CBS’s All Rise this Monday drew 3.6 million total viewers and a 0.4 rating, holding steady in the demo for a sixth straight week while awaiting word on renewal. Over at NBC, “bubble” drama Debris (2.5M/0.4) held steady yet again, posting its ninth 0.4 rating out of 11 airings.
Fox has ordered the single-camera comedy Pivoting for its 2021-22 broadcast season lineup. The half-hour series stars Eliza Coupe, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Maggie Q as three women dealing with the death of their childhood best friend. Faced with the reality that life is short, in desperate attempts to find happiness, they make a series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions, strengthening their bond proving it’s never too late to screw up your life.
Fox has started making decisions about its bubble dramas, canceling sophomore drama Prodigal Son Monday. The series was a co-production between Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment and hailed from super-producer Greg Berlanti.
The Media Rating Council says that Nielsen’s numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic undercounted viewers, as was alleged by networks and distributors represented by the VAB.
In a statement, MRC said it believes that total usage of television by persons 18-49 — the key demo used to sell advertising — was understated by approximately 2% to 6% for the February 2021 measurement period.
Kat’s cat café will remain open after Fox handed freshman comedy Call Me Kat a second season. However, Darlene Hunt, who was the showrunner and executive producer of Season 1, is leaving the show and negotiations are underway for her replacement.
Exclusives
Ellen Pompeo and fellow original stars Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. have all closed rich new pacts to return to the flagship drama, with spinoff Station 19 also scoring a Season 5 pickup for the 2021-22 broadcast season.
There will be no Golden Globes in 2022 on NBC, as the besieged HFPA continues to falter in reforming itself to the satisfaction of Hollywood studios and stakeholders. “We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform,” said the Comcast-owned network this morning. “However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes. Assuming the organization executes on its plan, we are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023.”
NBC’s yet-to-be-renewed Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist — ahead of its season finale — this Sunday drew 1.26 million total viewers and a 0.2 rating, dipping a tenth in the demo to match its series low. On ABC, bubble-straddling The Rookie (3.8 mil/0.6) rose a tenth ahead of its season finale.
A longtime media consultant, KDKA Pittsburgh executive producer and TVNewsCheck contributor, Greenwald was gifted with an impish wit and knew how to sling a bon mot for maximum impact.
Elon Musk Brings Ratings Lift To ‘SNL’
Elon Musk’s turn as Saturday Night Live host brought the NBC late-night mainstay its third-highest ratings of the season. The May 8 edition of SNL averaged a 4.8 household rating in Nielsen’s overnight metered markets and a 2.7 rating in adults 18-49. That put Musk’s episode at No. 3 behind Dave Chappelle’s outing as host on Nov. 7 and the Oct. 3 season premiere fronted by Chris Rock. Musk tied the ratings mark set Oct. 24 with the episode hosted by Adele with H.E.R. in the music slot.
Fresh from commitments from major advertisers and an agency holding company to boost their spending on Black-owned media, the Black-Owned Media Upfront announced a partial lineup of speakers today. Presenters will include, clockwise from upper left, Butch Graves, president-CEO, Black Enterprise; Roland Martin, founder, Nu Vision Media; Michele Ghee, CEO, Ebony & Jet; Paula Madison, chairman-CEO, Madison Media Management; Detavio Samuels, CEO, Revolt Media; and Byron Allen, founder, chairman and CEO, Allen Media Group. Register to attend here and please register again if you initially registered prior to Wednesday, May 5. Start times for this event: Tuesday, May 11: 3 p.m. ET. Wednesday, May 12: Noon ET.
HBO Publicity veteran Tonya Owens (l) is leaving the WarnerMedia network after 25 years to join Disney Television Studios as VP talent relations. Additionally, the Disney TV studio group has promoted longtime awards strategist Kottie Kreischer to VP awards and events.
The multibillion-dollar market for sports broadcasting rights is wreaking havoc in Europe, where soccer teams are suffering heavy losses due to pandemic-shuttered stadiums as new media players enter the field. In Italy, billionaire Leonard Blavatnik’s live sports streaming service DAZN, with backing from local telco streamer Telecom Italia, plunked down more than $1 billion per season for a three-year contract for the bulk of Italian Serie A soccer rights, displacing Comcast-owned pay TV operator Sky. The deal marked the first time a streamer has nabbed exclusive rights to a major domestic league in its native territory.
The unprecedented number of TV outlets in need of shows and growing pressure for inclusive fare is a one-two punch that’s creating opportunities for overlooked writers and ignored perspectives.
‘Mom’ Rises Thursday Ahead Of Series Finale
CBS’s Mom drew 5.2 million total viewers and a 0.6 rating, ticking up in the demo with its penultimate episode. Opening the Eye’s night, Young Sheldon (6.4M/0.5) slipped to series lows yet still delivered Thursday’s biggest audience.
This year’s annual spring ritual known as the upfront, in which advertisers commit to buying commercials for fall programming, is expected to bounce back from a tepid 2020 and show more ad dollars migrating to streaming platforms.
The Melissa McCarthy buddy comedy almost gathered a billion minutes of U.S. streaming during the week of April 5-11, according to Nielsen’s weekly SVOD top 10 ranking list.
A beloved doctor is checking out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams is exiting the hit ABC medical drama after 12 seasons. His character Jackson Avery’s pending exit from the series was revealed in Thursday’s episode, “Look Up Child.” Williams’ last episode, titled “Tradition,” will air May 20.
A Little Late With Lilly Singh’s TV tenure will be a little short: the NBC (late-late-) latenight series is ending after less than two years. But Singh isn’t leaving the family: she has signed a a first-look deal with Universal Television Alternative Studio to develop unscripted projects through her Unicorn Island Productions.
Following a fan outcry over its untimely cancellation, Sanditon has been renewed for Seasons 2 and 3, PBS announced. The eight-part ITV series — based on Jane Austen’s final, unfinished novel — made its stateside debut on PBS in early 2020.
NBCUniversal’s new TV boss discusses the excitement and uncharted waters around her expansive role as she readies the company’s post-COVID upfront presentation. (Damon Casarez photo)
