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
CSI is ending its 15-season run on CBS in style, with a two-hour movie airing Sunday, September 27. The special finale will reunite original stars William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger, and feature other cast members who have been on the procedural over the years, including Ted Danson, who moves to spin-off CSI: Cyber. “CSI was one of the shows that helped us reverse our fortunes and we are really glad to be able to give it the send off it deserves,” said Kelly Kahl, SVP, CBS Primetime.
American Idol is getting at 15th and final season on Fox. Host Ryan Seacrest and judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr. will be back for the grand hurrah. The singing completion that once averaged over 20 million viewers now pulls in about 9 million. Co-chairman of Fox Television Group Gary Newman said Fox and Idol producers FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment “felt collectively” that it was the right time for the franchise to end, but promised “a year-long celebration.” Season 14 finale aired tonight May 13.
DIGITAL
For $4.4 billion and at $50 a share, Verizon announced plans to acquire AOL. Under the deal, Verizon will own Adap.tv, Convertro, Moviefone, and entities such as Huffington Post andTechCrunch, among other assets. The combination of the networks will amass to the scale ofFacebook and Google, according to a statement from AOL, with Verizon currently reaching 70 percent of web traffic across 1.5 billion desktops, TVs and mobile devices. Oded Napchi, Vice President of Product at online video content SPP Hiro Media, told Cynopsis he’s not surprised by the acquisition. “Traditional media is [now] invested in a new media shopping spree. Just think ofComcast buying FreeWheel, or RTL grabbing SpotXchange. Verizon wants AOL to be its significant foothold in the online video sphere. Their competitors should do the same – Time Warner would look great on Google‘s arm at the next industry party, don’t you think?” Simulmedia CEODave Morgan also called the transaction a smart move. “The future of TV is more and more about on-demand, streaming and addressable ads across TV, tablets, PC and mobile devices,” he told Cynopsis. “AOL’s ad tech will immediately give Verizon a significant advantage in monetizing audiences both for their own inventory and for their programming partners.” The purchase is expected to close this summer.
Facebook will start instantly adding select articles from nine publishers, including NBC News, The New York Times and BuzzFeed, to users’ newsfeeds on mobile devices. Through Instant Articles, FB will save publishers an average of eight seconds, i.e. the time it takes for its 1.25 billion users to access content. Publishers will get 100 percent of the ad revenue within the articles. Other publishers on board include National Geographic, the Atlantic, the U.K.’s Guardian, BBC News, Der Spiegel and Bild.
SPORTS
ESPN’s upfront presentation saw the company shore up its morning and late-night dayparts, among other news. In addition to shifting Mike & Mike to New York and tweaking its format, the company also announced plans for SportsCenter AM, which will run from 7-9a. The new show is “designed for viewers who are on the move and don’t have much time early in the morning, the new live show will take the popular “SportsCenter Top 10” franchise and turn it into a program with the previous night’s top plays, storylines, quotes, blunders and more.” “You’re going to leave SportsCenter AM knowing the top things that have happened through the course of the evening and what you need from the sports world to start your day,” said Rob King, ESPN senior vice president, SportsCenter and News. “We realize people are busy at that time of the day so this show will be produced in a way that viewers can watch by listening.”
Meanwhile, the company announced that Scott Van Pelt inked a new multi-year deal and will now become solo anchor for SportsCenter’s weekday, midnight edition starting in late summer. Popular elements of his radio show, like “One Big Thing,” will be incorporated into the hour-long telecast. Van Pelt will continue to host ESPN golf coverage in addition to other assignments but will no longer do his radio show once the midnight show begins.
With Turner’s turn in the upfront spotlight, the company hit the stage by announcing a multi-year extension for the Inside the NBA studio team. The show will now see host Ernie Johnson and analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal locked in for the long haul. “We truly believe Inside the NBA is among the best studio shows of all time and a large part of its success is due to the unrivaled chemistry between Ernie, Charles, Kenny and Shaquille,” said Lenny Daniels, president of Turner Sports. “We’re looking forward to continuing the creativity and pioneering spirit behind the show for a very long time.”
In addition, Turner Sports also announced the launch of The Dunk King, described as a reality competition series set to premiere on TNT during the network’s exclusive coverage of the 2016 NBA Western Conference Finals. According to the company, “the definitive dunk competition show will feature top dunkers as they take center stage to showcase their best dunks in a contest for bragging rights and a cash prize of $100,000.” The final “Dunk Off” will take place live during TNT’s first-ever presentation of the NBA Awards Show, which is set to air after the completion of the 2016 NBA Playoffs.
KIDS
New York Times best-selling series Otis the Tractor is headed to television. 9 Story Media Group entered into an agreement with Penguin Young Readers for the option to produce an animated series based on books, written and illustrated by Loren Long, which has sold 1.5 million copies since it debuted in 2009. 9 Story also optioned merchandising and licensing rights for the property.
Live from New York… It’s a Saturday Night Live love fest if voice talent for PBS Kids’ upcoming animated series Nature Cat. The new comedy stars SNL talent Taran Killam voicing the title character, plus Kate McKinnon, Bobby Moynihan and Kenan Thompson. Kate Micucci (Scrubs, The Big Bang Theory) lends her voice talents, too. Series encourages children to develop connections with the natural world.
