Today’s Premieres
Amazon: Upload
Apple TV+: Trying
Disney+: Prop Culture
HBO: Betty at 11p
Netflix: Almost Happy, Into the Night, Hollywood
Pluto TV: D.L. Hughley Uncut at 8p

Tonight’s Finales
Bravo: Shahs of Sunset at 9p
CW: Charmed at 8p

Saturday’s Finale
Cooking Channel: Fire Masters at 10p

Sunday’s Premieres
Bravo: Married to Medicine Los Angeles at 9p
Showtime: Billions at 9p
Fuse: Ming’s Dynasty at 11p
Hallmark Channel: Good Witch at 9p

Weather: The World’s Deadliest Weather at 8p, Deadline to Disaster at 9p

Sunday’s Finales
Food Network: Buddy vs. Duff at 9p
HBO: Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children at 7:45p, Westworld at 9p
NBC: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist at 9p, Good Girls at 10p

IN THE NEWS

AT&T announced WarnerMedia and ad tech unit Xandr are combining, with Gerhard Zeiler, Chief Revenue Officer, WarnerMedia & President, WarnerMedia International, overseeing all advertising responsibilities across AT&T. “We are in unprecedented times that amplify the priority across both WarnerMedia and Xandr, to deliver valuable results and outcomes for our agencies and clients,” said Zeiler. “Now more than ever, we need to simplify advertising and further our marketplace capabilities for our customers.” Kirk McDonald, Chief Business Officer, Xandr will continue to lead Xandr, reporting to Zeiler. AT&T launched Xandr in September 2018.

In its quarterly earnings release, Comcast noted the coronavirus pandemic will have “a material adverse impact on our consolidated results over the near-to-medium term,” including the impact on NBCUniversal and Sky of the shutdown of production and live sports. Comcast lost 409,000 cable TV customers as cord-cutting accelerated, but added 477,000 new broadband subscribers, the most in the last 12 years, as wireless gains also helped cable division revenues to rise 4.5% from the same period in 2019. NBCU’s first quarter revenue dropped 7% from year-ago, to $7.7 billion. “This is a moment in time; and when it passes, I am very confident that the decisions we are making now will enable us to emerge from this crisis as a healthy, strong company that is well positioned to continue to grow and succeed,” said CEO Brian Roberts.

Twitter reported record quarterly user growth, adding 14 million daily active users during 1Q20, an increase of 24% year-over-year. “More people than ever are coming to Twitter to learn about COVID-19, to connect with their interests, and to find people with common experience,” said Twitter in its letter to shareholders. The company also reported sales of $807.6 million, beating analysts’ estimates of $776 million, but warned its ad business took a hit in mid-March due to the COVID-19 crisis – ad revenue was down 27% from March 11 until the end of the month.

Bright. Bold. Unstoppable. Nominations for the Cynopsis Top Women in Media Awards are due on Thursday, May 7 and we’re excited to spotlight innovators, risk-takers and those instrumental in executing strategy in categories covering top women in tv & digital as well as the sports & esports. Join the club and enter yourself or someone you know today! Click here for a look at past honorees.

Based on a preliminary vote count, TEGNA shareholders re-elected all 12 of the company’s directors. That would mean a defeat for Standard General founding partner Soo Kim, who had campaigned to replace members of the board with himself and three others. “This outcome is a validation of our Board’s ongoing commitment to driving value for all shareholders,” said Howard D. Elias, Chairman of the Board. “We appreciate that Standard General has a large investment in TEGNA and look forward to moving past the proxy contest and having a constructive dialogue with Soo Kim going forward.” Standard General said after the vote that the proxy fight benefited shareholders by “challenging management’s narrative about the Company’s performance.”

James Corden is taking “a few nights off” from hosting CBS’s The Late Late Show due to what he described on Twitter as “minor surgery” on his eye. Corden had been hosting from his home since April 13.

It’s back to the races for NASCAR. The stock-car outfit’s next event, held May 17 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina without spectators, will be the first of seven races over eleven days, and air on Fox. “NASCAR will return in an environment that will ensure the safety of our competitors, officials and all those in the local community,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR EVP and Chief Racing Development Officer. “We thank local, state and federal officials and medical experts, as well as everyone in the industry, for the unprecedented support in our return to racing.” NASCAR’s last race was March 8.

Among the high-level executives hit by post-merger layoffs at ViacomCBS have been Tom Hayden, President of Smithsonian Networks and Sarah Babineau, Head of Comedy Central Content & Creative Enterprises. Chris McCarthy, President of ViacomCBS’s Entertainment & Youth division, said in a memo to staffers that cuts are the “final step to merge our four branded groups into one unified creative organization.” Viacom and CBS closed their merger in December.

Publicis Groupe is accelerating the introduction of a new solution for clients: guaranteed-or-your-money-back outcomes. The Pact, powered by Epsilon’s identity management platform and machine learning, guarantees that digital marketing investments will deliver on key performance indicators. “The plan has always been to create data-led packages using AI technology, to guarantee outcomes,” said Arthur Sadoun, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe. “We’ve accelerated that product roadmap in service of the times, and we’re starting with the clients that need it most, midsized companies.”

RESEARCH

A new study from Nielsen found kids and teens are driving daytime TV viewing and streaming increases during COVID-19 shutdowns. While viewing is up across the total population, by far the biggest increases in viewing were among kids 6-11 and teens 12-17, particularly during daytime hours. Year-over-year percent increases for these demographics dwarfed those of all other age groups, hitting over 300% gains at mid-day. While the magnitude of the percent increases differs by age, kids 6-11 are outpacing all other demos for streaming gains, while teens 12-17 give the biggest boost to broadcast TV. Nielsen analyzed TV data across the top 25 markets measured by local people meters and portable people meters following the statewide shutdown orders.

VAB assessed consumer behavior during the pandemic in a new study, “As Time Goes By: How Media Consumption Is Helping Americans Cope.” Highlights Include:
· Even with the absence of live sports programming, 74% of sports viewers say they are watching the same or more TV than before.
· Not only are people turning to TV news right now, they believe TV is the most reliable source for news.
· Eight out of ten adults are choosing television as their primary source for acquiring news during the pandemic, compared to other platforms such as social media (50%) and newspapers (32%).
· Looking for ways to deepen their media experience, consumers are actively exploring new media devices and technology.
· Nearly 7 out of 10 consumers say they are more open to trying new media (66%), while over half (54%) have learned how to use more features on their smart TV or TV-related devices and platforms.
· Four out of ten consumers are watching a free streaming service, such as Pluto TV, Roku or Tubi.

Four in ten Americans agree either strongly or somewhat with the statement, “I think the news about the seriousness of coronavirus has been exaggerated,” according to a study from GfK. This includes 49% of US men, compared to 35% of women. Looking at specific sources of news, 60% of Americans say they “feel better informed about coronavirus because of news I get from the Internet.” This is below television (66%) but above newspapers (58%) and the radio (51%).

Since stay-at-home orders took hold, more than 80% of consumers say they are spending more time watching TV and streaming online video. What are they expecting from advertisers? According to a recent FreeWheel survey, over 9 out of 10 consumers believe it’s appropriate for brands to advertise on TV and online video during the COVID-19 pandemic, and nearly 3 out of 5 consumers think that brands should be incorporating COVID-19 specific messaging into their ads now, though most say only if it’s done tastefully.

In related research, ads that directly address the COVID-19 pandemic appropriately have had a positive impact on brand favorability, according to a study from Unruly that leverages UnrulyEQ to measure the dominant emotional reactions and to track brand recall, favorability and purchase intent. Budweiser’s “One Team” ad was particularly effective, earning a 57.10% favorability score. Other high scorers were Ford, Google, Guinness, Hyundai and Oreo.

The IAB has been studying the impact of COVID-19 an ad spend. Highlights from its latest survey include:
· 82% of buyers have now paused or adjusted ad spend (March – June).
· Buyers are shifting messaging, modifying/creating new creative assets. Of those creating new assets, 60% say new creative will in some way reflect the crisis.
· 45% of buyers had budgeted spend in sports in their original 2020 plans. Of those, sports represented 25% of their overall budget in 2020.
· 43% of originally planned sports budgets are off the table (Jan-Dec). And buyers who are relocating sports ad spend indicate shift to 2H (56%).

The way entertainment will be consumed will change in the wake of the virus, according to a new study from IBM, with in-home entertainment like esports and streaming here to stay even after the pandemic recedes. To survive the crisis, the study suggests companies need to focus on three strategies:
· Turn to new digital and mobile services and revenue streams, such as creating original digital content and services from existing material. Speed and agility are important to address an environment of constant change, where new experiences are offered up all the time.
· Transform business processes into a data- and digitally driven operating model while aggressively reducing operating expenses to compensate for expected losses in traditional entertainment and to invest in new in-home entertainment services.
· Build personalized platforms to engage with consumers to recapture their advocacy and time even as the crisis ends.

HGTV greenlit Hot Mess House, a self-shot series that has organization expert and coach Cassandra Aarssen taking a virtual tour of a client’s home (think overflowing playrooms, stuffed kitchens and inundated basements), and identifying an organization style that will work best for each situation. The four-episode series is slated to premiere in June. “With everyone spending so much time at home, we all have the itch to purge, organize and rearrange spaces,” said Jane Latman, President, HGTV. “Hot Mess House will inspire us to finally tackle the organization projects that have been languishing on our to-do lists for months.”

Rebecca Drysdale has joined NBC’s The Tonight Show as head writer, taking over for Nedaa Sweiss. Drysdale, most recently head writer and executive producer for Nickelodeon’s All That revival, also counts among her credits Baskets, Key & Peele and High Maintenance.

HBO and RAI renewed drama series My Brilliant Friend for a third season. The eight-episode second season, My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name, based on Elena Ferrante’s bestselling book of the same name, premiered in the US on March 16.

Universal Television Alternative Studio grabbed rights to Menudo, a weekly boy band competition format from Mario Lopez’s Via Mar Productions, Live Animals, 3 Arts Entertainment and Foundation Management.

Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, is teaming up with Tara Strong (The Fairly Odd Parents’ Timmy Turner), Eric Bauza (Woody Woodpecker), Jess Harnell (Transformers’ Ironhide), Jeff Bennett (Johnny Bravo), and other voice talent to record a series of kid-focused PSAs for the podcast, A Moment for Kids. Produced by Splash Entertainment in partnership with CurtCo Media, the messages are designed to help answer children’s questions during the COVID-19 crisis.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Comedic physical game show Don’t, exec produced by Ryan Reynolds and hosted by Adam Scott (Big Little Lies), premieres Thursday, June 11 on ABC. In each episode, members of a four-person team strive to accomplish various challenges, such as “Don’t Blink,” “Don’t Look Back” and “Don’t Play Ball in the House,” as they work together to build their bank.

Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro returns to Food Network on Saturday, May 16 at 12:30p. Episodes are shot in Garten’s East Hampton, NY home.

The first three episodes L.A.’s Finest, season two drop on Spectrum Originals on Monday, June 8. Season one of the drama starring Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba has delivered 3.4 million viewers to date and has been the #1 viewed series on the Spectrum On Demand platform.

COMING UP

Fox News Channel will host a two-hour virtual town hall with President Trump on Sunday, May 3 at 7p. The socially-distanced forum, America Together: Returning to Work, will take place live from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Trump’s appearance will be his first sit-down interview with Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum since the net’s town hall on March 5, which was the most-watched election town hall ever on cable news, according to Nielsen.

Court TV will air live audio of the cases being presented in front of the Supreme Court of the United States beginning May 4 at 10a, the first time Americans will be able to listen to real-time arguments To follow COVID-19 guidelines, the SCOTUS Justices have broken with tradition, deciding to hear arguments remotely in ten cases across six days (May 4-6 and May 11-13) and to allow the audio of these arguments to be broadcast live as they are happening.

The 2020 E! People’s Choice Awards are slated to air Sunday, November 15 at 9p, from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA. E! says the show will “celebrate an unprecedented year in pop culture and bring together the entertainment community, its fans and honor the everyday heroes who’ve inspired us throughout the year.”

Kicking off the celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Fuse will honor Future Asian Pacific history makers who are currently using their voice to drive positive change. The effort is part of the ongoing Fuse Future History franchise.

Disney Junior marks Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the debut of three new episodes and a new short-form interstitial series of its animated series, Mira, Royal Detective. Episodes premiere the first three Fridays in May, starting today at 11a.

Bravo’s Summer House has a virtual reunion on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen: @Home, airing Wednesday, May 6 at 9p.

STREAMING SCOOP

During Comcast’s earnings call, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell was asked why the company didn’t accelerate the rollout of streaming service Peacock, with so many more eyes on the screen during stay-at-home orders. “We’re in a marathon not a sprint,” said Shell. “We’re an advertising-based business… we’re not trying to gain subs.” Shell said early results have left NBCU “encouraged and even more optimistic long term” about Peacock.

Netflix pulled an episode from season two of Designated Survivor in Turkey, “following a demand from the Turkish regulator,” said the streamer. The episode – depicting a fictitious Turkish president at odds with US president Tom Kirkman – remains in all other territories.

A suite of AMC Networks dedicated channels has landed on Pluto TV. Stories by AMC, Slightly Off by IFC, All Reality WE tv, and The Walking Dead en Español, as well as select programming, will be available. “Free ad-supported streaming is an emerging category that gives us the ability to complement the content offerings of our linear networks and other new platforms in ways that serve viewers and advertising partners – all part of our strategy to make our content available to as many people as possible in a rapidly evolving media environment,” said Joshua Reader, President of Distribution and Development for AMC Networks.

Quibi posted episodes of Most Dangerous Game, The Stranger and Dummy for free viewing on YouTube. Today is the final day customers can sign up for a 90-day free trial of the mobile-focused service.

Fox cooking show Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back is now available to stream free on corporate sib Tubi. All episodes of seasons one and two are now available, while current season three episodes will be available on Tubi at least a week following their air on Fox.

GOING GLOBAL

London-based DRG, the content development, funding, and distribution business owned by Nordic Entertainment Group, has been incorporated into NENT Studios UK and rebranded under the same banner. Richard Halliwell, previously DRG CEO and Managing Director of NENT Studios UK, was appointed as CEO of NENT Studios UK to take over from Jakob Mejlhede Andersen, who left the business in February.

Dynamic Television sales for season one of Shudder’s Creepshow includes to Greece by OTE, in Russia, CIS states, Baltics and the Ukraine by Rusreport, in Belgium by Telenet and French-speaking Belgium by RTBF, in France by M6 and Saalto, in Malaysia by Astro, in Spain by Atres Media and in Poland and the Middle East by AMC Network.

Viasat World period drama channel, Epic Drama, has launched with Bulsatcom in Bulgaria. Epic Drama joins the rest of Viasat World’s portfolio – TV1000, Viasat History, Viasat Nature and Viasat Explore – on the platform.

Registration will open soon. Questions? Contact [email protected]

Friday Fun Fact
The original name for Google was BackRub.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which prime time soap centered on a man whose father died mysteriously in a plane crash? Dirty Sexy Money (2007-2009). Kudos to: Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC, Ryan Raines-BizTV/YTA/Dallas, Andrew Goldman-Fathom Events/NYC, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank

Today’s Trivia Question
Which 1960s CBS sitcom won an Emmy for writing, as well as nominations for lead actor, lead actress and supporting actor, but was canceled after one season? (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.)