Broadcasting & Cable News

Local Media Outlets Seek Billions in COVID-19 Ad Spend Aid

April 12, 2020

The National Association of Broadcasters has joined with newspaper associations to try and get billions for news media outlet advertising in the next COVID-19 aid bill, the Paycheck Protection Program currently being hammered out in Congress. Media outlets have already teamed with the ...

O'Rielly Seeks Trump Help in Getting DOD Spectrum for 5G

April 12, 2020

Republican FCC commissioner Michael O'Rielly has asked President Trump to lean on the Department of Defense to free up spectrum for 5G. That came in an April 8 letter to Trump from O'Rielly, who is a fan of the President. O'Rielly praised the President's "extraordinary leadership" on ...

Primetime Ratings: ‘Masked Singer’ Falls on Fox

April 12, 2020

Fox had the top score in Wednesday prime, a hot night for the broadcasters. While it was down, The Masked Singer paced Fox to a 1.6 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and an 8 share. That beat ABC, with the Modern Family finale, at 1.3/6. The Masked Singer fell 17% to 2.0 on Fox and Lego ...

Scooter Braun Bringing BeatBuds to Nickelodeon

April 12, 2020

Kiddie singing group the BeatBuds is coming to Nickelodeon. The ViacomCBS cable network signed a deal with Scooter Braun’s SB Projects to create a short-form series around the duo that will begin production this summer and premier on Nickelodeon’s preschool platforms in 2021. "Energizing families ...

ViacomCBS Pledges $100M For Idle Production Staffers

April 12, 2020

ViacomCBS said it has committed $100 million to help people in TV and film production who have been largely idled by the COVID-19 crisis. In a memo to staff, CEO Bob Bakish called production a “particularly challenging area” during the crisis. The fund will help provide support to people who bring ...

Trump Administration Wants China Telecom Out of U.S. Nets

April 12, 2020

The Trump Administration has recommended to the FCC that it revoke China Telecom's authorizations to provide telecom service in the U.S. That was another of the legacy Team Telecom national security reviews of foreign involvement in U.S. telecom networks, a review that has been replaced by a ...

Naylor Leaves Hulu to Head Snapchat Americas

April 12, 2020

Peter Naylor, long-time head of ad sales at Hulu, has been named VP, Americas at Snapchat, a new position, effective early May. Naylor’s departure follows The Walt Disney Co. acquiring control over Hulu, having acquired stakes in the streamer from former co-owners 21st Century Fox and Comcast. ...

NBC to Air Remotely Produced ‘SNL’ April 11

April 12, 2020

NBC will air a Saturday Night Live featuring original content April 11. The show airs 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. The network said material will be produced remotely as SNL practices social distancing amid the coronavirus. NBC has not announced a host or musical guest for the April 11 episode. Related: Late ...

TV Usage Hits Plateau in Week of March 30: Nielsen

April 12, 2020

Total TV usage, driven higher as people stayed home from work and school to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, dipped 2% in the week of March 30, according to new figures from Nielsen. The week’s usage was still up 26% from the first full week of March and the second highest over the last five ...