The Charlotte-based operation names Erin Finnegan and Ken Baldwin creative services director and research director, respectively.
The president made his first public comments on the writers strike, which hits the one-week mark Tuesday, in remarks ahead of a screening of Disney+ series American Born Chinese. He was joined by an overflow crowd of hundreds of community leaders, elected officials and cast members and producers from the show in the East Room and the State Dining Room. “Nights like these are a reminder of stories and the importance of treating storytellers with the dignity, respect and the value they deserve,” Biden said. “I sincerely hope the writers strike in Hollywood gets resolved and the writers are given a fair deal they deserve as soon as possible.” Pictured: Actor Ke Huy Quan hugs President Joe Biden after he introduced Biden to speak before a White House screening of the American Born Chinese. The screening was held in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Monday. (Susan Walsh/AP)
CBS is dropping the ax on East New York and True Lies after one season. The CBS dramas’ Season 1 finales will now mark the end of both shows, airing Sunday, May 14, and Wednesday, May 17, respectively.
S.W.A.T., which was canceled on Friday after six seasons, is coming back for a seventh season on CBS.
The CW‘s latest acquisition (and its fourth in two weeks) is Son of a Critch, the hit comedy from Canada’s CBC and Lionsgate Television. Created by Mark Critch and Tim McAuliffe and based on Critch’s award-winning memoir This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Son of a Critch tells “the hilarious and very real story of a young Mark coming of age in the 1980s.”
Exclusives
Original Amazon series like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will be sold off-platform to third parties for the first time, the company announced Monday as it launched the new Amazon MGM Studios Distribution. A revamp of MGM’s pre-existing distribution team, the division will now handle Amazon Studios/Prime Video originals in addition to current and library titles. Chris Ottinger, who led the MGM distribution team for more than a decade, will oversee the new division.
For the past two seasons, Kelly Clarkson has shot her talk show’s premiere weeks in New York City, but now, she is taking her show to the Big Apple for good. The Kelly Clarkson Show will move production from the Universal lot in Los Angeles to NBC Studios in 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York next season.
“We’re not going back to the old way of doing things,” says ad sales head John Halley.
‘Company You Keep’ Flat With Finale, Renewal Decision Still TBA
ABC’s American Idol dominated Sunday in the demo (5.4 million/0.7), while CBS’s 60 Minutes (7M/0.5) and The Equalizer (6.2M/0.4) delivered the night’s two largest audiences. ABC’s on-the-bubble The Company You Keep ended its freshman run with a possible audience low (barely 2.1M) while steady with a 0.3 demo rating (its fifth out of 10 episodes).
Ron Hazelton, a pioneer in the do-it-yourself home improvement field, died on April 30. He was 81. On the road, in the television studio or in his workshop, Hazelton enjoyed […]
The writers and entertainment companies remain far apart on several key issues, including money, and the standoff could last for months.
‘Fire Country’ Eyes Lows; ‘SmackDown,’ ‘Blue Bloods’ Lead Friday
Fox’s SmackDown led Friday in the demo (2 million viewers/0.5), while CBS’s Blue Bloods copped the night’s largest audience (5.4M/0.3).
The writers strike is now impacting overall deals. Just days into the work stoppage, major TV studios have started sending out letters to writer/producers under overall agreements, telling them that their deals are being suspended.
In the highest-profile cancellation so far this upfront, CBS has opted not to renew S.W.A.T. for a seventh season. Its upcoming Season 6 finale will serve as a series finale. The show’s demise illustrates the harsh economic realities of the broadcast business as S.W.A.T. has done what was asked of it this season — it has been a rare TV series to rise in linear viewership year-to-year by double digits following its move to Fridays, where the drama has flourished. It may be the most watched broadcast series to get the axe this season.
On Friday, the network canceled comedy Call Me Kat after three seasons. The show has seen dwindling ratings, particularly in its third season.
A group including basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, TV producer Kenya Barris and rapper 50 Cent is among the potential bidders for a majority stake in Paramount Global’s BET Media Group, according to people familiar with the situation. The three celebrities have teamed up with Group Black — a company that aims to invest in and grow Black-owned media firms — private-equity firm CVC Capital Partners and Authentic Brands Group, which develops and licenses its brands to retail operators, the people said.
On-The-Bubble ‘Call Me Kat’ Ends Season On Low Note
There was a three-way tie for the Thursday demo crown, while CBS’s Young Sheldon drew the night’s biggest audience (6.9 million/0.5). Also, at least three shows hit demo lows, while another two posted their smallest audiences ever.
The CW is about to lose eight important affiliates: the CBS owned and operated stations that are currently affiliated with the Nexstar-owned network will become independent in September. The stations are WPSG Philadelphia, WUPA Atlanta, KBCW San Francisco, KSTW Seattle, WTOG Tampa-St. Petersburg, WKBD Detroit, KMAX Sacramento and WPCW Pittsburgh. This will give the CBS stations group 14 CBS Television Network stations and 13 independents.
Paramount has announced that the Kevin Costner-fronted Yellowstone will wrap its run with the upcoming second half of season five, which is set to premiere in November. It will be followed by an untitled sequel, from 101 Studios and MTV Entertainment Studios, which has received a straight-to-series order for a December debut. No talent has been announced for the new series but it appears Matthew McConaughey remains in negotiations to star.
You wait 70 years for a Coronation and 25 to host the Eurovision Song Contest and then the two come along at once. Over the next eight days, the BBC will air two of its biggest live events of the past generation and the corporation has spent months gearing up for celebrations that are estimated to cost roughly £125M ($157.1M), the brunt of which is going towards King Charles III’s Coronation – kicking off tomorrow. There is also the small matter of the BAFTA TV Awards, taking place the day after Eurovision next weekend.
Netflix’s dark comedy Beef made its debut on Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings in the No. 4 position with 962 million minutes watched. This measurement was taken during the April 3-9 viewing window, and Beef premiered on April 6, meaning the series achieved that viewership in its first four days of availability.
CBS has ordered the Jaime Camil game show Loteria Loca. The series is based on the Latin board game of chance known as Loteria. Camil will be host and executive producer. The Mexican actor and singer’s TV credits include Jane the Virgin, where he portrayed Rogelio.
The pomp and ceremony will be unmissable for U.K. residents, but what about royal watchers across the Atlantic? There are plenty of options to watch the regalia-heavy event that serves as a formal confirmation of King Charles’ dual role as head of state and titular leader of the Church of England — for those willing to wake up early enough.
