Search

Even the busy Rachel Maddow has the right to expect the first week back from a holiday break to be an easy one. But in the current news cycle, easy [...]

SAMANTHA BEE IS ONLY JUST GETTING STARTED. Since its launch in February, Bee's 'Full Frontal,' the talk-and-satire series that is equal turns gut-splitting and outrageous, has already become an acclaimed [...]

Pepsi sank what must have been hundreds of thousands--maybe even millions--of dollars into a TV commercial, and then decided to hide it in plain sight. The beverage giant paid Fox [...]

Forget all the hype: The time has finally arrived for Shane Smith to prove his hipster brand is worthy of its deep-pocketed investors and gaudy valuation 'Are you getting high?' [...]

Before its troubles began, Viacom was long the place where top creative talent, from Jon Stewart to Johnny Knoxville, flourished across the conglomerate's cable networks. Many of those famous faces [...]

When 'Game Shakers' debuts on Nickelodeon on Sept. 12, the sitcom might seem like more of the same from the kids' network. It comes from Dan Schneider, the creator of […]

Megyn Kelly is bucking the conventional wisdom of what it means to be a Fox News anchor. The take-no-prisoners newswoman isn't afraid to throw hardballs at Republicans. She recently lectured [...]

JOE ABRUZZESE has been selling TV advertising for decades, but he's not about to let old habits get in the way of potential new money. This is how advertising on [...]

NBCUniversal is making changes to its coverage of the Paris Olympics in order to attract a wider audience and demonstrate the cultural significance of the event. The company has invested $7.8 billion in the Games and plans to make its coverage more accessible and tailored to different audiences. Popular figures from the world of pop culture, such as Peyton Manning, Snoop Dogg, and Kelly Clarkson, will be involved in the primetime coverage to add excitement to the 7,000 hours of competition. NBCUniversal is also streaming all events in real-time through Peacock and using interactive features to engage viewers. The company hopes that the Paris Olympics will generate interest in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. NBC is taking a new approach to promoting the Summer Olympics, using influencers like Paris Hilton and Megan Thee Stallion in their promos instead of focusing solely on athletes. The network is also changing its broadcasting rules to enhance live coverage and offer new streaming options through Peacock. NBC estimates that over 20% of Olympics viewership will come from Peacock. Meanwhile, France is preparing to host the Olympics and is planning extensive media coverage and events to showcase the nation's strength and beauty. The Games will have gender balance, with women making up half of the competitors. Paris will host competitions at iconic venues and increase public transportation to accommodate the expected influx of fans. Local broadcasters in France are also preparing comprehensive coverage of the Games. [Extracted from the article]

The upside-down map of the world and backwards-running clocks on the set on Larry Wilmore's new 'Nightly Show' aren't the only things askew at Comedy Central. But on Wilmore's program, [...]

NBC is banking on actress Katherine Heigl to drive its new political drama, 'State of Affairs.' But the star is bringing along her own intrigue It's not easy being America's [...]

'GMA' strives to be peppier; 'Today' aims to be newsier. Doing whatever it takes to win the lucrative morning-news ratings crown is nothing short of a mania at ABC and [...]

A marathon enthusiast, Steve Burke knows a thing or two about how to compete for the long haul. Yet nearly three years after Comcast took control of NBCUniversal from General [...]

Jimmy Fallon has been able to persuade Bruce Springsteen to sing 'Whip My Hair' and President Obama to 'slow jam the news.' He's the Every-fan who loves to celebrate, not [...]

This article from Variety presents a list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time, compiled by Variety staff and contributors. The list includes a diverse range of shows, from classics to more recent hits, highlighting their quality and cultural impact. The article specifically highlights the shows "The Office," "Orange Is the New Black," "Thirtysomething," and "A Different World" as examples of influential and groundbreaking series. Each show is described briefly, emphasizing their unique storytelling styles and their ability to tackle important social issues. The article aims to showcase the wide range of genres and themes explored in television and their lasting impact on popular culture. [Extracted from the article]

When a deranged gunman shot and killed two employees of Roanoke, Va.-based WBDJ-TV during a live broadcast in August--and then took the extraordinary step of posting his own video of [...]

Comcast's new cable spinoff, SpinCo, aims to revitalize declining networks and potentially make acquisitions in the media landscape. The spinoff will include basic cable networks like MSNBC, CNBC, and USA Network, as well as digital properties like Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes. While Comcast sees this move as a strategic offensive play, there is also the possibility of private equity firms or strategic buyers acquiring SpinCo in the future. The separation of SpinCo from NBCU is seen as a defensive move to keep the NBC broadcast network and Peacock streaming hub separate from the declining cable TV business. [Extracted from the article]

In addition to landing huge increases in next year's TV-rights negotiations, Endeavor has vowed to Wall Streeters that Endeavor and UFC will use their expertise and muscle to boost WWE's advertising sales, including its social media monetization. Emanuel and Shapiro are tasked with negotiating new U.S. TV rights deals for UFC and WWE as each entity's existing deals (with ESPN for UFC and NBCUniversal and Fox Corp. for WWE) expire. Endeavor leaped at the chance to acquire the sui generis WWE franchise because it's a natural companion business for UFC, the world's most popular mixed martial arts league, which Endeavor bought for $4.1 billion in 2016. Six years later, WWE's internal struggles opened the door for Endeavor to engineer the merger of UFC and WWE into a separate company, TKO. [Extracted from the article]

Think telecommuting is only for the big guys? You're wrong. Small businesses are discovering just how easy it is. Sure, employee 'face time' is important to Mark Lichtman, but he [...]

As entrepreneurship grows in America, finding the cities that offer the best opportunities for small business can give you a great head start. But many entrepreneurs are escaping city life [...]

To hear Don Spencer tell the story, he and his business 'got screwed.' Spencer is no stranger to starting and running businesses. Between 1987 and 1993, the nationally certified training [...]

In the past 18 months, the strategy has sent Netflix down previously uncharted paths, including bringing advertising into the mix after vowing for years to keep sponsor messages from crossing Netflix's virtual door, and using technology to crack down on password sharing among its members. Netflix's decision to adopt advertising is a bid to "expand the market" for consumers who are willing to watch ads in exchange for a cheaper monthly payment, says Sarandos. The stepped-up activity, which aims to harness the streamer's 232.5 million-subscriber platform, comes at a time when there's been a co-CEO shuffle, with founder Reed Hastings stepping back and Netflix veteran Greg Peters joining longtime content chief Ted Sarandos in sharing the chief executive reins. THE FRONT LINE Netflix seeks top dollar for advertising, but Madison Avenue isn't too impressed - yet CBS is out; Netflix is in. [Extracted from the article]

Warner Bros. Discovery is facing numerous challenges, including tensions with advertisers, talent, and the NBA. The company has been involved in legal battles with the NBA and has struggled with upfront ad sales pricing. WBD-owned CNN is experiencing low morale, and negotiations with MVPDs are expected to be difficult. The company recently wrote off $9.1 billion in value for its cable channels, signaling a decline in affiliate fees and advertising. Despite these challenges, CEO David Zaslav is focused on maintaining the company's financial health and building the Max platform into a global competitor. However, Zaslav's negotiation tactics have alienated important contributors to the company's cash flow, including advertisers and talent. [Extracted from the article]

FEATURES Maddie Luke doesn't work in television but can tell you quickly why TV's late-night sector is showing signs of struggle. After James Corden ends his run on CBS' "The Late Late Show" in the next few days, CBS will cancel the program, even though it has been a fixture on its schedule since 1995. It's also telling that CBS' Colbert, NBC's Fallon and ABC's Kimmel are all staying busy producing other shows for their home networks. [Extracted from the article]

Kim Stone President, UBS Arena; exec VP, Oak View Group East Coast Stone leads UBS Arena, the $1.5 billion space that recently celebrated its first anniversary, having in that inaugural year grossed more than $60 million and hosted concerts by Harry Styles, Dua Lipa and Daddy Yankee. Liz Cole President, NBC News Studios; exec producer, "Dateline NBC" In the past year, Cole executive produced NBC's "The Thing About Pam", a limited true-crime series starring Renée Zellweger that draws on extensive "Dateline" coverage; developed documentaries including "The Disappearance of Shere Hite"; and spearheaded podcast expansion. Over the past year, her primary role has been CEO of 605, an audience measurement and data analytics firm established in 2016. Brooke Morrow Exec VP, Creative Development, Electric Feel When she joined music management firm Electric Feel just nine months ago, Morrow was ready for a new adventure. [Extracted from the article]

AFTER THE MOST poll-obsessed, data-driven campaign in memory, the news networks are at last going into the climax of election night. It will likely come as a relief to most [...]

WHEN VIACOM CHIEF Sumner Redstone unveiled a nearly $37 billion bid for CBS Corp. in 1999, it seemed like the most natural combination in the world. 'We will be global [...]

WHO WOULD sit in an NBC waiting room for hours as the clock ticks past midnight? Dozens of people, as it turns out. The crowd hunkering down at NBC's 30 [...]

The Academy favored a mix of traditional and avant-garde variety shows by giving nominations to mainstays like NBC's 'Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' and ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' as well [...]

JUST ONE YEAR AGO, Roger Ailes' future at Fox News couldn't have seemed rosier. His star anchor, Megyn Kelly, was about to launch a series of news specials that executives [...]

The Internet has been around for decades, but the digital advertising that supports still resembles the Wild West. Joe Marchese might be the new sheriff in town who can tame [...]

The next time you settle down on a Sunday to watch NFL football for free on Fox, CBS or NBC, you might want to thank to Brian Rolapp. As the [...]

THE NETWORK MORNING SHOWS are in the midst of a musical-chairs moment that is as much about positioning for the future as it is about the day-today battle for ratings [...]

TOM PURCELL NEVER EXPECTED his staff to expend this much energy on one person. When Purcell, executive producer of CBS' 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,' assembles his writers each [...]

Byline: Brian Steinberg Where were you when the lights went out at the Super Bowl? CBS's top ad-sales executives were in New Orleans, holding clients' hands. As a blackout delayed [...]

David Ellison, chairman-CEO of Skydance Media, and Gerry Cardinale of RedBird Capital are set to acquire Paramount Global in an $8 billion deal. Ellison envisions a future for Paramount that combines art and technology, drawing inspiration from the transitions made by tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle. The new leadership team plans to focus on cost-cutting, overhauling Paramount+, and potentially pursuing asset sales. However, their specific plans remain undisclosed as the deal undergoes regulatory review. [Extracted from the article]

Byline: Brian Steinberg All was surprisingly quiet this year on the "They Censored My Super Bowl Ad" front until Friday, when Alex Bogusky tweeted that CBS had rejected the Super [...]

Byline: Brian Steinberg When "Jimmy Kimmel Live" makes its debut in the 11:35 p.m. time slot Jan. 8 on ABC, it will mark the latest seismic shift to alter late-night [...]

Byline: Brian Steinberg Ratings at ABC's "Good Morning America" have crept up over the past six months. But luring more ad dollars as a result isn't as simple as it [...]

Byline: MICHAEL LEARMONTH, BRIAN STEINBERG, JEANINE POGGI Thank goodness for the iPad Mini. The consumer-tech industry is saving the ad industry from a dreadful fourth quarter as big-budget pushes from [...]

Byline: Brian Steinberg Football has tackled Fox's falling "Idol." For at least five years, "American Idol" has been TV's costliest show for advertisers, according to Advertising Age's annual survey. But [...]

Byline: Brian Steinberg This is Michael Strahan? On a late Tuesday morning, the former New York Giants player and current Fox football analyst is dressed in a pink feather boa, [...]

Byline: BRIAN STEINBERG If you watch TV, chances are you've come upon Mayhem, the devil-may-care character who is seemingly everywhere in commercials for Allstate. But in one new instance, the [...]

Byline: BRIAN STEINBERG The Olympics won't be a giant moneymaker for NBC Universal, but it may prove to be a small-time hitmaker for its broadcast network. NBC has used the [...]

Byline: BRIAN STEINBERG Big sporting events snare TV's largest audiences, but getting a promo of a new TV show in front of that crowd is no guarantee of future success. [...]

Byline: BRIAN STEINBERG Two new programs are expected to generate the most household commercial ratings of all the launches set for the coming 2012-2013 TV season, according to Ad Age's [...]

Byline: BRIAN STEINBERG Advertisers were pulled two ways when considering how much to commit to the annual upfront this year. In one direction: the need to put money down now--or [...]