Programming

The good news is that more people in the choice demos appear to be watching television. The bad news is the reason why, the coronavirus. For now, television is the great national comforter, and that was reflected in the large audience for its offerings on Friday during primetime. ABC’s Shark Tank was the overall winner of the early results of Friday’s demo wars, clocking with an 0.8. But close behind were four programs with an 0.7.

Going without an audience “might be a good thing,” said Stephen Colbert, who was out-of-breath after a brief run through the empty seats. “In my mind, all of my jokes are perfect. The only person that ever disagrees with me right now is the audience.”

The move aims to give cooped-up families a welcome distraction and may presage how other media companies funnel their movies to streaming services in the coming weeks. It may also be a pivotal moment in the evolution of streaming services in relation to theatrical releases.

Crowd energy propels the immediacy of a daily talk show, and with most of those shows and their late-night counterparts stripped of a live audience in the wake of the coronavirus, it has had an unsettling effect. James Poniewozik writes the experience has been “a brief reminder of the function that audiences serve and of the kinds of virtual connection we’re going to crave through our uncertain hunkerings-down.”

Out of 55 broadcast pilots, only one, CBS/WBSTV’s B Positive from Chuck Lorre (pictured), has been completed. If the coronavirus pandemic isn’t curbed soon, broadcast networks will likely reassess their pilot slates. Between series with firm and blinking orders, networks have enough of a cushion to reduce their dependence on pilots, but after eight weeks networks can enforce their force majeure contract clause and drop any project with no penalty.

The network said Trish Regan Primetime and Kennedy are on hiatus “until further notice” in order to reallocate staff elsewhere across Fox News Media for coronavirus crisis coverage. Regan has evoked recent criticism by suggesting liberals were exaggerating the crisis to harm President Trump.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences said Friday that it is postponing the 41st annual Sports Emmy Awards and 71st annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards dinner, both of which had been scheduled for April. The organization said it will look to move both events to a later date this year, and comes as a reaction to the growing global coronavirus pandemic.

Disney Television Studios on Friday morning announced that it will be suspending production on limited series Genius: Aretha for at least three weeks. Additionally, the studio, comprising 20th Century Fox, ABC Studios and Fox 21, is postponing start of production on all of its in-cycle pilots and straight-to-series The Big Sky, including co-productions like The Brides (with WBTV) and Rebel (with Sony TV).

The network will air original episodes of Hawaii Five-O on Friday, March 27, at 9 p.m. with the series finale following at 9 p.m., Friday, April 3. Original episodes of MacGyver will air Friday, March 27, and Friday, April 3, at 8 p.m., and an original episode of Blue Bloods will air Friday, April 3, at 10 p.m.

How is this for tragic irony? For decades, network executives have been trying to break out of the traditional development cycle with little success. It may take a cataclysmic event like the current global coronavirus pandemic to finally do that. The fast-spreading outbreak has shut down or postponed production on about 50 scripted series across broadcast and streaming; ultimately, all shows are expected to grind to a halt, and some will end up delivering shorter seasons.

The Masters, golf’s most prestigious tournament, is the latest sporting event to succumb to the coronavirus pandemic.

The fate of scripted television production is very much in flux as the world grapples with the coronavirus. As of late Thursday evening, NBCUniversal has either suspended production or accelerated the season wrap schedules on 35 shows (scripted, unscripted and syndicated) as a precaution. CBS meanwhile, is taking a similar strategy and has done the same with a fair amount of its series. Other networks and studios are taking things on a case-by-case scenario.

Formula One also canceled its season-opening race in Australia, leaving the first weekend of global motorsports without a major event.

Broadcast TV viewing was up across the board Thursday, possibly because more viewers stayed in as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak. Nearly every show on the five English-language networks grew its audience vs. a week ago, and as a whole the five networks averaged about 7 percent more primetime viewers (17.56 million vs. 16.45 million) and grew by 11% in adults 18-49 (2.9 rating vs. 2.7). That runs counter to the usual pattern this time of year, when ratings tend to dip following the start of daylight saving time.

The UK’s top soccer competition the Premier League has officially been suspended until April 3 as sports authorities around the world attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

As the coronavirus spreads, and states issue mandates to try to contain the pandemic, individual television and film productions are shutting down around the globe.

Caution about the spread of the coronavirus has led Discovery to cancel its May upfront presentation. Discovery said it has prepared an “alternative digital experience” to showcast the company’s portfolio of networks, programming and advanced advertising products to media buyers and clients.

The fallout from Thursday’s coronavirus-driven cancellation of the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Tournament will be over $1 billion in ad revenue for CBS and Turner Sports. “There’s no bad guy here,” said one expert, but remedies will almost certainly have to be created.

“In light of recent developments and the current guidelines being set by health officials regarding COVID-19, The CW Network has decided to forego its traditional live upfront presentation scheduled for Thursday May 14 at City Center Theater in New York, as we join the community’s efforts to ensure that everyone’s health and safety is our top priority,” the network said in a statement Thursday.

As New York is entering state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic, New York-based shows have started to suspend production. That includes NBC’s latenight programs The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers, and syndicated daytime talker The Wendy Williams Show. In addition, CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert is joining its NBC late-night counterparts in suspending production.

There will be no madness this March after the NCAA on Thursday said the college tournament was canceled amid the coronavirus outbreak. The news came shortly after the AAC, SEC and Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 Tournaments were canceled.

The ATP has called off all men’s professional tennis tournaments for six weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Major League Soccer games across the U.S. and Canada will be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The suspension will be for 30 days.

Major League Baseball has delayed opening day by at least two weeks and canceled spring training games as of 4 p.m. ET today in response to the emergency situated created by the coronavirus pandemic. Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr.  made the decision after a call with the league’s 30 clubs and a consultation with the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Both CBS and NBCUniversal have canceled their upfront presentations that were scheduled in New York for mid-May. Both companies will present their upcoming slates digitally.

One day after the National Basketball Association suspended the current season to prevent spreading coronavirus, the National Hockey League has halted its season. The suspension will begin immediately.