Skip a newsletter last week? “In Case You Missed It” rounds up the top stories in each of our three daily editions, so you can be up on the latest news, Cynopsis-style, in the worlds of linear, digital, sports and kids television. Enjoy!
FLAGSHIP
NBCUniversal joined Disney/ESPN and 21st Century Fox in rejecting Verizon FiOS’s contention that it can offer skinny bundles, consisting of a basic package supplemented by two genre packages for $54.99/month, under its existing network deals. “Verizon’s announced ‘Custom TV’ package does not comply with our existing agreement,” said NBCU.
The Daily Show host Jon Stewart announced on air that his last day will be August 6. “I will be wearing a suit. I will more than likely be showered,” promised Stewart, who has hosted the Comedy Central late-nighter since 1999 and announced in February that he’s stepping down. The show will go on hiatus until his replacement, South African comedian Trevor Noah, debuts in the fall.
DIGITAL
In Facebook’s earning’s call this week, the social network reported that 1.44 billion people logged into Facebook apps or the website at least once a month, and nearly two-thirds of them visited daily. FB announced $3.54 billion in revenue this the quarter, a 42 percent hike from the $2.5 billion from the same period a year ago. However, it fell short of the $3.56 billion that Wall Street originally predicted. The company’s advertising revenue increased 46 percent, to $3.32 billion.
Digital ads generated $49.5 billion in revenue last year, according to the annual report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Search advertising was responsible for $19 billion and 38 percent total gross; Display advertising brought in 27 percent total gross; and mobile advertising came in third, with 25 percent of the total gross. Online video advertising rev increased from $2.8 billion in 2013 to $3.3 billion in 2014, with $1.5 billion generated between the first half of the year and $1.8 billion between July and December. “Marketers clearly recognize that consumers are leading mobile-first lives and are investing their ad dollars accordingly,” IAB CEO and President Randall Rothenberg said.
SPORTS
FOX Sports is giving management an overhaul. In a move to reorganize its U.S. exec structure, the company named Jamie Horowitz to the newly created position of President, FOX Sports National Networks where the former ESPN and NBC News executive will oversee all programming, marketing and scheduling for FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. Meanwhile, John Entz, FOX Sports’ Executive Vice President, Production and Executive Producer, has been promoted to President, Production of FOX Sports while David Nathanson, formerly General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, has been promoted to Head of Business Operations, FOX Sports, a newly created position. Nathanson will now manage business and league relationships, contribute to rights negotiations and identify untapped revenue generating opportunities having to do with all linear and digital channels and platforms under the FOX Sports umbrella.
ESPN is losing a longtime pillar of the company, with Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Sean Bratches announcing that he will depart the company at the end of the year. With a career that has spanned 27-years at the company, Bratches has led the affiliate sales groups at ESPN and The Walt Disney Company, as well as ESPN’s advertising sales, research, consumer marketing, consumer products and special events areas since being named to his current position in 2005. He will now serve in an advisory capacity to ESPN until the end of 2015.
KIDS
Nickelodeon acquired a library of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen content, including four series, seven TV movies and two music video specials starring the actress/fashion designer twins. The first title, So Little Time, debuts Monday, April 27 at 7:30p, with eps airing every weekday.
