Source say NBC passed on bringing back the Chris Meloni-led spinoff, with the streamer formalizing a deal for a 10-episode order for the Dick Wolf drama.
Heading into the upfronts, Warner Bros. Discovery said it launched Olli, a first-party data platform advertiser can use for converged, targeted advertising campaigns. Media agencies IPG Mediabrands, OMG and RPA and retailer Wayfair are the first to use the platform, which enables campaign planning activation and measurement across Warner Bros. Discovery’s portfolio of content and brands, the company said.
The 73rd Miss USA Pageant to air live on Sunday, Aug. 4, Miss Teen USA on Thursday, Aug. 1.
BRAND CONNECTIONS
WMTW, WGME, WPFO and WMEA-WCBB are now broadcasting with ATSC 3.0 technology.
CBS has picked up a fifth season of drama The Equalizer, starring and executive produced by Queen Latifah, for 2024-25. As Deadline reported last week, the renewal was fully expected, with the delay related to lead studio Universal Television negotiating a deal with Queen Latifah. It recently closed, paving the way to a renewal.
Exclusives
EARNINGS CALL
Comcast Q1 Media Rev Gets Peacock Push
The streaming service was largely the reason why revenue for Comcast’s media sector increased 3.6%, in comparison with the same quarter last year. Paid subs increased 55% to 34 million paying customer level, compared with 2023’s first quarter. And the streaming platform’s revenue was up 54%, to $1.1 billion.
Major internet providers once again will have to abide by a set of robust rules of the road, prohibiting them from blocking or throttling traffic, as the FCC today reinstated net neutrality regulations. The commission voted 3-2 along party lines to adopt the rules, which broadly prohibit Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and other providers from favoring some types of internet traffic over others. The latest net neutrality rules resemble those adopted in 2015, when the FCC voted to reclassify internet service like a common carrier, or the same regulatory designation given to phone service.
The assistant news director at WXIA Atlanta will be recognized at RTDNA24 in Milwaukee, June 12-14.
The new deal includes Tegna stations in Seattle, Portland and Spokane and streaming on Prime Video across Washington, Oregon and Alaska.
Advocating for her press corps colleagues has become a second full-time job for NBC News' senior White House correspondent.
COMMENTARY
Vantage Points: Broadcast TV Sales Is Broken
David Buonfiglio: "I love TV. Always have. I’m still convinced it’s the single most effective branding medium ever created. I worked in (or for) local broadcast TV for 35 years. Briefly in news, but almost entirely in sales. That ended last year. And now that I have some distance and time between me and the medium I’ve loved for so long, I realize a couple a stark and unnerving truths about the business of local TV."
QUARTERLY REPORT
TelevisaUnivision Posts Q1 Loss But Projects Streaming Profits In Second Half Of 2024
Continued investment in streaming contributed to a first-quarter loss for Spanish-language media giant TelevisaUnivision, which is seeing the bulk of its growth come from its Mexican operations while U.S. revenue stays flat with year-earlier results. Revenue during the quarter improved 7%, to $1.1 billion. Revenue from Mexican operations rose 23%, to $409 million. But revenue from U.S. businesses — a bigger part of the company’s overall financial results — stayed flat at $740 million, despite a first-quarter airing of a Spanish-only version of the 2024 Super Bowl on Univision.
QUARTERLY REPORT
Comcast Edges Wall Street Q1 Estimates; Peacock Reaches 34M Subs
Comcast reported first quarter results that outpaced Wall Street expectations, with Peacock reaching 34 million subscribers but posting higher programming costs. Total revenue inched up 1% to $30.1 billion, with adjusted earnings per share coming in at $1.04, up from 92 cents in the year-ago period. The Media division, which includes Peacock, reported a nearly 4% gain in revenue, to $6.4 billion. But higher operating expenses, notably higher programming expenses at Peacock, contributed to wider losses. Adjusted EBITDA, a key measure of profitability, fell 6% to $827 million.
The parent company for The Enquirer, the tabloid now famous for its ties to former President Donald Trump, has tried repeatedly to sell the publication. It hasn’t been easy. (Mary Altaffer/AP)
The actor’s April 13 episode, which also featured musical guest Chris Stapleton, drew 8.9 million viewers after seven days, according to NBCUniversal. In the 18-49 demo, the episode is up to a 2.0 rating. That’s the show’s largest seven-day audience since Billie Eilish hosted in December 2021, and it’s the best demo performance since Dave Chappelle’s last hosting gig in November 2022.
QUARTERLY REPORT
Meta More Than Doubles Q1 Profit But Revenue Guidance Pulls Shares Down After-Hours
Meta Platforms earned $12.37 billion, or $4.71 per share, in the January-March period. That's up from $5.71 billion, or $2.20 per share, in the same period a year earlier. Revenue rose 27% to $36.46 billion from $28.65 billion. Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of $4.32 per share on revenue of $36.14 billion, according to a poll by FactSet.
Conditions put on the proposed sale of WADL Detroit to Mission Broadcasting have created a potential drama in the Motor City. Kevin Adell, CEO of Adell Broadcasting, owner of WADL, said he expects the $75 million deal to go through, but said that Mission called the conditions “problematic.” Mission’s bid is being financed by Nexstar Media Group, which wants WADL to become the market’s CW affiliate after Sept. 1, when the CW’s deal with WMYD, owned by E.W. Scripps, expires. Scripps and Nexstar have said the affiliation deal won’t be renewed.
NAB SHOW 2024
At NAB Show, An Anxious Hunt For Efficiencies
Last week’s NAB Show thrummed with broadcasters keen to arm themselves for a rocky 2025.
TVN’S MEDIA JOBS
Jobs Posted To TVNewsCheck
Jobs posted to TVNewsCheck’s Media Job Center include an opening for a director of sales and an account executive, executive producer, meteorologist, weekend anchor, sales manager, senior newscast producer, digital video producer and reporter.
Streaming sales leaders from Gray Television, E.W. Scripps, Hearst Television, Ticker and Megaphone TV will share the latest developments in technology and strategy for OTT and FAST channels. Learn more about this critically important revenue source for broadcasters in a TVNewsCheck Working Lunch Webinar on May 16. Register here.
