Broadcasting & Cable News

New Season of ‘You’ on Netflix

December 29, 2019

Drama You, which had a lackluster first season on Lifetime before turning into a hit on Netflix, has begun season two on Netflix. There are 10 episodes. Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail and Victoria Pedretti star. Badgley plays a Manhattan book shop staffer with an obsessive streak. “A dangerously ...

ESPN Reporter Ed Aschoff Has Died

December 29, 2019

Edward Aschoff, college football reporter at ESPN, died Dec. 24 after a brief illness. He had turned 34 that day. "We are very sorry to have to share the devastating news of the tragic passing of friend and ESPN colleague Edward Aschoff," ESPN said in a statement. "He died earlier today, his 34th ...

Comcast in Talks to Buy Streamer Xumo: Report

December 29, 2019

Comcast is in talks to acquire streaming service Xumo, according to a published report. The Wall Street Journal said it didn’t know how much Comcast was offering to pay in what were described as “advanced talks” with Xumo, which offers free, ad supported video to consumers. ViacomCBS acquired Pluto ...

Court Blocks Maine A La Carte Law

December 29, 2019

In a mixed decision for cable operators but an initial victory, U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the implementation of Maine's first-in-the-nation a la carte law. Comcast and a laundry list of other content distributors* and suppliers ...

Season Two of ‘The Mandalorian’ a Go on Disney+

December 29, 2019

There will be a season two of the Star Wars hit The Mandalorian on Disney+. Season one began November 12, when the streaming platform launched, and featured eight episodes. Creator Jon Favreau shared the news on Twitter, with @Jon_Favreau saying it will arrive in fall 2020. The Mandalorian is ...

Sinclair Raises Minimum Wage to $15 An Hour

December 22, 2019

Sinclair Broadcast Group said it was raising the minimum hourly wage it pays applicable employees to $15, effective Dec. 29. Sinclair also said it would make improvements to other employee benefits, including time off and enhancing affordable health care. “At Sinclair, we recognize that we would be ...

NBCU Mulling $10 Price for Ad-Free Peacock: Report

December 22, 2019

NBCUniversal is considering a $10-a-month subscription price for an ad-free version of its upcoming streaming service, Peacock. According to paywalled news site The Information, NBCU’s top digital brass is also considering a $4.99-a-month version that would carry a limited amount of advertising. ...

Disney+ Signed Up 24M Users in November, Analyst Says

December 22, 2019

The Walt Disney Company's new SVOD service signed up an impressive 24 million new users in November, said Cowen analyst John Blackledge, rendering an estimate that blows the doors off previous equity research projections. Also running counterintuitive to other research: the Cowen analyst found that ...

NBCU Plans Preview of Peacock at Live Event

December 22, 2019

NBCUniversal is planning a live event for fans of its films and TV shows that will include a sneak peak of its upcoming streaming service Peacock. The event, Peacock Live! will take place March 28-29 at the Universal Studios backlot in California. Plans include interactive exhibits, celebrity panel ...