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
Cross Samantha Bee off the list of frontrunners for the Daily Show anchor seat. The correspondent for Comedy Central’s late nighter has been signed by TBS to host her own show, currently in early development. TBS gave an order last month for a comedy created by Bee and her husband, Jason Jones, also soon to leave The Daily Show to star in the series. “We actually have their kids coming in next week to pitch us animation,” joked Brett Weitz, EVP of original programming. Bee will do “occasional pieces” for The Daily Show until production begins on her new show, said TBS.
Leonard Nimoy, best known as Stark Trek’s iconic human-alien Mr. Spock, died February 27 of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83. Tributes flowed for the actor, who also directed film and television, wrote poetry and published his own photography. “Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy,” said President Obama said in a statement following the actor’s death. “Leonard was a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time.” Star Trek castmates William Shatner and George Takei expressed their grief in posts online, while astronaut Terry W. Virts tweeted a photo of himself giving the Vulcan hand salute…from the International Space Station.
Oprah Winfrey is shuttering Harpo Studios’ Chicago studios and moving production to OWN headquarters in LA. Winfrey informed her staff of the relocation Tuesday morning, according to the Hollywood Reporter. While Chicago has been “everything” to her, said Winfrey, “the time had come to downsize this part of the business and to move forward.”
Nickelodeon renewed live-action comedies Bella and the Bulldogs for season two and The Thundermans for a third round. Bella, the net’s number one show, is averaging 2 million total viewers for premiere episodes; Thundermans is averaging 1.1 million K2-11.
DIGITAL
HBO’s a la carte streaming service will be called HBO Now, and will cost $15 per month. The Verge reports that the premium cable network plans to roll it out in early April, with Apple as a potential launch partner. Still not decided is if the stand-alone app will include the same full access to its programming as the HBO Go TV everywhere app.
Netflix released the premiere dates for its upcoming slate of originals yesterday, including the anticipated third season of Orange is the New Black and the follow-up to Wet Hot American Summer. Also in the pipeline:
Original Series:
– Between May
– Sense8 June 5
– Orange is the New Black June 12
– Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp July 17
Original Stand-up Comedy Specials:
– Chris D’Elia: Incorrigible April 17
– Jen Kirkman: I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) May 22
– What Happened, Miss Simone June 26
Coming Soon:
– Narcos
– Club de Cuervos
SPORTS
The NHL made its World Cup of Hockey broadcaster partners official yesterday, confirming that ESPN will carry the tournament once again when it hits the ice in September 2016. The deal spans all tournament games – including round-robin, semi-final and the best-of-three final – for the tournament and includes exclusive rights on television and radio, with most games slated to run on ESPN and ESPN2. In addition, ESPN International is given exclusive rights in over 20 countries served by its Pacific Rim and Latin North networks. Meanwhile, Canada will see Sportsnet carry the exclusive English-language media rights in the country while TVA Sports offers the exclusive French-language telecasts.
March Madness is getting bona fide on YouTube. NCAA Digital, managed by Turner Sports, launched the first-ever NCAA March Madness YouTube Channel ahead of the annual tournament. The new channel will offer fans real-time highlights and video recaps from all 67 games with addition content that includes press conferences, game previews and analysis, as well as daily news and notes from the tournament airing across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV. The platform will also showcase sponsored pieces that include the Dunk of the Day presented by Oreo, Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, Solve of the Day presented by UPS, and Starting Lineup presented by Reese’s. “Our new partnership with YouTube gives college basketball fans more ways to discover and watch the plays and storylines that everyone will be talking about during March Madness, ” said Mark Johnson, vice president of business operations, Turner Sports. “Tapping into the power and reach of YouTube’s video platform opens up new opportunities for us to grow interest and consumption of March Madness.”
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