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| Tonight’s Premieres Adult Swim: Primal at 11:59 Bravo: Below Deck at 9p, Cash Cab at 11:30p CW: All American at 8p, Black Lightning at 9p Disney Channel: Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure at 1p, Elena of Avalor at 12:30p Netflix: Match! Tennis Juniors PBS: Retro Report on PBS at 9p Smithsonian Channel: Private Lives of the Windsors at 8p Travel Channel: My Horror Story at 10p VH1: Cartel Crew at 9p
Tonight’s Finales HBO: Our Boys at 10p Smithsonian Channel: Mystic Britain at 9p
IN THE NEWS
CNN rejected two ads for President Trump’s re-election campaign that it said weren’t factual. The ads accused Democrats of trying to “steal” an election and “media lapdogs” of falling in line, flashing photos of CNN journalists. The news net accepted a third ad. Meanwhile, President Trump suggested the administration is “looking” at starting its own news network. During a speech in Florida, POTUS said, “We ought to start our own network and put some real news out there….Put some really talented people and get a real voce out there. Not a voice that’s fake.”
Facebook should rethink its plan for an encrypted messaging service, said officials from the US, UK and Australia in an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg. “We must find a way to balance the need to secure data with public safety and the need for law enforcement to access the information they need to safeguard the public, investigate crimes, and prevent future criminal activity,” write U.S. Attorney General William Barr, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel and Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. “Not doing so hinders our law enforcement agencies’ ability to stop criminals and abusers in their tracks.” While the officials press for back doors that enable law enforcement to access content, digital rights organizations argue weakening encryption makes users more vulnerable to fraud.
BBC America is launching natural history microsite Wonderstruck on Saturday, November 2. Running 24 hours on Saturdays, Wonderstruck will feature originals and specials, as well as serve as the US home for the Planet Earth franchise.
Where will you be next February? Make plans to join media’s leading innovators and creators for the inaugural Cynopsis Best Of The Best Awards, taking place in NYC. Award winners will be announced and Rising Star honorees will be celebrated live on-stage. [Click here to enter]
Nick Jr. has started airing Rainbow Rangers three times a day Monday through Friday, up from once a day, with new episodes premiering Sundays. The series, targeting Girls 2-5, premiered in November 2018.
Actress Stephanie Sigman has left CBS’s S.W.A.T. “It was a pleasure to write for her & see what she did with the role each week,” tweeted the show’s exec producer and writer, Shawn Ryan. “I look forward to seeing what she conquers next professionally.” Sigman was an original cast member on the crime drama.
The American Federation of Musicians and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers get back to the bargaining table today to hash out a new deal, which would cover residuals from content made for streaming services. “Musicians working on late-night, award, and other live television shows, as well as the musicians who score for television and films, are fighting to be paid industry-standard wages and residuals for ‘new media’ production,” the union said in a statement. “Major entertainment companies including CBSViacom, Disney/ABC, MGM, NBCUniversal, Sony and Warner Media pay actors, writers and directors for streaming work, but refuse to pay musicians industry standard wages and residuals for streaming. This represents a 75% pay cut for musicians.” Rallies for a fair contract will take place today outside NBCU’s NYC headquarters, and AMPTP’s Sherman Oaks HQ.
TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee is playing mobile political games again. Following up on “This Is Not A Game: The Game” of 2018” comes”Full Frontal’$ Totally Unrigged Primary” app. The game, launching in the App Store later this fall, will allow players to join their favorite candidate’s team, and complete daily challenges to earn the candidates points. It will also encourage players to donate to the game’s PAC-controlled fund, Sam Bee’s Political Swear Jar.
Fox Corp. and Cox Communications renewed their distribution agreement, covering retrans consent for the Fox Television Stations. “This renewal extends the productive partnership we’ve long had with Cox and ensures that millions of our viewers across the country will continue to enjoy Fox’s leading sports, entertainment and news programming for years to come,” said Michael Biar, President of Operations and Distribution for Fox.
Starz announced the recent acquisition of six titles including the documentary This Changes Everything from executive producer Geena Davis, slated to air on Starz and available for download or streaming via the Starz app in December. Starz also acquired The River and the Wall documentary, about five friends who embark on a 1,200-mile journey down the Rio Grande to document the US-Mexico border before construction of a wall; Idris Elba’s (Luther) family comedy In the Long Run, inspired by his experience growing up in east London in the 80’s, to premiere in November; and the Professor and the Madman, Stockholm and My Days of Mercy, also available this fall for download or streaming. |
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PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
D.C. drama The Hill is in development at NBC, from writer/EP Paul Grellong (Hawaii Five-0), exec producer Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva) and Sony Pictures Television. CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash will serve as consulting producer.
Netflix ordered animated workplace comedy Human Resources, from Big Mouth creators Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, and producer Kelly Galuska. Netflix also announced that not only will Elite return for season three, but filming on the soapy teen drama is complete. New season arrives in 2020.
Post-apocalyptic drama The Vault has been put in development by NBC. Show comes from Keshet Studios and Universal Television,
Cupcake Men landed a put pilot commitment from ABC. Comedy, inspired by former Tennessee Titans Brian Orakpo and Michael Griffin, who opened a cupcake shop in Austin that was featured in a Micrsoft Surface Pro ad, comes from writer Owen Smith (black-ish), Lee Daniels (Empire), GMA host Michael Strahan, 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios.
Disney+ ordered ten episodes of Behind the Attraction, exploring popular Disney attractions, reports Variety. Series produced by Seven Bucks Productions and The Nacelle Company will be directed by Brian Volk-Weiss.
Canal 1 has entered into a content and commercial partnership deal with Discovery Networks to broadcast some of Discovery’s programs on Canal 1 during select dayparts throughout the week. Starting today, Colombian audiences will have access to shows including The Medium and My 600-lb Life. Through the partnership, Canal 1 will have access to the insights of Discovery’s analytical tools to boost effectiveness in the Colombian market.
Quibi is teaming with sports entertainment brand Nitro Circus for Life-Size Toys, which will transform toys into vehicles for stunts. “From the beginning, Nitro Circus has been a group of friends who let their imaginations run wild with the craziest stunts possible, and then have the can-do spirit to make them happen,” said Trip Taylor, SVP of media for Nitro Circus. Taylor served as EP on the MTV series that made Nitro Circus. “Now we are set to deliver our most ridiculous moments yet, and our partnership with Quibi will let us reach fans in an entirely new way.”
Top 10 Weekend Domestic Box Office Estimates: September October 4-6 Joker (Warner Bros) $93.5 million, opening weekend Abominable (Universal) $12.0 million (week 2), cume revenue $37.8 million Downton Abbey (Focus) $8.0 million (week 3), cume revenue $73.6 million Hustlers (STX) $6.3 million (week 4), cume revenue $91.3 million It: Chapter Two (Warner Bros) $5.4 million (week 5), cume revenue $202.3 million Ad Astra (Fox) $4.6 million (week 3), cume revenue $43.7 million Judy (Roadside Attractions) $4.4 million (week 2), cume revenue $8.9 million Rambo: Last Blood (Lionsgate) $3.6 million (week 3), cume revenue $39.8 million War (Yash Raj) $1.6 million, opening weekend Good Boys (Universal) $900,000 (week 8), cume revenue $82.0 million Source: Comscore
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
BuzzFeed News and BuzzFeed have a trio of new series coming to Facebook Watch. Buzzfeed News’ This Might Sound Dumb, But… debuts today, October 7 at 2p, answering questions like, “What exactly is the electoral college?”, while Buzzfeed’s The Era celebrates the nostalgia of Black culture from the 90s, starting November 18 at 11a. The Empty Suitcase Show offers Kristin Chirco and a cast of Ladylike co-hosts celebrate fashion trailblazers in their cities, while spotlighting the gaps in the plus-size market. Night Shyamalan series Servant will debut on Apple TV + on Thursday, November 28. Psychological thriller focuses on a Philadelphia couple in mourning after. a tragedy, who have a mysterious force enter their house. Streaming service launches globally on November 1.
Harley Quinn joins DC Universe on Friday, November 29. Irreverent animated comedy stars Big Bang’s Kaley Cuoco.
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COMIC-CON COMMENTS
AMC confirmed the renewal of The Walking Dead for an eleventh season and the return of Lauren Cohan (Maggie Greene) as a season 11 series regular…Said Alex Garland (Ex Machina) of his upcoming TV debut, FX limited series Devs, “On a personal level, I thought, ‘maybe television is a better home for me.’ And on a writing level, I wanted the eight hours.”…CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Picard makes landing on January 23, and will be available to stream the following day on Amazon Prime in over 200 countries and territories….Netflix will launch season two of Lost in Space on December 24, and has added JJ Field (Turn Up Charlie) to the cast.
STREAMING NOTES
Disney is refusing to accept advertising for Netflix shows on its entertainment networks, reports the Wall Street Journal. Disney, set to launch its own streaming service, Disney+, next month, had told staff earlier this year that ads from all rival streaming services would be banned, said the WSJ, but re-evaulated that decision “to reflect the comprehensive business relationships we have with many of these companies.” Netflix ads will still appear on Disney-owned ESPN.
Hulu introduced two new features aimed at making the platform easier to navigate for people with visual impairments. One update, making text easier to read, will be applied automatically. With another, viewers can turn on a screen reader that vocally guides them through the platform. Accessibility design was the theme of Hulu’s summer hackathon.
TECH TALK
Looper Insights has entered into a deal with A+E Networks under which the software-as-services VOD optimization company will provide TVOD/EST management and optimization services. Under the deal, A+E Networks is using Looper Insights’ tools to track, manage and optimize the sale of its TVOD titles across the US market’s transactional stores, including Apple iTunes, Amazon, Google, Xbox and Vudu. In addition, Looper Insights is working with A+E Networks to automate its workflows across storefronts and analyze its sales drivers.
Adtech startups Taboola and Outbrain are merging to form one company, called Taboola, with Taboola founder Adam Singolda as CEO. Both companies operate advertising-based content recommendation engines for publishers; joining forces allows them to better compete with online ad biggies like Google.
COMING UP
Freeform’s Kickoff to Christmas event starts Friday, November 1 and will include two new originals, the film Turkey Drop on Saturday, November 23 at 9p, and reality competition series Wrap Battle, launching Monday, November 25 at 9p.
A special event tied to AMC’s upcoming docuseries, Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America, will take place at Harlem’s Apollo Theater today, October 7 and include a screening of the series’ premiere episode, which takes a closer look at the influential song by Kanye West. The event will also feature a private performance by The Roots, and special guests. Series premieres Sunday, October 13.
CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful will air a storyline about kidney disease starting Tuesday, October 8. A CBS Cares PSA will run at the end of the episode, focused on a long-running character in dire need of a kidney transplant.
GOING GLOBAL
A+E Networks International expands the unscripted arm of its global business with The Rap Game in the UK, Bride & Prejudice in Australia and Forged in Fire in Latin America.
French DTT channel RMC Découverte has ordered a second season of its factual series Monumental Revelations (known internationally as Ancient Superstructures), which delves into engineering mysteries behind some of the world’s largest and most famous ancient structures.
all3media international has signed further scripted format deals for thriller Liar. In Spain, Atresmedia has licensed scripted format rights has appointed its in-house production company, Atresmedia Studios, to produce a six-part series. The drama will be filmed in Madrid and Majorca, and it will debut on prime time in Antena Tres.
Streaming service Rakuten announced docu-series Matchday – Inside FC Barcelona. Narrated by John Malkovich, the series follows the soccer club during the 2018-19 season, on and off the field.
CASTING
Yes, that’s MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow you’ll hear (though maybe not see) on The CW’s Batwoman as radio personality Vesper Fairchild. Sebastian Roche (Vampire Diaries) has also joined the superhero drama, reports Deadline, in the recurring role of a plastic surgeon/philanthropist.
CASTING CALL: (National Casting) PROGRAM HOSTS/QVC (West Chester PA) and Home Shopping Network (HSN, St Petersburg FL). QVC and HSN, the world’s leading global shopping communities and largest multimedia retailers, are in search of Full-time Program Hosts to add to its already existing on-air team. Candidates should have experience in hosting TV, web broadcasts, news, radio or trade shows and live events or as a brand Spokesperson. Host should be passionate about product and sales and must be comfortable conveying information in a live broadcast setting. Headshot, video, resume to: Sean De Simone at [email protected] |
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RATINGS
All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite handed TNT its biggest debut in five years, with 1.8 million total viewers and 1.1 million among A18-49. “This is a league that, at its core, is created by wrestlers for wrestling fans, and I am incredibly energized by the enthusiastic embrace the fans have given to the AEW talent and experience,” said Kevin Reilly, president of TNT, TBS, and truTV, and chief content officer at HBO Max.
The season four finale of Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores propelled the show to rank as the second highest-rated and most-watched scripted series of the week on ad-supported cable, averaging a 2.4 HH rating, 2.3 million total viewers, and 397,000 W25-54.
For the 52-week 2018-19 cable season, Galavision reports it was the #1 cable entertainment network among Hispanics regardless of language, as well as the youngest Spanish-language entertainment net in primetime, with 93% of the audience viewing live in primetime.
Live + Same Day Viewers AA (millions) Thursday, October 3 time period averages Source: Nielsen Live+SD FOX: 14.26 million Thursday Night Football 14.26 CBS: 6.10 million Young Sheldon 8.35, The Unicorn 5.99, Mom 6.28, Carol’s Second Act 5.68, Evil 4.20 ABC: 4.47 million Grey’s Anatomy 6.08, A Million Little Things 4.77, How to Get Away With Murder 2.56 NBC: 2.33 million Superstore 2.78, Perfect Harmony 2.07, The Good Place 2.11, Sunnyside 1.25, Law & Order: SVU 3.44 UNIVISION: 1.50 million Rosa de Guadelupe 1.38, La Usurpadora 1.75, El Dragon 1.37 TELEMUNDO: 1.15 million Exatlon Estados Unidos 1.41, El Final del Paraiso 1.23, Preso No. 1 0.81 CW: 0.71million iHeartMusic Festival Night 2 0.71 Thursday A18-49 Ratings FOX 4.4/22, ABC 0.9/4, CBS 0.8/3, NBC o.6/3, UNI 0.5/2, TELE 0.4/2, CW 0.2/1
EXECUTIVE MOVES
WarnerMedia upped three HBO execs: Karen Jones has been promoted from SVP of Media Relations to EVP of Communications for HBO; Ronnie Cobern-Basis rises from SVP of Talent Relations, HBO to the newly created role of EVP, Talent Relations, Events and Awards, WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer; and Lauren Young, most recently SVP of Corporate Affairs and Regional PR, has been elevated to the newly created role of SVP of Corporate Communications, WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer.
Endemol Shine Finland is expanding into scripted programming with the appointment of Max Malka to the newly created role of Head of Scripted. Malka joins from Dionysos Films.
Nina Maag has joined Bavaria Fiction in the company’s Munich offices as Executive Producer. Maag most recently served as Managing Director and Executive Producer of Construction Film.
Comcast Spotlight promoted Kelly Perone to Vice President of Product Strategy, and Andrea Zapata to Vice President of Data Innovation and Insights. Both joined the company in 2017, Perone from Tremor Video and Zapata from Vevo.
Cream Productions appointed Johnny Kalangis as Head of Digital. Kalangis w as previously VP of Creative, Digital and Creative Director for marblemedia.
IN MEMORIAM
Actress/singer Diahann Carrroll died October 4 after a long battle with cancer. She was 84. Carroll was best known to television audiences for her boundary-breaking roles on Julia and Dynasty.
Character actor Lewis Dauber died October 3 of liver cancer. He was 70. Best known for playing priests, some of Dauber’s credits include Who’s the Boss, Diagnosis Murder, NYPD Blue and Melrose Place.
This Day in History 2001 – A US-led coalition began attacks on Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question Who was the first female guest host of Saturday Night Live? Candice Bergen. Kudos to: Dennis Amino-ABC/LA, Jonathan Biles-Fox Sports/LA, Anne Wettig-Fox/Fox Sports/LA, Melissa Friedman/LA, Mark Selby-FRANK Content/Toronto, Charlie Conner-KOKI/KMYT/Tulsa, Tom Boyd-WGN-TV/Chicago, Eric Litt-Tribune Multicast/Chicago, Arthur Reinstein-Corus Entertainment/Toronto, Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station, TX, John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas, Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago, Aaron Paquette-Screen Engine/ASI/Fort Worth, Kimberly Kraft-Comedy Central/NYC, Steve Piluso-Media Storm/NYC, Carl Mayer-Active International/Pearl River, NY, Kevin Weist-Sideways Hat/NYC
Today’s Trivia Question Art Garfunkel performed the theme song for which US sitcom? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four.) |
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| MONDAY OCTOBER 7 ABC: Dancing With the Stars, The Good Doctor CBS: The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola, All Rise, Bull CW: All American [p], Black Lightning [p] FOX: 9-1-1, Prodigal Son NBC: The Voice, Buff City Law PBS: Antiques Roadshow, Retro Report on PBS [p], POV Telemundo: Exatlon Estados Unidos, El Final del Paraiso, No te Puedes Esconder Univision: La Rosa de Guadelupe, La Userpadora, El Dragon |