Digital

ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish was out beating the Wall Street drum for new Paramount boss Brian Robbins, who, he told investors, will lead “the film studio of the future.” Said Bakish: “He’s a franchise builder and he’s a collaborator.” (Image: Brian Robbins)

NewsGuard will enable Zefr’s clients to create inclusion and exclusion lists, preventing them from “overblocking” legitimate news publishers. (Image: NewsGuard)

Comcast has launched a new wireless streaming device — the XiOne — that will become the company’s standard platform across the globe. (Image: Comcast)

Scripps executive Kate O’Brian sees a middle ground that isn’t being served.

Graham Media Group, TVNewsCheck’s Station Group of the Year, is fostering tighter relationships with its most highly engaged audiences via Insiders, a company-wide membership program it launched last year. Graham executives believe it will have a transformative effect on news content, community building and revenues in an era of ever-disaggregating audiences. Read part one of the series on Graham’s culture of innovation here. Read part two on President and CEO Emily Barr here.

The promo effort, “We are CNN,” will include a 4 minute short film and a 60 second spot as the media company staffs up for hundreds of roles for its streaming expansion.

The U.S. OS landscape is mostly controlled by smart TV OEMs and device makers like Roku and Amazon. But with 42% of the global OTT market up for grabs, that could change.

After winning 44 Emmys in total this year — tying the record for most wins by a single platform/network in a single year, set by CBS in 1974 — Bela Bajaria, the Netflix head of global TV, said the scores of statuettes made for “an historic night.”

If they could only keep one streaming service, 41% of those surveyed by Whip Media said they’d keep Netflix and HBO Max was tops with about 90% when asked which service left them most satisfied.

Hearst Television today announced the release of its OTT and CTV channel, “Very Local,” available on popular streaming platforms. The app allows viewers to connect with local news and information relevant to their lives, as well as content from other communities around the U.S.

Triton Digital, which was acquired by audio media giant iHeartMedia in early 2021, said the open audience exchange will launch in the Q1 2022.

Quintanilla is the writer and creator of Netflix original “Control Z” and now serves as senior director of future original development at NBCUniversal Telemundo.

The multiple Emmy winner’s first project will be a romcom feature in which he’ll star, write, direct and produce as his TV pact begins next year after his current Disney deal expires.

TV viewing by Comcast subscribers drops to 6 hours, 2 minutes per day.

Antennas, or “rabbit ears” provide completely free access to local network affiliates, typically including ABC, NBC, Fox and others. Fueled largely by millennials who’ve long sidestepped cable, antenna sales in the U.S. have risen 4% over the past year.

As more TV viewers become digital streamers, there are questions about whether outlandish marketing stunts still have a place in the TV firmament.

The National Hockey League and the Walt Disney Company will drop the puck on the first season of its seven-year multiplatform television deal by distributing more 100 exclusive, live NHL regular season games, nearly three-quarters of which will be offered through digital services ESPN Plus and Hulu.

If there’s a sign of the times in TV these days, it’s the “+” sign. “Plus” generally denotes a new program service for on-demand streaming platforms. And local TV newsrooms are joining the trend.

Fox Corp. is hoping to replicate its success in the fields of general entertainment, news and sports with the launch of a new, ad-supported streaming service dedicated to weather coverage. Next month, the company’s Fox News Media division will formally debut Fox Weather, a free streaming weather network complemented by a robust website and mobile apps that the company says will offer its audience unparalleled coverage of weather-related events. The service is the latest ambitious push into the direct-to-consumer streaming space for Fox.

While it began life as just another broadcast newsmagazine, the show has taken on a life of its own in recent years, leaning into the true crime genre, and riding that wave as it picked up steam across streaming and podcasts. For the newsmagazine’s 30th season, the network is planning a special podcast and a marathon on Peacock.

Now operating post mortem as “QBI Holdings LLC,” movie mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg’s failed mobile streaming venture announced Wednesday a settlement with Israeli technology company Eko for undisclosed terms.