Programming

On July 29, technologists will share perspectives on how long-term remote work and a growing focus on the cloud are creating opportunities for innovation in television workflows and facilities design. Speakers, (clockwise from left) will be Kevin Brosnan, solutions architect, Teradici; Tim Murphy, principal program manager for media and entertainment, Microsoft Azure; Ray Thompson, senior director, partner and industry marketing, Avid; Mike Kralec, VP technical operations and deputy CTO, Sinclair Broadcast Group and moderator Glen Dickson, contributing editor, TVNewsCheck. Register to attend the webinar here.

Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide, NBC’s new reality competition series that scored the plum post-Olympics slot for its premiere, has been pulled from the schedule, sources close to the production confirmed. The move comes a month after production was shut down due to a non-COVID illness outbreak among the show’s staff. Production remains on hold, and there are no plans for a new premiere date at this point, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Fox’s Beat Shazam this week scored a 0.4 rating while drawing 1.8 million total viewers, holding steady and topping Thursday in the demo. Over on CBS, a Young Sheldon rerun delivered the night’s biggest audience: 3.4 million viewers.

Twelve months ago, protests against racist policing and brutality were at their height, and we saw many Hollywood entities make public statements of support for Black Lives Matters. There was enough momentum driving the protests that it felt like programming executives couldn’t ignore this movement altogether. And yet, cop shows still proliferate on the broadcast network schedule. And they will continue to do so in the fall. It’s almost as if the events of the past year never happened.

Lucifer posted a repeat win atop Nielsen’s weekly U.S. streaming rankings, with viewership rising almost 40% as the show wrapped its fifth season. The supernatural drama series, which began on Fox before shifting to Netflix, racked up more than 1.8 billion minutes of total viewing from May 31 to June 6. That tally increased about 40% from the 1.3 billion it collected in the prior week.

Fox’s MasterChef was steady with 2.7 million total viewers and a 0.6 rating, topping Wednesday in the demo. Over on ABC, $100,000 Pyramid (3.4M/0.4) delivered the night’s biggest audience.

Meghan McCain is leaving The View, after nearly four years on the ABC daytime show, Variety has confirmed. As the panel’s resident conservative talking head, McCain regularly sparred with her co-hosts, resulting in many viral — and highly-rated — on-air moments. Her last day will be at the end of the show’s season later this summer.

The two newest Scripps Networks unveil their schedules with Defy targeting men 25-54 and TrueReal focusing on women 25-54. Both will be available to 92% of the United States.

ViacomCBS has restructured its international reporting structure, bringing its global business under the control of a trio of U.S. execs. Chris McCarthy (l), Brian Robbins (c) and George Cheeks (r) have all been promoted as part of the move. Cheeks, who is president-CEO, CBS Entertainment Group, will expand his role to include responsibility for a global content strategy across ViacomCBS’ free-to-air networks around the world. These include Channel 5 in the U.K., Telefe in Argentina and Network Ten in Australia. McCarthy and Robbins have added global oversight for their brand groups — MTV Entertainment Group and Nickelodeon. There are no specifics but word is that, like with Cheeks, the oversight is content-related and includes programming and marketing.

When Donald K. Boswell took over leadership of Western New York Public Broadcasting in 1998, he told a member of the search committee that hired him he expected to be here five years. Now, after 23 years, Boswell is finally leaving the job.

The new streaming network offers big sports stars combined with nostalgic throwback content and original programming via Xumo in the U.S. and the Roku Channel in Canada along with YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Nickelodeon’s longtime hitmaker separated from the company in 2018 and has been trailed by questions about his abrupt departure. Now he is talking about making a return to television. Above, In 2014, Schneider accepted Nickelodeon’s first and only Lifetime Achievement Award. He was surrounded onstage by young actors whose careers he had launched.

Pennsylvania’s highest court has overturned comedian Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction. The court said Wednesday that they found an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented him from being charged in the case.

Mack — best known for her role as a young Superman’s close friend on the series Smallville — had previously pleaded guilty to the charges and began cooperating against NXIVM leader Keith Raniere. Prosecutors credited her with helping them mount evidence showing how Raniere created a secret society of brainwashed women who were branded with his initials. Above, Mack, center, leaves federal court with her mother Mindy Mack after being sentenced, Wednesday, June 30.

NBC’s America’s Got Talent this Tuesday drew 6.8 million total viewers and a 1.0 rating, ticking up in the demo week-to-week and again dominating the night in both measures. Leading out of that, College Bowl (2.5M/0.4) ticked down from its debut.

Locast delivers more than 45 local TV channels in the Columbus DMA, including WCMH, WSYX, WBNS, WTTE, PBS, PBS Kids, as well as DABL, Telemundo, Antenna, CourtTV, Movies, MeTV, TrueCrime, CW, Circle, Bounce, Quest, Laff, Comet, HSN, Grit, Charge! and more.

The Amazon-backed free-streaming service has landed library rights to the first two seasons of the series starring Nicholas Pinnock. Should those perform well, it could lead to a third-season renewal on the ad-supported platform.