Keeping TV Studies students informed of news, views, and reviews about television
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Last Summer Hiatus
I've got one last summer trip that will take me away from the blog, but I'll be back early next week. You can follow #TCA15 on Twitter to keep up with all of that news in the meantime.
Good TVeets
Was going to make a joke about an all-male Little Women but then remembered Entourage
— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) July 30, 2015
FX launches emojis based on its series, but leaves out #YoureTheWorst. I'll continue to wait for a "vibrator housefire" emoji in vain.
— Ryan McGee (@TVMcGee) July 29, 2015
I'm 28 minutes into #bb17 and I've been uncomfortable for the past 28 minutes
— Ali Lasher (@lashtweets) July 30, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Digital Siphoning From TV
Anthony Crupi reports on how much digital media is siphoning ad dollars away from network TV.
Labels:
advertising,
cable,
digital,
networks
Measuring TV Everywhere's Growth
TV Everywhere use is growing, but Nielsen measurement and viewing challenges remain.
The Game's Legacy
Emily Yahr takes note of the impending series finale of The Game and considers its impact.
Netflix Costs
Cory Barker considers the consequences of Netflix's spending spree on content rights and original programming.
Labels:
amazon,
budgets,
hulu,
licensing,
netflix,
pay tv rates/subscriber fees,
streaming,
video-on-demand,
web series
Only Black Writer
Gene Demby addresses the Wyatt Cynac/Jon Stewart story by exploring the idea of being the only black person in the writers' room.
FX Emojis
FX Networks has released an app full of emojis that represent many of its series.
Labels:
apps,
fx,
fx networks,
fxx,
marketing,
social media,
viral media
New Daily Show
Trevor Noah took the stage at TCA today. Noah says the Daily Show will change in his tenure, though, Alex Weprin notes that the senior staff and correspondents will carry over from Stewart's reign.
Labels:
comedy,
comedy central,
fox news,
jon stewart,
news,
politics,
satire,
the daily show,
trevor noah
Audiences & Advertisers
Gavin Douglas says the next evolution of television will be powered by better data about audiences for advertisers.
HBO's Push
Matt Brennan looks at how HBO is making a push to dominate in all areas of television programming.
Labels:
bill simmons,
channel branding,
comedy,
drama,
hbo,
last week tonight,
news,
premium channels,
programming,
sports,
talk
Network Questions
Michael O'Connell proposes tough questions that should be fired at broadcast network chiefs this TCA.
Daily Show Ad Rates
Viacom is asking big money for a 30-second spot during Jon Stewart's final Daily Show.
Labels:
ad rates,
advertising,
comedy central,
jon stewart,
the daily show,
viacom
Live TV Declines
Tim Stenovec says the importance of live television will only continue to decline as content availability expands.
Labels:
live,
netflix,
spectatorship,
time shifting,
video-on-demand
ESPN's Competitors
Bill Cromwell looks at how Fox Sports 1 and NBC Sports Network are trying to encroach on ESPN's sports rights turf.
Labels:
espn,
fox sports 1,
golf,
licensing,
nbc sports network/versus,
racing,
sports
DVRed Dramas
Toni Fitzgerald notes that network summer dramas are doing well in DVR viewership compared to live viewing.
Labels:
drama,
live,
networks,
ratings,
reality tv,
summer,
the whispers,
time shifting,
under the dome,
wayward pines
Amazon Picks Up Sneaky Pete
Amazon has picked up Sneaky Pete, a pilot that CBS passed on for fall.
Labels:
amazon,
cbs,
pilots,
sneaky pete
Cait's Ratings
I Am Cait performed solidly in the ratings, and Josef Adalian notes that the show's premiere brought new viewers over to E!.
Labels:
demographics,
e network,
i am cait,
lgbtq,
ratings,
reality tv
Noah Performance
Incoming Daily Show host Trevor Noah performed stand-up for TV critics yesterday.
Labels:
comedy,
tca,
the daily show,
trevor noah
Banshee Ending
The creators of Banshee say they decided to end the series at season 4 because the story naturally ends there, not because Cinemax cancelled it.
Netflix Storytelling
Todd VanDerWerff says the Netflix model for original series is creating a new form of storytelling.
Netflix at TCA
TCA began with Netflix yesterday: Ted Sarandos talked about some upcoming series, like more Arrested Development; BoJack Horseman has been renewed; there were panels on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Orange in the New Black, Longmire, Wet Hot American Summer, Sense 8, Aziz Ansari's Master of None, and Bloodline; Chelsea Handler talked about her upcoming series; and documentarians talked about why they love Netflix.
Liz Shannon Miller says a lesson of the day is that Netflix is doing things right.
Liz Shannon Miller says a lesson of the day is that Netflix is doing things right.
Good TVeets
I'm a House Hunter, but I use every part of the house.
— Caissie St.Onge (@Caissie) July 28, 2015
How quickly can ZOO write in an ill-fated dentist character?
— Matt Mitovich (@MattMitovich) July 29, 2015
One of these years, Netflix is going to just light a bunch of DVDs on fire onstage while everyone under 30 cheers rapturously. #TCA15
— Todd VanDerWerff (@tvoti) July 28, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Harrison Criticizes UnREAL
The Bachelor franchise host Chris Harrison unloaded on UnREAL, calling it "really terrible."
Labels:
reality tv,
the bachelor/the bachelorette,
unreal
ESPN'S Future Online
Colin Dixon responds to Disney saying ESPN won't be OTT anytime soon by pointing out that sports leagues have already gotten there and might not be dependent on ESPN in the future online world.
Labels:
baseball,
basketball,
bundling/a la carte,
disney,
espn,
football,
hockey,
internet,
licensing,
live,
online tv,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
predictions,
soccer,
sports
Live-Streaming Super Bowl Ads
Brian Steinberg reports that CBS will live-stream all of the Super Bowl ads during the game's online airing.
Labels:
cbs,
live,
multi-platform,
online ratings,
online tv,
ratings,
streaming,
super bowl
Verizon Adds HBO Now
Verizon will now offer HBO Now to broadband subscribers and will add it to the Go90 mobile service.
Labels:
go90,
hbo,
hbo now,
over-the-top,
verizon
Public Broadcasting Under Threat
Rebecca Kesby looks at the pressures pushing down public service broadcasting in Britain and around the globe.
Labels:
australia,
bbc,
budgets,
canada,
international,
politics,
public broadcasting
Weather Channel CEO Confident
Weather Channel's CEO thinks the future is bright despite ratings declines, subscriber losses, and a Comcast snub.
Broadcast's Platform
Harry A. Jessell says despite viewer erosion and fragmentation, the broadcast networks still offer the best video advertising platform. But John Gruber points out the impending game-changer of kids not watching TV.
Labels:
advertising,
cbs,
children,
demographics,
networks,
nfl network,
ratings,
spectatorship,
teens
BBC Store
The BBC will launch a paid online video download service, available only to UK users.
Labels:
bbc,
bbc worldwide,
britain,
downloads,
international,
video-on-demand
Daily Show News
Politico reports that Jon Stewart made secret visits to the White House during his Daily Show run. Scott Timberg says this looks bad for Stewart's integrity and independence. Meanwhile, all of the current Daily Show correspondents will stay around when Trevor Noah takes over.
Labels:
comedy,
ethics,
jon stewart,
politics,
the daily show,
trevor noah
BoJack Season 2
Margaret Lyons talks to BoJack Horseman's creator on the show's second season.
Labels:
animation,
bojack horseman,
characters,
narrative,
netflix,
showrunners,
writing
Netflix's Original Rise
Josef Adalian highlights Netflix's rapid rise in original programming output, as it now outpaces its cable competition.
Labels:
comedy,
drama,
fx,
hbo,
netflix,
programming,
video-on-demand,
web series
Anti-Google Campaign
Mike Masnick reports on MPAA emails that reveal plans for "a coordinated propaganda campaign of bogus anti-Google stories."
Writing & Development Hell
TV writer Mere Smith tweeted about the challenges of sustaining a TV writing career through development hell.
Labels:
development,
industry,
labor,
pilots,
writing
Muslim-American Actors
Jon Ronson profiles seven Muslim-American actors who struggle against typecasting as terrorists.
Labels:
24,
acting,
casting,
characters,
csi,
discrimination,
homeland,
islam,
movies,
ncis,
representation
Complex Awards Landscape
Brian Steinberg says nominations for TV awards like the Emmys are inevitably complicated due to the proliferation of candidates.
Monday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: The Bachelorette (ABC), American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
- Honorable Mention: Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW)
- Losers (excluding repeats) Cedric’s Barber Battles (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: The Bachelorette (ABC), American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
- Honorable Mention: Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW)
- Losers (excluding repeats) Cedric’s Barber Battles (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
monday ratings
TCA Stakes
Tony Maglio considers who has the most at stake at this summer's TCA press tour, and Daniel Fienberg outlines the knowns and unknowns in regard to pilots going into TCA. Rob Owen reminds publicists why critics don't clap at press tour.
Labels:
2015-16 season,
amazon,
amc,
cable,
comedy central,
criticism,
el rey,
hbo,
marketing,
nielsen,
pilots,
tca,
the daily show,
trevor noah
Good TVeets
"It's a tough situation," says Harrison. Come on. You're sending them on group dates, not to the beaches of Normandy. #thebachelorette
— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) July 28, 2015
If Nick proposes, I bet he makes Kaitlyn reach into his pocket for the ring. #TheBachelorette
— Dana Weiss (@Possessionista) July 28, 2015
What if Billy Corgan is still on that Disneyland ride
— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) July 28, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Monday, July 27, 2015
True Detective & Auteur TV
Scott TImberg argues that True Detective illustrates the pitfalls of putting too much in the hands of a single showrunner auteur.
Labels:
authorship,
showrunners,
true detective,
writing
Sports Media Pregnancy
Richard Deitsch covers how women have handled being pregnant while working in sports media.
Labels:
cnn,
espn,
gender,
labor,
news,
nfl network,
social media,
sports,
stardom/celebrity
YouTube Success
Cecilia Kang looks at how strategic corporate planning has resulted in lucrative lives for some YouTube stars. And Lisa Richwine notes that TV networks showed up to VidCon to try to reach audiences they're losing to YouTube, but Richard Greenfield isn't optimistic about their chances. Will Richmond considers the pay TV perspective.
Labels:
advertising,
cbs,
children,
cord cutting,
demographics,
google,
grace helbig,
nickelodeon,
online video,
pay tv,
revenue,
salaries,
smosh,
spectatorship,
sponsorship,
stardom/celebrity,
teens,
youtube
TCA Press Tour
TCA's summer press tour begins tonight; check out the schedule of events. Jason Lynch explains what it's all about.
Roker on Meerkat
Brian Steinberg reports that Al Roker will debut three cooking shows on Meerkat this week.
Labels:
al roker,
cooking,
live,
meerkat,
online video,
streaming,
web series
Sunday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Celebrity Family Feud (ABC), Big Brother 17 (CBS)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Welcome to Sweden (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: Celebrity Family Feud (ABC), Big Brother 17 (CBS)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Welcome to Sweden (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
sunday ratings
ESPN & Disney Future
Disney CEO Bob Iger says ESPN could eventually unbundle but not within the next five years, and he's also excited about what Disney can do in China.
Labels:
bob iger,
bundling/a la carte,
carriage fees,
china,
disney,
espn,
international,
pay tv
New GH Head Writers
General Hospital is replacing its head writer with a pair of veteran soap writers.
Labels:
general hospital,
one life to live,
showrunners,
soap opera,
writing
Death of Satire
Ted Gioia laments the declining state of satire, which "mostly subsists as fake news stories served up as clickbait on social networks."
Stewart Tributes
TV Insider has a series of tributes to Jon Stewart from friends and colleagues and speculation about who might dominate late night in his wake.
Labels:
comedy,
jon stewart,
late night,
the daily show,
trevor noah
Netflix's DVD Business
Emily Steel looks at the state of Netflix's DVD operations, as it now turns most of its attention to streaming.
Labels:
dvd,
netflix,
streaming,
video-on-demand
RIP Peg Lynch
Writer and sitcom pioneer Peg Lynch has died. Rick Ellis has more on Lynch's work.
Labels:
gender,
history,
obituaries,
sitcoms,
writing
Comcast-Discovery Carriage Deal
Comcast and Discovery Communications have renewed their carriage agreement.
Labels:
cable,
carriage,
carriage fees,
comcast,
discovery communications,
streaming
Cosby Assault Stories
New York magazine talked with 35 women who accuse Bill Cosby of sexually assaulting them. (The site was previously down for unrelated reasons; you can read the article here if it goes offline again, or, of course, find it on your nearest newsstand.)
Labels:
bill cosby,
stardom/celebrity,
the cosby show
Good TVeets
Caitlyn Jenner deserves a Nobel Prize for making us proud to watch the E! Network.
— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) July 27, 2015
I would kill to sit in on a True Detective tone meeting. "No, darker. More serious. Ten times darker and more serious than what you think."
— Aaron Fullerton (@AaronFullerton) July 27, 2015
If you missed any portion of the current season of True Detective, here it is in its entirety. pic.twitter.com/SWDzPdtJhY
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) July 27, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Smosh Profile
Anne Helen Petersen profiles the Smosh comedy duo and their digital empire.
Labels:
grace helbig,
multi-platform,
online video,
smosh,
stardom/celebrity,
teens,
vine,
youtube
Hannibal's Music
Libby Hill takes us behind the scenes of how music is composed for Hannibal.
Labels:
aesthetics,
hannibal,
music,
production
Key & Peele to End
Key and Peele have announced that this will be the final season of their Comedy Central series.
Labels:
cancellation,
comedy central,
key and peele
Good TVeets
The best shows of the summer are a USA hacker drama starring Christian Slater and a cartoon about a depressed millionaire horse. Naturally.
— Danger Guerrero (@DangerGuerrero) July 25, 2015
“Mr. Robot” is 85% less interesting if Christian Slater is real. The actor. Not his character. But… still.
— Daniel Fienberg (@TheFienPrint) July 26, 2015
WILL: Hello, Dr. Lecter.
HANNIBAL: Hello, Will.
NBC: Please watch this likely asinine action series in the fall! PLEASE.
— Noel Kirkpatrick (@noelrk) July 26, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Saturday, July 25, 2015
WWE Drops Hogan
Hulk Hogan has been fired from WWE for racist remarks; Jen Yamato puts this in context of WWE's racist past.
Labels:
controversy,
discrimination,
ethics,
race/ethnicity,
stardom/celebrity,
wrestling,
wwe
AT&T-DirecTV Analysis
Vikas Bajaj says the conditions placed on the AT&T-DirecTV merger are good, but don't address the key problem of lack of competition among broadband and pay TV services. Edward C. Baig talks to the AT&T executive now in charge of DirecTV.
Labels:
at+t,
broadband,
conglomeration,
consolidation,
directv,
industry,
pay tv,
satellite,
telecommunications
Comcast Customer Service
Jon Brodkin reports on the changes Comcast is making in customer service, such as preventing employees from changing customer names to insults.
Labels:
cable operators,
comcast,
ethics
Catastrophe Praise
Lizzie Plaugic calls Catastrophe a revolutionary rom com, and Sara Stewart praises the show's gynecological realism and character depth.
Labels:
amazon,
catastrophe,
channel 4,
characters,
comedy,
gender,
representation,
sitcoms
Friday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Labels:
daily ratings,
friday ratings
Writing Arrested Development
Brian Stelter reports on the plans for writing new episodes of Arrested Development, with the number of episodes dependent on the volume of ideas generated in the writers' room.
Labels:
arrested development,
development,
narrative,
netflix,
writing
Stewart-Cenac Dispute
Dave Itzkoff reports on the Wyatt Cenac-Jon Stewart dispute with reaction from Daily Show producers.
Good TVeets
I like WAYWARD PINES, but I think Matt Dillon could also convincingly play a guy who can't figure out how to leave a regular town.
— Scott Tobias (@scott_tobias) July 24, 2015
When we live in a post-apocalyptic wasteland w/o TVs our grandchildren will rank Buffy seasons based only on our rankings of Buffy seasons
— Matt (@digifreak642) July 25, 2015
wow look at the new gawker pic.twitter.com/kSuaj1zmzI
— libby watson (@libbycwatson) July 25, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Friday, July 24, 2015
YouTube Video Subscriptions
Todd Spangler predicts that YouTube will have difficulty selling subscriptions for its video service.
Verizon's Video Service
Janko Roettgers has details on Verizon's upcoming mobile video service, which will be called Go90.
Labels:
aol,
carriage,
go90,
mobile,
online tv,
online video,
verizon,
virtual mvpd
AT&T-DirecTV Approved
The AT&T-DirecTV merger has been approved and will create the biggest pay TV company in the U.S. Brian Stelter has analysis.
Labels:
at+t,
conglomeration,
directv,
pay tv,
regulation
Wayward Pines' Qualified Success
Louisa Ada Seltzer says Wayward Pines' ratings weren't great, but ad buyers appreciated having something different to offer clients during summer.
Labels:
advertising,
fox,
miniseries,
ratings,
summer,
wayward pines
Subtitling Sherlock
Jamie Fullerton takes us inside the world of devoted volunteers in China who subtitle Sherlock and its paratexts for unofficial outlets.
Labels:
censorship,
china,
distribution,
dubbing/subtitling,
fandom,
international,
language,
online tv,
paratexts,
piracy,
sherlock,
spectatorship,
twitter
OTT Retrans
Paul Sweeting says regulation regarding OTT retransmission of broadcast outlets is the next net neutrality-esque battle.
Labels:
broadcasting,
carriage,
fcc,
filmon,
net neutrality,
pay tv,
politics,
regulation,
retransmission,
virtual mvpd
New CST
New Critical Studies in Television blogs:
- BBC Charter Review: How Bad Will It Get? by John Ellis
- Make It Digital! Bringing 'Old' TV Into the Multi-Platform Age by Richard Hewett
- Quality Time by Geoff Lealand
- The Voyage of the Harpsichord: Popular Television and the Revival of the Instrument of Death by Marcus Harmes
Labels:
archives/museums,
bbc,
britain,
digital,
history,
international,
multi-platform,
music,
pedagogy,
politics,
public broadcasting,
quality tv
The Problem of Wayward Pines' Twist
Ben Travers sees doom for broadcast TV in comparison to cable with the finale of Wayward Pines.
Labels:
cable,
drama,
finales,
miniseries,
narrative,
networks,
wayward pines
Broadcast Network Sports
Dave Warner says broadcast networks are in a position to reclaim live sports given the state of the pay TV landscape.
Labels:
budgets,
bundling/a la carte,
carriage fees,
cbs sports,
espn,
fox sports,
licensing,
networks,
pay tv,
retransmission,
sports
Netflix's War Chest
Benny Evangelista looks at how the money Netflix is spending on original series is paying off and challenging HBO. (Note: This article is behind a paywall.)
Labels:
budgets,
drama,
hbo,
lilyhammer,
netflix,
orange is the new black,
revenue,
web series
Comcast's X1
Colin Dixon's podcast discusses the possibility that Comcast's X1 set-top box is responsible for its successful Q2, and Jeff Baumgartner reports that Comcast is revving up the rollout of more X1s.
Fuller on Hannibal 3 & 4
Bryan Fuller talks about knowing season 3 would be the end for Hannibal on NBC and about what he'd want for season 4.
Labels:
budgets,
cancellation,
distribution,
finales,
hannibal,
international,
narrative,
nbc,
ratings,
remakes/adaptations/spinoffs,
renewals,
sony
Cenac & Stewart
Wyatt Cenac revealed a problematic racial confrontation he had with Jon Stewart while working on The Daily Show.
Labels:
comedy,
jon stewart,
race/ethnicity,
the daily show
Finding New Sports TV Stars
John Ourand says outlets like ESPN are scouring non-traditional sources like Twitter to find new on-air talent for sports coverage.
Labels:
cbs sports,
espn,
online video,
stardom/celebrity,
turner sports,
twitter,
youtube
Producing Cait
John Koblin reports that the producers of I Am Cait tried to avoid reality TV excesses with the series.
Berlin Production
Ed Meza reports that production of shows like Homeland are boosting revenue in Berlin, leading the local government to boost production subsidies.
Labels:
germany,
homeland,
international,
locations,
production,
tax incentives
Comcast's New Media Talks
The WSJ reports that Comcast is in talks with new media outlets like BuzzFeed and Vice for potential deals (google news link) Brian Stelter has analysis.
Labels:
buzzfeed,
cable operators,
comcast,
conglomeration,
nbcu,
new media,
vice media
The Duplasses
Jason Tanz profiles the Duplass brothers and their dominance in indie cinema and online.
Labels:
acting,
amazon,
development,
independent,
movies,
netflix,
the mindy project,
transparent,
writing
Naked Billboard
A billboard for VH-1's Dating Naked has grabbed attention with a striptease element facilitated by passers-by.
Labels:
controversy,
dating naked,
marketing,
vh1
Thursday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Big Brother 17 (CBS), The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (R), Mom (CBS) (R)
- Honorable Mention: Dateline (NBC)
- Losers: Food Fighters (NBC), Boom! (Fox), Mistresses (ABC), Beauty and the Beast (CW), Dates (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: Big Brother 17 (CBS), The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (R), Mom (CBS) (R)
- Honorable Mention: Dateline (NBC)
- Losers: Food Fighters (NBC), Boom! (Fox), Mistresses (ABC), Beauty and the Beast (CW), Dates (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
thursday ratings
Uncanny TV
Lance Richardson notes the rise of bizarre and surreal elements in numerous TV shows today, with Hannibal as a prime example. And Jethro Nededog explores why horror is a big genre on TV right now.
Rizzoli & Isles Renewed
Rizzoli and Isles is getting a 13-episode season next summer.
Labels:
renewals,
rizzoli and isles,
summer,
tnt
Good TVeets
Cosby's a rapist.
Hogan's a racist.
If I find out Mr. Rogers had even one overdue library book, I give up.
— Guy Endore-Kaiser (@GuyEndoreKaiser) July 24, 2015
— Carrie Raisler (@TVandDinners) July 24, 2015
Don’t tell the British office about time zones. The American office has been clocking out at 1 p.m. for years.
— BBC America (@BBCAMERICA) July 23, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Cord Cutting Myth
A panel of cable execs said they think cord cutting is largely a myth perpetuated by the media. But Colin Dixon says this ignores the erosion of traditional TV pillars, especially youth audience declines.
Labels:
age,
cable operators,
comcast,
cord cutting,
demographics,
hearst corp,
pay tv,
spectatorship
Comcast Swagger
Brian Stelter reports that Comcast feels very positive about its last quarterly financial results.
Labels:
comcast,
cord cutting,
pay tv,
revenue
MSNBC Changes
Dylan Byers considers what changes could be coming at MSNBC.
Labels:
brian williams,
cable news,
channel branding,
msnbc,
news
Cancellations
FX is done with The Comedians, and Netflix is done with Lilyhammer.
Labels:
cancellation,
fx,
lilyhammer,
netflix,
the comedians
Wednesday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Sharknado 3's ratings were down from last year, though it beat out most other shows on the night, and there was a lot of tweeting about it.
Analysis from Spotted.
Sharknado 3's ratings were down from last year, though it beat out most other shows on the night, and there was a lot of tweeting about it.
Labels:
daily ratings,
sharknado,
wednesday ratings
Good TVeets
"The safest place to be in a #sharknado? Any heavily branded Disney location." #goodadvice
— Linda Holmes (@nprmonkeysee) July 23, 2015
If you can't handle me at my Peggy Olson series one, you don't deserve me at my Peggy Olson series seven.
— Ailbhe Malone (@ailbhetross) July 23, 2015
David Simon is now on Twitter. Please don't analyze any of his tweets until he's finished with the account.
— Ryan McGee (@TVMcGee) July 23, 2015
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
VidCon Stars
Nick Bilton looks at how VidCon, a conference for online video makers, has become a huge fan showcase for celebrities that mostly only teenagers have heard of.
Labels:
fandom,
online video,
stardom/celebrity,
teens,
youtube
LeBron's WB Deal
NBA star LeBron James has signed a content creation deal with Warner Bros., and it could mean he'll star in Space Jam 2.
Labels:
basketball,
development,
sports,
stardom/celebrity,
warner bros.
Understanding The Wire
Paul Achter laments how many white fans don't seem to understand The Wire's lessons about systemic racism.
Crackle Viewing Figures
Crackle has released viewing figures for Joe Dirt 2, a move which Jason Lynch highlights as unique among big streaming services.
Labels:
crackle,
online ratings,
streaming
Murdoch, Ailes, Trump
Gabriel Sherman reports that Rupert Murdoch asked Roger Ailes to cut down on Fox News' coverage and defenses of Donald Trump, but Ailes has refused. Update: Ailes dismisses these reports.
Labels:
bias,
cable news,
donald trump,
fox news,
news,
politics,
roger ailes,
rupert murdoch
AT&T-DirecTV Approval
The FCC and Justice Dept have both announced their support for the AT&T-DirecTV merger, though the FCC has a few conditions.
Labels:
at+t,
conglomeration,
directv,
fcc,
pay tv,
regulation,
satellite,
telecommunications
Tuesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: America’s Got Talent (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): So You Think You Can Dance Special (Fox), Extreme Weight Loss (ABC), Knock Knock Live (Fox)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: America’s Got Talent (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): So You Think You Can Dance Special (Fox), Extreme Weight Loss (ABC), Knock Knock Live (Fox)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
tuesday ratings
Simmons to HBO
Bill Simmons has signed a multi-platform deal with HBO and will have a weekly talk show on the channel next year. Will Leitch says it's a perfect pairing.
Good TVeets
BICKERING LESBIANS VS KILLER BATS! #Zoo (I'm not even making this up guys!).
— Abby McDonald (@abbymcdonald) July 22, 2015
If Trump's taking suggestions for his next controversy I think selling an opponent's son to a gang of pirates would be pretty cool..
— Dan Clyne (@danCLYNE) July 22, 2015
I've been on LinkedIn all night, and still can't find a "Get Paid To Tweet About #JaneTheVirgin" anywhere.
— Ryan McGee (@TVMcGee) July 22, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Spectrum Auction Date
Mark March 29 on your 2016 calendar as the start date for the FCC's broadcast spectrum auction.
Labels:
broadcasting,
fcc,
spectrum
Defending the BBC
British comedian Stewart Lee offers a defense of the BBC from reformer attacks, and Simon Brew explains why the BBC's model is worth fighting to defend.
Labels:
bbc,
britain,
budgets,
industry,
international,
public broadcasting,
revenue
Orlando Jones & Supernatural Fandom
Bertha Chin has posted a conference paper on the relationship between fans and actor Orlando Jones in regard to Supernatural.
Labels:
fandom,
stardom/celebrity,
supernatural
Media Buyers Predict C3
Brian Steinberg reports on a Variety survey of top media buyers that reveals what programs advertisers think will fare best in C3 ratings next season. Football and Empire lead the way.
Labels:
2015-16 season,
ad rates,
advertising,
c3/l+3,
empire,
football,
predictions,
ratings,
spectatorship,
the big bang theory
Trevor Noah Profile
GQ has a feature profile on upcoming Daily Show host Trevor Noah, who acknowledges his early missteps.
Labels:
comedy,
comedy central,
jon stewart,
the daily show,
trevor noah
ESPN Will Be Fine
Matt Yoder says ESPN will survive the loss of key personalities just fine.
Labels:
espn,
keith olbermann,
sports,
stardom/celebrity
Sports Stadium Funding
Michael Z. Newman argues that we need to view public funding for sports stadiums as cultural policy.
Netflix in Japan
Colin Dixon expects Netflix to have a tough road ahead as it launches in Japan.
Labels:
international,
japan,
netflix,
streaming,
video-on-demand
Duck Dynasty House
Kelli Marshall points out that a house identified by Duck Dynasty captions as a Robertson house is not where they live.
Labels:
a+e,
duck dynasty,
locations,
production,
reality tv
UnREAL Profile
Kate Aurthur talks to UnREAL's co-creator and star about the show's dramatic first season.
Labels:
acting,
lifetime,
production,
reality tv,
showrunners,
the bachelor/the bachelorette,
unreal
YouTube Service's TV Challenge
Bloomberg says it looks like YouTube's upcoming paid video service will lack TV network options.
Labels:
distribution,
fox,
google,
licensing,
nbcu,
networks,
online tv,
online video,
youtube
Amazon India Launch
Nyay Bhushan reports on Amazon looking to expand its video service in India ahead of Netflix.
Labels:
amazon,
india,
international,
netflix,
streaming,
video-on-demand
Sharknado's Made for TV
Joshua Alston argues Sharknado proves that schlock cinema belongs on TV, not in movie theaters.
Labels:
movies,
sharknado,
social media,
spectatorship,
syfy,
tv movies,
twitter
Cost of Cord Cutting
Oriana Schwindt has updated her post on what alternatives to pay TV can add up to.
TV Everywhere Campaign
Cable operators and channels are uniting on a summer marketing campaign to raise awareness of TV Everywhere options. Colin Dixon says this campaign could backfire.
Labels:
cable operators,
cord cutting,
marketing,
mobile,
pay tv,
summer,
tv everywhere,
video-on-demand
China Loves Korean TV
Amy Qin details China's love for South Korean television.
Labels:
china,
fandom,
imports,
international,
online video,
regulation,
south korea,
streaming
iPlayer Viewership
New research claims more than 60 million people watch the BBC's iPlayer from outside the UK via VPNs and proxy servers, offering a potential future revenue source. Colin Dixon questions some of the assumptions of analysis of this research.
Labels:
bbc,
britain,
china,
international,
iplayer,
piracy,
spectatorship,
streaming,
technology
TV Shows ≠ Novels
Sam Adams points out the flaws in claims that TV dramas are like novels.
Labels:
criticism,
drama,
finales,
mad men,
narrative,
quality tv,
spectatorship,
taste culture,
true detective
Celebrity Family Feud's Success
Jason Lynch explains how Celebrity Family Feud became a rare summer hit.
Labels:
abc,
family feud,
game shows,
ratings,
stardom/celebrity,
summer
TV's Alzheimer's Risk
A new study suggests watching more than four hours of TV per day raises one's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Labels:
effects,
spectatorship
The Very Special Episode
Tyler Moss looks back on the evolution of "very special episode" to its near-obsolescence today in the age of complex TV.
Labels:
comedy,
glee,
history,
narrative,
saved by the bell,
sitcoms,
social issues
Xena Reboot
Do you miss Xena: Princess Warrior? It could be coming back in some new form at NBC.
Labels:
development,
nbc,
remakes/adaptations/spinoffs,
xena
Good TVeets
You know you've had a bad season on #thebachelorette when you need to start off with "first of all, I am a straight man."
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) July 21, 2015
You can sort all the dudes on #TheBachelorette by whether you'd think from a picture that they sell insurance, gym memberships, or weed.
— Linda Holmes (@nprmonkeysee) July 21, 2015
"They're sending us their worst people, so we'll send Mexico ours." - Donald Trump on how he came up with the idea for #BachelorInParadise
— Jill Biden (@JillBidenVeep) July 21, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Monday, July 20, 2015
Sunday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
- Losers (Excluding Repeats): Welcome to Sweden (NBC), Golan the Insatiable (Fox), Save My Life: Boston Trauma (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
- Losers (Excluding Repeats): Welcome to Sweden (NBC), Golan the Insatiable (Fox), Save My Life: Boston Trauma (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
sunday ratings
State of Public Broadcasting
With the BBC's system under attack, the Guardian looks at how public service broadcasters in a handful other countries are faring.
Labels:
bbc,
budgets,
france,
germany,
italy,
pbs,
politics,
public broadcasting,
the netherlands
Over-35 Actresses
Zeba Blay says it's important to note that 15 of the 18 women nominated for lead actress Emmys are over 35-years-old.
ESPN Strategy
Kavitha A. Davidson says ESPN seems to be shifting away from personalities and toward live sports.
Labels:
budgets,
carriage fees,
espn,
keith olbermann,
licensing,
live,
sports,
stardom/celebrity
Virtual MVPD Regulation Objection
Colin Dixon covers the objections that Republican FCC commissioner Ajit Pai has to Tom Wheeler's plan to classify online video providers as MVPDs.
Labels:
fcc,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
playstation vue,
politics,
regulation,
sling tv,
virtual mvpd
National Streaming Services
Japanese TV networks will launch a joint streaming service, while an attempt to create one in France to compete with Netflix has been dropped.
Labels:
distribution,
france,
international,
japan,
netflix,
streaming
Fall Predictions
Toni Fitzgerald summarizes what ad buyers are predicting for how the broadcast networks will perform this fall. Without the Super Bowl, NBC is expected to drop.
Labels:
2015-16 season,
abc,
advertising,
cbs,
fox,
nbc,
networks,
ratings,
super bowl
Targeting Bilingual Millennials
Yvonne Villarreal says Spanish-language outlets are trying to court bilingual millennials, or "billennials," as Univision dubs them.
Labels:
age,
demographics,
jane the virgin,
language,
latino/a,
ratings,
spanish-language,
telemundo,
unimas,
univision
Sling TV Ads
Peter Kafka analyzes new ads for Sling TV and tries to pin down who they're targeting with what message. Alan Wolk also has analysis.
Labels:
advertising,
cord cutting,
marketing,
pay tv,
sling tv
Good TVeets
New True Detective theory: HBO is showing the episodes out of order.
— Liana Maeby (@lianamaeby) July 20, 2015
Can't wait for the big reveal when Colin Farrell turns out to be Gossip Girl #TrueDetective
— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) July 20, 2015
in one week we will have the new rick and morty and sunday night twitter will be worthwhile again
— Sophie (@insopherable) July 20, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Online Comedy Venture
Brian Steinberg reports on a new Lorne Michaels endeavor, an online comedy outlet called Above Average.
Labels:
comedy,
lorne michaels,
online video,
saturday night live
Game of Thrones Sets
Variety has a video showcasing set design on Game of Thrones.
Labels:
aesthetics,
game of thrones,
labor,
production,
set design
New Tech Stars
Natalie Jarvey highlights how the next generation of online stars are coming via Periscope, Vine, Snapchat and other new outlets.
Labels:
instagram,
internet,
live,
marketing,
meerkat,
online video,
periscope,
snapchat,
social media,
stardom/celebrity,
streaming,
vine,
youtube
Hannibal's Craziness
Todd VanDerWerff lists crazy things that happened on Hannibal last night that make it TV's most messed-up show.
RIP Marlene Sanders
Katherine Rosman profiles the late Marlene Sanders, a pioneering female television reporter.
Labels:
gender,
history,
labor,
network news,
news,
obituaries
New CST
New posts at Critical Studies in Television:
- The Channels No One Writes About: Is QVC Television? by Pat Holland
- The Status of TV Scholarship -- and What We Could Do About It by Elke Weissman and David Leventes Palatinus
- Social Media in the Television Workplace by James Bennett
Labels:
academia,
bbc,
britain,
channel 4,
international,
marketing,
qvc,
social media,
twitter
Rick & Morty's Return
John Jurgensen profiles Rick and Morty as it's on the verge of returning for a second season.
Labels:
adult swim,
animation,
comedy,
dan harmon,
narrative,
rick and morty
Finding An Agent
Priyanka Mattoo offers advice on how an aspiring TV writer can get an agent in Hollywood.
Labels:
agents/agencies,
development,
labor,
pilots,
writing
MTV's Reinvention
Robert Levine highlights how MTV is trying to reinvent itself yet again in response to declining ratings and teen viewing.
Labels:
age,
cable,
carriage fees,
channel branding,
demographics,
drama,
mtv,
music video,
pay tv,
programming,
ratings,
reality tv,
spectatorship,
teens,
viacom
Gupta Fault
CNN has acknowledged misreporting in a prominent Sanjay Gupta story.
Labels:
cable news,
cnn,
ethics,
news
GoT's Impact on Belfast
Dana Kennedy looks at how Game of Thrones has transformed Belfast's economy and tourism due to the show shooting in Northern Ireland.
Labels:
britain,
fandom,
game of thrones,
hbo,
international,
locations,
northern ireland,
production,
revenue
FilmOn Ruling Analysis
Harry A. Jessell says the FilmOn ruling isn't the shocker many think and won't have an immediate impact. Fox will fight the ruling.
Labels:
20th century fox tv,
aereo,
broadcasting,
copyright,
fcc,
filmon,
law,
networks,
regulation,
retransmission,
streaming
Showtime's Changes
Brian Stelter talks to Showtime President David Nevins about the new OTT service and other changes happening at the outlet.
Good TVeets
#DonaldTrump is like if a Comments Section ran for office.
— Barbara Haynes (@barbhaynes) July 18, 2015
There's a Lifetime movie marathon on and from what I can tell the theme is "murderers who have a pretty decent point."
— Julieanne Smolinski (@BoobsRadley) July 19, 2015
I feel like the studio notes on a typical #Hannibal script are along the lines of
“What is…I mean…Can we just…Fuck it…I’m getting a taco"
— Matt Fowler (@TheMattFowler) July 19, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Friday, July 17, 2015
ESPN's Losses
Brian Steinberg considers how the loss of three key personalities could affect ESPN.
Labels:
channel branding,
espn,
keith olbermann,
predictions,
sports,
stardom/celebrity
HBO's Online Services
Ben Popper has an interview with Bernadette Aulestia, who oversees HBO Now and HBO Go.
Labels:
distribution,
hbo,
hbo go,
hbo now,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
piracy,
premium channels,
video-on-demand
Emmy Nominations
Emmy nominations are out, including an info sheet with handy summaries. Alan Sepinwall offers early predictions on winners. Scott Collins says the nominations indicate an era of diversity. Todd VanDerWerff considers the role played by new rules, and Brian Stelter considers the impact of streaming services. Andy Dehnart is frustrated once again by the same old reality TV noms. Brian Lowry identifies 10 things the Academy got right. James Poniewozik offers a glass half-full view. Tim Goodman says the Academy did pretty well. Matt Zoller Seitz takes stock of the nominations. Reactions from Daniel Fienberg, K.M. McFarland, and Eric Thurm. ToddVanDerWerff identifies snubs and surprises. Cynthia Littleton notes the dearth of women among the writing and directing nominees.
More analysis from Eric Deggans and Gregory Ellwood and Richard Rushfield, Ileane Rudolph is frustrated by the ill-timed recognition for nominees like Tatiana Maslany, Emma Fraser covers the costuming nominations, Willa Paskin says there shouldn't be complaining this year, but David Wiegand sees a mixed bag, John Doyle says the noms are almost legit. Tim Goodmand has suggestions for fixing the Emmy nominations.
More analysis from Eric Deggans and Gregory Ellwood and Richard Rushfield, Ileane Rudolph is frustrated by the ill-timed recognition for nominees like Tatiana Maslany, Emma Fraser covers the costuming nominations, Willa Paskin says there shouldn't be complaining this year, but David Wiegand sees a mixed bag, John Doyle says the noms are almost legit. Tim Goodmand has suggestions for fixing the Emmy nominations.
Labels:
2014-15 season,
acting,
awards,
directing,
emmys,
gender,
orphan black,
writing
Local News Growth
Katerina Eva Matsa reports that viewership for local TV news broadcasts in non-traditional time slots, such as 4:30am and 7pm, is driving local news growth.
Labels:
broadcasting,
dayparts,
local,
local news,
news,
ratings,
scheduling
Vessel Interview
Natalie Jarvey talks to Jason Kilar about Vessel and his hopes for the future viability of short online videos.
Labels:
hulu,
online video,
vessel,
youtube
FCC Divisiveness
One of the Republican commissioners on the FCC complains that the commission leadership is unwilling to seek consensus on issues.
Labels:
fcc,
net neutrality,
politics,
regulation
Comcast's Trojan Horse
Alan Wolk tries to get at what Comcast's Xfinity Stream might really be about.
Labels:
broadband,
cable operators,
comcast,
cord cutting,
households,
marketing,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
stream tv,
streaming
MundoFox Sold
Brian Steinberg reports that 21st Century Fox has sold off the Spanish-language MundoFox outlet.
Labels:
21st century fox,
mundofox,
spanish-language
UnREAL Analysis
Phillip Maciak deconstructs what UnREAL says about reality TV production and spectatorship.
CBS All Access Expansion
CBS's All Access streaming service now reaches 75% of the U.S. across 124 markets, while the live service reaches 59 markets.
Labels:
cbs,
cbs all access,
households,
live,
over-the-top,
streaming
Gilligan Podcast
Sorry, not a podcast about Gilligan's Island; just Vince Gilligan on WTF with Marc Maron.
Labels:
better call saul,
breaking bad,
showrunners,
the x-files,
vince gilligan
Netflix News
Will Richmond's podcast discusses Netflix's disruptive potential and Colin Dixon's podcast also reflects on what Netflix's Q2 results say about the state of OTT services, while a new study finds Netflix is the favorite programming outlet for viewers aged 13-49.
Labels:
age,
demographics,
households,
netflix,
over-the-top,
spectatorship,
streaming,
video-on-demand
FilmOn Ruling
Eriq Gardner reports on a ruling in favor of FilmOn that "could mean that CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC have to license their programming to a digital outlet at below-market rates."
Labels:
aereo,
carriage,
copyright,
distribution,
fcc,
filmon,
law,
licensing,
networks,
over-the-top,
regulation,
retransmission,
streaming,
virtual mvpd
Ad-Free Hulu
Mike Shields and Shalini Ramachandran report that Hulu is mulling over adding an ad-free tier to its subscription service (the google news link). Jason Lynch has analysis.
Labels:
hulu,
pay tv rates/subscriber fees,
streaming,
video-on-demand
Thursday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Big Brother (CBS)
- Losers: Food Fighters (NBC), Boom! (Fox), Mistresses (ABC), Beauty and the Beast (CW), Dates (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: Big Brother (CBS)
- Losers: Food Fighters (NBC), Boom! (Fox), Mistresses (ABC), Beauty and the Beast (CW), Dates (CW)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
thursday ratings
Good TVeets
TLC sent a clear message today: If one of their stars is a child molester, they will cancel the show after months of careful deliberation.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) July 16, 2015
Tempted to Tweet: A Lifetime Original Movie
— Amanda Hess (@amandahess) July 17, 2015
TONIGHT ON #HANNIBAL
A COLD CASE IS REOPENED SURROUNDING A MYSTERIOUS KIDNAPPING OH WAIT THIS IS DATELINE
Hannibal: Now Saturdays 10pm/NBC
— Aaron Abrams (@MrAaronAbrams) July 16, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Reviewing Shows
Alyssa Rosenberg explains why TV shows don't have to be reviewed in the way books are.
Labels:
criticism,
narrative,
review,
true detective
ESPN Analysis
Allen Kenney takes issue with the claim that ESPN is suffering from cord cutting's impact. John Ourand talks to ESPN's EVP of affiliate sales and marketing about how ESPN is handling a new era of competition.
THR's Turnaround
Cable Neuhaus says Janice Min has successfully transformed The Hollywood Reporter.
Labels:
trades
Password Sharing Impact
Todd Spangler reports on the possible impact of password-sharing for services like HBO Now and Netflix.
Netflix Numbers
Netflix beat the latest subscriber estimates and now has over 65 million subscribers worldwide. Will Richmond points out the importance of the US subscriber numbers. Wall Street was pleased by this news. But Reed Hastings did indicate that higher-priced subscription plans are coming.
19 Kids & Counting Cancelled
TLC is officially done with 19 Kids and Counting.
Labels:
19 kids and counting,
cancellation,
controversy,
tlc
The BBC's Fate
The future of the BBC is in question, as the corporation is being put under government review. The Guardian has a bullet-point list of what's under review. The license fee funding structure is up for consideration, and BBC Worldwide could end up being privatized and sold off. Prominent names are speaking out in favor of the BBC, while Rupert Murdoch's newspapers are not. THR reports on what the cuts already scheduled could mean, and the NYT looks at how the Conservative government is targeting the BBC.
Labels:
bbc,
bbc worldwide,
britain,
international,
public broadcasting,
rupert murdoch
Wednesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: 2015 ESPY Awards (ABC), Big Brother (CBS)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Bullseye (Fox), Extant (CBS)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
The ESPY Awards tripled its viewership in the move to ABC.
- Winners: 2015 ESPY Awards (ABC), Big Brother (CBS)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Bullseye (Fox), Extant (CBS)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
The ESPY Awards tripled its viewership in the move to ABC.
Labels:
daily ratings,
wednesday ratings
Good TVeets
You think that 40% trans suicide rate is nuts until you put someone trans on national TV for ten minutes and see how people react.
— Craig Jenkins (@CraigSJ) July 16, 2015
I'm pissed off and ecstatic all at once. Must be Emmy nominations day.
— Emma Fraser (@frazbelina) July 16, 2015
Parks and Recreation has never won an Emmy. #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/hn5NEwJiOi
— Josh Kurp (@JoshKurp) July 16, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Comcast Streaming Service
Howard Homonoff has four questions about Comcast's Xfinity Stream, the new streaming service that Brian Barrett says sounds pointless. Jeff Baumgartner notes that Stream won't technically be an OTT service.
Labels:
comcast,
over-the-top,
stream tv,
streaming,
virtual mvpd
Prison Break Return
Fox is reportedly in talks to resurrect Prison Break.
Labels:
fox,
prison break,
renewals
Miss USA Results
Daniel Holloway reports that Reelz did end up losing money on carrying the Miss USA pageant, but it did strong ratings compared to the usual for Reelz.
Labels:
donald trump,
reelz
Holt Thriving
Brian Stelter reports that Lester Holt is on a ratings roll since taking over NBC's evening newscast.
Labels:
abc news,
brian williams,
david muir,
lester holt,
nbc news,
network news,
news,
ratings
Shark Week Record
Discovery's Shark Week excelled in key demographic ratings.
Labels:
discovery channel,
ratings,
shark week
Summer Problems
Toni Fitzgerald reports that scripted summer shows are faltering in the network ratings, and Bill Cromwell offers five fixes for the networks to fix their summer woes.
Labels:
aquarius,
game shows,
hannibal,
live,
miniseries,
networks,
programming,
ratings,
reality tv,
rookie blue,
scheduling,
summer,
under the dome,
wayward pines,
zoo
Tuesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: MLB All-Star Game (Fox), America’s Got Talent (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Extreme Weight Loss (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: MLB All-Star Game (Fox), America’s Got Talent (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Extreme Weight Loss (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
tuesday ratings
Apple TV Deals
Claire Atkinson reports that Apple is making progress on securing deals with networks for its streaming TV service. Jeff John Roberts has analysis.
Update: New word is that negotiations are bogging down and the service won't be a possibility til at least next year.
Update: New word is that negotiations are bogging down and the service won't be a possibility til at least next year.
Labels:
affiliates,
apple,
apple tv,
apps,
broadcasting,
carriage,
distribution,
industry,
networks,
virtual mvpd
Netflix Supports Charter-TWC
Alex Sherman reports that Netflix will support the Charter-Time Warner Cable merger due to Charter's pledge that it won't charge subscribers for faster streaming access.
DirecTV Lawsuits
DirecTV's Sunday Ticket deal is under legal attack from a class-action lawsuit focusing on anti-trust issues. DirecTV is also dealing with a racial discrimination lawsuit.
Labels:
at+t,
directv,
football,
industry,
law,
race/ethnicity,
sunday ticket
NBCU Upfronts Done
NBCU has completed its upfronts deals, with NBC seeing flat volume for prime time.
Labels:
2015-16 season,
ad rates,
advertising,
nbc,
nbcu,
prime time,
upfronts
Good TVeets
Wolves are breaking a dude out of a prison on #ZooCBS right now. People keep saying we're in a golden age of TV, now I know what they mean.
— LevyOnTV (@LevyOnTV) July 15, 2015
Baseball Twitter: [argues about complicated statistics across eras]
Basketball Twitter: [posts 20 Vines of dunks and mascots falling down]
— Danger Guerrero (@DangerGuerrero) July 15, 2015
"Hollywood Game Night not having a tiebreaker seems to go against the spirit of the show," he said aloud to no one else in the room.
— itsonlyzach (@itsonlyzach) July 15, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Trump's Losses & Gains
Charles Gasparino notes that Donald Trump has cost himself significant revenue yet gained invaluable publicity lately.
Labels:
controversy,
donald trump,
politics
Millennial Viewing Time
Will Richmond reports on a study finding that Millennials spend only 18% of their viewing time with traditional TV.
Labels:
age,
binge viewing,
demographics,
dvr,
households,
mobile,
online video,
screens,
social media,
spectatorship,
youtube
Seinfeld's Evolution
Sam Adams analyzes dialogue and scene data from Seinfeld and traces its comedic and character evolution.
ESPN Problems
Clay Travis details ESPN's finances and warns that its bundle bubble may soon burst. M.G. Siegler also sees doom coming for ESPN and proposes that the company might start think about unbundling.
Labels:
bundling/a la carte,
carriage fees,
disney,
espn,
hbo now,
industry,
licensing,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
revenue,
sling tv,
sports
Cable Ratings, Earnings & Subscriptions
As cable ratings continue to decline, earnings are likely to follow, Anthony Crupi reports. Also, an analysts foresees faster subscription declines coming.
Labels:
ad rates,
advertising,
cable,
demographics,
industry,
predictions,
ratings,
revenue
Starz' Strategy
Josef Adalian looks at how Starz has forged premium channel success by following a different model of programming than HBO.
Labels:
black sails,
boss,
channel branding,
chris albrecht,
hbo,
magic city,
outlander,
pay tv,
power,
premium channels,
programming,
starz
Gilmore Girls Fandon
Haley Mlotek delves into the sustaining fandom of Gilmore Girls.
Labels:
fandom,
gender,
gilmore girls,
podcasts,
spectatorship
Cost of Sets & Cable
Kathleen Madigan notes that the cost of TV set goods is declining significantly just as bills pay TV services are rising.
Labels:
pay tv rates/subscriber fees,
technology,
tv sets
Hannibal & Aquarius Moved
NBC is shunting Hannibal and Aquarius off to Saturdays, while insisting it's still happy with Aquarius.
TV & Class
Zaid Jilani traces a historical trajectory in the representation of class in U.S. sitcoms.
Labels:
characters,
class,
comedy,
history,
representation,
sitcoms
New HBO Era
Ben Travers explains how 7 Days in Hell could represent a new era of programming at HBO thanks to HBO Now.
Labels:
budgets,
hbo,
hbo now,
premium channels,
programming,
tv movies
Monday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
-Winners: The Bachelorette (ABC), American Ninja Warrior (NBC) -Losers: Cedric’s Barber Battles (CW), The Whispers (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
-Winners: The Bachelorette (ABC), American Ninja Warrior (NBC) -Losers: Cedric’s Barber Battles (CW), The Whispers (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Labels:
daily ratings,
monday ratings
Good TVeets
Can True Detective season 3 just be Hannibal season 4?
— Brendan Hay (@B_Hay) July 13, 2015
*in Bachelorette fantasy suite*
Now that we're alone I need to show you something.
*finds Saved By The Bell oil spill episode on YouTube*
— Jensen Karp (@JensenClan88) July 14, 2015
Someone needs to explain to Chris Berman that some of the phrases he uses like "upper decker" have alternate meanings. #GetHimUrbanDictonary
— Brian Scott Rippee (@Rippee_2) July 14, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Monday, July 13, 2015
Streaming TV in China
The Big Bang Theory will be the first US show to appear legally on online video platforms in China under new regulations.
Comic-Con Coverage
Nick Statt analyzes this year's Comic-Con as an epicenter of pop culture fandom. Brian Lowry says Conan O'Brien's special Comic-Con episodes were a success. TV panels and info releases at Comic-Con included Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Warner Bros. TV and DC, a new Arrow costume, Game of Thrones, women who kick ass, Hannibal, Orphan Black, Joss Whedon, Doctor Who and Sherlock, and Supernatural.
ESPN & OTT
Chris Ciaccia notes that ESPN is struggling to decide about over-the-top possibilities, while Shalini Ramachandran and Joe Flint highlight how ESPN is having to trim costs as pay TV subscribers look to reduce their bills.
Moffat's Heroes
Joanne Robinson looks at how Steven Moffat is shaping the main characters in Doctor Who and Sherlock.
Labels:
authorship,
characters,
doctor who,
sherlock,
showrunners,
steven moffat,
writing
Women's World Cup Revenue
Jason Lynch reports on the millions in ad revenue Fox hauled in from the successful Women's World Cup this year.
Renewal News
Ballers and Teen Wolf are both getting new seasons. Hannibal could come back as a movie. Person of Interest will be back next season but only for 13 episodes.
Labels:
ballers,
hannibal,
person of interest,
renewals,
teen wolf
Ratings Down, Advertising Up
Bill Cromwell looks at why TV advertising reportedly continues to grow despite ratings declines.
Labels:
advertising,
ratings,
revenue,
spectatorship
Comcast Streaming TV Service
Comcast is launching an OTT TV service called Xfinity Stream, which requires that you have broadband service from Xfinity too. Todd Spangler says this is targeted at cord-nevers. The service offers the broadcast networks plus HBO, but no other cable channels right now. Will Richmond sees a parallel to Aereo in the reliance on broadcast networks. Richard Greenfield considers how HBO Now might factor into this.
Labels:
aereo,
broadband,
broadcasting,
cable operators,
comcast,
cord cutting,
hbo,
hbo now,
networks,
over-the-top,
pay tv,
sling tv,
stream tv,
virtual mvpd
Good TVeets
Bill Cosby is a brilliant comedian and a serial rapist. I think we can round that down to serial rapist.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) July 13, 2015
Been giving much thought to this season of TRUE DETECTIVE and I think we should all agree no one should be allowed to get an MFA ever again.
— Alison Willmore (@alisonwillmore) July 13, 2015
I feel like there's a 50/50 chance that this season of True Detective will end with an amusement park owner taking off a ghost costume.
— Vanessa Ramos (@thatRamosgirl) July 13, 2015
Labels:
tveets
Thursday, July 9, 2015
OTT Winners & Losers
The Eric Jackson Podcast welcomes Richard Greenfield on to discuss over-the-top winners and losers.
Labels:
over-the-top
Fall Casting
Scott Collins says summer in the TV industry is a busy time for recasting fall shows in cases where pilot actors didn't quite work out.
Labels:
acting,
casting,
fall season,
labor,
pilots,
quantico,
the catch,
wicked city
The Strain Set Visit
Alex McCown takes us on a press visit to the set of The Strain.
Labels:
criticism,
fx,
production,
set design,
the strain
Summer Viewing
This summer's network programming features fewer reruns than previous years, while Spanish-language programming is soaring as usual this time of year.
Labels:
networks,
programming,
ratings,
reruns,
spanish-language,
summer,
telemundo,
unimas,
univision
Poor TV Apps
Trevor Doerksen laments how poorly most OTT TV apps perform.
Labels:
apps,
internet,
netflix,
networks,
online tv,
over-the-top,
technology
Sitcom Representation
LaToya Ferguson assesses claims of stereotyping in Black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat.
Bottle Episodes
Vulture's Secret History of TV video series tackles bottle episodes.
Labels:
budgets,
narrative,
production
Survivor Cheating
Richard Hatch claims that Survivor producers fed favored contestants across the show's first season.
Labels:
ethics,
production,
reality tv,
survivor
Rise of Transgender TV
Gregory E. Miller chronicles the past year in TV shows with transgender characters.
Facebook & Video Piracy
Will Oremus says pirated YouTube videos could be fueling Facebook's online video success.
Labels:
advertising,
distribution,
facebook,
online video,
piracy,
revenue,
social media,
youtube
America's Got Talent Auditions
Cody C. Delistrary describes his audition for America's Got Talent and the sad sights he saw along the way.
Labels:
america's got talent,
music,
production,
reality tv,
stardom/celebrity
Rectify's Radical Storytelling
Matt Zoller Seitz analyzes the radical storytelling displayed by Rectify.
Labels:
characters,
drama,
narrative,
rectify
Pay TV Stability
Jeff Baumgartner reports on a new study finding pay TV subscriptions steady even as Netflix use among pay TV subscribers rises.
Labels:
cord cutting,
households,
netflix,
pay tv,
streaming,
video-on-demand
TV Underwear
Emma Fraser talks with costume designers at Masters of Sex, The Americans, and You're the Worst about designing undergarments for their characters.
Labels:
characters,
costumes,
masters of sex,
the americans,
you're the worst
The Ethics of Reruns
James Poniewozik analyzes the ethical and cultural issues raised when reruns like Cosby Show or Dukes of Hazzard become problematic
Labels:
controversy,
ethics,
history,
programming,
race/ethnicity,
representation,
reruns,
the cosby show,
tv land
Prestigious Darkness
Elizabeth Alsop argues that genre series like True Detective are using bleakness to reach for prestige.
Labels:
criticism,
drama,
game of thrones,
narrative,
quality tv,
taste culture