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Wednesday October 27, 2021

IN THE NEWS

Two episodes into its third season, HBO renewed buzzy drama “Succession” for a fourth go-round. The season three premiere drew over 1.4 million viewers across platforms, up 13% from the season two opener. “With each season of ‘Succession,’ [creator] Jesse Armstrong has continued to surpass our wildest expectations, pulling us deeper into the Roy family’s inner sanctum with indelible wit, humanity and precision. This season is undoubtedly no exception,” said Francesca Orsi, EVP of Programming, HBO.

ABC was also in pickup mode, giving nine-episode back orders to freshman comedy “The Wonder Years,” and sophomore “Home Economics.” “Wonder Years” is averaging 4.8 million viewers and a 1.9 rating among A18-49 in Live+7 data, while “Home Economics” is posting 3.6 million/0.9.

Nielsen has inked a deal with Roku aimed at allowing publishers to measure channel content on Roku devices within Nielsen Digital Content Ratings. “DCR’s syndicated, independent measurement provides market transparency and immediate value to our publishers around understanding audiences in their channels,” said Louqman Parampath, VP of product management, Roku.

Traditional TV systems are still in 71% of TV households, according to a survey from Leichtman Research Group, down from 82% in 2016. Age matters – 64% of 18-44-year-olds in TV homes have a pay TV service, compared to 77% five years ago, while nearly 80% of 45 years+ TV households still have a pay service.

President Biden has nominated Jessica Rosenworcel, acting chairwoman of the FCC since January, to be the commission’s first permanent female chairperson. Rosenworcel will need a Senate vote to confirm her the position. Biden also named Gigi B. Sohn to the seat on the commission vacated by Rosenworcel when she became the acting chairwoman. If confirmed, Sohn would be the first openly LGBTQ commissioner.

It’s TODAY! Want to know if you can still get tickets to tonight’s Top Women in Media Awards Gala at Tribeca 360 in NYC? In accordance with social distancing recommendations, only a handful of seats remain. Register this morning! Attire is cocktail chic. Doors open at 5pm and program begins at 6pm. See you there and don’t forget your proof of vaccination to enter the building.

The Cynopsis Top Women in Media honorees are getting ready to celebrate TONIGHT! See the full list of honorees and Distinguished Companies and join us in person for the special Awards Gala in NYC.

**Proof of vaccination required to enter. Doors open at 5pm.**

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER

Platinum Sponsors: TurnkeyZRG and Sucherman, a ZRG company | Vevo | FOX Sports

UK drama “Happy Valley,” which had its season two finale over five years ago on the BBC, will have a third and final season – on AMC. Six new episodes will be filmed in 2022. “When ‘Happy Valley’ first launched on the BBC in 2014, it changed the landscape of crime drama completely,” said BBC drama head Piers Wenger. “[Creator] Sally [Wainwright] has crafted a magnificent conclusion that is sure to make this third and final series one of television’s most highly anticipated and unmissable moments.”

Writing partners Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman have created 25 Studios, to amplify diverse voices and develop sustainable career paths for people of color. The venture is set at CBS Studios, where Lumet and Kurtzman are under overall deals. “25 Stories began in my kitchen in 2017 during a marathon screenwriting weekend for about 25 women of color, all extraordinary writers,” said Lumet. “I knew I wanted to bring prestige television by writers of color to the marketplace, and I began to think about how to create a space where marginalized voices are centered….Ultimately, a space that will launch creators. Those 25 writers in my kitchen led me right here.”

Bernie Madoff is coming to Netflix. A series about the late Ponzi scheme king is in the works from Joe Berlinger and RadicalMedia in association with Berlinger’s Third Eye Motion Picture Company.

Food Network has signed a new, two-year exclusive deal with “Delicious Miss Brown” star Kardea Brown that includes a sixth season of the series. Season five, which premiered August 29, has reached more than 3.5 million P2+ viewers to-date and Food Network is currently ranked as the #2 cable network among W25-54 during the show’s Sunday at 12p timeslot.

WarnerMedia signed a first-look deal with Jeff Friday Media, organizer of the American Black Film Festival, for unscripted content including documentary films submitted to the annual event, for which HBO is a founding sponsor. “I am so proud of this unique deal with Jeff Friday Media, which takes our decades-long partnership to the next level. Together, we will provide even more opportunities for Black and Brown storytellers to reach a large global audience with a diverse array of tastes across leading platforms and networks,” said Michael Quigley, EVP, Content Acquisitions for TNT, TBS, truTV, HBO and HBO Max.

Hallmark Channel holiday movie darling Danica McKellar has signed a four-picture deal with GAC Media to star in and exec produce original films for GAC Family and GAC Living. “Danica is a world-class talent who is among TV’s most beloved and enduring stars,” said Bill Abbott, President & CEO of GAC Media, and former CEO of Crown Media Family Networks. “Her combination of creativity and passion is second to none, and I am thrilled to have her join GAC’s close-knit family.”

Billy Porter (“Pose”) will direct a film adaptation of “Camp,” based on the YA novel, for HBO Max. Porter will also play the role of the camp’s theater director. Dan Jinks (“Milk”) is producing via The Dan Jinks Company.

Fred Rogers Productions has secured a $2.7 million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for “Alma’s Way,” the new animated series that launched earlier this month on PBS KIDS. The grant covers a range of production, promotional and educational engagement activities for the show, created by Sonia Manzano.

The Cynopsis Resource Center does for executives what Google can’t. Bringing you the latest tools, technology, networking, and streaming offerings, all in one place – so you can spend less time searching and more time in action.

“The Comeback Girl,” a limited series starring Kathryn Hahn (“WandaVision”) as Joan Rivers, is not moving forward at Showtime. The project had not gotten the life rights to the comedian, and if produced as an unauthorized account would not have been able to use Rivers’ catchphrases or jokes.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

HGTV is collaborating with Lowe’s for a new series, “Build It Forward,” created to highlight Lowe’s 100 Hometowns initiative, which completed 100 impact projects in communities across the country. HGTV will produce a five-part series, hosted by Matt Blashaw and Taniya Nayak, focused on community members who nominated their communities for the impact projects and were selected for a surprise home renovation from HGTV. The series will premiere on HGTV and discovery+ in early 2022.

Food Network kicks off holiday baking season with “Holiday Baking Championship,” launching Monday, November 1 at 8p. Bakers will compete for a spot in Food Network Magazine.

TLC’s “Addicted to Marriage” follows four women who love to say “I do.” The reality show launches Tuesday, November 16 at 10p.

When it comes to finding social media stars for longform projects, it’s not necessarily about the numbers. “For us to move forward with a certain creator, we need to believe from the outset that they would be a great talent for a longform series regardless of their online following,” Portal A Head of Talent Brittani Kagan tells Cynopsis. “Yes, of course we want to convert their existing fans, but the main goal is to elevate what makes them special and appeal to a broader audience.” For more insights from Kagan, go to Cynsiders.

We’ll drink to that: Discovery’s moonshine programming returns tonight, with three series produced by Magilla Entertainment. How do you catch lightning in a bottle? “In producing a franchise like Moonshiners, our goal is to deliver the show the fan base keeps coming back for season after season, while taking risks that keep it fresh and surprise viewers,” Matthew Ostrom, exec producer and co-owner of Magilla, tells Cynopsis. “To strike that balance you need a great partner like Discovery whose belief in the series and the value of its audience has led to spinoffs like ‘Master Distiller’ and ‘Smoke Ring.’ Not surprisingly, the backwoods moonshine economy is booming, and all of us at Magilla are excited for our new ‘white lightning’ Wednesday block.”

COMING UP

TBS has partnered with The CW to simulcast the 27th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards on Sunday, January 9 at 7p, in a move aimed at expanding the audience. Earlier this month, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association set January 9 for the Golden Globes Awards, whether or not it finds a telecast partner; the CCA was not amused.

MTV will air the global premiere of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s new video, “Night and Day” on Friday, October 29 at 12p. The video will make its broadcast premiere on MTV, MTV Live, MTVU, across MTV’s worldwide network of channels in 180 countries and the ViacomCBS Times Square Billboard.

STREAMING

Restoring kids’ confidence and joy are top drivers of family SVOD brand adoption, according to a study from insights company The Family Room, “The Emotional Triggers of Family SVOD Adoption.” Preparing kids for school and serving parent needs are the least important adoption triggers. Other insights include:
Younger Gen Z parents want SVOD platforms that reassure their children, whereas older Millennial parents seek SVOD platforms that comfort themselves.Contrary to their “couch potato” perceptions, high frequency parent streamers are more likely to prioritize creativity, spontaneity, personal authenticity, and family connection in their lives than their more infrequent streaming counterparts.Every streamer has a set of emotional perceptions that trigger brand adoption. For instance, while parents turn to Netflix for family connection, they turn to Amazon Prime for relaxation and YouTube Premium for their own self-care.For Pre-K Parents, the security and self-esteem of their child is top priority when considering a new SVOD platform. Conversely, parents of older kids prioritize their own freedom and belonging.

TV-first is the new norm. TV platforms were added at a rate of 2:1 over mobile, according to a list of trends from Applicaster, based on 12 months of data from its Zapp platform. Other trends of note: Analytics integrations increased in volume and scope as streamers seek to better understand their audiences; consent management has emerged as a category in response to several regulatory changes; the velocity in which media brands launched new apps and made updates has been picking up (examples of updates include adding podcasting/radio capabilities, as well as the addition of an advertising model and geography-based versions of apps for new markets); and eighty percent of the time advertising is used as a hybrid with SVOD or other revenue strategy. “This business has become incredibly dynamic and keeping a close watch for trends like these hopefully helps media brands continue to drive their strategy successfully in uncharted waters,” said Applicaster CEO Ido Hadari.

Fox News Media’s streaming service, Fox Nation, has launched on YouTube TV as an optional add on for $5.99/month. In addition to original series, the service offers coverage of live events and Fox News’ primetime shows.

Pocket.watch announced the wide release of animated comedy series “Onyx Monster Mysteries” and related games, merchandise and original music. A special sneak preview of all 12 episodes of Season 2 is available exclusively on Amazon Kids+ beginning today and will go into wide release in December.

TECH TALK

The E.W. Scripps Company has introduced a suite of new linear attribution features to its Scripps Octane Verify solution, a tool for advertisers to gauge the effectiveness of Scripps OctaneOTT and linear TV ad campaigns. “Attribution is the name of the game in linear and streaming TV,” said Missy Evenson, VP of Sales for Scripps’ Local Media. “The rollout of this new suite of Octane Verify attribution features is an additional way we can help move the needle for our customers as they fine-tune their approaches to reaching desirable audience groups.”

Amazon Ads unveiled marketing solutions to support brands in their advertising and marketing efforts including voice calls-to-action in Interactive Video Ads, such as “Add to Cart,” or “Buy Now,” directly in Streaming TV ads in the IMDb TV app on Fire TV. Another shopping action, “Send Me More Info,” enables viewers to request product details via email or by scanning a QR code on a screen to visit a brand’s landing page. And Brand Follow offers customers a way to follow brands they like, with “Follow” button.

Twitter added 5 million new daily users during 3Q21, reported the company, for a total 211 million. Revenue was up 37% and US ad sales jumped 51%, but there was a net loss of $527 million for the quarter, thanks to a one-time charge of $766 million related to a settlement about misleading investors about user growth.

Alphabet reported total revenue of $53.6 billion in the quarter, not counting traffic acquisition costs, with earnings per share of $27.99 handily topping analysts’ expectation of $23.50. YouTube ad revenue shot up 43% from the year-earlier period, reaching $7.2 billion, and search revenue rose 44% to $37.9 billion.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

SeeHer, a movement to increase accurate representation of women and girls in advertising and media, has partnered with NBCUniversal and Telemundo for a new resource to encourage authentic portrayals of Hispanic women and girls in marketing, media, advertising and entertainment. The first Latina-focused #WriteHerRight guide empowers brands and content creators to apply an intersectional lens and help Hispanic women see themselves accurately reflected in content. “Alongside our partners at Telemundo, NBCUniversal is incredibly proud to support the ANA’s work in advancing such vital conversations around representation of Latina characters in advertising and entertainment,” said Laura Molen, President, Advertising Sales and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “There is a true business imperative for creating genuine connections across all communities.”

Tribeca Studios, Netflix and Gold House are teaming to create Future Gold Film Fellowship, a program designed to uplift experienced directors who are looking to break through, and to celebrate stories from the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Three Asian and Pacific Islander directors will each receive a production grant to make a scripted short film.

TV viewers during the pandemic were drawn to content that came from diverse writers and casts, according to a the “Hollywood Diversity Report,” released by UCLA. “The fact that shows with diverse writers rooms did well last year…illustrates that audiences are looking for authentic portrayals,” said Darnell Hunt, UCLA’s dean of social sciences and a co-author of the report. However, Latino representation in all job categories remained flat from the year before. Latino actors held just 6.3% of roles on broadcast TV, 5.7% on cable and 5.5% on streaming.

GOING GLOBAL

“Canada’s Got Talent,” which aired for one season in 2012, will return for a new season on City TV. Howie Mandel (“America’s Got Talent”), Lily Singh (“A Little Late With Lily Singh”), music producer Kardinal Offishall and WWE star Trish Stratus will judge.

Cineflix Rights has closed a deal with SBS Australia for more than 20 hours of factual content from its history and documentary slate. “History has always been a strong performer in the Australian market,” noted Chris Bluett, SVP Sales, Asia Pacific and Benelux, Cineflix Rights.

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BET’s Tuesday night lineup – “Games People Play,” “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne,””Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living,” and “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” – collectively delivered 3.3 Million Total viewers P2+ during last Tuesday’s premieres (Live+3 simulcast across BET and BET Her).

With help from free previews on key affiliates and themed-programming weeks including #DeerWeek and and Premiere Week, Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel reached a combined 4.9 million total viewers in September, an increase of +13% from the previous month.

In syndication the week of October 11, “Family Feud” narrowed the gap with #1 ranked “Jeopardy!”, cutting last week’s deficit in HH of .6 to .2 this week, trailing 5.7 to 5.5. “Feud” maintained its #1 position in W25-54 with a 1.8.

“Live with Kelly and Ryan” (1.7, up 6%) jumped into a tie with “Dr. Phil” (1.7, down 6%) for the talk show lead. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (0.9, steady) remained at its season high, catching up to “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (0.9, down 10%) for third place among chat shows.

Top 5 Halloween Creatives By Search Engagement
Presented by EDO, Inc.
Brand, Creative, Program on Network (date of TV ad airing), Search Engagement
GEICO, Horror Movie, NFL Football on NBC (10/3), 21 Search Engagement
Reese’s, Disappear on Halloween, Last Man Standing on CMT (10/22), 5.1 Search Engagement
Disney+, Hallowstream, General Hospital on ABC (10/22), 4.9 Search Engagement
Kit Kat, Vampire Alarm Clock, Blue Bloods on CBS (10/15), 2.3 Search Engagement
Ring, See Whoooo’s There, Halloween Wars on Food Network (10/10), 1.2 Search Engagement
Click here to read more.
Read as: the GEICO Horror Movie airing during NFL Football on NBC (10/3) has generated an additional 21,000 online searches.
Footnote: Search Engagement is EDO’s proprietary measure of the increase in online search activity for a brand or product in the minutes immediately following a TV ad airing.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Monday, October 26
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: Dancing with the Stars 4.86 (0.7), The Good Doctor 4.10 (0.4)
CBS: The Neighborhood 4.12 (0.5), Bob Hearts Abishola 3.66 (0.4), NCIS 3.45 (0.3), NCIS: Hawai’i 3.03 (0.3)
CW: All American 0.64 (0.2), 4400 0.54 (0.1)
FOX: Masked Singer 2.28 (0.4), The Big Leap 1.04 (0.2)
NBC: The Voice 6.90 (0.9), Ordinary Joe 2.44 (0.3)
Telemundo: La Casa del los Famosos 1.28 (0.3), Hercal: Amor e Venganza 1.43 (0.4), Malverde: El Santo Patrón 0.91 (0.3)
Univision Rosa de Guadalupe 1.59 (0.5), Vencer el Pasado 1.69 (0.6), La Hija Del Embajador 1.76 (0.6)
Source: Nielsen, live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Roger A. Boyd II has joined Tyler Perry Studios as Chief Operating Officer. Boyd most recently served as COO of Swirl Films.

Mike Anderson has been named Director of Training and Development for Elevate’s revenue acceleration program, Trailblazer Academy. Anderson joins Elevate from Cox Media Group, where was Director of Consumer Insights and Analytics.

Friend MTS has appointed Mike Baron as Senior Vice President, Sales & Strategy, Americas. Baron most recently served as SVP of Partnerships for Super League Gaming / Virtualis Studios.

Advertising agency Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners has promoted Sinan Dagli from Group Creative Director to Executive Creative Director.

AccuWeather has elevated Rhonda Seaton to Vice President, Corporate Communications. Seaton was previously Director, Marketing Communications for AccuWeather.

Monique Chenault has been appointed as President of REVOLT Black News Studio. Chenault is a content creator and four-time Emmy nominated executive producer and writer with over 20 years of production experience.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which 2002-06 sitcom took its name from a 1980 hit record? “What I Like About You.” Kudos to: Aaron Pacquette-AccelerateSG/Fort Worth, TX; Jessica Jiang-Fox/NYC; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC; Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA; Emily Berens-ATTN:; David Garber-Loyola Marymount University/Playa Vista, CA; Ken DuBow-Access Entertainment/LA; Creed Heilskoz-ImOn Communications/Cedar Rapids; Michael Hochman/Bryn Athyn, PA; Megan Wordsworth-INSP/Charlotte, NC

Today’s Trivia Question
For which series did Ryan Murphy win his first Primetime Emmy nomination? (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.)