Programming

TVNewsCheck‘s Michael Depp talks with Mo Rocca, host of Innovation Nation, which has just celebrated its 200th episode, on the syndicated show’s enduring, omni-generational appeal; the state of E/I programming; and the competition the space is getting from YouTubers. Click here for a full episode transcript.

The Nielsen Gauge report for April 2022, published Thursday, revealed that audiences spent on average more than 30% of their total TV viewing time this past month consuming watching streaming video content. That is a record share for streaming, and up from the previous record of 29.7% that was set in March. Overall TV viewing dropped by 2.1% from March, while consumption of streaming content in April was almost identical to March, helping to increase streaming’s share of overall TV viewing by over 0.6%.

The former Warner Media ad sales executive will represent the company’s syndicated broadcast programming.

Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance opened Season 17 with 2.1 million total viewers and a 0.3 rating — down in the demo from its summer 2019 averages to mark a series low, while drawing Wednesday’s third-smallest non-CW audience.

When America fell asleep watching the election returns Tuessday night, Dave McCormick led Dr. Mehmet Oz 31.2% to 31.1% in the race to become the Republican nominee in the election for the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pat Toomey. What a difference a day makes. Late Wednesday, those results had flipped, with Oz registering 31.2% and McCormick 31.1%.

Phil Falcone is angling to profit from TV coverage of crypto assets — an oddball bid to reverse a decade-long slide from being a billionaire to pleading that he’s broke. The fallen hedge fund star — who amassed a $2 billion fortune from shorting the housing market before squandering the riches over the past 10 years — is actively pitching investors on something called Blockchain.TV.

Dick Wolf does not take anything for granted. Not even his prowess as one of Hollywood’s most prolific producers. Wolf and his loyal team of producers and showrunners have come a long way since the dark day, 12 years ago this month, when NBC executives unceremoniously plucked out the jewel in his crown, Law & Order, canceling the show after 20 years of yeoman’s service to the network. He speaks at length about the changes in television and the revitalization of his Wolf Entertainment banner over the past half-dozen years.

Emmy FYC events are back — and boy, are they ever back. After two years of mostly virtual panels — with some drive-in events in the mix — networks and studios were once again given permission by the Television Academy this year to swing the doors open and hold in-person panels, screenings and experiences.

Since May 2021, the streamer has been reaching out to small groups of subscribers with a proposition: The company is inviting them to participate in a panel to provide feedback on Netflix’s upcoming movies and TV shows before they’re released publicly.

The most watched network follows other broadcasters in opting for light adjustments to its primetime lineup. Above,  So Help Me Todd, a legal drama with some comic elements, will air at 9 p.m. on Thursdays

The next chapter of what Paramount+ is calling Yellowstone‘s “origin story” — which began with the wildly popular 1883 prequel spinoff — will introduce viewers to a new generation of the series’ central family, the Duttons. Through them, per an official description, the series will “explore the early 20th century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west, and the Duttons who call it home.”

The third iteration of the XFL has found a TV home. The league and Disney have struck a global rights deal that will see all XFL regular season and playoff games running on ESPN, ABC and — in its first sports rights deal since becoming part of Disney — FX. The spring football league is set to begin play in 2023.

Of the Nielsen company’s 20 most popular scripted series on the air last week, 12 were parts of franchises — the three Chicago dramas on NBC, the three FBI shows on CBS, for example. That’s without counting the CBS comedy Young Sheldon, even though it began life as a spinoff from The Big Bang Theory. CBS won last week in primetime, averaging 4.2 million viewers. NBC had 3.2 million viewers, ABC had 2.8 million, Fox had 2 million, Univision had 1.4 million, Ion Television had 950,000 and Telemundo had 830,000. Behind NBA playoff games, TNT led the cable networks with a 3.36 million viewer average.

While every network presenting at this year’s upfronts is highlighting their streaming wares and linear offerings, executives from TelevisaUnivision are approaching sales meetings with an ace up their sleeves: Its linear TV ratings are on the rise.

ABC’s breakout comedy Abbott Elementary will move to a new night — and a prime location on the network’s schedule — in the fall. The show will anchor the network’s Wednesday comedy block, moving into the 9 p.m. slot. ABC’s lineup to start the 2022-23 season will feature a pair of new dramas in The Rookie: Feds and the Hilary Swank-led Alaska, along with a Celebrity Jeopardy game show on Sunday nights. The network is also making a big bet on Bachelor in Paradise, which will air on both Monday and Tuesday nights — replacing the Disney+-bound Dancing With the Stars on Mondays.