Cynopsis Special Edition: 2019 Wrap Up Report

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Cynopsis Special Edition: 2019 Wrap Up Report

Media buyers and planners dashed from Radio City Music Hall to Madison Square Garden to Carnegie Hall and more for the final, jam-packed week of 2019 New York City Upfront events. Here’s what they learned.

THE CW

The CW announced a new fall line-up with scripted series in every time period across its six-night schedule. Fourteen series are returning, while new shows include buzzy superhero series Batwoman, mystery drama Nancy Drew, and Riverdale spin-off Katy Keene, a midseason entry. Only four timeslots will house the same shows they did last fall, however, with a slate that includes two DC superhero pairings: Supergirl and Batwoman on Sundays, and The Flash and Arrow on Tuesdays. “As the original multiplatform network, combining our linear broadcast and our best in class ad-supported digital services with our ability to harness social like no one else, The CW’s distinct brand and programming strategy perfectly positions this network to grow and thrive in the current media landscape,” said net President Mark Pedowitz. The young-skewing net’s streaming offerings are “the blueprint for the rest of the industry,” said ad sales EVP Rob Tuck. Fall season will again launch in October, with premiere dates to be announced later. The iHeartRadio Music Festival will return to kick off the season with a two-night telecast.

AZTECA AMERICA

Azteca America enters the Upfront with a slate of returning shows, as well as new shows for the 2019-2020 season including reality game show La Fortaleza, esports magazine-style Game Center, and tattoo docu-series Ritual. An upcoming refresh of the brand will launch with the new tagline, “Azteca Uno, Todo Somos Uno,” (We are All United as One), capitalizing on the network’s long-standing relationship with the U.S. Hispanic audience and reflecting the 57 million-plus strong Latinos with a $1.3 trillion dollar buying power. AztecaMás, Azteca America’s OTT platform, will expand from a smart TV app into an authenticated app for mobile users. “I am excited with our Azteca America broadcast network programming line-up, which combines the quality and consistency of returning series the audience has grown to know and love, and our approach to attracting a new audience with innovative shows, formats and technology platforms,” said Craig E. Geller, EVP, HC2 Network.

CBS

CBS revealed that its recently ordered sixth season of Madam Secretary will be its last. Network President Kelly Kahl promised that the 10-episode season would tie up storylines and send the show off “with a great deal of respect and celebration.” The network also unveiled its new slate of programming, touting diversity. Chuck Lorre’s Bob ♥ Abishola stars Folake Olowofoyeku as the love interest for Billy Gardell’s Bob, a middle-aged compression sock businessman who falls for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant; drama All Rise, starring Simone Missick as Judge Lola Carmichael, follows the chaotic lives of those working in a Los Angeles courthouse; and psychological mystery drama Evil stars Mike Colter as a priest-in-training and a carpenter, who works with a female psychologist as they investigate the Church’s unexplained mysteries. Three popular actresses are featured in new projects: Patricia Heaton stars in Carol’s Second Act, about a woman who pursues a career as a doctor; midseason drama Tommy is headlined by Edie Falco as a former high-ranking NYPD officer who becomes the first female Chief of Police for LA; and comedy Broke stars Pauley Perrette as a single suburban mother who takes in her estranged sister.

WARNERMEDIA

WarnerMedia positioned itself as a “new company” with a deep programming slate and new data-driven capabilities following Time Warner’s $85 billion acquisition by AT&T. TNT shared the first official trailer for Chasing the Cure, anchored and executive produced by Ann Curry. The multiplatform event will bring together a weekly two-hour television broadcast with a 24/7 global digital interactive experience to harness the power of crowdsourcing to help people suffering from undiagnosed, misdiagnosed or uncured medical mysteries. Shaquille O’Neal is starring in TNT docuseries Shaq Life, which takes viewers along with the NBA champion for a look at his summer break business and entertainment dealings. Over at TBS, Miracle Workers was renewed for a second season, while The Last O.G. nabbed a third season pickup. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee vet Amy Hoggart will star in an untitled comedy, and the network also issued a series pickup to comedy Chad, starring Nasim Pedrad. TBS will also add dramas into its line-up, starting with the debut of Snowpiercer, which already received a second season order. And, at long last, Adult Swim series Rick and Morty will return for its fourth season in November 2019 –over two years after the finale of Season 3 in October 2017. As for the company’s upcoming streaming service, “Adding this platform to our portfolio will complete our engagement loop across streaming, linear and digital,” said Ad Sales President Donna Speciale.

WALT DISNEY TELEVISION

Walt Disney Television had lots of ground to cover, post Fox assets acquisition, with new corporate cousins FX Networks and Nat Geo channels joining the party. Among the highlights: ABC noted it is introducing just three new scripted series in the fall, thanks to its “most stable schedule in over a decade.” Newcomers are dramas Emergence and Stumptown, and comedy Mix-ish….Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G.) will host and exec produce a new iteration of Kids Say the Darndest Things, to air Sundays at 8p….Freeform picked up mermaid drama Siren for a third season, The Bold Type for a fourth, and offered peeks at new series Motherland: Fort Salem, a Party of Five reboot, and comedy Everything’s Gonna Be Okay; starting in September, Freeform will share off-net rights to The Simpsons with new corporate sib FXX; and holiday classics Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman will make their first cable appearances during this year’s “25 Days of Christmas.” …Highlights of Nat Geo’s announcements included the return of Brain Games, hosted by Keegan-Michael Key (Friends From College); new series Race to the Center of the Earth, from the producers of Amazing Race, pitting extreme adventurers on a journey to win $1 million; and two new unscripted series, Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller and Lost Cities with Albert Lin, as well as new live event series, Alaska Live….Nat Geo WILD will see the return of veterinary series The Incredible Dr. Pol, Dr. Oakley: Yukon Vet and Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER, and new shows Critter Fixers, Homestead Vets and Animal SOS…. FX highlights included Chris Rock in the next Fargo, Cate Blanchett in Mrs. America, techno-conspiracy thriller Devs and a short from “Lil Dicky,” aka YouTube personality Dave Burd, who landed a comedy series order.

SCREENVISION

Screenvision Media got a hand at its Upfront event at the Ziegfeld Ballroom from actor Vince Vaughn, as it announced new products, tools and campaigns to define, measure and maximize cinema advertising’s reach. Vaughn spoke to the emotional connection people have for movies and the theatre experience; Screenvision said it plans to make emotional aspects end engagement rating of movies more measurable and quantifiable. Geena Davis, founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, is partnering with Screenvision to work with studios to ensure gender equality and onscreen representation. And in conjunction with SeeHer, Screenvision Media will be creating a #SeeHer Film Trailer Package, allowing brands’ ads to target films aligned with their products. The new offering allows advertisers to bring GEM positive advertisements to film, and give marketers expanded opportunities to showcase their support for increased authentic gender representation in entertainment and advertising.