FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (WEDNESDAY 12/7/16)
NBC: Hairspray Live! (Premiere) at 8pm
TV ONE: Unsung: Bobby Bland (Premiere) at 8pm
GREAT AMERICAN COUNTRY: Big Time RV (Premiere) at 9pm
COMEDY CENTRAL: South Park (Finale) at 10pm
COMEDY CENTRAL: Legends of Chamberlain Heights (Finale) at 10:30pm
TV LAND: Impastor (Finale) at 10:30pm
Time Warner is going to raise HBO’s budget for new shows, said CEO Jeff Bewkes at the UBS media conference this week, as the premium cabler faces competition from the likes of Netflix and Amazon for programming. “We’re not spending our programming money on library product. We’re doing original shows…We’ve been increasing it and we’ll keep increasing it.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
MTV could soon be singing a different tune, according to Viacom acting president and CEO Robert Bakish. Speaking at the UBS media conference, Bakish contended the net’s move from music wasn’t working. “They strayed a little bit away from music,” Bakish said. “That was a mistake.” Noting that MTV’s European channels didn’t follow their U.S. cousin’s reality and scripted path, Bakish noted, “We’ve grown share three years running…. You’ve seen what happened in the U.S.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Beyonce led the Grammy nominee field with 9 nods, followed by Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West with 8 apiece. Awards show airs Sunday, February 12 at 8p on CBS.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Duck Dynasty producers Scott and Deirdre Gurney have been placed on a “short, temporary” leave of absence by ITV America pending a financial audit related to production billing, reports TheWrap. The couple’s Gurney Productions was acquired by ITV in 2012. Craig Armstrong, in charge for now, said in a memo obtained by TheWrap, “Due to the nature of this leave of absence we cannot share all the specific details. What I can tell you is that Gurney Productions is a very important part of the ITV family and we are committed to help keep things running smoothly.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Cartoon Network announced a new board of industry and academic experts to advise its STEAM efforts, part of a $30 million commitment in conjunction with President Obama’s Computer Science for All initiative. “Cartoon Network’s unparalleled multiplatform reach uniquely positions us to meet kids where they are and find new ways to unlock their creativity through technology,” said Christina Miller, president of Cartoon Network. “We will accelerate and expand our reach, fulfilling our goal of giving Plurals creative confidence to become the next generation of creators, animators and makers.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
We’ll drink to that! If ABC dating show The Bachelor isn’t enough of a guilty pleasure, Bachelor Wines is launching three varietals: The Fantasy Suite, One on One, and The Final Rose (ha!). Bottles are $15.95; series premiere is Monday January 2.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HBO’s Game of Thrones was the only show to grab more than one nomination for American Society of Cinematographer Awards (it got two). Complete list of nominees is here.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Travel Channel gave the green light for spin-off Booze Traveler: Best Bars, following cocktail connoisseur Jack Maxwell. Production on 10 episodes is set to begin this month, for a spring 2017 debut. Booze Traveler, also starring Maxwell, is back for season 3 Monday, December 12 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Syfy gave a direct-to-series order to supernatural drama Superstition, from XLrator Media and Mario Van Peebles’ MVPTV. Van Peebles will produce as well as write, direct and star in some episodes.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ABC ordered a pilot for Libby & Malcolm, from creator Kenya Barris (black-ish). Felicity Huffman (American Crime) and Courtney Vance (People v. O.J. Simpson) will star in the ABC Studios production.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Scott Buck (Iron Fist) will write/exec produce The Inhumans, slated for a fall 2017 launch on ABC. First two episodes of the Marvel series premiere on Imax screens two weeks earlier.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Comedy Downward Dog, slated for a 2017 launch on ABC, will make its world premiere in the Special Events section at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. It’s the first time a major broadcast network scripted comedy will be screened at the festival.The show is co-produced by Legendary Television and ABC Studios.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Bravo brings nine friends to the Hamptons (Montauk, to be exact) for new series Summer House, premiering Monday, January 16 at 10p. Bravo promises drama, boozy lunches, bonfires and jaw-dropping hookups.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HBO is premiering UConn Huskies: The March to Madness on Wednesday, March 1. Docu-series will track the women’s championship basketball team during the 2017 competition.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The third and final season of HBO’s The Leftovers will premiere in April. Dark drama focuses on people whose lives were changed after 140 million others vanished from Earth.
(Source: Cynopsis)
In Food Network’s Bakers vs. Fakers, Cake Boss Buddy Valastro hosts a blind taste test competition between talented home bakers and pros. Series launches Wednesday, January 25 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Turner sibs TNT and TBS are teaming for SURPRISE! Instant Xmas Carol, a music special featuring celebrity carolers Conan O’Brien, Rashida Jones, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Jane Lynch, Ludacris and more. One-hour special premieres on TBS Wednesday, December 21 at 10p, then will be simulcast on TBS and TNT Saturday, December 24 at 7p ahead of the nets’ A Christmas Story marathon.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Witness follows the efforts of Kitty Genovese’s brother to investigate her 1964 murder in front of a reported 38 witnesses who did nothing to stop it. Film airs on PBS’s Independent Lens Monday, January 23 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Cinelatino will broadcast the Fenix Film Awards live from Mexico City on Wednesday, December 7, at 8:30p, recognizing the best films of the year from the Ibero-American region.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Esquire’s “Better Than a Sweater” marathon begins Monday, December 19. Lineup of 147 hours of series includes Spotless, Beowulf, Wrench Against the Machine and more.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Rick Fox (Dope) landed a recurring role on season two of OWN’s Greenleaf, as a handsome reporter out to sandbag church officials. Sophomore run is slated to begin in spring 2017.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Hallmark Channel’s annual “Countdown to Christmas” premieres made the network #1 for the entire weekend among Household and W25-54 ratings for the sixth straight week. Compared to the 2015 season, this year’s initiative has won viewership gains among Households (22 percent), W18-49 (30 percent), W25-54 (18 percent), A18-49 (36 percent), A25-54 (25 percent) and total viewers (22 percent).
(Source: Cynopsis)
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ “Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas” is also out-performing last year’s initiative with strong delivery increases among Households (51 percent W18-49 (70 percent), W25-54 (53 percent), A18-49 (84 percent), A25-54 (60 percent) and total viewers (54 percent).
(Source: Cynopsis)
Investigation Discovery saw double-digit growth across almost all demos in November, and an average of 993,000 P2+ watching in prime time (Live+3).Year to date, ID is ranked #9 for delivery of W25-54 in prime and #15 for P25-54 in ad-supported cable.For total day delivery, ID is the #2 network for W25-54 (behind only HGTV) and the #6 network for P25-54 year-to-date.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Univision grew its audience week to week 3 percent among total viewers (to 1.8 million) and 4 percent among A18-49 (to 830,000) the week of November 28.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on CBS held last year’s viewership of 6.6 million and was the top-rated show of the night among the Big Four, but dipped from 2.3 among A18-49 to a low of 2.1/7 on its move from Tuesday to Monday, opposite ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Among A25-54, the show rose year to year from 2.0 to 2.2.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship on Sunday nights cooked up a .8 A25-54 rating (700,000 impressions), tying it for 5th in the 9p timeslot. Overall, Food ranked #7 for the night, averaging a .6 rating A25-54 (540,000 impressions). Cooking Channel served up Christmas at Tiffani’s at 8p for a gain of over 150 percent versus year-ago; overall Cooking Channel was up 65 percent for the night versus year ago.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Nina L. Diaz, promoted last week to Head of Unscripted for MTV and VH1, announced a new leadership team. Eli Lehrer will take on an expanded role as Head of Development for MTV; Lily Neumeyer will continue as Head of Development for VH1 while taking on additional talent-driven projects; Paul Ricci, Head of Alternative Programming for VH1 adds MTV to his portfolio, and MTV production exec Andy Portnoy will take on the expanded role of Head of Strategic Content Operations for MTV and VH1. “MTV and VH1 share the same creative DNA and this team deepens the connection between them,” said Diaz.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Actor Peter Vaughan died December 6. He was 93. Vaughan was known to TV audiences for roles in Game of Thrones and UK’s Porridge.
(Source: Cynopsis)
POWERBALL
Today’s Jackpot is $67 million.
Powerball is played in 43 states.
Keely's Korner 