The June 2021 Gauge Shows How Seasonality, Sports and Streaming Content Drive Shifts in Viewing – Seasonality, sports and new streaming content drove shifts in viewing share across broadcast, cable and streaming on television screens in June, according to The Gauge. Launched last month, Nielsen’s monthly total TV and streaming snapshot shows that the conclusion of the traditional broadcast season may have provided an opportunity for sports on cable (NHL, NBA, MLB) and streaming to each gain a percentage point of viewership.
The infusion of new content on streaming may have encouraged viewers to stay longer, putting Netflix in the top slot with 7% of total television and Disney+ grew one percentage point to 2%. [Nielsen]
James Gunn Nearly Blew Up His Career. Now He’s Back With ‘The Suicide Squad’ – Gunn discussed his firing and rehiring by Marvel, the making of “The Suicide Squad” for DC and his perspective on the two superhero franchises.
Among topics touched on is why Jared Leto’s Joker isn’t included in “The Suicide Squad”: “Joker, no. I just don’t know why Joker would be in the Suicide Squad. He wouldn’t be helpful in that type of war situation. ” [NY Times]
One in three Americans don’t plan on watching 2021 Olympics – A recent Ipsos poll finds that 1 in 3 Americans do not plan on watching the 2021 Summer Olympics. Among those planning to watch, Simone Biles is the athlete Americans are most excited to watch in the Olympic games. [Ipsos]
ViacomCBS and Charter Communications Reach Comprehensive Distribution Agreements – ViacomCBS Inc. and Charter Communications, Inc. today announced comprehensive, multi-year distribution agreements for the continued carriage of ViacomCBS’ leading portfolio of broadcast, entertainment, news and sports networks, in addition to licensing ViacomCBS’ suite of streaming services, including Paramount+, Pluto TV, BET+ and Noggin, for future distribution to Spectrum customers.
“We are pleased to have reached a new deal to deliver ViacomCBS’ expansive portfolio of popular brands and premium programming for Spectrum audiences to enjoy, plus greater choice in how they consume our content,” said Ray Hopkins, President, U.S. Network Distribution, ViacomCBS. “Charter is a valued partner, and we look forward to deepening our long-standing relationship.”
ViacomCBS and Charter also will expand their existing collaboration around addressable media and advanced advertising.
The New York Times Company Appoints Jason Sobel as Chief Technology Officer – The New York Times Company announced today that it is naming Jason Sobel as chief technology officer. Mr. Sobel, 40, will report directly to president and chief executive officer Meredith Kopit Levien. He will lead its Technology department when he joins The Times on August 23, 2021.
Jason is a talented engineering leader with nearly 20 years of experience tackling high-scale technical challenges at Airbnb and Facebook. That background, plus a deep interest in The Times’s mission and a track record of attracting and developing top talent make him the ideal executive to lead The Times’s fast-growing engineering team,” said Ms. Kopit Levien. “Technology is central to our journalism and business ambitions and one of the most important drivers of our subscription growth. In Jason, we’ve found the ideal leader and executive partner to take us on the next leg of our technological journey.”
Electronic Arts and The R&A to Celebrate The 150th Open in EA SPORTS PGA TOUR – Today, Electronic Arts Inc. and The R&A announced their plans to celebrate the historic Championship’s 150th edition in EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™. The Open Championship™ – Golf’s original Championship played on the ‘Home of Golf,’ the Old Course – will be featured in high fidelity through the return of the storied St Andrews Links in EA SPORTS PGA TOUR, celebrating huge milestones while honoring the course’s long history in the game when it releases in Spring 2022.
Sinclair Broadcast Group’s The National Desk Announces On-Air Talent for Evening Broadcast Launching September 27 – The National Desk,Sinclair Broadcast Group’s (Nasdaq: SBGI) national news program, today announced award-winning journalists, Meagan O’Halloran and Eugene Ramirez, will anchor The National Desk’s late news, launching on September 27.
O’Halloran will return to Sinclair to anchor the evening edition of The National Desk, and Ramirez will serve as the Live Desk Anchor, weeknights from 10 pm to 12 am ET / 7 to 9 pm PT, providing viewers with a comprehensive, commentary-free look at the most impactful national news and regional stories of the day.
Harnessing the power of Sinclair’s expansive local news footprint, The National Desk will continue the mission of delivering news for a national audience from a local perspective, with reporters living in the communities they cover.
As The National Desk expands its in-depth, by-the-minute distinctive coverage in evening news hours, audiences across the country will be able to watch the newscasts on 64 stations in 60 markets (including all MY and CW Network channels owned-or-operated by Sinclair), STIRR, Sinclair’s free OTT streaming platform, as well as Sinclair’s news websites, giving viewers even more real-time news coverage throughout the day.
WarnerMedia Appoints Industry Veterans Laura Dames and Andrea Zapata to Key Ad Sales Leadership Roles – WarnerMedia Ad Sales is building on its leadership team with two key appointments announced today by President of Ad Sales, JP Colaco. Laura Dames is now EVP, Marketing and Andrea Zapata joins the company as Head of Research, Data and Insights. Both industry veterans bring a wealth of experience to the group, complementing a leadership team that includes Katrina Cukaj, EVP of Ad Sales & Client Partnerships and Amy Leifer, EVP of Pricing, Planning & Operations. [WarnerMedia]
theScore Reports F2021 Q3 Financial Results – “theScore demonstrated continued momentum across our business in the fiscal 2021 third quarter as solid gaming handle was complemented by record third quarter media revenue,” said John Levy, Chairman and CEO of theScore. “Third quarter media revenue of $8.9 million was up 270% year-over-year and grew 5% compared to the same period in 2019. In addition, our unique, integrated sports media and betting approach powered gaming handle of $73.0 million on theScore Bet, including $30.8 million wagered in March, representing our single biggest handle month to date. We continue to work through the licensing process ahead of launches of theScore Bet in additional U.S. states, with an expectation that we will at least double the number of markets in which we are live in the next twelve months.
- theScore achieved record engagement on its sports media app in Q3.
- Recorded 470.2 million user sessions, a Q3 record. User sessions rose 19% vs. 2019**.
- Users opened the app an average of 126.1 times each month, an all-time high for average monthly sessions per user, across our base of 3.7 million average monthly active users, demonstrating a strong return to pre-COVID user levels.
- theScore’s sports content across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok achieved an average monthly reach of approximately 172 million users, a quarterly record.
- theScore’s esports platforms registered 241 million total video views in Q3.
iCARLY, has been renewed for a second season – Produced by Nickelodeon Studios, the new iCARLY series premiered in June on Paramount+ and quickly became one of the streaming service’s top acquisition drivers, ranking among Paramount+’s most-streamed titles since the series’ debut. Production on the second season will begin in Los Angeles this fall. [Paramount+]
CBS Summer staples “BIG BROTHER” and “LOVE ISLAND” show year over year growth in first week – It was a tremendous week one for CBS’ summer reality series BIG BROTHER and LOVE ISLAND as both shows are demonstrating year-over-year growth in linear viewing and driving significant numbers on social media.
As of this morning (Thurs., July 15), based on live-plus-same-day data, the first week of BIG BROTHER is up +18% from 2020’s first week in viewers, +8% in A25-54 and even in A18-49, while week one of LOVE ISLAND (with four nights of airings) shows a gain in A18-49 (+33%) while holding steady in other key measures. These increases come despite TV usage posting declines from the comparable week last year.
In streaming, with three days of viewing data available. LOVE ISLAND is up +14% on Paramount+ and the CBS app. Both shows are powerful drivers on social media with BIG BROTHER driving 619 million potential impressions and LOVE ISLAND producing 232 million potential impressions. These numbers are growing daily. [CBS]
