarantees, send commercial airing times, and update clients of programming. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
HALLMARK MEDIA
NYC
Execute communications objectives and develop strategies to elevate Hallmark Media, its workforce, and business entities. Evaluate existing communications program in the context of its ability to support strategic planning and operating objectives. Minimum of 10+ years progressive PR/Communications Industry Experience. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR
FUTURE TODAY
CHICAGO
Represent Future Today, selling an expansive portfolio of O&O CTV apps, inclusive of HappyKids, Fawesome, The LEGO Channel, FilmRise, Blippi. 5+years selling linear/streaming/OLV exp req. Biz dev position inclusive of direct, pmp/pg. Solid relationships; agency & client. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
TV ONE
NYC, Hybrid, Remote
Communicate the value & brand strength of Urban One Networks to advertisers & agencies. Create compelling presentations that convey the benefits & features of our programming and the viewing audiences. Proactively keep clients informed of pertinent account and network information. Min. 4+ yrs national advertising sales or equivalent sales exp. Full info HERE
VP/HEAD OF ADVERTISING SALES
FREEBEE
FL/NYC Remote
Lead, manage, develop, and grow Ad Sales teams. Attract and retain the best talent. Work with leadership team to set, achieve, and grow revenue targets across OOH, Digital and Experiential. Instrumental in driving the team to exceed all expectations and goals. 15+ years’ experience in advertising, media, and relevant sales management roles. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
FREEBEE
MIAMI
Achieve revenue and growth targets across linear and digital. Identify and execute strategies which result in exceeding revenue targets. Develop and execute effective sales strategies that showcase as well as maximize overall revenues for the overarching National Sales division. 7-10 yrs exp. in advertising, media & relevant sales management roles. Full info HERE
SENIOR AUDIO/VIDEO PROMOTION PRODUCER >>
WHYY/PHILADELPHIA: Produce best-in-class promotional spots, accurately reflecting WHYY’s brand mission, from strategy through management approvals. Write killer scripts for audio and video to engage audiences. Organize promotional spot production schedule for video and audio spots needed for TV, FM, digital and social platforms. 10-15+ years’ experience. Full info HERE
DIGITAL DIRECTOR, NEWS >>
WHYY/PHILADELPHIA: Develop a cogent strategy for developing and publishing WHYY news content across social media and emerging digital platforms. Convey and create SEO, social media and digital best practices in concert with the digital staff with the focus of informing and developing the newsroom’s digital muscles. Five or more years of journalism experience. Full info HERE
SENIOR STUDIO TECHNICAL MANAGER
A+E NETWORKS
HYBRID NYC
Technical manager for live, studio, productions/events. Provides technical oversight, support, solutions, troubleshooting, and in-house technical resource. Functions as Studio and Tech Manager for Studio and Tech Manager for remote productions, on-site and off-site corporate events. Requires 5-7 years production technical management experience. Full info HERE
SENIOR DIRECTOR, DIGITAL CONTENT LICENSING
A+E NETWORKS
REMOTE
Negotiate, draft & review agreements for owned & operated platforms/services, third-party platform. Exp. in digital media, content licensing (domestic/international), linear & on-demand rights & distribution, Privacy & Data Security preferred. Min 5 yrs of exp. supporting digital media at media company or streaming platform. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT TV
NYC
Represent FETV & FMC to media community via ongoing communications & relationship building. Maintain & develop strong working relationships w/both agencies & internal departments in support of sales efforts. Work w/sales management, pricing & planning to achieve quarterly revenue goals. 5+ yrs media sales exp. preferably in cable TV- agency exp. +. Full info HERE
BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE >>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC: Proactively identify, research, and develop new opportunities for our family-friendly programming blocks on ABC, CBS, NBC, The CW, Telemundo, & other media & digital/social outlets. Support creation and present strategic, cross-media concepts to multiple stakeholder groups that meet our client’s business objectives. 8 + yrs of business dev. exp. Full info HERE
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR >>
BIG FISH ENTERTAINMENT/NYC/NJ: Coordinating onboarding for all new hires.
Administering the benefits and payroll changes for employees accurately.
Maintaining an efficient filing system—paper and electronic, for employee and company records related to their job functions. Building a successful bridge between management and employees. 7 yrs entertainment exp. preferred. Full Info HERE
DIRECTOR, MEDIA SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS >>
PBS DISTRIBUTION/ARLINGTON VA, Hybrid: Oversee media systems operations, including daily operations as well as development and implementation of overall media supply chain. Work with external vendors and internal stakeholders on design and implementation of hardware and software solutions for media systems. 7+ yrs of work exp. in the areas of television, media, or consumer products. Full info HERE
TV/VIDEO SPONSORSHIP-PRODUCT INTEGRATION SALES REPRESENTATIVE >>
GAME ON MEDIA SOLUTIONS/Remote: Game On Media Solutions is looking for an independent business development oriented sponsorship sales representative. Focus will be on TV/Streaming project opportunities for brands that include product integration and placement. This is an Independent Contractor performance compensated opening. Attractive fees can be earned for closed deals. Full info HERE
BRAND ASSISTANT >>
THE LEDE COMPANY/NYC: Full-service communication, strategy, and social impact consulting firm, specializing in corporate, brand, entertainment, and nonprofit sectors, is seeking a Brand Assistant to join the Brand team in our New York office. The Assistant will play an integral role in supporting accounts for a wide variety of Fashion, Beauty, CPG and Lifestyle clients. Full info HERE
TALENT ASSISTANT >>
THE LEDE COMPANY/LA: Full-service strategy, communications and social impact consulting firm, specializing in corporate, entertainment and nonprofit sectors. We are looking for a Talent Assistant to a Talent Publicist in Los Angeles. We are seeking enthusiastic candidates who can work in a fast-paced environment, are driven & have strong communication and writing skills. Full info HERE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR NATIONAL POLITICAL SHOW >>
BAHAKEL COMMUNICATIONS/CHARLOTTE NC: Develop and oversee the production of a daily or weekly national political show that covers the most important political news and events of the day. Develop and execute strategies to increase the show’s audience and engagement. At least 5 years of experience as an executive producer for a political show or similar program. Full info HERE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT >>
BAHAKEL COMMUNICATIONS/CHARLOTTE NC: Oversee all editorial and entertainment content, news production and presentation. Responsible for day-to-day operations of the show: producing, writing, and guiding creative. Develop content for the News @ TEN, plan, assign and create production schedules. 7 years of experience as executive producer or show producer. Network experience preferred. Full info HERE |
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FRIDAY DECEMBER 8
ABC: Shark Tank, 20/20
CBS: The Price Is Right at Night, Raid the Cage, Blue Bloods
CW: Penn & Teller: Fool Us, FBoy Island [f]
FOX: WWE Friday Night SmackDown
NBC: Despicable Me 3, Dateline NBC
PBS: Washington Week, Firing Line, American Masters, Firing Line
Telemundo: Exatlón Estados Unidos: All-Stars, Vuelve a Mí, Secretos de Sangre
Univision: Vencer la Culpa, Mujer, Minas de Pasión |
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