Keeping TV Studies students informed of news, views, and reviews about television
Thursday, April 30, 2015
HBO CEO Comments
Richard Plepler insists HBO Now isn't diverting people from pay TV and added additional comments during an earnings call.
Labels:
binge viewing,
cord cutting,
hbo,
hbo now,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
turner
CW Seed Network
Mike Shields reports that The CW is turning its CW Seed studio into a standalone mobile OTT app.
Labels:
apps,
cw seed,
distribution,
mobile,
online video,
over-the-top,
the cw,
web series
No Draft Tweeting
ESPN doesn't allow its NFL reporters to tweet during tonight's draft so they don't spoil picks before the show airs them. Richard Sandomir considers the journalistic implications of the NFL's no-spoilers demands.
Fans Rights
Tamar Barbash covers the angry response from Grey's Anatomy fans to last week's character death, and Robin Hardwick says shows don't owe fans anything.
Labels:
characters,
fandom,
grey's anatomy,
shonda rhimes,
spectatorship
Letterman Numbers
CBS has released stats related to David Letterman's late night career, from number of guest appearances to top ten lists.
Labels:
cbs,
david letterman,
late night,
talk
Starz Hits High
Starz surpassed earnings estimates and has reached a high of 23.7 million subscribers.
Labels:
premium channels,
starz
Piracy Losses
A new study tries to pinpoint how much TV producers are losing to piracy, with estimates included for individual shows like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and Orange in the New Black.
State of Time Warner Cable
Emily Steel says Time Warner Cable has emerged from the failed Comcast merger with many options.
Game of Thrones Nudity Imbalance
Melissa Leon says Game of Thrones' reluctance to show male full frontal nudity has a storytelling cost.
Labels:
characters,
game of thrones,
gender,
narrative,
nudity,
sex
Comedy Opportunity
Ramin Setoodeh praises Lena Dunham for helping other women break into comedy, while Zeba Blay laments that there aren't more comedy opportunities for women of color.
Roots Remake
History, Lifetime, and A&E will air a remake of Roots in 2016.
Labels:
a+e,
history channel,
lifetime,
remakes/adaptations/spinoffs,
roots
Time Warner News
Time Warner beat earnings estimates last quarter. Looking forward, CEO Jeff Bewkes insists TV has to adapt for an on-demand world.
Labels:
jeff bewkes,
revenue,
time warner,
turner,
video-on-demand
YouTube Dominance
YouTube touted its dominance at its NewFronts presentation yesterday, including its mobile strength, as it apparently draws more 18-49 viewers on mobile devices than any network.
Labels:
age,
demographics,
mobile,
newfronts,
online video,
spectatorship,
youtube
Baltimore Coverage
David Zurawik praised local Baltimore stations for their coverage of the city's unrest, and Stacia L. Brown praises local TV reporters for their work. Alyssa Rosenberg tackles The Wire issue.
Labels:
art,
cable news,
cnn,
local news,
locations,
news,
representation,
the wire
Nielsen Measurements
Todd Spangler reports that Nielsen is working with Roku on ad measurement for that platform. Nielsen has also developed a new viewer measuring system to replace paper diaries, but local stations are concerned about its possible impact and accuracy. And Nielsen is warning clients to keep quiet about new "impact data" it has shared with them.
Labels:
advertising,
broadcasting,
local,
nielsen,
online ratings,
ratings,
roku,
set-top boxes
Whedon on Marvel Universe
Joss Whedon says it's difficult to keep the Marvel movie and TV worlds on the same page.
Nightly Show Rhythm
Brian Steinberg says Larry Wilmore's Nightly Show is finding its rhythm. And Sarah Beauchamp says the new show has changed late night in terms of diversity.
Labels:
comedy,
diversity,
larry wilmore,
late night,
race/ethnicity,
the nightly show
Documentary & VOD
VOD startup founder Roger Jackson shares insights on how VOD expansion is affecting the documentary world.
Labels:
distribution,
documentary,
dvd,
independent,
movies,
netflix,
titles/title design,
video-on-demand
ESPN Mobile
Aaron Gordon explains how the failed ESPN mobile service led to success now with its mobile features.
Broad City & Race
Yohana Desta argues that Broad City deals with race better than Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Schumer's Feminist Comedy
Katie McDonough says Inside Amy Schumer illustrates the challenges of feminist comedy.
Labels:
comedy,
gender,
inside amy schumer,
representation
Serious Mom
Neil Genzlinger highlights how the sitcom Mom covers serious topics, and Joel Keller calls it the most dramatic sitcom on TV. Ed Martin says it may be the best sitcom on TV because of its combined humor and substance. Noel Murray says Mom is one of the best sitcoms of the decade.
The Briefcase Criticism
CBS is coming under fire for an upcoming reality show called The Briefcase. Teresa Jusino calls it an exercise in horrible taste, but the show's executive producer and creator responded to this with a defense of the series. Andy Dehnart also has concerns.
Labels:
cbs,
class,
controversy,
reality tv,
representation,
the briefcase
TLC Shows
David Bauder reports on TLC's plan to move away from "freak show" programming and air more shows with heart.
NBC's Aquarius Release
NBC has announced that it will post all remaining episodes of Aquarius online immediately after the show's premiere episode airs, and the series will air with a reduced commercial load. Alan Sepinwall has analysis of the Netflix-style move. Jason Lynch also reports.
Labels:
advertising,
aquarius,
binge viewing,
nbc,
networks,
online tv,
scheduling,
streaming,
video-on-demand
Hulu News
Hulu had its upfronts yesterday, featuring stars of its upcoming series, and announced it now has 9 million subscribers. Also, the company plans to collaborate on ads for the platform with advertisers.
Wednesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Survivor (CBS), Modern Family (ABC), Chicago PD (NBC), Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
- Losers: CSI: Cyber (CBS)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: Survivor (CBS), Modern Family (ABC), Chicago PD (NBC), Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
- Losers: CSI: Cyber (CBS)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Labels:
daily ratings,
wednesday ratings
Good TVeets
The mainstream media is so bad that it has become cliched to talk about how bad they are. THAT'S HOW BAD THEY ARE.
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) April 29, 2015
What to know what you're playing for? An afternoon free of abuse! Oh just kidding, it's hamburgers. #Survivor
— Andy Dehnart (@realityblurred) April 30, 2015
I don’t want Emily Thorne to get #Revenge. I want her to forever be frustrated & angry, turning to drink/rage spirals like the rest of us.
— Tim Goodman (@BastardMachine) April 29, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Dempsey Savings
Fans are petitioning to bring Patrick Dempsey back to Grey's Anatomy, but the show will save millions in dropping his salary.
Labels:
acting,
characters,
fandom,
grey's anatomy,
salaries
Weather Channel Changes
Chris Ariens covers management changes at The Weather Channel.
Labels:
the weather channel
Boxing Piracy Battle
Showtime and HBO are going after streaming sites offering the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.
Jenner Lessons
Toni Fitzgerald highlights what TV can learn from the big ratings for last Friday's Bruce Jenner interview.
PBS Drama
PBS will air its first American scripted drama in over a decade, a six-episode Civil War drama.
Labels:
drama,
mercy street,
pbs
CNN Criticism
Jeb Lund is highly critical of CNN and Wolf Blitzer's coverage of events in Baltimore. Jon Stewart also took on CNN and Blitzer last night.
Labels:
cable news,
cnn,
ethics,
news,
race/ethnicity,
representation,
social issues,
the daily show,
wolf blitzer
The Wire & Baltimore
Todd VanDerWerff compares The Wire's Baltimore with the real one, as does Kay Steiger, who laments that the show largely stands alone among TV shows in addressing the issues that have sparked Black Lives Matter protests. Bill Keller talks with The Wire creator David Simon about Baltimore's current crisis.
Hulu Gets Walking Dead Spinoff
In addition to the Seinfeld deal, Hulu also announced it has a deal with AMC to become the streaming home for the Walking Dead spinoff.
Williams Fighting
Claire Atkinson says Brian Williams is still fighting hard to keep his NBC job.
Labels:
brian williams,
ethics,
nbc news,
network news,
news
OTT Ecosystem
Andrew Wallenstein offers up some super cool graphics in laying out the OTT, VOD, and pay TV universe.
Labels:
amazon,
cable operators,
hulu,
industry,
netflix,
online tv,
online video,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
sling tv,
video-on-demand,
youtube
AOL-NBCU Partnership
AOL and NBCU are combining forces to share and develop content. Will Richmond covers AOL's NewFronts news, as does Michelle Castillo.
Labels:
aol,
digital,
nbcu,
newfronts,
online video,
programming
Hulu Gets Seinfeld
Hulu has struck a deal to license Seinfeld reruns for around $160 million.
Labels:
hulu,
licensing,
reruns,
seinfeld,
sony,
streaming,
syndication,
video-on-demand
State of the News Media
Pew Research Center has released its State of the News Media Report for 2015. Adrienne LaFrance says the dominance of Facebook is a major takeaway from the report. Mobile news is also dominating as print declines. Alex Weprin says the report shows why cable news channels are moving away from traditional news reporting and toward alternative programming.
Labels:
2014-15 season,
advertising,
cnn,
digital,
fox news,
mobile,
msnbc,
network news,
news,
newspapers,
online news,
programming
Comcast Analyzed
Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., analyzes Comcast's conflicts among its cable and broadband distribution and content businesses and the political and commercial blowback they can engender. (via the Google News link)
When To Cancel
Elizabeth Wagmeister covers what goes into a network's decision to renew or cancel a long-running series.
Labels:
2014-15 season,
cancellation,
networks,
ratings,
renewals
Letterman Interview
Dave Itzkoff has a revealing interview with David Letterman, as he reflects back on his career. Alan Sepinwall identifies a few highlights.
Labels:
cbs,
comedy,
david letterman,
history,
jay leno,
jon stewart,
late night,
nbc,
networks,
stephen colbert,
talk,
the tonight show
Film Directors on TV
Michael Schneider highlights major film directors who have turned to television.
Labels:
directing,
empire,
hell on wheels,
movies,
the strain,
true detective,
wayward pines
Revenge Done
The season finale of Revenge will also serve as the series finale.
Labels:
abc,
cancellation,
finales,
revenge
Tuesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Dancing With the Stars 10th Anniversary Special (ABC), NCIS (CBS), The Voice (NBC), The Flash (CW), NCIS: New Orleans (CBS)
- Honorable Mention: Chicago Fire (NBC)
- Losers: Undateable ( NBC), New Girl (Fox), One Big Happy (NBC), Weird Loners (Fox)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: Dancing With the Stars 10th Anniversary Special (ABC), NCIS (CBS), The Voice (NBC), The Flash (CW), NCIS: New Orleans (CBS)
- Honorable Mention: Chicago Fire (NBC)
- Losers: Undateable ( NBC), New Girl (Fox), One Big Happy (NBC), Weird Loners (Fox)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Labels:
daily ratings,
tuesday ratings
Good TVeets
You’re telling me this “Inside Amy Schumer” show aggregates all her sketches before they’re posted on the Internet?
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) April 29, 2015
It's kind of amazing how @realDonaldTrump's tweets somehow manage to sully the dignity and respectability of Celebrity Apprentice.
— Amy Von Doom (@spooloflies) April 28, 2015
Thanks to Hulu, you'll be able to watch Seinfeld as NBC originally intended: with constant, irritating commercial breaks.
— Scott Meslow (@scottmeslow) April 29, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
The Wire & Social Action
Ashley Hinck considers why The Wire hasn't inspired widespread social action in regard to Baltimore.
Labels:
activism,
david simon,
effects,
news,
social issues,
spectatorship,
the wire
NBC Sports Live Extra on Apple TV & Roku
Apple TV and Roku owners can now access NBC Sports Live Extra, though pay TV authentication is required.
Labels:
apple tv,
apps,
authentication,
live,
nbc sports,
pay tv,
roku,
set-top boxes,
sports,
streaming
HBO Release Model
HBO's CEO doesn't think HBO Go or HBO Now should release a program's season all at once.
Labels:
binge viewing,
hbo,
hbo go,
hbo now,
scheduling,
video-on-demand
TV Scorecard
Rick Kissell and Cynthia Littleton assess what programming is and isn't working at the networks and major cable channels.
Labels:
2014-15 season,
cable,
networks,
programming,
ratings
Rhimes' Characters
Janet Mock explores how the characters in shows produced by Shonda Rhimes offer powerful representations of race and gender.
Verizon Criticism
Dan Rayburn calls out Verizon for trying to fool customers into upgrading streaming service needlessly.
CNN Criticism
Justin Peters is critical of CNN's coverage of events in Baltimore.
Labels:
cable news,
cnn,
criticism,
live,
news
Vice TV Channel
Vice Media will take over a linear cable channel, replacing A&E's H2 and calling it Vice.
Labels:
a+e networks,
cable,
channel branding,
vice media,
viceland
Hulu News
Hulu Plus will now be available from Cablevision; Peter Kafka has analysis. And Debra Birnbaum and Todd Spangler dive deeply into Hulu's attempts to catch up with Netflix and Amazon, a topic Jason Lynch also explores.
Labels:
amazon,
cablevision,
hulu,
hulu plus,
netflix,
pay tv,
programming,
streaming,
video-on-demand
IFC Upfronts
Jason Lynch covers IFC's upfronts and its unusual approach.
Labels:
channel branding,
comedy bang bang,
ifc,
independent,
marketing,
movies,
portlandia,
programming,
upfronts
Netflix Viewership
Andrew Wallenstein reports Netflix viewing figures from a research firm surveying a panel of subscribers. According to their figures, Daredevil has been hot, while Bloodline has started slow. Ben Travers has analysis, as does Brian Byrd.
Popcorn Time Block
Eriq Gardner reports that a British judge ruled in favor of MPAA members in a lawsuit against Popcorn Time websites and ordered UK telecom companies to block access to the piracy site.
Labels:
britain,
distribution,
international,
internet,
law,
piracy,
popcorn time,
streaming,
telecommunications
Yahoo NewFronts
Kathy Savitt covers the new programming coming from Yahoo, announced at its NewFronts presentation.
Labels:
newfronts,
online video,
programming,
yahoo
Collaborative Reality TV
Andy Dehnart sees a positive model for reality TV in Finding Your Roots letting Ben Affleck participate in shaping his episode.
Labels:
editing,
ethics,
finding your roots,
reality tv
Penny Dreadful at Hot Topic
You can now buy Penny Dreadful clothes at Hot Topic.
Labels:
merchandise,
penny dreadful,
showtime
The Wire & Baltimore
Justin Wm. Moyer questions how much The Wire can help us understand recent events in Baltimore.
Labels:
david simon,
news,
race/ethnicity,
representation,
social issues,
the wire
ESPN's Verizon Suit
Richard Greenfield reports on ESPN suing Verizon over its custom bundle packages, and Colin Dixon wonders if this is exactly what Verizon wants.
Labels:
bundling/a la carte,
carriage,
carriage fees,
espn,
law,
pay tv,
pay tv rates/subscriber fees,
verizon
YouTube Partnerships
Peter Kafka reports on YouTube's move to keep some of its biggest stars happy with financial support, which includes making feature-length movies with AwesomenessTV.
Netflix Needs Ads
A British marketing firm CEO insists that Netflix will have to introduce advertising if it hopes to become profitable.
Labels:
advertising,
netflix,
revenue
Viewing Options
Bill Cromwell reports on a new study about viewing habits, which finds streaming preferences making huge strides, and Indiewire's TV podcast covers how people are watching TV differently today. Revolt has a study on millennial viewing habits.
Labels:
households,
mobile,
spectatorship,
streaming,
time shifting,
tv sets,
video-on-demand
Periscope Problem
Michael Schneider says Periscope offers marketing benefits but also piracy dangers to TV.
Maker Studios NewFronts
Andrew Wallenstein covers Maker Studios' NewFronts presentation and slate of upcoming programming. Michelle Castillo also covers Maker Studios.
Labels:
espn,
maker studios,
marvel,
multi-channel networks,
newfronts,
online video,
programming,
youtube
Monday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), The Voice (ABC)
- Not Good Enough for Renewal: Stalker (CBS)
- Losers: The Originals (CW), The Following (Fox), Jane the Virgin (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), The Voice (ABC)
- Not Good Enough for Renewal: Stalker (CBS)
- Losers: The Originals (CW), The Following (Fox), Jane the Virgin (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Labels:
daily ratings,
monday ratings
Monday, April 27, 2015
Popcorn Time on iOS
Ted Kritsonis introduces us to the hackers who got Popcorn Time onto non-jailbroken iOS devices.
Labels:
apple,
apps,
bittorrent,
distribution,
ipad,
mobile,
netflix,
piracy,
popcorn time,
streaming,
technology
Snapchat Hire
Mathew Ingram points out the significance of Snapchat hiring a star CNN reporter. Kevin Roose considers why Snapchat is getting into the news business.
Labels:
cnn,
mobile,
news,
online news,
snapchat,
social media
Hulu's Hopes
Jason Lynch looks at Hulu's plan to better compete with Netflix and Amazon.
Labels:
amazon,
empire,
fargo,
hulu,
netflix,
newfronts,
online tv,
programming,
south park,
streaming,
the strain,
turner,
video-on-demand,
web series
TV Survival
Randall Rothenberg argues that television will evolve and survive the mobile and online onslaught.
Labels:
advertising,
industry,
internet,
mobile,
predictions,
spectatorship
New In Media Res
Theme: Stadium Entertainment
- Monday, April 27, 2015 - Kimberly A. Owczarski (Texas Christian University) presents: Marvel Universe Live, the Lectro-Link, and the Live-Action Entertainment Experience
- Tuesday, April 28, 2015 - Eleanor M. Huntington (University of Southern Califronia) presents: Mascot Life.
- Wednesday, April 29, 2015 - Susan Nance (University of Guelph) presents: Fin Lives in My iPhone
- Thursday, April 30, 2015 - Alex Kupfer (New York University) presents: A New View: Marketing Training Media to Sports Fans
- Friday, May 1, 2015 - Markus Stauff (University of Amsterdam) presents: The augmented live experience: Google Glass in the stadium
Labels:
characters,
google,
live,
marketing,
marvel,
spectatorship,
sports,
transmedia
Don Lemon Profile
Taffy Brodesser-Akner profiles CNN's Don Lemon.
Labels:
african-americans/blacks,
cable news,
cnn,
don lemon,
lgbtq,
news,
race/ethnicity,
stardom/celebrity
Upfronts Primer
Eric Blattberg explains the basics of the upfronts.
Labels:
advertising,
networks,
revenue,
upfronts
Jenner Coverage
Ina Fried says Bruce Jenner's interview with Diane Sawyer is like an "Ellen moment" for the transgender community. Andrew Wallenstein is doubtful that the upcoming E! reality series chronicling Jenner's transition can measure up to the value and quality of the interview, but Andy Dehnart sees promise in the series for both Jenner's story and the future of reality TV.
Outlander Radicalism
Maureen Ryan highlights a radical representation in Outlander in the form of male genitalia.
Labels:
characters,
gender,
outlander,
representation,
starz
Game of Thrones Premiere Growth
HBO has announced big L+7 viewing numbers for Game of Thrones' season premiere .
Labels:
c7/l+7,
game of thrones,
hbo,
ratings,
time shifting
Pay TV Coverage
Hilary Stout says dissatisfied Time Warner Cable customers are disappointed that Comcast won't save them, and Harry A. Jessell insists we shouldn't cheer the merger's collapse. Colin Dixon offers four suggestions to Comcast in the failed merger's wake. Time Warner Cable and Charter are now talking. ESPN has filed suit against Verizon's skinny bundle packages, and Phillip Swann sees problems with Cablevision's new "cord cutter plan." Phillip Swann outlines winners and losers of the Comcast-TWC deal collapse.
Williams' Fate
Even as news leaks of more alleged Brian Williams lies, so too does word that the new NBC News chief wants him back. But Stephen Battaglio says the prospects for him to return are fading.
Labels:
brian williams,
nbc news
Sunday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Nothing
- Losers: A.D. The Bible Continues (NBC), Revenge (ABC), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: Nothing
- Losers: A.D. The Bible Continues (NBC), Revenge (ABC), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
sunday ratings
Good TVeets
Skynet became self-aware quicker than Don Draper.
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) April 27, 2015
I wouldn’t have guessed Pete Campbell could top “Not great, Bob!” but… Well… Here we are.
— Daniel Fienberg (@HitFixDaniel) April 27, 2015
Really enjoying this episode of 'The Real Housewives of King's Landing' #GameofThrones
— James Hibberd (@JamesHibberd) April 27, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Shonda Rhimes, Serial Killer
Gwen Ihnat argues that Shonda Rhimes' pattern of character killing has gotten rote.
Labels:
characters,
drama,
grey's anatomy,
narrative,
scandal,
serialization,
showrunners,
the good wife
Suit Design
Sundi Rose-Holt talks to costume designers from shows like Scandal, The Good Wife, and, of course, Suits about dressing men in suits.
Labels:
better call saul,
black-ish,
characters,
costumes,
gender,
mad men,
ray donovan,
revenge,
scandal,
suits,
the good wife
White House Correspondents' Dinner
Journalists, politicians, and celebrities gathered for the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner last night. President Obama got his usual digs in, and Keegan-Michael Key appeared as Luther, Obama's anger translator. SNL's Cecily Strong offered up jokes as host.
Comcast Coverage
Eric Lipton notes that Comcast's intense lobbying wasn't enough to get the TWC merger done. Thomas Gryta and Joe Flint explore why the AT&T-DirecTV merger isn't generating as much opposition, with broadband as the key, and Alison Griswold argues that mistrust of Comcast helped sink its deal. Mark Drajem and Chris Strohm highlight the evolution of FCC chairman Tom Wheeler from cable lobbyist to apparent consumer advocate.
Labels:
at+t,
broadband,
cable operators,
comcast,
consolidation,
directv,
fcc,
pay tv,
regulation,
time warner cable
Good TVeets
Permanent birth control is a big decision that can only be made while watching Hulu.
— Robin McCauley (@RobinMcCauley) April 25, 2015
big shout to my pals who praise the wire for its realism but also have trouble believing the baltimore PD would do anything untoward
— nomchompsky (@nomchompsky) April 25, 2015
In retrospect I'm kind of angry at Stephen Colbert for convincing people online they should pay attention to the WHC dinner.
— Jaime J. Weinman (@weinmanj) April 26, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Paying Less For TV
New analysis of cord cutter desires indicates people still want a lot of channels, they just want to pay less for them all.
Littlest Hobo Oral History
Elianna Lev offers an oral history of The Littlest Hobo, an iconic Canadian TV show.
Labels:
canada,
fandom,
history,
international,
production
Identifying With Black Representations
Bim Adewunmi expresses frustration that while black viewers frequently find points of identification with white characters and representations, especially due to their overwhelmingly presence, white viewers tend not to see themselves in black characters and representations.
Williams Inquiry Expanding
Apparently NBC is finding more Brian Williams lies as it digs deeper into his past comments.
Labels:
brian williams,
ethics,
nbc,
nbc news,
network news,
news
Jenner Coverage
Diane Sawyer's interview of Bruce Jenner was met with mostly positive reaction and big viewership numbers: Gabriel Arana says it set a new bar for reporting on transgender issues, Heather Havrilesky says it was a triumph, Brian Lowry says it overcame the hype, Brian Stelter says the interview with met with an outpouring of love, and Andy Dehnart was engaged throughout. Jenner will now star in an E! series about the gender transition.
Good TVeets
A Republican trans woman who is an Olympic champ and reality show star. Y'all. You can't make this up. Only in America in the 21st century.
— Natalie Tindall (@dr_tindall) April 25, 2015
I feel like Judith Butler should be in the corner of the screen explaining #BruceJenner tonight
— ProfB (@AntheaButler) April 25, 2015
Apparently a lot of you find #BruceJennerABC to be really informative. Just imagine if you listened to trans voices all the time #transwreck
— Josie Nemo (@offwhitemonster) April 25, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Friday, April 24, 2015
Netflix & HBO Value
Sam Mattera covers the comparative stock valuation of HBO and Netflix, while Will Richmond's podcast discusses Netflix's "friend or foe" status relative to the TV industry.
Labels:
conglomeration,
hbo,
industry,
netflix,
over-the-top,
revenue,
streaming,
time warner,
video-on-demand,
wall street
Grey's Attention
Todd VanDerWerff deconstructs the "Grey's Anatomy is still on?" reaction that some had last night and explores why it indeed deserves to still be on. There was also significant tweeting throughout the episode, with apparent East Coast and West Coast spikes at the end of the episode.
Labels:
characters,
drama,
grey's anatomy,
ratings,
soap opera,
spectatorship,
twitter,
twitter ratings
More Comcast Coverage
Tim Wu covers what brought about the demise of the Comcast-Time Warner Cable deal. Richard Greenfield considers what's next for various video providers. Shalini Ramachandran says Charter will now go after TWC.
New CST
Check out a new issue of Critical Studies in Television featuring:
- The Chaos of Choice on Television by Douglas Howard
- The Advent of the TV Blockbuster by Simon Brown
- From Ramsey Street, With Love by Liz Giuffre
- Sounding Loneliness by Sean Redmond
Labels:
australia,
binge viewing,
game of thrones,
imports,
lost,
music,
screens,
six feet under,
soap opera,
sound,
spectatorship,
the x-files,
true detective,
tv guides
Jenner Dilemma
Brian Stelter highlights the dilemma journalists are grappling with over what gendered pronoun to use in regard to Bruce Jenner.
Labels:
diane sawyer,
ethics,
gender,
lgbtq,
news,
representation
Peabody Awards and Valuing TV
Jonathan Gray discusses his experience on the Peabody Awards Board and the process of collaboratively determining value.
Labels:
awards,
criticism,
peabody awards,
spectatorship,
taste culture
Important Media Reporters
Mediaite offers a list of the eleven most important media reporters in 2015.
Thursday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
- Still Positive but Fading: Scandal (ABC)
- Not Worthy of Renewal: The Odd Couple (CBS)
- Losers: The Vampire Diaries (CW), Backstrom (Fox), Reign (CW), American Crime (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
- Still Positive but Fading: Scandal (ABC)
- Not Worthy of Renewal: The Odd Couple (CBS)
- Losers: The Vampire Diaries (CW), Backstrom (Fox), Reign (CW), American Crime (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Labels:
daily ratings,
thursday ratings
YouTube Past & Future
Brian Moylan looks back on how ten years of YouTube have changed television, and Joan E. Solsman looks forward and see YouTube stars representing the future of mainstream entertainment.
Labels:
history,
internet,
online video,
stardom/celebrity,
streaming,
youtube
Bundle Hate
George Simpson says cable subscribers should be fighting against bundling and calling for more control over what they pay for.
HBO News Risk
Andrew Tyndall says HBO is taking a risk by entering into the news business with Vice.
Labels:
bill maher,
cable news,
channel branding,
hbo,
news,
premium channels,
programming,
real sports,
vice media
Original Content Strategy
Alan Wolk sees the importance of high-quality original series continuing as networks seek to stand out.
Labels:
amc,
channel branding,
licensing,
marketing,
merchandise,
netflix,
quality tv,
social media,
sponsorship,
syndication,
vikings,
web series
Orphan Black Ratings
Orphan Black premiered on Saturday not just on BBC America but across a spectrum of AMC Networks channels. The latter circumstance resulted in an all-time viewership high for the series, though the numbers for BBC America individually were down from last season.
Labels:
amc,
amc networks,
bbc america,
bbc worldwide,
cable,
ifc,
orphan black,
ratings,
scheduling,
sundance channel,
wetv
Comcast Coverage
More coverage of the Comcast-Time Warner Cable deal falling through: Comcast confirmed the deal is dead this morning, and Time Warner Cable also released a statement. Todd Shields notes that Comcast's lobbying force failed, and Amy Schatz says this shows money can't buy everything. Tali Arbel says this won't stop the consolidation wave, and Peter Kafka says we still have a ways to go to get better broadband service. Michael Lev considers this bad news for the TWC-Dodgers impasse. Karl Bode has the Comcast employee perspective
Labels:
baseball,
broadband,
cable operators,
comcast,
consolidation,
failure,
fcc,
industry,
internet,
politics,
regulation,
time warner cable
Good TVeets
I understand you want to cancel your merger, Mr Comcast. First I just want to go through a few options to make sure that's the right choice.
— Kieran Healy (@kjhealy) April 23, 2015
Stop Interviewing Actors, Entertainment Journalism Is Ruining All Our Sex Dreams By Making Actors Share Their Stupid Opinions
— Sophast Sophurious (@insopherable) April 23, 2015
Guarding Steph Curry must be like trying to play NBA 2K on hard mode with no batteries in your controller and the TV turned off.
— Rob Fee (@robfee) April 24, 2015
Warning: Grey's Anatomy spoilers in here, though it's hard to imagine anyone managed to avoid them thus far.
Labels:
grey's anatomy,
tveets
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Awesomeness Mom Spinoff
AwesomenessTV will launch a new digital brand aimed at moms of millennials, with soaps and talk shows in the programming mix.
ESPN Exec to Fox Sports
Former ESPN executive Jamie Horowitz will head to Fox Sports to oversee programming for Fox Sports 1 and 2.
Labels:
espn,
first take,
fox sports,
fox sports 1,
fox sports 2,
sports
Schumer Sketch
Jessica Goldstein talks to the writers of the Inside Amy Schumer's Friday Night Lights-themed "Don't rape" sketch that went viral. Katie McDonough says it's a perfect takedown of rape culture.
Labels:
comedy,
friday night lights,
inside amy schumer,
writing
Dr. Oz Controversy
Talk show celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz is responding to a group of physicians insisting he should resign from Columbia University due to quackery. Brian Lowry has coverage of the episode in which Dr. Oz goes after his critics.
Labels:
controversy,
dr. oz,
ethics,
stardom/celebrity,
talk
Marvel Studios & TV Issue
Merrill Barr raises questions about communication issues between Marvel's movie and TV teams.
Cord Cutting Coverage
Nielsen insists cable is doing fine and cord cutting isn't proliferating. But Cablevision, for one, is offering a cord cutter's broadband package.
Labels:
broadband,
bundling/a la carte,
cablevision,
cord cutting,
hbo now,
internet,
nielsen
Verizon FiOS Ads Blocked
Disney and Fox are refusing to air ads for Verizon's FiOS service with smaller custom bundles.
Labels:
abc,
advertising,
bundling/a la carte,
disney,
fox,
nbcu,
verizon
Docs in PBS Prime Time
Independent Lens and POV will stay in prime time on all PBS outlets and will see increased marketing.
Labels:
documentary,
independent lens,
marketing,
pbs,
pov,
prime time,
public broadcasting,
scheduling
More Peabodys
Peabody awards for documentary, educational, children's, and public service programming were announced today.
Labels:
awards,
children,
documentary,
education,
peabody awards,
public interest
Comcast Deal Off
Alex Sherman reports that Comcast will abandon its plan to merge with Time Warner Cable due to likely regulator disapproval. The NYT also reports, as do Financial Times and Shalini Ramachandran. Erin Griffith wonders what Comcast will buy next. Joe Flint says this is a black eye for Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. Jonathan Mahler says the focus on broadband killed the deal.
Hulu-Turner Deal
Hulu forged a deal with Turner for exclusive SVOD rights to Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, TBS, TNT content.
Labels:
adult swim,
cartoon network,
hulu,
hulu plus,
licensing,
reruns,
streaming,
tbs,
tnt,
turner,
video-on-demand
Complex TV Endings
An excerpt from Jason Mittell's new book on complex TV covers endings in serial dramas.
Labels:
angel,
buffy the vampire slayer,
deadwood,
drama,
finales,
lost,
narrative,
serialization,
the sopranos,
the wire
Letterman Special
David Letterman will exit his show with a prime-time special.
Labels:
cbs,
comedy,
david letterman,
late night,
prime time,
talk
AT&T and The Flash
Ed Martin looks at how AT&T is working on-screen promotions into The Flash.
Labels:
advertising,
at+t,
graphics,
marketing,
sponsorship,
the cw,
the flash
BBC3 Delay
The possible move of BBC Three online has been delayed to 2016 as regulators continue to ponder approval.
Labels:
bbc,
international,
online tv,
regulation
Mad Men & Women in Advertising
A female advertising exec offers her take on Mad Men's portrayal of women in the business.
Labels:
advertising,
characters,
gender,
history,
mad men,
representation
Ad Personalization
Brian Steinberg documents a push toward more narrowly audience-targeted ads on TV.
Labels:
advertising,
data mining/market research,
networks
Rerun Afterlife
Adriene Hill looks at the evolving value of reruns, as streaming services dig into traditional syndication practices.
Labels:
online tv,
programming,
reruns,
revenue,
streaming,
syndication,
video-on-demand
Election Shutdown
The British channel E4 will go dark on election day to encourage young people to vote.
Labels:
age,
channel 4,
effects,
politics,
social issues,
spectatorship
Influential Ads
Food Network and HGTV topped a survey into the likelihood that viewers would buy products a channel advertised.
Facebook Video Partners
Todd Spangler reports that Facebook is teaming with partners like Vice, Funny or Die, and Disney to develop sponsored video content.
Labels:
advertising,
demographics,
disney,
facebook,
marketing,
online video,
social media,
sponsorship,
vice media
Louie's Representation of Single Dads
Craig Tomashoff appreciates how Louie portrays the single dad.
Labels:
characters,
gender,
louie,
representation
Jenner Interview Promos
Brian Stelter highlights ABC's promotional strategy for Diane Swayer's interview with Bruce Jenner.
Labels:
abc,
diane sawyer,
lgbtq,
marketing,
talk
Community's Pedagogy
Stephanie Brown explores the pop culture instructional function of Community.
Labels:
characters,
comedy,
community,
convention,
fandom,
narrative,
sitcoms,
spectatorship
Kid in the Hall Tour
Kids in the Hall members did a radio interview about their upcoming tour and why Canadian TV today doesn't have a show like it.
Labels:
canada,
comedy,
international,
kids in the hall
Weather Channel-Dish Deal
The Weather Channel struck a new carriage agreement with Dish Network and will appear on Sling TV this summer.
Labels:
carriage,
carriage fees,
dish network,
sling tv,
the weather channel
Purge-Watching
Adam Sternbergh proposes purge-watching as the term for viewing a show to completion because you feel obligated to finish, not because you like it.
Labels:
binge viewing,
broadchurch,
daredevil,
gotham,
house of cards,
spectatorship
The Life & Death of Playmakers
Aaron Gordon reports on Playmakers, the short-lived ESPN drama about pro football, and how the NFL killed it.
Labels:
controversy,
drama,
espn,
football,
representation,
social issues,
sports
Aereo Settlement
Aereo will pay $950,000 to the broadcast networks in a settlement of its copyright violation suit.
The Decline of Bundling
Ben Popper says the giant bundle business model of cable TV is dying.
Labels:
apple tv,
bundling/a la carte,
cable,
cord cutting,
disney,
espn,
hbo,
hbo now,
industry,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
predictions,
sling tv,
verizon
Pilot Trends
Andrea Morabito looks at what trends are apparent from the fall pilots in play. And Scott Collins notes that racial diversity is one of those trends.
Labels:
2015-16 season,
anthology,
casting,
development,
diversity,
drama,
networks,
pilots,
race/ethnicity,
religion,
sitcoms,
sports
Mad Men Oral History
This was all over Twitter feed the past few days, so you probably saw it already, but just in case: Clickhole's oral history of Mad Men is a must-read.
Mad Men Style
Tom and Lorenzo analyze costuming in "The Forecast." Alexandra Jacobs talks to Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant about what's next for her.
Labels:
aesthetics,
costumes,
mad men,
set design
Netflix Nostalgia
Sam Thielman says Netflix's algorithms reveal the nostalgia that is bringing shows like Full House back.
Labels:
age,
data mining/market research,
friends,
full house,
netflix,
reruns,
sitcoms,
spectatorship
Sirens Cancelled
USA has cancelled Sirens, and the fact that they don't own the show played a role in the decision. Merrill Barr digs into that fact further and argues that Netflix or FX should save the series.
Labels:
cancellation,
fx,
netflix,
program ownership,
ratings,
sirens,
usa network
Lip Sync Battle Renewed
Not surprisingly, Spike TV wants a second season of Lip Sync Battle.
Labels:
lip sync battle,
renewals,
spike tv
SVOD & Streaming Viewing
Nielsen has a new study about viewing habits, which stresses viewers gaining power over how and when they watch. A different study finds streaming overtaking live TV as preferred viewing for Americans, plus SVOD viewers wouldn't mind more ads for cheaper services, while another study finds that connected TV owners are active video streamers. Colin Dixon notes conflicting data on the speed of SVOD growth. Nielsen insists it could better measure online viewing if only networks and advertisers would let it, while figures show that Netflix viewing is eating into TV ratings, particular with network rerun content. Will Richmond says new research shows that pay TV subscribers value TV Everywhere options, though most are light users right now.
The Americans Interviews
Alan Sepinwall talks to the producers of The Americans about season 3. Todd VanDerWerff also talked with a co-showrunner about the season finale.
Labels:
characters,
finales,
narrative,
showrunners,
the americans,
writing
Wednesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Survivor (CBS), Modern Family (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS)
- Honorable Mention: The Goldbergs (ABC)
- Losers: Nothing…there was something for everyone!
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: Survivor (CBS), Modern Family (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS)
- Honorable Mention: The Goldbergs (ABC)
- Losers: Nothing…there was something for everyone!
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Labels:
daily ratings,
wednesday ratings
New Flow Issue
Check out a new issue of Flow featuring:
- Industry Lore and Algorithmic Programming on Netflix by Nick Marx
- Content That Travels: International Content and Original Programming on U.S. Streaming Sites by Karen Petruska
- Teaching Friday Night Lights by R. Colin Tait
- Ghost Directors in the Auteur Machine by David Church
- Your Tumblr Makes Me Want To Study: Thoughts about the studyblr community by Jacqueline Ryan Vickery
- Neighed to Order: The Case of BoJack Horseman by Matt Sienkiewicz
Anti-Piracy Search Engine
MPAA chief lobbyist Chris Dodd is hoping that the WhereToWatch.com search engine will help limit piracy by enabling people to more easily find desired legal content online.
Labels:
distribution,
internet,
movies,
mpaa,
piracy
Most Censored Countries
The Committee to Protect Journalists has posted a list of countries where censorship of the press is most extensive.
Labels:
azerbaijan,
censorship,
china,
cuba,
eritrea,
ethics,
ethiopia,
iran,
myanmar,
news,
north korea,
saudi arabia,
state broadcasting,
vietnam
Fresh Off the Boat Coverage
Josef Adalian talked to Fresh Off the Boat's showrunner about the first season, criticism from Eddie Huang, and what's next, as the season finale aired this week. Jeff Yang says the series has already changed TV, but Lenika Cruz wants more from a second season. Molly Fitzpatrick highlights how underrepresented Asian-Americans are on TV. Slate has a discussion of the series' representations that features Hudson Yang, who plays Eddie.
Labels:
acting,
asian-americans,
casting,
characters,
comedy,
fresh off the boat,
representation,
showrunners,
sitcoms,
writing
Monday & Tuesday Ratings
I missed ratings the past few days, so here's some catchup in case you did too:
Monday ratings summary from Marc Berman:
- Winners: Dancing with the Stars (ABC), The Voice (NBC), Scorpion (CBS)
- Disappointing: Gotham (Fox)
- Losers: The Originals (CW), The Following (Fox), Jane the Virgin (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Fienberg.
_____________
Tuesday ratings summary from Marc Berman:
- Winners: The Voice (NBC)
- Honorable Mention: Chicago Fire (NBC)
- Disappointing: Undateable (NBC)
- Losers: Repeat After Me (ABC), Weird Loners (Fox), One Big Happy (NBC), Forever (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Monday ratings summary from Marc Berman:
- Winners: Dancing with the Stars (ABC), The Voice (NBC), Scorpion (CBS)
- Disappointing: Gotham (Fox)
- Losers: The Originals (CW), The Following (Fox), Jane the Virgin (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Fienberg.
_____________
Tuesday ratings summary from Marc Berman:
- Winners: The Voice (NBC)
- Honorable Mention: Chicago Fire (NBC)
- Disappointing: Undateable (NBC)
- Losers: Repeat After Me (ABC), Weird Loners (Fox), One Big Happy (NBC), Forever (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
monday ratings,
tuesday ratings
Comcast Merger Dead?
The FCC is reportedly against the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger and wants a hto hold a hearing on the matter, which analysts say is a sign the deal could be dead. Criticism of Comcast has built in recent weeks, and both Comcast and TWC are among the most hated companies in the cable business. Dorothy Pomerantz questions if Comcast even needs TWC anymore given the state of the cable TV and broadband business now, and Brian Nichols says it doesn't matter for shareholder value anymore. Meanwhile, the AT&T-DirecTV merger possibility is still out there. Richard Greenfield considers what's next.
Labels:
at+t,
broadband,
cable operators,
comcast,
conglomeration,
consolidation,
directv,
fcc,
industry,
regulation,
time warner cable
Good TVeets
If it's wrong for a grown ass adult to get emotionally invested in supernatural couples on a teen show then I don't wanna be right.
— Richie (@RichieOnTV) April 21, 2015
Hey @PBS, can you censor some of the bullshit out of my family too?
— Scott Chernoff (@ScottChernoff) April 22, 2015
"Stop reading Twitter," she told herself, "And go do something productive, like watch TV."
— Maris Kreizman (@mariskreizman) April 23, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
5-Season Plan for Orphan Black
E! reports a comment from Orphan Black's co-creator that they have a five-season plan for the series.
Labels:
finales,
narrative,
orphan black,
showrunners,
writing
Finding Your Roots Issue
Ben Affleck explains why he wanted a slave-owning ancestor excised from his episode of Finding Your Roots, and PBS is now investigating the decisions behind the segment. Mary Elizabeth Williams is disappointed in PBS and what this represents about the state of public media. Gawker obtained a transcript of the full episode.
Bundle Dispute
Verizon says its "skinny bundles" offering is about consumer choice, but 21st Century Fox and NBCU have joined Disney in protesting the packages. More from Brian Stelter.
Labels:
21st century fox,
bundling/a la carte,
carriage fees,
contracts,
disney,
espn,
industry,
nbcu,
pay tv,
sling tv,
verizon
Comcast Hurdles
The WSJ reports again on the obstacles Comcast is now facing to its TWC merger plan (a link to the non-paywall link) Phillip Swann points to the DirecTV-Hulu role.
Labels:
comcast,
conglomeration,
consolidation,
directv,
hulu,
industry,
regulation,
time warner cable
ESPN Targeting Upstarts
Brian Steinberg highlights ESPN's pre-upfronts promos showcasing their advertising advantage over upstart video competitors like BuzzFeed and Funny or Die.
Labels:
advertising,
buzzfeed,
channel branding,
demographics,
espn,
gender,
internet,
marketing,
online video,
race/ethnicity,
sports,
upfronts
Discovery's Personal Pitch
Anthony Crupi looks at Discovery's strategy to downscale upfronts and pitch more directly to advertisers.
Labels:
advertising,
discovery communications,
upfronts
Daredevil Renewed
Netflix wants a second season of Daredevil, though different showrunners will take over.
Labels:
daredevil,
netflix,
renewals,
showrunners,
web series
Netflix & Amazon Content
Lucas Shaw says program ownership is the key next step for Netflix. And Issie Lapowsky talks to Cindy Holland, vice president of original content at Netflix and Roy Price, VP of Amazon Studios, about their companies' respective content strategies.
Labels:
amazon,
development,
house of cards,
licensing,
movies,
netflix,
program ownership,
programming,
roy price,
streaming,
web series
Crime Show Analysis
Rick Porter watched 78 hours of crime procedurals and identifies core conventions, including victim identities.
Labels:
blue bloods,
bones,
characters,
chicago pd,
convention,
criminal minds,
csi,
drama,
elementary,
gender,
hawaii five-0,
law and order,
narrative,
ncis,
person of interest,
procedural,
stalker,
violence
TV and Feminism
Cleo, a journal of film and feminism, offers a TV-focused issue, with essays on Murder She Wrote, Veronica Mars, Transparent, Adventure Time, Love & Hip Hop, crime drama, TV online, and Issa Rae.
TV Criticism Pulitzer
LA Times TV critic Mary McNamara has won a Pulitzer Prize. The Times links to the columns that earned her the prize.
High Maintenance to TV
Peter Kafka points to High Maintenance going to HBO as an example that TV is still the desired destination for web series.
Labels:
hbo,
high maintenance,
vimeo,
web series
Late Night Comedy
Labels:
comedy,
conan o'brien,
gender,
jimmy fallon,
jimmy kimmel,
late night,
writing
Stewart's Departure Date
Jon Stewart will exit The Daily Show on August 6.
Labels:
comedy central,
jon stewart,
the daily show
Monday, April 20, 2015
Netflix as TV Friend & Foe
Will Richmond lays out reasons why TV should consider Netflix both a friend and a foe.
Comcast Deal Collapse Impact
Gerry Smith & Alex Sherman consider what impact a collapse of the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger would bring.
Ailes Interview
Marisa Guthrie has a lengthy interview with and profile of Fox News chief Roger Ailes.
Sunday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: The 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (CBS)
- Losers: Revenge (ABC), A.D.: The Bible Continues (NBC), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: The 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (CBS)
- Losers: Revenge (ABC), A.D.: The Bible Continues (NBC), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Labels:
daily ratings,
sunday ratings
HBO Piracy Pursuit
TorrentFreak says HBO is sending warnings to those who shared leaked Game of Thrones episodes, though no legal consequences will follow.
Labels:
bittorrent,
distribution,
game of thrones,
hbo,
internet,
law,
piracy
Peabody News Awards
Peabody Awards for news reporting have been announced, and CNN, Vice News, NPR, and the podcast Serial are among the winners. Hilary Lewis reports.
Labels:
awards,
cable news,
cnn,
news,
peabody awards,
podcasts,
public broadcasting,
radio,
vice media
Netflix Originals
Emily Steel reports that Netflix is banking on its exclusive originals for its future viability.
Good TVeets
Hey remember when it was Sunday-Funday and not Sunday-Watch 17 TV Shows or Be Culturally Steamrolled Day
— Josh Lincoln Dickey (@NotoriousJLD) April 19, 2015
Glen Bishop: making #MadMen uncomfortable since Season 1
— Kelly Leveille (@kayleveay) April 20, 2015
There must be at least ten clients on Mad Men who are like hey where the fuck are my ads?
— aaron blitzstein (@BlitznBeans) April 20, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Sunday, April 19, 2015
60 Minutes Footage
60 Minutes defends its use of graphic sarin gas attack footage tonight. Brian Stelter reports that many viewers agreed that the footage was necessary.
Labels:
60 minutes,
cbs news,
ethics,
network news,
news,
violence
TV Viewing Declines
A new report from Accenture finds significant global declines among all age groups in traditional TV viewing, though some are frustrated with the quality of online services.
Labels:
advertising,
households,
international,
mobile,
online tv,
screens,
spectatorship,
streaming,
technology,
tv sets
Zaslav Profile
Jack Dickey profiles Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav (behind Time paywall).
Labels:
cable,
discovery communications
Upfronts Info
Adweek has an infographic about last year's upfronts, and Mark Joyella says upfronts are as important as ever.
Labels:
ad rates,
advertising,
networks,
predictions,
social media,
upfronts
Burnett & Downey
Jason Lynch talks to Mark Burnett about his mastery of TV and profiles the Burnett-Roma Downey partnership.
Twitter Losing Ground
New research claims Twitter is losing ground to Facebook in terms of social TV habits.
Labels:
facebook,
live,
social media,
spectatorship,
twitter
Dodgers Fans Deal
Richard Sandomir looks at how Los Angeles Dodgers fans who don't subscribe to Time Warner Cable are dealing with not being able to watch their games on TV.
Labels:
baseball,
carriage,
carriage fees,
fandom,
regional networks,
spectatorship,
sports,
time warner cable
Public Screening Crackdown
HBO has told a Brooklyn bar that they can't host live public screenings of Game of Thrones.
Univision Saturday
Giovanni Rodriguez hopes Univision keeps trying to find ways to bring Hispanic audiences together on Saturday nights after Sabado Gigante is gone.
Labels:
latino/a,
programming,
saturday,
scheduling,
spanish-language,
spectatorship,
univision,
variety shows
Unsubscribing From Sky
Sounds like the British have the same difficulty unsubscribing from Sky that Americans do with Comcast.
Labels:
britain,
cable operators,
international,
pay tv,
satellite,
sky/bskyb,
spectatorship
Watch Amy Schumer
Mackenzie Dawson insists that everyone, men and women alike, should be watching Inside Amy Schumer.
Labels:
comedy,
comedy central,
gender,
inside amy schumer,
representation
Rose Joining FS1
Pete Rose will join Fox Sports 1 as an analyst.
Labels:
baseball,
controversy,
fox sports 1,
sports
Comcast & TWC Meet with DOJ
On the heels of a report that the Justice Department is leaning against approving the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, representatives of the companies will meet with Justice officials. More WSJ reporting on this.
Labels:
broadband,
cable operators,
comcast,
consolidation,
fcc,
industry,
law,
regulation,
time warner cable
Stewart's Departure
Jon Stewart talked to The Guardian about why he's leaving The Daily Show as the 2016 elections loom.
Labels:
comedy,
jon stewart,
politics,
satire,
the daily show
Good TVeets
I'm super bummed about Sabado Gigante ending, but I can't wait to see what giant breasts do next.
— Vanessa Ramos (@thatRamosgirl) April 18, 2015
SHE LOOKS DIFFERENT AS EVERY CLONE BUT IT’S THE SAME PERSON AND MY BRAIN IS GOING TO EXPLODE #OrphanBlack #CloneClub #Clonesbians
— TheOtherNic (@CloneNic) April 19, 2015
AV Club gives the absence of TV a B+ pic.twitter.com/X09BS2XBMx
— The Quality of Matty (@digifreak642) April 18, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Saturday, April 18, 2015
ESPN Suspensions
Paul Farhi explores why ESPN seems to suspend so many personalities.
Labels:
controversy,
espn,
labor,
news,
stardom/celebrity
Finding Your Roots Omission
The latest Sony hack has brought out news of Ben Affleck demanding and receiving erasure of mention of a slave owner in his ancestry on PBS's Finding Your Roots.
Labels:
censorship,
documentary,
ethics,
finding your roots,
pbs,
stardom/celebrity
MacLaren's Directing
Michele MacLaren has reportedly been fired from Wonder Woman partly because Warner Bros. feared her TV directing expertise wouldn't translate to an epic action film. Mike Vago also covers the story.
Labels:
breaking bad,
directing,
gender,
labor,
movies,
warner bros.
Friday, April 17, 2015
Fresh Off the Boat Praise
Sonia Saraiya appreciates that Fresh Off the Boat is a more challenging sitcom than Cristela.
Vessel Funding
Peter Kafka says Vessel has raised more money to fund its quest to battle YouTube.
Labels:
online video,
revenue,
vessel,
youtube
Late-Night Viral Competition
John Jurgensen looks at late-night show competition in the viral video realm.
Labels:
comedy,
david letterman,
james corden,
jimmy fallon,
jimmy kimmel,
late night,
networks,
online video,
talk,
twitter,
viral media
Gogglebox Interview
Stefania Marghitu offers part 1 of an interview with the creator behind Gogglebox, Britain's delightful show about TV watching. Part 2 is now up. The final part is now up.
Sábado Gigante Ending
Univision has announced that it will end the very long-running variety series Sábado Gigante. Nina Terrero explains why the show matters. Yvonne Villarreal and Meg James report on the cancellation.
Cristela Praise
With the first season of her series ending tonight, Cristela Alonzo offers a defense of the multi-cam Cristela against criticism of its representations and hope for a renewal. Josef Adalian says the series does deserve a second season, and David Sims says the show proves there's still life in the multi-cam format. Pilot Viruet argues that the series is smart and its diversity is vital.
Labels:
abc,
characters,
class,
comedy,
cristela,
diversity,
friday,
gender,
latino/a,
multi-cam,
race/ethnicity,
representation,
sitcoms,
writing
Comcast-TWC Merger in Doubt
Bloomberg reports that the Justice Department's antitrust division is leaning toward rejecting the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger. Brian Stelter also reports.
Labels:
cable operators,
comcast,
consolidation,
regulation,
time warner cable
Verizon Skinny Bundles
Verizon's FiOS is offering pay TV subscribers their choice of "skinny bundles" of channels, with the freedom to swap out the smaller packages from month to month. Peter Kafka says this gets us closer to true a la carte TV. Shalini Ramachandran and Ryan Knutson look at this as the result of heavy competition.
Update: Peter Kafka reports that Disney believes these bundles could violate its existing agreement with Verizon.
Update: Peter Kafka reports that Disney believes these bundles could violate its existing agreement with Verizon.
Shooting Video Fee
News outlets now must pay if they want to air the video footage of a South Carolina man being killed by a police officer. Some are taking issue with the reporting done by the NYT on this story (which is at the first link), and there might be a fair use provision here.
Thursday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Scandal (ABC), Mom (CBS)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Bones (Fox), The Vampire Dairies (CW), Backstrom (Fox), Reign (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Scandal (ABC), Mom (CBS)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Bones (Fox), The Vampire Dairies (CW), Backstrom (Fox), Reign (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Labels:
daily ratings,
thursday ratings
Female TV Politicians
Sonia Saraiya considers how TV's female politicians help us reflect on the real thing in Hillary Clinton. Mary McNamara also covers this topic.
Game of Thrones Twitter Reaction
Adam Flomenbaum explores the Twitter analytics tied to the Game of Thrones premiere.
Labels:
characters,
game of thrones,
rape,
sex,
spectatorship,
twitter,
violence
PLL's Social Media Success
Michelle Castillo explores how ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars has capitalized on social media so effectively.
Labels:
abc family,
facebook,
fandom,
instagram,
marketing,
pretty little liars,
social media,
spectatorship,
tumblr,
twitter
NAB Podcast
Will Richmond and Colin Dixon chat about their takeaways from the 2015 NAB show.
Labels:
cloud services,
crackle,
nab,
production,
spectatorship,
streaming,
technology,
tv everywhere
Awards Show Glut
Oriana Schwindt explains why there are so many awards shows on the network schedule.
Labels:
awards,
live,
networks,
programming,
ratings,
spectatorship
American Crime Plea
Robert Rorke argues that American Crime is important enough for ABC to renew despite low ratings.
Labels:
abc,
american crime,
drama,
race/ethnicity,
ratings,
representation,
social issues
Idol's Struggles
Tony Maglio wonders how long Fox will stick with American Idol as its ratings continue to decline.
Labels:
american idol,
fox,
ratings,
reality tv
Sex Box Pulled
WeTV has pulled Sex Box off the air, but might still retool it.
Labels:
cancellation,
controversy,
ptc,
sex,
sex box,
wetv
SNL Documentary
Kevin Fallon describes a new Saturday Night Live documentary that explores its complicated history.
Labels:
comedy,
documentary,
saturday night live
Black Comedy Reboots
Dee Lockett questions why black sitcoms of the 1990s aren't part of the reboot frenzy.
Degrassi & Sexual Assault
Elena Rivera looks back on the importance of a sexual assault plot arc in Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Labels:
characters,
degrassi,
drama,
gender,
narrative,
representation,
sex,
social issues
Nat Geo at Night
Brian Steinberg covers the newest entry in late night, National Geographic Channel's StarTalk, a science talk show hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Labels:
late night,
national geographic,
neil degrasse tyson,
science,
startalk,
talk
Outlander Love & Costumes
Bruce Fretts profiles the costume design and romance behind-the-scenes of Outlander.
Labels:
characters,
costumes,
drama,
outlander,
showrunners,
starz
Framing Clinton's Announcement
Chuck Tryon analyzes how superficially and artificially TV news outlets treated Hillary Clinton's presidential declaration.
Labels:
bias,
cable news,
fox news,
news,
politics,
saturday night live
Online Ad Dollars
Toni Fitzgerald reports that digital video ad dollars spent aren't nearly measuring up to the number of hours people spend watching content.
Labels:
advertising,
internet,
online video,
spectatorship
Local News & Facebook
Dale Blasingame insists local newsrooms need to take advantage of Facebook and post original video content there, not just teases for the TV broadcast.
Labels:
advertising,
broadcasting,
facebook,
internet,
local news,
news,
online video
FCC Auction Jackpot
Rebecca R. Ruiz looks at the combined excitement and concern that local broadcasters have over the upcoming spectrum auction.
Labels:
broadcasting,
fcc,
industry,
local,
revenue,
spectrum,
station ownership
Sweeps Stunts
Bill Cromwell highlights the network sweeps programming to come in May.
Labels:
david letterman,
finales,
general hospital,
networks,
ratings,
sweeps,
telenovela,
univision,
wayward pines
Good TVeets
Me: Star Wars, I love you.
Star Wars Trailer: I know.
— Cameron Chittock (@CameronChittock) April 16, 2015
Star Wars trailer definitely did its job, though tbh you could put John Williams' score over a shot of a rutabaga and I'd get a tiny chill.
— Andy Daglas (@AndyDaglas) April 16, 2015
NO YOU'RE CRYING ABOUT AN OLD MAN AND A GIANT DOGBEAR
— Beastbrarian (@amydieg) April 16, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Lip Sync Battle's Success
Josef Adalian breaks down the success of Spike TV's Lip Sync Battle.
Labels:
cable,
demographics,
jimmy fallon,
lip sync battle,
nbc,
reality tv,
spike tv,
stardom/celebrity,
viral media